It is always a joy to cook with my grandchildren! Miss Charlotte lives up the street from us in Farmington, so we often enjoy making recipes together for parties at Fox Hall.
Are guests coming over? Do you need a decadent dessert in a pinch? Chocolate sauce is my favorite because I usually have the ingredients on hand! Here are my two SIMPLE recipes for making chocolate sauce: one requires unsweetened baking chocolate and the other uses semi-sweet chocolate chips. Both take no time at all to make, and when served warm, you may be surprised how guests will want to pour it over everything and anything edible… both recipes are THAT yummy!
1st Recipe: Makes 1 cup of Chocolate Sauce
8 little squares of Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate- (NOTE: Baker’s changed the size of the baking squares. Now, 4 little squares equals one of the previous big squares!)
6 tablespoons of cream - (Heavy, light, or half and half: use whatever cream you have. I do prefer to use heavy whipping cream when I have it!)
½ cup of sugar - (If possible, try to get “superfine sugar.” I always have a box of it in my pantry, but regular granulated sugar works too)
2 tablespoons of salted butter, not sweet
1 teaspoon of Grand Marnier liquor, or vanilla extract (I add more to taste)
Pinch of salt
Melt chocolate and cream over low heat, preferably in a double boiler.
Add sugar and pinch of salt.
Turn off the heat, add the butter and the Grand Marnier, or vanilla extract.
Stir constantly until the texture is smooth, and serve it warm.
You can make in advance and reheat in a double boiler or over very low heat to serve it warm.
2nd Recipe: Make as much or as little as you want, depending on the ratio below:
Chocolate chips, semi sweet
Cream (heavy, light or half and half. I prefer heavy whipping cream)
Add a splash of Grand Marnier liquor or vanilla extract, to taste
For every half cup of chocolate chips, stir in half of that amount with cream.
Create a thick, creamy chocolate sauce by melting the chocolate chips with the cream, and stir constantly in either a double boiler or, in a saucepan over very low heat. (I add a little more cream to make my desired consistency.)
Serve warm.
Mummy’s old double boiler has continued to serve me well for making chocolate sauce. Her silver gravy bowl and ladle are the perfect size for a dinner party. I either have it passed, or let the guests pass it to one another. A small cream pitcher is perfect for grandchildren to pour!
The first recipe is a bit more entailed, but both are truly divine! Let your guests pour it over their ice cream, cake, pie, brownies, and/or fruit… you name it. There is something about pouring chocolate sauce… it elevates any dessert, making it memorable and decadent! Yum Yummm!
I created a “taste test” by offering both sauces, ( Recipe #1 and Recipe #2) along with vanilla ice cream, to Charlotte and my husband, Stuart. They voted. Guess which one was their favorite?!
Xx
Holly