Name: Mexican Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) sugar; 2/3 cup whole or 2 percent low-fat milk; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/3 cup (1 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder , sifted; 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped fine; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 8 pieces and chilled; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Why This Recipe Works

The recipe works by developing a simple yet stable emulsion from a short list of ingredients to deliver a sauce with deep chocolate flavor, moderate sweetness, and a luxurious consistency. Using both cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate provided a foundation of complex flavor and richness. Choosing milk rather than cream allowed the deep chocolate flavor to shine, and finishing with the incorporation of cold butter created a luxuriously thick consistency.

Before You Begin

We like to serve this sauce over ice cream, but it can also be drizzled over fresh fruit. We prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe (our favorite is from Droste), but other cocoa powders will work. Our favorite unsweetened chocolate is Hershey's Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar.

Instructions

Heat sugar, milk, cinnamon, chile powder, and salt in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking gently, until sugar has dissolved and liquid starts to bubble around edges of saucepan, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cocoa, and whisk until smooth.

Remove saucepan from heat, stir in chocolate, and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk sauce until smooth and chocolate is fully melted. Add butter and whisk until fully incorporated and sauce thickens slightly. Whisk in vanilla and serve. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month. Gently reheat sauce in microwave [do not let it exceed 110 degrees], stirring every 10 seconds, until just warmed and pourable.)