Chocolate... no, Butterscotch Caramel Brownies
- 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) chocolate cake mix (I use German Chocolate cake mix)
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 cup evaporated milk, divided (I find one 5 oz can is the perfect amount)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 35 (10-oz. pkg.) caramels, unwrapped
- 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels (I use one 11 oz bag of butterscotch morsels)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine cake mix and nuts in large bowl. Stir in 2/3 cup evaporated milk and butter (batter will be thick). Spread half of batter into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. (I use my 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. I try to place portions of batter around the pan, then use my hands to even it out and cover the bottom.) Bake for 15 minutes. Heat caramels and remaining evaporated milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Sprinkle morsels over brownie; drizzle with caramel mixture. Drop remaining batter by heaping teaspoon over caramel mixture. (I take portions of it in my hand, flatten it out as if I am making a burger, then place them around the pan, covering as much of the surface as I can). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 24 squares. (Since I am working with 8x8, I cut it into 16 squares).
After making them so many times, I am starting to think the top of the brownies needs something, so I think I'll start experimenting with some sort of topping. :-)
What are your thoughts about substituting peanuts for the nuts in this recipe? We don't eat tree nuts, but the brownie recipe looks so good!
ReplyDeletePeanuts would work, or you could just omit the nuts altogether! The caramel is the real winner in this recipe, so if nuts really aren't your thing, it's fine to skip them. Also, in case you didn't see it, I updated this recipe with a great brownie recipe. Certainly it's easier to use the cake mix, but if you are up to it, the homemade brownie recipe here is fantastic!
ReplyDeletehttp://thebalancedbaker.blogspot.com/2008/04/caramel-brownies-revisited.html