I have been so focused on posting ice cream that I have neglected ice cream toppings. The sauce I’m sharing today is actually one I shared way back in 2009, but it is worth talking about much more frequently than once every six years.
This sauce is the sauce we used to make at the restaurant, and it is the best hot fudge sauce in the world. Hands down. Does it have the fewest ingredients? No, that prize goes to good old ganache which makes a fine ice cream topping. But if you’re looking for good, old-fashioned fudge sauce, you need look no further. This is the sauce that gets a bit chewy when cold. The kind you have to heat up in order to pour. It has deep, rich flavor that is exactly what is needed to set off a perfect vanilla ice cream. Or coffee ice cream. There is enough salt in it to round out the flavors, counteract any bitterness that might be present if you use a really dark chocolate and to make the sauce sparkle on your tongue. Not so much salt that you’ll say “What is this? Salted hot fudge sauce?” but enough so you’ll say, “By crackie, this is the best hot fudge sauce in the world!” Hence the name.
This sauce can be flavored in many ways. Don’t hesitate to add a bit of orange zest and/or cinnamon to the boil or switch out the rum for orange liqueur, for example. Play with this sauce and make it your own. But when you want to relive your visits to the soda fountain where the hot fudge was thick and rich and tasted of fudge and not “brown,” then please make it according to the original recipe which calls for light rum and vanilla. Why use any alcohol at all? Even just a bit of alcohol, whether it be rum or Kahlua or Godiva chocoalate or whatever, brings out the alcohol soluble flavors that would otherwise remain locked away. The entire recipe, and it makes just over a quart, uses only 2 Tablespoons of alcohol. You can’t taste it, but you would miss it were it not there. If for any reason you cannot have alcohol, you can substitute 2 Tablespoons of very strong coffee.
Enough talk! Please go and make some of this sauce. And then come back and tell me that it really is the best hot fudge sauce in the world. Make a sundae, and don’t forget to put the cherry on top. I promise you will feel just like a kid again.
The Best Hot Fudge Sauce in the World
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter, (1 stick)
- 8 oz granulated sugar, (1 slightly generous cup)
- 11.75 oz light or dark corn syrup, (1 cup)
- 16 oz heavy cream, (1 pint or 2 cups)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5.3 oz whole milk, (about 2/3 cup)
- 1.75 oz cocoa powder, (1/4 cup)
- 1.3 oz water, (2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water)
- 1 oz light rum, (2 Tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 8 oz excellent quality semi-sweet chocolate, , chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60%)
Instructions
- Place the butter, sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, salt and milk in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the cocoa powder, water, rum and vanilla into a thin paste.
- Place the cocoa paste in a large bowl.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces (or use excellent quality chocolate chips or paillettes) and add to the bowl.
- When the dairy comes to a boil, regulate the heat so it maintains a slow boil but doesn't boil up in the pan.
- Stir the dairy frequently and boil until it reaches a light caramel color, about 20-30 minutes (less time if you half the recipe). You don't want the color to be as dark as a Sugar Daddy, but it should be significantly darker than sweetened condensed milk. Here is a picture that hopefully will help with deciding if it's done or not.
- Once the dairy is a lovely shade of deep tan, pour it into the bowl with the chopped chocolate and cocoa paste. Allow it to sit for a minute or two and then whisk until smooth.
- Strain it just to make sure it is completely smooth.
- Store in jars in the fridge.
- If you used fresh dairy, the hot fudge sauce will keep for a good 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. If your dairy was close to the expiration date, use the sauce up within 5-7 days.
Even if you don’t make this hot fudge sauce now, do keep it in mind for the holidays. Your friends and family will thank you.
Just please don’t tie twine or Jute Ribbon around the jars. Thank you. =)**
Thank you for spending some time with me today. Happy Ice Cream Tuesday! Have a lovely day.
Looking for a quick hot fudge sauce that you can put together in about five minutes? My friend Chris has an excellent one she makes in a blender. Do check that one out too: Best Ever Hot Fudge Sauce.
**It occurs to me that, because of the jars I used, I may have implied that I canned the best hot fudge sauce in the world. In fact, I did not can it, and I know next to nothing about canning. I used these jars because they’re small and cute, but I’m just storing the sauce in the fridge. It should last a good 2-3 weeks if you used fresh dairy. I’m pretty sure it’s the dairy itself that does not make this sauce suitable for canning.
Renee- Kudos Kitchen says
I would happily eat this with a spoon and forego the ice cream!
Jennifer Field says
Ha! You and me both, Renee!
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
My Oh My, you have struck gold with this one, my dear friend. The ONLY problem I see is that you made it in North Carolina and I’m in Florida!!! Your top pic is INCREDIBLE, too! <3
Jennifer Field says
Thank you so much, Betsy! I have been working hard to up my photography game, even if I am doing it kicking and screaming! I really do hope you make this. I want to hear your review and how it stacks up to the Graeter’s (is that right) that you used to get in Cleveland. =)
Anne from Pintesting says
I’ve been smiling since I read, “by crackie.” This looks amazing, and I think that if I make it for a blog post, then you should send a small jar of yours down to Florida so that I can have a baseline for comparison. I’ll even send you a small jar of mine to get your thoughts. 🙂
Jennifer Field says
I’m afraid it’s not canned, so I’d feel weird about shipping it. But I do hope you make it; I think you will like it a very very lot!
Chris Scheuer says
Yum Jenni, this is the real deal and it looks/sounds amazing. I love your pour shot! Thanks for the link too! Hope your summer’s going well!
Jennifer Field says
I love that yours is made in a blender. I’ve had it in the back of my mind ever since you told me about it at lunch. I knew I would be linking to it at some point! It took me a few tries to get that pour shot. Thank goodness for the 10 second delay setting, Chris!
Brooks says
I’ve been looking for a classic hot fudge sauce and by crackie, I think I’ve found it! The ingredients list sells it, but your fine photography seals the deal. Terrific work, my friend.
Jennifer Field says
Thank you so much, Brooks!! I know you will love this sauce. I want you to make it and drizzle it on some sort of hot fudge sundae cake, okay? =)
MaggieToo says
Whoooah. That lightly caramelized dairy mixture sealed the deal for me. My mouth could actually taste what my brain was imagining. And I’m not even a chocolate fanatic.
Tell me, what do you consider “close to the expiration date”? Sometimes my cream is marked 4-6 weeks out, and milk only 2-3 weeks out.
Jennifer Field says
I wanted to say in the post, but I’m not really sure it’s true so I stopped myself, but if your “oldest” dairy you’re using is a week from the expiration date, your sauce will last about a week. If it’s three weeks out, it should last around 3 weeks. Does that make sense? I have more or less found that to be the case when I use “brand new” dairy with a date about 6 weeks out, the sauce will keep about that long.
MaggieToo says
Makes total sense — thanks!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Oh myyy! Wish you could send me a case!! Delicious!