WARM CARAMEL BROWNIE SUNDAES

Steps:

• To make the brownies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Put the chocolate in a heat-proof glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a paper towel, and microwave at 30-second intervals until just melted, 1 to 3 minutes depending on your microwave. Or, if you don't have a microwave, bring about 1 inch water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler or in saucepan into which another pan will fit without touching the water. Put the chocolate in the top of the double boiler or in the top pan, and let the water simmer until the chocolate melts, 2 to 3 minutes; remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat the butter with the sugar until creamy and light colored. Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla and stir until smooth. In a small bowl with a fork, beat the eggs. Pour the eggs into the chocolate mixture and blend well. Stir in flour. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake on the middle rack until a knife inserted into the center of the brownies comes out not quite clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes.
• While the brownies bake, make the caramel sauce. Put the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a non-aluminum saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved (the liquid will look clear), 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium and cook without stirring until the liquid-called a sugar syrup-turns a caramel color, about 20 minutes. (You'll see the syrup develop big, slow-breaking bubbles as the water boils away, and then it will begin to darken around the edges of the pan. Swirl the pan a little for even cooking.)
• When the syrup has turned a dark amber color, remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour in the cream. Stand back-the caramel will sputter. Stir to combine. (The sauce will be lumpy-that's normal. The caramel hardens on contact with the cream.) Return to low heat to melt the caramel and cook until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
• While the oven is still hot, spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
• To serve, cut four 4-inch brownies and put them in something attractive-a shallow bowl, a deep plate, or a wide-bowled, long-stemmed something. Add a couple of scoops of ice cream. Pour some of the sauce over and sprinkle with the nuts. Watch them drool.