A little bit of sparkle, a little bit of chocolate, stirred up in a tiny cut glass cup. That's the recipe for my Mini Chocolate Ice Cream Sodas.
If you don't spring for champagne for your next party, here's another way to end the night with some delicious tiny bubbles. I first served these at my holiday party last year and, as my guests quickly discovered, these aren't your run of the mill float.
This dessert was inspired by Tom's, the well-known diner that I'm lucky enough to have right on my corner here in Brooklyn. Tom's serves up old-fashioned chocolate ice cream sodas in tall soda fountain glasses, but I've switched mine around so they can be eaten standing up at the end of a crowded cocktail party. Just make sure you have enough spoons.
Mini Chocolate Ice Cream Sodas
Serves 4
1/4 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
3/4 cup seltzer water (must be very fizzy, open a new bottle for this)
1/2 pint premium chocolate ice cream
Stir the milk and the chocolate syrup together in a pitcher. Add the seltzer water. When you pour in the seltzer water, the drink will get foamy, so be sure to use a large pitcher. Taste to make sure there is a nice balance between the sweetness of the chocolate milk and the bitterness the seltzer helps to bring out.
Pour the soda into the serving glasses, filling each glass about 2/3 of the way full. Put two small scoops of ice cream in each glass. (To make the assembly process faster, if there's space in the freezer, you can pre-scoop the ice cream and freeze the scoops on wax-paper lined cookie sheets.) The mini-sodas can be garnished with homemade whipped cream, maraschino cherries, or even some sprinkles. At the party, I served mine with cut-out Christmas cookies.
Serve immediately.
Ohh, how fun! Such a great idea!
Since fourth grade, when I read "It's Like This, Cat," I"ve wanted a New York Egg Cream. This soda seems like an egg cream with ice cream added. I read that you must have Fox's U- Bet Syrup, available in NY groceries, Gristedes did not have it when I was there. Does anyone use Fox's syrups? Where can I find it? This recipe sounds like a real party pleaser.
I use Fox's U-Bet! Kate, if you email me, I'll grab some for you the next time I'm at the grocery store. No one should have to go without U-Bet.
Kristen, where do you buy Fox's U-Bet? I want to try some too. How does it compare to other syrups?
Chris: I get U-Bet from the Key Food near me, which sits on the line [Broadway] between the Dominican [on my side] and Jewish sections of Fort George [in Washington Heights]. I think any store that carries a lot of Kosher groceries would probably have Fox's too.
As far as taste... personally, I think it's a step up from Hershey's -- it's slightly richer, thicker, and a bit more bittersweet. I also like that it's made with sugar and/or corn syrup rather than high fructose corn syrup. But it *is* still just chocolate syrup.
If you can't find it, I also extend my offer to you as well.
Oh, also -- while in my egg cream phase, I found if you pour the milk/chocolate over the seltzer, the rising bubbles from the carbonation acts to mix the two together, so you have to stir less and the seltzer loses less fizz.
Oh, hell. I've been posting my URL as the post I made about the butter bell this whole time. Sorry, folks. But hey, come for the butter; stay for the snark!
Kristen, thanks for the kind offer, made a reply on your site.
I would just like to update my previous comments by adding: Fox's U-Bet is available through FreshDirect.