chocolate salt caramel brownies

Goodness, my friend Daffy Duck (she may be biased) has just pronounced these brownies the best she has ever tasted!  A recipe from The Guardian which I fell in love with during a chocolate brownie frenzy a while ago, this time with a river of salt caramel running through... http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/sep/09/how-to-make-perfect-brownies

CHOCOLATE SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES
250g dark chocolate 70%
250g unsalted butter
300g caster sugar
3 large eggs plus one extra yolk, lightly beaten
60g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
60g cocoa powder
SALT CARAMEL
150g caster sugar
150mls double cream
1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 23cmX23cm baking tray with parchment.
Set a bowl over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water and add 200g of the chocolate, broken into pieces. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat immediately.
Meanwhile, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, and break the rest of the chocolate into chips.
With the mixer still running gradually add the eggs, beating well in between each addition to ensure thoroughly incorporated before adding another. Leave mixing on a high speed for five minutes until the batter has a silky sheen and has increased in volume.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, and gently fold in the melted chocolate, chocolate chips, sifted flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder.
Make the salt caramel by heating the sugar in a large heavy bottomed pan at a moderate to high temperature swirling occasionally until turns to liquid gold.  Add the cream and stand back! Swirl the pan to incorporate the sugar and cream together and add a tsp salt.  Pour into a bowl to cool.
Spoon half the brownie mixture into the baking tray, followed by a layer of all the salt caramel topped again by brownie mixture and bake for approximately 35 minutes. Test with a skewer, should come out sticky but not with raw mixture.  If it does, put it back in for 3 minutes and test again.
Prepare a roasting tin of iced water.  When the brownies are ready, move the tray from the oven and place in the tray of iced water.
Leave to cool an hour before cutting into squares. Store in an air-tight container: they're even better the next day!


There is neither this world nor the world beyond nor happiness for the one who doubts. Bhagavad Gita.