Salted Caramel Brownies

Hey guys another foodie Friday post for you here this week I made Alexa Chung's Salted Caramel Brownie Recipe, If anyone watched the Celebrity bake off for comic relief I loved how relate-able Alexa was and how she couldn't really cook but these came out great! Here's the recipe with my few little tips...

My Attempt

Ingredients

For the salted caramel filling

• 150g/5½oz granulated sugar
• pinch of sea salt
• 125ml/4fl oz double cream
• 10g/¼oz salted butter, softened

For the brownies

• 180g/6¼oz plain flour
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 300g/10½oz dark chocolate, minimum 65-75% cocoa solids
• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• 4 free-range eggs
• 220g/8oz light brown sugar
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate

• 100g/3½oz good-quality white chocolate

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/180C Fan/Gas 5. Grease a 32x23cm/13x9in tin and line with parchment.
2. For the caramel, put the sugar in a saucepan and melt over medium heat until dark brown in colour. Remove from the heat and carefully add the salt and half the cream. (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully.)
3. Once the mixture has settled, add the remaining cream and butter. If the mixture is lumpy warm it over a low heat and stir until smooth. Pour into a jug to cool.
4. For the brownies, sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
5. Melt the chocolate and butter in a pan over medium heat, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
6. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until thick and pale. Whisk in the chocolate, then fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
7. Pour half the batter into the tin and smooth the surface using a spatula. Add a thin layer of the caramel, making sure to leave the edges clean. Add the remaining batter and gently level the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely in the tin.
8. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not allow the bowl to touch the water). Leave to cool slightly then use a fork to drizzle it over the brownies. Leave the chocolate to set slightly before removing from the tin and cutting into 12 brownies.

source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/salted_caramel_brownies_33478

Okay so my tips from this recipe are as follows...

1. When melting the sugar it can get quite smokey so make sure you have the strongest extractor fan level on your oven, I still did but managed to set my fire alarm off! (does not encourage people to try your food)

2. Use more caramel, the recipe says to not put it near the edge however I think these would be even more delightful with caramel oozing out, because my attempt was more lightly flavored where I feel it would be more indulgent. 

3. I used milky bar white chocolate for the top and this turned out really well, i wouldn't worry about expensive chocolate for the topping. 

Hope you enjoyed this recipe and tips, I took mine into work and they were devoured in under thirty minutes flat! Make sure to send me your attempts and subscribe and comment with your own tips!

love Carly xx