Today is National Chocolate Milk Day. Everyone
knows that chocolate milk is a sweetened, chocolate-flavored milk drink
that can be purchased pre-mixed or made at home. But there are lots of ways to make
chocolate milk, and lots of different ingredients can be added to give it a special flavor. As always, remember it's the quality of the chocolate that will make a big difference -- and the milk: 2%, whole, etc.
So to celebrate the day, I have Three Chocolate Milk recipes and Two Chocolate Milk Cocktail Recipes! Take your choice!
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As always, use the very best chocolate.
Basically you make a chocolate syrup first, then add the milk.
1. Chocolate Milk
11 ounces milk
1 ounce water
1-1/2 teaspoons cocoa
2 tablespoons sugar
Put sugar, cocoa, and water in microwavable 12 oz glass.
Microwave for 30 seconds or until sugar and cocoa dissolve.
Add cold milk and stir.
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Want something a little more unusual? Sunset (1994) had a wonderful Ultimate Chocolate Milk Recipe (Nicaraguan Chocolate Milk). This is not a classic, but it might soon be for you. Preparation takes some time, so you won't be drinking this today.
2. Nicaraguan Chocolate Milk (Orchata de cacao)
1-1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups (about 2/3 lb) cocoa beans
4 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks (each about 3 in.), broken into 1-inch pieces
8 cups whole, low-fat, or nonfat milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup sugar
Ice (optional)
Place rice in bowl, cover with cool water, and let stand to soften somewhat, up to 24 hours; drain.
Place
cocoa beans in 9-inch metal baking dish. Bake in 500 degree oven 5 minutes.
Shake beans. Continue to bake until beans smoke and some skins have
split, 5 to 8 minutes longer.
In blender, place half rice,
cocoa beans, water, and cinnamon. Whirl until ingredients are very
finely pureed. Place large, fine strainer over a bowl; pour cocoa
mixture into strainer and stir to extract liquid. Discard residue.
Repeat with remaining rice, cocoa, water, and cinnamon.
Rinse
strainer, then line with a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Pour
cocoa liquid through strainer into bowl, stirring to extract all
liquid; discard residue.
To cocoa liquid, add milk, vanilla, and
sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Serve plain or over ice. If making
ahead, chill, covered, up to 3 days. Stir to serve Makes about 10 1/2
cups, 10 servings.
3. Salted Chocolate Milk
Several years ago, I paid homage to one of my favorite TV sitcoms, Modern Family. In one episode, Manny is studying with a girl he has a
crush on. She comes to his house and Manny's doting Columbian
Mama Gloria (Sofia Vergara) makes the kids chocolate milk. The young
girl with whom Manny is smitten says that they always add salt to
chocolate milk at her home. Gloria, threatened by another 'woman' in
Manny's life, says she doesn't like it that way. Of course, when she
tries it without the two in the room, she really loves it.
I've posted lots of reviews and recipes that call for salt and
chocolate. Salt gives chocolate a certain pop, and I think you'll find
it very refreshing in chocolate milk. Just don't add too much. A pinch
will do.
The Modern Family Chocolate Milk with Salt Showdown:
Gloria: So how is it going?
Manny: Great, Kelly's moving her stuff into my notebook.
Gloria: This is sudden.
Kelly: It just felt right. Oh, you know what you should do, put a
pinch of salt in the chocolate milk, it really brings out the flavor.
Gloria: Salt is for the popcorn.
Manny: Sounds good.
Gloria: You wouldn't like it.
Kelly: Maybe we should let Manny decide.
Gloria: Okay, here's the salt. We'll see what he likes.
Manny tries both:
Manny: Wow! It's great! Try it, Mom.
Gloria: I don't care for it.
Her best line of the episode, defeated and with her accent, she tells the camera and the viewers, "It was delicious."
So moving from the youngsters to the oldsters, here are two very easy cocktail recipes for Adult Chocolate Milk Cocktails!
1. Chocolate Milk Cocktail
Glass of Chocolate Milk
Couple Splashes Kahlua
2 or 3 ice cubes
Add Kahlua to chocolate milk and add ice
2. Chocolate Milk Cocktail
1/2 shot Kahlua
1/2 shot milk
Dash of Amaretto
Put the milk in the bottom, pour the liqueur on top and add dash of amaretto. Do not mix.
Serve in a tumbler.
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