Praline brownies

Praline
Pecans	1 ½ cups
Sugar, light brown, packed	1 ½ cups
Sugar, granulated	¾ cup
Butter, unsalted	6 tablespoons
Cream, heavy	¾ cup
Salt, kosher	¾ teaspoon
Vanilla extract	¾ teaspoon
Brownies
Flour, all-purpose	2 cups
Cocoa powder, unsweetened	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	1 cup
Butter, unsalted	1 ½ cups
Chocolate, dark (70%), finely chopped	2 cups
Eggs	6 large
Sugar, light brown, packed	1 ½ cups
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon

Praline

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet, and toast for about 10 minutes, until golden. 
3. In a medium saucepan, combine both sugars with the butter and cream, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture registers 230°F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. 
4. Stir in the toasted pecans and salt. 
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240°F, about 2 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. 
7. Let the mixture cool down to 210°F. 
8. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it stiffens and looks cloudy. 
9. Scrape the praline onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 
10. Spread in an even layer, and let cool. 
11. Transfer the praline to a work surface, and coarsely chop. 

Brownie

1. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. 
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder and granulated sugar. 
3. In a medium saucepan set over another saucepan of gently simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes; let cool slightly. 
4. In a large bowl, using an electric handheld mixer, beat the eggs with the light brown sugar and salt at medium speed for 2 minutes. 
5. Beat in the dry ingredients in four additions, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl. 
6. With the mixer on, drizzle in the chocolate mixture and beat at low speed until well combined. 
7. Fold in the chopped praline. 
8. Scrape the brownie batter into the pan, and bake for about 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. 
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, October 2016