Before you read today's blog post I'm going to put out a warning......... These brownies are like crack (not that I do crack) and if you make them........you probably will eat the whole tray...by yourself, right out of the fridge, in your nighty, right after breakfast........... This is purely hypothetical....and I didn't do this, I wouldn't do this, I'm just saying that YOU might.
Ok, I totally did this.
My mother would be horrified to hear this......but I put cake eating down to 'research' for my career as a food writer and pastry chef. What can be done?
I mad these brownies this week for a dinner party at one of my favourite friends houses. I love dinner parties so much. There is something about them that makes me feel so content about life. Everyone sits together and laughs and drinks wine and eats food and I wonder.....what more could you really want?
Whenever there is a dinner party I always offer to do the deserts. Its the perfect excuse for me to try out a new recipe. This one I've been meaning to make for months but the right occasion hadn't come up. Its a chocolate caramel fudge brownie with a dark chocolate topping. Its insanely rich.....and very tasty.
I really loved making it with all its different layers and flavours. Lately I've really enjoyed making caramel. Its such a beautiful process and it makes me think of falling in love. At the start there are huge bubbles and everything is really exciting, then it simmers down a bit, and you have to cook it, slowly, and watch it continually. Then if your lucky and know what your doing the caramel turns a deep golden colour and its perfection. If you take your eye off it or leave it too long it smokes and goes brown. Its all a bit temperamental, but if it works out.......its perfection.
I spent all of yesterday baking, taking photo's, reading Donna Hay and drinking big cups of jasmine tea. It was cold and rainy outside and inside I just felt so very happy and content with my caramel.
- 100g chocolate
- 125g butter
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 2eggs
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 1 tbs of coco
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
For the caramel crunch:
- 2 cups of caster sugar
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of single pouring cream
- 50 g butter
- 2 cups of puffed rice
For the topping:
- 300g dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup pouring cream
What to do:
1) Firstly you start with the brownie. Melt together butter and chocolate and let cool.
2) Lightly beat eggs.
3) Sift together dry ingredients.
4) In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients, the melted chocolate mix, eggs and vanilla essence.
5) Pour into a greased and lined brownie tray and bake for 30 minutes at 180 or until just firm to touch.
7) Once brownie is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8) Place the sugar and water in a pot over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down any grains of sugar that stick to the side of the pot, this way you wont get lumps or grains in your caramel.
9) Once the sugar is dissolved turn the caramel to high heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes without stirring.
10) When it reaches a warm golden colour stir in the cream and the butter.
* Make sure both these ingredients are at room temperature of the caramel may set right away. I usually cut the butter into little squares which makes it easier to mix in.
11) Stir though the puffed rice and pour onto of the brownie. Use an offset spatular or a knife the spread it out evenly.
12) Leave to set at room temperature for half an hour
14) Pour over the caramel mix and leave to set at room temperature for 3 hours.
I always eat a tiny bit out of the corner because I cant wait to see what it tastes like
These look great!
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