Kicked-Up Egg Cream
Author Notes: Growing up on Long Island, in the middle of suburbia, the closest thing that came to a soda fountain was the local Howard Johnsons. I remember three things about the place
(four if you count the orange roof): first, they had all-you-could-eat fried clams on Monday nights; second, they served their hot dogs in top-split rolls, and third, they made a GREAT chocolate egg cream. I had no idea until I was older that the egg cream was a strictly New York thing. Years later, we stopped at a Denny's somewhere in North Carolina while driving to Florida and I asked for one along with my burger plattert. The waitress stared at me and said, "An egg WHAT?" "A choc-o-late egg cream," I replied, making sure I wasn't talking in my usual Manhattan express voice. She looked at me as if I had asked for a fried ostrich sandwich. After some back-and-forthing, I eventually wound up showing the guy behind the counter how to make one. I like to think I left that place a little richer. I still love egg creams, and here's one recent version. - wssmom - wssmom
Food52 Review: Wssmom's Kicked-Up Egg Cream is an adult version of a classic. The homemade chocolate syrup is not too sweet and the sea salt is a wonderful accompaniment. But, this egg cream also has a little extra something -- chocolate liquor! Velvety and rich, it adds the right amount of kick to a soda fountain favorite. - jvcooks - jvcooks
Makes 1 egg cream
Chocolate syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened top-quality cocoa powder, such as Scharffen Berger
- 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup cold water
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Combine first four ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer a few minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool. Save extras for additional egg creams.
Egg Cream
- chocolate syrup
- very cold whole milk
- ice cold seltzer
- 1 ounce chocolate liqueur, such as Godiva, very cold
- Take a straight-sided tall beverage glass and put it in the freezer for a few minutes. When ready, pour an inch of chocolate syrup into the glass, followed by double the amount of milk. Pour in the ice cold seltzer until almost to the top, then tilt the glass to the side and let the chocolate liqueur dribble down the side. Stir with a long spoon and serve.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Soda Fountain Recipe




about 2 years ago TheFriendlyFoodieGirl
That story brings me back to my days of growing up on LI!! I used to get them at diners, or my Mom would make them at home! I moved down South a few years ago... Eggcreams don't exist down here. There isn't even a real diner where I am now. Thanks for sharing this! I will definitely be making it for my deprived Southern friends soon =D
about 2 years ago wssmom
LOL please let me know what they think!!!!
about 2 years ago Greenstuff
Chris is a trusted source on General Cooking
Seriously good story!! I was going along thinking: yeah, orange roof; yeah clam strips (no bellies at HoJos); yeah, top split bun... And then you GOT me!
about 2 years ago wssmom
LOL thanks! It's amazing how these things stick in our minds ....
about 2 years ago wssmom
BTW that is 3/4 CUP in the ingredients for the chocolate syrup!!
about 2 years ago TiggyBee
Love this, wssmom!!
about 2 years ago wssmom
Please try at at your earliest convenience! Thanks!
about 2 years ago gingerroot
Love everything about this!
about 2 years ago wssmom
Thanks, gingerroot!
about 2 years ago lorigoldsby
LMAO!! We also had a HoJos and their clam dinners...and do you remember their clam chowder in the 2 part can? But we were so far away from suburbia...we had to go to the edge of town to get that treat!
about 2 years ago wssmom
Haha yes, now that you bring it up, I DO remember, with the clams in one part! Now all I have to do is find some of those classic HoJos fountain glasses ...
about 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
love
about 2 years ago wssmom
Yay!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Nicely done, wssmom, nicely done!
about 2 years ago wssmom
I do hope you try it soon!
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Kicked up, indeed! Egg creams were my husband's favorite drink. Lovely!
about 2 years ago wssmom
What I never quite understood was why they never caught on west of, well, Buffalo. Thanks!
about 2 years ago inpatskitchen
This sounds wonderful! I sure understand the NY egg cream thing...you don't find them here in the Midwest. BTW our all you can eat fried clams at HoJos was Wednesday night (and no egg cream).
about 2 years ago wssmom
LOL, I miss those all-you-can-eat fried clams! And thanks!
about 2 years ago wssmom
And so easy! Thanks!
about 2 years ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Wonderful, I love the chocolate syrup recipe. Loved your story also!!!
about 2 years ago wssmom
I still laugh when I recall the expression on the waitress's face! Thanks!
about 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
Love it! And homemade chocolate syrup! Yippee!
about 2 years ago wssmom
And so easy! Thanks!