Brownies With A Touch Of Salt

What could possibly make brownies taste even better? More butter? More sugar? Walnuts? Try salt along with rich caramel. These two additions elevate the brownie to a whole new level.

Julia Moskin knows this and wrote about it in her Recipe Lab column in today's New York Times Food section. As we all know almost everything has been mixed in to the sweet's basic batter. Many home bakers have blended in cream cheese or peanut butter into their recipes. Oreos have been crumbled in and British bakers have even added chocolate chip cookie dough to create what's known as a "slutty" brownie (slutty means lazy over there, although the name does conjure up what other ingredients to slip in).The famed Manhattan bakery , Baked, has made mint coffee and chile ones but only their Sweet and Salty brownie has made the permanent list. It is a spinoff of one of their most popular cakes of the same name. The cake is a heady mix of cocoa, and caramel with a chocolate caramel whipped ganache and dusted with he flaky French sea salt, fleur de sel along with another dusting of sanding sugar.Home chefs can easily replicate this at home, however as Ms.Moskin warns, don;t use those bags of wrapped caramels - the kind that usually are used to enrobe apples Make your own. It's easy and the overage will be great over ice cream or cakes - or just taking a mouthful for yourself.

Caramel is not scary to make although many home chefs are terrified to make it. It could be the high temp, but as Ms Moskin points out  we cook something as basic as pasta on a high heat. making caramel is no different.Her caramel is the basic recipe but sour cream is added to give it a tang .Remember to also use corn syrup and sugar to prevent crystallizing.and the caramel from seizing up. The color should be between the shades of ice coffee and iced tea. Many, namely children, will not care for this caramel's bitter sweetness. Cook it then until it's golden brown instead of amber.The chocolate should between sixty and seventy percent cocoa solids which may be listed as cocoa beans or cocoa butter. These should be coarsely chopped for the mix. This is a top quality recipe with two sticks of butter added along with brown sugar. Five eggs are used for richness instead of the usual two. As for the salt.Ms Moskin recommends any flaky kind for sprinkling on top.Any kind of salt will do for the batter as long as it gives the brownies that sweet-salty flavor.The caramel is drizzled over the poured batter and then use a butter knife or icing spatula to swirl the two together. The salt and sugar are sprinkled on when the brownies come out of the oven,Their edges will be puffy  but the middle should be barely set.

Home made caramel and sea salt are what can elevate the brownie to a whole new level. It 's that sweet and salty marriage that does it. It is the perfect union and perfect to change up this classic treat.