Rich Caramel Filled Brownie Cups

This recipe is a big favorite--brownie and caramel in a muffin cup make this a wonderful, elegant decorative treat. Most of all, it is decadent! Enjoy!

• Ready In: 18 mins
• Yields: 32 brownie cups

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  whole almond (with skins)
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 6  ounces  high quality bittersweet chocolate
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 2  large eggs

• Caramel filling

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 2  tablespoons heavy cream
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In shallow baking pan, toast the almonds in 1 layer in center of oven until fragrant, about 12 minutes; let cool.
3. In a processor, finely grind 1/2 cup almonds with flour and salt; reserve remaining almonds for topping.
4. Finely chop the chocolate.
5. In small saucepan, melt butter; remove pan from heat and add chocolate. Stir until smooth.
6. In bowl, combine chocolate mixture, almond mixture, sugar and eggs; mix well.
7. Chill dough just until firm, 30 minutes or so. Roll level tablespoonfuls of dough into balls.
8. Lightly press balls into 32 1/8-cup mini-muffin cups (1 3/4 inch across top, 3/4 inch deep).
9. Using your thumb, make a 1/3-inch deep indentation in center of each ball; chill shell 1 hour.
10. Prepare the filling: In dry 3 quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar over moderately low heat.
11. Stir slowly with fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden.
12. Cook caramel without stirring, gently swirling pan, until deep golden; remove pan from heat.
13. Carefully pour corn syrup and cream down side of pan (will vigorously steam and caramel will harden).
14. Simmer the mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and then stir in vanilla and salt.
15. Transfer caramel filling to a glass measure and cool 10 minutes.
16. Carefully pour warm filling into each shell until level with top of shell (careful--don't overfill!).
17. Chill brownie cups, loosely covered, at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day.
18. Preheat oven to 350° and bake in center of oven 10 minutes or until caramel begins to bubble.
19. Transfer pans to a rack, top with reserved almonds and cool completely in pans.
20. Using a sharp thin knife, loosen brownie cups and lift out of pans.