Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 175°C (160°C fan / Gas Mark 4). Line a 23x33cm baking tin with baking paper and lightly grease with butter.

   Tip: Room temperature ingredients blend seamlessly — cold eggs can cause the chocolate mixture to seize. If short on time, sit the eggs in warm water for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Toast the pecan halves in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Toss with the melted butter and a pinch of salt, then set aside to cool.

   Tip: Toasting intensifies the pecans' nutty flavour and creates better texture contrast against the soft brownie base. Do not skip this step.

3. 3

   Melt the butter and chopped dark chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (bain-marie), or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Mix until completely smooth.

   Tip: Use chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content — the quality makes a significant difference to the final flavour.

4. 4

   Whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate until smooth and glossy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.

5. 5

   Gently fold in the plain flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined. A few streaks are fine — do not overmix.

6. 6

   For the caramel: heat the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fully melted and deep amber in colour. Add the butter and whisk vigorously — the mixture will bubble up vigorously. Slowly pour in the double cream while whisking, then add the vanilla and sea salt. Cook for 2 minutes until smooth, then remove from the heat.

   Tip: Caramel reaches over 150°C — keep a bowl of cold water nearby in case of splashes, and keep children away from the hob during this step.

7. 7

   Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Drizzle the warm caramel over the batter and swirl gently with a knife. Scatter the toasted pecans over the surface and press lightly into the batter.

8. 8

   Bake for 32–35 minutes until the edges are set and the centre has just the slightest jiggle.

   Tip: Do not overbake — residual heat continues cooking the brownies as they cool, keeping them moist and fudgy rather than dry and cakey.

9. 9

   Leave to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing into squares.

   Tip: Patience pays off — cooling allows the caramel to set properly and prevents messy cuts. For very clean slices, refrigerate for 30 minutes after the brownies have fully cooled.