Salted Caramel Fudgy Brownies

Ummmm…. speechless. Dubbed #sexonaplate… #foodporn… just plain good. My ever-obliging taste testers at the office swooned over these. “I would get fat for these.” “They’re rich… but not. I love the salt.” “…..mmmmm…..” Yeah.

Honestly, these started as an “I would like something sweet but not too sweet.” I love those salty-sweet combinations. It’s the best middle ground between the sweet and savoury war, which I wage internally on most every day. Yes, there are two distinct processes involved with this dessert but I promise that it is worth the effort. I made one 10”x10” tray of thin but still rich and gooey. I think that three times that many could have been eaten. The only things grateful, when the bottom of the container was reached and only a few crumbs remained, were our waistlines.

“I will make some man fat and happy one day.” Heads nod.

Salted Caramel Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:
Caramel:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon maldon salt
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cream

Brownies:
1 1/4 stick butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour

You are going to start with a brownie step, then caramel, then brownie, then bake…

First, melt together the butter, sugar, cocoa and salt. I am not about the double-boiler. I put a saucepan on the stove, melted the butter, then added the sugar, cocoa and salt. I stirred continually until things seemed to combine, then took this off of the heat and transferred to a mixing bowl to cool. Honestly, I was a bit nervous at this point. My sugar/cocoa mix seemed more grainy and sad than something that looked like a soon-to-be amazing brownie. Rest assured! Mine came together… and so will yours!


Then, in another saucepan or the same one after you’ve cleaned it out, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, cream, butter and salt. Bring to a simmer and stir, every so often, until the sugar dissolves. Stir together and reduce the heat. You want to keep it warm and viscous but not burn it. I don’t worry too much about the caramel at this point because it is going to get fully cooked with the brownies… Turn on your oven. To 325F.

While the caramel is quietly bubbling on the stove, return to your cooled chocolate mixture. Add your vanilla, then each egg (cold) one at a time, combining after each addition. (Confidence returning… the batter now has that lovely sheen.) Then mix in your flour.

Pour brownie mix into an 10” square pan. I have a silicone tray that I use, so I didn’t prep it. If you’re using a metal one, you may want to line the tray with parchment. It would make your life infinitely easier when you try to extricate the brownies later. 

Then, drizzle your caramel over the brownie batter. If you’d like, and I did, sprinkle a bit of maldon salt (not too much) over the surface of the batter.

Put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. If you used a smaller pan and your brownies are thicker, then you’ll need to cook a bit longer. Since the cake-tester/crumb test doesn’t work with brownies, you need to watch for that cakiness and crispness on the surface and sides. Let cool completely before eating… otherwise they won’t hold their shape and the caramel is ridiculously hot at this point.

Time to stop salivating and enjoy.

ADDENDUM (based on some discussion with friends): 1. You should cook your caramel until it begins to turn that characteristic caramel colour. If it is very pale when you go to pour it over the brownies, it won't brown up to that beautiful gold during the baking... it doesn't have quite enough time or heat. 2. If you use a pan that is smaller than 10" or light in colour, the baking time will increase. A dark pan absorbs more heat and therefore shortens the baking time, whereas a light pan reflects the heat and will require more baking time than a dark pan. Here is a eHow site with some tips, tricks and thoughts on your baking pans and sheets.