“Mmmm”. “Oh God”. “I will die”. “Die-abetes, you mean”. Just a few of the choice phrases uttered through mouthfuls of chocolate by friends and colleagues on trying these morsels.
This take on a brownie is so rich that a slab baked on a Monday should last until Sunday, disappearing one sticky slither at a time with cups of tea.
I have previously ranted about the qualities of the ideal brownie and, until this recipe came along, I thought I had it sussed. But adding a decadent layer of salted caramel here elevates this cake above and beyond anything I had thought possible. Try it. You’ll never go back.
Ingredients (makes about 20 small squares)
For the caramel:
- 75g white caster sugar
- 50ml double cream
- 10g unsalted butter
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
For the brownie:
- 100g unsalted butter
- 150g caster sugar
- 100g light brown sugar or muscovado, either works a treat
- 75g golden syrup
- 300g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks (80% cocoa if you can get it)
- 4 eggs
- 70g plain flour
Instructions
For the caramel:
- Tip the sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan in an even layer. Place over medium heat
- Wait until the edges start to liquify then move the sugar around onto the wet spots to melt. Do not stir but keep everything gently moving until you have a liquid
- Cook until the liquid takes on a copper colour
- Remove from heat and whisk in 1/3 of the cream (stand back from pan, it will sizzle a fair bit!)
- Keep pouring and whisking until all the cream is incorporated
- Add the butter one small chunk at a time and the salt and stir until smooth
- Pour into a bowl and leave to cool
For the brownie:
- Preheat the oven to 160C
- Line a 20x20cm tin
- In a big saucepan place the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and syrup
- Heat until everything is melted then beat until it becomes a smooth mix
- Take off the heat then add the chocolate and stir until melted
- Lightly whisk the eggs in a small bowl then incorporate them into the mixture
- Add the flour and beat thoroughly until very smooth
- Pour into the prepared tin
- Spoon your caramel evenly over the mix then use a knife or chopstick to lightly swirl it through
- Bake for 20 minutes then take out and leave to cool in the tin
- Once cool, put into the fridge overnight
- Slice into small squares with a sharp knife.
I find this this brownie is so gooey it is best served straight from the fridge and it’ll keep there happily for a week in an airtight container.