caramel brownies
I've posted about these amazing brownies before, but I made them again this last weekend and decided they deserved another shout out! I love caramel, and brownies, so these are a total no-brainer. The brownies are so rich and decadent, and the caramel layer just makes everything better. I love that the batter comes together in a sauce pan, which means I don't have to clean the KitchenAid bowl (which I use almost daily and therefore clean almost daily). I'm kind of surprised, too, at how foolproof these are. They really are so easy to make, and taste like a dessert from a fancy restaurant.
I made them for a church party last weekend, and they went like hotcakes, so I'm guessing other people shared my adoration of them as well. :) I only have two words of caution to accompany them: first, you do really need to let them cool pretty much all the way before removing from the pan. It's so hard to wait, but worth it not to ruin your brownie masterpiece! Second, beware, these are totally addicting and most decidedly not health food, so just plan to run a few extra miles or something. Enjoy!
Caramel Brownies
adapted from Cooking a la Mode
brownies:
1 cup butter
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 extra-large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
caramel filling:
1l oz. Kraft caramel bits
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in chocolate chips, and melt, stirring frequently. When there are no more lumps, remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Fold in cocoa powder, salt, and flour, and mix until barely combined. Pour half the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and bake 20 minutes.
While the brownies are baking, prepare the filling by mixing the caramel bits and whipping cream in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. After twenty minutes, remove the brownies from the oven and pour the caramel mixture over the top, spreading to cover the brownies evenly. Sprinkle remaining one cup of chocolate chips over the top. Pour the remaining brownie mixture on top, spreading to cover the caramel/chocolate chip layer. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.
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