RECIPE TIME: BROWNIES WITH NUTS AND CARAMEL

 

Dear Readers:

Time for a recipe that I consider "Soul" food - Brownies with Nuts and Caramel.  You can find this recipe in my recipe archives under

Archived Recipies page 2 (1 of 2) (11-10-11 through 4-12-12)

February 2, 2012

I, a certified chocoholic, do hereby swear to eat all the chocolate I can, especially brownies! Yes, you guessed it – this week we are baking brownies. This recipe is one that years ago I took off of a canister of Hershey’s cocoa and have added variations to it.

Shopping List:

• Hershey’s Cocoa
• Sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Eggs
• Flour
• Chopped walnuts or almonds
• Whipping cream or half and half
• Carmel bits (Kraft is one of the companies that makes these and what I use)

Brownies with nuts and caramel

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup Hershey’s Cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup flour

¼ cup chopped walnuts or almonds (added to the batter) optional 
1 cup chopped walnuts or almonds to spread on top
½ of an 11 oz. package of caramel pieces
4 to 5 tablespoons whipping cream or half and half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (if you use a glass dish - lower the temperature by 25 degrees). Either lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan, or line the pan with parchment paper or foil with edges coming up the sides so you can use them like handles to remove the brownies. If you double the recipe use a 9 x 13 pan.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add sugar and stir until blended. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs and stir to blend. Stir in flour and walnuts. Pour ONE HALF of mixture into baking dish, and cover the remaining batter and put aside. Bake the batter in the baking dish for about 10 to 15 minutes or until top if firm to touch. Remove from oven and set aside.

In the microwave heat the caramel pieces and whipping cream (or half and half) in a microwaveable bowl for about 2 minutes or until the pieces start to melt. Stir until completely melted. Spread on top of the brownies and add the nuts on top of the caramel, and then add the remaining batter on top of the nuts and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more or until the top is firm to touch. (You will need longer baking times for both steps when you double the batter to about 20 minutes for each step) 

Allow to cool completely. Remove with the ‘handles’ before cutting into squares.