Full Recipe: 👇
1. Chocolate Sauce
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Place the cocoa, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and the cocoa is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. The chocolate sauce will be very thin when it finishes boiling, but it will thicken considerably as it cools.
Pour into a covered jar or container. Cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the refrigerator.
Use over ice cream, in milk for hot chocolate or milk chocolate, or as a dip. Or eat with a spoon!
2. Caramel Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Add the sugar and water to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; stir lightly so it forms a flat, even layer.
Heat the pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, becomes clear, and begins to bubble. (It will be cloudy at first, but will turn into a clear, bubbling liquid.) This takes about 3-4 minutes.
(At this point, don’t stir anymore—just let it bubble, swirl the pan occasionally, and brush the sides of the pan as needed to prevent crystallization.)
The sugar will form clumps, but continue stirring and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color like honey (this can take anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes), keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Carefully add the butter and whisk until completely melted. (The caramel will bubble quickly, so be careful and continue whisking.)
Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all the cream is incorporated.
Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
Set aside to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Then pour into a covered glass jar and let cool completely. (It will thicken as it cools.)
Store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. The caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave until the desired consistency is reached.
Enjoy with your latte, dip for fruit, top with dessert, or can be eaten on its own as a chewy candy.
3. Strawberry Sauce
3 cups diced strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup is thickened and reduced by 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 in volume, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The syrup will thicken as it stands, so simply whisk in more water to reach the desired consistency.
Use the syrup as is, or strain it through a wire strainer for a clear, smooth syrup.
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Use this homemade strawberry syrup as a topping for pancakes, milk, yogurt, sandwiches, etc.
4. Classic Vanilla Sauce (Custard Style)
1 cup milk (or half milk, half cream for richness)
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scraped)
Instructions:
In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it is just steaming—do not boil.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly pour a little hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
Pour everything back into the saucepan. Stir over low heat with a wooden spoon or spatula until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F).
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract or vanilla seeds.
For extra smoothness, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Chill or serve warm. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
