Signing you in…

Classic Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Classic Chocolate Fudge Sauce prepared dish

This glossy chocolate fudge sauce is rich, pourable, and deeply chocolaty, with a balanced sweetness and a smooth finish. Serve it warm over ice cream, brownies, pound cake, or fresh berries.

This recipe is american style, dessert, scaled for 8 servings, with 5 min prep and 10 min cook.

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 15 min · Serves: 8

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include vanilla extract, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, unsalted butter.
  • Follow all 11 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
  • 4 oz semisweet chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 0.75 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 0.125 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Set a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan on the counter and place the 4 oz finely chopped semisweet chocolate, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract near the stove so they are ready to add when the sauce comes off the heat.
  2. In the 2-quart saucepan, whisk together 0.75 cup heavy cream, 0.5 cup granulated sugar, 0.33 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, and 0.125 tsp fine sea salt until the cocoa is mostly moistened and no large dry pockets remain, about 1 minute.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly with a heatproof whisk, until the mixture loosens, darkens, and begins to steam around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking frequently and scraping the corners of the pan with a silicone spatula, until the sauce reaches a gentle simmer with small bubbles across the surface, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, whisking steadily, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks glossy and slightly thickened, 2 minutes; it should coat the back of a spoon in a thin, even layer.
  6. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the 4 oz finely chopped semisweet chocolate to the hot cocoa mixture, letting it sit undisturbed for 1 minute so the chocolate begins to melt.
  7. Whisk the sauce in the saucepan off the heat until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth, shiny, and uniform, 1 to 2 minutes.
  8. Add the 2 tbsp unsalted butter pieces and whisk off the heat until the butter is completely melted and the sauce looks satin-smooth, about 1 minute.
  9. Whisk in the 1 tsp vanilla extract off the heat for 15 seconds, then taste carefully with a clean spoon once the sauce has cooled slightly and adjust only with a tiny pinch of additional salt if a more pronounced chocolate flavor is desired.
  10. Let the sauce stand in the saucepan for 5 minutes to thicken to a pourable fudge consistency, then serve warm or transfer it to a heatproof jar.
  11. For storage, cool the sauce to room temperature for no more than 2 hours, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks; rewarm gently in a small saucepan over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring until smooth and pourable.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 219
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 20 g
  • Sodium: 52 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

Related recipes by cuisine or ingredients