Chocolate Bar Brownie Sundaes with Caramel Sauce
Submitted by bfamil
Chocolate bar brownie sundaes layer fudgy toffee-studded brownies with Heath-bar vanilla ice cream and a homemade caramel sauce. A make-ahead, three-part dessert where every component is built from scratch.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a brownie sundae taken seriously, where the ice cream, the brownies, and the caramel are all made from scratch and shot through with crunchy toffee. It’s a project, yes, but every part can be made ahead, so you assemble showstopping sundaes in minutes when guests arrive.
Start with the ice cream: softened vanilla folded with chopped Heath bars and refrozen, so each scoop is studded with toffee crunch. The brownies are deeply fudgy, built on both semisweet and unsweetened chocolate for intensity, with more toffee folded into the batter.
The homemade caramel sauce is the part worth mastering. Sugar and water are boiled, untouched, until they turn deep amber, then warm cream is added (carefully, it bubbles up hard) and butter swirled in for a glossy, pourable sauce. The technique is where attention pays off: brush down any sugar crystals on the pan sides, and watch the color closely, since caramel goes from amber to burnt in seconds. To serve, set a warm brownie in a bowl, top with a scoop of toffee ice cream, and pour that caramel over so it slides down the sides.
Pro Tips
- Watch the caramel like a hawk. It goes from deep amber to burnt in seconds, so pull it off the heat the instant the color is right.
- Add the warm cream to the caramel slowly. It bubbles up violently, so stand back and pour gradually.
- Make all three components up to a few days ahead, then assemble sundaes to order.
- Soften the ice cream just enough to fold in the toffee; too soft and it refreezes icy.
Variations
- Swap Heath bars for chopped Skor, peanut brittle, or your favorite candy bar.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt to the caramel for salted caramel.
- Drizzle hot fudge alongside the caramel, or add a cloud of whipped cream.
Ingredients
Directions
FOR ICE CREAM: Place ice cream in medium bowl and soften slightly at room temperature.
Stir in chopped Heath bars. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and freeze.
FOR CARAMEL SAUCE: Bring whipping cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan.
Set aside. Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy medium saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until caramel is deep amber color.
Brush down sides of pan with wet pastry brush if sugar crystals form and occasionally swirl pan, about 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and slowly add warm whipping cream (mixture will bubble vigorously).
Return sauce to low heat and stir until smooth.
Remove from heat and mix in butter.
Cover and refrigerate.
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