Fabulous Hot Fudge Sauce

Place the first 3 ingredients into a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup (or tall sided microwave safe container). Whisk the dry ingredients together until thoroughly mixed and no trace of lumps exists. Add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons boiling water to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes or until quite thick ,stirring midway. Keep a careful watch on it.It should not overflow but it will boil up quite a lot. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla. Serve. This sauce refrigerates to an even thicker consistency for use as a cold chocolate sauce or as a dip for sliced fruit and can be reheated to serve hot again. I recommend using a European-style (non-alkalized) cocoa (not Hershey type) because the flavor of the sauce is better but either will work. Cocoa does contain a small amount of fat depending on quality and brand, it is not totally fat free.