Salted caramel chocolate brownie

This is inspired by one of Donna Hay’s recipes, which I’ve altered slightly. It’s an absolute ripper for dinner parties because you can make it ahead of time and there’s plenty for seconds or thirds.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  10

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 265 g light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 110 g plain flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa, sifted

Salted caramel

• 180 ml thin cream
• 90 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• 330 g caster sugar
• sea salt flakes, to taste

Makes 16 brownies.

Chilling time: 2 hours

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line a 20 cm x 30 cm baking tin with baking paper.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat and stir until melted.
3. Meanwhile, place the brown sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa in a bowl and stir until well combined.
4. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then place in the fridge while you make your caramel.
5. For the salted caramel, place the cream, butter and vanilla seeds into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter has completely melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Place the caster sugar and 125 ml (½ cup) water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar turns a deep amber. Remove from the heat and very slowly whisk in the vanilla cream mixture until well combined.
7. Pour the caramel over the cooled brownie and sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares to serve.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.