From Fat Witch Bakery Cookbook (Rodale, Sept.)
Caramel Witches
At the bakery, Caramel Witches are the first to sell out every afternoon when customers need something sticky and gooey to help get through the rest of the day. A classic chocolate brownie with buttery caramel oozing out the sides, it’s easy to see why people go crazy for this combination. Who has the time (or the requisite candy thermometer) to make caramel from scratch? The cellophane-wrapped squares available at the supermarket work beautifully. Adding a big handful of chopped pecans to the batter turns these bars into Turtle Witches.
14 TABLESPOONS (13⁄4 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER
1⁄2 CUP PLUS 1 TABLESPOON BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
3 LARGE EGGS
1 CUP PLUS 1 TABLESPOON GRANULATED SUGAR
1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
1⁄2 CUP COARSELY CHOPPED PECANS (OPTIONAL)
1⁄2 CUP UNBLEACHED FLOUR
PINCH OF SALT
30 CARAMEL SQUARES
2 TABLESPOONS LUKEWARM WATER
Grease a 9-inch 3 9-inch baking pan with butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well combined. If desired, stir in chopped pecans by hand. Measure the flour and salt and then sift together directly into the chocolate mixture. Mix until well
combined and no trace of the dry ingredients remains.
Pour half of the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan; it will be about 1⁄4" high. Set the pan aside.
Unwrap the caramels and put them in a microwaveable bowl with the water. Microwave on medium power and check every 60 seconds or until the caramels have melted into a thick liquid. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk the caramel with a fork to get a consistent texture. Pour the caramel over the batter in the pan. Don’t go all the way to the edges and don’t worry about covering every spot. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, allowing the caramel to set.
Remove the pan from the refrigerator and spread the remaining half of the batter evenly over the caramel using a spatula. Let the pan sit for 15 minutes to come to room temperature before putting it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour. Right before serving, I suggest cutting 18 pieces since they are rich and satisfying!
MAKES 12 TO 18 BROWNIES
