Serious Chocolate: Homemade Chocolate Syrup and Milk

"I liked Fox's U-Bet best...but the homemade syrup is on an entirely different level.

[Flickr: hleo]

Pavlov rang bells to make dogs salivate. I imagine the bells sounded like spoons stirring thick chocolate syrup into glasses of ice-cold milk.

It's not difficult to make a glass of chocolate milk. After all, it's a two-ingredient drink and the recipe is in the name. But a great glass of chocolate milk—well, that takes talent, hard work, and a little bit of luck.

Luckily, I spent an entire evening testing varieties of chocolate syrup and milk, to find the right combination of ingredients. (A tough job, I know.) What's the secret to a glass of velvety chocolate milk that will have you salivating for more?

There are lots of store-bought chocolate syrups and each one has a slightly different flavor. I tested Nestle's Quik, Hershey's Syrup, Bosco, U Bet, and Carnation when a neighbor asked if I had ever tried homemade syrup.

Homemade? What? Try it, she said. So I did, and it tasted much better than the bottle version.

The bottles aren't bad. I liked Fox's U-Bet best because it's nostalgic and reminds me of making chocolate egg creams with my grandfather. I don't think I had a least favorite. I grew up on Hershey's, so even if that might not be as "real-chocolatey-tasting" as the others, I still like it quite a bit.

But the homemade syrup is on an entirely different level. If you're trying to impress someone with your chocolate syrup-making skills, this is the way to go.

Previously

Serious Chocolate: Understanding Necco Wafers
Serious Chocolate: Easy Chocolate Pie Crust
Serious Chocolate: The Best Chocolate for Chocolate-Chip Cookies

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.