ResHall Recipe: easy dorm Crack Brownies

By JENNA DAVENPORT

I think it is pretty safe to say that, for the most part, everyone is nervous about meeting new friends during their first semester of college. I do not know about anyone else, but all I heard the summer before my freshman year were stories from anyone and everyone about how the next four years were going to be the best of my life and that the friends you make in college are the ones that stick with you.

Do not get me wrong, I loved the stories and advice that everyone had to give, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. Little did I know that making some of my best friends was as easy as making my favorite dessert.

Some people met their friends under the disorienting glow of strobe lights in an all too crowded fraternity house, but I met mine while attempting to stuff nine college students into a tiny, poorly ventilated residence hall kitchen.

My freshman year roommate and I had decided to make my favorite dessert, Crack Brownies, and by the time it was done baking, we had really attracted a crowd of our hall-mates. This is a really simple recipe, and easily doable in a hall kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:

14 ounces of caramels (approx. 50 individual caramels)

1/2 cup and 1/3 a cup of evaporated milk, divided

1 box of German chocolate cake mix

3/4 cup of melted butter or margarine (a stick and a half)

1 cup of chocolate chips

Cooking spray

RECIPE:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Unwrap all of the individual caramels and put them in a small saucepan with 1/2 a cup of evaporated milk over medium heat. Heat until the caramels are completely melted – be sure to stir frequently.

3. While the caramels are melting (this is where it is great to have a baking buddy!), combine the dry German chocolate cake mix, 1/3 a cup of evaporated milk, and the melted butter in a medium bowl until blended. The consistency is going to look thicker than a regular cake batter – that’s normal!

4. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 pan and put half of the cake batter into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

5. After 8 minutes, pull the brownies out and pour the caramel over them. Then, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel and finally, glob the remaining half of the batter on top of everything. Because the batter is so thick, you won’t be able to pour it on so just spread the globs as evenly as possible.

6. Bake for 18 minutes.

7. Let cool and enjoy! These will disappear fast, especially if you leave them in your community kitchen!