Caramel Sin Brownies

Before we get started, a disclaimer: do not bake these sinfully delicious brownies unless you are attending or hosting a party. It is crucial that you are not alone with the entire pan at any point. The temptation may be too much.

That said, I could actually eat an entire tray of these bad boys. They're ooey and gooey and sticky and sweet. They will make you friends anywhere. I have had strangers hug me after a bite of these brownies. A powerful social tool not to be used lightly! So make a double batch.

They're dead simple and only require five ingredients - most of which I bet you already have hiding in your pantry somewhere. I found this recipe originally on ZestyCook and have made a few small changes to it over time.

One thing I've found with the brownie batter for this recipe is that it is crazy sticky! Try using a plastic stir spoon if you have one; there's a magic stirring speed and tenderness that lets you sneak by without making a sticky mess. It's a careful balance.

Caramel Sin Brownies
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 bag of caramel chew candies [at least 40 pieces]
Chocolate chips/other chocolate pieces

Combine your cake mix, melted butter and evaporated milk in your mixing bowl. For the mix, I generally use Devil's Food or anything with 'Fudge' in the name. But as long as it's chocolate, you're in the money! I use my KitchenAid for this because the batter has a harder time sticking to the stainless steel.

Once the mix, butter and evaporated milk are all combined, use your trusty plastic spoon or non-stick spatula to section the batter roughly into halves. Scoop one half of the batter into the bottom of a very lightly greased 9x13 pan. The stick of butter in the batter goes a long way in helping it to not stick, but I can't stand losing even the smallest amount of deliciousness to the inside of a pan.

I use the cheap disposable ones you find at the grocery - they come with a lid and I've actually had better luck with the brownies cooking evenly in these pans than in my glass Pyrex lasagna pan. Go figure. Gently prod the batter with your spoon until it's spread over the entire bottom of the pan. It will not be pretty. Try to not leave any holes, but there will absolutely be places where it is very thinly distributed. This is okay! Do not panic. Stop that, right now. It's fine.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. You'll know it's ready when it only sinks a little when you tap it with your finger. We don't want them cooked completely, because it has to go back in the oven in a few minutes and the last thing you want is dry brownie. Take it out of the oven and let it cool somewhere while you put the caramel goo together. It'll likely have risen in the oven, as well, and now it will drop significantly.

If you, like me, are unable to find caramel chews that are not individually wrapped, find a friend for this part. Unwrap at least forty of them and toss them into a pot. The more surface area, the better, so I use my big copper-bottomed pot.

Add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and turn the heat on medium-low. Stir the caramels around while they melt slowly. Eventually it will all come together in a melted caramel masterpiece. At this point, feel free to use your discretion as to the rest of the evaporated milk. I prefer to stretch the caramel mixture a bit father, so I add probably about 2/3 of a cup to 1 cup of evaporated milk. I like a runnier consistency so that it covers the entire top of the brownie. Try it a few times and find how you like it best!

Turn the caramel down as low as possible and grab your chocolate chips. This time around I only had mini fudge cups, so that's what I used! I usually measure out about two cups, but this is also at your discretion. If you like extra goo in the middle of your brownies, use two cups. if you prefer a less-messy-more-put-together brownie, use one cup.  I found a dark chocolate Toblerone in the back of my baking supply cupboard and decided to be a bit naughty and throw it in the mix as well. I just chopped it all up and made sure not a single crumb got away!

Spread them evenly over the now-cooled brownie in your pan, and then quickly pour the caramel evenly over top of the them. Grab your trusty spoon or spatula once more and drop the rest of the batter on top of the caramel by the flattened spoonful. It's not a science and it will not be pretty. Trust me on this, the messier-looking, the better. Try not to shake or stir the caramel around - let it lie where it falls. Otherwise you'll mix up the chocolate underneath and we want them to stay layered.

Pop the pan back in your 350 degree oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. Keep an eye on the top layer of brownie and when it starts to do the classic 'brownie crackle' it should be done. Don't even try the toothpick trick - you'll hit a chocolate chip and think it isn't done when it really is. The beauty of cooking half the batter first is that if you prefer your brownies undercooked and gooey, you can undercook the second round and without sacrificing your structural integrity. This means you and I don't end up covered in caramel and chocolate after a few drinks with friends. This. Is. Key.

You can eat them fresh out of the oven if you'd like, but I find that the caramel reaches heretofore unknown levels of hellishly hot that the rest of the brownie does not. Give them an hour to cool. Trust me on this. They're infinitely easier to cut when they've cooled and they lose nothing in flavour.

Pour yourself a tall glass of milk and dig in!