Brownie ___ mode

A LA

Think of how this French phrase is often used to describe a dessert served with ice cream or sauce.

Brownie ___ mode" is hinting at a classic dessert style borrowed from French cooking. "À la mode" means "in the fashion of," but in American dining, it specifically refers to serving pie or dessert with ice cream. The clue shortens it to just "a la" because "brownie à la mode" is the full phrase—so you’re filling in the missing part. It’s a play on both the literal dessert term and the French phrase’s common shorthand.