Author Melissa Clark declares that this sorbet is "as close to chocolate fudge as chocolate sorbet gets." To the serious dark chocolate lovers out there, this one's for you.

Photo by Laura Edward

• ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

• ½ cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• ⅔ cup (65 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder

• 8 oz (227 grams) dark chocolate (at least 72% cacao), chopped

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• In a medium pot, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and 2½ cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and whisk in the cocoa powder. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

• Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cocoa mixture on top. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes to start melting the chocolate, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

• Stir in the vanilla. If you want a perfectly silky sorbet, use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture to a regular blender) to briefly blend the mixture and get rid of any chocolate lumps. You can skip this step if you don’t mind a bit of chocolate chip–like texture in your sorbet. I like it both ways. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

• Process the mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or freeze until hard. Makes one scant quart.

HG Cooking Essentials