Over-the-Top Brownies

Posted by Lori:
In March, we 3 Cherry Cokes visited Fredericksburg, Texas, for a long weekend. One of our favorite stops was at a little 50's-type diner that served sandwiches and sweets. Kimberly and I tried the gourmet brownies they served, which were delicious!

When I got home, I decided to try and duplicate the turtle brownie I had eaten. The brownie recipe I used was one I've posted here before called Fabulous Brownies. This is a very rich brownie all on it's own, but when the icing, caramel sauce, and cream cheese icing was added - well, I finally met a dessert that was almost too rich for me - and that hasn't happened often! It was over-the-top rich, but still yummy!

I served this rich dessert at a church dinner and had lots of compliments on it, even though no one could figure out what it was. If you like the sound of it, but are afraid it will be too rich, try a different brownie recipe - one that's less rich.

Over-the-Top Brownies
(Note: Mine were baked in the 13 x 18.5 inch pan mentioned below. I don't think the jelly roll (10 x 15 x 1) sized pan would hold all of the toppings for this recipe, so if you make it and you do not have that large of a pan, use two 9 x 13 pans.

1st Layer - Fabulous Brownies

1 pound (4 sticks) butter (not margarine)
3/4 cup cocoa powder
4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
5 cups pecans (optional)

DO NOT USE ELECTRIC MIXER, but mix by hand in order given above. Place in greased and floured (or sugared *** see note below) pan. The recipe says to use a jelly roll pan (10 x 15 x 1) or 2 cake pans (9 x 13). I use the same large Doughmakers pan I've mentioned several times that's 13 x 18.5 and it works fine, too. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Do not overbake!! Cool and ice with icing below.

2nd Layer - Fabulous Brownie Icing:
1 stick margarine (not lowfat)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar

In a medium sized saucepan, bring margarine, cocoa and milk to a boil over medium heat. Remove from stove and add vanilla. Beat in powdered sugar.

***Sugared pan: My husband likes a brownie from a bakery in Lawton, OK. Their brownies have a sugared bottom. I'm not exactly sure this is how they do it, but it works for me! Grease the bottom of the pan (I use shortening because Doughmakers pans can't be sprayed). Sprinkle sugar in the bottom of the pan and swirl around until sugar is covered on the bottom...just like you would do with the flour. It makes a crustier and sweeter bottom.

3rd Layer - Caramel Sauce
1 - 11 oz. package caramels
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Unwrap caramels. Eat two or three of them. Place remainder of caramels in medium saucepan. Add evaporated milk. Melt caramels over low-medium heat, stirring frequently at first - constantly as begins to melt. Pour caramel misauce over cooled, iced brownies.

4th Layer - Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick butter, softened
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I ended up using 3 1/2 cups of powered sugar to get the icing the consistancy I wanted, but I softened the cream cheese in the microwave and it may have caused it to be thinner.)

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Spread on top of cooled caramel layer.

Final Layer, if desired
Chopped pecans sprinkled on top