This shiny, luxurious, midnight dark Hot Hot Fudge Sauce is just in time to make the easiest dessert around list. While the basic hot fudge sauce is always welcome, I upped the ante by adding a touch of coffee and cayenne pepper, two ingredients that always give a boost to chocolate. I almost forgot to tell you this can be made in about 20 minutes including measuring, cooking and clean up.
The coffee is subtle and the cayenne is not noticeable until you swallow. Then a tingle hits the back of your mouth. Of course if you are into more heat, double the amount.
And don't stop at serving it with ice cream. Think, chocolate fondue with fresh fruit or cubes of cake, as a topping for a brownie sundae, dress up a plain pound cake with this liquid black gold sauce.....or do what I do, eat a spoonful all by itself. When cold or room temperature, it's like the best chocolate truffle you'll ever eat.
Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.
There are other recipes on my site that use pepper of some kind to add flavor and a surprise. Chocolate Spice Olive Oil Biscotti uses coffee. black pepper and cayenne to add a kick to this cookie, Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Granita is another really quick summer pick up as well as Strawberry Balsamic Jam.
Jump to:
Why You'll Want to Make This Sauce
- Just a few ingredients and minutes of your time for the best sauce around.
- It's thick like caramel and richer than chocolate sauce.
- It tastes exactly like liquid fudge.
- It's the perfect sauce for vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream.
Recipe Ingredients
FRONT ROW: Cayenne pepper, instant coffee, vanilla extract
MIDDLE ROW: Dutch Cocoa, Lyle's Golden syrup, unsalted butter
BACK ROW: Brown sugar, semisweet chocolate, heavy cream
Key Ingredients
Brown Sugar is used for depth of flavor. Granulated can be substituted in the same amount if desired.
Lyle's Golden Syrup from England has so much more flavor that corn syrup. It imparts a carmel flavor and is one of my favorite ingredients. It can often be found in shops that sell European ingredients and online. It comes in squeeze bottles or tins.
Dutch Cocoa is preferred for the dark, rich flavor is brings. The cocoa helps thicken the sauce. It will not be it's typical really thick sauce without it.
Heavy Cream is best. I've seen the recipes using condensed milk or evaporated milk but I encourage you to use heavy cream for the cleanest most chocolaty, fudgey taste. It makes all the difference.
Callebaut SemiSweet Callets #811 is my chocolate of choice. Although they look like chocolate chips they are pure chocolate.
Using McCormick's Imitation Vanilla Extract is perfect here. An expensive pure vanilla will be a waste here due to the intensity of the final taste. For an in depth look at vanilla in all it's forms see my post The Making of Vanilla.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Place all the ingredients except the vanilla in a 2 quart saucepan. Step 2. Place over low heat and, stirring constantly, bring the ingredients together. Step 3. Raise the heat to medium low, bring the hot fudge sauce to a boil, stirring all the time. Boil for 3 minutes. It will be very thick. Stir in the vanilla and pour it into a container. Cool completely, cover and refrigerate where it will keep for weeks.
Recipe FAQS
It is thicker and much richer. At room temperature it will be firm. It needs to be warmed to use.
Yes, but pure chocolate yields the best taste.
No, McCormick's Imitation vanilla is perfect here. The expense of the pure vanilla will be lost in the intensity of the finished sauce.
Expert Tips
- The most important thing is to keep the heat on low and keep stirring. There is a lot of chocolate and cocoa which can easily burn if left unattended. Be sure to stir into the edges of the pan.
- Once everything is in liquid form, the heat can be raised to medium low to get it to boil.
A Few Summer Desserts
If you love this Hot Hot Fudge Sauce, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Hot Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Lyle's Golden Syrup or corn syrup
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (65 grams)
- ¼ cup Dutch cocoa (22 grams)
- 5 ounces semisweet chocoalte (140 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 grams)
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all but the vanilla in a 2 quart saucepan. Place over medium low heat and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
- Store in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
- To use: Microwave on half power just until pourable, stirring often. Use as desired.
Notes
- The most important thing is to keep the heat on low and keep stirring. There is a lot of chocolate and cocoa which can easily burn if left unattended. Be sure to stir into the edges of the pan.
- Once everything is in liquid form, the heat can be raised to medium low to get it to boil.
- Brown Sugar is used for depth of flavor. Granulated can be substituted in the same amount if desired.
- Lyle's Golden Syrup from England has so much more flavor that corn syrup. It imparts a carmel flavor and is one of my favorite ingredients. It can often be found in shops that sell European ingredients and online. It comes in squeeze bottles or tins. Regular Corn syrup can be substituted.
- Dutch Cocoa is preferred for the dark, rich flavor is brings. The cocoa helps thicken the sauce. It will not be it's typical really thick sauce without it. Natural cocoa can be subbed.
- Heavy Cream is best. I've seen the recipes using condensed milk or evaporated milk but I encourage you to use heavy cream for the cleanest most chocolaty, fudgey taste. It makes all the difference.
- Callebaut SemiSweet Callets #811 is my chocolate of choice. Although they look like chocolate chips they are pure chocolate.
- Using McCormick's Imitation Vanilla Extract is perfect here. An expensive pure vanilla will be a waste due to the intensity of the final taste. For an in depth look at vanilla in all it's forms see my post The Making of Vanilla.
Nutrition
Lynne H says
This is heavenly! Lyle’s Golden Syrup is my only choice for this I used dark brown sugar which most certainly elevated the flavor! This is now my go-to recipe! Thank you, Helen, for sharing your talent…you’re amazing!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Lynne - And the cayenne! I use cayenne and black pepper in recipes for the boost of flavor it gives. Happy you like it!
Jill McCullough says
Oh, boy! This was such a hit with my sisters and my niece! It made up beautifully, except I forgot to add the vanilla! It was loved without it! I was patient! I stirred and stirred! Well worth the time! I divided the sauce into ramekins that had lids; it made it easy to warm them up in the microwave. Plus, each had their own bowl to spoon more over the strawberry shortcake and ice cream base as they ate. You would have enjoyed seeing these three when I told them they each could take their ramekin of Hot Hot Fudge Sauce home with them! All three are good cooks, and when I serve them something I make from your recipes, I know they are going to be impressed! (Provided I made it correctly!)
Ginny S says
I haven't tried this yet, but I will the next time I make hot fudge. I currently use Smitten Kitchen's recipe, which is excellent and although I haven't compared the two yet, I know they are very similar except possibly for the cayenne. In any event, one cannot have too many recipes for hot fudge and everything I've made from this site has been wonderful. I particularly like the triple chocolate cheesecake. It's a no fail recipe, looks gorgeous and tastes divine. I cannot oversell that cheesecake.
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks Ginny. Love that you love the cheesecake.