Sweet & Salty Brownie | Secret Recipe Club

A little over a month ago while browsing through various blogs, I came across an interesting site, called Amanda’s Cooking. She sponsors a fun event called “The Secret Recipe Club” where the idea is that you are assigned another bloggers site to peruse and then select a recipe to make. A specific date is given where all participants will post and link back so all of the “secret” recipes can be shared.

This is my first month and I was delighted to be assigned to Emily’s blog, Nomnivorous. Emily is a twenty something apparel designer who lives in Brooklyn. Her blog is chalk full of wonderful recipes and stories. If you have not visited her blog prior, please take a few minutes to explored and be ready to be delighted. It was certainly challenging to make a decision as to my choice for my very first Secret Recipe Club entry, since there were such a great variety of splendid recipes to choose from.

After much debate, I decided on the Sweet and Salty Brownie from the stunning cook book – Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. I did not realize until sifting through Emily’s blog that there is an online baking group dedicated to cooking their way through this spectacular book. I happen to own this book and have only made one or two things from it so far. What a perfect excuse to make another wonderful treat from this already iconic cookbook.

I changed very little about the recipe except to eliminate the sour cream from the caramel sauce and add two more ounces of chocolate to the brownie mixture.

Years ago growing up, a neighbor’s Mom would make Caramel Brownies and I swear I could eat half the pan in one sitting, they were that good. I would inquire often for the recipe and for whatever reason, never got it. Now that this sweet & salty brownie is out, my search for the caramel brownie is over.

Sweet & Salty Brownie
{from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented }

Caramel:

1 c. sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 t. fleur de sel

Brownie:

1 1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
2 T. dark cocoa powder
13 oz. quality dark chocolate (60-72%), coarsely chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ½ c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 t. vanilla

Topping:

1 ½ t. fleur de sel
1 t. coarse sugar

Make the Caramel:

In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 c. water, stirring together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat, until a thermometer reads 350 degrees and is dark amber in color. About 6 minutes.

Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream (it will bubble up). Then add the fleur de sel. Set aside to cool.

Make the Brownie:

Preheat oven to 350. Use non-stick spray to coat bottom and sides of a 9 x 13" pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder.

Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water.

Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water. Whisk in both sugars until completely combined. Removed bowl from pan.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until incorporated.

Add the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients until there is just a trace of the flour mixture remaining.

Assemble:

Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Drizzle and 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce (not all of it) over the batter, trying to stay away from the edges. Gently spread the caramel sauce evenly. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the remaining batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently over the caramel.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with the fleur de sel and the coarse sugar.

Cool completely before serving.