Death by Caramel Bars

These showy brownies are nice and tall with pockets of caramel goo. They are wicked enough on their own, but for an over-the-top dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Prep: 24 min.; Cook: 1 hr., 5 min.

Editor's favorite; Make ahead

Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3  cups  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  cups  unsalted butter, melted
• 3  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla extract
• 4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  uncooked regular oats
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt
• 6  (2.07-oz.) chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars, chopped (we tested with Snickers)
• 1  (14-oz.) can dulce de leche*

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in chopped candy bars.

Spoon batter into a greased aluminum foil-lined 13" x 9" pan coated with cooking spray, allowing foil to extend over ends of pan. (Pan will be very full.) Spoon dollops of dulce de leche over batter; swirl slightly into batter with a knife. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack, and cool completely. (This may take several hours.) Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of pan. Peel foil away from sides of uncut brownies, and cut into bars.

*Find dulce de leche with other Mexican ingredients or on the baking aisle.