Sweet and Salty Brownies

by Jamie on February 21, 2011

Post image for Sweet and Salty Brownies

If you happened to check out the giveaway that ran last week for the Baked Explorations cookbook and Baked Brownies Mixes, you may remember me saying how smitten I am with Baked Explorations. I alluded to the fact that I obsessively placed Post-It flags throughout the entire book and had every intention to make each of the flagged treats. Key word being intention…I’m not so great at following through with my grand plans, so I decided to sit down and prioritize my list.

One of the recipes that I just couldn’t seem to get out of my mind was for Sweet & Salty Brownies. In my opinion, a sweet and salty combination reigns supreme. Think about it: chocolate covered pretzels, Fleur de Sel caramels, Crunch and Munch…oh the list goes on and on.

It’s truly difficult for me to form a description that actually does these Sweet and Salty brownies justice. It’s almost as though they are so incredibly delicious that a typical adjective infused sentence will simply not suffice. They really are everything a brownie should be; rich, decadent, fudgy, and chocolaty. As if this wasn’t enough, the salted caramel center is so good that it may bring you to tears. I challenge you to make these brownies, eat one or five and not be compelled to immediately head over to Amazon to purchase Baked Explorations.


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Sweet and Salty Brownies

Yield: 12 large brownies or 24 small brownies

Ingredients:

For the caramel filling

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
1/4 cup sour cream

For the brownie

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

For the caramel filling

1. Combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan, stirring carefully so as not to splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350F or until the mixture is dark amber in color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream, and then the Fleur de Sel. Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

For the brownie

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal 9 x 13 inch pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment.

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

4. Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of the double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature at this point.

5. Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining two eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage, or your brownies will be cakey.

6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is a just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.

7. To assemble the brownie, pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come in contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.

8. Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

9. Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with an extra 1 1/2 teaspoons Fleur de Sel and 1 teaspoon coarse sugar.

10. Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving.

Notes:

- Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
- Adapted from Baked Explorations

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{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }

avatar 1 sara February 21, 2011 at 2:15 pm

YUM! These look so good! Definitely need to pull out my copy of Baked Explorations and make these very soon. I’m so glad that sweet + salty seems to be so “in” these days because it is my very favorite thing! :)

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avatar 2 linda February 21, 2011 at 2:21 pm

i am going to bake these asap!
i love matt & renato’s first book & have this one as well….i have made the cowboy cookies & pecan tassies & they are fabulous!

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avatar 3 Stephanie February 21, 2011 at 2:43 pm

These look amazing! The book seems worth it just for this recipe!

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avatar 4 Blog is the New Black February 21, 2011 at 3:34 pm

I made your mint choc chip brownies today and they are INCREDIBLE. I can only imagine how wonderful these are! ;)

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avatar 5 Kristen February 21, 2011 at 4:08 pm

I agree – I love anything sweet and salty!

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avatar 6 Aysley February 21, 2011 at 4:25 pm

YUM! These look amazing!

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avatar 7 Sharlene February 21, 2011 at 4:28 pm

This is one of the recipes I’ve flagged in Baked Explorations too! Sweet and salty – can there be a more perfect combination?

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avatar 8 Tessa February 21, 2011 at 4:48 pm

I just bought some salted caramel candies… salt + caramel = SO GOOD!

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avatar 9 Michelle February 21, 2011 at 5:01 pm

Yummy! These look amazing. If you’re only using 3/4 C. of the caramel mixture, does that leave leftover caramel?

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avatar 10 Jamie February 21, 2011 at 5:05 pm

Michelle-
It does leave a little bit left over, but not too much. I simply stored it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for ice cream sundaes later in the week.
-Jamie

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avatar 11 Michelle February 21, 2011 at 5:56 pm

I’m not complaining about leftover caramel, I was secretly hoping the answer was yes! LOL

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avatar 12 Amanda February 21, 2011 at 6:44 pm

I am on my way over. ;)

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avatar 13 Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen February 21, 2011 at 6:53 pm

You’re right sweet and salty reigns supreme, and I happen to think that Matt & Renato are baking geniuses! I must try these, they have two of my favorite things in them: chocolate and caramel :-)

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avatar 14 Happy When Not Hungry February 21, 2011 at 7:10 pm

I’ve been seeing a lot of these sweet and salty brownies lately. Yours look amazing! Def need to try!

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avatar 15 Sheena February 21, 2011 at 7:39 pm

I love sweet and salty combinations, and these brownies look so good! Moist and fudgy and salted caramel in between. I’m in love.

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avatar 16 Barbara | VinoLuciStyle February 21, 2011 at 7:52 pm

I just want to concur; just made these this past weekend. What is there not to love…about the whole book it seems.

I love using Maldon Flaked Sea Salt Jamie; you should try to find some; it’s so pretty on top of something like this..but these look beautiful, as I would expect!

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avatar 17 Jennifer (Delicieux) February 21, 2011 at 7:59 pm

Yum, these brownies look and sound amazing. I love the combination of sweet and salty too. It’s amazing how well the two flavours work together. Opposites definitely attract in this case.

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avatar 18 Maria February 21, 2011 at 8:44 pm

These are on my to do list!

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avatar 19 leslie February 21, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Ohhhh my goodness. These sound truly evil!

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avatar 20 Weekend Cowgirl February 21, 2011 at 9:07 pm

I had dark chocolate truffles with salt at Christmas and they were wonderful. I think I will be crazy about these brownies!

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avatar 21 Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles February 21, 2011 at 9:54 pm

These sound heavenly. Printing off right now!

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avatar 22 Tracy February 21, 2011 at 10:17 pm

I love the sweet and salty combo! I wish I had a big plate of these right now!

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avatar 23 Amanda February 22, 2011 at 5:26 am

I’ve made these too!

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avatar 24 Katrina February 22, 2011 at 6:15 am

These brownies look perfect! I love trying new brownie recipes. Yum!

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avatar 25 Katrina (gluten free gidget) February 22, 2011 at 6:27 am

This looks delicious and just gave me a great idea for a new recipe! Thanks for the inspiration!

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avatar 26 Rachel February 22, 2011 at 11:07 am

I made these last night and they are super yummy (and very rich). I’m now having a hard time typing though because I thought it was a good idea to touch the sugar in the heating stage. Sometimes I’m a real dumb dumb! Oh well, worth the injury because that caramel is AMAZING! :)

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avatar 27 Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction February 22, 2011 at 11:26 am

I just love sweet and salty… These brownies look AMAZING!

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avatar 28 Lauren from Lauren's Latest February 22, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Wow. I love sweet and salty! These look divine!

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avatar 29 Brooke (Baking with Basil) February 22, 2011 at 1:08 pm

Jamie – you have the BEST brownie recipes!! Can’t wait to try these out and check out the cookbook!

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avatar 30 Brian @ A Thought For Food February 22, 2011 at 1:18 pm

I feel terrible that I have yet to pick up a copy of this book. All of the recipes look phenomenal and these brownies are right up my alley.

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avatar 31 Delishhh February 22, 2011 at 4:31 pm

oh my. . .do i have to say more. I my nose it too close to the screen. . .

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avatar 32 Kimmy February 22, 2011 at 6:38 pm

There’s no combination of salty and sweet I do not like. These look decadent but not too hard to make!! Thank you for sharing this evil yumminess!

Thank you also so much for the kind comment on my blog!

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avatar 33 Sarah (A Paper Proposal) February 22, 2011 at 7:44 pm

I saw this post yesterday, and I just have to say that I have been thinking about these brownies ever since! I’m dying to make them!!!

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avatar 34 Wenderly February 23, 2011 at 7:52 am

I could snarf the entire batch of these little yummers down in one sitting! *swoon*

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avatar 35 Sweet Therapy Treats February 23, 2011 at 12:05 pm

Looks great. Love the sweet salty combination. Thanks for sharing

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avatar 36 Laura February 23, 2011 at 12:16 pm

Love love LOVE the topping on the brownies. I love salt and sweet and esp salt and chocolate.

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avatar 37 Shelby February 23, 2011 at 2:51 pm

What could be better then satisfying your “chocolate/salty/sweet tooth” all in one bite?! I can’t wait to try this recipe out… Thank you!

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avatar 38 Marie @ Chocolate and Wine February 23, 2011 at 3:24 pm

I love sweet and salty together. Throw in chocolate and I’ll be hooked for life!

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avatar 39 Lani February 23, 2011 at 10:33 pm

Hi, when you spread the top part of the brownie over the caramel, does the caramel seep through a little? Or should it cover it completely?

Thanks!

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avatar 40 Jamie February 24, 2011 at 5:29 pm

Lani-
It really doesn’t seep into the brownie batter much at all. Enjoy!
-Jamie

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avatar 41 Michelle February 24, 2011 at 8:48 am

Brownies sprinkled with sea salt is a major weakness for me. These look amazing.

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avatar 42 Paula B. February 24, 2011 at 9:22 am

Just when I thought I had perfected my brownie baking (last Saturday!) you have to post this!I trust you in all things baking which means I have to make these this weekend, thanks a bunch!

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avatar 43 Robyn | Add a Pinch February 24, 2011 at 8:58 pm

The perfect combination – sweet and salty. You got me!

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avatar 44 Kate February 24, 2011 at 11:51 pm

These are amazing. I will never make any other brownies again! Easy and delish! Love it!

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avatar 45 Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles February 25, 2011 at 9:51 am

I took these to a little dessert & wine get-together with girlfriends last evening. They were a HUGE HIT! And my family loved them, too. My husband does not enjoy dark chocolate, but he said these were the best brownies he’s ever ate. That’s sayin’ something!

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avatar 46 Liddy February 25, 2011 at 3:52 pm

Can a different type of salt be substituted for the Fleur de Sel? If so, would the measurement be the same? These sound absolutely wonderful!

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avatar 47 Katie | GoodLife Eats February 26, 2011 at 12:39 am

Sweet and Salty treats are my butt’s nemesis. Yeah, you heard that right! These look dangerously good!

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avatar 48 Hilary February 26, 2011 at 9:23 am

YUM! These look AMAZING….and I totally agree with you on the awesomeness of sweet and salty. :)

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avatar 49 Dee March 1, 2011 at 11:45 am

I made these 2 nights ago & have been eating them with EVERY meal since. They are too good folks. They should come with a warning that you will gain 5 lbs after making because you can’t stop eating them.

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avatar 50 Kathie March 21, 2011 at 11:05 am

Jamie-

I just found your blog this morning. Wow it is truly beautiful!
Fleur de Sel Brownies! I love you already. I will be making these this week.

Thanks again!

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avatar 51 Melanie May 7, 2011 at 2:45 pm

These brownies look amazing! I am heading to my kitchen immediately to whip up a batch; I’m thinking by the end of the Canucks game tonite the lot will have vanished. Thanx!

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avatar 52 Alanna June 3, 2011 at 8:22 pm

THESE ARE THE BEST BROWNIES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!
legit, i’ve made them so many times
a bit time consuming but oh my so worth it!

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avatar 53 Jamie June 4, 2011 at 12:07 pm

Alanna-
Woo-Hoo! So glad you liked them! They are truly amazing!
-Jamie

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avatar 54 Kelly June 23, 2011 at 6:17 pm

I’m a faithful follower of this blog, and this recipe was actually pretty hard (the toughest so far – for me, at least). I had never made caramel before and it took 2 attempts, but SO incredibly worth it. I served them warm with vanilla ice cream. Sinful.

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