I love the BAKED recipes. And this has quickly become my favorite brownie recipe ever. Much lower maintenance than their Sweet and Salty cake (though also one of my favorites). One time the caramel seemed particularly chewy, and after the fact I think that I didn't add as much sour cream as was called for. But really such an amazing recipe. I like the mix of the turbinado sugar and a nice flakey salt on top.
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Oh yes. These are fantastic. Far more decadent than anything I would have made otherwise. But I couldn't resist. I followed the recipe exactly and had perfectly warm, rich, fudgy brownies. The salt should be adjusted based on your taste, I added a bit more than called for. My only complaint is they they become very dense and hard when refrigerated...the downside of not eating the entire pan in one sitting and having leftovers :)
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omg these look so good I'm dying to make some
I made these on Friday and substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream in the caramel mixture. *Delish* They are some work but this recipe is going in my "Best Brownie" file. Thank you.
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made these today and am disappointed. while i think the brownies by themselves are probably delicious, cakey just the way i like them, adding the caramel was a disservice. the caramel made the top of the brownies chewy in that pull a tooth out manner and left alot of greasy residue. the brownies themselves were almost impossible to get out of the pan in whole pieces, the top half separated from the middle.
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I lifted the entire lot out of the pan by the parchment and then cut them on a cutting board. I thought they were amazing!
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So, i spent the better part of a Saturday morning making these brownies. The tip about not being scared of making caramel was helpful, and it wasn't hard; only tip I would add is that it turns from white sugar color to caramel quite fast so watch it. FWIW, I found the chocolate melted quite easily in a pan sitting on stove top with oven below preheating, no flame or water needed. Love the salty/sweet sprinkles on top.
BIGGEST disappointment is that they are cakey,not fudgey. I baked them for 27 mins (have a "hot" oven, everything bakes faster than recipe says it will). A friend said eggs impact cakiness; don't know if this is true but there are five? Have a lot of extra caramel so for the time involved, I'm going to buy a fudgy mix and add the caramel swirl and the sugar/salt sprinkles.
BIGGEST disappointment is that they are cakey,not fudgey. I baked them for 27 mins (have a "hot" oven, everything bakes faster than recipe says it will). A friend said eggs impact cakiness; don't know if this is true but there are five? Have a lot of extra caramel so for the time involved, I'm going to buy a fudgy mix and add the caramel swirl and the sugar/salt sprinkles.
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Love the music.
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God help me, I feel myself turning into a Salted Caramel Brownie Zombie....
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I now know what I'll be baking my dad for Father's Day. These look off the hook! My go-to chocolate for baking is Ghiradelli's 70% cacao. Ubiquitous, affordable, delicious full-fat mouth feel, and deeply, satisfyingly chocolatey.
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The ingredients list specifies "salt" for the brownies. Is that measurement for standard table salt? Kosher salt? Sea salt? Which you use makes a difference in the final saltiness.
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I love your videos! the music, everything! takes me to a (very) happy (& peaceful) place. thank you.
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OMG those brownies look soooooo good!!! I can't wait to try this recipe soon!! Yummy!!
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Is it considered advertising for the NYT to recommend several chocolates? I'm fairly certain that many home bakers still use Nestles semi-sweet morsels, Hershey's cocoa powder, and Baker's cooking chocolate bars. As noted in the article, anything beyond those items is relatively expensive, and recommendations from your experienced staff would be helpful!
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With so many chocolates on the market, we try to help readers by giving guidelines unrelated to brands -- or price. Flavor is paramount; next, value.
Our preference for baking chocolate has 60 to 70 percent cocoa solids and cocoa butter -- the all-natural components of chocolate. It's not because those are "prestige" ingredients -- it's because having so much real cocoa product doesn't leave much room for sugar or other additives. And fewer ingredients make the best baking chocolate. (Chocolate bars for eating are another story.)
Often, chocolate from commercial brands list sugar as the first ingredient, meaning it contains more sugar than chocolate. That is not a flavor-enhancing decision -- that is a cheap shortcut.
Our preference for baking chocolate has 60 to 70 percent cocoa solids and cocoa butter -- the all-natural components of chocolate. It's not because those are "prestige" ingredients -- it's because having so much real cocoa product doesn't leave much room for sugar or other additives. And fewer ingredients make the best baking chocolate. (Chocolate bars for eating are another story.)
Often, chocolate from commercial brands list sugar as the first ingredient, meaning it contains more sugar than chocolate. That is not a flavor-enhancing decision -- that is a cheap shortcut.
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Whenever corn syrup is called for in a recipe (caramel, pecan pie, etc.) I substitute an equal measure of Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is made from cane sugar. It adds a caramelized flavor note, and avoids the bugaboo of corn syrup, although I doubt it has any healthful benefits. Also, in looking at this recipe, I would probably substitute creme fraiche for the sour cream. CF is less likely to curdle or break, if added when the caramel is still hot. Looks decadently delicious, and worth the effort!
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Julia Child's recipe in Baking with Julia is great and pretty simple. No caramel, no cocoa, just chocolate.
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I just want to let your readers know that I made these brownies in a gluten free version using Blends by Orly Sydney Blend (exact 1:1 replacement for the flour in the recipe) and they taste, feel and look like the ones I made with wheat flour. They are just delicious. Love this recipe!
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Caramel made with sour corn syrup and sour cream? No, thanks. I've never heard of that before and don't think I will do that. I prefer using the caramel recipe I got from an old French chef.
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The corn syrup simply stabilizes the caramel to make it easier for home cooks, and it makes no difference in taste. As for the sour cream, most people love the slight tanginess it adds to the caramel. Why not give it a try?
Thanks for writing
Julia
Thanks for writing
Julia
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Did the French invent brownies, too?
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yes changes everything...
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Hello. I run a brownie website and have a few observations. First, I don't think it is a great idea to sprinkle flaky salt on brownies. Use salted butter and you'll have plenty of salt in the brownies for a sweet and salty flavor. If you can find French Guérande sea salt butter, I have had a lot of success with this in brownies. Second, you can make these using a mixer. Just mix on low and stop mixing as soon as the flour becomes incorporated. Third, you don't have to buy a bunch of chocolate and sample it before deciding what to use in brownies. Just buy any dark 60 to 70 percent cocoa chocolate and be done with it. Fourth, don't tell the Belgians and French or even the Swiss that there is nothing better you can do with chocolate than make a brownie. Sixth, I don't recommend adding extra stuff to brownies. Don't go for cream cheese or peanut butter or Oreos. Lastly, you can make good brownies with cocoa power or chocolate. There was once a debate in The New York Times over whether Katharine Hepburn used cocoa powder or chocolate in her famous brownies. If you search on Google for "Miss Hepburn Would Not Have Approved," you will learn about this funny story. Regards, Chris Knight, freebrownies.com
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Finally, someone who has as many opinions about brownies as I do!
I beg to differ about the flaky salt. It adds texture by providing a slight crunch to the top, not just saltiness. Try it.
Yes, you can make these in a mixer.
I have tasted some perfectly awful 72 percent "boutique" chocolate in recent years. But if you stick to standard chocolate brands, yes, your brownies will be fine.
Agreed: Slutty Brownies, with Oreos and chocolate chip cookie dough, are not exactly what I call brownies. But they are insanely good (if a touch too sweet.)
Best wishes,
Julia
I beg to differ about the flaky salt. It adds texture by providing a slight crunch to the top, not just saltiness. Try it.
Yes, you can make these in a mixer.
I have tasted some perfectly awful 72 percent "boutique" chocolate in recent years. But if you stick to standard chocolate brands, yes, your brownies will be fine.
Agreed: Slutty Brownies, with Oreos and chocolate chip cookie dough, are not exactly what I call brownies. But they are insanely good (if a touch too sweet.)
Best wishes,
Julia
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Hi, Julia. Thanks for responding. I will try the flaky salt. I usually don't like such tricks in brownies, but if you insist, I will give it a go. Regards, Chris Knight, freebrownies.com
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Oooohhh, come live with me.
I will provide the ingredients.
I will provide the ingredients.
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When you hear part sugar and part corn syrup, you really should know it's not good for you. The brownie itself is probably not the best for you either but adding the caramel is a over the top. Even deserts need to be more than about taste. We can't change the way America eats you pushing this stuff. Not even a mention of the calories involved here.
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Are we to have only nuts and salads in the recipe section because there's an obesity epidemic? Is it somehow gauche for some of us to indulge with chocolate dessert now, like smoking in public?
Corn syrup is a useful baking tool, and turning up one's nose at it is rather ignorant. It's a complete myth that sugar is somehow more 'wholesome'. The entire reason for the demonization of corn syrup is that it's easier and cheaper to add to a range of processed foods-- it does not logically follow that sugar is 'healthier' to use. It's the same kind of nonsense that leads people to believe that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar.
At the end of the day, if you're not at the place where you should be making and eating these brownies, simply don't eat them. It's a little bit unreasonable to expect dietary enlightenment in a section devoted to a wide variety of foods, not just health foods.
Corn syrup is a useful baking tool, and turning up one's nose at it is rather ignorant. It's a complete myth that sugar is somehow more 'wholesome'. The entire reason for the demonization of corn syrup is that it's easier and cheaper to add to a range of processed foods-- it does not logically follow that sugar is 'healthier' to use. It's the same kind of nonsense that leads people to believe that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar.
At the end of the day, if you're not at the place where you should be making and eating these brownies, simply don't eat them. It's a little bit unreasonable to expect dietary enlightenment in a section devoted to a wide variety of foods, not just health foods.
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Dear David Gifford,
Seriously? Lord deliver me from the food police. Sometimes food can be about pure enjoyment. That is how most Europeans still eat. Everything in moderation.
Seriously? Lord deliver me from the food police. Sometimes food can be about pure enjoyment. That is how most Europeans still eat. Everything in moderation.
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Are you planning on eating this for all three meals everyday? I'd assume no. It's okay to splurge once and a while. You will survive.
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I've made caramel without corn syrup - just as thick and looks exactly as pictured in the video. Please - dump the corn syrup. Corn, and its derivatives, is in too many things already!
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The article makes note that the corn syrup makes the temperature control less exacting by preventing crystallization.
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'Slutty' no longer refers to a lazy housekeeper in Britain. Archaically, yes, but to say 'often' is incorrect.
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My standard brownies for years was the recipe from the NYTIMES cookbook. Always reliably good. Then I started making Ina Garten's outrageous brownies. Incredible quantities of butter, chocolate, chocolate chips and walnuts. She cuts into 20 brownies, we cut into 40 or so. Amazing.
Now I'll have to try these. Thanks, I think, for complicating my baking life. Joan Heymont
Now I'll have to try these. Thanks, I think, for complicating my baking life. Joan Heymont
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Salt and caramel have been getting it on for a long time in the US, as fans of the Payday candy bar can testify.
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This sounds completely delicious.
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Apologies, upon a closer read, I see that you suggest the sour cream makes the caramel "thick and creamy". I've made caramel without sour cream and this seems like a new twist.
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Thank you in advance.