We Should Cocoa ~ Chocolate and Caramel Brownies

This month's challenge for We Should Cocoa was to use up all those little extras from Christmas.  It is fair to say that I was spoilt for choice as to what I could make but I finally settled on these, they sounded so good we just had to try them!  Of course I couldn't help but alter the recipe as I went along, so this is my version of a recipe that is in this month's Olive Magazine.

Chocolate and Caramel Brownies
Melt 250g unsalted butter, 100g cocoa and 500g caster sugar in a pan, stirring often.  Cool slightly then stir in 3 large eggs and 150g SR flour. 

Pour half the brownie batter into a 21cm square tin (I don't have one of those so improvised instead!) lined with baking parchment, dollop over teaspoons from 4 tbsp caramel (strictly speaking I didn't stick to this measurement!) and scatter with 100g white chocolate chunks (not sure I stuck to this one either).

Top with the rest of the batter.  Bake for 40 mins at 180C/fan 160C - cover with another sheet of baking paper if the crust is browning too much after 30 mins.  Cool in tin and cut into squares.

Makes 16 squares
Adapted from Olive Magazine, Feb 11

The excess ingredient for me was indeed the caramel, I bought a few tins too many in anticipation for the amount of Christmas Cream Liqueur that I thought I'd be making ... until frangelico became a rare commodity thanks to either Nigel or Nigella, one of them put out a recipe in the lead up to Christmas that completely decimated the frangelico stocks in Edinburgh - I was not impressed with either of them.  I guess now now though I need to thank them, otherwise I would never have tasted these brownies which are seriously sweet and should be consumed in very small quantities ;0)

A word to the wise - it is best to leave the brownies to cool in the tin overnight before cutting.  As excruciating as the wait is, the brownies really need to firm up before consuming.