I happened to have a batch of salted caramel that had originally been planned for another project that never eventuated… you can see where I’m going with this, right? After the store-bought toffee chips worked so well in the sweet potato blondies, I figured homemade caramel would work even better. After all, caramel and chocolate belong together.
The caramel actually mostly melted into the brownie as it baked, so there aren’t many “bits” but it’s a total flavour bomb! And this is so not a brownie that you will pick up with your fingers to eat daintily. This is a fudgy, gooey mess of chocolate and caramel that you will scoop up with a fork and it will make you swoon and sigh and smile.
The caramel
Ingredients
140g granulated raw (golden) sugar
65g whole cream, hot
100g butter, cold, diced
generous pinch sea salt flakes
Directions
Put a piece of parchment on a baking sheet and lightly grease it with butter.
Spread the sugar evenly across the bottom of a small, heavy-based saucepan. Heat over a medium-low flame without stirring until the sugar starts to melt and becomes liquid around the edges. Once about a quarter of it has melted, gently stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it starts to smoke, a few minutes depending on how high the heat is. Be careful not to burn it, using your nose as a guide. Using raw sugar for making caramel is a bit more haphazard than using white sugar where you go by colour, but just past smoking point is the aim.
Remove from the heat and slowly add the butter and salt, stirring well with a wooden spoon until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Return to the heat and carefully and slowly pour the hot cream into the caramel, stirring continuously until it is smooth.
Pour onto parchment to cool and set. Transfer to the freezer to harden to make cutting easier.
The brownies
Ingredients
300g good quality milk chocolate, chopped
225g unsalted butter, diced
200g granulated raw (golden) sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 whole eggs, room temperature
40g cocoa powder
220g mature 100% hydration sourdough starter
Note: I took 100g mature starter, brought it to room temperature for an hour, fed it with 60g each of flour and water and let it ferment for 3 hours.
Directions
Preheat oven to 165°C. Line a metal 22 x 28cm baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the long edges, and grease the paper with butter.
In a bowl placed over a saucepan with a couple of centimetres of water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into a large bowl.
Whisk in the sugar, salt and vanilla.
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine well after each addition.
Sift the cocoa powder over the chocolate and stir to combine.
Add the starter and stir gently until it is completely incorporated.
Run a sharp knife under hot water and cut the caramel into pieces about 2cm square.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, spread the pieces of caramel evenly over the surface, then pour over the other half of the batter.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out cleanish.
Cool in the pan 20 minutes, lift out using the parchment paper and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
Eat.
pizzarossa 
Wow, that’s gooey! I really like the idea of salted caramel in the brownies, *swoon*, *sigh*, *smile*
Thanks, Jane! 🙂
Ohmanohmanohman, that layer of caramel in the brownie. I want to cry! They look SO good.
They were wicked, in a good way 🙂
I am quite literally drooling as I envision that caramel melting into the brownie as it bakes … need to get me some sourdough starter!
You should! It’s great stuff 🙂
This is making me want to go back and make salted caramel brownies! Looks so good!
Thanks! 🙂
I’m in love with salted caramel right now, so I want these right now! Nice job :-).
Oh, you and me, both, Jessica! It’s my new favourite thing 🙂
Wow, look at those ingredients – total goo factor! I’m eating this with a spoon 🙂
I love goo! LOL! 🙂
Oh gosh, I’m swooning and sighing and smiling just reading about these! I’ll have three, please.
Thanks, Korena 🙂
Salted caramel. In brownies. That’s genius. I wish I could have a bite. Or a piece. Or the whole pan. Right about… now! 🙂 Those look awesome!!
Thanks, Shelley! 🙂
Oh My! That sounds heavenly! But if I made them I’d need a double batch of caramels or mine would just be chocolate brownies. 😉
A double batch of caramel is a good thing, Joan! 🙂
Oh, these sound divine, truely inspired! I want me some now!!
Thanks, Robyn! 🙂
oooooh my goodness! These brownies look like an awesome delicious gooey mess! Love them!!
Thanks, Jenni! 🙂
🙂 Loved the swoon and sigh and smile part, these brownies are dangerous that way
They certainly are!!! I like to live dangerously 😉
I’ll take mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoon of course:) Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
Now I’m going to have to make another batch to have with ice cream! 🙂
OMG, you had me at ” fudgy, gooey mess of chocolate and caramel”. Bring it on!