You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of brownies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—they must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.
&183; Brownies keep, uncut in pan and chilled, covered (or cut and layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container), 2 weeks.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 1/2 hr
Yield
Makes about 64 brownies
Ingredients
For brownie layer
For caramel-pecan layer
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
Make brownie layer:
Step 2
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Step 3
Melt chocolates and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, then stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until mixture is glossy and smooth. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Step 4
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.
Make caramel-pecan layer:
Step 5
Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a golden caramel color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add cream and vanilla (mixture will bubble and steam). Stir in pecans and immediately pour over brownie layer, spreading evenly. Cool completely in pan on rack.
Prepare garnish:
Step 6
Spoon chocolate into a small sealable plastic bag and seal, forcing out excess air. Squeeze chocolate into 1 corner, then cut a tiny slice off corner to form a small hole. Squeeze chocolate decoratively over brownies.
Step 7
Chill brownies, loosely covered, until caramel and chocolate are firm, at least 4 hours.
Step 8
Just before serving, cut chilled brownies into 64 (1-inch) squares and remove from pan while still cold, then bring to room temperature.
