Injera – Ethiopian Flatbread

Actual Injera is made with teff, which is a flour common to Ethiopia.  Read more about why teff is so amazing at the bottom of this page.  This is Grandpa’s American adaptation of injera, the bread used as a utensil in Ethiopian dining.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 C spelt – Ideally use teff, next try half whole wheat and half AP flour
    DO THIS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
  • 1-1/2 cup water
  • a pinch of yeast
  • two pinches of sugar
  • a GLASS mixing bowl
    DO THIS IN THE LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING
  • 1 tsp peanut oil – optional canola oil
  • a pinch of salt
  • a VERY nonstick pan

STEP BY STEP

  1. Put the flour in the bottom of a mixing bowl with sugar and dry yeast
  2. Mix or sift together
  3. Slowly add the water, stirring to avoid lumps.
  4. Put the batter aside for 4-10 hours to ferment.
    You will see your injera batter will start to bubble and acquire the slight tanginess for which it’s known.
  5. Fold in the salt and the oil.
  6. Heat a nonstick pan or lightly oiled cast-iron skillet until a water drop dances on the surface – about 350º
    Make sure the surface of the pan is smooth, otherwise, your injera might fall apart when you try to remove it.
  7. Coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Injera should be thicker than a crêpe, but not as thick as a traditional pancake. It will rise slightly when it heats.
    Cooking Injera
  8. Cook until holes appear on the surface of the bread. DO NOT FLIP.
  9. Once the surface is dry, remove the bread from the pan and let it cool.
  10. Traditionally, fold twice with the cooked surface on the outside
  11. Serve as the “utensil” for duro wat or any other kind of Ethiopian Main Dish.

MORE ABOUT TEFF

  1. Injera is made with teff, a tiny, round grain that flourishes in the highlands of Ethiopia.
  2. While teff is very nutritious, it contains practically no gluten. This makes teff ill-suited for making raised bread, however injera still takes advantage of the special properties of yeast. A short period of fermentation gives it an airy, bubbly texture, and also a slightly sour taste.
  3. Teff is extremely high in fiber, iron, and calcium.
  4. Teff is the smallest grain in the world. It takes about 150 teff seeds to equal the weight of a kernel of wheat!
  5. Many Ethiopians in America use square-shaped, electric, nonstick pans. These heat evenly and make it easy to remove the injera once it is cooked.
  6. Injera is not only a kind of bread—it’s also an eating utensil.
  7. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, this spongy, sour flatbread is used to scoop up meat and vegetable stews.
  8. Injera frequently lines the tray on which the stews are served, soaking up their juices as the meal progresses. When this edible tablecloth is eaten, the meal is officially over.
  9. Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants have modified their recipes after moving to the United States or Europe, depending on what grains are available to them.
  10. The injera you find in many East African restaurants in the United States includes both teff and wheat flours. Most injera made in Ethiopia and Eritrea, on the other hand, is made solely with teff.
  11. Tip:  Depending on where you live, teff flour can be difficult to come by. Try a well-stocked health food store.
  12. If you have teff grain instead of flour, first grind it in a clean coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle.
  13. If you’ve ever cooked pancakes, making injera might seem familiar. In both cases, tiny bubbles form on top as the batter cooks. Keeping an eye on these bubbles is a great way to see how close the pancake or injera is to being ready without peeking underneath.
  14. These bubbles come from the carbon-dioxide produced by the leavener—usually baking powder or soda in the case of pancakes, “wild” yeast in the case of injera. Neither batter contains much gluten.
  15. Because of the gluten, most pancake recipes tell you not to mix the batter too much: If you do, gluten will develop, making them too chewy. Teff, the grain used to make injera, contains very little gluten to begin with. In both cases, the result is the same: With no gummy substance to “blow up,” most of the carbon-dioxide from the leaveners rapidly escapes into the air, leaving the little popped bubbles that contribute to the distinctive textures of these breads.

Hollandaise Sauce – COLLECTION

Grandpa’s Hollandaise

HERE IS MY RECIPE

Grandpa’s Hollandaise

Create your own double boiler

  1. Put 1 C distilled water into a soup pan and bring up to boil.
  2. Reduce water in soup pan to active simmer and place a large metal mixing bowl onto the soup pan, creating a double boiler
  3. – WARNING: Don’t heat the Hollandaise too quickly or let temperature of liquid rise above 175 degrees or eggs may congeal. It may also separate and once that happens there is no recovery. Your sauce will still taste the same, it will just not be as creamy looking. 160 degrees is ideal.

Alternate:  to a double boiler

A double boiler helps guarantee success, but you can do this in a mixing bowl right on the stove top.  Put in three yolks and three tabs of COL butter.  Put on and take off of the heat – never letting it get really hot.  When ribbons start to appear, take it off the heat and whisk in a splash of lemon.

Hollandaise – Recipes and Notes

Knorr Hollandaise Sauce Powder

Knorr Hollandaise Sauce


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Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict


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Salmon Benedict 

Salmon Benedict


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The Five Mother Sauces 

The Five Mother Sauces

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Sauce Maltaise

This is a French Hollandaise.  Reduce orange juice with peppercorns until almost dry.  Mix in with Hollandaise instead of lemon juice.
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Other Sauces 

Other Recipes for Making Hollandaise

Basic Hollandaise 

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/basic-hollandaise/
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While this is technically a good recipe (more technically accurate than mine) I still prefer my recipe, but here it is for your reference.

Blender Hollandaise 

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/blender-hollandaise/
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Here is an alternate recipe that does not require cooking. You are forewarned about the whole raw egg stuff.

Pumpkin Hollandaise


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The information below this section is from a third party. It is part of Grandpa's Personal Recipe box. Feel free to browse, but know that this information is from someone else.

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A YouTube video from a Third Party, but a nice recipe. Also includes Oysters and Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Microwave Hollandaise

https://www.grandpacooks.com/recipes/microwave-hollandaise/
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This is actually a pretty good recipe.  It is easier than a double boiler, but actually takes about as much time as real Hollandaise.

Avocado Hollandaise

Avocado Hollandaise – VEGAN


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This is not exactly a Hollandaise, but it makes a creamy VEGAN sauce for putting over cooked vegetables.

Tomato Cream Hollandaise

Tomato Cream Hollandaise – VEGAN


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This is another VEGAN creamy sauce recipe – This has not yet been fully debugged.

 

Mustard Hollandaise

    • Using a Double Boiler
    • 3 egg yolks – whisk together
    • Cook slowly, so they don’t scramble
    • Color will lighten
    • Add scant Cream of Tartar
    • Look for “a ribbon”
    • Slowly add clarified butter – whisking constantly
    • Add lemon juice
    • Dijon mustard and whole grain mustard
    • Salt and pepper
    • Put sausage, ham, or spinach on an English muffin
    • Top with a poached egg
    • Top with Hollandaise sauce
    • Top with a bit of diced greens for color

 

 

Vanilla – Make your own!!

Which Ones to Buy?

  • Indonesian or Tahitian – Decent, but a little bland
  • Mexican – Cheap producers may use Tonka Beans, which taste like vanilla, but contain carcinogens
  • Madagascar – Deeper flavor and more vanillin in the bean (crystals) on the surface

Alternatives

  • Imitation Vanilla Extract – Completly a shot in the dark.  May have been made from wood pulp – very inexpensive – marginally OK for baked things like brownies, where it is just a flavor enhancer, and not subjected to very high heat.
  • Imitation Vanilla Flavoring :: Contains who knows what ?!? – AVOID
  • Natural vanilla flavoring contains no alcohol – doesn’t evaporate
  • Pure Vanilla Extract – legally allowed to contain corn sweeteners and coloring :: 35% alcohol :: 13-14 beans per gallon
  • Best Vanilla Extract will contain vanilla bean and alcohol and water with no other additives
  • Double Strength Vanilla :: 35% alcohol :: 25-30 beans per gallon (premium quality)
  •  

Make your Own

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Vanilla Beans
  • 2 CU Dark Rum (as high a proof as you can find)
    An alternate would be a nice high-quality vodka or tequila

STEP BY STEP

  1. Crack the beans before soaking
  2. Soak the vanilla beans in the alcohol.
  3. Cap and shake every few days for six months
  4. Keep in a cool dark place during that time
  5. Strain and put in bottle for storage

VARIATIONS

  • Try 6 vanilla beans
  • Try letting things marinate for only 1 month
  • Try crushing the beans before soaking

… or just buy a quality pure vanilla extract

Cilantro Sauce

Gila Farm Cooperative CSA Delivery Newsletter April 3rd 2012
Pick up produce Tuesdays at 5227 N. 7th St. between 4:00 and 5:30pm
Week three of ten week CSA Spring Season.

Grandpa’s Cilantro Sauce

Cilantro Sauce is a great way to preserve your CSA cilantro for up to two months in the refrigerator.
Use this on your sandwich or with your scrambled eggs. It’s also great to add to salsa.

INGREDIENTS

For each 1 CUP of chopped cilantro add the following:

  • 2 TBL olive oil
  • 1 TBL white vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • zest and juice from 1 lime or 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp Tabasco (optional)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Take an entire bunch of cilantro (see note) and chop it as small as possible. A food processor helps a lot.
  2. How much cilantro you have, dictates how much of the other ingredients you need.
  3. Mix well and put in container. Store in refrigerator.

Note: The bottle shown is a cleaned and recycled Heinz 57 Chili Sauce bottle. The wide mouth makes it easy to fill, and it acts as a great dispenser too.

Roasted Tomato Chlipotle Salsa

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 roma tomatoes
  • 3 tomatillos
  • 1 large sweet onion – thinly sliced
  • 2 chipotle peppers
  • 3 jalapeno peppers – seeds and vein removed
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1/4 CU lime juice
  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • Salt & pepper to taste

STEP BY STEP

  1. Toss whole tomatoes in EVOO
  2. Halve tomatoes and put on baking sheet CUT side down
  3. Thinly slice onion, toss in EVOO, and scatter around tomatoes
  4. Scant salt over top
  5. Broil 15-20 minutes or until charred and blistered
    ALT: Bake 35 minutes at 350º
  6. Remove tomato skins as much as possible
  7. Put into food processor with all other ingredients
  8. Pulse/chop lightly till chopped, but still chunky

Butterscotch Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cu light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cu light corn syrup
  • 4 tbl water
  • 6 TBL butter (cold)
  • 1/4 cu sweetened condensed milk

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat first three ingredients stirring constantly
  2. Add 6 tabs butter, turn off heat as soon as butter melts
  3. Add ¼ cu sweetened condensed milk.
  4. Cool slightly before serving

IMPORTANT NOTES

  • This is an easy recipe, but it should not be for junior chefs, because there is the possibility for SEVERE burns from the hot mixture.
  • Extreme spill precautions should be observed during the preparation of this recipe.
  • If a burn DOES occur, hold the afflicted part under cold TAP water for five whole minutes.  See your doctor the next day.

Cocos’ Asian Sesame Dressing

 

SEE THIS PAGE FOR ENTIRE HISTORY OF THIS POST

This is the label from Coco’s bottled Asian Sesame Dressing

 

 

 

* To emulsify an oil into a liquid requires constant whisking of the liquid as the oil is VERY SLOWLY drizzled into the liquid.

So in the emails with Coco’s Corporate, I told them “there is no contender.”
I have, however, found a contender!
The Asian Chicken Salad here at Beatitudes has an incredible dressing. I was sure that it was made from scratch, so I had tried to re-create it.
CLICK HERE FOR MY COPY-CAT RECIPE.
It’s not too bad, but still fell short of the mark.
I finally asked them for the recipe, and they told me it was Ken’s Asian Dressing.   Click here for a link. I think you will like it.

Shopping List Salsa

ADD MY VIDEO BACK IN LATER

This is perfect when you want about a quart of salsa.
Just buy the ingredients, process, and you are done!
The video above is Grandpa showing you just how easy this recipe is.

INGREDIENTS: Shopping List:

  • 2 Tomatoes
  • 1 Green chili pepper
  • 1 Jalapano pepper(optional)
  • 1 Serano chili pepper (optional)
  • 1 Sweet onion
  • 1 Orange bellpPepper
  • 1 Bunch cilantro
  • 2 Green onions
  • 3 Garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp salt

STEP BY STEP

  1. Remove skin from tomatoes (Optional) See below
  2. Pulse onion and garlic until chopped – about 5 x
  3. Add bell pepper pulse 3 x
  4. Add jalapeno and serrano peppers pulse 3 x
  5. Cut tomato into large pieces and ** process until blended but chunky
  6. Cut all other ingredients into pieces and *** pulse until chunky (not too small though)
  7. Add salt to taste
  8. Pour into mixing bowl, mix and store in refrigerator

NOTES

  • To remove skin from tomatoes, bring pot of water to boiling. Put a small X on the top of the tomato.  Put tomatoes in boiling water for about 60 seconds. Remove and put into cold water for another 60 seconds. The skin should easily peel off.
  • Process – means blender or food processor. If you have neither chop the heck out of it with a knife. Goodwill though, has blenders for just a couple of dollars.
  • Pulse – means run your processor in short bursts until the ingredients are “chopped” into small pieces.

Swiss Gruyere Fondue

Note:  Gruyere is best when it has aged about a year or more.  Older has less moisture, and a better taste.  Crystals in the cheese indicates that it has been nicely aged.  Do not get younger cheese (eg: 4 months old)

2016-05-04 16.03.35INGREDIENTS

  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, rind cut off
  • 4 ounces Swiss Ementhaler cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • A dash of cayenne pepper
  • Assorted dippers (see list below)

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut cheese into small squares.
  2. Toss cheese with cornstarch in large bowl.
  3. Bring wine, lemon juice and garlic to simmer in heavy large saucepan over high heat.
  4. Reduce heat to medium.
  5. Mix both grated cheeses
  6. Whisk 1 handful of cheese into wine until almost melted.
  7. Repeat with remaining cheese in about 5 more batches.
  8. Continue whisking until completely melted and fondue begins to bubble, about 1 minute.
  9. Whisk in nutmeg.
  10. Transfer to fondue pot and keep warm over fondue burner.
    Alternate: use your crock pot and a mixing bowl to create a double boiler (see photo)
  11. Accompany with a platter of assorted dippers, fondue forks and plates.

DIPPERS

  • Cubed crusty bread
  • Boiled new potatoes
  • Rounds of smoked sausage
  • Cubed cooked chicken
  • Blanched asparagus
  • Green beans
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower florets
  • Carrot sticks.

 

Sofrito

Sofrito is a base for anything that uses tomatoes or tomato sauce. It just adds an extra dimension to your recipe.  It’s GREAT in any kind of marinara.

INGREDIENTS

  • Grandpa’s Thunder Powder – to taste
    MIRPOIX/TRINITY and FLAVOR VEGGIES
  • 1 onion (chopped fine)
  • 1 large Carrot
  • 1 stalk Celery
  • 3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • Optional red and green bell pepper
  • Cremini mushrooms – caramelized first – 15 minutes
  • Dry shitake – soak in boiling water, then strain – reserve liquid – destem
  • 1/2 C veggie or chicken stock
  • 1/2 C shitake strain (or 1/2 C more stock)
    ACID BASE
  • 1/2 C nice dark red wine
  • 1 TBL tomato paste
  • 2 TBL crushed tomatoes
    SACHET
  • Rosemary, sage, oregano

STEP BY STEP

  1. Saute onion, carrot, and celery in EVOO
  2. Simmer on low for about 8 minutes
  3. Optional at this point, add red and/or green bell pepper
  4. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes
  5. Add stock, wine and mushroom liquid
  6. Simmer until reduced and liquid begins to disappear
  7. Add San Marzano whole – mashed
  8. Use as you would Mirpoix or Trinity as part of another recipe

EXTRA INFO

  • Sofrito freezes very well
  • If you freeze it in an ice cube tray, you can break out the cubes and use them to flavor your spaghetti sauce bit by bit.
  • Optional to add above where you add the garlic
    • Red bell peppers
    • Green peppers
    • Cilantro
    • Ajicitodulces

 

Chili Tomato Sauce

Chili Tomato Sauce is good on sandwiches and pizza. On pasta, it can be a bit overwhelming, but if you are looking for that rush of endorphins; OK, yes… even pasta.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1-3 fresh habañero peppers, depending on how hot you like it.
  • 1 small onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 oz. tomato sauce

STEP BY STEP

  1. Roughly chop the bell and habanero peppers, onion and garlic.  Remove seeds.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients except the tomato sauce in a pan, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.
  3. Puree the mixture in a blender. DO NOT put lid on blender, or it will literally explode.  Use a paper towel over the top
  4. Add the tomato sauce to complete.
  5. If you don’t want any heat, just eliminate the habaneros, and you will have a good flavorful chili sauce.
  6. Or if you prefer it just a little spicy, use jalapeños instead.  Seeds removed.

Tips: Guacamole – COLLECTION

Grandpa’s Guacamole

Grandpa’s Guac

Other Guacamole Recipes

Quick Guacamole

Quick Guacamole

Avocado – Tips and Tricks

Tips: Avocado

Canyon Ranch Copy Cat Guacamole

Canyon Ranch Guacamole – Copy Cat

Chipotle’s House Spicy Guacamole – Copy Cat

Chipotle’s House Spicy Guacamole – Copy Cat

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Avocado Salsa

Avocado Mousse

Avocado Salsa

Take Guacamole (above) and blend with a bit of tomato water and heavy cream

 

Chunky and Creamy Guac

  1. Use a fresh avocado, remove from skin and mash in a bowl
  2. Add 1 TBL lime juice immediately
  3. Minced red onion, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, Choloula (to taste), 2 jalapenos (seeds and veins removed)
  4. Mix well
  5. Put into a bowl and then cover TIGHTLY with plastic.  Press onto the guac
  6. Serve with fresh chips

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo translates as “Beak of the Rooster.” It is a sharp tangy staple and a great side to any Mexican recipe.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 4 serrano or jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons tomato juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix all ingredients in large bowl.
  2. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, but let marinate at least an hour.

VARIATIONS

  • Serrano and jalapeno chilies are available in most supermarkets. Store up to a week in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
  • You may also find the dark green shiny poblano. This chili is milder, but must be roasted and peeled before using.

FROM SCANNED NOTES:

RECIPE
Pico de Gallo
4 medium tomatoes, diced
11/2 cups canned, diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
11/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix briefly.
~
Makes 3 cups salsa, each 2-tablespoon serving containing approximately:
1 O calories
2 gm. carbohydrate
Trace fat
O mg. cholesterol
Trace protein
122 mg. sodium
Trace fiber
3/99

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce: VIDEO

Holland America Cooking Class

Dungeness Crab Cakes with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Marinated Cucumbers

This page has been repeated three times, for each of the above recipes.

This is a 45 minute video of a cooking class given aboard the Holland America MS Rotterdam on our way back from Spain.

  • 1/2 ounce fresh minced ginger
  • 1/4 ounce garlic minced
  • 1/2 ounce white wine vinegar
  • 2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 12 ounce Sake
  • 4 ounce heavy cream
  • 12 ounce butter
  • 2 ounce Thai sweet chili sauce
  • salt and white pepper to taste
  • Add everything except the cream and reduce to a light syrup
  • add cream and simmer

Grandpa’s Thunder Powder

Thunder Powder is good for Dry Rub BBQ, topping on a soup or eggs or rice, even on buttered toast to give it an extra zing.  Anything that might benefit from an extra nuance of flavor is a good candidate for Thunder Powder.

A spicy-hot delicious seasoning that is like a thunderstorm…
…always good, but never exactly the same!

INGREDIENTS

ADD THESE BASE INGREDIENTS to make just under 1 cup of Thunder Powder.
…in more or less these quantities!
This is not an exact recipe, so just use what you have available and what appeals to you.

  • 2 TBL Brown Sugar
  • 4 TBL Paprika
  • 2 TBL Garlic powder
  • 2 TBL Onion powder
  • 2 TBL Cayenne pepper
  • 2 TBL Salt
  • 1 TBL Cumin
  • 1 TBL Celery salt
  • 1 TBL ground oregano
  • 1 TBL Dry mustard
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Ground Bay Leaf (Not Old Bay Seasoning)
  • 1 tsp Ground Clove
  • 1 tsp Ground Chipotle – Smokey jalapeño

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix above and store.
  2. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the above ingredients.
  3. This is a general flavor mixture, and a few missing ingredients are not going to spoil the mix.
  4. Mix in a large bowl and spoon into storage containers or shaker.
  5. Makes about 1 Cup of Thunder Powder

LABEL
 

Grandpa’s Thunder Powder
A spicy, hot, delicious powder that is like a thunderstorm…

… always good, but never the same.

Probably contains chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
May contain adana, sumac, paprika, clove, bay, crushed red pepper, cumin,
celery salt, turmeric, curry powder, white pepper, and chipotle powder

Simple Spice Mix

  • 2 TBL Cumin
  • 2TBL Ancho chili powder – alt red chili
  • 1 TBL garlic powder
  • 1 TBL onion poder
  • 1 TBL celery salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground clove

Hot Fudge Topping

Takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

    • 6 oz baking chocolate – dark or semi-sweet
    • 1/2 C granulated sugar
    • 1/3 C Karo syrup
    • 1/4 C cocoa powder
    • 3/4 C heavy cream
    • 1/2 tsp salt – only if using unsalted butter
    • 1/4 C butter (softened)
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    1. Mix all except vanilla and buter
    2. Heat over medium heat until consistent
    3. Bring to 220º  (3-5 minutes)
    4. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
    5. Store in fridge for no more than a month.

More Homemade Toppings for Desserts & Ice Cream from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Sally McKenney has a great site with many wonderful recipes.  Here are some links to her ice cream toppings.

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