Samoa Brownies

For the brownies:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Lightly spray with cooking spray or grease with butter. Set aside.

Add butter to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until light brown or caramel in color, 5–10 minutes. Make sure to keep and eye on it so butter does not burn. It also helps to use a light-colored saucepan for this.

Pour browned butter into a large bowl along with both sugars, cocoa powder, salt, instant coffee granules and baking powder. Stir until combined and allow to rest for 5 minutes or until mixture has cooled down.

Stir in eggs and vanilla and mix until batter has a nice sheen to it. Fold in flour and stir until combined. (Do not over-mix.)

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes or until top is set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool completely.

To assemble the brownies, top them with the coconut caramel topping. Cut into 9 brownies and drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

For the coconut caramel topping:
While the brownies are baking, make your coconut caramel topping.

Add sugar to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir sugar for 5–10 minutes or until sugar is completely melted and golden brown. (The sugar takes 5 minutes to start to melt and will clump up; that is fine.) When sugar is golden brown and melted, immediately take off heat and stir in butter. It will get bubbly, which is fine.

Pour in heavy cream and sea salt and mix until combined. Place back on the stove for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in coconut flakes. Set aside until ready to assemble.