Hello Chickadees! And an extra special hello to all the Mama Chickadees on this Mother's Day!
Last year, I got to spend Mother's Day with three special Mamas in my life. This year, I am not even in the same time zone as any of those fine women :-( But I've got Mama B on my mind, because I've been doing a lot of organixing lately.
Organixing. It's a real word, I swear. Go ahead, Google it. I can wait.
*Katie Googles "organix" herself while she waits*
Okay, actually, I take that back--don't Google it, because the internet is WRONG. Organix is not the name of a Roots album, a brand of dog food, a line of natural hair products, or an organic chemistry research company. Organix is a verb Mama B and I made up:
Organix: to get rid of, replace, or alter an item on your to-do list for the sake of your sanity.
You can employ the fine art of organixing after you realize you were too ambitious when making your to-do list in the first place, or when life says, "to hell with your to-do list, I have other plans."
Would you like to hear it used in a sentence?
Earlier this week, I wanted to make Hummingbird Cupcakes for a dinner party, but life got in the way the night before and suddenly it was 11:30pm--at least two hours past cupcake-making o'clock. But I wanted to bring a homemade dessert, so I organixed the cupcakes and replaced them with this super quick and easy homemade hot fudge sauce.
Not an hour later, the fudge was in the fridge and I was in bed. I woke well-rested for my dinner party, with a stellar dessert to boot.
Katie's my name, organixing is my game.
It's a very useful life-skill, actually, and I have Mama B to thank for it. And I am grateful, because it led me to this hot fudge sauce.
I mean, seriously, if it leads you to chocolate, it's a truly valuable life-skill, don't you think?
I actually made this sauce for not one but two different dinner parties this week. It's rich and smooth and goopy and does that awesome thing where it hardens up a bit as it sits in the ice cream, turning into what can only be described as chewy fudgy goodness.
Thanks for helping keep me sane, Mama B. This sundae's for you.
--Kate
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
Makes about 2 cups (about 8 generous servings)
Slightly adapted from Gourmet February 2004 via My Baking Addiction
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped (or approximately 1 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, reduce salt above to just a pinch)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. In a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa, salt, and half of the chocolate. Stir mixture until the chocolate pieces are completely melted, and then stir occasionally until mixture boils.
2. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. Mixture will still be a bit thin for hot fudge. Remove pan from the heat and add in butter, vanilla, and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Allow the sauce to cool down before serving. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
3. To store, cool sauce completely and chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To serve, heat sauce in microwave in 15-30 second intervals, stirring until you reach the desired consistency.
