This building block in the pastry kitchen can’t really stand on its own, yet so many desserts depend on it. Use this intense sauce as a layer in a parfait, as a chocolate fondue, as plate decoration, and—of course—on ice cream.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 1/3 cups

　　1 cup (240g) water

　　3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (168g) sugar

　　Scant 3/4 cup (70g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Valrhona)

　　1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (150g) heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Set up an ice bath in a large bowl.

　　

Step 2

Put the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.

　　

Step 3

Put the cocoa powder in a small heatproof bowl and whisk in the syrup a little at a time, until smooth. Return to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cream, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring often with a heatproof rubber scraper, until thick, about 30 minutes. Watch for scorching.

　　

Step 4

Pour the sauce through a fine strainer into a medium bowl and cool it in the ice bath. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__