Here are a few recipes for plain and differently flavoured dark and lighter chocolate sauces suitable to be served with ice creams, parfaits, fruit salads and various other desserts.

FINE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

115 g semisweet dark chocolate
1 tbsp sugar
12 tbsp water
2 tbsp cognac, rum or freshly brewed strong coffee
1 tbsp butter
(dash of vanilla sugar)
(1 - 2 tbsp cream)

Place chopped chocolate, sugar, water and cognac in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 5 minutes or until it has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter (and the vanilla sugar). Let the mixture cool down. Store the sauce in refrigerator. Before serving, mix in the cream, if you like.

Recipe source: "Chocolate sauce" by Burt Wolf, www.cooking.com/burtwolf, accessed 2003.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

2½ tbsp cocoa powder
50 ml sugar
50 ml water
(dash of vanilla sugar)
100 ml cream

Combine the cocoa powder, sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Let the mixture cool down (and add the vanilla sugar). Whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the chocolate sauce.

Recipe source: adapted from "Appelsiinit suklaakastikkeessa", Sarje, I., ed. (1964) Hyvää ruokaa. Helsinki: Tammi.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD SAUCE

40 g sugar
12 g finely grated dark chocolate or cocoa powder
4 g flour
140 g (whole) milk
20 g egg yolk (about 1 large yolk)

Combine the sugar, chocolate (or cocoa powder) and flour in a small saucepan. Whisk together the milk and egg yolk and beat into the dry ingredients. Stirring constantly, simmer the mixture on low heat until it has thickened. Do not let it boil. Strain the sauce into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce to prevent it from forming a skin. Stir the sauce every now and then during cooling. Serve for example with filled profiteroles (miniature cream puffs), etc.

Recipe source: "Oreshki iz zavarnogo testa (profitroli) v shokoladnom souse", Lifshits, M. O. et al. (1955) Kulinariia. Moscow: Gostorgizdat.

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE I

100 ml cocoa powder
25 - 50 ml sugar
100 ml water
(dash of vanilla sugar or essence)

Mix the sugar and cocoa powder in a small saucepan. Slowly add the water, mixing vigorously.

Bring the mixture to the boil, lower the heat and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring continually. Take the pan off the heat and stir in a bit of vanilla, if you like. Serve the sauce warm with ice cream or other desserts.

Recipe source: adapted from "Suklaakastike", Fazerin parhaat kaakaoherkut recipe leaflet, 1980.

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE II

100 g sweet or semisweet dark chocolate
(whole) milk, light cream or cream

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and slowly stir in enough milk or cream to get a suitable consistency. Serve with ice creams or parfaits. For a less sweet sauce, use bittersweet chocolate.

Recipe source: adapted from "Suklaakastike", YLE/Kartanokeitoksia: Seestan kartano, 2001.

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE SAUCE III

100 ml cocoa powder
75 ml sugar
100 - 150 ml cream

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Simmer the mixture on low heat until it has thickened. Add some more cream, if necessary.

Recipe source: adapted from "Suklaakastike", YLE Teksti-TV/Ruokavihjeet.

COFFEE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

150 ml freshly brewed strong, hot coffee
50 ml honey
100 ml icing sugar
150 ml cocoa powder
1 - 2 tsp vanilla sugar
unsalted butter

Pour the hot coffee in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the honey and stir until diluted. Add the icing sugar, vanilla sugar and cocoa powder through a sieve. Mix until smooth and gently heat the mixture. Do not let it boil. Take the pan off the heat and mix in a few small pats of butter, one at a time, beating with a whisk until well incorporated. Serve the sauce warm or chilled with ice cream, etc.

MINT CHOCOLATE SAUCE

50 g dark chocolate
25 g mint chocolate, peppermint patties (eg After Eight or homemade peppermint patties) or 2 - 3 drops peppermint oil *)
150 ml cream
25 ml sugar

Chop the dark chocolate, break the mint chocolates or peppermint patties in small pieces. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring gently to the boil. Heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes, or until it has thickened sufficiently, stirring constantly. If you are using peppermint oil, add it to the mixture after boiling.

*) Natural oil of peppermint (Mentha piperita). Only a couple of drops are needed to sufficiently flavour the sauce. In Finland, peppermint oil is sold in pharmacies.

Recipe source: adapted from "Minttu-suklaakastike", YLE Teksti-TV/Ruokavihjeet.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE SAUCE

85 g semisweet dark chocolate
25 ml cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp almond liqueur (eg Amaretto)
(25 ml toasted, finely chopped almonds)

Place the chopped chocolate, cream and butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the liqueur (and the chopped almonds). Serve warm with ice cream, etc.

Recipe source: adapted from "Chocolate almond ice cream sauce", rec.food.cooking posting, 1993.