Name: Hot Bourbon-Fudge Sundaes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: about 1¼ cups sauce and 1 cup cherries
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 5 tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder; ⅔ cup sugar; ¼ cup heavy cream; 1 stick (¼ lb.) salted butter (see note); 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 3 tbsp. bourbon; Vanilla ice cream; Toasted chopped pecans; Bourbon-soaked cherries (recipe follows)

Bourbon has a way of amplifying the flavors of dessert sauces—especially chocolate. And this decadently rich sauce couldn’t be simpler to make with ingredients you likely already have on hand in your fridge and pantry. Everything except the vanilla extract and bourbon gets combined in a saucepan and stirred over medium-low heat until it comes together and coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat before you stir in the bourbon, so you don’t risk igniting the vapors. Then let the sauce cool just a bit before drizzling ribbons of warm deliciousness over the ice cream (to keep your scoops from turning into puddles). This sauce is also terrific stirred into coffee or hot chocolate, or whirled in a blender with ice cream and milk for a boozy milkshake.

The homemade bourbon-soaked cherries add the perfect finish and make a great gift for any host. You can also use them and the boozy syrup from the jar in cocktails like Manhattans or whiskey sours.

Preparation

Make the hot bourbon-fudge sauce: Add the cocoa powder, sugar, cream, and butter to a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir a few minutes, until butter is melted and ingredients are combined. Remove from heat, then stir in the vanilla extract and bourbon. Let sauce cool 5 minutes before drizzling over ice cream.

Assemble the sundaes: Place a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream in small bowls or ice cream dishes. Drizzle with the hot bourbon-fudge sauce. Top with toasted chopped pecans and a bourbon-soaked cherry (recipe follows). Serve immediately. Store leftover sauce in a jar in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

Note: The salt in the butter accentuates the flavors of the sauce. If you use unsalted butter, be sure to add a pinch of salt to the saucepan at the start.

Make the bourbon-soaked cherries: Layer 1 cup (thawed) frozen pitted tart cherries in a small sterilized jar with 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar. Tuck in ½ split vanilla bean and 1 orange peel strip. Pour in bourbon to reach the rim of the jar and seal. Shake the jar well to combine the bourbon and sugar. Refrigerate at least 1 week, shaking the jar from time to time, before using. Cherries will keep 6 weeks in the refrigerator.