Monday, December 23, 2013

Hot Fudge Sauce (aka.. the greatest neighbor Christmas gift EVER)


Saying I love hot fudge is the understatement of the century! Seriously, there are no words to describe the pleasure I feel taking spoonfuls of it out if the jar (hot OR cold :))! I love it on ice cream, cheesecake, crepes, in milk or hot chocolate...and just about any other way (ok, except perhaps on vegetables).  I'm so lucky that one of the reasons my husband loves me is that he thinks it's extremely funny to watch how much I adore eating dessert.  Uh huh, this one REALLY makes him fall in love with me because I don't think I could adore hot fudge any more than I do.

I could eat it any time of day, any time of year, or wherever I am on the planet.

This year, I decided to make it for my neighborhood Christmas gifts. It's by FAR my very favorite neighborhood Christmas gift I've EVER given!!! Here's why:
-Inexpensive
-Amazingly delicious
-Won't go bad if it's not eaten within 3 days
- 3 week life span
-It WILL be eaten... no one can throw it away
-So many uses for it
-quick and easy to make
-Not a common neighborhood gift
-I've got a free tag with directions already done for you





So, if you've already given your neighborhood gifts this year, here's something to think about for next year!
If you're not doing any neighborhood gifts this year, good for you! Some years it's SO MUCH better that way (See my thoughts on that HERE)!
 If you haven't done them yet, and need a quick, great, and inexpensive gift, lucky you, here it is!

Even if it's not Christmas time, make it!

Ingredients:
  • 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/3 cup sifted cocoa powder, Dutch process or regular (the flavor will be more decadent, deep with the Dutch process)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • pinch table salt
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Sift the cocoa powder. Seriously. If you don't, there will be clumps in the hot fudge!!

2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals. Stir in between, until the chocolate is smooth.
Whisk the cocoa powder into the melted chocolate, Whisk till very smooth. Set aside.

3. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cream, corn syrup, salt, and water over LOW heat. One the sugar is dissolved, turn the stove to medium or med high. Simmer for approximately 4 minutes, stirring often.

4. Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter. Let cool for about 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture. Whisk till smooth.

You had better eat at least a little bit now... even if you're saving it for later! Serve warm. 
Store in fridge. To reheat: microwave on low, stirring several times until smooth and shiny.

Yield: 2 Cups
Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

** For my neighborhood gifts, I doubled the recipe, and then I made it again and tripled the recipe. I poured it into half pint jars. This yielded 18 half pint jars.


  Here's the tag up close:



Print out a few pages of these, and then tie them to the jars with a 
cute little ribbon or twine:

Save to your computer and print. Then write your family name at the bottom... or copy to your computer and type in your family name then print. Here's what ours look like...



Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
XO,
Nancy
Pin It

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...