Brownie Sundae with Fresh Cherry Sauce

Sometimes life IS just a bowl of cherries. And brownies. And ice cream........ 

Ingredients:

Brownies:

2 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate (I used 4 and a half .50 ounce squares from a Baker’s unsweetened baking bar)
½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup flour
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Fresh Cherry Sauce:

2 cups fresh, sweet cherries-cleaned stemmed and pitted (see note)
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Water
½ teaspoon vanilla

Additional:

Vanilla ice cream
Fresh mint sprigs
Whipped cream

Directions:

Brownies:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large saucepan, melt chocolate and butter on low heat. Stir in the sugar and remove from heat. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out relatively clean and dry. Let cool and cut into 6 squares.

Fresh Cherry Sauce:

Place cherries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and stir. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour to macerate, stirring occasionally. Drain the liquid from the cherries (reserving cherries in the bowl) into a measuring cup and add water to make 1 ½ cups liquid. Place the cherry liquid into a saucepan and heat to boiling. Meanwhile, mix 2 Tablespoons cold water with the cornstarch in a cup. Once the cherry liquid has boiled, add in the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes thick and translucent (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and add the vanilla and reserved cherries. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

To assemble:

Place one brownie on a plate. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the brownie and ladle over some cherry sauce. Top with whipped cream and mint sprigs.

Note: A quick way to pit your cherries is to place them in a single layer on a plate with a rim, cover with a sheet of wax paper and press down gently but firmly with a heavy plate, cast iron skillet or the palms of your hands. Then, just pick out the pits and discard. Put any cherry juice from the plate into your cherry bowl.