Happy day after my birthday…I mean…Cinco de Mayo! And of course that also means the Holiday Recipe Club is stepping up again to bring you all kinds of festive foods incorporating dulce de leche, chorizo, or tomatoes. I caved into the desserts once again since I have never baked with dulce de leche before. And after seeing this brownie recipe I really could not pass up the opportunity. Just the simple addition of some dulce de leche really kicks these brownies up to a whole new level, while retaining the characteristics of being thick, chewy, and moist – the way all brownies should be.

You can definitely use store-bought dulce de leche, but I went ahead and made my own because it was so easy (and cheaper). You simple take the label off of a regular can of sweetened condensed milk, submerge it under water in your slow-cooker and set on low for 8 hours. Take out, cool and use!

How are you celebrating today? Check out the other recipes linked up at the bottom of this post for more festive ideas! And if you are interested in joining for the next holiday, be sure to visit the HRC contact page.

One year ago: Homemade Salsa

DULCE DE LECHE BROWNIES

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 cup dulce de leche

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the brownies out after they’ve baked.  Spray the pan/foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Add the butter to a medium saucepan and set over low heat.  Melt the butter, stirring occasionally.  Add the chocolate and continue cooking over low, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  Turn off the heat under the pan and whisk in the cocoa powder.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the sugar and vanilla and, finally, the flour.  The batter will be very thick.
3. Transfer half of the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Dollop about one third of the dulce de leche over the batter and use a thin knife to swirl the two together (just a few times). Spread the remaining brownie batter in the pan, then dollop the remaining dulce de leche on top and again use a thin knife to swirl the them together.
4. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the brownies feel just slightly firm on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely before removing and cutting into squares.

Source: Tracey’s Culinary Adventures