The decadent “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” sundae including a split banana, your choice of cake or brownie and three ice cream scoops topped with caramel, hot fudge (see below), wet walnuts, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry.
It’s been a good summer for local sweets. As we profile in our current issue, L’Albero dei Gelati — “the only international outpost of a storied gelateria in a tiny town outside of Milan” — is going strong during its second year in Park Slope and beloved Four & Twenty Blackbirds is working on their Gowanus expansion set to launch later this summer that will include a café, garden seating and “massive rooftop herb garden.” And we’re ready for all of it — by all means, please bring it on.
Speaking of Gowanus, the neighborhood recently welcomed the latest Ample Hills outpost at 305 Nevins St. The substantial three-floor ice cream parlor includes an upstairs party space and rooftop deck overlooking a grand Brooklyn skyline. It’s clearly a shoo-in for the new local kid birthday party hotspot.
But the opening of their latest parlor isn’t all that the cherished local creamery has to celebrate this year; they also recently released their first cookbook, Ample Hills Creamery: Secrets and Stories from Brooklyn’s Favorite Ice Cream Shop, which spells out everything you need to know to make their signature scooped goodness at home. From “Salted Crack Caramel” to instructions on how to make your very own ice cream cake, you don’t even have to be in Brooklyn to savor Ample Hills — in book form, your favorite cup or cone can now come to you.
For a little something sweet, we’re sharing their (coffee-infused!) hot fudge, frozen or not, recipe. So even if you can’t go lounge in the Adirondack chairs on their new parlor’s roof, you can now make this sweet condiment in your own kitchen, ice cream or not.
Hot fudge
Makes about 4 cups
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1 2/3 cups (330 g) organic cane sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) golden syrup
2/3 cup (60 g) cocoa powder
1/4 cup (20 g) whole coffee beans
14 ounces (400 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, syrup and cocoa powder and whisk over medium-high heat until well combined. Add the coffee beans. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
2. Add the chocolate and butter and whisk until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot fudge through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the coffee beans. Discard the coffee beans.
3. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Frozen hot fudge
Makes 2 servings
1 cup (250 g) hot fudge (above), well chilled
2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk
2 cups ice cubes
Whipped cream, for serving
In a blender, combine the fudge, milk, and ice and blend until the ice is finely chopped and the mixture has a thick, slushy consistency. Serve with a spoon and a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top!
From Ample Hills Creamery: Secrets and Stories from Brooklyn’s Favorite Ice Cream Shop, Stewart Tabori & Chang © 2014
Photo credit: ©Lucy Schaeffer
