Hot fudge sauce

Active: 5 minutes; Total: 10 minutes; Yield: 3 cups 

Cream, heavy	2 cups
Butter, unsalted	4 tablespoons
Sugar, light brown	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	¾ cup
Salt, fine sea	¼ teaspoon
Chocolate, bittersweet, broken into small pieces	2 ounces
Dutch cocoa, sifted	1 ¼ cups
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, butter, sugars, and salt. 
2. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; simmering for 45 seconds. 
3. Add the chocolate, and whisk to dissolve. 
4. Remove from heat, add the cocoa, and whisk until no lumps remain. 
5. Return the pan to low heat, and simmer the sauce until glossy, whisking constantly, about 20 seconds. 
6. Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla. 
7. Serve warm. 

Recipe from NYCooking.com.

Chicken mole

Active: 1 hour 15 minutes; Total: 2 hours 5 minutes; Serves: 8

Water	8 cups
Salt, kosher	½ tablespoon + ½ tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Chicken quarters, skin-on, bone-in	3 ¼ pounds
Oil, vegetable	¼ cup + 3 cups + ½ cup
Garlic	8 cloves + 4 cloves
Tomatoes, plum, diced	4 ½ cups
Onion, yellow, diced	3 ½ cups
Chiles, guajillo, dried stemmed	1 3/4 ounces
Chiles, árbol, dried, stemmed	1/8 ounce
Chiles, ancho, dried, stemmed	2 ½ ounces
Chiles, pasilla negro, dried, stemmed	3/4 ounces
Chiles, mulato, dried, stemmed	1 ounce
Sesame seeds	½ cup +
Pepitas	½ cup
Tortillas, corn, 6-inch	3 + more for serving
Baguette, bolillo or demi, torn into pieces	5 ½ cups
Chocolate, Mexican (Dandelion or Ibarra)	2 disks (6 ounces)
Rice, long grain, cooked

1. Bring the water and ½-tablespoon salt to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. 
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the chicken. 
3. Cook until the chicken is tender and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of meat registers 155°F, about 30 minutes. 
4. Remove the chicken; set aside on a large plate. 
5. Reserve 4 cups of the cooking liquid in a large heatproof bowl; discard remaining cooking liquid. 
6. Heat ¼-cup oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. 
7. Add eight garlic cloves; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
8. Add the tomatoes, onions, and ½-tablespoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. 
9. Transfer the mixture to a blender. 
10. Secure a lid on the blender, remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. 
11. Place a kitchen towel over the opening in the lid; process until smooth, about 1 minute. 
12. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside. 
13. Wipe the skillet clean; heat 3-cups oil over medium-high heat. 
14. Working with a few different types of chiles at a time, place in a spider, and submerge in hot oil for 2 seconds per a batch. 
15. Remove from oil using spider, and place in a large heatproof bowl; repeat with remaining chiles and 4 cloves of garlic. 
16. Place sesame seeds and pepitas in a medium metal strainer; submerge in hot oil in skillet over medium-high. 
17. Cook, stirring the mixture inside the strainer and shaking occasionally, until seeds are golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes. 
18. Transfer the seed mixture to the bowl with the chile mixture. 
19. Working with one tortilla at a time, add to hot oil in skillet over medium-high. 
20. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
21. Transfer fried tortillas to a plate lined with paper towels; let cool 5 minutes. 
22. Break into 2-inch pieces. (Strained and cooled oil may be reused for frying.) 
23. Add chile mixture, tortilla pieces, and bolillo pieces to reserved 4-cups cooking liquid. 
24. Let stand until the liquid is almost absorbed and bolillo is softened, about 10 minutes. 
25. Transfer the mixture to a blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute. 
26. Heat remaining ½-cup oil in a large pot over medium heat. 
27. Add tomato mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 1 minute. 
28. Add blended chile mixture and chocolate disk; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 
29. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is well combined, about 20 minutes. 
30. Add cooked chicken and remaining 1-tablespoon salt; stir to submerge in mole. 
31. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until the chicken is heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
32. Serve with rice and tortillas; garnish with additional sesame seeds. 

Recipe adapted from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2021.

Lee Lee’s double chocolate chunk brownies

Cooking spray
Flour, all-purpose	1 cup
Cocoa powder, Dutch-process	¼ cup
Salt, fine sea	¾ teaspoon
Chocolate wafers, 66% cacao	1 cup + 1/3 cup
Sugar, granulated	1 cup
Butter, unsalted, melted	¾ cup
Sugar, dark brown	½ cup packed
Eggs	3 large
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; line a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on all sides. 
2. Lightly coat the parchment paper with cooking spray. 
3. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. 
4. Melt 1-cup chocolate wafers over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring often, until smooth. 
5. Combine the granulated sugar, melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
6. Beat on medium-high speed until frothy and light caramel in color, about 1 minute. 
7. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. 
8. Fold in the flour mixture until incorporated. 
9. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and smooth the top. 
10. Roughly chop the remaining 1/3-cup chocolate wafers, and sprinkle over the top of the batter. 
11. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. 
12. Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack at least 2 hours. 
13. Using the parchment paper as handles, lift the brownies from the pan. 
14. Cut into 20 rectangles. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2019

Booty call brownie

Fudgy brownie
Butter, unsalted	230 grams
Sugar, granulated	345 grams
Cocoa powder, unsweetened Dutch-processed	98 grams
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Eggs, room temperature	3 large
Flour, all-purpose	105 grams
Cookie dough spread
Flour, all-purpose	140 grams
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	170 grams
Canna butter	12 grams
Sugar, granulated	100 grams
Sugar, light brown	200 grams
Salt, kosher	½ teaspoon
Cream, heavy	2 tablespoons
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Chocolate chips	¾ cups
Finishing touches
Chocolate sandwich cookies, roughly chopped	3 ½ cups

Brownie

1. Preheat the oven to 325F; line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt together the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. 
3. Cook for about 10 minutes, using a rubber spatula to stir the mixture occasionally until the butter melts and the batter starts to come together; remove from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. 
4. Stir in the vanilla. 
5. Transfer the batter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. 
6. One egg at a time, beat in the eggs on low speed, waiting until one is incorporated before adding the next, 1 to 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl with a spatula about halfway through. 
7. When the batter looks shiny and smooth, add the flour. 
8. Mix for about 1 minute on low speed until it is incorporated and looks like the luscious velvety, brownie batter of your dreams. 
9. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, scraping out the bowl with the spatula. 
10. Bake for about 25 minutes until set; let cool until you can touch the pan. 

Cookie dough spread

1. Lower the oven to 250F; line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Spread the flour on the baking sheet. 
3. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time; let the toasted flour cool before using. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, canna butter, sugars, and salt. 
5. Cream the mixture until light and fluffy, pausing halfway through mixing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. 
6. Adjust the speed to low, add the toasted flour, and mix for about 1 minute until it is evenly combined. 
7. Stir in the chocolate chips; set aside at room temperature until the brownies have cooled. 

Assemble

1. Using an offset spatula, spread the cookie dough topping over the cooled brownies. 
2. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the cookie dough. 
3. Use your hands to press the dough into an even layer; remove the plastic wrap. 
4. Scatter the cookie pieces on top. 
5. Gently press them into the cookie dough spread. 
6. Chill the brownies thoroughly for about 30 minutes before cutting. 
7. Run a knife around the sides of the brownie pan, and use the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan. 
8. Cut the brownies into 18 3-by-2-inch pieces; wipe your knife between cuts to keep the cuts sharp and clean. 

Recipe from Edibles by Stephanie Hua with Coreen Carroll

Vodka dark chocolate mousse

Cream, heavy, chilled	1 ½ cups + ¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Sugar	3 tablespoons
Chocolate, dark	12 ounces
Vodka	1 tablespoon
Irish cream	1 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted	4 tablespoons
Gelatin, unflavored	1 teaspoon

1. Chill a metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in your freezer. 
2. Using a double boiler (or the Melt setting on your stovetop if you’re so lucky), combine the chocolate, vodka, Irish cream, and butter; melt, stirring constantly. 
3. Remove from heat while a few chunks are still visible; cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature. 
4. In a microwave-safe cup, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining ¼-cup cream; allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. 
5. Carefully heat in 7-second intervals, swirling after each interval, until the cream is liquid again and most of the gelatin is dissolved; do not boil, or the gelatin will be damaged. 
6. Stir into the cooled chocolate; set aside. 
7. In the chilled mixing bowl, beat the cream until medium peaks with the sugar and vanilla. 
8. Stir a fourth of the cream in the chocolate mixture to lighten it. 
9. Fold in the remaining cream in two intervals; there may be streaks of cram in the chocolate, which is perfectly acceptable. Do not over work the mousse! 
10. Spoon into bowls, and chill for at least 1 hour; garnish with almonds or fruit, and serve. 

Recipe from Food52.