Make Groceries: Chocolate Syrup

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cocoa powder                          -- $1.98 / lb = .60
3/4 cup granulated sugar                      -- $0.52 / lb = .20
1 pinch salt                                           -- $0.33 / lb = .01*
1 cup boiling water                              -- .05 / gallon = .01*
1 tsp vanilla                                          -- $0.20 / oz = .03
Total cost:                                       $0.85 / 10 oz. ($0.09 / oz)

Directions:
1. Boil water (5 minutes).
2. Mix boiling water with sugar, cocoa, and salt in sauce pan.
3. Stir on low heat for 3 minutes.
4. Mix in vanilla, then pour into clean jar and let cool, then refrigerate.  (Jar is washed out jelly jar.)

Notes:  Makes about 12-14 oz, depending on how carefully you scrape the pan.  Homemade variety can get 'crunchy' if you heat too high or too long in the mixing process, so for smoother mix, do 2 minutes, 30 seconds and mix it without heat on the hot pan the last 30 seconds.

Total Cost Materials:                                     $0.09 / oz

Total Time: 8 minutes @ $10.00/hr                 $1.33  

Total Cost Time / Materials:                         $0.21 / oz

Comparison Shop:
Hershey Chocolate Syrup

Total Cost Materials:                                    $0.12 / oz   ($2.99 / 24 oz)

Total Time: 1 minute                                    $.16 @ $10.00/hr

Total Cost Time / Materials:                         $0.13 / oz 

Ingredients: 
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Corn Syrup
Water
Cocoa
Sugar
Contains 2% or Less of: Potassium Sorbate, Salt, Mono and Diglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Vanillin, Artificial Flavor.

Directions:
1. Find in store and buy.
2. Open and use.

Winner:
Home made chocolate syrup wins on ingredients - no artificial flavors, no HFCS, and no preservatives or smoothing agents.  Home made is more expansive only if you are counting your time, but is so worth the effort.  My S.O. thinks homemade taste better.