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Recipe for an old-fashioned egg cream or “fizzy iced chocolate”, the perfect cold beverage on a hot summer day. Made with fruit-sweetened chocolate syrup for a naturally low-carb treat.
So there I was, standing in line at the grocery store.
Ho-hum.
The elderly gentleman in front of me was obviously bored with the long line too. After a few minutes, he turned around and began to eye my shopping cart.
There wasn’t much to see as I don’t buy a whole lot at the grocery store. There was a bag of organic Fuji apples, sparkling water, and several bags of Epsom salts.
Yes, just about one of the most boring shopping carts you’ve ever laid eyes on.
This gentleman fixes his gaze on the sparkling water bottles and starts telling me a story about when he was a child in Queens, New York, and this yummy drink he and his brothers made out of club soda.
Curious, I asked him what kind of a drink he made.
What is Fizzy Iced Chocolate?
With a twinkle in his eye, he told me that they mixed club soda, milk, and chocolate syrup and that it tasted so great on a hot summer day. He went on to describe how quality food was hard to come by, and this drink made the milk stretch a bit further during the Depression.
Even more curious as this beverage did not sound particularly yummy to me, I asked how much club soda and milk were used.
He said the drink was mostly club soda with just a bit of milk and chocolate syrup.
He assured me that my kids would love it and that I should try it.
Later that day, I made some exactly as described and gave some to my boys to try. They loved it and agreed it was very refreshing in the summer heat.
We decided to name it fizzy iced chocolate. In other areas of the country, it is apparently known simply as “egg cream”.
I recommend using homemade fruit-sweetened chocolate syrup for this recipe. If you decide to buy, it is best to choose organic. This avoids the GMO white beet sugar in conventional brands (labeled as “sugar”).
This is a fun choice to make if you are out of homemade kombucha tea or other types of cultured beverages and want something bubbly and flavorful to enjoy.
Traditional Egg Cream Recipe (with nondairy option)
This recipe for an old-fashined egg cream, or fizzy iced chocolate, is the perfect refresher in hot weather.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (177 ml) sparkling spring water or plain seltzer
- 2 ounces (59 ml) whole milk
- 1 tsp chocolate syrup
Instructions
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Mix all ingredients together in a large glass.
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Stir and serve very cold. Add ice if desired.
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Refrigerate leftovers (if there are any!).
Recipe Notes
Substitute store bought or homemade coconut milk for dairy milk for a nondairy egg cream if desired.
Here is the Wikipedia site that tells about the history of the “Egg Cream” and why it got it’s name. Interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_cream
Probably most people haven’t heard of it unless you live in the Northeast. 🙂
I am curious. He said Club Soda and you are using Seltzer (just carbonated water). Have you tried it with club soda, how does it change the taste?
yes! egg cream! thanks everyone…that I’m not the only one who knows the real name!
Yup. I’m from Brooklyn. Egg Cream. Make it with Kefir, seltzer and home made chocolate syrup (water, molasses and chocolate powder ) and you will have the real thing 🙂 I made this a few weeks ago by accident…
I just made this with kefir and it was amazing! I think the bite of the kefir compliments the seltzer flavor.
On the west coast we call these Italian sodas. My favorite is with strawberry syrup!
and they are super fun for kids..I remember my grandmother making them with me and my cousins..it was our special treat at grandma’s house!
Amazing how I’d never heard of it before!
It’s called an “egg cream” you can still order it at some diners.
I love sweets but strive to serve my need to “indulge” by eating/drinking as healthfully as possible. Egg creams without the chocolate are made with vanilla. I put vanilla and stevia in pretty much everything besides vegetables. So, a great, healthy drink similar to this but without Any guilt whatsoever is:
Part milk or cream or condensed milk or evaporated milk
Part seltzer/sparkling water
Dash of vanilla
Stevia
Ice
Stir and blend parts according to taste. I find you need a bit of extra milk if it’s skim, and more stevia than you might put in coffee or tea.
Mmm!
An aside: another healthy delectable is to put these in a blender:
Frozen banana, stevia, cinnamon, cocoa powder, ice, vanilla, milk, yoghurt, a bit of almond bitter if you want.
I make a whole bunch without Any guilt and it serves any craving for ice cream!
@ Chloe: (Love the name – same as my granddaughter!)
Evaporated milk and condensed milks are not healthy options. Actually, unless you make it yourself, neither is vanilla.
Still, treat yourself to something fun, I say!