Indulgent Chocolate Gravy Recipe
Chocolate gravy? Sounds a bit odd, as "gravy" is a term we usually associate with savory, meat-based sauces. This gravy, however, is actually just a Southern chocolate-based sauce. Recipe developer Catherine Brookes goes so far as to cal it pure "chocolate heaven," adding that "it's super smooth and sweet with a deep cocoa flavor."
While the sauce is indeed very chocolatey, it does contain 1 ingredient you may not immediately expect: instant coffee. (Whether or not you drink the stuff, it's always a good idea to keep a jar on hand for baking purposes.) Brookes explains the reason for using it: "Adding a little hint of coffee to the gravy really helps to enhance the chocolate flavor without giving an overpowering taste of coffee." So don't worry; this addition won't suddenly transform the sauce into a mocha-flavored one. It'll just add a subtle depth you wouldn't get from chocolate alone.
Gather the ingredients for this chocolate gravy
The chocolatey component of this sauce (or gravy) is supplied by cocoa powder, with a flavor boost from the aforementioned instant coffee. Other ingredients include flour, sugar, salt, milk, vanilla extract, and butter.
While Brookes likes to use whole milk for this sauce, you can, of course, substitute 2% milk or even a plant milk. The sauce may end up slightly thinner in this case, but you can always cook it an extra minute or so if needed.
Combine (most of) the ingredients in a pot
Put the dry stuff -– the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, and salt -– into a pot. Dissolve the coffee in a teaspoon of hot water, then add the coffee and milk to the dry ingredients.
Cook the sauce
Turn the burner to medium and simmer the sauce until it thickens, stirring it frequently so it doesn't stick or burn. The sauce will probably need about 8 to 10 minutes of cooking to get it to a gravy-like thickness. Once it does, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until the former has melted.
Figure out how to use your chocolate gravy
This gravy can be used the same way you'd use any other chocolate sauce. You can eat it warm or cold. Try spooning it over ice cream, a slice of cake, or biscuits (a particularly Southern specialty), or use it on pancakes or with fresh fruit. If you're not using it right away, store it in the refrigerator in a jar or airtight container.
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 ⅔ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Combine the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, and salt in a pot.
- Dissolve the instant coffee in 1 teaspoon of hot water.
- Add the coffee mixture and milk to the dry ingredients in the pot.
- Cook the ingredients in the pot for about 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently.
- Turn off the heat and add the butter and vanilla extract to the sauce, stirring until the butter is melted.
- Serve alongside ice cream, cake, biscuits, and more. To store, refrigerate in a jar or airtight container.
| Calories per Serving | 192 |
| Total Fat | 6.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 17.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 32.5 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 28.5 g |
| Sodium | 127.7 mg |
| Protein | 3.2 g |
