Wow. I still get hungry just looking at that picture. And I just ate ten minutes ago.
To begin, let me tell you a little about my friend Kate. She shares my name Catherine but spells it with the ugly, gnarled, and crooked letter known as K…ew. While I’ve never had an affinity for Katherine’s (that is with a K), I cannot ignore the same-wavelength nature of my friendship with Kate. We spent an entire semester together exploring Peru and South America, but more importantly, she like me, loves to bake and eat desserts that contain the amount of sugar you should probably eat in a month. But hell, why not do it in one day! Anyways, this Houston broad and her willing roommates, have decided to let me into their apartment each Friday afternoon for Baked by 2 Kates. To learn more about our Friday baking bonanza, follow this link https://cathmodonnell.wordpress.com/baked-by-2-kates/
Now back to that pecan-topped ooey gooey delight that is draped across your screen making your eyes glaze. The base of the dessert is a homemade chocolate brownie made with a combination of unsweetened baking chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate morsels, and two cups of sugar. The brownie comes out pretty cakey so if you don’t want it as cake-like, add 1/3 cup more of all-purpose flour. Unable to find canned dulce de leche in these parts of the world was surprising to two girls who just returned from Peru. Instead, we found out that by heating a can of sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan of low-medium heat, there it was, homemade dulce de leche! Make sure you heat the milk until it really starts to thicken into the consistency of maple syrup.
In alternating spoonfuls, load the cooled brownie sheet with marshmallow creme and dulce de leche. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and wait thirty minutes for setting and cutting.
Sometimes a great picture doesn’t translate into a great recipe. This did. Outrageously rich and heavily sweetened, this recipe was a huge hit with everyone we shared it with. My favorite part? The brownie. The foundation of a delicious cakey brownie made this dessert. Oh yeah, the dulce de leche and marshmallow helped too.
Enjoy!
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens:
Dulce de Leche Fluff Brownies
Ingredients
Directions
- In a medium saucepan cook and stir unsweetened chocolate and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over edges of pan. Grease foil; set pan aside.
- Stir sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined. Stir in vanilla. In a small bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in semisweet chocolate pieces. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are set and center is almost set.
- Meanwhile, transfer dulce de leche to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) about 1 minute or until softened, stirring once.
- Remove brownies from oven and set pan on a wire rack. Immediately spoon marshmallow creme in mounds on top of hot brownies. Drop spoonfuls of dulce de leche between mounds of marshmallow creme. Let stand for a few minutes to soften. Using a table knife or narrow metal spatula, gently swirl marshmallow creme and dulce de leche together to marble. Sprinkle with pecans. Cool in pan on rack.
- Using the edges of the foil, lift uncut brownies out of pan. Cut into brownies, wiping knife as needed between cuts. Serve brownies the same day they are prepared.
CATHERINE KATE MARGARET 