Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Nutty Caramel Brownies

 
 
There are a lot of brownie recipes out there.  A quick Google search, and you'll have pages upon pages of options.  When that's the case, how do you decide which ones are worth your time and effort?  Well, that's where I come in.  As the voice of reason, let me just show you the above picture and say, "These are worth it.  Make these because you, well, you're worth it, too!"
 
Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies
chefjennylyn.com
 
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 box brownie mix (plus ingredients)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided (1/4 and 1/2)
1 cup salted mixed nuts, divided (1/2, 1/2)
40 Rolos (16 in quarters, 24 whole)
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Lightly brush Large Bar Pan with oil.
Chop chocolate chips using Food Chopper.  Combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and 1/4 cup brown sugar; mix well.  Fold in chopped chocolate; pour batter into bar pan, spreading evenly.
Chop nuts using Manual Food Processor.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar with half of the nuts, and sprinkle over brownie batter.
Bake 20-22 minutes.
While brownies bake, cut 16 Rolos into quarters.
Remove bar pan to cooling rack, and immediately press 24 candies evenly into brownie in four rows of six.  Sprinkle quartered caramels and remaining nuts over brownies.
 
Note: This recipe also calls for melting and drizzling chocolate over the top, but I skipped that since my brownie mix contained a fudge packet.  No need to kill people.


 

As always, my ingredients are prepped and ready on the Large Cutting Board.  Sugar and nuts are in Measuring Cups, oil is in an Easy Read Measuring Cup, and my egg is in a 2-Cup Prep Bowl.  Then I've got chocolate chips in the Manual Food Processor (scroll down), and Rolos are in the 2-Qt. Stainless Mixing Bowl.  Notice that all of my bags of leftover ingredients are sealed using Twixit! Clips.  Honestly, those things end up on every package in my kitchen, even those in the freezer.


The Food Chopper is a better choice for chopping chocolate chips.  I started with the Manual Food Processor and quickly decided this was more of an, "I'm getting a rotating blade to come down directly on the chocolate" situation.  I've had this chopper for thirteen years, and it's still awesome.


A Stainless Mixing Bowl has all of my delicious brownie ingredients and add-ins ready to go, and I'll just give it a good stir with the Stainless Whisk.


Stoneware!!!  I love the Large Bar Pan for all kinds of things - meats, brownies, cookies, etc.  It's especially good for sausage balls because the lip catches the grease.  When stoneware is seasoned, it typically doesn't need to be brushed with oil.  This recipe, however, calls for a light coat.  The chocolate that's added to the brownie batter tends to want to stick if you don't help it out a little.  Check out the Silicone Basting Brush - beautiful, heat safe, hangy-on-a-bowl-y...


Now the Silicone Basting Brush is just showing off!  Anyway, I'm one of those people who doesn't like to waste any batter, so I love the way the Mix 'n Scraper gets everything off the sides of the bowl.  For people who like to have that bit of extra to themselves, no one is stopping you.  And there's even a HUGE spoon to lick!


The Manual Food Processor is a perfect choice for chopping the nuts, and it puts zero pressure on my hand or wrist.  Love this tool!


The nut/sugar mixture is sprinkled on the brownie batter, and that's all ready for the oven!  I used my Mini Mix 'n Scraper for sprinkling, and it worked like a charm.


Excuse me while I drool.  I think Rolos are beautiful, and that's helpful when you're so sick of unwrapping them that you want to scream.  Cutting the candies into quarters would be kind of annoying if I didn't have a good, sharp knife.  I used the 3 1/2" Paring Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection, and it worked like a charm.  Just look at those precise slices! 


Huge bowl of Rolos, Stainless Colander (don't ask) of wrappers, and one happy Bar Board.  I think we're ready for those brownies to come out of the oven!


One more picture...

 
 
Stick the whole Rolos in the baked brownies, and then sprinkle the whole deal with the remaining candy and nuts.  Then you get this!  Ah, it's just so delicious!!!  Also, check out the edges of the brownies.  This is what people are trying to tell you about baking in stoneware.  You don't get the hard edges you get in metal or glass.  Read: The pan of brownies doesn't become a ring of hard crust with its entire center missing when you serve them. 
 
Here's my promise to you: If you make these, you will really, really, really like them.  Can't get any better than that!
 
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