Forget the pre-packaged stuff, celebrity master chef Emeril Lagasse is about to simplify your sweet tooth needs with a quick, homemade chocolate sauce recipe. In a mere span of ten minutes, create a luscious and indulgent topping for everything from waffles and ice cream to your morning cup of coffee.

The key ingredient, the semisweet chocolate, usually contains about 50-60% cacao, with the rest being mostly sugar. While Emeril opts for semisweet chocolate chips in this recipe, any form of chopped semisweet chocolate is a fair game. Interestingly, chopped chocolate might even make for a smoother sauce without the stabilizing agents found in chips that sometimes hinder melting consistency. The chocolate's quality and flavor comes to the fore with this uncomplicated recipe, so make sure you source a variety of semisweet chocolate that you genuinely relish.

The recipe goes as follows: collect 3/4 cup half-and-half, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, 1/2 pound of semisweet chocolate chips (or whatever form you've decided on), and 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. The first step involves scalding the half-and-half and butter together in a small, heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Once heated, remove from the burner. Next, arrange the chocolate and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Permeate the bowl with the warm mixture of half-and-half and butter and let it sit for 2 minutes. After a short wait, finish the sauce up with a good whisk until it's smooth. Serve it slightly warm for best results.

Rest assured, if there are leftovers, this homemade chocolate sauce is easy to store. Simply refrigerate in an airtight container. It will stay good for up to three days, just gently reheat before serving. This recipe is an absolute game-changer in the kitchen. It's quick, straightforward, and adds a luxurious touch to any dish that could use a little chocolate charm.