Gluten-free Salted Caramel Brownies
Photography by Simeon Crofts
DIETARY – Gluten-free/Nut-free/Vegetarian
I am a total sucker for salted caramel! I just love salty and sweet flavours together. Even better than that is a combination of chocolate and salted caramel, and so I set out to develop an indulgent recipe for salted caramel brownies free from nuts and gluten that didn’t compromise on flavour or texture. These moist, slightly chewy, oh-so rich brownies are swirled with thick salted caramel and topped with an extra drizzle for good measure.
The secret to a dense, fudgy brownie is a higher fat-to-flour ratio or, in other words, more butter and less flour. Personally, I think brownies should always be fudgy and moist inside otherwise you might as well make a chocolate cake. The addition of cornflour in this recipe further helps the texture. The second most important thing is that the brownies actually taste like rich chocolate. To ensure this flavour comes through, you need a mix of melted chocolate and cocoa powder. I recommend using dark chocolate for a truly delicious, intense flavour.
Usually, caramel is tricky to make, but the caramel in this recipe is foolproof. It’s incredibly easy and tastes great! I like to layer the half the brownie batter with the salted caramel sandwiched in the middle and the remaining batter on top, then use a toothpick or knife to swirl it all together so you always get a bit of both with every bite. And the drizzle on top? That’s just a little of your salted caramel from earlier set aside. Simply heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds until runny, then add a tablespoon or two of double cream to thin it out enough for drizzling. Happy baking!
Gluten-free Salted Caramel Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 tin condensed milk
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 70g unsalted butter
- 1-1.5 tsp salt (depending how salty you like it)
- 190g unsalted butter
- 190g dark chocolate, chopped
- 270g brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10g cornflour
- 60g gluten-free flour
- 40g cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum
- 2-3 tbsp of the salted caramel you made earlier
- 1 tbsp double cream
Method
- First, make the salted caramel by combining all the ingredients together in a deep-bottom saucepan set over a low heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted.
- Once melted and steaming, stir continuously for around 7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir for a minute more, then set aside.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a brownie pan.
- In a clean glass or plastic bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together. You can do this in the microwave in 30-second intervals or in a bain-marie (a bowl set over a pan of simmering water).
- Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to the melted mixture and whisk.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Spoon half the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared tin, then spoon over all but 2-3 tbsp (you’ll need this later) of the salted caramel. Finally, add the remaining brownie batter on top and spread out with a spoon. Take a toothpick or knife and swirl the batter a few times to mix the chocolate and caramel together.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 35 mins. You want to keep the brownie moist, so a knife should come out with a few crumbs and a little chocolate on it, but not too much. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out and cutting into nine large pieces.
- Finally, heat the salted caramel you set aside earlier in the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it up, then add one tbsp of double cream and stir. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top of the brownies and serve. The brownies will keep in an airtight container for up to one week.