National Chocolate Milkshake Day

Happy National Chocolate Milkshake Day! Although this is written for chocolate, you can swap it out for virtually any flavor and top with any of your favorite toppings. This is what you'll need for 4-6 chocolate milkshake servings:

Photo byAndrew Bui and Erika Joyce

Ingredients:

• 6 cups high quality chocolate ice cream
• 1/3 cup whole milk or chocolate milk
• 1/3 cup chocolate sauce (recipe below)

Optional Toppings:

• Whipped cream , optional, for topping
• Chocolate sauce
• Maraschino cherries
• Crushed chcolate cookies
• Fruit compote

In a blender, combine ice cream, milk, and chocolate sauce, and blend until smooth. For a thicker milkshake, use less milk; to thin it out, add a little more milk as needed.

Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Homemade Chocolate Sauce:

(Yield 1 1/2 cups)

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
• 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the chocolate, sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and salt until the chocolate is melted. Continue whisking occasionally as the mixture comes to a boil. Let it boil for about 3 minutes, or until it reaches 220°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until well combined.

You can use the hot fudge sauce immediately or let it cool slightly before serving over ice cream or other desserts and enjoy!

To store: Allow it to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. The sauce will thicken as it cools in the fridge. To reheat, warm it gently over low heat on the stove or in the microwave.