Caramel-Layered Brownies

Caramel-Layered Brownies 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional) 14 ounces caramels 1/3 cup evaporated milk Heat the oven to 350⁰F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. In the top half of a double boiler, over hot water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until melted. Stir sugar into melted chocolate mixture. Mix in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour. Remove 1 cup of batter; set aside. Spread remaining batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with chips and 1 cup of the nuts, if using. Melt caramels and milk over low heat, stirring constantly, until completely melted and smooth. Spoon over chips and nuts, spreading to edges of pan. Gently spread reserved batter over caramel mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup nuts, if using. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool in pan, cut into squares