Having a long-distance relationship is not easy. I may not have it as bad as other couples since Jason and I are only 373 miles apart but in the end, it just downright sucks. It’s tough not being able to see your best friend on a daily basis, and even though we have such advanced technology like Face Time, Jason’s internet is so freaking slow that our conversations are constantly being cut out. But do you know what helps me get through the days? My beautiful closet-sized kitchen.

I head into the kitchen and I just spend hours baking and cooking, and it not only helps pass the time but I get to indulge on all these fun treats that I get to make for myself.

But then one morning, I went into the kitchen with a different kind of plan – I was going to make some caramel filled brownies to send to Jason in a care package. Yeah, I went there.

To my surprise, making caramel filled brownies was not difficult at all. It’s a simple brownie recipe that does not require a mixer (score!) and a caramel filling where you just melt some caramel candies with heavy cream on the stovetop. Seems simple enough, right? The best part about it is that in just 40 minutes time, you’ll have the most delectable brownies of your entire life. I’m not much of a chocolate fan (I’m crazy, I know) but even I fell in love with these brownies. They were so unbelievably rich, and the caramel filling just sent me to the moon.

Now you should know that Jason has the kind of metabolism that we all want – he could eat anything and everything and then lose a pound the next day. But me? I’ll eat carrot sticks for dinner, run 5 miles, and then gain a pound and a half the next day.

I know, right?

So this batch of brownies was ALL for him. I did have to eat one to “taste-test” but I sent the rest off. Having these in the house is very dangerous so I took a pre-emptive strike and got rid of all of them. Am I regretting not saving a couple for myself? A little bit.

Caramel Filled Brownies (adapted from Table for Two Blog, original recipe from Annie’s Eats)

Yields 9 bars

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 7 ounces caramel candies, unwrapped
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray; then line the baking dish with parchment paper.

Microwave the butter and chocolate in a large bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla, whisking until well combined.

Add the flour and salt, stirring just until incorporated.

Spread half the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish.

Place into oven oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for an additional 20 minutes.

To make the caramel filling, combine the caramel candies and cream in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.

Cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted and smooth, about 3-4 minutes.

Immediately spread the hot caramel mixture evenly over the bottom brownie layer.

Spread the remaining brownie batter in an even layer over the caramel. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Place into oven oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until set.

Let cool completely before cutting into bars. (Julie suggested I let them cool overnight in order to make clean cuts since it was an absolute pain to clean the sticky caramel off her knife.)

Once they were done cooling, I packaged the brownies in individual bags, and I just had to showcase my new stickers I got for the LA Food Blogger Bake Sale. I know, I’m such a nerd.

This is what his finished care package looked like: a couple of the No Bake Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, Hot Cheetos, Kit Kat bars, and of course, 8 caramel filled brownies.

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