Chocolate Brownie Cherry Bars

4-oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in chunks
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
6 cups all-natural cherry-vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided

Preheat oven to 350�F.

Combine chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; remove top pot from bottom. Stir sugar into chocolate mixture. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in salt and flour. Stir in vanilla.

Spread batter in greased 10x13-in. pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until just firm. Remove from oven; let cool completely.

Carefully turn pan upside down so brownies are on clean work surface. Trim off browned edges. Cut brownies into 3 (8x4-in.) slabs.

Place 1 layer in 8 1/2x4 1/2-in. pan. Spread with 3 cups ice cream. Place another brownie layer on top; press down. Spread with remaining 3 cups ice cream. Top with third brownie layer; press down. Cover pan with foil and freeze at least 2 hours.

To serve, run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn ice cream loaf onto chilled cutting board. Work fast so ice cream doesn't melt. Either cut into 1-in. slices for 8 servings or make
diagonal slices. For diagonal slices, cut loaf into 3 long horizontal slices. Cut in half widthwise for total of 6 slices. Remove slices one at a time and cut diagonally in half to make 12 slices.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

AUTHOR: DSredTX