Thursday, March 11, 2010

Dark Chocolate Caramel Sauce

Click photo to enlarge; do not lick the screen.

It never fails to happen that I entertain guests and forget to serve a dish. Be it a topping, a salad, a finale - something often gets left out.

I probably jinxed myself, when on the day of Mateo's birthday (and the receiving of 40 - yes, FORTY- guests into our home), I said to Danny.
"Remind me to serve the ice cream with the cake. Let's not forget the ice cream."
Yeah, I probably don't have to tell you that the birthday cake was enjoyed sans ice cream. Of course I forgot it in the general mayhem of things and there was enough sweets so the ice cream wasn't missed.

It wasn't until about eleven at night, when we were watching the Olympic closing ceremonies and relaxing with some wine dregs, that we looked at each other and said

"The ice cream!"

Not that there is anything wrong with leftover ice cream, it's just that I had bought So. Much. of it.


Fortunately, I was receiving guests three more times that week (it's kind of an open door around here) and figured I could use up the ice cream that way.

Still, I can't serve just ice cream to guests; that kind of makes me squirm. It's an accompaniment to a dessert, but I didn't have time to make one. I needed a topping.

A quick poll of my Tweeps put me in touch with this recipe faster than you can say 'Sundae'. Robin from Hippo Flambe sent me her caramel chocolate sauce, advising me to 'forget hot fudge sauce' and try her recipe instead.


I'm glad I did, because it's pretty sweeeet. I ate so much of it with a spoon, it's a wonder there was any left for our banana splits that night. It leaves regular chocolate sauce way behind with it's multi-levels of flavor from caramelized sugar and a touch of salt.

You must try this sauce - for ice cream, waffles, crepes, or just drizzled over poached pears.

Head over to Robin's site Hippo Flambe to get the Joy of Cooking recipe for Dark Chocolate Caramel Sauce.

You'll be glad you did, ice cream or no ice cream.

32 comments:

Nutmeg Nanny said...

This sounds and looks amazing....yum!

islandgirl4ever2 said...

WOW and YUMMMMM!!!! I'm glad you posted that and those pictures just got me really really craving that now... at about 3:30 a.m. here in France (I'm sick so I woke up and can't go back to bed).

I am going to try this recipe out... LOOKS SOOO DELISH!!! Good thing you guys forgot the ice cream or the sauce may not have been the inspiration for this post..
Cheers,
Leesa

Sue said...

Gorgeous recipe!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets things. The worst was when I left the red cabbage slaw in the fridge during a barbecue. My husband's grandmother was so sweet that when I exclaimed that I had forgotten it, she made everyone have a bowl of it. AND we'd already had dessert.

Joie de vivre said...

Ice cream for 40 people. That is so funny that you forgot. This sauce is dangerous for me to look at this time of evening. It looks soooo good!

Aimée said...

Sue, I once made a massive slaw for a Super Bowl party--and forgot to serve it.
I hauled it out after dessert and offered it, but you can imagine what happened. People were too full from wings and chili...

We ate it for days!

Anh said...

Brillant photos! I swear the ice-cream and the sauce speak to me!

kickpleat said...

Sounds pretty perfect to me! Nice job.

Cheri said...

I am in love with that first photo. I believe my jaw dropped and I had to wipe all the drool off the floor when I saw it.

You make so many things that are on my must make list... this one shall join the others.

Tiffany Rieder said...

Your post makes me feel better. I forgot to serve the peanut butter and jam cookies my daughter specifically aske for at her birthday party. They were safetly tucked away on a platter in the stair well and were just forgotten. So frustrating. I didn't do stuff like that before kids. At Christmas I made a list of all dishes and checked them off as they came out (mentally). That helped. I love the salt addition it just adds another level of flavor.

Valérie said...

I regularly forget to serve something too - usually the salad, or a sauce. But this sauce looks pretty unforgettable to me!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

It sounds delicious and like something that should be offered at your next jam/etc. fest.

Robin (Hippo Flambe) said...

I am so glad you liked my recipe as much as we do. I think the teachers in the school are starting to request my children as students so they can receive this sauce. I guess none of them have figured out how easy it is to make.

Your photos are stunning. They are making me rethink my four year old photo assistant.

-Robin

Unknown said...

HELLO!!! Where have you been all my life!!! Making that tonight, tomorrow and everyday after that! ;D
Thanks for sharing!

CookiePie said...

GORGEOUS!!!!

Jan (Family Bites) said...

Wow...I keep a jar of caramel sauce in the fridge at all times, but now I'll need to rethink that and consider this as a replacement....it looks sinfully good!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Yum and double yum!

Julie said...

SHUT UP.

Julie said...

I meant SHUT UP as in, GET OUT.. tone does not translate so well when leaving comments...

Aimée said...

Oh, I knew that, Julie!!
I laughed for five minutes after you left that Best. comment. ever.

Sook said...

Caramel sauce with dark chocolate?? Looks amazing!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

The very best of both worlds. This has just gone to the top of my must try list.
~ingrid

rosemary said...

Comforting to know that I'm not the only one who forgets things!!

molly said...

Seriously, caramel AND chocolate? The idea alone is patently fantastic...

Barbara said...

No, it wouldn't hang out in my fridge for very long either! Wow. Combining chocolate and caramel has to be a gift from the Gods!

And how can you possibly ever have too much ice cream in the freezer???

LyB said...

I was drooling already but then I read: "To make chocolate caramel truffles"... Needless to say I will be making this sauce pre-tty soon!

Hope you guys are doing well! xoxo

Kelsey B. said...

This looks SOO delicious - great recipe!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Hey, Aimee! I made your dark chocolate caramel sauce tonight. I didn't get to use it on what I made it for but several of us had a taste once in cooled down and we all agreed I needed to find something else that we could pour it on! :) Thanks for the recipe!
~ingrid

Valen said...

I could scream for ice cream right about now!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Absolutely gorgeous. Yes, your photos make me want to lick the screen. I so don't need this, but I'll make it anyway.

islandgirl4ever2 said...

Just made this now and it looks delish!! I can't smell or taste at this time (going on two weeks now) but I'll ask my hubby for his feedback!! Thanks for the recipe!

Peter Kalogeropoulos said...

Looks amazing.

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