Homemade Hot Fudge

What a week... is it only Wednesday? All I want is to go out into the (finally!) gorgeous weather, sit outside with an iced coffee, and read a trashy novel or a cookbook (like I did for hours last Sunday after my half marathon).

However, there's that whole work thing... and the fact that nothing-- NOTHING!-- is going right in lab for me this week.

So when the going gets tough... the tough get into the kitchen.

 

I've been sharing a lot of ice creams with you lately... But how about dressing that up with sweet, dark, smooth fudge?

This hot fudge is foolproof. Really. After three failed western blots, one dropped 96-well plate, and several other setbacks, this chocolately heaven still turned out perfectly. It will redeem you-- you CAN do something right!

I highly recommend serving this hot fudge over some light vanilla frozen yogurt... you can have more fudge if the ice cream is "diet", right?

Here's hoping your week is going better than mine (or is after you put a spoonful of this lovin' in your mouth!)

 Homemade Hot Fudge

Adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the first six ingredients and the semisweet chocolate. Stir while cooking until smooth, around 5 minutes. Add in the bittersweet chocolate, butter, and vanilla, and stir until glossy and mouthwatering. Cool slightly and pour into an airtight jar; can be stored for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long!), or serve immediately over vanilla ice cream. To reheat, microwave for 1-2 minutes, until desired consistency is reached.