How to make rich chocolate milk

 I know, who in their right mind wouldn't just go down to the store and BUY a 1/2 gallon or gallon of the rich chocolate milk, but have you noted the price of milk lately?  A 1/2 gallon of regular chocolate milk from the grocery store is almost as much as a gallon of 2% milk, plus there is something just delicious about drinking some thick rich chocolate milk.


This actually started because our local grocery store was REALLY low on milk - no chocolate milk, strawberry milk, 1/2 gallons of any type, and the gallon section was really chintzy. My family has been begging me this week to make some more Frosty Ice Cream, and I'm not planning on running to Walmart or Braums (they have the thickest chocolate milk) at this moment, I figured there HAD to be a way to make some right? 


Do you wonder why chocolate milk is so udderly thick than it's white counterpart?  Looking at the label, I found they put a thickener, cornstarch, in it!  With a little research, I found a recipe for  Spanish Hot Chocolate - Chocolate Caliente and made a few modifications based on those results. (I found it was a tad too sweet).  I would be easier if Honey would just buy me that chocolate cow I've been asking for, but until then...

Total Time: 20-30 minutes

Yield:  2 Cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa
• 1/3 cup sugar (a tad less is good)
• 3/4 tsp. cornstarch 
• dash of salt

Preparation:

1. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the cornstarch and salt. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.  I actually like to double this and use 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups heavy whipping cream for an added richness, especially when I'm making ice cream. 
   
   
2. Once the cornstarch is dissolved, heat the milk on medium heat just until it boils. Keep whisking it because you're milk will stick if you don't.
    
3. Add the chocolate immediately and begin stirring until the chocolate is completely blended and uniform in color. Turn down heat to medium low.
   
   
4. Pour the sugar into the chocolate milk mixture and stir until thoroughly dissolved.
   
   
5.  Continue to  stir slowly, but constantly. (Do not cook the mixture over high heat because it may cause lumping.)
   
   
6. Taste the chocolate for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary. The mixture should thicken quickly. As soon as you see it thicken, remove the pan from the heat so the cornstarch will not thin.  Poor  immediately into cups and serve piping hot or put it in a container and put in the fridge to cool for use later.