Nutella Hot Fudge Sundaes

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Me and my sister both have a soft spot for hot fudge sundaes. They scream summer and nostalgia. I’m a little particular when it comes to my hot fudge sundaes, though. I hate when they skimp on the hot fudge, and only give you sad drizzle. One of my favorite ice cream places, Big Gay Ice Cream in New York City, had one of my favorite hot fudge sundaes. They never skimped. On one occasion, I noticed a Nutella item on their menu. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could add Nutella to my hot fudge sundae, and to my delight they said yes! It was kind of a eureka moment because I realized Nutella and hot fudge sundaes are made for each other! Every recipe I make is born out of a need to eat something very specific and to customize something to my tastebuds. 

I tested a few versions of this recipe and found that sweetened condensed milk gives it that signature chewiness of hot fudge, while a little bit of corn syrup helps to make it glossy and stabilize it. The corn syrup is optional, though, so if you are not a fan of corn syrup, it will be fine without it. 

I love that this recipe uses shelf-stable ingredients, so you can enjoy it whenever you like. It's also very versatile. You can use it for fresh cut fruit such as strawberries for a chocolate-covered strawberry moment. You can use it to dress up store-bought treats like cake. My mom when I was growing up would sometimes buy a big box of frozen cream puffs, let them defrost, and then serve it with a homemade chocolate sauce for a dessert that felt fancy. No matter how you enjoy it, it will be sure to add some fun to your summer family dinner and bring out the inner child in everybody!

What makes this recipe enchanting:

• It's very fast and easy, and the hot fudge recipe uses shelf-stable ingredients to boot!

• It's a great recipe for beginners

• It's way better than the store-bought stuff, and it's flavored with yummy delicious Nutella!
  

More easy breakfast recipes:

• French Cherry Clafoutis

• Emmy's Falling In Love Pie

• Emmy's Lemon Lime Pie with a Gingersnap Crust & a Blueberry Compote

• Forgiveness Raspberry-Orange Whoopie Pies
  

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Video with step-by-step instructions:

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Makes about 2 ½ cups of sauce (or a 1 ½ mason jars), so more than enough to feed a family dessert generously, plus leftovers 

• 1 ⅓ cup (315 ml) water 

• 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 

• 2 tablespoons corn syrup (optional) 

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  

• ½ cup (80 grams) semisweet chocolate chips 

• ½ cup (147 grams) Nutella 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

For the sundae:

• Vanilla ice cream 

• Extra Nutella 

• Canned whipped cream 

• Maraschino cherries

Directions: 

1. Don’t forget to pull your ice cream out so it starts to soften.

2. For the hot fudge, add the water, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup if using, and salt to a small saucepan. Whisk together, and then set over medium-low heat. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan constantly until it starts to simmer so that it doesn’t scald on the bottom. 

3. Add the chocolate and Nutella and whisk to incorporate. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is shiny and homogenous, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into a jar that can hold about 3 cups, or distribute between two 2-cup mason jars. 

4. To serving bowls, use a spoon to line the bottoms with hot fudge. Scoop some ice cream on top. Drizzle generously with more hot fudge, and add a spoonful of Nutella if you’d like, because why not? Add whipped cream on top, followed by a maraschino cherry or two. 

5. The hot fudge can be made in advance and stored in the fridge. It’ll solidify, but you can add it to a pan and gently rewarm over low heat with a splash of water. You can also microwave a small amount in a bowl.