Brownie sundae

Serves 8

In order to make a brownie sundae, you need a divine chocolate sauce and a dependable brownie recipe. These recipes are adapted from the popular ''Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts," which has been reissued by Andrews McMeel Publishing (www.andrewsmcmeel.com). The sauce was given to Heatter by California author Paula Wolfert, who based it on a recipe from French chef Michael Guerard. Heatter's brownies are the ones she has been making since she was 10 years old. ''People who barely knew me, knew my Brownies," she writes. To make sundaes, arrange large squares or triangles of brownie in shallow bowls, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and finish by spooning chocolate sauce on top. The sauce makes a scant 2 cups, the brownies enough for this recipe with lots left over.

BROWNIES

5	squares (5 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
10 2/3	tablespoons unsalted butter
1	tablespoon powdered (not granular) dry instant coffee
1	teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2	teaspoon salt
4	eggs
2	cups sugar
1	cup sifted flour
2 1/2	cups walnut halves or large pieces

1. Set the oven at 450 degrees. Butter a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-by-1-inch jelly roll pan.2. Line the bottom and sides with one long piece of wax paper, butter the paper, and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.3. In the top of a double boiler over hot water, combine the chocolate and butter. Cover until melted, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Add the instant coffee and stir to dissolve. Remove the top of the double boiler and set it aside, uncovered, to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla.4. Meanwhile in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the salt and eggs. Beat until slightly fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat at medium speed for 15 minutes.5. Stir the chocolate mixture into the eggs and beat on lowest speed, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until blended. Add the flour, beating only to blend. 6. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the nuts, handling the batter as lightly as possible.7. Transfer to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Place in the bottom third of the oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 21 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Do not overbake; the mixture should be slightly moist.8. Remove from the oven and immediately cover with a large rack or cookie sheet. Invert them together. Remove the pan and lift off the waxed paper. Cover with a large baking sheet and invert again. After 10 minutes, cover with a rack or baking sheet and invert only for a moment to be sure the brownies are not sticking to the rack or sheet.9. Cool completely. Then chill or freeze partially (the cake will cut more easily). Cut with a very sharp knife or one with a finely serrated edge using a sawing motion.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

3/4	cup strained unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (such as Droste's)
3/4	cup sugar
	Pinch of salt
1	cup cold water
2	tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In a 6-cup saucepan, stir together the cocoa, sugar, and salt. Add the water and stir with a whisk until smooth.2. Place over medium heat and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spatula until the mixture comes to a low boil. Let it simmer for 3 minutes.3. Add the butter and continue cooking for 3 minutes more.4. Serve at once or store in a covered container in the refrigerator; it will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.