Nutella Chocolate Chip Brownie Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting - brownie

Method

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes worth) with baking cups. Set pan aside.
• For the cupcakes, melt butter and chocolate together in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Remove pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Allow to cool prior to adding eggs.
• Once cooled to room temperature, add the eggs and vanilla; stir until the batter is smooth. Add chocolate chips and flour, mixing all the ingredients well together.
• Pour batter into baking cups filling 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the brownie clean. Let brownies cool for an hour.
• Once brownie cupcakes have cooled, scoop out the center of the brownie with a teaspoon, leaving a small circular spoon-shaped cavity. Fill the the brownie center with a teaspoon of Nutella, sprinkle with a few hazelnuts.
• Let brownies continue to cool. In the meantime prepare the frosting by combining sugar, egg whites, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160°F on a thermometer.
• Return bowl to the mixer and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Let mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Mix again on medium speed, then add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until mixture is smooth. Mix in vanilla and caramel extract.
• Frost the cooled brownies, sprinkle with more hazelnuts, and drizzle with caramel sauce. Devour immediately-you worked hard for these!