Well, I actually can believe it’s not Milo. I lie, because it’s not exactly the same. It has that little crunch just like milo does though! Enjoy it as a hot or cold chocolate milk with the milk of your choosing. It’s a fabulous chocolate ice cream sprinkle too, as the ultimate nostalgic big kid treat, as well as for the little ones.
This recipe is nut free, refined sugar free, fructose free (so a great FODMAP diet alternative), additive free and gluten free. The tiny amount of lactose in it is from butter, which most people tolerate. If you can’t do any lactose or casein at all, make it with organic ghee as it’s an equally great result with it.
If you’re not convinced of needing to let go of the milo, how’s this ingredient list… MILK POWDER, BARLEY MALT EXTRACT, SUGAR, COCOA, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SOY LECITHIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, THIAMINE HYDRICHLORIDE, FERROUS FUMARATE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR…
Artificial Vitamin A, artificial flavour, and sugar in No 3 spot. It’s just not right.
This stuff is far from food, and while it probably won’t do much harm to have the odd glass, if we can do better and it tastes better than where’s the contest?
So, here’s to wiping the processed weirdness away with this delicious home made chocolate drink base. Double the batch and pop in a big jar if you have kids over regularly or a big family.
If you make it and like it, please visit Alexx’s Facebook page and leave her a little note! Or share the recipe on your page. It always helps others thinking about trying to make something new if they see others who have!
I’m all about inspiring the collective to ditch the weird unpronouncables in supermarket aisles and get clever with a few easy home substitutes! Speaking of substitutes and chocolate, feel free to try my delicious and ludicrously easy 30 second freezer fudge, healthy faux fudge or my cocoa caramel chews – the list actually goes on, so happy exploring the recipes!
Real Treats. Happy Bodies.
Now, onto the recipe.
Ingredients
- 100 ml rice malt syrup
- 25 g salted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla bean powder optional but awesome. must be the powder as it will need to be dry
- 1.5-2 tsp cacao powder or dutch processed cocoa powder
Instructions
- Have a sheet of parchment ready, for a quick turn out of the toffee.
- Melt your butter in a medium heat cast iron or stainless steel frying pan. Still using teflon? Re-think about it.
- Add your rice syrup and stir them together until combined and bubbling.
- Let the rice syrup and butter bubble away slowly together for 10 minutes or thereabouts depending of course on your stove heat and pan thickness. Not enough means it will not crisp up, and too much means you will burn it. Basically, as soon as you detect a change to a darker golden colour, get it onto the baking sheet pronto.
- Leave on a baking sheet to harden. I use ‘If We Care’ brand. Great stuff.
- Go and do something else. Read, relax, oh who am I kidding, bathe a child! The last 2 minutes work comes in half an hour.
- Ok, now that you’re back, just break shards of the praline up into a whizz bang blitzer type of thing. Add your vanilla powder and cacao (1.5tsp first and check if it’s chocolatey enough for you, adding the other 1/2 teaspoon if you like) and blitz together for 30 seconds until a fine chocolate sand has formed. Go on – Taste it!
- Pop it in a jar and it will keep nicely for a couple of weeks (that’s what I’ve tested thus far. It may well be longer and I will update the storage time, when I can confirm how much longer).
To make cold chocolate
Dissolve a heaped tablespoon with a tiny bit of boiled water. Top with the milk of your choice and an ice cube or two.
To make hot chocolate
Dissolve 1-2 heaped tablespoons and 200ml your choice of milk per serving and warm for a few minutes on the stove.
To use as a topping
Pick up with hands in little pinches – or by the handful!!! Sprinkle on desired object be it ice cream or chocolate pudding.
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About the Author: Alexx Stuart
