Caramel Brownies - Revisited

So a while ago I featured Caramel Butterscotch Brownies - which have turned out to be my hubby's favorite dessert. I tried once to use a homemade brownie recipe, but it didn't really pan out so I went back to the cake mix. Last week I received my very own copy of Baking Illustrated and came across their Chewy, Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies. I instantly knew I'd have a winner with this recipe! These are TO DIE FOR! It's the perfect brownie recipe for this!

Chewy, Fudgy Triple-Chocolate Brownies
Source: Adapted from Baking Illustrated, from the Editors of Cook's Illustrated
Yield: 16-25 brownies, depending on how you cut them!

~5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
~2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (recommended: Hershey's. I couldn't find that, but did find Nestle "Choco-Bake" pre-melted unsweetened chocolate and that worked fine!)
~8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into quarters
~3 tablespoons cocoa powder
~3 large eggs
~1 1/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) sugar
~2 teaspoons vanilla extract
~1/2 teaspoon salt
~1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
~1/3 cup evaporated milk
~35 (10-oz. pkg.) caramels, unwrapped (or those mini caramel balls - they make life so much easier!)
~2 cups (11-oz. pkg.) butterscotch morsels

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Fold two 12-inch pieces of foil lengthwise so that they measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in bottom of greased pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; overhang will help in removal of baked brownies. Fit second sheet in pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. (Because we are dealing with caramel here, I think parchment paper works best... my foil started tearing when I was taking it off and NOTHING is worse than foil in your brownies!!)

2. In medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture; then stir in flour with wooden spoon until just combined. Spread half of batter baking pan, spread into corners, and level surface with rubber spatula; bake about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat caramels and 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. Spread as gingerly as possible to connect as much of the top layer of brownie as you can. It will cook up a little and heal itself if you get it most of the way there. (Don't worry about picking up a little of the caramel. It's aaaaaaaaall goooooood.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs (or caramel!) clinging to it. Cool in pan on wire rack to room temperature. Cut into 16-25 squares, depending on how big you want'em!




*sigh* Now I want BROWNIES!