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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 36 |
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Who doesn't love turtle brownies? The combination of the chocolate base, the pecans, and the chopped pecans is irresistible. The only tricky thing about these brownies is the caramel sauce; but if you pay close attention to what you're doing, you should have no problem. Ingredients:
for brownie layer |
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour |
1/4 tsp baking powder |
1/2 tsp salt |
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped |
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped |
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces |
1 cup packed brown sugar |
1 tsp vanilla |
2 large eggs |
for caramel-pecan layer |
3/4 cup granulated sugar |
⅓ cup light corn syrup |
3 tbsp water |
⅓ cup heavy cream |
1 tsp vanilla |
11/2 cups pecans (6 oz) |
garnish: melted semisweet chocolate |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour a 9-inch square metal baking pan.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
4. Melt chocolates and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat. (This is what I tell people to do, but I don't actually do it this way. Instead, I place the chocolate and butter in a metal mixing bowl and hold the bowl with a hand towel over some barely simmering water in a saucepan, whisking gently until the mixture is smooth. This gives me much more control over what I'm doing and helps ensure that I don't burn the chocolate. The only thing to remember is: don't let the bottom of the metal bowl touch the simmering water.)
5. Cool to lukewarm, then stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until mixture is glossy and smooth.
6. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Don't overmix or your brownies will come out more chewy than you expected.
7. Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.
8. Now make the caramel sauce:
9. Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a golden caramel color, about 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on this mixture because, once it starts to change color, it changes rapidly and you run the risk of burning it.
10. Remove from heat and carefully add cream and vanilla (mixture will bubble and steam). If the sauce clumps up after you add the cream and vanilla, just put the pan back over a low heat and stir until the mixture smooths out.
11. Stir in pecans and immediately pour over brownie layer, spreading evenly. Cool completely in pan on rack.
12. Spoon melted chocolate into pastry bag. Squeeze chocolate decoratively over brownies.
13. Chill brownies, loosely covered, until caramel and chocolate are firm, at least 4 hours. Just before serving, cut chilled brownies into about 36 squares and remove from pan while still cold, then bring to room temperature.
14. Brownies keep, uncut in pan and chilled, covered (or cut and layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container), 2 weeks. (In my house, they last about two hours)
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