Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all your ingredients and tools (saucepan, whisk, spoon, knife). Take a small saucepan to make the syrup in. Carefully tip the cocoa from the package into it—don't pour it freely, or the powder will kick up dust. Then gently add the water to the cocoa.

2. Step 2:

   

   Set the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly, heating the mixture until the cocoa powder is fully dissolved.

3. Step 3:

   

   As soon as the cocoa has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, add the sugar without taking the pan off the heat. As before, keep whisking everything together and bring it to a boil.

4. Step 4:

   

   Once it boils, add the remaining ingredients—the salt and vanillin. Since you only need a tiny bit of vanillin, the easiest way is to scoop up a touch of it on the tip of a butter knife and add it to the syrup. Keep cooking the syrup for 3 minutes (it should be boiling). Then take the pan off the heat. The syrup is ready.

5. Step 5:

   

   All that's left is to cool it down—nothing special required, just let it cool at room temperature. Then pour the cooled chocolate syrup into a dish (if you're using it right away) or a jar (if you're saving it for later). Store it in the refrigerator; it keeps for about 3 months.

6. Step 6:

   

   This chocolate syrup goes with all kinds of treats, since it has a classic flavor—nothing exotic. It's great for soaking cake layers, makes an excellent dessert topping, and even mixes into milk—so now you won't have to coax the kids into drinking it; they'll ask for it themselves ;)