Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Mix
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 g fine sea salt
Wet Base
- 180 ml heavy cream, cold or room temperature
- 40 g unsalted butter, cubed
Finishing
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 161 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 45 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 29 mg
- Potassium
- 95 mg
- Calcium
- 19 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 48 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 101 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 11 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 12 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium saucepan (off heat), whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until no large lumps of cocoa remain.
Add the heavy cream and cubed butter to the pan. Turn the heat to medium.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil while whisking constantly. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently with a spatula to prevent scorching on the bottom.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract immediately. The alcohol will evaporate slightly, leaving a warm aroma.
Allow the sauce to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. It will thicken considerably as it cools.
Chef's Notes
- Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a darker color and mellower, less acidic flavor profile.
- This sauce makes an excellent mocha base; simply stir 30ml into hot coffee or milk.
- Do not walk away while simmering; chocolate burns easily and becomes bitter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Solidifies when cold; reheat gently before serving.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw in refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: Microwave in short 15-second bursts or warm gently over low heat on the stove.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is grainy
Cause: Sugar did not fully dissolve
Fix: Add 15ml of water and heat gently while stirring until smooth
Prevention: Ensure the mixture comes to a gentle boil and simmer long enough
Sauce is too thick after cooling
Cause: Simmered too long or too much evaporation
Fix: Whisk in warm milk or water 15ml at a time until desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Adhere strictly to simmering times
Cultural Context
While chocolate sauces trace back to early Aztec cacao preparations, this rich, butter-fortified version (often called 'hot fudge' in America) borrows from French ganache techniques to create a stable, pourable emulsion ideal for desserts.
