Best Ever Brownie Sundae Dessert

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 1/22/12-1/28/12)

So basic, so simple, and oh-so-good!  I would happily eat this every night of the week!

Ingredients:

Crust: 
1 family-sized brownie mix (9x13 pan size), prepared and baked according to box instructions in a 9x13 pan.
Center:
1 - 1.75 qt container vanilla bean ice cream
Topping:
1 cup sugar
3 heaping Tbsp flour
1/4 cup cocoa
dash of salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp butter or margarine

Directions:

Take ice cream out of freezer to allow to soften.  Meanwhile, put prepared pan of brownies in the freezer to harden.  After ice cream is sufficiently soft (about 30 minutes), cut into slices. Put the ice cream slices on top of the brownie crust.  The slices will not all fit perfectly into the pan, so you'll have to smash them down and smear them around.  Use the back of a large spoon to even out the surface of the ice cream as much as possible.  Put back in the freezer and DO NOT TOUCH IT for at least 5 hours.  Meanwhile, make the topping.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium saucepan.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Heat mixture on medium, whisking (or stirring with a slotted spoon) continually until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter.  Cool completely before pouring over ice cream layer.  Freeze until serving.

Options and Tips

• Slicing ice cream can be kind of a pain.  It works best for me to completely open up the cardboard ice cream container from all sides, so that it's laying flat on the counter.  Use a very large knife with a wide blade, and don't be too picky about keeping the slices even.  It all gets smashed into the crust anyway.
• Be careful with your fudge topping...it burns easily, so cook it slowly and keep stirring it!
• Don't get impatient and put the fudge topping on before the ice cream is set and/or the topping is cooled.  The topping will sink, the ice cream will rise, and you'll have a very sad-looking dessert!  (Yes, again, speaking from experience!)
• This is a great make-ahead dessert, and it keeps well in the freezer for two months or more!

This is an original recipe (finally!).  However, the fudge topping is found on page 174 of Adams Christian School's Kitchen Kaleidoscope cookbook.