The First Pancake

You know how, when you are making pancakes, the first one always sticks to the pan and you have to eat it instead of serving it?  How the first brownie you cut from the pan never comes out whole?  That’s what the first week back in Barcelona felt like, and I’m glad it’s behind me.  Endless loads of laundry, kids cranky about school and homework, a nasty cold.  I should have eased in more slowly instead of leaping forward without getting my legs under me first.  Whatever.  It’s in the past and I’ve eaten the first pancake, the first week.

It felt good to get back to my office today, to cross all those niggly things off of my list and begin to read again.  I made progress, which always feels good, and then went for a great walk on the Carretera de les Aigues.  So I’ve turned it around, and I’ve made a vow to get more sleep this week.  Why is it so hard to just turn out the lights sometimes?

Here is that fabulous brownie recipe.  I’ve tweaked it a bit.   Although I have loved sweet and salty ever since I ate my first Reese’s peanut butter cup, I cut down a bit on the salt sprinkled on top after baking.  Turn off your computer and bake these right now.

Sweet and Salty Brownies (adapted from Baked Explorations)

Ingredients

For the caramel filling:

·      1 cup sugar

·      2 Tbsp. light corn syrup

·      ½ cup heavy cream

·      1 tsp. fleur de sel (I use Maldon sea salt—just as good and much less expensive)

·      ¼ cup sour cream or crème fraiche

For the brownies:

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 11 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Make the Caramel

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup with ¼ cup water, stirring them together carefully so you don’t splash the sides of the pan.  Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F, or until the mixture is dark amber in color, about 6 – 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat, and slowly add the cream.  Be careful, because it will bubble up.  Then add the salt.  Whisk in the sour cream and set aside to cool.

Make the Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

Put the chocolate, butter, and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Drizzle about ¾ cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care not to let the caramel touch the sides of the pan (it will burn). Spread the caramel evenly over the brownie layer.  In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer.  Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.

Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.