Turtle Brownies

You can't go wrong with chocolate, chocolate, and homemade caramel sauce. The caramel hardens almost immediately after pouring...and it is SO GOOD. These brownies are espcially tasty warmed up with vanilla ice cream on top. I think I might need to go make another batch...

Turtle Brownies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus an additional 2 tablespoons, divided use
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided use
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1/3 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate, or milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch baking dish.

Melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn heat off, and whisk in chocolate until melted and well combined.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together flour and salt, until combined.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar and vanilla, until well combined. Whisk in melted chocolate mixture, gradually, until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the pecans, until combined.

Scrape batter into prepared baking dish, and spoon the surface with a spatula. Sprinkle additional pecans on top. Bake at 350 degrees F, for 25-30 minutes, or until set. In the last 2 minutes of baking, sprinkle milk chocolate over the top to melt.

Cool brownies on a wire rack, while you make the caramel.

To make the caramel topping, whisk together the additional 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water, over medium-high heat, and bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. When the syrup starts to boil, stop stirring. Boil syrup until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in additional 2 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt, until melted and well combined. Drizzle caramel evenly over brownies.

Chill or freeze brownies until set, before slicing.

Makes 12 brownies