Knock You Naked Brownies

By Addie

Hey Y’all! I’ve been gone for a while because I haven’t been feeling great. Sorry to keep you all waiting but I’m back today with a real HUM-DINGER!

Goodness. You have to try these.

Here’s how it shakes out. Several weeks ago, I was gifted with a tin of brownies. To be specific: Killer Brownies from Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, Ohio. There were four substantially-sized brownies in the tin, and each brownie was coated generously with a sifting of powdered sugar. But they weren’t just any brownies: they were multilayered, with a gorgeous caramel oozing out of the center layer. And the flavor. To die for. I ate them over the period of several days, more despondent with each bite that I was one step closer to being without them. And I didn’t ever want to be without them again.

They’re one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.

While an official recipe for the Killer Brownies is not available, the classic layered brownie recipe known as “Knock You Naked Brownies” is rumored to be a pretty good match.

I decided to whip up a batch over the weekend and see if they measured up. I’d never tried them before.

It was all in the name of research, of course.

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.

Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

*Adapted from the classic "Knock You Naked Brownies" recipe, based on a dessert at the Salt Creek Steakhouse in Breckenridge. These brownies don't really knock you naked...but almost.