A brownie served warm with ice cream is commonly described as à la mode. In this dessert context, the French-derived phrase signals that the brownie is served with a scoop of ice cream, usually vanilla, rather than eaten by itself.
The expression à la mode literally conveys the idea of being “in the fashion” or “in the style.” American English adopted it as a menu term, especially for desserts served with ice cream. The phrase is therefore not a baking method or a type of brownie batter; it describes the finished serving style.
Brownies developed in the United States near the end of the 19th century and became widely popular during the early 20th century. They can be fudgy or cakey, depending on their proportions and preparation. Common accompaniments include milk, whipped cream, powdered sugar, and ice cream.
The distractors describe different culinary ideas: à la carte means ordered separately, en papillote refers to cooking in a sealed packet, and au gratin generally means browned with a topping such as cheese or breadcrumbs.