Break-Up Brownies

Tysa Marie
Sep 12, 2017
3 min read

Have you ever gone through a relationship break-up? Asking for a friend.

(insert awkward laugh here)

No, but seriously. Have you ever gone through a break-up and then immediately had an event that you had to go to sans boyfriend? Like say, a tailgate party for a football game? If the answer is yes, I'm sure you needed a dessert to eat through those feelings and this brownie recipe is perfect for your broken heart. You'll get so many compliments about this delicious brownie you won't even remember the name of the man who shall not be named. If the answer is no but you love chocolate chip cookies, oreos, and brownies covered in ganache, caramel sauce, and a pinch of sea salt, this brownie recipe is also for you.

What might be the best thing to know about this recipe is that it's easy to make and one batch creates 16 servings. I learned a few other things while making this recipe, too:

Parchment paper is a necessary tool. Think of you baking dish as a big cookie cutter; it's only there to shape your brownies. To get them out of the pan and looking picture perfect, you need the parchment paper to serve as a quick release. The original recipe I looked at recommended greasing the pan before you place the parchment so that the paper doesn't move as you are loading each layer. I have recently discovered parchment paper with a foil backing. No need for me to grease the pan now, as the foil backing helps you mold the paper to the pan easily.
You can use any flavor of oreos you want. I used the golden oreos for the recipe listed below, but feel free to change it up. Especially with all those seasonal flavors Nabisco releases every month. Imagine using the peanut butter oreo or the cookie dough one... The combinations are endless!
Microwaves and chocolate have a fickle relationship. When preparing the chocolate ganache, I learned that just turning the microwave on and watching the chocolate for evidence of melting is not a good method. Chocolate can easily scorch (or burn) and your eye catches it too late. Try melting the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring with a spoon in between each interval.
Storage is key. If you store these brownies in an airtight container, they can last up to one week.

Break-Up Brownies

Brownie Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup and two tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

16 golden oreo cookies

3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

Ganache Ingredients:

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

1 tablespoon heavy cream

caramel sauce, for garnish

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 35 minutes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish and line it parchment paper. Set aside.
First Layer: In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream together 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, and 1/2 cup sugar.
Once light and fluffy, add 1 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
Once incorporated, add 1 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to mixer, adding the flour 1/2 cup at a time and mix thoroughly.
Turn off mixer and fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon.
Evenly spread this cookie dough layer on the bottom of the baking dish.
Second Layer: Place 16 oreo cookies on top of the first layer.
Third Layer: Combine the 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of melted butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup cocoa in the large bowl of an electric mixer.
Add 1/2 cup flower and 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix thoroughly.
Spread the brownie layer evenly on top of the second layer.
Bake for 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the midder and if it comes out clean it is done. If not, bake for an addtional five minutes.
Set baking dish on a wire rack tfor cool completely.
Ganache: Melt chocolate and shortening together in the microwave. Stir until combined and add heavy cream and continue to stir until combined. Spread over cooled Brownies.
Drizzle caramel sauce over the top. Cut into 16 squares. Enjoy!