Recipe

Chocolate Brownies with Caramel, Peanut Butter, and Pecans

I will preface this recipe by saying that my finished product looked/felt nothing like a brownie. I used a wooden popsicle stick to test the cooked batter and, at 45 minutes bake time, the stick was still covered in uncooked batter. I continued to let it bake for 5 minutes  at a time until the brownie was thoroughly cooked (about 55 minutes). Unfortunately this resulted in the top layer being over baked and turning out incredibly hard (to the point that it broke off in pieces when I tried to cut the "brownies" out of the pan). Not wanting to waste an entire pan, I cut the "brownies" into small rectangles, "moulded" them a bit, and told everyone it was Caramel, Peanut Butter, Pecan Fudge. They loved it, it was a success.

Crust:
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Caramel Filling
1 pound vanilla caramels
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (I did not toast mine)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Brownie
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: To toast the pecans, place on a baking sheet in a 350-degree over for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

To make crust: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

To make the caramel filling: In a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels with the cream, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat and pour over the graham cracker crust. Use a spatula to spread it evenly. Sprinkle the pecans and peanut butter chips over the caramel. Set aside.

To make the brownie: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a medium sized saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and the chocolate, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and mic thoroughly. Pour the batter over the pecans and peanut butter chips to completely cover the caramel layer. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the pan comes out with moist crumbs attached. Do not overbake.

Cool to room temperature, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to set overnight before cutting and serving.