If you're a brownie lover, you HAVE to make these! The brownie itself is moist and chewy and perfectly good enough to enjoy on its own. But the addition of the buttery caramel and flaky sea salt on top really takes this dessert to the next level. If you're looking for a dessert that will have you drooling then this is the recipe for you!
The Ingredients
All purpose flour - Just regular bleached AP flour.
Unsweetened cocoa powder - My favorite is Guittard cocoa rouge! This cocoa powder is more expensive, but adds a wonderfully rich taste to the brownies, and since the chocolate is the star of the show the splurge is definitely worth it.
Granulated sugar - Plain sugar, 'nuff said.
Brown sugar - I used light brown sugar for this recipe, because it was what I had on hand, but I think dark brown sugar would add an extra touch of richness if you prefer.
Chocolate chips - I also like to use Guittard extra dark chocolate chips for this recipe, because the quality of the chocolate is great but also because the bitterness from the extra dark chocolate helps balance out the sweetness. Semi- sweet chips will also work if you are not a fan of ultra dark chocolate.
Eggs - This recipe calls for three eggs instead of two (like most brownie recipes) and the extra addition gives them their moist chewy texture.
Unsalted butter - I always use unsalted butter when baking so I can control the saltiness. If you only have salted butter on hand, just omit the additional salt added to the flour.
Vanilla - Any vanilla extract will do. If you want to use the good stuff go ahead, but since the star of the show is really the chocolate I think any vanilla works well here.
Caramel - You can use store bought salted or regular caramel sauce if you don't feel like making your own, but I have a great recipe for salted caramel too if you're feeling ambitious.
Flaky sea salt - Maldon is my go to choice for flaky sea salt. If you are happy with the saltiness in just the caramel feel free to omit, but I think this dessert benefits from the extra sprinkle on top (and it makes them look bakery worthy!)
Tips & Tricks
Let them set up in the fridge: After pouring over the caramel (especially if using store bought) these can be a bit messy to cut. I would recommend letting them chill in the fridge for an hour or so to allow the caramel to firm up a bit before slicing.
Sift the cocoa powder: I know sifting seems tedious and in most cases I'm a proponent for skipping the sifting, but cocoa powder really doesn't incorporate as well if it isn't sifted, because the powder is so fine and tends to clump. I highly recommend this step so you don't end up with pockets of unincorporated cocoa powder in your finished product.
To make caramel or not to make caramel: Caramel is one of those recipes I feel like people shy away from because it can be a bit finicky, but once you learn how to make it, it is a game changer! Store bought will work here, but home made tends to have a much richer flavor. I love to make a batch to keep in the fridge, as it instantly elevates ice cream, brownies and anything else you can think to put it on.
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