These brownies are rich, super moist, fudgy, unbelievably addictive and oh so chocolaty. Definitely, a dessert that is worthy of being made every day.

Minus the Salted caramel Sauce, these brownies pack extremely well into lunchboxes and are a terrific late-night snack.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Chop the chocolate into chunks. Melt half of the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Set aside the remaining chocolate chunks.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy and light in colour, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Whisk in the melted chocolate (make sure it is not too hot or it will cook the eggs), then sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt over the mixture. Fold to incorporate the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix, as this will cause the brownies to be more cake-like in texture.
5. Fold in the reserved chocolate chunks. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until fudgy and set. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. The brownies can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

MAKE THE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

• While the brownies are cooling, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat to melt the sugar. Continue cooking and swirling (not stirring) the sugar until it turns amber. Whisk in the sea salt and cream. The mixture will briefly bubble up violently. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla. When the sauce is creamy and smooth, remove from the heat. Allow to cool. If not using right away, the sauce can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

TO FINISH

• Serve the brownies topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of warm salted caramel sauce.

MAKES 9 BROWNIES

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

8 ounces (225 g) good-quality semisweet chocolate

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1¼ cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Salted Caramel Sauce (makes about 1 cup)

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

¾ cup heavy (35%) cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice Cream (page 219), for serving