Ice Cream For Dinner

I love to be an aunt. I have two nieces, the older 8 and the younger 5. The younger, Lily, just decided that she was ready to spend the night with us. I think it may have something to do with my promise of a fabulous dinner, that under no uncertain terms was to be divulged to mom and dad.


The first time Lauren came to stay, I suggested we have ice cream for dinner. She was delighted, as was I that something so simple could elevate me to goddess status. In keeping with my "can't do anything simply" theme, I decided to make homemade hot fudge sauce for Wednesday evening's dinner. There would be no squeeze bottle of Hershey's on this dining table. In all honesty though, it's really simple - basic ingredients that you probably have in your pantry (especially if you caught a good sale Scharffen Berger chocolate to expire in October). Super easy to put together in about 10 minutes, too.

Dinner is served. Hot fudge served table side. Of course there was caramel sauce, "magic shell" (ugh), chocolate jimmies, whipped cream and cherries, too.

I learned two things in the making of this recipe - number one it's so easy and worth it to make kids happy. Number two, photographing hot fudge with limited photography skills is a greater challenge than making it.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Williams-Sonoma Ice Creams & Sorbets

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 t. vanilla extract

In a medium-sized, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cream, butter, corn syrup and confectioners' sugar. Stir with a wooden spatula until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Add the chocolate and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove for the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and let cool before using.