Pecan Turtle Black Cocoa Brownies

For the brownies:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×13 metal baking pan with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, and vanilla extract with a spoon until thoroughly combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powders, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let the brownies cool, then make the caramel.

For the caramel pecan topping:
In a liquid measuring cup, combine heavy cream, vanilla bean scrapings, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until the sugar has completely dissolved. Continue to boil, swirling the pan occasionally but NOT stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, anywhere from 7-15 minutes. Caramel goes from perfect to burnt in a split second, so don’t walk away!

When the caramel has reached the correct color, remove it from the heat, and immediately pour in the heavy cream and vanilla mixture. Be careful, as it will bubble up quite a bit. Stir until thoroughly combined, and add in the pecans. Immediately pour over the brownies, and spread evenly to cover. Let cool completely before cutting.