Christmas Baking. Day 1. Cookie #1. Turtle Brownies.

Hello, Dear Readers, and Merry Christmas.
 It's Christmas Baking Time for Rosie.
 Rosie finally started her baking marathon,
yesterday, late for her this year.
 But I hit the ground running.
 I like how Rosie and I can change personae at any time.

I present to you ... Turtle Brownies.
A delectable morsel if there ever was one.
The process:
Make the brownie layer.
Make caramel/pecan layer.
If you like, you could add a garnish of piped melted semi-sweet chocolate.
I forgot that part, but it's not really missed here.

 For the brownie layer:

Brownie layer ingredients:
 3/4 cup plus 2 TB flour
 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 4 oz. semisweet chocolate
 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
 1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
 Make brownie layer:
 Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
Melt chocolates and butter over low heat.
 Cool to lukewarm.
 Stir in brown sugar and vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition,
until mixture is glossy and smooth.
Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
 Spread batter evenly in 9-inch square pan
prepared with butter and cocoa dusting.
 Bake 30-35 minutes.
Cool completely on rack.

I buttered a 9-inch square pan and added cocoa powder,
not flour, since I'm doing brownies.

Swirl the cocoa around all sides and shake off excess.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.

I nuked the butter and chocolate,
 but you could melt them in a  heavy sauce pan over low heat.

Whisk to combine.

Keep on whisking until mixture is smooth.

Action shot of brown sugar.

Whisk in brown sugar.

And eggs.

Whisk away.

You know I love my action shots.

Whisk until mixture is glossy and smooth, then add vanilla.

Add in flour mixture...

... and stir until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan.

Spread batter evenly in pan.
Buy yourself an offset spatula if you don't have one.
It's a quite useful utensil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

On to the caramel/pecan layer: 

Caramel/Pecan Layer Ingredients:
 3/4 cup sugar
 1/3 cup light corn syrup
3 TB water
 1/3 heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans
 Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt
 to boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat,
stirring until sugar is dissolved.
 Then let boil, without stirring, until mixture is golden caramel.
 About 10 minutes.
 Remove from heat.
Add cream and vanilla carefully.
 Mixture will steam and bubble.
 Stir in pecans and pour over brownie layer, spreading evenly.
 Cool, then chill, covered.
 Cut into 64 1-inch squares.

Add corn syrup to sugar.

Add 3 TB water.

Start stirring ...

... until sugar is dissolved.
 Let mixture gently boil, without stirring,
until a golden caramel color.

Whilst not stirring, I added the vanilla to the cream.

Here's the caramel color you want.
 Immediately remove from heat,
since it's a given that a caramel will go irreparably downhill very quickly.

Pour in the cream/vanilla mixture.

Bubbly, steamy fun.

Keep stirring.

Add in pecans.

Pour mixture over top of brownie layers quickly.

Spread out evenly. Cool, then chill. Cut into squares.

Do you want me to describe this to you?

Really?

I didn't think so.

Enjoy! Cookie #1 Of The Annual Christmas Rosiethon.