I like to bake, but I'm not an ambitious cook. So I was very happy when I accidentally stumbled upon a wonderful and incredibly easy way to make my own chocolate sauce, suitable for dipping or pouring.

I was experimenting with a recipe for something else altogether, and couldn't resist dipping a finger into a pot that was waiting to be washed. The chocolate concoction coating the bottom was heavenly -- and even better when I started using fresh cherries as the vehicle to transport it to my mouth.

These are the proportions I started with. If you want to make a bigger batch, just double or triple all the ingredients.

For a small batch, get four ounces of the best quality cooking chocolate you can. Don't use chocolate chips unless you absolutely have to, because they just don't melt as smoothly. If you don't have a kitchen scale, you can buy four-ounce bars. Otherwise, health food stores and high-end grocery stores often sell chocolate in bulk, and you can buy wonderful chunks of fine cooking chocolate for exactly this kind of occasion.

Semisweet is good for this sauce. Bittersweet is stronger and can have a little bite to it, but that can be wonderful when brought into contrast with something very sweet.

Melt the chocolate using your favorite method. You can do this in a microwave-safe bowl, heating it ten seconds or so at a time and stirring often; I prefer using a heavy-bottomed pot over very low heat. Either way, be sure that no moisture comes into contact with the melting chocolate. A drop of water can make the chocolate seize up and refuse to be your friend, and the only thing to do when this happens is throw the batch out and start all over again. This is why I'm not comfortable with double boilers and melting chocolate -- but some people swear by them, so use whatever you like best.

As soon as the chocolate is melted, stir in two tablespoons of butter. I prefer salted, as it brings out the flavor of the chocolate. Once this is completely incorporated, stir in a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream.

If this sounds familiar, it's because this sauce is basically an unfinished truffle. All you have to do is keep it warm, and it's fantastic for dipping fruit or plain cake, or for pouring over ice cream. And just like a truffle, it's happy to have a bit of flavor added to it. You could stir in a bit of peppermint extract in the winter, or some fruit-flavored extract or liqueur in the summer. Real vanilla is good any time of the year, and magnifies the chocolate taste wonderfully.

Only make as much of this as you're going to use right away. This sauce is best fresh.