SEA SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES: 2 Recipes for National Caramel Day!

Today is National Caramel Day! My favorite truffles are sea salt caramel, and the same goes for brownies! Salt, caramel, and chocolate are a great combination. So for Caramel Day, here are two recipes for Sea Salt Caramel Brownies -- one uses a fudge brownie mix and the other is for brownies from scratch.You can make or buy the caramel sauce. Both recipes are easy, and it just depends on what you have on hand and how much time you have!

1. SEA SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
5 ounces good quality dark (60-75% cacao) chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder 
2 ounces chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/4 cup good quality caramel sauce
1 tsp good quality sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Grease 9 x13 inch baking pan.
In saucepan over another saucepan with simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar. Cool slightly.
In large bowl, beat eggs one at time. Stir in vanilla.
Fold in chocolate mixture.
Combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt and espresso powder (if using). Add to chocolate mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Drizzle caramel on top of batter
Using knife, swirl over surface.
Sprinkle sea salt over caramel.
Bake 30-40 minutes.
Cool in pan on wire rack.

2. Sea Salt Caramel Brownies using a Brownie Mix
This recipe is from Morton Salt. I always check product sites for recipes. Did you know that Morton Salt has an excellent Sea Salt? Found this recipe on their site. Of course, you can always use your own sea salt. I'm partial to Ghirardelli and Duncan Hines Brownie Mixes, but whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Water
20 individually wrapped caramels
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon Morton® Coarse Sea Salt

Directions 
Heat oven and prepare brownie mix as instructed on box.
After placing brownie mix in 8 x 8 baking pan, set aside.
Make caramel sauce as instructed below (or use a prepared caramel sauce), then drizzle sauce on top of brownie batter.
Bake brownie batter as instructed on package.
Remove brownies from oven.
Sprinkle with Morton Coarse Sea Salt.
Cool brownies before cutting.

Caramel Sauce:
Place unwrapped caramels and milk in microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on high for 1 minute and then in 10 second intervals, until caramels are easily whisked. Whisk until caramel mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.

***

HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE 

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions
In small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2 Tbsp water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber color (5-8 minutes). Remove caramel from heat. Add cream and butter and whisk to combine. Let cool slightly in pan.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POKE CAKE: National Caramel Day: Sheltered-in-Place Chocolate Cake #5

I love Chocolate and Caramel and since today is National Caramel Day, here's an easy recipe for Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake adapted from my good friend Elsie the Cow! I'm also calling this Sheltered-in-Place Chocolate Cake #5.

There are all kinds of Poke Cake recipes, but basically a Poke Cake is a cake that's been poked with the bottom of a wooden spoon as soon as it's hot out of the oven. Then liquid--in this case caramel sauce--is poured over it, and the cake absorbs it in varying areas. Yum! This is a great Retro Recipe that you're going to love it!

Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

Ingredients 
1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1-14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-14 oz. jar of caramel topping (Rechiutti Caramel sauce)
Container of Cool Whip  (or update this recipe with real whipped cream)
Bag of Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars

Directions
Mix Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and caramel together (warm up, if you need to).
Prepare cake as instructed on box. Bake in rectangular pan.
Remove cake from oven when done and poke holes in top of cake (I use the bottom of a wooden spoon) and pour caramel mixture evenly over cake while cake is still hot.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Spread with Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
Sprinkle with Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POKE CAKE: National Caramel Day

I love Chocolate and Caramel and since today is National Caramel Day, here's an easy recipe for Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake adapted from my good friend Elsie the Cow!

There are all kinds of Poke Cake recipes, but basically a Poke Cake is a cake that's been poked with the bottom of a wooden spoon as soon as it's hot out of the oven. Then liquid--in this case caramel sauce--is poured over it, and the cake absorbs it in varying areas. Yum! O.K. this is a real retro recipe, but if you make it, you're going to love it!

Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

Ingredients 
1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1-14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-14 oz. jar of caramel topping (Rechiutti Caramel sauce)
Container of Cool Whip  (or update this recipe with real whipped cream)
Bag of Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars

Directions
Mix Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and caramel together (warm up, if you need to).
Prepare cake as instructed on box. Bake in rectangular pan.
Remove cake from oven when done and poke holes in top of cake (I use the bottom of a wooden spoon) and pour caramel mixture evenly over cake while cake is still hot.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Spread with Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
Sprinkle with Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POKE CAKE: National Caramel Day!

I love Chocolate and Caramel and since today is National Caramel Day, here's an easy recipe for Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake adapted from my good friend Elsie the Cow!

There are all kinds of Poke Cake recipes, but basically a Poke Cake is a cake that's been poked with the bottom of a wooden spoon as soon as it's hot out of the oven. Then liquid--in this case caramel sauce--is poured over it, and the cake absorbs it in varying areas. Yum! O.K. this is a real retro recipe, but if you make it, you're going to love it!

Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake

Ingredients 
1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines)
1-14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1-14 oz. jar of caramel topping (Rechiutti Caramel sauce)
Container of Cool Whip  (or update this recipe with real whipped cream)
Bag of Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars

Directions
Mix Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and caramel together (warm up, if you need to).
Prepare cake as instructed on box. Bake in rectangular pan.
Remove cake from oven when done and poke holes in top of cake (I use the bottom of a wooden spoon) and pour caramel mixture evenly over cake while cake is still hot.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Spread with Cool Whip (or whipped cream)
Sprinkle with Toffee Bits or crumbled Heath Bars.

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies: National Caramel Day

Today is National Caramel Day! My favorite truffles are sea salt caramel, and the same goes for brownies! So for Caramel Day, here are two recipes for Sea Salt Caramel Brownies -- one uses a fudge brownie mix and the other is for brownies from scratch. You can make or buy the caramel sauce. Both recipes are easy, and it just depends on what you have on hand and how much time you have!

1. SEA SALT CARAMEL BROWNIES FROM SCRATCH

Ingredients
1 cup sweet butter
5 ounces good quality dark (60-85% cacao) chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
2 ounces chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1/4 cup caramel sauce (I use Recchiuti or Fat Toad Farm)
1 tsp good quality sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F
Grease 9 x13 inch baking pan.
In saucepan over another saucepan with simmering water, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar. Cool slightly.
In large bowl, beat eggs one at time. Stir in vanilla.
Fold in chocolate mixture.
Combine flour, 1/2 tsp salt and espresso powder (if using). Add to chocolate mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Drizzle caramel on top of batter
Using knife, swirl over surface.
Sprinkle sea salt over caramel.
Bake 30-40 minutes.
Cool in pan on wire rack.

Want to make your own Caramel Sauce, too?  

HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions
In small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2 Tbsp water to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, until sugar is deep amber color (5-8 minutes). Remove caramel from heat. Add cream and butter and whisk to combine. Let cool slightly in pan.

2. Sea Salt Caramel Brownies using a Brownie Mix
This recipe is from Morton Salt. I always say check product sites for recipes. Did you know that Morton Salt has an excellent Sea Salt? Found this recipe on their site. Of course, you can always use your own sea salt. I'm partial to Duncan Hines Brownie Mixes, but whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients
1 package fudge brownie mix
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Water
20 individually wrapped caramels
2 Tbsp milk
1 teaspoon Morton® Coarse Sea Salt

Directions 
Heat oven and prepare brownie mix as instructed on box.
After placing brownie mix in 8 x 8 baking pan, set aside.
Make caramel sauce as instructed below (or use a prepared caramel sauce), then drizzle sauce on top of brownie batter.
Bake brownie batter as instructed on package.
Remove brownies from oven.
Sprinkle with Morton Coarse Sea Salt.
Cool brownies before cutting. Caramel Sauce:

Caramel Sauce:
Place unwrapped caramels and milk in microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on high for 1 minute and then in 10 second intervals, until caramels are easily whisked. Whisk until caramel mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.

Caramel Chocolate Cookies with Milk Duds!

The other day mystery author Rosemary Harris was at my home for a Literary Salon and shared some interesting facts about Milk Duds, one of my candies of choice, especially at the movies.

Rosemary Harris writes the Dirty Business mysteries, and she mentioned that a Milk Duds box found near a mummified body was actually used to date the death. She used this piece of information in a book of her series. I won't tell you which novel but the fact that Milk Duds changed their package design (and ownership) over the years helped date the murder! The original Milk Duds were caramels surrounded by real milk chocolate. Now that chocolate is made with vegetable oil. O.K. not unhealthy, but not quite the same.

The box design is still pretty much the same today, although there are subtle changes in color and, of course, manufacturer. Read more about the history and package design of Milk Duds at Collecting Candy.

So I was pleased to see that today's food holiday is National Caramel Day. So in honor of Rosemary Harris's visit (just love when my chocolate and mystery world's converge), I thought I'd post my favorite recipe for Caramel Chocolate Cookies--using Milk Duds!!! 

This recipe makes 4 dozen... I could easily polish these off in a day!  You can also use Rolos, another chocolate covered caramel candy, and they melt a bit better.. but I'm talking about Milk Duds today! Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Caramel Chocolate Cookies with Milk Duds

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp Madagascar vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
48 Milk Duds (try Rolos, too!)
1 Tbsp white sugar or powdered sugar

Directions
In large bowl, combine one cup sugar, brown sugar and butter; beat until light, add vanilla and eggs, blend well.
In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda, mix well. Add to sugar mixtures; blend well.
Divide dough in thirds and roll into logs. Wrap in wax paper.
Refrigerate an hour.
Preheat oven to 375.
Working with one log at a time, cut and shape (approximately) tablespoon of dough around one caramel candy, covering completely. Sprinkle each lightly with white sugar or powdered sugar.
Bake 8-l0 minutes. Cool.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars: National Caramel Day

Today is National Caramel Day. Last year I did a Chocolate Caramel round-up of some of the great caramels at the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon.

Today I have a delicious and easy recipe from Martha Stewart for Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars. And, since I've posted several chocolate caramel recipes, I thought I'd do a Round-Up! Enjoy! Celebrate the Day.

If you don't want to bake, pick up a Chocolate Caramel at your local chocolate shop... or in a pinch have some Milk Duds.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars
from Martha Stewart Living, November 2009

Ingredients
For the Crust
4 1/2 ounces (9 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for parchment
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt

For the Chocolate Caramel
10 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped (2 cups)--I substituted dark chocolate
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust: Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; butter parchment, excluding overhang. Beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour and table salt, and beat until just combined.
2. Press dough evenly into pan, and bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.
3. Make the chocolate caramel: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, washing sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add butter, cream, and table salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Pour over chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes. Stir to combine, and let stand until cool, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour mixture over crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Run a knife around edges; lift parchment to remove whole bar from pan. Sprinkle with sea salt. Trim edges, and cut into 16 bars. Bars can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Chocolate Caramel Round-Up

Chocolate Caramel Trifle with Raspberries
Hazelnut Caramel Toffee Bon Bon for National Chocolate Covered Nut Day
Warm Chocolate Caramel Cakes for National Chocolate Caramel Day
Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies for National Caramel Day last year  (and some sorted caramel chocolate reviews)


Photo: Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars/Martha Stewart Living