Decadent Brownies with Icecream & Chocolate Sauce

These brownies with warm chocolate sauce and a rich vanilla ice-cream are the perfect end to a Sunday Lunch.

Decant the softened ice cream into a baking paper-lined tray, the day before, re-freeze, and cut it into the same shapes as the brownies. All that is needed at serving time, is to warm the brownies and the sauce in the microwave, top with the ready-cut ice cream and drizzle with the sauce. Yum.

Ingredients

• 200g good quality chocolate, chopped
• 200g brown sugar
• 125ml vegetable oil ( I used Macadamia oil, that’s all I had)
• 110g, macadamia halves or pecans or walnuts
• 75g plain flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 eggs, room temperature

Chocolate Sauce

• 200g good quality chocolate, chopped
• 100ml cream
• 3 tbs honey
• 25g cocoa powder
• 4tbs water
• 25g butter
• 1tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C, fan-forced.
2. Brush a 23cm square tin, or an 18x 28cm rectangle tin with oil, and then line with baking paper.
3. Spread the nuts on an oven tray and toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Chop coarsely. I find it easier to do this while they are still hot.
4. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until melted. Alternatively, microwave on Medium Low for 3 minutes, stir and then another 3 minutes, stir to combine.
5. Combine the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Use a hand-held mixer and beat until well combined and paler in colour, about 3-4 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat until combined.
6. Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold into the chocolate mix. Fold in the chopped nuts.
7. Pour the mix into the prepared tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre.
8. Cool completely in the pan, and slice into squares.

Chocolate Sauce

9. Combine the chocolate, cream and honey in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on Medium Low for 3 minutes, stir , then another 3minutes. Stir well to combine
10. Mix the cocoa powder and water together to a smooth paste.
11. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir well to combine.
12. Finish the sauce by stirring in the butter and vanilla essence. Stir well to give a gorgeous glossy sauce.