These decadent sundaes combine rich brownies, crunchy pecans, gooey caramel, and salty whipped cream for an irresistible dessert. You can use a boxed brownie mix for simplicity, or whip up a batch of your favorite homemade brownies.
Ingredients:
For the Brownies:
- 1 box gluten-free brownie mix + ingredients called for on the box (or your favorite brownie recipe)
For the Salted Caramel Whipped Cream:
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt (scant)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
For the Hot Fudge Sauce (Optional):
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Sundae Assembly:
- Pecan halves
- Caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions:
Make the Brownies:
- Preheat your oven according to the brownie mix instructions.
- Prepare the brownie batter as directed on the box.
- Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the brownies cool completely before assembling the sundaes.
Make the Salted Caramel Whipped Cream (while the brownies cool):
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water.
- Heat over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and turns a light amber color (caramel stage). Do not overcook, or the caramel will turn bitter.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the heavy whipping cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously – be cautious of splatters. Stir constantly until the caramel is smooth and incorporated into the cream. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature.
- In a clean, cold bowl, whip the cooled caramel cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the scant ½ teaspoon of salt. Set the whipped cream aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Make the Hot Fudge Sauce (Optional):
- In a saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, heavy whipping cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate chips melt and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Let the sauce cool slightly before using.
Assemble the Sundaes:
- Break the cooled brownies into squares or chunks and divide them between serving dishes (ice cream bowls, martini glasses, or any fun sundae dish).
- Drizzle with caramel sauce. Top with generous dollops of the salted caramel whipped cream. Sprinkle with pecan halves and drizzle with hot fudge sauce (if using).
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips:
- For a richer chocolate flavor, use dark chocolate chips in the hot fudge sauce.
- You can use chopped peanuts instead of pecans, or a mixture of both nuts.
- If you don’t have time to make homemade caramel sauce, store-bought works just fine.
- Leftover brownie pieces can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- The salted caramel whipped cream can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just be sure to rewhip it before using.
