Coffee Crunch Brownies with Espresso Caramel Sauce

Sunday was National Brownie Day, and we knew we had to do something special. It just happened that we had a canister of coffee crunch left over from last week's Coffee Crunch Cookies for National Cookie Day. Coffee Crunch brownies sounded like they just might work out nicely... and boy, did they! Whether you're looking for a decadent holiday dessert or a sweet finish to a romantic dinner for two, these coffee-kissed brownies are the perfect choice.

Prep time: 1.5 hours

Cook time: 25 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients for Brownies

• 1 package brownie mix
• 3/4 cup coffee crunch

Cooking Directions

1. Follow the package directions for the brownie mix until just before spooning the brownie batter into pan.
2. Place the coffee crunch into a heavy-duty sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin.
3. Gently fold the crushed coffee crunch into the brownie batter and spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake as directed by the package or your recipe.

Ingredients for Coffee Caramel Sauce

• 10 tbsp sweet cream butter, cut into 1/2" squares
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 cup strong brewed espresso
• 1/2 tsp flake sea salt, if desired
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Mix together the brewed espresso and 1 cup of heavy cream. Add the coffee mixture, sugar and salt to the melted butter.
3. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, whisking constantly the entire time.
4. Turn down the heat and continue to cook and whisk the mixture for an additional 3-5 minutes to thicken the caramel.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Allow the caramel sauce to cool to just above room temperature, or refrigerate until you're ready to use. When you're ready to use, reheat the caramel sauce in the microwave on low power in 15-second bursts.
7. Cut the brownies into 12 squares. Place a brownie on a plate. Spoon coffee caramel sauce over the brownie. Whip the remaining heavy cream with 2-3 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar, or sweeten to taste. Top caramel-covered brownie with whipped cream and drizzle cream with more caramel sauce.