Salted caramel + brownies = heaven. This is made using a simple Australian way to make caramel from scratch. No candy thermometer, and the caramel soft sets rather than running all over the place. You need to make this Salted Caramel Brownies recipe this weekend. “Diet starts Monday”!
Caramel + Brownies in itself isn’t an original idea and if you do a Google search, you’ll find plenty. And I would have used an existing recipe if I found what I was after, but every recipe I came across either:
1. used store bought caramel;
2. the caramel was runny, more like a caramel sauce, usually drizzled on top of the brownie; or
3. required a candy thermometer to get the caramel to the exact temperature so it would soft set rather than ending up runny OR cooking it too far so it ends up like hard toffee.
While I do have a candy thermometer, it’s just not my style to use it for day to day cooking. And I very specifically wanted a soft layer of caramel inside the brownie rather than runny caramel drizzled on top.
Like this. 🙂 Look at that thick, generous, SOFT layer of caramel…..
I am a frustrating combination of a foodie with a stubborn streak. When I get an idea into my head of something I want to create, I get an unhealthy obsession to make it happen. If you only knew of the epic disasters my kitchen has seen….
This Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownie is one such obsession. All I can say is that I’m thankful to have plenty of sweet-tooth friends who were happy to take the failed attempts, even when they were a complete mess. There was one that was such a mess it had to be eaten with a SPOON out of the PAN. Seriously!
The caramel for this brownie is made using condensed milk. Simmer it with a bit of butter and golden syrup (or maple syrup) and it turns into a pale golden brown, then it sets and becomes a darker colour when baked. It’s an “Australian way” of making caramel which is traditionally used in Caramel Slices (cheesecake style coconut crumb base topped with caramel then chocolate. It is SO GOOD. I’ll share that soon!)
It proved impossible to create a neat layer of the caramel in the brownie, but I’m totally cool with that. It might not be the neatest looking slice in the world, but it tastes just as it should – indulgent, rich, gooey chocolate brownie with rich, smooth, soft salted caramel with a surface that has little bits of ever so slightly chewy caramel.
Words fail me to describe how good these are.
What are you waiting for? Get into your kitchen and make these!! Our diet can start on Monday!
– Nagi
For Caramel Monsters
- Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!
- Salted Caramel Tart
- Peanut Butter Caramel Tart – dangerously easy
- Sweetened Condensed Milk Caramel – just place a can of condensed milk in the slow cooker!
More slices and bars
- Brownies!!
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Strawberry Bars – made with tons of fresh strawberries!
- Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars
- Easy Lemon Bars
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Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie
- 7 oz / 200g unsalted butter
- 7 oz / 200 g oz/200g dark chocolate (US - semi sweet chocolate chips, Aus - melting chocolate) (Note 1)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs , lightly whisked
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
Salted Caramel
- 14 oz / 395g can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup (Note 2)
- 2 oz / 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170C/340F.
- Butter and line a 8 x 8” / 20 x 20 cm square tin with parchment (baking) paper.
- Place the butter and chocolate in a bowl placed over a small amount of simmering water in a pot. (Note 3) Leave it until the chocolate and butter are melted – about 5 minutes. Mix to combine until smooth, then remove the bowl from the pot and allow to cool slightly – 5 minutes.
- Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into the chocolate and mix well to combine. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt and mix until just combined.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of brownie batter and set aside. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared tin.
- Pour over the Salted Caramel, spreading it to cover the brownie batter.
- Dollop the reserved 1/2 cup of brownie batter randomly over the Salted Caramel. Use a knife or skewer to make “swirls” (see photo below).
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes (for very gooey brownie) to 30 minutes (for moist but not gooey brownies). I baked the one in the photos for 28 minutes. (Note 4)
- Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack (Note 5). Once cooled, cut into 16 squares.
Salted Caramel
- Place the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Stir occasionally for the first 1 minute, then when it is heated (when you see wisps of steam), whisk constantly (leisurely, not vigorously!) for 7 minutes. (Note 6) It should be a very pale golden colour.
- Remove from stove and whisk for 30 seconds. (Note 6)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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I made these last night and they turned out great.Mine look darker than yours so I might take mine off a minute or two before the 7 minutes. Or it may have been because mine had the brown bits in the bottom while it was coming up to a simmer and they may have darkened it (for those making it, these flakes will all break down to where they’re not noticeable by the end (don’t throw it out before it’s done, thinking you’ve ruined it).
I used to drive an hour to a bakery that made these and tried to make multiple versions of it at home but never found the right recipe until now! Thank you!
Sounds like the heat may of ben slightly too high Cindy, but I’m so glad you love them!
Fantastic recipe, even with my blunder, thank you Nagi! I followed all the steps and it all looked fantastic before i put it onto the oven. Unfortunately, after 20 mins of cooking, i noticed the grill was on so the top was nicely grilled! It still tasted fantastic, just a bit more like toffee on the top instead of caramel. I will make it again but without the grill!
I have a similar thought to the earlier comment around letting your mixture set a little while you make the caramel. I left the dry mixture on top of the wet while i made the caramel, then mixed the dry and wet together and the mixture and caramel kept nice and separate.
Ha ha ha! I’ve had that happen previously too! I plan to make this again soon and am keen to try that 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this Clare! N x
Bc of the 1kg Dulce de leche from Argentina as a gift…..all along i have no idea how to use it and was sitting in the fridge since earlier this year…..
Thanks Nagi for the recipe…..the brownies & caramel mixed really well and my BF couldn’t stop eating lol
Love your one pot recipes as well!
Thanks again xxxx
Hi Nagi
love your recipes and the easy way you cook without so much fuss I want to try your brownie but wish there was a video cause it makes easy to follow your recipes. I made your caramel slice and was so yummyyyyyyy Thank you so much – God bless you for sharing
I loved your caramel slice recipe, I am trying this tomorrow. I am also making salted caramel slice next time, will let you know how I go
Thanks Nagi xxoo
Hi Nagi! Thanks so much for the recipe, my brownie is in the oven right now! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Just one quick questions, my caramel wasn’t really pourable and looked like it sunk into the batter when I started placing it on top. Would you know what could’ve gone wrong? Did I overlook it? Shouldn’t I let it cool while I prepare batter? Should I refrigerate my batter next time to make it a bit denser and easier to put my caramel? Should I freeze caramel and then just put chunks of it instead?
Many thanks, Lidiia
Hi Lidiia! I’m afraid it should not be cooled, because as you found it, it sets! Just pour it over while hot. Though dolloping in chunks would still be fabulous! Thank you for reminding me about this recipe, I have been meaning to make a video for this recipe for ages 🙂 N x
Video recipe would be amazing!!
My brownies turned out yum, almost like the ones on your pictures, even though I cooled the caramel. My coworkers loved it 🙂 Thank you very much for your recipe!!
WHOOT! I’m so pleased to hear that! N x
Hi, can’t wait to try the salted caramel brownies!! Yummm… But, you suggest for us “yanks”, is there any other substitution, rather than maple syrup instead of ‘golden syrup”?? Do you think American ‘Corn Syrup’ would work?? It’s a little thin, but then maple syrup is too. I don’t want to get that far into the recipe & then mess it up!! TRAGEDY! Also, have you tried baking the brownie first, then slice through the middle (horizontally), then putting the caramel on bottom ‘slice’ of brownie & chill it all together?? Would it be any easier, not quite so gooey?? How dare I mess with your recipe, right??! Thanx so much for all your yumminess!! Sincerely, Jan Patterson
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Can these be frozen or will it mess up the caramel?
Hi Bri – I can’t remember if I tried freezing but pretty sure it will be fine 🙂
Chocolate salted caramel brownies, YUM!! Mine look nowhere as nice as yours but they are tasty. Love your recipes and you are my go-to when I need some inspiration.
Awesome brownie recipe! Will definitely be making this again. Next time I need to cook it longer than 28 minutes. The middle was severely undercooked but the edges were perfect. Also, I made the the salted caramel last so the brownie batter got firmer as it sat and this made it easier for me to spread the remaining brownie batter on top of the salted caramel.
Hi Nagi
How to achieve perfect, separate layer between brownie and caramel? do i have to bake the brownie first before putting the caramel in to the brownie? do you have any tips Nagi?
Thank you
I wasn’t able to figure that out without compromising the brownie batter. Hence why I have wonky lines! 🙂 N xx