Caramel-Sea Salt Brownies (Gluten-Free)

Before I learned to cook and bake from scratch, I was a “box baker.”  I made a mean box of brownies, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and a layer of raspberry preserves (my mom’s favorite) and angel food cake with a rum chocolate-whipped cream frosting (my grandmother’s recipe and my favorite childhood birthday cake).

Somewhere down the road I started making brownies from scratch and after trying many recipes settled on the base you see below as my standby. It’s so good, it stayed as by standby when I gave up eating wheat as it adapted well with gluten-free flour.

When my friend, Lisa D, asked if I had a recipe for Caramel-Sea Salt Brownies for the cookbook project that we’re working on together, I responded “not now, but I will.” So I started with the gluten-free version of these brownies and adapted a caramel  that I’ve used in a few other desserts. I covered the brownies in the caramel rather than just a simple drizzle as I wanted to make sure the caramel didn’t get lost. The key to both the chocolate and caramel parts of this recipe is using good salt – coarse sea salt for the brownie base (it’s makes the chocolate even better) and flaky sea salt sprinkled generously atop the caramel.

While I used gluten-free flour in this recipe, it is just as good with regular all-purpose flour (same quantity).

These little bites would make a great addition to a New Year’s Eve dessert table.

Caramel-Sea Salt Brownies (Gluten-Free)

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

  

Brownies:

• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

Caramel:

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons water
• coarse or flaky sea salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9”x13" glass baking dish with foil, pressing firmly into pan and leaving a 2" overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray; set baking dish aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.
• Pour butter in a steady stream into dry ingredients, whisking constantly to blend.
• Whisk in vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.
• Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix).
• Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake until top begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-40 minutes.
• While brownies are baking: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine heavy cream, butter, brown sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240°F, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Carefully pour caramel over hot brownies (just out of the oven).
• Sprinkle with coarse or flaky sea salt.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely in pan. (They will not cut well if still warm.)
• Using foil overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a cutting board and cut into 32 squares.

Notes

* Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour is my go-to gluten-free flour.
* Recipe can be cut in half and baked in an 8"x8" pan.