A brownie à la mode you can make, bake & eat right in the pan

It probably happens as often to me as it does to you: serious chocolate craving. I’m not talking about the kind that’s satisfied by a measly square of chocolate or a handful of chocolate chips. I’m talking about the kind of desperate hankering that longs for a rich, gooey, fudgy, warm chocolate brownie. The problem is, when a craving like this hits, baking seems like too much work. I just want a low-effort, freshly baked confection that won’t leave me with a sink full of dishes. Is that too much to ask?

This skillet brownie is the the answer. Not only is it incredibly rich and perfectly gooey; it’s simple, as well. Dangerously simple.

How to make it

1. Start by melting some butter in an oven-proof pan, like a cast-iron skillet.
2. Once the butter is melted, remove from the heat and add in some chocolate. This recipe calls for 3 1/2 ounces of chocolate, which is just a whole chocolate bar. (No measuring! I told you this was simple.) Once the chocolate has melted, let it cool slightly.
3. The chocolate mixture should be cool to the touch before adding in the sugar and whisking in the eggs. Once the wet ingredients are combined, one at a time, fold in the dry ingredients until a batter forms.
4. Now place into the oven and wait patiently (but not that patiently), knowing that in just 15 minutes you’ll be enjoying warm, chocolatey perfection.

To serve, I like to place a spoonful of brownie into a little dish and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, flip on an episode of "Sex and the City," and dive in. If I’m entertaining friends, I scoop the ice cream directly into the still-warm skillet, letting the ice cream melt all over the molten chocolate. Everyone grabs a spoon and digs in. Sometimes those aforementioned friends are named Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samatha — and I find myself sitting on the couch, alone but perfectly content, eating my brownie for four one straight from the pan.

Skillet Brownie à la Mode
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (about the size of 1 chocolate bar)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• <1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, for serving

Click here to read the full recipe.