On Apr 20, 5:27�pm, Goomba38 > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > On Apr 20, 2:17 pm, wrote:
> >> I have some cocoa powder, and when I mix it in milk, it ball up, even
> >> after I mix thoroughly. *Is there a way of making chocolate milk that
> >> avoids this? *I was thinking of using a metal mesh strainer to make
> >> sure the cocoa powder could not ball up easily. *Is this the best one
> >> can do?
> > Most people don't use cocoa for cold chocolate milk, but if you put
> > your cocoa in your glass and add only a tablespoon or so of milk, you
> > can mix that together and then add more milk. Cocoa is nearly
> > impossible to mix into a liquid unless you use this method!!
>
> Perhaps mixing the cocoa in a T. of boiling water first then adding the
> cold milk?

The lady wins a chocolate cee-gar! Chocolate milk is typically made
by mixing milk with chocolate syrup. So if cocoa powder is first made
into a paste by mixing with hot liquid it will more easily blend with
cold milk.. but still it won't blend very well as the cocoa particles
will only be suspended in the milk, encapsulated actually, therefore a
good deal of the chocolate flavor will not be realized. It's much
better to use the cocoa powder to make a chocolate syrup and then use
that to make chocolate milk.

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

This syrup is delicious over ice cream or as a base for an intense hot
chocolate (heat 1 cup milk with 1/3 cup syrup).
Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 30 min

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring water and sugar to a boil, whisking until sugar is dissolved.
Whisk in cocoa and salt and simmer, whisking, until slightly
thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, then
cool (syrup will continue to thicken as it cools).

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Gourmet
The Last Touch
February 2003
---

Sheldon