Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and creme de cacao. Transfer to a bowl. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. This will keep in the refrigerator for about a month.
Oh, Fudge! My Sauce Is Solid! If your sauce is too firm once it"s cold, simply pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up.
Candied Orange Peel.
Use this basic technique to candy any kind of citrus peel-lemon, lime, grapefruit, blood orange, you name it. Candied peel will keep for about two months tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge.
MAKES ABOUT 1 POUND CANDY, DEPENDING ON HOW BIG YOUR ORANGES ARE 34 large oranges 4 cups water 5 cups sugar, divided If possible, choose fruit that hasn"t been sprayed or treated. Rinse your fruit under cold water and wipe it down.
With a sharp paring knife, cut the peel off the orange in wide strips. Get as much of the colored peel as you can-and as little of the soft white pith beneath it, which is very bitter. Once you"ve removed the peel, slice it into thin strips. I like to go about pencil width.
Blanch the peels by bringing a few inches of water to boil on the stove in a medium-sized pot. Drop in the strips of orange peel. Give them a stir. Boil for about 20 minutes to remove any bitterness. Drain in a colander.
Put 4 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar in a large pot. Whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, whisking until the sugar melts. Toss in the boiled orange peels. Give a stir. Knock the heat down a little, so that the sugar syrup holds a simmer. Simmer the peels, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until translucent.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set a wire rack on top of the towels. Fish the peels out of the syrup with a fork. Set them on your prepared rack to drain for about 15 minutes.
Put 1 cup of sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Drop a few pieces of the peel into the sugar. Toss to coat. Set them on a clean wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the peels. Let them air dry overnight. Transfer to an airtight container.
Marshmallow Sauce.
On the marshmallow continuum, this sauce is somewhere in between soft, pillow-y marshmallows and thick, sticky fluff. Use it to top sundaes-or swirl it through ice cream or gelato right before you pop it into the freezer.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.
4 large egg whites teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cups light corn syrup 1 cup sugar cup water 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.
Whisk the corn syrup, sugar and water together in a small, heavy-bottomed pot. Set on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture is a light caramel color and registers 240F on a candy thermometer. Remove the pot from the heat.
With your stand mixer running on low, slowly pour the hot syrup into the beaten egg whites. (Be really careful! Hot sugar is like napalm.) Beat until fluffy and opaque, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate before using. This will keep for about a month in the refrigerator.
b.u.t.terscotch Sauce.
This sauce has a richer, more b.u.t.tery taste than a traditional caramel or dulce de leche. Don"t skimp on the salt-it"s what helps balance out the flavor.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.
8 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 2 cups dark brown sugar 1 cups heavy cream 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons vanilla extract Melt the b.u.t.ter in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat on the stove. Stir in the brown sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the sugar melts, stirring frequently.
Add the cream. Whisk to combine. Simmer over medium heat for about 7 minutes, whisking constantly.
Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the salt and vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. This will keep for about a month in the refrigerator.
Creme Chantilly.
Creme Chantilly is Plain Jane Whipped Cream"s sophisticated older sister. It"s sweet and fragrant with vanilla. In terms of a garnish, a dollop of Creme Chantilly is the perfect canvas for a dusting of just about anything-ground cinnamon, chocolate shavings, lemon zest. Use your imagination!
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUPS.
2 tablespoons sugar 1 cup whipping cream teaspoon vanilla extract Put the sugar, cream, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Beat to soft peaks. (Depending on what you"re garnishing, if you need a st.u.r.dier cream, beat to stiff peaks.)
Orange Melba Sauce.
Cla.s.sic Melba sauce is an exquisite raspberry sauce that famed French chef Auguste Escoffier whipped up for his favorite opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. This thick, glossy red sauce is delicious drizzled over ice cream and frozen cheesecake. Add a hint of orange and it"s even better. You can also use it as a flavor base for c.o.c.ktails and adult smoothies.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.
24 ounces fresh raspberries 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 cup sugar Put the raspberries, orange juice, and sugar in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
When the mixture boils, stir it constantly, mashing the berries against the side of the pot to break them up. Boil for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon thickly.
Remove the pot from the heat. Give the sauce a taste. If it"s too sweet for your liking, add a little more orange juice (or even a little lemon juice), then cook until thick again.
Strain the sauce into a bowl, stirring the mixture in the strainer to help push the liquid through. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. It will thicken a little as it cools. This sauce will keep for about 4 days in the fridge.
A Few Flavor Twists Try adding a little fresh thyme, basil, or rosemary to the pot at the beginning. All these herbs get along famously with raspberries.
Spiced Candied Nuts.
This is a really fast way to make candied nuts. Use any kind of unsalted nuts you like. Swap in your favorite spices. Candied cashews with cardamom are to die for.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS.
1 cup sugar teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground cloves 3 cups sh.e.l.led, unsalted nuts Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves in a heavy-bottomed, medium pot over medium heat. Cook like this, whisking constantly, until the sugar is caramel colored and smells amazing.
Remove the pot from the heat. Immediately toss the nuts into the pot, stirring with a spoon to coat them evenly.
When they"re coated, pour them onto your prepared pan, and spread them out so they"re not touching. (If they"re touching, they"ll stick together when the sugar hardens.) Move like lightning. The sugar hardens really quickly.
Let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Candied nuts will keep for about 2 weeks on the counter.
Boozy Bourbon Brown Sugar Sauce
This warm bourbon sauce is thick, rich, and flecked with vanilla. Serve it instead of hot fudge over ice cream. It also makes a killer sauce for b.u.t.tery, homemade pound cake.
MAKES 2 CUPS.
6 egg yolks cup dark brown sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 whole vanilla bean cup bourbon Whisk the egg yolks and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Put the cream in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Slit the vanilla bean in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Sc.r.a.pe out the paste with the back of your knife. Add the vanilla pod and paste to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to bubble at the edges.
Remove the pot from the heat. Let stand for about 15 minutes to infuse. Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
Slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the beaten egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the combined mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 45 minutes, until it thickens and registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
Remove the pot from the heat. Strain into a bowl. Whisk in the bourbon. Refrigerate. Keeps about 4 days in the fridge.
Chocolate & Rum Dandy Drizzle
This cinnamon- and rum-scented chocolate sauce is thinner than hot fudge. It"s perfect for drizzling over bowls of ice cream and sundaes.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS.
1 cup heavy cream 1 cups whole milk 2 cups dark chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons dark spiced rum, such as Kraken teaspoon cinnamon Put the cream and milk in a small pot over medium heat. Heat it until it just starts to simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Toss in the chocolate and b.u.t.ter. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is uniform. Whisk in the vanilla extract, dark rum, and cinnamon.
Cool to room temperature, then chill completely in the fridge. This will keep for about 2 weeks.
Homemade Maraschino Cherries
Yep, you can make these sweet little red babies at home. It takes about a week, but it"s well worth the effort. Make as big a jar as you like. Here"s the basic technique.
Sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted
Sugar Maraschino liqueur Loosely pack a clean mason jar with stemmed, pitted cherries.
Pour sugar into the jar, shaking it to distribute among the fruit. Use enough sugar so that the cherries are all thoroughly coated. Let it sit overnight on the counter to get lush and juicy.
Fill the jar with maraschino liqueur. Cap it tightly and give it a shake. Refrigerate for about a week, shaking the jar every day. Enjoy!