Salted Caramel Skillet Brownies

Don’t you love desserts that taste fantastic and make your whole house smell amazing? This is one of those recipes - and these are not your average brownies.

While they are absolutely incredible hot out of the oven, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that these skillet brownies were delicious for days after baking; it’s the combination of moist brownie batter and rich salted caramel sauce that does the trick. They’re fun to serve as well, given that you can scoop them right out of the cast iron pan at the table. Don’t forget the ice cream or whipped cream!

Salted Caramel Skillet Brownies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 teaspoon good quality sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp espresso powder or instant coffee
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to serve

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325F.
   
• Heat a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet (or two 5.5 inch ones) over medium-high heat. If using two smaller skillets, note that for this step and the one following, you’ll be dividing the ingredients between the two pans. Add walnuts; cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until very lightly toasted. Add 3 tbsp butter to skillet(s); stir to melt, then add 1/3 cup brown sugar. Cook and stir until brown sugar starts to melt and the mixture begins to bubble.
   
• Remove skillet(s) from heat and carefully add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Return to heat; cook and stir until combined and sugar is melted (about 3 minutes). Remove pan(s) from heat and set aside.
   
• In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, 1 cup brown sugar, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Add 1/4 cup melted butter, beaten eggs, 3 tbsp heavy cream and vanilla to the flour mixture; stir until combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
   
• Spoon batter over caramel mixture in cast iron skillet(s). Place a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack to catch drips and put pan(s) on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes for 5.5 inch pans or 30 minutes for 9-10 inch pans. Note that the brownies will be deliciously gooey when you take the pan(s) out of the oven.
   
• Remove from oven and let cool at least 5 minutes before serving with ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 8.

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