Dig in to a luxurious Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce, then add Vanilla ice cream & a special celebration, or any day that needs improvement!
Today is my Daddy’s birthday.
And while he’s on one end of the continent, and I’m on the other, I’m definitely going to help him celebrate by having one of his favorite desserts…a hot fudge sundae with a candle in it.
In the interest of fire safety, I’ll blow it out for him instead of waiting around to see if he comes over to do it himself (he is 2600 miles away, after all).
Jump to:
Making homemade hot fudge
Oh sure, I can go out and buy some jarred chocolate fudge topping. But remember it’s me we’re talking about, Miss I-don’t-want-preservatives-in-my-food-thank-you-very-much (or is that Mrs.?).
I want a sauce that’s a thick and rich dark chocolate, not cloyingly sweet or plastic-y. Something that clings to my spoon as it slowly melts the ice cream beneath.
In short, I want an over the top Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge Sauce. It can be done.
Dark chocolate, rich flavor
I adapted Smitten Kitchen's best hot fudge sauce recipe to suit my tastes. Using 72% cacao dark chocolate, dark chocolate cocoa powder, and Lyle’s Golden Syrup (last used in Sticky Toffee Pudding), I got that intense dark chocolate punch that I like.
Why golden syrup? Similar to honey, golden syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness without being too cloying. It also enhances the molasses flavors in the dark brown sugar.
Even though I use dark chocolate and dark chocolate cocoa powder, you can use semi-sweet and regular cocoa powder if you want a less intense chocolate experience.
This is good stuff, folks. Off to the stove, pronto!
How to make a good hot fudge sauce
It's incredible how easy this recipe is to make. You're mixing and heating up what's basically hot chocolate, then adding in chopped chocolate and vanilla.
Stir, stir, stir, and you have the best hot fudge out there.
Hot Fudge Variations
You don't have to make the same ol' Hot Fudge Sauce every time. Here are some ideas to jazz up your ice cream sundaes:
- Play with flavoring extracts! Substitute ¼ teaspoon of mint extract, almond extract, or Fiori di Silicia (an orange-vanilla extract) in place of the vanilla.
- Add a few flakes of sea salt, some cinnamon, or instant espresso during the cooking process.
- Stir in a couple tablespoons of peanut butter at the end once the chocolate has melted.
- Spike the sauce with 2 tablespoons of bourbon or rum. Add the spirit in at the start of cooking to cook off the alcohol, or add at the end for a happy (but not kid-friendly) version.
This sauce is a truly luxurious dark chocolate hot fudge. It begs for vanilla ice cream (homemade is best!) and a special celebration, or even any day that needs improvement.
Grab the ice cream (or maybe ditch the ice cream and just grab a spoon), and dig in.
Me, I’ll be lifting my hot-fudge-and-ice-cream-covered-spoon in salute to the best father there is. Happy Birthday, Daddy!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
Related Recipes
Remember, even though these recipes use dark chocolate, you can generally substitute the chocolate type of your choice. Go ahead and use your favorites!
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Recipe
Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge
Equipment
- small saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup golden syrup, light corn syrup, or honey
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, if using unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped, 60 to 75% cacao works best
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the butter, cream, golden syrup or honey, brown sugar, dark chocolate cocoa powder, and salt (if using unsalted butter) in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook on low, stirring, for 3 to 5 more minutes after everything has melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate, stirring until melted. Add in the vanilla and stir it again. It's ready!
- You can reheat the sauce in the jar using short bursts in the microwave (10 to 15 seconds on HIGH), stirring each time until warm (don’t overheat it or it will burn). Alternatively, place the jar in a steamer basket over an inch of simmering water. Stir until warmed.
- Pour leftovers into a jar (I like these jars) and refrigerate. Hot fudge sauce keeps chilled in the fridge for a month or two.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream (or maybe ditch the ice cream and just grab a spoon), and dig in.
Video
Notes
- Play with flavoring extracts! Substitute ¼ teaspoon of mint extract, almond extract, or Fiori di Silicia (an orange-vanilla extract) in place of the vanilla extract.
- Add a few flakes of sea salt, some cinnamon, or instant espresso during the cooking process.
- Stir in a couple tablespoons of peanut butter at the end once the chocolate has melted.
- Spike the sauce with 2 tablespoons of bourbon or rum. Add the spirit in at the start of cooking to cook off the alcohol, or add at the end for a happy (but not kid-friendly) version.
