The Brownie Diaries by Leah Hyslop (Bloomsbury Absolute, £14.99). Photography by Lauren Mclean.
Salted Caramel and Truffles Brownies
With a gooey caramel centre and a whole truffle in every square, I'll admit this is a slightly ridiculous concoction, but sometimes life calls for indulgence
If you can't find salted caramel, a tin of old-fashioned Carnation caramel comes to the rescue; just stir in sea salt to taste.
Ingredients
- 250g salted caramel sauce, plus extra to drizzle if liked
- 9 large chocolate truffles (I used Lindor)
- 150g unsalted butter, chopped into rough cubes, plus extra for greasing
- 200g dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa solids), roughly broken into pieces
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 100g plain flour
Method
At least two hours before you want to make these brownies, put the caramel and truffles in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 20cm square tin with a little butter and line with baking parchment.
Put the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over a low heat, stirring now and again, until melted together. Stir in the sugar, then take off the heat. Leave to cool for 10 minutes or so, until warm to the touch rather than hot.
Add the eggs and mix in thoroughly. Sift over the flour and gently fold in.
Transfer half the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth it out to make an even layer. Use a teaspoon to evenly dollop over the caramel (you should get around 16 splodges). Add the rest of the brownie batter, so it completely covers the caramel.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until set on top; a little wobble when you shake the tin is nothing to worry about. Let it cool in the tin for a few hours, then gently push the truffles into the top, in three rows of three. Divide into nine plump squares; eat luxuriously, perhaps in a dressing gown or bubble bath.
