There are some recipes that are passed around in certain family groups. In my husband’s family, it was chocolate gravy. I had never heard of this anomaly until we married. This seemed to have been a well kept southern secret that never made it up to where I was raised, just one state north.
I remember well the first time I went to my husband’s grandmother’s home. She lives in southern KY and is a good down home cooking kind of grandma. We woke in the morning to a full on breakfast with homemade biscuits, bacon, eggs, and this sweet-smelling, rich looking brown “gravy” that I saw hubby ladle all over his warm butter crusted biscuits. I was intrigued and he nonchalantly told me that it was his grandmother’s chocolate gravy.
I had never heard of such a thing, I, being like any woman, (a chocolate lover) was curious, I quickly ladled myself some of this delectable deliciousness and it was game on. I spent years trying to get the exact recipe from Grandma, but alas, just like my mother-in-law, she uses no recipe. It’s just all in the “feel” of the sauce … well and good unless you are trying to learn to make the stuff!
Though Grandma always served these with homemade biscuits, we like to serve it as a sauce for homemade waffles.
I have played with this over the years and made some good, some not as good batches. I too rarely use a recipe these days, it’s all in the “feel” but I did pay close enough attention when my daughter began asking how to make this goodie so that she was able to re-create it as well.
Here is the coveted Chocolate Gravy:
1 can evaporated milk (can sub whole milk or cream but it won’t be as rich)
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon real butter
The trick is to heat the milk very slowly so it won’t curdle. This is a labor of love because the longer it takes to make the gravy, seriously, the better it tastes! Allow at least 45 min for good gravy.
First add the milk, sugar and baking cocoa, heat slowly then increase heat until a low boil for 3-4 minutes. Slowly cool down at the last add a dash of salt, the tablespoon of butter and vanilla. Be sure to start this process ahead of the waffles but stir often!
There are a billion waffle recipes out there, this is just the tried and true simple one that I use for every day, it works for us.
Waffles:
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2-1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoon melted butter or olive oil
3 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all together and pour by 1/2 cup measure onto hot waffle iron.
There you have it, not on anyone’s diet but sure to tickle the taste buds and curb your chocolate craving for a bit, at least until lunch!
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