Brownie Upside-Down Brownie

Ingredients

• For the topping
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 16 Brownie Bites, or about 16 2-inch fudgy brownies
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• For the brownie base
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter, melted
• 3 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the butter to the pan and warm it in the oven for about 3 minutes, just until it melts; if it needs a nudge, tilt the pan and let the heat finish the job. Scatter the brown sugar over the melted butter, then arrange the Brownie Bites in neat rows over that buttery sugar layer. Set the pan aside while you make the brownie batter.
2. Make the bottom brownie layer. In a separate mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the melted butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, and keep going until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and pale yellow. Mix in the vanilla. Add the dry mixture a little at a time, beating on low until everything is fully combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, pouring carefully so you do not disturb the brownie pieces underneath.
3. Bake the brownies for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Take the pan out of the oven and run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen them.
4. Place a board firmly over the pan, then quickly turn the whole thing over onto the flat surface. Leave the pan upside down so any chocolatey bits stuck underneath can fall back onto the top.
5. After about 15 minutes, lift off the baking pan. If any larger pieces stayed behind, remove them from the pan and set them back on top of the brownie; this is a gloriously messy dessert, so no need to fuss over making it look perfect. To dress it up a bit, sprinkle chocolate morsels over the top, or slice and serve each piece with a big dollop of whipped cream.