If
you are a person who enjoys Turtle Chocolates, then you won't be able to resist
Turtle Brownies.
The words decadent and delicious immediately come to mind when describing these
fudgy brownies that are covered with smooth caramel that is mixed with toasted pecans
and then
topped with a nice drizzling of melted chocolate.
This
recipe comes from Judith Sutton's cute baking book "Sweet Gratitude". The brownies are made with
unsweetened chocolate which gives them a deep chocolate flavor.
Unsweetened
chocolate is chocolate in its rawest form which means it does
not contain sugar so that is why this recipe uses more sugar than brownie recipes
that contain semi sweet chocolate. You can buy
unsweetened chocolate in an 8 ounce box of individually wrapped one-ounce
squares at
your local grocery store. Or, my personal favorite, is Scharffen
Berger's unsweetened chocolate that you can find in most specialty food stores.
Once you bake the brownie layer,
the next step is to make the caramel. I offer you two ways to do this; one is to
simply melt store bought caramels (Kraft are my favorite) with a little heavy
cream. The second way is to make your own caramel sauce. If you decide to make
your own caramel, it is important to cook the sauce only until it is a golden
caramel color. While you should not stir the sauce once it boils, it is a good
idea to swirl the pan as the sauce starts to color so the caramel cooks evenly.
But be careful not to overcook it or you will find the caramel will taste burnt.
This recipe makes a large batch (9
x 13 inch pan) which makes enough for a large gathering or to take to a bake
sale. You can store the brownies in the refrigerator for about 10 days, or you
could even freeze them for longer storage.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177
degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non
stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm)
rectangular baking pan.
Brownies:
Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan
of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside while you make the brownie
batter.
Meanwhile, in the
bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugars
until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and then the melted chocolate mixture. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl and, on low speed, beat in the flour and salt.
Pour into
the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or just until the brownies are
barely
firm to the touch. Remove from oven
and place on a wire rack.
Caramel: Place the
unwrapped caramels and cream in a saucepan and melt, over low heat (stirring frequently),
until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pecans, making sure all
the pecans are coated with caramel. Spread the caramel topping evenly over the
still warm brownies and let cool to room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate
brownies for about an hour or until the brownies are firm.
If making Homemade
Caramel Topping: In a three quart heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup,
water, and salt. Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a
boil. Once it boils, stop stirring, and cook the mixture until it turns a golden
caramel color, about 10 - 12 minutes. (Swirl the pan as needed so the caramel
cooks evenly.) Remove from heat and carefully add the cream and vanilla (the
mixture will sputter and steam so be careful). Stir in the pecans and
immediately pour over the still warm brownie layer, spreading evenly. Let cool
to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate brownies for about an hour or
until the brownies are firm.
Ganache: Place the
chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over
medium heat (alternatively, heat the cream in the microwave). Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the
chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.
Remove the
brownies from the refrigerator and, using a fork, drizzle the Ganache over the
brownies in a zigzag pattern. Cover and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
Using a sharp knife, cut the brownies into 48 bars.
Store, covered, in
the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days, or in the freezer for longer storage.
Makes about 48
brownies.
Note: To toast
pecans - Bake in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 8-10 minutes or until
lightly browned and fragrant.
Sources:
Sutton, Judith.
Sweet Gratitude. Artisan. New York: 2005.
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