Chocolate Syrup

If you love chocolates, which I am sure you do, the two words ‘chocolate’ and ‘syrup’ must have reminded you of that chocolaty sweetness, which enhances the sweet taste of absolutely any dessert! Writing about chocolate syrup is like thinking of chocolate syrup and yet not having it. But let us resist our temptation of chocolate for a while and understand all about chocolate syrups!

Chocolate Syrup Recipe
The main ingredients of chocolate syrup are cacao powder, sugar, corn syrup and flavorings like vanilla. Take a cup of sugar, a cup of cacao, a cup of water, 1 tbsp. vanilla and some salt. Blend cacao, sugar, salt and water. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Add vanilla after the mixture is brought down from the heat. It can be stored in a refrigerator for weeks ahead. Moreover anytime you use it, you know its your preparation, has no preservatives and is as fresh as ever. You can store it in a squeeze bottle if you like. It is all set to crown your puddings, cakes, drinks or ice creams.

If you wish to bring some difference to the conventional chocolaty taste of chocolate syrup, you can try making chocolate mint syrup and bring in the ‘minty mix’ to the chocolate. For this you will need 1/2 cup of cacao powder, 3/4-cup cold water, the same amount of sugar and 30-35 mint leaves, dried after rinsing and torn. Add water to the cacao powder and stir till they mix well. Heat the mixture after adding sugar and mint leaves to it. Stir till the sugar melts and the syrup boils. Reduce heat and wait. When the mixture thickens and gets a glossy look, its ready!

Some Chocolate Syrup Brands
Chocolate lovers will thank Hershey’s when they know that Hershey’s was one of the first brands to bring chocolate syrup to USA. They came up with the fountain version of chocolate syrup in 1926 and with a canned form for household use. The secret of the undoubted success of Hershey’s is in the way they prepare chocolate syrup. They roast the chocolate beans and grind them after they are shelled. Hershey’s remain to reign.

Companies like Bosco soon joined in. Bosco chocolate syrup was first produced in 1928. The company is based in New Jersey and supplies the syrup in squeeze bottles throughout the United States, Western Europe and Asia. H. Fox & Company in New York sells Fox's U-bet chocolate syrup since 1895. Their product is commonly used with the egg cream fountain beverage. Its content of dry milk makes the syrup unique in taste. They have shifted to using squeeze bottles from 2002. U-bet and Bosco do not use corn sweeteners. They use real cacao and cane sugar.

Chocolate syrups of the modern times come in different types. Some varieties instantly form a hard chocolate topping with ice creams. Some of them have additional flavors while others serve the needs of those on a diet! When added to milk, it can increase milk intake of kids, thus proving beneficial to them. Chocolate syrup blends beautifully with ice creams, shakes and puddings, giving them an extra sweetness. It sugars the dessert to which it is added, thus reducing the preparation time.

I am totally in favor of chocolate syrups! Be it of any brand or be it homemade. Serving of any of the ‘afters’ is incomplete without the rich brown topping of chocolate syrup.