Food, Home and Style

For Valentine’s Day, Fudge It

As a complete sap, I’ve always found Valentine’s Day annoying: why designate only one day a year to romance? This year, that designated day is under more stress than usual: you can barely imagine splurging on something nice to wear to a dinner out, much less $65 on a few dozen red roses.

Homemade gifts might make you wince, but not all such crafts need be as hokey as the cut-out heart card you made for your mom when you were a kid. We have something you can make in 15 minutes, for under $15, that doesn’t involve a doily or anything else cheesy.

Skip the $200 dinner in an overcrowded restaurant and eat the best part—dessert—at home. Pour this hot fudge sauce over ice cream, strawberries, or…well, you can probably think of something.

Hot Fudge Sauce

2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring heavy cream, corn syrup, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and chocolate to a boil in a medium saucepan over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Cool sauce to warm before serving; can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for one week.

Variations
Sweet: Bring heavy cream and 1 teaspoon dried lavender to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain, discarding lavender, and proceed with recipe as directed.

Spicy: Omit vanilla; stir 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of ancho chili powder into the heavy cream.

Mocha: Stir 1 teaspoon finely ground coffee or espresso powder into the heavy cream.

Photos by Ana Dane.

Tags: eating, Food, Home and Style, relationships, Valentine's Day