Yes! Yes! | Everyone deserves a gooey caramel brownie recipe

You may be as surprised as I was to learn that there are people who don’t have a gooey caramel brownie recipe. Shocking, I know. But if you are one of them, let me share my Yes! Yes! brownie recipe with you. In under 45 minutes, you’ll have a hot pan of gooey, caramel-stringy, could there be more chocolate, brownies on your kitchen counter.

The summer of 1990, I was just out of high school and I worked at 3M as a plant manager. Literally. Besides sorting smocks for laundry, I cleaned bathrooms, refilled vending machines in the cafeteria, and watered the plants around the offices and lobby areas. So they jokingly called me the plant manager. It was during this stint that a co-worker, Judy B., shared these brownies and I’m pretty sure I begged for the recipe.

Years, and years, oh my gosh, 23 years and 50 extra pounds later, my recipe card is bent and crinkled and the plastic protector is melted on the entire left side. When I bring these bars to work now, they disappear. But I never really thought there are people who don’t have their own recipe for caramel brownies. So I never blogged it. I assumed people would be like, “What?! As if I don’t already have a recipe like that.” Boring.

Then one morning I almost fell off my couch when I was watching my favorite T.V. show and Ree from Food Network’s Pioneer Woman showed the world how to make Knock You Naked Brownies. And I was like, “What?! I’ve been making those for years!” Not boring. And then I felt like there was no place for me in the blogging world anymore because anything I had to offer had already been done.

A few months later at work, my friend Mary said she was still waiting for me to blog my caramel brownie recipe. I told her I hadn’t blogged it because I figured everyone had a similar recipe and didn’t need mine. Mary didn’t. She needed my recipe. And for you chocolate lovers out there, you know I really mean needed.

So now, I share it with you. And when you bake them for your friends and they beg you for the recipe, you will say, Yes! Yes!.

{Yes! Yes! Caramel Brownies}

50 caramels (I buy a bag of Kraft caramels and use them all, minus the few my kids run away with.)

1 package chocolate cake mix (Any flavor will do – milk chocolate, chocolate fudge, german chocolate, etc.)

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 small can evaporated milk, divided into two portions, 1/3 cup each

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I cover the pan of brownies so who really knows how much that is.)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix melted butter, cake mix, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and nuts. This can be done by hand. Spread half of this mixture into a lightly greased 9×9-inch or 13×9-inch cake pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Take out of the oven.

Melt caramels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Stir until creamy.

Cover the hot crust with the chocolate chips, then pour the caramel mixture over the chips. Top with the remaining batter and bake the 9×9 pan for 20-25 minutes and for the 13×9 pan, bake 15-18 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container. Share with everyone you know.

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{Desk-hopping Cosmic Caramel Oatmeal Bars}

The recipe for these gooey, candy-topped oatmeal bars has been playing musical desk drawers since 2007. It showed up five years ago when my day job office put together an employee cookbook.

A student employee, John, brought the recipe card to work to submit to the cookbook. He has since moved on within the company but the recipe has stayed in my work group ever since, moving from desk drawer to desk drawer, even between buildings.

I added peanut butter to the crust but you could skip it if you want. And be creative with the toppings. Butterfinger pieces might be an excellent choice in place of M&M’s. You could even add chopped nuts or crushed pretzel pieces to add a salty crunch.

The original recipe was called Pizza Bars, but that seemed a little too plain for these hyped-up, caramel bars loaded with chocolate and oatmeal. So, they have a new name now, along with a new home — my recipe box, and yours.

Cosmic Caramel Oatmeal Bars

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut  butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cup flour

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 package caramels

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup mini M&M’s

1 cube vanilla almond bark

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a jelly roll pan. Unwrap caramels and place in a small saucepan. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine soda, salt, flour, and oats. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Press mixture into greased pan.

Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. While it’s baking, melt sweetened condensed milk and caramels over low heat in a small saucepan. Stir constantly as it burns easily. Remove from heat once creamy.

Pour the caramel over the baked crust. Toss the chocolate chips onto the hot caramel and let sit for a couple of minutes, just until the chocolate is soft. Gently spread the chocolate over the bars. Top with mini M&M’s.

In a small bowl, melt almond bark and oil in microwave, stirring until smooth. Drizzle with a fork over the bars. Let cool for a couple of hours before cutting. Store in an airtight container. Do not store in the refrigerator as the caramel sauce becomes hard.

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What toppings would you add to make these your own creation?

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{I Was a Better Than Sex Cake Virgin}

Although the names and variations of this caramel cake are as broad as Pink’s hair color, the dessert has been a family tradition for some people for so long they can’t imagine there are people trying it for the first time. For me, it was only a few years ago. My friend, Caitlin O., shared it with us at work and even though I was “cake reluctant,” I slid my fork in it and with one sticky bite I was hoping not everyone in the department knew we had cake = more for me.

The recipe graces pages of community cookbooks, from fundraisers, employee-submitted, family heritage, etc., but to find Better Than Sex Cake in a church ladies cookbook, you’ll find it under a discreet name like Better Than Anything (or Almost Anything) Cake, Better Than Whatever you Wanna Call It Cake, or Heath Cake.

I know, I know – some of you have been reading my blog long enough to know I don’t like cake. Especially the kind you poke holes in and pour in Jell-O or pudding. But this is different. It’s sweetened condensed milk and caramel. You use your favorite caramel ice cream topping. (Like the butterscotch one I drink from a shot glass when I make Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake.) Are you with me?

Better Than Sex Cake

1 box (13 x 9-inch pan size) German chocolate cake mix, and ingredients to bake the cake

1 can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk

1 jar (approximately 17 ounces or so) caramel ice cream topping

1 tub (8-ounce) whipped topping, thawed

1 package (8-ounce) chocolate toffee pieces (I use Hershey’s Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits)

Bake the cake according to package directions.

As soon as the cake is done, pull it out of the oven and poke holes in the cake with the handle of a mixing spoon. (I use a long-handled lemonade-stirring spoon.) Immediately pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the cake and repeat with the caramel topping.

Let the cake cool in the refrigerator until completely cool. Top with whipped topping and put back in the fridge. Immediately before serving, generously sprinkle the toffee bits on each slice. Store in the refrigerator.

Plan to share this cake because it’s best within 24 hours.

Will this be your first time eating Better Than Sex Cake? Do you have a different name for it?

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{Butterscotch Caramel Sea Salt Pretzels}

The combination of crunchy pretzels, milk chocolate, butterscotch, toffee bits, caramel and a dash of sea salt takes your pretzels to the next flavor level.

The ingredient list is short and sweet.

After melting the milk chocolate and butterscotch chips together, pour over the pretzel balls and stir. Stir in the toffee pieces and sea salt.

Spread the melted chocolate pretzel layer into a pan and drizzle with melted caramel. Grab yourself some hand wipes because these babies are sticky!

5 cups mini pretzel balls

8 ounces Hershey’s milk chocolate (can be a little more or a little less, depending on the size bars you use)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 (8-ounce) package milk chocolate toffee bits

1 Tablespoon sea salt

1/3 package (approximately 20) caramels, unwrapped

1 teaspoon milk

Place pretzel balls in a large bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt Hershey’s milk chocolate and butterscotch chips together until smooth. Pour melted chocolate mixture over pretzel balls and stir until coated. Add toffee bits and sea salt, stirring everything together. Line a large cooking sheet or tray with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Spread the mixture into the pan. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the caramels and milk. Drizzle the caramel over the pretzel mixture and cool completely. Break into pieces before serving.

Other ideas: I bought the pretzel balls from Wal-Mart in the salted snack section (near the bagel chips, Bugels, etc.) but you could use any type of pretzels. The pretzel rods would be fun too. If I have cashews on hand next time, I will decrease the pretzel balls by 1 cup and substitute cashews. You could also add 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter to the milk chocolate and butterscotch mixture. Omit the caramel if you don’t want something too sticky.

What other ingredients would you add?

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{In Memory of Store-Bought Snickers® Bars}

Gone are the days when you have to run to the store when you’re hungry for a Snickers^®. Eat one of these ooey, gooey chocolate caramel nutty treats and you may never again rip open a candy bar wrapper.

You probably already have most of the ingredients to make these.

The easiest way to cut these into bars is to line your pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper first. (Pay no attention to the apples and bananas hanging out in the background—they really have no business being here.)

Start by shaping your foil over the upside down 9 x 13 pan and then insert it into your pan. Make sure the non-stick side is facing up when you have it inserted in the pan.

For the first layer, melt milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and chunky peanut butter together.

When you first pour the melted mixture into the pan, it may seem like it’s not enough.

 But it is just enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to cool and set.

 For the second layer, combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and boil 5 minutes.

Add the peanut butter, marshmallow cream and vanilla to the boiled mixture. Stir until smooth.

 

Spread the marshmallow cream mixture onto the cooled chocolate layer.

Cover the sticky marshmallow layer with dry roasted peanuts.

Melt the caramels and pour over the peanuts.

Repeat the first layer and spread over the caramel and peanuts. Cool completely.

Cut into small bars.

 

Chocolate, Caramel Nut Candy Bars

2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided

1/2 cup butterscotch chips, divided

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter, divided

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups dry roasted peanuts

1 package caramels

2 Tablespoons hot water

Bottom layer:

Line 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt 1 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup butterscotch chips and 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter together. Spread in pan and cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Second layer:

In saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup butter. Boil 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter, 1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread over cooled bottom layer. Sprinkle 2 cups dry roasted peanuts over marshmallow layer.

Third layer:

Melt caramels and 2 tablespoons of hot water together. Drizzle the melted caramel over the peanuts.

Top layer:

Repeat bottom layer and spread over caramel layer. Cool completely. Lift bars out of pan and peel off paper or foil. Cut into bars on a cutting board with a chef’s knife. These are best if stored in the refrigerator.

 

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Do you have a recipe that reminds you of your favorite candy bar?

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{Caramel Apple Nut Bars}

Caramel. Apples. Oatmeal. If you’ve already taken your annual trip to the apple orchard and like me, gotten carried away with how many apples you “needed” to buy, this is a delicious way to use one apple at a time. A special request from my little sister—our favorite Caramel Apple Nut Bars from Betty Crocker.

2 cups flour

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1  1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1  1/4 cups butter or margarine, softened (I always use REAL butter)

1/2 cup caramel topping (I’ve also used 1 bag of KRAFT or Brach’s caramels melted w/ 1/4 cup evap milk)

3 Tablespoons flour (omit if using bag of caramels)

1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped (1 cup)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (I grind in a cheese grater)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350˚ and grease bottom and sides of 13 x 9 pan. Or use non-stick foil to line the pan. In a large bowl, beat the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter with mixer on low speed or mix with spoon until crumbly. Press 3 cups of mix in pan. Bake 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix caramel topping and 3 tablespoons of flour. (Or if using caramels, melt caramels with 1/4 cup evaporated milk and omit the flour.) Sprinkle apples and pecans over partially baked crust. Drizzle with caramel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

What ways do you enjoy the flavor of caramel apples in the fall?

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{Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake with Caramel Shots}

Friday was National Cheesecake Day! This calls for a sinful and chocolatey celebration of caloric sort. I’ve been wanting to try this cheesecake from the Paula Deen’s Chocolate Celebration 2008 Special Issue, pretty much since I bought the magazine. Knowing that 30 July is “the big day” I decided to finally try it. And based on my “test kitchen” reviews (a.k.a. shared  it at work and with family), it was a hit!

Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake

Crust:

2 cups crushed chocolate graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Chocolate Layer:

6 (1-ounce squares) semisweet chocolate

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Layer:

1/2 cup caramel ice-cream topping

1 (16 1/2 ounce) package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate Ganache:

3 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 300˚.

To prepare crust: In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter, stirring to combine. Press crust into bottom and up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes; let cool.

  

To prepare chocolate layer: In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate and butter and melt over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in sugar, eggs (at room temperature)  and flour until just combined. Pour into bottom of cooled crust; bake for 15 minutes; let cool.

To prepare cheesecake layer: Spread caramel topping evenly over chocolate (leave about an inch from the side of the pan or the caramel edges will become hard). Cut cookie dough crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place slices in an even layer over caramel, pressing gently together to seal edges.

What? No way, I was NOT drinking this amazing caramel from a shot glass. I don’t know whose that is…

 It’s my friend Caitlin’s fault for introducing me to this amazing “sauce” from her Better Than Sex Cake recipe. {She’s an enabler.}

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese (at room temperature) and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs (room temperature), one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and flour just until combined. Stir in sour cream. Pour over cookie dough layer and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around edges to release crust from sides of pan. Let cool completely.

To prepare chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and whipping cream, melt over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread over cooled cheesecake. (I prefer to decorate the cheesecake with the ganache so I put it in my Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator and pipe the ganache on the cheesecake. I also couldn’t resist drizzling more of the gooey caramel on top. You may also find me serving each slice with a shot of caramel. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

 

You will definately want to pair this with a cup of hot coffee or an ice-cold glass of milk. Do you like rich chocolatey cheesecake or do you prefer the lighter vanilla cheesecake with fruit topping?

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