Rich Caramel Filled Brownie Cups

DIRECTIONS

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