Sinful Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownies

I finally made something I pinned on Pinterest.  And it was every bit as divine as it there appears:

Photo Credit as indicated.  Pinterest Link.

The original recipe is actually for "Chocolate Caramel Brownies" but I was craving salted caramel, super-dark brownies so I basically used Trader Joe's "Fleur de Sel" (salted) caramels and the darkest chocolate I could get my hand on to make these.  Here's the recipe with my alterations.  Please note that I actually halved the original recipe to make just one 8x8 pan - these are insanely rich and there's no way we could have handled a full pan of them.

Sinful Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownies
Makes One 8x8 Inch Pan of Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

For the brownies:
1 stick butter
1 cup ultra dark chocolate chips (Ghiradelli 60% or E. Guittard 63% Extra Dark Chocolate Chips)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1/2 + 1/8 cup flour (original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cup and I halved that; I estimated with the 1/8 cup)
1/4 tsp salt (I added, but will consider omitting next time because the caramel is quite salty)
3/4 cup pecans, chopped (optional - I did on half my pan and LOVED)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or whatever you have, really - I used Ghiradelli mini semisweet chips)
For the caramel filling:
7 ounces Trader Joe's "Fleur de Sel" caramel candies, unwrapped (box was 10 oz; I used 21 out of 28 caramels)
1/8 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 square baking dish with aluminum foil.  Grease generously with room temp butter or cooking spray (I used butter).  Don't worry if the foil breaks a little (turned out fine for me).
2. In a saucepan on the stovetop, melt butter and 1 cup dark chocolate chips.  Stir as they melt to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well-mixed.  Add flour and salt and stir until just mixed.  
3. Spread about half of the brownie dough in the prepared pan.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Cool for 20.
4. As you cool, toast the chopped pecans by stirring frequently in a saucepan over medium heat, until they are fragrant.
5. Make the caramel filling by, once again in a saucepan on low-medium heat, stirring the caramels and heavy cream constantly as they heat.  The mixture will eventually become uniform, even if it takes 5-10 minutes.
6. Pour caramel over baked brownies.
7. Add toasted pecans (if adding).
8. Drop remaining brownie dough in spoonfuls over the caramel and spread as evenly as you can.  Doesn't have to be perfect.  Sprinkle with remaining semisweet chocolate chips.
9. Bake 20 minutes.  Cool completely.  Okay to store in refrigerator but best flavor at room temp.

Caramel filling poured.

Ready to bake.

Final Product:  Too gooey to cut!  (try chilling completely)

Enjoy!