Salted Caramel Millionaire's Chocolate Brownies

I don't want to go overboard here but I honestly think these are the best things I've ever made. Just pure joy in every mouthful! Ooey-gooey brownies, salty but sweet thick caramel and all the best bits of my Easter chocolate scattered over the top - heaven!

If you're looking for a decadent way to use up any odds and ends leftover from Easter then this is the recipe for you. But even if you're not, use whatever chocolate you have in and have some fun. The only real key to this recipe is patience - each layer needs a little time to set and you really do have to keep stirring the caramel otherwise it won't work. I do promise though - it's worth it!!

Salted Caramel Millionaire's Chocolate Brownies

Makes approx. 15 

For the brownies:

175g butter 

350g golden caster sugar 

3 eggs 

½ tsp vanilla extract 

50g milk chocolate, melted

100g self-raising flour 

½ tsp baking powder 

30g cocoa powder 

For the salted caramel:

300g granulated sugar 

135g butter 

225ml double cream

sea salt 

For the top:

2 bags of mini eggs 

1 or 2 chocolate Easter eggs 

Preheat the oven to 180℃ Fan/200℃/Gas Mark 6, and line a 27cm x 20cm baking tin with baking parchment (be generous with this as you want high sides of baking parchment for the caramel layer later). 

Melt the butter on the hob slowly before pouring into a mixing bowl with the sugar. Beat with a paddle in a stand mixer or work really well with a wooden spoon/spatula. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the butter mixture a little at a time, beating after each addition to ensure it's all combined before adding the next lot. Repeat until all mixed in then beat in the vanilla followed by the melted chocolate.

Weigh out the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder and sieve into the wet mix. Fold in the flour mix slowly, making sure you don’t knock all the air out, until just combined. Pour the brownie mix into the baking tray and put in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending how gooey you like them. Leave them in the tray to cool for 10 minutes. 

When the brownies have been out of the oven for 10 minutes, start making the salted caramel. Make sure you have all of the ingredients weighed out and ready as things happen quickly. Put the granulated sugar into a saucepan and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula over a medium heat. After a while (7-10 minutes) this will begin to form clumps, before melting into an amber-coloured syrup. 

Once all the sugar is melted, immediately add in the butter, stirring quickly and continuously. It will begin to rise up the pan and bubble so be careful. Stir this until all the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the cream, again continuing to stir. 

As the caramel will need to be thick enough to set when cooled, it will require to stay on the heat for while allowing it to thicken up. It will be bubbling quickly so make sure to continue stirring. This will take 5 minutes. Remember it will thicken a lot when cooled, so don’t panic that it is still runny, that’s how it should be at this stage. Take off the heat and add salt to taste - I find two big pinches is usually right. Set to one side to cool for 5 minutes before pouring oven the brownies. Place the tray flat in the fridge to cool. 

Meanwhile, crush up most of the mini eggs with a rolling pin, leaving a few whole. Break an Easter egg or two into chunks. When the brownies and caramel have had about 20 minutes cooling time in the fridge, sprinkle over the crushed chocolate then return to fridge for an hour or so to completely cool and set.