Christinia’s mother with her hands up, making a face, glasses askew

My mother is a hot fudge fanatic. An insane, uncritical fanatic. Because of her, I think of fudge sauce as (1) Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, which was a fixture at our house, or (2) what they use at McDonald’s, where my stepdad regularly takes my mom on $1.50 sundae dates.

It was a no-brainer that we’d need a fudge sauce for Milk Bar. But I didn’t learn how to make trashy American fudge sauce at the French Culinary Institute, and I didn’t want to have to decode the chemist’s secrets behind Hershey’s Syrup, or the more lavish Chocolate Shell (which was too fancy for our house), in order to put chocolate sauce on my ice cream cones.

So I threw myself into it. I wanted the sauce fudgy and I wanted it shiny. We frosted my favorite chocolate cake at culinary school with a ridiculously shiny chocolate glaze, and for some reason, that shininess always wooed me.

I started mixing chocolate and cocoa powder, sugar, and heavy cream—just like they teach you in school. I added salt to taste, and then I began to add glucose—liquid sugar, liquid shine. Whisk, whisk. Not shiny enough. More glucose. Whisk. Not thick enough, not shiny enough. More glucose. Taste. Never shiny enough, never quite the right thickness or body. Marian rolled her eyes.

After you taste something too many times in a row, you get tunnel vision and can’t judge it fairly. I stopped after I had added more glucose than heavy cream and could no longer really taste the sauce.

The next day, Marian and I—sure we had a couple of diligent days of testing ahead of us to nail it—went to taste the sauce. Then we looked at each other over our morning coffees and knew we had it.

The recipe has never changed; there are clearly no real secret ingredients in it. But somehow this recipe became the secret ingredient itself. It is so damn good that we throw it into almost everything chocolate-based to give it a bump of chocolatiness that seems otherwise impossible to achieve. We fold it into cake batters, schmear it on plates for composed desserts, and buzz it into ice cream bases. And we pour it over sundaes for family meal.

Fudge Sauce over ice cream with crumbs

fudge sauce

MAKES ABOUT 150 G (½ CUP), OR ENOUGH FOR 4 OR MORE SUNDAES

30 g 72% chocolate, chopped
[1 ounce]

18 g cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona
[2 tablespoons]

0.5 g kosher salt
[ teaspoon]

100 g glucose
[¼ cup]

25 g sugar
[2 tablespoons]

55 g heavy cream
[¼ cup]

In a pinch, substitute 35 g (2 tablespoons) corn syrup for the glucose.

Elsewhere in this book: Fudge sauce is used for a fancier presentation of the Brownie Pie.

1. Combine the chocolate, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Combine the glucose, sugar, and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir intermittently while bringing to a boil over high heat. The moment it boils, pour it into the bowl holding the chocolate. Let sit for 1 full minute.

3. Slowly, slowly begin to whisk the mixture. Then continue, increasing the vigor of your whisking every 30 seconds, until the mixture is glossy and silky-smooth. This will take 2 to 4 minutes, depending on your speed and strength. You can use the sauce at this point or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; do not freeze.

hot fudge sauce

Our fudge sauce tastes just as good hot as it does cold. Simply warm it in the microwave on low in 30-second increments for 2 minutes. Stir the sauce between blasts. It tastes really good drizzled over Cereal Milk Ice Cream. Or any ice cream, for that matter. My mother approves.

malt fudge sauce

MAKES ABOUT 450 G (1¾ CUPS), OR ENOUGH FOR 12 OR MORE SUNDAES

I wasn’t raised on malt as a flavor, but as we expanded our little kitchen staff, Leslie Behrens opened us up to a world of malt. After many attempts at this sauce, we found the secret to a deep, dark underlying malt flavor is a splash of molasses—not enough to taste molasses, but enough to give a deep, dark depth beyond chocolate alone.

60 g 72% chocolate, chopped
[2 ounces]

80 g Ovaltine, malt flavor
[1 cup]

5 g molasses
[1 teaspoon]

1 g kosher salt
[¼ teaspoon]

200 g glucose
[½ cup]

50 g sugar
[¼ cup]

110 g heavy cream
[½ cup]

Substitute any dark cane syrup for the molasses.

In a pinch, substitute 35 g (2 tablespoons) corn syrup for the glucose.

Follow the recipe for the fudge sauce, substituting the Ovaltine for the cocoa powder and adding the molasses along with it.

Kitchen staff surrounding a large stand mixer

earl grey fudge sauce

MAKES ABOUT 250 G (¼ CUP), OR ENOUGH FOR 4 OR MORE SUNDAES

This is our high-brow fudge sauce for the Earl Grey lovers out there (Mama Meehan, we’re looking at you).

40 g water
[3 tablespoons]

1 Earl Grey tea bag

30 g 72% chocolate, chopped
[1 ounce]

18 g cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona
[2 tablespoons]

0.5 g kosher salt
[ teaspoon]

100 g glucose
[¼ cup]

25 g sugar
[2 tablespoons]

55 g heavy cream
[¼ cup]

In a pinch, substitute 35 g (2 tablespoons) corn syrup for the glucose.

1. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan or in a tea cup in the microwave. Remove from heat, add the tea, and let steep for 4 minutes.

2. Wring and remove the tea bag and pour the tea into a medium bowl. Add the chocolate, cocoa powder, and salt.

3. Combine the glucose, sugar, and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir intermittently while bringing to a boil over high heat. The moment it boils, pour it into the bowl holding the chocolate. Let sit for 1 full minute.

4. Slowly, slowly begin to whisk the mixture. Then continue, increasing the vigor of your whisking every 30 seconds, until the mixture is glossy and silky-smooth. This will take 2 to 4 minutes, depending on your speed and strength. You can use the sauce at this point or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks; do not freeze.

Overhead shot of a slice of Chocolate Malt Layer Cake on a white plate, next to red flowers

chocolate malt layer cake

MAKES 1 (6-INCH) LAYER CAKE, 5 TO 6 INCHES TALL; SERVES 6 TO 8

1 recipe Chocolate Cake

1 recipe Ovaltine Soak

1 recipe Malt Fudge Sauce, warm

½ recipe Malted Milk Crumb

1 recipe Charred Marshmallows

special equipment

1 (6-inch) cake ring

2 strips acetate, each 3 inches wide and 20 inches long

1. Put a piece of parchment or a Silpat on the counter. Invert the cake onto it and peel off the parchment or Silpat from the bottom of the cake. Use the cake ring to stamp out 2 circles from the cake. These are your top 2 cake layers. The remaining cake “scrap” will come together to make the bottom layer of the cake.

layer 1, the bottom
2. Clean the cake ring and place it in the center of a sheet pan lined with clean parchment or a Silpat. Use 1 strip of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring.

3. Put the cake scraps inside the ring and use the back of your hand to tamp the scraps together into a flat even layer.

4. Dunk a pastry brush in the Ovaltine soak and give the layer of cake a good, healthy bath of half of the soak.

5. Use the back of a spoon to spread one-fifth of the malt fudge sauce in an even layer over the cake. (Helpful hint: the warmer the fudge sauce, the easier it is to spread.)

6. Sprinkle half of the malted milk crumbs and one-third of the charred marshmallows evenly over the malt fudge sauce. Use the back of your hand to anchor them in place.

7. Use the back of a spoon to spread another fifth of the malt fudge sauce as evenly as possible over the crumbs and marshmallows.

layer 2, the middle
8. With your index finger, gently tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top ¼ inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall—high enough to support the height of the finished cake. Set a cake round on top of the sauce and repeat the process for layer 1 (if 1 of your 2 cake rounds is jankier than the other, use it here in the middle and save the prettier one for the top).

layer 3, the top
9. Nestle the remaining cake round into the sauce. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining fudge sauce. Since it’s a sauce, not a frosting, here you have no choice but to make a shiny, perfectly flat top. Garnish with the remaining charred marshmallows.

10. Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and filling. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

11. At least 3 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the sheet pan out of the freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop the cake out of the cake ring. Gently peel off the acetate and transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. Let it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. If storing the cake for longer, do not cover with plastic wrap—it will tear the malt fudge off the cake! Instead, get a big bowl, flip it upside down, and use it to protect the cake (or invest in a cake carrier). Stored in this way, the cake will keep fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.

12. Slice the cake into wedges and serve.

Chocolatey plastic container on a chocolatey baking sheet

chocolate cake

MAKES 1 QUARTER SHEET PAN CAKE

115 g butter, at room temperature
[8 tablespoons (1 stick)]

300 g sugar
[1½ cups]

3 eggs

110 g buttermilk
[½ cup]

40 g grapeseed oil
[¼ cup]

4 g vanilla extract
[1 teaspoon]

¼ recipe Fudge Sauce
[38 g (3 tablespoons)]

155 g cake flour
[1¼ cups]

70 g cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona
[½ cup]

6 g baking powder
[1½ teaspoons]

6 g kosher salt
[1½ teaspoons]

Pam or other nonstick cooking spray (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.

2. Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.

3. On low speed, stream in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy butter-and-sugar mixture, and completely homogenous. There should be no streaks of fat or liquid. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

4. Add the fudge sauce and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. With a spatula, stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. On very low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until your batter comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix on low speed for another 45 seconds to ensure that any little lumps of cocoa powder and cake flour are incorporated.

6. Pam-spray a quarter sheet pan and line it with parchment, or just line the pan with a Silpat. Using a spatula, spread the cake batter in an even layer in the pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake will rise and puff, doubling in size, but will remain slightly buttery and dense. At 30 minutes, gently poke the edge of the cake with your finger: the cake should bounce back slightly and the center should no longer be jiggly. Leave the cake in the oven for an extra 3 to 5 minutes if it doesn’t pass these tests.

7. Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack or, in a pinch, in the fridge or freezer (don’t worry, it’s not cheating). The cooled cake can be stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.

ovaltine soak

MAKES ABOUT 65 G (¼ CUP)

55 g milk
[¼ cup]

10 g Ovaltine, malt flavor
[2 tablespoons]

Whisk together the milk and Ovaltine in a small bowl until the Ovaltine is completely dissolved. Use immediately.

charred marshmallows

MAKES ABOUT 150 G (2¾ CUPS)

I light a forest fire on my sheet pan of mini marshmallows and let it burn out on its own. The surface of all the marshmallows should be black/burnt, while the bottoms remain perfectly white.

150 g mini marshmallows
[2¾ cups]

The only thing we really use our blowtorch for is to char these marshmallows. If you or your significant other happens to be a handy person, then perhaps you already have one. If not, you should get one, because they are superfun to play with and you can teach yourself to weld. That said, it’s not necessary to go out and buy one: you can char the marshmallows under the broiler of your oven or any other type of open flame—like a wand lighter.

Spread the marshmallows out evenly on an unlined sheet pan and char them to hell and back with a blowtorch. Transfer the pan to the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes to firm up the marshmallows and make them easier to handle. Use immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Overhead of kitchen staff carrying layer cakes, eight per tray

Red Velvet Ice Cream in a paper Milk Bar cup on a napkin

red velvet ice cream

MAKES ABOUT 450 G (1 PINT)

We use cake scraps in our kitchen for just about anything. Really. Even ice creams, where they add body, texture, and depth of flavor. We put chocolate cake scraps in the red velvet ice cream because we want it to taste like red velvet cake. We also like to take it too far and swirl red velvet ice cream with cream cheese frosting ice cream.

1 gelatin sheet

220 g milk
[1 cup]

½ recipe Fudge Sauce

50 g Chocolate Cake “scraps”
[½ cup]

35 g cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona
[¼ cup]

25 g sugar
[2 tablespoons]

25 g glucose
[1 tablespoon]

12 g distilled white vinegar
[1 tablespoon]

12 g buttermilk
[1 tablespoon]

8 g red food coloring
[2 teaspoons]

4 g kosher salt
[1 teaspoon]

Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the sheet gelatin: use ½ teaspoon. In a pinch, substitute 9 g (2 teaspoons) corn syrup for the glucose.

1. Bloom the gelatin.

2. Warm a little bit of the milk and whisk in the gelatin to dissolve. Transfer the gelatin mixture to a blender, add the remaining milk, the fudge sauce, chocolate cake, cocoa powder, sugar, glucose, vinegar, buttermilk, food coloring, and salt, and puree until smooth and even. Don’t be stingy on the blending time—the cake scraps need to soak up the liquid and kind of dissipate into the mixture.

3. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream is best spun just before serving or using, but it will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Close-up of ice cream, chocolate cake scraps, and red food coloring layered against a clear plastic wall