Spring

Kicked-Up Egg Cream

by:
June  1, 2011
3.7
3 Ratings
  • Makes 1 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

Test Kitchen Notes

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

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Ingredients
  • 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
  • Egg Cream
  • chocolate syrup
  • very cold whole milk
  • ice cold seltzer
  • 1 ounce chocolate liqueur, such as Godiva, very cold
Directions
  1. Chocolate syrup
  2. 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.
  1. Egg Cream
  2. 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.

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22 Reviews

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
wssmom June 7, 2011
LOL please let me know what they think!!!!
Greenstuff June 7, 2011
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!
wssmom June 7, 2011
LOL thanks! It's amazing how these things stick in our minds ....
wssmom June 5, 2011
BTW that is 3/4 CUP in the ingredients for the chocolate syrup!!
TiggyBee June 3, 2011
Love this, wssmom!!
wssmom June 3, 2011
Please try at at your earliest convenience! Thanks!
gingerroot June 3, 2011
Love everything about this!
wssmom June 3, 2011
Thanks, gingerroot!
lorigoldsby June 2, 2011
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!
wssmom June 3, 2011
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 ...
drbabs June 2, 2011
love
wssmom June 2, 2011
Yay!
hardlikearmour June 2, 2011
Nicely done, wssmom, nicely done!
wssmom June 2, 2011
I do hope you try it soon!
boulangere June 2, 2011
Kicked up, indeed! Egg creams were my husband's favorite drink. Lovely!
wssmom June 2, 2011
What I never quite understood was why they never caught on west of, well, Buffalo. Thanks!
inpatskitchen June 2, 2011
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).
wssmom June 2, 2011
LOL, I miss those all-you-can-eat fried clams! And thanks!
wssmom June 1, 2011
And so easy! Thanks!
mrslarkin June 1, 2011
Love it! And homemade chocolate syrup! Yippee!
wssmom June 1, 2011
And so easy! Thanks!