Chocolate sundae

Put two scoops of ice cream in a chilled glass, spoon over chocolate sauce and finish with whipped cream, grated chocolate or a cherry. Warm the sauce just enough to pour; hot sauce over very firm ice cream gives the classic hot-and-cold contrast.

Use a pourable chocolate sauce rather than a thick ganache, which can set hard against cold ice cream. Warm the sauce gently and drizzle it between the scoops as well as over the top, so you get chocolate in every spoonful.

It is best assembled just before serving: the sauce softens the ice cream and the whipped cream loses its shape. You can chill the serving glasses and prepare the toppings in advance, then assemble the sundaes at the last moment.

Avoid refreezing a sundae that has melted and been left at room temperature; its texture will turn icy, and it may not be safe to eat. If it has stayed frozen, keep it covered in the freezer and serve it before the ice cream softens.

A hot fudge sundae is specifically topped with warm, thick fudge sauce; a chocolate sundae may use chocolate sauce that is not heated. The listed energy is almost the same: 186 kcal per 100 g for hot fudge and 189 kcal for chocolate.

Yes: the chocolate sundae has 189 kcal per 100 g, compared with 158 kcal in a strawberry sundae. Strawberry sauce gives a fruitier, tangier topping, while chocolate pairs especially well with vanilla ice cream, toasted nuts and banana.