Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers/Snacks
    • Main Courses
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Vegetarian
    • Gluten-Free
    • Close
  • Press
  • Contact

Southern Boy Dishes

Cook Eat Dish

Pecan Turtle Brownies

Bill Harrisใƒป15 Comments

Pecan Turtle Brownies

I was a skinny kid. And when I say skinny I mean really skinny. At high school graduation, I was 6’1″ and weighed 130 pounds. All through my childhood, I possessed a voracious appetite. School lunches sucked, so by the time I was home at 3:00, I was ravenous and raiding the refrigerator. I’m not kidding you when I say I snacked until dinnertime around 6:00. I would eat dinner and most likely have another nosh before bed.

On special occasions, usually around Christmas, a box of Millionaires candies would appear briefly at our house. I say briefly, because “you know who” could eat the entire box in one sitting. If you’ve never heard of Millionaires, they’re basically turtles or chocolate covered candies made from caramel and pecans.

Pecan Turtle Brownies

I’m not sure what made me think of Millionaires candies this week, but my craving for these delicious treats had me thinking about creating some kind of variation on chocolate turtles. What better variation than brownies topped with chocolate chips, pecans, and a luscious caramel sauce, right?

I have some experience making different forms of caramel such as icing for Caramel Cake and dulce de leche for Salted Caramel Brownies, but I’d never made a caramel sauce for drizzling. The process is very similar to making caramel icing but it’s actually much easier. The sauce requires your constant attention for about 10 minutes, but the final product is so worth the effort.

Pecan Turtle Brownies

You start by putting sugar in a heavy skillet or sauce pan and letting it melt over fairly high heat. When the sugar has melted, it begins to darken very quickly. The first batch I made got a little too dark so I had to start over. When the sugar begins to turn an amber color, you’ll want to move quickly to finish the sauce. The sauce will harden when cooled, so I suggest letting it cool slightly until it’s not too thin but still suitable for drizzling over the brownies.

If you like turtles candies like I do, I feel certain you’ll love these brownies. They’re a great treat for picnics, a day at the lake, or to finish off a summer cookout. Enjoy!

Print
Pecan Turtle Brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 12 to 15 brownies

Pecan Turtle Brownies

Ingredients

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon fleur de sel or any other flaky sea salt

For the brownies:

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips, plus 3 ounces for topping

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into eight pieces

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons espresso powder

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped

Instructions

For the caramel sauce:

1. Transfer sugar to a heavy large skillet or sauce pan and place over medium high heat. After about 3 or 4 minutes the sugar will begin melting. When melting begin moving the sugar around the pan with a whisk. The sugar will begin clumping which is normal.

2. Continue whisking until sugar is completely melted. At this point begin watching very carefully as the sugar can burn very quickly. When the sugar begins turning an amber color, add butter and continue whisking until butter is melted. The sugar will bubble vigorously.

3. When the butter is melted, remove from heat and add cream. Continue whisking until well combined. Add salt and whisk to combine. Let sauce cool until the consistency is suitable for drizzling over brownies.

For the brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9"x9" baking pan or 7"x11" ceramic dish with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.

2. In a double boiler or heat resistant bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt 10 ounces of chocolate chips and butter. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Whisk flour, baking power, salt, cocoa powder and espresso powder together in a small bowl.

4. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Add sugar in small amounts, whisking until well combined. Blend in vanilla extract.

5. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture and whisk until combined.

6. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture in small amounts, whisking until incorporated. Do not over mix.

7. Pour the batter into baking dish.

8. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven briefly and top with pecans and 3 ounces of chocolate chips. Return dish to oven and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

9. Drizzle slightly cooled caramel sauce over the top of the brownies. Cool completely on a cooling rack before cutting.

3.1
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/06/13/pecan-turtle-brownies/

You may also like:

  • Salted Caramel Brownies
    Salted Caramel Brownies
  • Caramel Cake
    My Grandma’s Caramel Cake
  • Carrot Cake
    The Best Carrot Cake Ever
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Bill Harris
I grew up in small town Mississippi eating traditional southern fare.A lifelong foodie, I started cooking and experimenting with food at a very young age. I started Southern Boy Dishes as a creative outlet and a way to share my love of food.
Latest posts by Bill Harris (see all)
  • Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Soup - November 8, 2015
  • Smoky and Sweet Turkey Chili{+ a Cookbook Giveaway} - October 27, 2015
  • Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Stew with Turkey Sausage - October 16, 2015

Share this:

  • Share on Tumblr
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Baked Goods, Desserts, Recipes, Vegetarian

Comments

  1. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says

    June 16, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    OH golly – these look divine!
    My sister used to be just like you – as a kid she would eat EVERYTHING and never put on an ounce! She could have demolished a whole pan of these and still have been hungry! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  2. Constance Smith (@FoodieArmyWife) says

    June 15, 2014 at 7:04 pm

    Oh Bill! Those look absolutely wicked!!

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      Thank you, Constance!

      Reply
  3. sippitysup says

    June 15, 2014 at 12:21 am

    From one skinny kid to another I say let’s eat… GREG

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      Agreed, Greg!

      Reply
  4. John@Kitchen Riffs says

    June 14, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    I was the same way in high school. Although I was fat compared to you — same height, but I weighted 135 pounds! And I ate all the time. Can’t eat that way these days, which is a good thing. These look great — I love pecans, and these turtles look delish. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      Ha ha, John. You were way overweight!

      Reply
  5. Yankee Kitchen Ninja (Julianne) says

    June 13, 2014 at 9:43 pm

    I used to LOVE turtles as a kid! I should have waited until I wasn’t starving to come look at this post, though — PINNING! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      We had to give all but four away. Can you say “no willpower”? ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks, Ninj!

      Reply
  6. Donalyn@TheCreeksideCook says

    June 13, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    Bill, these look fantastic, from start to end – when it cools off enough to bake again, these will be on the list!

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      Thanks so much for dropping by SBD, Donalyn!

      Reply
  7. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says

    June 13, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    I remember being so starving when I was a kid too. I would get home and just pounce on the fridge. I love this combination of flavors. And your photos are beautiful. The little swirl of gooey caramel in the foreground is great. And I love the blend of crisp focus and blurred background. Pinned!

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:18 pm

      Thank you so much, Katie!

      Reply
  8. Renee says

    June 13, 2014 at 11:38 am

    Oh I love turtles! And what awesome brownies too. Pinned to save for later.

    Reply
    • Bill Harris says

      June 15, 2014 at 7:18 pm

      Thank, Renee!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hello, my name is Bill and welcome to Southern Boy Dishes. My relationship with food started many years ago. I came into the world with a ravenous appetite and I remember being in the kitchen with my mother… Read More

SBDs Picks

Fried Chicken Tacos with Collard Slaw & Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Fried Chicken Tacos with Collard Slaw and Chipotle Ranch Dressing

White Bean and Chicken Chili

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Pan-Seared Chicken with Parmesan Grits & Mushroom Gravy

Chicken Breast with Parmesan Grits

Chicken Gumbo Pot Pies

Chicken Gumbo Pot Pie

Most Popular

Bacon-Mushroom Frittata {Plus a Cookbook Giveaway}

Bacon Mushroom Frittata

Stuffed Flank Steak

Stuffed Flank Steak

Classic Pork Stew

Classic Pork Stew

Lemon Icebox Pie

Lemon Icebox Pie

photo galleries

Foodgawker

like sbd on facebook

follow sbd on google+

follow sbd on twitter

Follow @southernboydish

follow sbd on pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest

Categories

Copyright © 2023 ยท Southern Boy Dishes ยท Website by New Tricks Web Design