Brownie Sundae Explosion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (180 degrees C.) and butter and flour a 9-inch (2.5 L) square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepot, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Allow to cool while starting next step.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and cream until smooth. Beat in vanilla and eggs, adding one at a time until evenly blended. Stir in chocolate mixture. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add to chocolate mixture, beating just until batter is combined. Stir in chopped cookie chunks.

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool.

To prepare icing, beat cream cheese with butter. Beat in icing sugar until smooth, stir in vanilla and half of the cookies chunks. Alternatively, make the icing in a food processor. Spread over brownies, sprinkle with remaining cookie chunks and chill for an hour before slicing.

Finely chop chocolate. In a small heavy saucepan, heat evaporated milk or cream and sugar over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Add chocolate, butter and corn syrup to milk mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, just until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Fudge sauce keeps, covered and chilled for 3 weeks. Reheat fudge sauce, uncovered, in microwave on medium heat for 40 seconds, stirring occasionally. (Makes about 1 cup of Hot Fudge Sauce.)

Slice Cookies ‘n’ Cream Brownies into 9 large squares and place on a plate. Top with a generous scoop of cookies’n’cream ice cream and slather with hot fudge sauce.