So, our wedding just became super real this week!
And by “super real”, I mean we mailed out our invitations! May 25th is just around the corner and now that all the invites are out in the world, it is starting to feel very, very real. We also had our final premarital class last night AND my bridal shower is on Saturday! It’s all happening. I still have some loose ends to wrap up {bartender for rehearsal dinner, finalize wedding band, figure out wedding rings, getaway car to hotel, rehearsal dinner outfit, rehearsal dinner baby photos…other random things I can’t think of right now} and a lot left to pay for, but it’s all coming together. Soon I’ll be officially Jenna Beaugh. It has a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?
Okay, all that has pretty much nothing to do with today’s recipe — Merlot Hot Fudge Sauce — but I think of y’all as a big bunch of my girlfriends and that was just what was on my heart today. Wedding stuff. On.my.heart.
Now we can chat about this sauce. THIS SAUCE!!!! Words cannot even begin to describe my love for this sauce. Specifically when you pour it over vanilla ice cream and add just the tiniest sprinkle of sea salt.
I have to think heaven will involve a lot of ice cream sundaes.
This is one of the recipes I developed for Barefoot! I’d tasted some Merlot truffles at a winery one time and they were SO amazing that I wanted to try to recreate them in sauce form.
And you guys? It’s so easy. I made this sauce in less than ten minutes! I think the step that took the longest was just chopping up the chocolate. Once you have that done, you literally just throw everything into a pot and boil. Easy. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever buy store-bought chocolate sauce again. I mean, there’s just no need!
This sauce will keep in the fridge for about a week – just heat up in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
I love you guys big.
Merlot Hot Fudge Sauce
Yields about 1 cup sauce
Ingredients:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp good quality cocoa
¼ tsp sea salt
3 tbsp Barefoot Merlot
Directions:
Finely chop the chocolate and place in a medium sized saucepot. Add all other ingredients except for the wine. Bring to a boil then simmer for one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove sauce from the heat and stir in the Merlot. Let sauce stand for ten minutes (it will thicken up a bit) and then serve warm over ice cream, brownies or fruit.
Keep sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week. Before serving, warm up sauce.
Time:
10 minutes
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{ 72 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my gosh, I love chocolate sauce soo much! Making it at home would be awesome. Will definitely be checking out this recipe, thank you Jenna!
I’m making this for my dessert loving card group next Tuesday!
I love hearing about your excitement over those wedding details!
Merlot, chocolate and love…BLISS!
Hot fudge is the best way to celebrate. I truly think the invitations were my favorite part of wedding planning.
Yay! wedding stuff
I’m so excited for you…it’s sounds like it’s going to be an amazing day 
I’m getting married on May 12th, and while the planning has been stressful, it’s finally time to just chill and let that date get here! Yippee!
About 10 years I had some cabernet hot fudge sauce that I bought in of all places..at a fancy winery in Sonoma! It was so good and I just forgot about it til I saw this. Pinning this Jenna! I NEED this (and need to remember to make it!)
Congrats on getting the invites out!! Time is really flying!
This sauce looks incredible. It’s beautiful, too.
Ooh nice! Dark and handsome and sweet sounds lovely to me!
I’m so excited for you and your wedding. I know it’s going to be beautiful and can’t wait to see pictures!
It is real, huh?! It will all come together. Write out everything you have to do and take care of 1-2 things a day! I can’t wait for everything to be accomplished and you & Adam just sit back and wait for the big day!
Oooh, this looks delicious! And so many congrats on the ever-sooner wedding! Am curious how you pronounce the new last name– is it French in origin? Looks awfully pretty!
Is there anything better than wine and chocolate? No. I didn’t think so.
I am so happy that your wedding planning is coming along nicely and you are enjoying it. May is a wonderful month for a wedding. My husband and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary on May 21st. You have so much joy ahead, the wedding and beyond, sharing life with your true love. Treasure every moment….. it flies by.
The sauce looks amazing. I will try that asap!
Geez, Pace the spoon cause I could eat that whole glass straight upp!
Sounds like your wedding plans are all coming together smoothly!! This sauce sounds amazing! Love that you added merlot!
Girl, you had me at merlot, chocolate and sauce, yes yes yes!
WOW, this looks good. So excited that you’re wedding is almost here!!
holy yum!! I want to eat this with a spoon!
I’m so excited for you! Congratulations
Can we see pictures? I’ve been really curious to see what everything will look like!
What would you like to see pictures of? I’ll definitely be sharing photos of the big day when it comes around but right now I don’t have too much to share!
I’ve been wondering about your theme in general, actually, and I’d love to see your invitations! I’m just so curious to see how you envisioned this big day
Wine and chocolate! Two of my favorite things, so naturally this sauce will have to be made. Congrats on all your wedding things – so very exciting!
this chocolate sauce looks amazing. looks sooo delectable. hope your wedding goes well. all the best!
Wow- that chocolate sauce looks absolutely incredible. I will definitely be making this as soon as possible- and I might just eat it by the spoonful rather than even worrying about making it a topping for ice cream.
Congrats on all the wedding planning. While it sounds like there’s still lots to do, you sound like you’re on top of it! My fear with planning a wedding would be that I would forget something REALLY important- like forgetting to have a minister or something.
Sounds deliciooooooooooous!
I’m going to a wedding in San Diego that same weekend, btw! Must be a good time to get married.
This is everything I love about eating and drinking, ever. YUM.
How do you pronounce your new last name? “Bo”? Former English major here who’s curious
Yes — “Bo”
Oh – that is beautiful. Like the French word “Beau” meaning beautiful …in masculine though …belle for women
holy yum!!! This is the second hot fudge recipe I’ve seen this week… I think it’s a sign that I need to make some:)
congrats on the invitations. This sauce sounds amazing!
Jenna,
I live in Austin and was married November of 2011. Our bartender was great(I can give you the info if interested)
I also have a great company I used for our get away car(they were really nice and super reasonable in price!)
Let me know if you are interested and I can pass along their info. you can email me at jnrfinallymarried@gmail.com
Have a great day!
@Jessica — Mind if I email you about the getaway car? Planning an Austin wedding myself!
Yum. Totally doing this.
Maybe someone already asked this, but… what are “rehearsal dinner baby photos?”
For a slideshow that we are doing during dinner — baby photos of both Adam and I.
Uhm. Yum. I don’t even know what else to say. But of my friend lauren were reading this, she’de probably say are you kidding me?? And that about covers it. This looks too good!!
Congrats on your big wedding day! It will be here before you know it! One piece of advice: enjoy every single little detail: the smells, the flowers, breakfast, expressions. Try to make the day last as long as you can, because it will be gone *snapping fingers* like that! Savor the PRESENT MOMENT all day long.
Cheers for celebrations, and merlot hot fudge sauce. 
it sounds n looks amazing, I would love to try without the corn syrup… maybe maple syrup instead? Congrats on your wedding plans, seems like you got all under control
Haha you’re a cutie pie, and thank you for sharing your wedding excitement
We are mailing our invitations out this weekend or next and I had that “this is getting real” moment when I got to see my bridesmaids’ dresses ON them. I may have cried. It’s so exciting.
this sauce sounds and looks fabulous!
HELLO, this is so dreamy! And yay, congrats on all of the progress regarding the wedding! So excited for you!
my top two favorite food groups coming together, ohhhhhh.
don’t worry about a spoon, I’ll get my own!
this sauce looks divine! And I’m super excited for you and Adam. I know this is silly, but I love the little glass jar you have the sauce in. Where did you get it?
Yum! The sauce looks great. And good luck in finalizing your wedding plans. Enjoy every moment…it’s such a wonderful time!
This sauce looks amazing! I can not wait to try it out. Congrats on getting the invites out–that’s a big relief!
Weddings are so exciting! You are getting close! This sauce looks delicious!
Wine IN the chocolate sauce?! Sign me up!
Oh that’s completely dangerous!
Oh jenna, hearing you talking about your wedding makes me teary eyed happy for you. I emailed you about college dating woes months and months ago, oh boy how you helped me so much! It makes me so happy to hear about your lucky love. I finally {finally!} met a guy that makes my heart sing. So I’m a bundle of puppy dog eyes and happiness for everyone else…
Anyways, congrats!!!
Jenna Beaugh…a heroine’s name in a novel.
That sauce. Whatever Barefoot is paying you for recipes…it is so not enough with that million dollar ++++ making sauce. How about on breakfast organic vanilla yogurt
I’m thinking the Upper West Side and West LA crowds would love that.
You must love us to share a recipe as good as this!
Love your recipes, love love love your blog and so very happy for you! You will be a gorgeous bride! Wishing you happily ever after!
Wow, that looks so good!
Best wishes Jenna
Woah! Did you know I really love the hot fudge sundae of McDonalds? I really want the chocolate sauce on it.. but now your recipe looks really worth to try.. oooohh.. got to buy some vanilla ice cream for this yummy treat. Thanks for the recipe ^_^ love it!
Would you write a post about your plans post-wedding? Like where you’ll be living, etc?
I always make my own chocolate sauce but I’ve never added Merlot…mmmm!! I wonder what other flavors would be good; now you have me thinking about that.
YAY for mailing the invites!!
So excited about your wedding!! Time flew after you guys got engaged
I’m curious about Merlot in this recipe, but I’m drooling nonetheless!
Congrats on the big day. While I was reading your book, White Jacket Required, I sensed the immediate connection you felt when you first met Adam. He is so much better for you than Rob was. It is such a beautiful love story with a fairy tale ending.
And the chocolate sauce looks delicious. It would go great with so many other dessert items too. You know what I would love on my dessert along with the Merlot Chocolate Sauce, is Merlot Whip Cream.
Hey Jenna -
If you are still looking for a rehearsal dinner dress, I have an really pretty dress in mind from J.Crew that “looks like you!” Anthro has some really cute, slightly less conservative dress options online and in stores right now too. If interested, shoot me an email and I’ll point you to a couple that I saw/tried on at the respective stores that I think you’d like.
Your excitement and contentment is a beautiful thing to witness…you are clearly just brimming! So happy for you!
Wow does this sauce look amazing. I am thinking of using it for some chocolate covered strawberries. Thanks for the decadent treat!
Chocolate + Wine is absolutely the best combination of all time
This sauce looks out of control delicious!
Oh my goodness…Chocolate and Merlot, two of the best things you can possibly put in your mouth! Must.try.this!!
I would like to substitute something for the corn syrup. What do you think might work?
Yum!! I’ve never thought of sprinkling sea salt on a sundae. That’s totally going to be my newest guilty pleasure.
Please send me the chopping block you used to take the pictures. I’ll help you “clean” it. By clean I mean lick. I thought wine couldn’t get any better.
I remember when my wedding invitations first went out and it really does make it all so real!! I actually just got married this past weekend and all I can say is, after the invites go out, everything just seems to happen so fast so just try and take in every little moment. Soon enough you will be a MRS, and while the stuff leading up to that day is exciting and filled with joy, nothing beats the day when you can look down at your man’s hand and see his wedding band. Getting chills now just thinking about it!!
CONGRATS!!
Congratulations! Such an exciting time for you! I had to write to tell you this sauce sounds incredible! I’m bookmarking it and making it this weekend! Can’t wait! I’m pretty sure it will be gone by Sunday!
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it. Love your blog
and super excited for you and your upcoming wedding!
Congratulation with the wedding. I am sure you are excited a lot as this day is coming closer and closer. Your posts are always great and I hope you will keep sharing your great recipes after you get married.
So exciting about your wedding! You’ll love every minute of it. This is seriously one I need to make. Yum!
Holy Moly this looks soo so good.
Yummy! What are baby rehearsal dinner photos?
This is an idea I will try. It seems like a good use for some leftover wine. I usually freeze my leftover wine to use in sauce later. I bet this would also be good with a ruby port. My husband makes ice cream and loves chocolate sauce – even on chocolate ice cream, so we will have to play with this. If you are interested check out my chocolate and booze recipe using Chambord. http://www.tastingpour.blogspot.com/search/label/Chambord