I ended up making some banana splits as my birthday dessert since I didn't have time to bake a cake. I'm posting the fudge sauce as a separate recipe because it's useful as a topping for other desserts as well and this will make it easier for me to refer back to it later.

Hot Fudge Sauce

From Dessert of the Day by Kim Laidlaw

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. natural cocoa powder
• 1/3 c. boiling water
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small pot, slowly drizzle the boiling water into the cocoa powder, whisking constantly to form a smooth paste.
2. Place over low heat and add the butter.
3. Once the butter has melted, whisk it into the cocoa paste.
4. Add the sugar and corn syrup and stir to combine.
5. Increase heat to medium-low and bring to a very low simmer. You want it gently bubbling, but not boiling.
6. Simmer, uncovered and without stirring, for 8 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
8. Cover and keep warm until ready to use.

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Variations

Vegan Version

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. natural cocoa powder
• 1/3 c. boiling water
• 3 Tbsp. (~40g) cocoa butter
• 1 c. raw cane sugar
• 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract