You are going to love this brownie malt sundae.
If you love the flavor of malt as much as I do, then check out this recipe for brownie malt ice cream that you can use in this sundae recipe.
For ease of browsing, check out my other dessert sauces here
Farrell’s Ice Cream and a Birthday Party
I didn’t go to many birthday parties as a kid. In our neighborhood, all the kids went to each others’ parties so there was always someone’s birthday on the horizon, but outside the neighborhood, I wasn’t invited to many parties. I guess I was sort of insular and weird in school with a small circle of friends, most of whom happened to live in my neighborhood, so we were already on each others’ birthday lists.
Many school birthday parties are when popularity is tested, tried on like a sparkly new sweater. Waiting for an invitation to a birthday party was like waiting to be picked for a kickball team in gym class. Everyone knew who’d be picked first. And everyone knew who’d be picked last. But unlike in kickball, birthday parties were exclusive, and not everyone need be chosen. It can be so very hard to be the insular and weird kid.
One year, and much to my surprise and delight, Colleen Mattson invited me to her birthday party. She was a School Friend, and it wasn’t a traditional party. From what I remember, it was her family, maybe a couple of other girls and me. They took all of us out to Farrell’s for dinner and then ice cream.
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Farrell’s was at the mall, and since my family rarely went out to eat, it was a huge treat for me. Farrell’s was big and loud and shiny. The menus were printed in old timey Western font, like wanted posters that Marshall Dillon had lining the walls of his office.
As I said, I was a restaurant novice. I even failed at ordering at Hardee’s as a kid.
All those choices! I studied the menu intently and had a relatively easy time choosing my entree. But when it came time for dessert? That was a whole other story. Farrell’s ice cream, shake and sundae menu was comprehensive and dizzying. Each description sounded better than the last. And until I actually opened my mouth to order, any of them could be mine. I dithered about for what seemed like a long time, even to me. Colleen’s family tried to be kind, but even through the heady excitement of endless possibilities, of all that potential deliciousness, I could feel their frustration. I could see, literally see, each perfect, swoopy, poufy sundae sitting its own little doorway, ready and waiting for me. If I opened my mouth and ordered, all doors save one would slam shut. I was giddy with indecision, with possibility, with lack of restaurant experience.
I got a little sweaty and even started to well up over having to make a choice. On the one hand, I was so thrilled to have been invited, to have made the birthday party cut, I didn’t want to ruin it. On the other hand: limitless possibility. I finally ordered, most likely while staring at my menu as the words blurred and misted together, seeing and hearing all the doors but one slam shut. When you don’t think you’ll ever have another chance, making a choice is hard.
This memory has always been a very powerful one, all mixed up as it is with food and belonging. Maybe because of this, I have always thought of Farrell’s as a powerful place, a place of possibility. Of candy counters and jawbreakers as big as your fist, of whipped cream propelled by Whip-Its, of shiny maraschino cherries, of thick, sticky sauces. Of ice cream bowls bigger than our fruit bowl at home. Of loud laughter, of tummy aches, of hard choices.
I don’t recall what choice I finally made, but I’m pretty sure it came with a side of bitter childish regret. I have learned over the years to be grateful for all that I have and for all that I am, and to relish my choices, realizing that I can always choose again. That choosing once doesn’t mean that all other doors are forever barred to me.
Choosing a Brownie Malt Sundae
Today, I choose to make a brownie malt sundae, knowing that I can choose to make a different kind of sundae some other time. These days, Farrell’s serves a Triple Chocolate Brownie Sundae at all their Parlours except the one in Santa Clarita. (Don’t feel too sorry for the folks in Santa Clarita, though. Their menu looks pretty awesome!) The triple chocolate is built on a big old Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie and features vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and almonds. Mine is pretty similar. I even made the Ghirardelli brownies, but feel free to make your favorite brownie, or even my Award Winning Brownies. Since I’m of the Use What You Have school, I’m using scoops of both of my beer ice creams: creme brulee stout ice cream and the ginger ale stracciatella, malted hot fudge and topping it all off with malted whipped cream. And a cherry.
If you are a fan of malt, it will change your life to know that you can make both malted hot fudge and malted whipped cream. It was an experiment that went so well I had to share it with you guys. I hope you enjoy, and if you’re not a fan of malt, just leave the malted milk powder out entirely and nothing bad will happen.
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Brownie Malt Sundae (Inspired by Farrell’s)
Ingredients
For the Hot Malted Fudge
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ½ cup heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup high quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped fine (or use high quality chips)
- 5 Tablespoons malted milk powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Malted Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 2 Tablespoons raw sugar (or to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons malted milk powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
To Build Each Sundae
- 1 3 “x3” brownie warmed
- 3 scoops of your favorite ice cream (vanilla is traditional)
- ¼ cup Hot Malted Fudge warm
- Big spoonful of Malted Whipped Cream cold
- sprinkling of sliced almonds (optional)
- 1 maraschino cherry (optional)
Instructions
For the Hot Malted Fudge
- Combine the corn syrup and heavy cream in a small sauce pan. Heat until hot but not boiling. You just want to be sure the chocolate will melt.
- Add the salt and then whisk in the chocolate, malted milk powder and vanilla until smooth. If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely, return briefly to the stove whisking all the while.
- Keep warm.
For the Malted Whipped Cream
- Combine all the ingredients and whisk until medium-stiff peaks form.
To Build Each Sundae
- Place a warm brownie in a shallow bowl.
- Top with three scoops of ice cream in a little pyramid. You could also make four smaller scoops, with three on the bottom and one on the top. This would make a More Stable Ice Cream Pyramid.
- Spoon on the fudge and whipped cream (or pipe the cream on decoratively)
- Top with sliced almonds and a maraschino cherry (or not) and dig in.
- Know that just because you chose this sundae this time doesn’t mean you can never choose another kind of sundae.
- Smile and enjoy.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Even if you don’t make this sundae, I implore you to make the hot fudge. The corn syrup and malt powder if it a bit of chew and stretch that is Most Delightful!
Thank you so much for spending some time here with me today. Have a lovely day.
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I think our local Farrell’s had a variant of the Zoo but it had the little green Army guys instead of animals? It was certainly an event to see one of those get carted out! I always got a strawberry ice cream soda when we went. Gah, it’s been 30 years since my last one? How time flies. Thanks for the recipe and the memories, Jenni!
I want a huge ice cream sundae with army dudes in it! I think… =) I find myself missing Farrell’s even more since I wrote this post…
Oh the flood of memories that came back to me with the simple mention of Farrell’s. I went to a birthday party there as well. I don’t remember who it was for only that they had the “Zoo”! It was HUGE and two young men came running to our table with this enormous silver bowl filled to the brim with ice cream and toppings of all kinds. In those days it was decorated with little plastic zoo animals. I had those little plastic zoo animals for many years after that party. Thanks for the great memory Jenni!
Eva
Sounds like I’m far from the only person who feels nostalgic about Farrell’s! And I looked at the menu–they still sell “The Zoo!”
Poignant story about your childhood. I didn’t got to birthday parties either or had them.
I had one when I was a kid. And I went to one when I was a kid. But that was it. I grew up on a farm. Mom didn’t drive for a long time and then when she did it was limited. I remember going to a Farrells too once. It’s not a place my family went to. We did go out to dinner occasionally on a regular basis. I had forgotten that outing until you mentioned it. I can’t even remember who I was with. Someone else’s family. I was amazed they would pay for me and was in awe of such a festive place. I don’t remember what I ordered either.
Fun ice creams and sundae too. I pinned all 3.
It’s kind of nice to know that I’m not alone–and it sounds like you grew up pretty isolated yourself, Carol. I know what you mean about being amazed that someone else would pay–it was huge for me!
“I don’t recall what choice I finally made, but I’m pretty sure it came with a side of bitter childish regret.” Ah, poor Jenni… does it make you feel better knowing that you described my childhood? Or that you are incredibly popular and loved now? And invited to all the best parties? This sundae is swoony and spectacular and both JP and I want to try the artisan beer ice cream! We’ll have our own ice cream party on your front porch!
It makes me feel less weird and insular, for sure, Jamie! Tiaras for everyone! I love that you and JP want to make the beery good ice cream, and you are always welcome on my porch. <3