Salted Caramel Brownies

Ingredients

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

(https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/homemade-salted-caramel-sauce/)

1/4 cup water

1 cup white sugar

2/3 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

Salt - 1 tsp?

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat. Make sure to use a saucepan that's a little bigger than what you think you will need. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble just a little.
• Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stop stirring completely. Let the mixture continue boiling until it turns an amber color, this could take anywhere from 4-12 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so make sure to do this very carefully. Then, mix in the butter, vanilla, and salt one at a time.
• Pour the caramel sauce into a dish and allow to cool completely, then cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. The caramel sauce will thicken up some once it's cooled and refrigerated.

BROWNIES

(https://sugarspunrun.com/brownies-from-scratch/)
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small slices
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips for mixing in at end)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
(1/2 teaspoon instant coffee grounds - optional)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

BROWNIES:

• Preheat oven to 350 and line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper, also spray
• Combine butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a large, microwave-safe bowl
• Microwave on half power for 1 minute, stir, then continue microwaving in 30-second increments until melted
• Add cocoa powder and instant coffee (if using), stir well.
• Add sugars, stir until completely combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time.  After each addition, stir well, and then stir another 30 seconds (the better you stir your batter, the cracklier your brownie tops will be).
• Stir in vanilla extract.
• Sprinkle salt over batter and stir.
• Add flour, stir until completely combined.  You cannot overmix this batter, make sure it is mixed very well.
• Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
• Spread into prepared 9x9 or 13x9 pan.
• Add in caramel sauce: drizzle and then swirl with knife.
• Bake at 350 for about 25-35 minutes . . . toothpick inserted in center should be just slightly fudgy, but not wet with batter - edges of brownies will start to look set and middle will look just puffed
• Allow to cool before cutting and serving. Overachievers: serve with ice cream and drizzled with leftover caramel sauce.