Yep, you read that title right. Caramel Toffee Chocolate Chunk Brownies. Word is bomb! I picked these up while visiting Chicago over Christmas. They have a very cute boutique shop inside the loop in downtown Chicago.
Now, I have made gripes about Vosges before when it comes to their prices. They are very expensive for artisan chocolate and truffles. This brownie mix from them wasn't any exception at $18 a box. However, this is an exception to the rule where I say damn the costs. These brownies were so damn good! I will be ordering Three more boxes of it. Two for friends and one more for me.
I liked that even though this is a premixed brownie set up, it's more involved than just whisking in an egg or two. You have to get into this recipe a little bit. Makes you feel like you are still a baker and not a Duncan Hines cheater.
Recipe:
Yields 16 Brownies
- 8" square baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Brownie Mix (enclosed)
- Brownie Mix bag 2 (Chocolate chips enclosed)
- Toffee bag (enclosed)- Be sure to keep this bag away from the head of your oven.
- Sugar bad (enclosed)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 sticks (6oz) unsalted butter, plus 1tbsp to grease the pan
- 2tsp pure vanilla extract (I like Neilsen Massey
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and place an oven rack in the lowest position. Line an 8" square baking pan with two pieces of foil, crisscrossed to enable you to lift the brownies out with ease after they have baked. Butter the pan and set aside until needed.
In a wide bottomed saute pan over low heat, melt 1 1/2 sticks butter. Add the contents of the sugar bag and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl, set aside and cool for 10 minutes. The mixture should be cool or slightly warm to the touch before adding the eggs.
Add the 3 eggs one at a time, stirring well with each addition to combine thoroughly. Add 2 tsp vanilla and the contents of both brownie mix bags (flour mixture and the chocolate chips), stirring until just combined. Do not over-mix. Pour the batter into the preparred pan and place in the center of the lowest oven rack.
** That last picture is all about licking the spoon! It should be written into every recipe that once you get the mix in the baking dish, rock the shit of the remaining batter in your mixing bowl and on your spoon.
Bake for 20 minutes then remove from the oven and sprinkle the broken toffee pieces on top. The mixture will be quite wet still at this phase. Bake for an additional 25 minutes. You will see the caramel toffee pieces liquefy and coat the top of the brownies. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the brownies. The toothpick should come out somewhat dry (but not wet) with a few gooey crumbs attached. Place pan on a rack to cool. Hold off on cutting into these decadent brownies until they are almost cooled, about 40 minutes. This will ensure that all the moisture stays in the brownie. Store up to 2 days in a tightly sealed container.
Click to enlarge pictures.
These brownies were incredible. Super gooey and rich without being underdone. Warm and fabulous. Even the next day when they cooled completely, the toffee bits solidified again and gave a lovely buttery crunch. Also, the chocolate chips which are 62% dark chocolate, solidified as well giving it a nice crunchy texture as well. When they are warm, it's like swimming in chocolate caramel. When they are cool it's like swimming in chocolate with a much better texture balance.
These were better than sex!! Yeah, I said it.
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