My Go-To Brownies

I love brownies. Always have, always will. Great for  picnics and potlucks, packed in lunches, with a nice tall glass of cold milk or nestled in a bowl with some silky hot fudge sauce and vanilla ice cream. Yum.

For a long time this Paula Deen version reigned as my favorite. Until I made these. Don't get me wrong, I still love Paula's version and make them quite often but these babies are everything I love in a brownie. Fudgy, moist, dense without being too heavy, and the kicker---little pockets of chocolate chips  in every bite.

Considering that during marathon season last year my husband and I consumed at least 10 pans of these babies, I think we can now claim to be experts on the subject. I'd make a batch on Saturday night, let them firm up in the fridge overnight and the next day cut them into bite sized pieces, perfect for snacking on all day long.

*Although I haven't gotten around to making it, I've included the turtle variation below.*

Turtle Brownies

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
24 ounces good quality, semisweet chocolate chips
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2 pan with butter.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and water, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add 12 ounces of the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is incorporated before adding the next. Combine the dry ingredients and mix gently into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the remaining chocolate and vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center feels just firm to the touch, about 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. While brownies are cooling, prepare the topping.

Caramel Pecan Topping Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups pecan halves and pieces

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt to a boil over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and let the caramel cook until it turns golden, 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the cream and vanilla. The hot caramel may spatter when you add the cream, so be careful. When the caramel stops bubbling excessively, stir until smooth, and then stir in the pecans. Spread the topping over the cooled brownies in an even layer. Let cool, then cut brownies into 16 squares.

Recipe Source: The Family Kitchen Cookbook

Posted by: Sallie