ALICE'S CHOCOLATE SAUCE

10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 cup milk, half-and-half, heavy cream, or any combination
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using milk instead of cream, but optional)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Put the chocolate and 1/2 cup of the milk or cream in a large heatproof bowl set in a wide skillet or barely simmering water and stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick or looks curdled, add more milk. Or add more liquid if the sauce hardens more than you want it to when you spoon a little "test" over ice. If you have used milk (or even water), taste the sauce and, if you like, tone down the flavor intensity by adding some or all of the butter, bit by bit.

Remove the sauce from the water and stir in the vanilla and salt.

Use the warm sauce immediately, or set it aside and rewarm it briefly in a pan of hot water when you need it. (The sauce keeps in a closed container for several days in the refrigerator, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months.)

Makes 1 3/4 cups
Source: Bitter Sweet by Alice Medrich and Deborah Jones