Dark Chocolate Sauce

Recipe

Inspired by David Lebovitz’s The Best Chocolate Sauce Recipe.

I’ve made David Lebovitz’s chocolate sauce for years so when I wanted a thicker version, I used his recipe as a starting point. I love that this chocolate sauce has no cream or butter in it, but is still unbelievably rich and smooth. A jar of this sauce makes a perfect gift for any chocolate lover.

Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup (125mL) bottled water*

¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (80g) light corn syrup

½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed

1 ounce (28g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2-3 ounces Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Baking Wafers

a pinch of kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Yield: about 1½ cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Type of Recipe:
Fillings & Sauces

Instructions

In a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder.
Warm the mixture over medium heat, whisking frequently. Once it just begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the salt, chopped chocolate and chocolate wafers until melted.
Let the sauce cool for a few minutes, then add the vanilla extract, if desired. Pour into a heat-proof glass jar and refrigerate until needed. If you’re using it the same day, let it sit at room temperature until needed.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can be doubled.
Since the main ingredient in chocolate sauce is, well, chocolate, use a premium brand of chocolate...something that you like to eat. I am partial to the flavor profile of Guittard, but other quality brands will also work well.
I use bottled water because the tap water in my area is highly chlorinated and that affects the taste of the chocolate.
Let the chocolate sauce stand at room temperature for a few hours before serving. This will give it time to thicken a bit.
Store the chocolate sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Rewarm it gently before serving. I find that heating the cold sauce in one or two 10-second intervals in the microwave works well. Be sure to stir the sauce after each 10-second burst. If you prefer, you can warm the sauce in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Warning: Chocolate can be burned or begin to separate if it is over-heated.