Caramel Filled Brownies

In my post yesterday, I mentioned that I had watched an alien movie over the weekend. I had a couple of comments in response asking me if the movie was The Fourth Kind. 

It was.

I feel the need to expand on this, because to merely mention that the movie was scary just doesn’t cut it.

And you deserve to be warned. 

If you are not familiar with the premise of this film, it is supposed to be the true story of alien abductions that occurred in a small town in Alaska. At the beginning of the movie, a warning is displayed that says “some of the following scenes may be disturbing”. All of the scenes in the movie are supposedly backed up by video footage, tape recording, or notes. 


Well, I was definitely disturbed. I have heard many claims that the footage isn’t real, that the whole movie is a hoax. However, I live in a little land of innocence where movie people are not allowed to tell us things are real if they aren’t. This is truly what I believe. 


Unfortunately.


Since viewing the movie Friday night, I have had several very strange experiences. And I do not think it is just a coincidence that these things started happening right after I watched this movie.  These strange happenings include waking up at all hours of the night because I heard a strange noise and waking up at precisely 3:33 am (that is the time in the movie that the aliens would start their shenanigans).  Believe me, it is not fun waking up at 3:33 am and frantically listening for signs of a pending alien abduction.


There was also a very disturbing incident involving my hot pink Skull Candy earphones, which I had misplaced and spend a great deal of my Saturday night frantically searching for. Some of you spend your Saturday night shopping, or partying…..I spend mine looking for earphones. I realize that doesn’t exactly make me sound very awesome. But that is beside the point, which is that Sunday morning the earphones had magically appeared in my purse. I can tell you right now with a great deal of confidence that they were not in my purse Saturday night. So….hmmmmm……the only conclusion I come to is that something supernatural is at work here.


And I don’t like it.


So, a warning to any of you curious about this movie.  Unless you are prepared to lose sleep, peace of mind, and your expensive earphones, leave The Fourth Kind in the Redbox. It’s just not worth it.

One good thing that came out of this weekend was these brownies. I saw them in The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather and knew I had to make them as soon as possible. They were a bit time consuming to prepare, but totally worth it–they are some of the best brownies I have ever had.


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups pecans
2 sticks unsalted butter
12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. 

Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil, leaving several inches hanging over the short ends of the pan. Grease the foil with butter or cooking spray. Be sure to grease the sides thoroughly, or the caramel layer in the middle will stick. Combine the butter and chocolate in a heavy bottomed medium saucepan and set over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla mixing until thick and glossy. This will take 1 or 2 minutes of vigorous mixing with a wire whisk, or about a minute using mixer with paddle attachment set on medium high speed. Whisk or stir in flour and salt. Transfer half of the batter (about 2 1/2 cups) to the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Let the brownies cool for about 20 minutes.

Stir the caramels and cream in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in half the pecans. Immediately spread the caramel mixture over the brownies (if you let it sit, it will get hard and difficult to spread). Pour the remaining brownie batter evenly over the caramel mixture and spread gently to cover (if you pour it in a clump, it will be difficult to spread and the layers will get mixed together). Sprinkle the chocolate chips and remaining pecans on top of the brownie layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool the brownies completely in the pan.

Grab the foil edges and lift the brownies out of the pan and cut them into squares. Brownies will keep, tightly wrapped, for a week at room temperature.

Don’t watch The Fourth Kind. Do make these brownies.

Happy Tuesday!!!

***I have sent an email to the winner of the cupcake book giveaway. They will be announced after I have received a response from them.***