Almond milk-based chocolate sauce aka Dairy-Free Nesquik

Last night the 15 yo and I each made a batch of homemade Nesquik to test some changes I had made to the recipe.

In the original I used powdered milk and water. This works fine, but it means having to keep powdered milk on hand and most people probably don't.

Also, one of my grown children and a grandson can't tolerate dairy.

So we made one batch with 2 cups of regular milk (2%) and one batch with 2 cups of almond milk (vanilla-flavored). Both turned out great! In fact, I think the consistency was better this time. The almond milk version was thicker than the regular milk version, for some reason.



I did find that the almond milk version needed more salt to taste more like real Nesquik. None of them tastes just like it, but I think it's due to my cocoa powder (bought in bulk - not sure of brand). A different brand might taste a lot better. That's probably the direction I will take next in my experimentation.

For now I have a dairy-free alternative my daughter and grandson can enjoy in some almond or rice milk without the stomach upset. That makes me very happy.

So here's the recipe for the dairy-free version:



Homemade Dairy-Free Nesquik

2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla-flavored)
1/2 tsp. salt

In a medium to large pot (the mixture rises fairly high when boiling, so a bigger pot is critical to avoid overflow), combine the sugar, cocoa powder, almond milk and salt.

Whisk together thoroughly on medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Whisk constantly at first, then often the rest of the time, scraping the bottom religiously with the whisk to keep it from burning. This is less of an issue when using almond milk.

When the mixture comes to a full boil, set the timer for one minute and stir constantly, taking care to avoid splatters. When the minute is up, set it aside to cool. Before allowing it to cool completely, pour through a sieve to remove clumps (it's easier when warm). Once cooled, transfer to a pitcher with a lid. I like those pourable glass orange juice containers, but you may prefer a lighter weight/unbreakable container if your children are younger.

This tastes great in almond milk. I'm sure it's good in any of the other "milks", too.

Enjoy!