Alternating layers of thin brownie and ice cream are topped with homemade chocolate sauce and chopped pecans. Yum!

brownie layers:

8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra to dust pan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

fudge sauce:

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoon cocoa

serve with:

vanilla ice cream
chopped pecans (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 11 x 13 inch cake pan and dust with cocoa. Tap out excess cocoa and set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, and mix well. Beat in flour, cocoa and salt; add vanilla. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. They’ll be much thinner than normal brownies, because you’re using a much larger pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut out 3 circles per sundae (or simply cut into squares). Save extras (including scraps) for snacks, stacked sundaes, or ice cream sandwiches. Wrap unused brownies tightly and freeze for up to a month.

While brownies bake, make chocolate sauce. (Sauce may also be made several hours ahead.) Combine sugar and cocoa in a sauce pan over low heat. Add the cream in a slow stream, stirring. Allow to cook for about 8 minutes, or until it has slightly thickened, while stirring constantly. Allow to cool slightly. Store in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to serve.

To assemble, place a brownie on each plate. Top with a small scoop of ice cream, another brownie, another small scoop of ice cream, and a final brownie. Drizzle on chocolate sauce and sprinkle with pecans.