Salt and Pepper Caramel Brownies

TGIF!!! These have been hanging out in my “to share” folder, waiting for just the right time to make their appearance and I think I can safely say that the time is NOW!! After a long, crazy, stressful week we are in desperate need of the ying/yang balance of Salt and Pepper Caramel Brownies. Sounds just about right, doesn’t it?!!

I’m not generally the hugest fan of adding savory touches to sweet treats (bacon ice cream, no thanks!!) but I must say that in these brownies, it really works. The pepper, which only gets added to the brownie part, somehow deepens the flavor of the chocolate, making for a very intensely cocoa, but not too sweet, brownie experience.

The flaky sea salt, which you sprinkle on top of the caramel after everything comes together, also cuts through the sweetness of the brownie and the caramel, giving you that little added crunch as well. The appeal of the sweet/salty combo cannot be denied!!

Now, let’s talk about how divinely dreamy it is to bite into a two layer bar, especially when those two layers are fudgy brownie and creamy, chewy caramel. Heaven!!

And while these may seem intimidating because of the caramel, the truth is that they come together fairly easily—just remember the cardinal rule of caramel-making and DON’T WALK AWAY FROM THE POT!!

Otherwise, the toughest part is waiting for the caramel to set up so that you can take your first glorious, salty, chocolate-caramel bite!

Okey-dokey my friends, have a safe, calm and salt and pepper caramel brownie kind of weekend!!xoxo

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Salt and Pepper Caramel Brownies

Makes about 20 brownies

Prep Time for the brownies: 10 minutes; Bake Time: 24-26 minutes; Prep Time for caramel: 15 minutes, plus at least an hour in the fridge for caramel to set

Ingredients

For the brownies

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus a little extra for greasing the pan

• ¾ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 large eggs

For the caramel

• 2 tablespoons water

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• ⅓ cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon Maldon, fleur de sel, or kosher salt for sprinkling on brownies at end

The Recipe

1. To make the brownies: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter an 8-inch square pan and line it with parchment so that there’s a generous overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment and set aside the pan.

2. Place the flour, cocoa, pepper and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk together. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs. Add the cooled melted butter and whisk until smooth. Use a rubber spatula, to fold in the flour mixture, just until no traces of flour can be seen.

3. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 24-26 minutes. Brownies are done when a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached to it and brownies feel set. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.

4. To make the caramel: Place the water in a medium, heavyweight saucepan. Pour the sugar into the center of the pan, making sure the sugar gets evenly absorbed into the water. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan every so often, but not stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is a medium amber color. Slowly and carefully pour in the cream, whisking constantly—the mixture will bubble up and spatter. Add in the butter and cook, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until the caramel is smooth and slightly thickened. Whisk in the vanilla and pour the caramel over the cooled brownies. Spread it out evenly. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle evenly all over with the salt and place the pan in the fridge for at least 1 hour to allow the caramel to set.

5. Use the parchment to help remove the brownies from the pan and cut into small squares with a sharp knife. Serve immediately or store at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the fridge for at least a week.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from The New Sugar and Spice by Samantha Seneviratne. I cut the amount of pepper and salt and honestly I might cut the pepper entirely next time or cut it down more, but don’t skip the salt—it adds a great crunch and balances out the sweetness of the caramel.