Hot Fudge Sundae
Ingredients
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- 3/4 cup heavy cream – for fudge sauce
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder – sifted
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate – finely chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – cut into pieces
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract – for fudge sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream – chilled, for whipped cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract – for whipped cream
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
- roasted peanuts – chopped (for serving)
- maraschino cherries – stems on (for serving)
Instructions
1. Make the hot fudge: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream (for fudge sauce), light corn syrup, granulated sugar, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves, 2–3 minutes.
2. Whisk in the unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth. Reduce heat to low, add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and unsalted butter, and cook, stirring, until melted and glossy, 3–5 minutes.
3. Simmer gently, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and a ribbon dripped from the spoon holds for 2–3 seconds, 2–4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the kosher salt and vanilla extract (for fudge sauce). Keep warm over the lowest heat or rewarm gently before serving.
4. Make the whipped cream: In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream (for whipped cream) with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract (for whipped cream) to soft peaks, 1–2 minutes with a mixer or 2–3 minutes by hand. Refrigerate until needed.
5. Assemble the sundaes: Scoop the vanilla ice cream into 4 chilled bowls or glasses.
6. Spoon warm hot fudge sauce over each, top with whipped cream, sprinkle with roasted peanuts, and finish with a maraschino cherry. Serve immediately.
A Hot Fudge Sundae pairs cold, creamy vanilla ice cream with a warm, glossy chocolate fudge sauce for a temperature and texture contrast that’s irresistible. The rich sauce clings to the scoops, while a billow of lightly sweetened whipped cream adds airiness. A scattering of nuts brings crunch and salt, and the obligatory cherry on top delivers a bright, candied finish.
Born in American soda fountains, the sundae became a fixture of early 20th-century dessert culture. Stories trace the origin of sundaes to the 1890s, when temperance-era soda laws nudged pharmacists to serve ice cream with flavored syrups. The hot fudge variant rose to prominence in the decades that followed, celebrated in parlors across the country and often associated with West Coast institutions that specialized in warm chocolate sauces.