German Chocolate Brownies

German chocolate cake is delicious, but sometimes a little too much. Brownies can be cut into more delicate pieces. A little something for your baby sweet tooth!

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

German Chocolate Brownies

Yields one 9″ x 13″ pan

Ingredients for the crust:

• 2 cups pecans, ground
• 1 cup graham crackers, ground
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for the brownies:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for the topping:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups toasted, chopped pecans
• 2 cups packed sweetened coconut

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a 9″ x 13″ pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

First things first…start on the crust. (Place the pecans and graham in a food processor and pulse until ground.) Place the ground pecans and graham crackers, brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix well until all is combined thoroughly.

Press the pecan mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden and the crust is firm.

While the crust is baking, start on the brownie batter. In a small bowl add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside. In a medium pot, melt the butter. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sugar until fully combined. Slowly, add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet carefully.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, on top of the pecan crust.

Place in the oven and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only a few crumbs. Allow brownies to cool completely before topping.

While cooling, work on the topping. In a medium bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together.

Slowly, beat in the butter, then the cream and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan set over low heat. Cook, while stirring constantly, until the mixture is puffy and begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and allow to cool all the way to room temperature.

Stir in the pecans and coconut.

Spread all of the mixture over the top of the brownies. Cut and serve with some milk.

Enjoy!!

“Childhood smells of perfume and brownies.” – David Leavitt

Fancy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole…yummers. This recipe is pretty much the regular one when it comes to sweet potatoes. Why mess with a perfectly good thing? Where this one gets fancy is the topping. It’s an oh-so-good oatmeal coconut pecan crumble.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Fancy Sweet Potato Casserole

Yields one 9″ x 13″ pan

Ingredients for the sweet potatoes:

• 3.5 cups (4-5 whole potatoes) of sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Ingredients for the oatmeal coco-pecan topping:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cake flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1.75 cups marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F, and spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook the sweet potatoes until fork tender. Drain and then mash to the consistency you like.

Add sugars, eggs, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, vanilla, and milk and mix well. (I usually premix this stuff in a bowl minus the butter while I’m waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook in the boiling water.)

Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

For the topping, combine oats, flours, pecans, coconut, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Mix to thoroughly combine. Add in softened butter, and with your hands, combine and clump it together.

Sprinkle the crumble on half of the sweet potatoes, and then add the marshmallows to the other half. (I like to make a little design with them. :D)

Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crumble is golden and marshmallows are gooey. Serve warm with the rest of your Thanksgiving feast!

Enjoy!!

“I’m a sweet eater. I love lemon pie and sweet potato pie.” – Claude Williams