Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside.
Place unwrapped caramels and the evaporated milk in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly so the caramels do not burn, until the caramels are completely melted, and the mixture is evenly smooth (5-7 minutes).
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together brownie batter ingredients. We reserved the chocolate chips to sprinkle over the top, but you can mix them in if you prefer.
Spread two-thirds of the brownie batter into the lined baking dish.
Spread the caramel mixture over the brownie batter. Dollop it across the top so that you are not spreading the caramel down into the brownie batter.
Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top of the caramel.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the hot brownies.
Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Notes
Do not over mix the brownie batter as it can result in tough brownies. We're just moistening the dry ingredients and combining everything together. Room temperature eggs incorporate more thoroughly than cold eggs.Use chewy caramels, not hard caramel flavored candy. Kraft or Werther's caramels are readily available at most grocery stores.Chocolate chips can be stirred into the brownie batter for even more richness. We love to simply use them as a garnish over the top of the brownies. Be sure to add them as soon as the brownies come out of the oven. The heat will melt the chips slightly and then they will stick to the brownies as everything cools down.Combining the caramel squares with evaporated milk produces a thick and chewy caramel filling that will not dissolve into the brownie batter. If you use a standard caramel sauce, you may still taste the caramel flavor, but it will likely mix with the brownie batter and you won't be able to see it as a separate layer.Some recipes use sweetened condensed milk with the caramel pieces; this will have a similar texture, but the resulting caramel flavor is much sweeter.