I realized as I was typing up this post that M and I have a few different recipes on our blog for Caramel Brownies (see here and here for the other recipes.) Can you blame us??? It really is okay because all the recipes are a little bit different and all make spectacular brownies. Salted caramel desserts are starting to become as regular as chocolate chips cookies.
This recipe makes a chewy gooey brownie with chunks of chocolate chips inside, then covered with melted caramel and flaked sea salt. As you may remember, last summer I made these Sea Salt Caramel Brownies, which were a huge hit at both my family reunion and a baby shower I made them for. That particular recipe had a homemade caramel sauce baked into the center of brownie and then the top of the brownies were topped with fleur de sel. The caramel gets baked into the brownie so it sort of soaks in throughout the brownie and makes for an incredibly rich and moist caramel brownie flavor.
For this recipe, I used Maldon flaked sea salt and I loved how big the flakes are. They gave the brownies the perfect amount of saltiness. Ina uses this salt a lot in topping her baked goods. I bought some from Amazon, but since then I’ve also seen it at Whole Foods.
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 14 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 and ⅓ cups)
- 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ tbsp. instant coffee granules
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup, plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
- ½ cup, plus 2 tbsp. AP flour, divided
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 5-6 oz. caramel bits (such as Kraft’s)
- 1-2 tbsp. half and half or milk
- flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour a 9x12x1½-inch baking pan.
- In a heat-proof bowl set over a sauce pan of simmering water, melt together butter, 8 oz. of the chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate. Allow chocolate to cool for at least 15 minutes off of the heat.
- In a large bowl, stir eggs, coffee, vanilla and sugar together. No not beat the mix, just stir.
- Stir the the chocolate into egg mixture and let cool to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix into chocolate mixture.
- Toss the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the remainder of the chocolate chips. Once the batter mixture is at room temperature stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter in the pan.
- Bake for 35 minutes. A toothpick pressed in the center should come out clean.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add caramel candies and 1 tablespoon of half n’ half or milk. Gradually melt the caramel in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals being very careful it doesn’t burn. Repeat until caramel is melted, using the extra tablespoon of half n’ half or milk if needed.
- Once the brownies come out of oven, drizzle the caramel over the hot brownies an sprinkle with the flaked sea salt. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.
Source- Adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Foolproof
