Hot Fudge Piñon Sauce

Ground pine nuts lend a buttery flavor and pleasing texture.

Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes. Notes: Piñon nuts, grown in the Southwest's high desert, are the intensely flavored cousins of the more common Italian pine nut. Either variety works well here. You can make the sauce up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container, then gently rewarm over medium-low heat.

Yield: Makes 4 cups; 32 servings (serving size: 2 tbsp.)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  cups  shelled piñon or pine nuts (see Notes)
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/4  cups  heavy cream
• 1  cup  light corn syrup
• 1  tablespoon  distilled white vinegar
• 1/3  cup  semisweet chocolate chips
• 2  ounces  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4  cup  butter
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Pulse nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground (the texture of couscous).

2. Sift sugar, cocoa, and salt into a medium saucepan. Add 3/4 cup warm water and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until smooth.

3. Add cream, corn syrup, vinegar, and chocolate chips. Raise heat to medium-high and boil mixture for 8 to 10 minutes, swirling occasionally, until slightly reduced (mixture will be thin and sticky); remove from heat. Stir in unsweetened chocolate, butter, vanilla, and pine nuts. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

142 (61% from fat)

Protein:

2g

Fat:

9.6g (sat 4.4)

Carbohydrate:

14g

Fiber:

0.8g

Sodium:

50mg

Cholesterol:

17mg

Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, With a Measure of Grace: The Story and Recipes of a Small Town Restaurant, Sunset, JULY 2007