Mexican Hot Chocolate and Buñuelos

Although most people will be celebrating Valentine's Day today, around our house we have a much more important occasion to celebrate - Kayla's birthday!  

I really can't believe it has already been a year since our sweet baby girl arrived and turned our world upside down - in the best of ways.  At the beginning of our journey with Kayla everyone kept telling us what a blessing she would be in our lives. I didn't doubt them, but I sure didn't know how it was all going to work out. Most days I still don't, but I do know that all I have to do is hold her and a whole world of stress can flow away. She is an absolute joy and the light of our entire family. She is a total Daddy's girl and her brothers absolutely adore her. She couldn't be more loved if we tried and she certainly makes it easy to love her.

I've shared more of Kayla's story over on my other (neglected) blog, but I have to take today to celebrate this last year with my darling girl.  Admittedly, this picture of her is a bit old, but it is one of few where you can see all of her cute face... and honestly, she hasn't changed all that much. Once I get to take some updated pictures this week I will show the birthday girl off some more.

Choosing how to celebrate Kayla's birthday has been a little bit of a struggle because of where we are at developmentally still (she is much more in line with a 6 month old than a 12 month old at this point). There will be no cake smashing because she hasn't been able to have any solids yet, so we will cross that milestone when we come to it - whenever it may be.  We have to balance that with what her brothers expect for celebrating a birthday though so there will be a celebration, even though the birthday girl won't really know - but someday she'll care, so it is a good thing she has her brother's to watch out for her.  I mean really, just look at how they are celebrating with her already! (Because, after all, she is our princess!)

I'm choosing to celebrate the day in small, quiet ways. Like having a cup of really good hot chocolate and taking the time to sit, relax and reflect on the past year and everything that we have grown through together as a family.

I also want to take the time to think about where we are headed in our crazy life in the near future and stop to breathe and enjoy my family more. It is very easy to become wrapped up in the go-go-go attitude of a busy life and end up missing the small, important moments. I want to embrace those more so that when hard times come (which they inevitably always do) I can pull those out and hold them close to help get through it. I don't do that enough.

My boys are very funny.  They absolutely love having little parties with me - whether we are having a carpet picnic in the family room with a funny movie, or whether we are having a little 'tea' (aka hot chocolate) party in the kitchen while they get to help make a treat.

One we really love to celebrate with is doughnuts. We are absolute doughnut fanatics - can't get enough of them... which is why I don't make them too often. It would be a very dangerous habit to cultivate.  

Aside from the fact that doughnuts are dangerous, more often then not I don't have the forethought to actually plan ahead for them - only on special occasions really.

That is the beauty of Buñuelos - they are basically a fritter or doughnut made with a quick, almost biscuit-like dough. This makes them dangerously quick to make, but so satisfying when nothing else will do.

The dough that I make is slightly spiced with a little nutmeg and cinnamon and once fried is dusted with confectioners' sugar. I love eating these warm, but if you can wait the flavors are actually more noticeable when they have cooled a bit.  

These are fantastic to make with kids because everything is easily mixed in a bowl by hand and there is no real shaping that needs to happen - you just pinch off smallish pieces of dough, roll them a little or smash them, whichever you prefer and then fry them up.  The boys loved helping with this and it makes this a great family activity.

Add in some amazing, homemade hot chocolate mix lightly spiced with cinnamon and a little chile powder and you'll feel like celebrating too.

I came up with this Mexican Hot Chocolate mix recipe not too long after I created the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Mix recipe for Mom It Forward.  There is something I really just can't resist about having a jar of chocolate mix on the counter, ready to go, and knowing exactly what went into it and customizing it to our tastes.  It really is so easy to make that I haven't bothered to buy any store-bought mixes of any kind for the past few years now.  

Buñuelos

Makes approximately 18 fritters

Printable Recipe

1/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1 cup all-purpose flour + extra as needed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch of salt

pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Vegetable oil for frying

Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

In a small bowl whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Rub the shortening into the flour mixture using your fingertips.  

Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and toss and stir together with a fork to create a slightly sticky dough.  Add enough flour to get this consistency, without making the dough too dry.

In a large pot, add enough vegetable oil to have it at least two inches deep.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat to about 350 degrees F. Use a frying thermometer if you have one, otherwise heat the oil for about 4-5 minutes, then use a small piece of dough to test it - it should sizzle and float immediately when added to the hot oil - if it doesn't, then the oil isn't hot enough.  

Pinch off small pieces of dough and shape them into small balls or flatten a little with your hands - it should be about a rounded tablespoon's worth of dough.  Add a few pieces to the hot oil at a time, but don't over crowd the pot.  Fry the fritters on all sides, turning as needed, for about 1 minute total or until golden.

Remove the fritters from the oil and let them rest on a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet to cool.  Sprinkle the slightly cooled fritters with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

Makes 1 Cup of Mix (6 ounces by weight or 15 tablespoons) - enough for 4 to 6 servings

Printable Recipe

2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed

Combine everything in the bowl of your food processor and process the mixture until it is as fine a powder as you can get, without letting the machine heat too much or start melting the chocolate - it will take only about 4 to 5 minutes at the most, depending on the size of the chocolate pieces you started with.

To make a serving of the hot chocolate, combine 1 cup of hot milk for each 2-4 tablespoons of mix, depending on how rich you like your hot chocolate (pictured with about 3 tablespoons per cup of milk).  For a little extra you can add a small splash of vanilla extract as well.

Topping ideas:

whipped cream - plain or with a little cinnamon

cinnamon or cocoa powder sprinkled on top of whipped cream

marshmallows

cinnamon sticks for stirring

Kayla Cuteness Continues - Please Vote!

In case you haven't already seen my posts on Facebook (where you can even see some of the hideous pictures of me from my childhood that my sister was *kind* enough to share with the world) and Twitter about the cute baby Valentine's picture contest Babble is currently having, here is a link to the page - I don't know if Kayla will win or not, but I'm doing my best to get the word out there since it is her birthday on Valentine's Day after all... seriously, how cute is this picture!!

So, pretty please, go vote for my baby girl for her birthday.

This is me, shouting from the rooftops that I have one ridiculously sweet and cute little sweet pea here!

 Please Vote Here!

Chile Honey Chicken

I have such a plethora of recipes to tell you about in my drafts box that it is getting a bit ridiculous (30 and counting), just waiting for me to find the time to sit down and type. That said, this fast, simple chicken dish I threw together on a whim the other night was such a success that it is usurping the other recipes in the hopper because I just can't wait to tell you about it.

I'm not kidding, this one really hit it out of the park.  In fact, it was so good that when I made it the first time, I didn't even get any pictures and had no problem making it again the very next day so that I could share it with you.

The process for making this couldn't be easier, and honestly, even though it uses a few items from the Asian section you may not have in your pantry all the time, but once you make this you'll have no problem keeping them on hand - especially since they aren't expensive or too hard to find.

The first 'special' ingredient is sweet chile sauce.  I use this brand, because I like it and have had good success with it and have found it in most of the major stores, but you can make your own fairly easily.  It is, as the name suggests, a little sweet and a little spicy.  I love to keep it on hand for tossing in with veggies and chicken when we want a quick stir fry for dinner.

The second is Ponzu sauce. It is a citrus flavored sauce that is great in marinades on chicken, pork, beef, seafood, whatever. It really adds a nice, fast, bright burst of flavor.

The chicken pieces are first marinated in a mixture of the sweet chile sauce and ponzu, just for about 30 minutes. Then tossed in a little cornstarch to create a crust when they are then fried in a little bit of hot oil. The cornstarch helps to thicken the finished sauce a bit too.

Now, making the chicken this way is a little messy.  I'm not gonna lie.  But it is just SO good, that the little extra mess is worth it to me. However, if it's not to you, just skip the cornstarch step all together and follow the second set of directions in the recipe for just stir frying the chicken pieces and move on. You won't have that extra little crusty, crunchy layer on the chicken, but it will still be incredibly good.

Once the chicken is fried, it gets sauced.  This is where this dish gets so delicious that you'll be craving it again while you are still eating it.

Making the sauce couldn't be easier.  It is just a combination of some more sweet chile sauce with some honey and a little seasoning.  Pour it into the pan after the chicken has cooked to deglaze your pan (after you've poured out the oil if any was left of course) and let it reduce a little.  Slide the chicken pieces back in and coat them in the sauce.  Toss in a handful of sugar snap peas and let it all simmer together for a couple of minutes while the sauce thickens and reduces down to a glaze and that's it.  Just serve it all over since nice hot rice or noodles and dinner is done.

The finished dish isn't really too spicy at all, just more of a sweetness with a little bit of heat.  In fact, A. hates spice and he chowed down on this meal like I was going to snatch it away from him.  That is quite the feat for him these days, so I know we'll be making this often.  If you however like things a little spicier, just add a few chile pepper flakes to your sauce and you can up your heat quotient to your liking.

Speaking of the rice though, I like to make my rice on the stovetop... because I don't have room for a rice cooker, nor do I have a decent one.  Someday that will change, but in the mean time, I am loving this recipe. It really is the best rice I've ever made, and I love that it makes plenty (because the best fried rice the next day is made with cold, leftover rice - seriously).

Chile Honey Chicken

Original Recipe from PheMOMenon


Printable Recipe

Makes 4 Servings

For the chicken:

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins

1/3 cup ponzu sauce

1/4 cup sweet chile sauce

2/3 cup cornstarch

2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup fresh sugar snap peas

For the sauce:

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup sweet chile sauce

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced very fine

Pinch red pepper flake, to taste

Trim and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place them in a large ziptop bag with the ponzu and sweet chile sauces. Mash the chicken in the bag a bit to get it all covered in the marinade. Set the bag aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (I usually start the rice or noodles now so it will be ready when the chicken is done).

While the chicken is marinating, make the sauce by whisking the honey, chile sauce, butter, water, garlic and pepper flake together in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

Use a colander over the sink and pour the chicken out in the colander, discarding any marinade left over. Toss the chicken pieces lightly in a large bowl with the cornstarch, preferably working a few pieces at a time.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry a few pieces of chicken at a time until golden on all sides, about 2 minutes total. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Remove cooked pieces and set them aside while cooking the remaining chicken. About half way through the batches you can add more oil to heat if needed.*

Once all the chicken is cooked, pour any remaining excess oil out of the pan, but don’t worry about any other little bits, they will be absorbed in the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium and add the sauce to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce and let it boil in the hot pan for 1 minute before adding the chicken pieces into the pan.  Stir the chicken in the sauce to coat. Toss in the peas and stir to coat. Allow the mixture to simmer and cook in the sauce until everything is hot, glazed and the sauce is almost completely absorbed - about 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve hot over rice or noodles and enjoy!

*NOTE: Alternatively, you can skip the cornstarch frying process and follow the directions below for a simple stir fry.

Stir Fry Chile Honey Chicken Directions:

Marinade the chicken pieces as described above, then drain the marinade.  Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and add the chicken, still in batches and cook on all sides till just golden. Proceed as usual with the rest of the recipe.

Recipe Source: © PheMOMenon, All Rights Reserved

Mad Libs Monday - I'm Featured! And What Valentine's Day is REALLY about!

Just a quick note to let you all know that my darling friend Emily was kind enough to let me be her featured Mad Lib Monday guest this week on her blog is this REALLY my life?  It's all about commitment, so I hope you enjoy how it turned out!

Thanks for including me Emily (@emihill)!  It was so much fun and I love how my mad lib turned out. (Defenestration game - ROFL!!)

Now, completely unrelated, but I can't resist telling you anyway, today marks only ONE WEEK until Valentine's Day... or, if you really want to know, around our house, it's the holiday formerly known as Valentine's Day.

All because it is this little sweet pea's very first birthday!!!  Only one week to go and I just can't believe it!  It has been a crazy year, which has often made me ask exactly the question Emily asks, if this is really my life. It is, and I love it, but I have to admit, it has been quite a roller coaster.

This picture of Miss Kayla (or K La La, aka Baby Kayla, aka Kayla Boo - depending on who you are talking to in our family) is from a few months ago, toward the end of summer when she was almost completely off her oxygen during the day.

Around the end of September K. caught a cold.  Just one little cold. That's all it took.  That little cold has hung on and on and on, finally resulting in RSV last week.  She has weathered the RSV like the little champ she is, but the past 5 months has been a non-stop sick baby fiasco. She is fantastic and absolutely couldn't be sweeter if she tried, but the issues with her health have been draining, and I'm sure will continue to be.

That said, there have been a lot of great times too, and I am trying to make a conscious effort to focus more on those times so that the hard things are more bearable.  

So, since there are any number of things that I have missed out on with having my baby girl with Down syndrome, I want to tell you about the things that make me lucky.  This is going to be an ongoing effort for me to work at being more positive.  The Down syndrome isn't actually what bothers me anymore, it is the health problems.  I need to remember that and cherish K. for the incredible little person she is.  Our family definitely would not have been complete without her.

My friend Dara recently reminded me that there is NO reason for me to feel like I need to only share the pictures of K. where everything looks perfect (aka, no oxygen) - especially since those pictures don't happen often lately.  So, just in case you haven't seen her recently (even though she actually hasn't changed much in recent months) here is one of my favorite pictures from this Winter.  I'll be sharing more Kayla-cuteness here all week for her birthday celebration, so if you need a daily dose of cuteness - stay tuned!

We have tried about everything we can think of to keep her cords from getting too tangled up (something you just don't have to worry about when you have a wifi style baby).  It never works, because K. loves playing with her cords, so no matter what, she has almost always tangled them somehow.  This time in particular was because right before I took the picture above, she was sleeping like this:

I hope you don't mind me sharing more about K. here, but I want to spend this week before her birthday really celebrating her with you so you'll know what we've been up to for the past year.  We are actually trying to focus on milestones more than dates, but every baby deserves a great birthday celebration!

Thanks for hanging in there with us!

Happy Monday!

Mrs. Cavanaugh's Chocolate Deal

I'm sure by now everyone is well aware that Valentine's Day isn't too far away (um, that would be next Monday in case you weren't aware ") 

Are you ready?  Do you have your gifts? Are you planning to give something to your kids, or their teachers, or your best friend, or whoever?

To help you with your holiday preparations (or to make your life easier if you need to point someone in the right direction for a gift hint) this year you have help getting the best deal on chocolates around Utah.

The Deal Pickle, a local Utah company, is offering a limited number of $25 value gift certificates for only $12.50 to Mrs. Cavanaugh's - thats a whopping 50% OFF.  

So, save some money, get some chocolate - it's the world's best win win!

While you're on the Deal Pickle too, make sure to see what other deals they have because you can get a lot more great offers for dinners, cleaning service (seriously, that is what I would want for a gift!!), spa services, fun places to go like indoor skydiving or rock wall climbing, and more.  You can make out like a bandit for half price!

Nutella Sweet Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze and Toasted Hazelnuts

Today is World Nutella Day 2011! To celebrate I bring you these Nutella filled sweet rolls - and I do mean filled - I used an entire 13 oz jar of Nutella to fill the dough.  It may sound like it is going to be overkill, but you actually don't want to skimp because you'll be surprised when it actually bakes up that the filling is much less gooey than you think it is going to be, as you can see below it seems to concentrate down and bake into the dough.

The idea for these rolls came to me on a whim yesterday when I was watching everyone tweeting about all their ideas for today (search the #nutelladay hashtag or follow @nutelladay for updates).  

I had thought of this a while ago, but never got around to trying it.  I knew I had bookmarked this cinnamon roll recipe though and really wanted to try it.

Speaking of Nutella inspiration, if you can handle it (and control your drool reflex) you should definitely visit the new site from Paula at bell'alimento - Bella Nutella - All Nutella, All the Time - it looks insanely gorgeous!

I ended up adapting the dough recipe by sweetening the dough with dark brown sugar (my favorite sugar!) and adding a little vanilla to the dough. It is a really nice dough to work with, but since it is very soft and the Nutella is very smooth and creamy, you can bet you are going to end up with a little of a mess on your hands... which you can then just lick off, so I see that as a win-win!

I made the dough yesterday, let it rise, shaped the rolls and then held them in the refrigerator overnight so I could have these warm this morning. The dough doesn't rise overmuch the second time around so don't expect these to be big and puffy.  The dough is tender and still really good though and the Nutella filling in it is heavenly. 

The recipe makes about 18 rolls and since I didn't need that kind of damage on my hands all at once I just baked off these 5 and placed the rest of the shaped (not risen) rolls onto a lined baking sheet and stashed them in the freezer to freeze solid.  That way the next time I want these I can place them in a pan the day before and let them thaw and soften in the refrigerator again.

The rolls don't actually need anything at all on top of them, but just because I never seem to leave well enough alone, I made a little cream cheese glaze to top them and added a few toasted, chopped hazelnuts.  Either way, these rolls were pretty spectacular.

They would make a great treat for a brunch or any special day.  I know it may be a while before I can go back to plain old cinnamon rolls! 

NOTE:  There are more Nutella lovin' links at the very bottom of the post!

Nutella Sweet Rolls
Makes approximately 18 rolls

Printable Version

Dough:

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast)

1 teaspoon salt

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:

1 13-ounce jar Nutella

Glaze:

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon milk or enough to get desired consistency

For the dough: Place the milk and butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave them on high until the butter is mostly melted (should be 120°F to 130°F, about 30 to 45 seconds. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. 

Add 1 cup flour, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups more of the flour and beat the mixture on low until the flour is absorbed.  The dough will be sticky, but should be starting to clear the sides of the bowl.  Add the remaining flour a little at a time, just enough as needed to get a soft dough that cleans the sides of the bowl.  

You can either switch to the dough hook on your mixer, or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to knead.  The dough should still be soft, smooth and tacky, but not sticky when you are done.  It will take about 8 minutes by hand, or about 3 to 4 minutes with the dough hook.  Form the dough into a ball.

Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer the dough ball to the bowl and turn to coat the ball on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle. Spread the entire jar of Nutella over the dough, evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Starting at 1 long side, roll the dough into a log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up - this will be a little messy with the Nutella, but just try to keep the log as tight as you can. With seam side down, use a 12-inch long piece of waxed dental floss (not flavored) or a clean piece of white thread to cut the dough into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide).  Just place the string under the log, bring it up around the dough and cross the string like to cut up and through the dough. This is the least messy way to cut the dough with all that Nutella filling, but if you want you can just use a sharp thin knife - the slices may just be more difficult to keep neat.

Spray two 9-inch square glass baking dishes with nonstick spray. Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up (there will be almost no space between rolls). Cover baking dishes with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.

Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool a little before glazing.

For the glaze:

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Sprinkle with the chopped, toasted hazelnuts if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:  Toasting Hazelnuts - place whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in a 350  degree F oven, skins on, for 10 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and while still hot dump them into a clean dish towel.  Wrap them up, well covered in the dish towel, then rub them using the towel (they will be hot so be careful!) to remove as much of the skin as possible.  Let them cool before picking the cleaned hazelnuts out of the towel and chopping them.  To easily clean the towel just shake it out (outside is best) or over your trash can.

Adapted from Cinnamon Rolls by Molly Wizenberg

You might also like:

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

Sweet Crepes filled with Nutella and Caramel Glazed Hazelnuts

Chocolate Nutella Cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod

Bella Nutella - All Nutella, All the Time

FFwD: Basque Potato Tortilla

I thought I wasn't going to end up making this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe for the Basque Potato Tortilla, just because we've had sick kids all week on and off and I've been living on toast, but today was the hubs day off so he was able to cuddle some kiddos while I made us a decent breakfast.

I changed the recipe only a little, mostly just because of personal preference and what I had on hand. I used a 6-inch cast iron skillet because I was making only 1/3 of the original recipe since it was just the two of us.  In hind sight I guess we could have had leftovers, but 9 eggs in the original recipe is a lot for us to commit to one thing all at once.  This way I only used 3 extra large eggs.

I also skipped the onions in the recipe and replaced them with a few scallions instead.  I did use a little garlic and a sprig of rosemary, which gave the entire dish a nice flavor.  Next time I would like to add ham, but we were out, so that was a no go this time.

The only other change I made was to add about 2 ounces of shredded Gruyere cheese.  We are cheese-with-our-eggs kind of people, so adding some kind of cheese was a must.

This would make a really great addition to a brunch or a weekend breakfast.  All together it took me, including prep time and cooking, about 35 minutes to make, so you could certainly do this on a weekday too if you give yourself just a little extra time.  You can eat it warm (like we did) or let it sit and eat it at room temperature.

Overall, I really liked the dish and it was a great way to get me to eat a good breakfast instead of my usual rush. I will definitely make this again and keep in mind that it would be really easy to customize according to what we have hanging around to be used.  I really want to add some red bell pepper and possibly mushrooms next time since the hubs would love that.

For more versions of this week's pick from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan (where you'll find the actual recipe) head on over to the French Fridays with Dorie site and click on the LYL post for everyone's links.

If you liked this, you might also like:

Baked Italian Frittata from my Salt Lake Baking Examiner page

Potato, Parsnip and Watercress Tortilla from Aran at Cannelle et Vanille

5 Minute Hot Fudge Sauce

Remember when I made this chocolate loaf cake? It was so good and so easy that when I realized I lost the recipe write up I originally made, I went ahead and used my notes to make it again... just to make sure... yeah.  That's my story. I'm sticking to it.

I kept getting compliments on how good that cake looks, and honestly, it really is just that good.  Then I started thinking about what I really wanted to do with that cake and decided that I should just go ahead and do it already.

When my family would eat out while I was growing up, if I could swing dessert I always ordered the same thing.  Hot Fudge Cake with vanilla ice cream and nuts.  Always.

And it was always a HUGE serving. I can't remember for sure, but I'm fairly certain I always polished it off too.  I decided to make one huge, big bowled, spoons for the whole family kind of serving for this Hot Fudge Cake too.  It actually ended up being a really fun and kind of silly/sweet bonding time with A. who loved the chocolate loaf cake plain, but has asked me about this Hot Fudge Cake almost every day since.

The thing about this Hot Fudge Cake is though that, as good as the cake itself has to be - chocolatey, moist, tender with a sturdy-ish crumb - you can't just use some run of the mill hot fudge on it, and definitely not just chocolate syrup.  Oh no.  It has to be the real thing.

In this case, I came up with this idea late in the day and just couldn't wait to try it, but also didn't have long to make the hot fudge.  I wanted instant gratification hot fudge.  That's not to say that the original, traditionally made version actually takes too much longer, because it doesn't, but I was too lazy to fiddle with the stovetop.

By taking a few little chances and making some convenient adjustments to an already stellar recipe, I got exactly what I wanted.  So, if sometimes, you are like me and just need the good stuff right now.  Give this a try!

5 Minute Hot Fudge Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

Printable Version

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup dark brown (or light brown) sugar

1/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a large glass measuring cup or other microwave safe bowl whisk together the cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa and salt to combine well.  Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until hot but not boiling over.  Start with 1 minute, then just look and see if it is just simmering - it will be hotter than you think if it is simmering, so don't wait for it to boil and scald.

Add the chopped chocolate and butter to the mixture and let it sit and melt for 1 minute.  Use a small whisk or rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and butter into the mixture until melted and smooth.  Microwave for 30 seconds more if needed, just enough to make sure all the chocolate and butter are melted without scorching anything.  Add the vanilla and stir well to combine thoroughly.

The hot fudge can be used right away or cooled to room temperature then stored in a tightly lidded, airtight, heat proof container in the refrigerator.  If using the fudge out of the refrigerator, heat it gently in a bowl of hot water or in 10 second bursts in the microwave till just the desired consistency.

(This recipe is liberally adapted from Dorie Greenspan - for a fantastic traditionally made version, go here).