Sea Turtle Brownies
Brownies with a topping of homemade caramel, pecans and sea salt.
Servings 64 small brownies
Cost 5
Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks (114 grams)
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips (114 grams)
- 1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (28 grams)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (210 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (115 grams)
Caramel-Pecan Layer:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup (100 grams)
- 3 tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 1 ½ cups toasted and chopped pecans measure before chopping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square metal pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
- Melt butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. When butter is almost completely melted, add chocolate, reduce heat to low and stir until chocolate is melted. Cool mixture slightly, and with a wooden spoon, beat in brown sugar, followed by eggs and vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl and with the wooden spoon, beat in the baking powder and salt, making sure they’re evenly distributed. Add the flour and beat by hand until mixed.
- Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven for about 30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make caramel-pecan layer: In a heavy 3-qurart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch salt. Stir well, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil mixture, without stirring, until it turns a golden caramel color – 8-10 minutes (but go by color because it may take longer). Remove pan from heat and carefully add cream. Mixture will bubble up and foam. Give it a stir, let some of the steam evaporate then stir in the vanilla and pecans. Pour mixture over brownie layer, spreading evenly. Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack.
- Chill brownies, loosely covered, until caramel is firm, at least 4 hours. Lift from pan by grasping parchment (or foil). Cut brownies into 16 squares, then cut each square into 4 squares. Set squares in regular or miniature size cupcake papers and sprinkle sea salt on top before serving. Makes 64
- Optional – Melt 1 or 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate in the microwave, transfer it to a heavy duty freezer bag or decorating bag, snip end and pipe over the brownies. You can do this before cutting, though the chocolate will snap a bit, or you can pipe the chocolate on after the brownies are cut – that is, right before you set them in the miniature cupcake cups.
Notes
To toast pecans, lay them on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.
