Rich Turtle Brownies
Let’s talk love languages. Some people show low through touch, through verbal affirmations, through gifts, & so on. I am a show love through gifts kinda gal. Particularly gifts from the kitchen, especially when it comes to little surprises for my husband. I love finding the perfect gift for him that can spark joy or lift his spirits during stressful times. This go around, I’m showing love through the gift of chocolate-y baked goods - Rich Turtle Brownies. Gooey + rich + chocolatey (& also my excuse to make caramel sauce from scratch), & the chocolate overload is just everything Jordan loves in a dessert.
Poor guy doesn’t get too many oober chocolate-y desserts. I can be a little selfish & bake for my own sweet tooth, which is probably how it goes down 90% of the time. I love something fruity, tangy, & loaded with some fresh elements, so pretty much anything with a vanilla base & fruit layer or citrus curd is right up my alley. But Jordan is chocolate guy - total opposite of the light & fruit forward desserts that usually come out of my kitchen. But he’s a saint, and as we wind down from a busy week I felt like cranking something out just for him, which meant chocolate overload. So hello homemade brownies with a twist.
This brownie recipe produces a pan of what I’m calling brownie fudge. It’s so rich, so loaded with chocolate, & so moist - I love it. The brownies never really cross the threshold of getting to a cake-like consistency, and the gooey-ness that remains (even after a long bake) is truly reminiscent of fudge. Only it’s not sugary sweet, and instead bitter & chocolatey flavors come through in every bite.
The twist is the turtle addition, which essentially means a layer of caramel & nuts somewhere, In this case, loaded right on top of the damn thing. You load the nuts right on top of the raw batter before putting the pan in the oven, just lightly pressing them into the top of the batter so they are still exposed (not mixed in). The nuts just toast up as the brownies bake, giving the same effect as toasting nuts on their own in the oven. & they toasty-vibes gives a nice crunchy texture to the brownies that offsets the fudgie batter. Disclaimer - I went with walnuts over pecans for my version of a turtle dessert simply because I like them better, but you can totally use pecans or another nut in it’s place.
The whole thing is finished by pouring freshly prepared caramel on top of the entire tray. No frosting, spreading, or delicate design-work needed to make them look appetizing. Just sticky caramel poured right over the top, letting the cards fall as they may as the caramel spreads over the top, invading any crevice or crack between those walnut pieces. Pour the caramel sauce on while it’s still warm, letting it cool & settle on top of the brownies until it sets. Cutting into each brownie you get a thick layer of caramel that sits right on top, & that was my favorite part of the dessert.
My chocolate fix & a welcomed chocolate-y dessert for my sweetie, and very very delish brownie base for any future variations.
