Mint Chocolate Iced Coffee

Forget paying a trillion dollars a cup for a peppermint mocha when you can make it at home.

   Some mornings, aka EVERY morning, I am very slow to rise and very slow to motivate myself. That has been one constant of my entire existence. I do not wake up ready to do anything, but grunt. I never have and never will. I thought all of that would change once I brought my heathens into the world, but no such luck. They just wake up before me and demand food, while I try to pawn them off on my husband as often as possible. One day, some day maybe, just maybe I'll be a proper adult and wake up with the sun, but it is very unlikely. Until then, I drink this concoction or something very similar on a regular basis.

   I make two versions of this chocolate sauce. I make a double batch using regular cocoa for my two little guys chocolate milk and make a batch of this type for my coffee and for my husband's night time chocolate milk. He reserves it for the most stressful of days. The days he when he comes home about to explode with stress and wants to scream. Those days, he has a glass of his "grown up" chocolate milk. I use dutch process cocoa powder to make this "dark chocolate" or "semi-sweet", because it is stripped of the acidity and darkens the color and intensifies the flavor.  I recommend keeping some on hand for baking junkies, like myself.  

Dark Chocolate Sauce
yields 2 cups
(click here to print)

2 cups sugar*
2 cups water
1 cup dutch prorcess cocoa powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a skillet whisk together all ingredients, then bring to a boil over medium high heat whisking often. Once it boils, cook for no more than 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until neutral to the touch. Stores, covered in a refrigerator for 2 weeks to a month.

*Feel free to change it up for something healthier, use maple syrup, brown rice syrup, whatever you choose for sweetener.

   Use this for flavoring coffee, tea, cocktails, whatever floats your boat. It's a good basic to keep around the house.

Mint Simple Syrup
yields 2 cups
(Click here to print)

2 cups of sugar*
2 cups of water
5 to 6 large springs of mint.

Combine in a pot a bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook for no more than 5 minutes Remove from heat and allow to steep and cool until neutral to the touch. Store in a covered container or jar in the refrigerator.

*Feel free to change it up for something healthier, use maple syrup, brown rice syrup, whatever you choose for sweetener.

Mint Chocolate Iced Coffee
(aka Peppermint Mocha)
makes 1 serving
(click here to print)

I take mine:
(and yes I know this is a huge portion, don't judge me)

2 tablespoons dark chocolate sauce
3 tablespoons mint simple syrup
1 1/2 cups cold coffee
1/2 cup half and half or your desired creamer
ice

Stir together all ingredients and drink up!

Prepare to become addicted and say goodbye to your drive-thru habit!


xoxo,
Ashley