Weekend Cooking: A Little Dessert

Last week I had an absolute baking disaster, and this week since I've been working half days I've barely been able to get supper on the table.  Seriously, last night I felt good that I was able to make two frozen pizzas and serve carrot sticks and apple slices.  

I did bake some brownies earlier this week that my girls were dying to eat until I added the caramel.  

This is my first attempt at these brownies, so there are a few changes I'd make for next time.  I only had clear corn syrup, so the color changing that is supposed to occur really doesn't.  Next time I'll pick up brown corn syrup.  They still taste great, but don't look as yummy as they are supposed to.  And I'd add more pretzels even though the downfall is that the bars are nearly impossible to cut if you have to saw through a pretzel.  I still like the taste of them with the brownie.

Dark Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Brownies

Brownies: 
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c browns sugar
6 T butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 c chocolate chips

Mix sugars and butter together and heat in microwave until butter is melted.
Cool slightly and add eggs and vanilla.
Combine cocoa, flour, salt, and baking soda and add to butter mixture. Mix.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into greased 8x8 pan
Bake for 30 minutes


Caramel Recipe:
3/4 c sugar
3 T corn syrup
4 T butter
3 T heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar and corn syrup and cook on medium heat on stove, stirring.  After it melts it will be honey colored and should change to an amber color.  After it becomes amber, add the butter and stir until it is done bubbling.  Add cream and stir and salt and vanilla.  Let cool for a bit

Pour caramel mixture over brownies.  Add pretzels to the top. Salt with sea salt if desired.

When I originally made the bars I was certain that I could post the recipe along with my review of this book:

Sadly, this thing called work is totally getting in the way of my reading.  So, I'll attempt to finish that up this weekend and review it next week. 

And maybe I will feel the urge to bake some other taste treat.

Go and check out the other Weekend Cooking posts at Beth Fish Reads, the host of this weekly meme.