I did not think my favourite brownies could get better, but wow, they really did. Top them with a magical layer of caramelised, honeyed, toasted pecans just like in a pecan pie, and boom. They become extra fudgy and rich without being extra sweet and I can’t wrap my mind around how divine these are. The crunch of the pecans with a gooey centered brownie…you have to eat it to know it. Let’s bake some amazing brownies!

I came across this incredible addition to brownie batter on NYT Cooking but knew I wanted to try it with my go-to recipe for the fudgiest, most chocolatey brownies. It makes a thinner brownie layer so I was concerned they would get over baked and dry out while the caramel on top finished cooking. But here’s where the magic happened, the caramel seemed to soak into the top of the brownie batter a bit, which means the cooking time had to be increased anyway, but it also prevented the brownies from going dry. Win win!

It’s important to use a dark chocolate here, at least 70% so that the whole effect isn’t too sweet. The pecans are wonderfully toasty, the caramel sits into a sticky but not hard consistency. Safe to say, these are not dainty brownies, they’re messy in all the best ways.

They taste better the next day and also give the center, which tends to remain a bit more gooey, a chance to firm up a bit more, but not go dry. The pecans intensify in flavour too and the whole thing is just irresistible.

I hope you love these as much as I did!

Please read the recipe notes before beginning.

Pecan Pie Brownies

Fudgy dark chocolate brownies with a toasted pecan and caramel layer

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 5

Makes: 16 brownies

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Ingredients

For the brownie batter

85 gms butter, at room temp (6 tbsps)
170 gms dark chocolate (70% to 75%), chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup cocoa powder (20 gms)
1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
3/4th cup caster sugar (142 gms)
2 eggs at room temperature (see notes)
1 and 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 gms)
1/4 tsp baking powder

For the pecan topping

1 and 1/2 cups pecans (150 gms; walnuts would be great too)
85 gms butter, melted but not boiling hot (6 tbsps)
1/4 cup honey (60 ml)
1/4 cup soft brown sugar, light or dark (50 gms)
2 tbsps cream, at room temperature (heavy/whipping cream recommended)
1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter

Instructions

Before beginning the brownies, toast the pecans. Spread them out in a single layer on an un-greased baking tray and bake for 5 minutes in a preheated 175 C oven. Set aside to cool slightly, then coarsely chop them up or break into pieces with your hands.
Make the brownie batter. Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line an 8" square pan with non-stick baking paper , leaving a little overhang for easy removal. I don't recommend greasing the pan instead of using paper in this recipe, the brownies are sticky and will be harder to remove.
In a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water (the pot shouldn't touch the water at all), melt the butter, chocolate and cocoa until smooth (see notes). Let this cool while you get the rest of the batter ready.
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl till pale and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat again till combined.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir slowly until no flour is visible. The batter is quite thick. Spread evenly into the prepared dish (it will take a little manoeuvring to get it right to the corners), smoothen the top and set aside.
Make the pecan topping. In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, sugar, cream and salt (if using). Stir in the chopped toasted pecans, till well-coated. Immediately spread evenly over the brownie batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the center comes out with moist crumbs and some caramel, but no wet batter. Over-baking will lead to dry brownies, so take them out when the center still looks gooey.
Set aside to cool completely at room temperature and allow the caramel to set, then remove from the pan and slice into 16 equal pieces with a sharp knife to help cut through the pecans. The center pieces will be more gooey than the edges.
These brownies actually taste better on day two and have the right firm, but not hard consistency by then as well, if you can wait! Best stored at room temperature in an airtight tin for 4 to 5 days (if it's hot and humid weather, then 2 days), after which they can be kept in the fridge for a week or frozen for a month. Happy baking!

Notes

*Make sure you don't overheat the chocolate mixture. Once the chocolate is almost melted, take it off the heat and stir to melt down any lumps. You can also do this step in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring in between.

*I used Amul chocolate here. You don't need cooking chocolate necessarily, but a good bar of dark chocolate with minimal ingredients is key.

*Here is an eggless brownie recipe but I have not tried it with this pecan version and can't guarantee the same result.

*Pecan topping from NYT Cooking.