Thursday, September 1, 2011

Bailey's Hot Fudge Sauce


Although you would never know it to look at her, my mother was the Queen of Ice Cream.


Quite simply, she loved it and never turned down an opportunity to sit and savor it's cold, creamy sweetness. When it came to ice cream choices, my mother always declared that James McManus Ice Cream was really delicious, but Bailey's was by far her favorite.




When I was a kid, a trip to Bailey's Ice Cream Parlor was a special treat. Bailey's set the bar pretty high as far as ice cream was concerned. No matter what Bailey's we visited in the Boston area, there were always people sitting around at little metal tables and chairs, happily eating ice cream from silver pedestal dishes. I remember that the outside of the dishes glistened with icy condensation as the long handled silver spoons scraped every last drop. (Insert drooling here.)There was a long marble counter with high round stools and there was always a small water fountain with little white paper cups. Why was it that a cup of cold water tasted so good after a dish of Bailey's ice cream?


For those who chose to add hot fudge sauce to their ice cream selection, the iconic silver dishes were always placed on top of a white saucer to catch any blobs of hot fudge or butterscotch that may drip over the side. I can see it like it was yesterday. And if I concentrate hard enough............I can taste it too. Go on and try it.

You know you want to.




Bailey's Hot Fudge Sauce

1/2 cup butter

2 unsweetened chocolate squares

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3/4 cup evaporated milk



 Over medium low heat melt butter and chocolate squares, take off heat.




 Add 1/3 of the sugar and 1/3 of the evaporated milk, mix with a whisk until smooth.  Add remaining sugar and milk, stir until smooth.  



Return to heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.



Pour into canning jars or an other type of container, let cool and close jar. Note: This is not a canning recipe, the canning jars are just a cute way to give it as a gift. Recipe can also be doubled.

Then, only thing left to do is take a quick look around to make sure no one is looking.....and..........


 
 
.....................scarf down a spoonful or two.
 
 
I'll never tell.

10 comments:

Aunt Grace said...

Ann Marie(in the Coleman Voice) what a great trip. She was so right about Bailey.s what a treat it used to be to sit on thoes ice cream chairs and smother yourself in that hot fudge. Brighams was great. but Baileys was the best. It is so nice to see you back, Gracie has you by the bobed tail, she is really a cutie.

Lisa said...

I remember going there too when we came up to visit. IT was always a great treat. Your mother was so smart.

I remember one time when Karen's William was about 2 we went there and he had to eat every last drop. We thought he was done and started to leave. Little did we know he was resting his tummy. He started screaming and holding on to the table ~ "Me not done!" "Me not done!" He was panicked thinking we were going to leave and we would not let him finish. What a smart little guy he was. Maybe it's in the genes.

We will be making this one! Yum!!!!

Anonymous said...

Sweet post. Such nice memories.

So called my Mother (& sister) told me to check out your blog... they said you were posting again.

Very nice to see. Thanks. Marg

Rachel said...

Hi,
Is this recipe authentic and if so, how do you know this? I am collecting materials for a brief history of Bailey's of Boston and would welcome submissions or access to stories, photos, and especially menus and other items. Thank you.
Rachel
culinaryheritage@gmail.com

Anne said...

Hi Rachel, I'm not 100% sure that this is the actual Bailey's Hot Fudge recipe...but since my mother was crazy for Bailey's ice cream sundae's, AND it was taken out of my mother's recipe box from the late 60's, we have always assumed it to be the real deal. It sure tastes like it is!

SassyLassy said...

I was totally devastated to find Bailey's closed...i have been away for 30 yrs and i guess things change. can anyone direct me to a sight for pictures inside Bailey's; i am anxious to see them. thanks, Pam in Florida

SassyLassy said...

I was totally devastated to find Bailey's closed...i have been away for 30 yrs and i guess things change. can anyone direct me to a sight for pictures inside Bailey's; i am anxious to see them. thanks, Pam in Florida

Randall Bishop said...

I was delighted to run across your blog referencing Bailey’s of Boston.

Years ago I started making the Bailey’s recipe for Hot Fudge. I double the recipe because it uses a whole container of evaporated milk.

Bailey’s on Brattle in Harvard Square was always a treat after leaving the library. The black wrought Iron table legs and the marble table tops and dark interior of the shop tossed you back a century. Then you put the over flowing silver plate and silver goblet down and wondered where do I start. Do I spoon the fudge off the plate first or do I make a lake in the ice cream to put the fudge back? The fudge was fantastic! I always looked forward to those breaks in my day.

The Bailey was near the State House, Park Street Square and Filene’s was another sanctuary and respite from work and play. I loved walking down the long narrow hallway between the gauntlet of cards and candy to reach the Ice Cream parlor. This shop had a different feel more Old Boston. The candies looked so good. The trip always ended the same way with a hot fudge sundae dripping on to the plate.

Anonymous said...

My favorite shop was in town,on West St. ,I think. the hot fudge was king,but the soft marshmello with it was the perfect mate.Any one out there know how that white topping was made. Jim in Albuquerque.

Marilyn said...

Sounds great...how did you get the recipe?

I remember Bailey's in downtown Boston and Harvard Sq. Why would they go out of business? It was an institution.

Their strawberry vanilla ice cream sundae was awesome, too.