Triple Chocolate Fudge Salted Caramel Brownie Bars Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Gather everything before you turn on the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set a rack in the center. Line the rectangular metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. Chop the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hazelnuts and pecans into a rough pile on the wooden board, then cut the soft caramel candies and add them to the pile.

Grate the white chocolate on the box grater and set aside. Measure the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt into separate bowls. Let the eggs come to room temperature so they whisk smoothly into the melted chocolate. Set up a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water for the melting step, and warm the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl.

Instructions

Chocolate, nuts and caramel

1. 1Chop the chocolate and nuts
   Set the wooden board on the counter and chop the dark chocolate, the milk chocolate, the hazelnuts and the pecans with a large chef's knife into a rough pile. Cut the soft caramel candies and add them to the pile, keeping the pieces even so they bake at the same rate.
   Look for Pieces should be roughly even, with nuts and chocolate mixed through the pile.
   Tip Chop the nuts after the chocolate so the crumbs do not melt the chocolate.
2. 2Grate the white chocolate
   Hold the white chocolate against the fine side of a box grater and grate it over the board. Keep the shavings separate, and grate or shave a few curls of dark and milk chocolate for garnish as well.
   Look for Fine white shavings should fall onto the board in a soft heap.
   Tip Chill the white chocolate for 10 minutes first so it grates cleanly without smearing.

The chocolate and nuts should be chopped into even pieces, with the caramel candies cut and mixed through the pile. The white chocolate should be finely grated into a soft heap on the board, with a few dark and milk curls set aside for garnish. Nothing should be melting in the bowls yet.

Check that the pan is lined with parchment and that the flour, cocoa and salt are measured and ready. Before moving on, make sure the eggs are at room temperature and the batter ingredients are within reach, so that the melted chocolate can be whisked into the sugar and eggs without delay, and the batter is ready to fold and spread.

Batter and caramel layer

3. 3Make the brownie batter
   Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the metal pan with parchment paper. Melt the butter with the chopped dark and milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, then whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth and glossy. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then the chopped nuts and caramel pieces.
   Look for Batter should be thick, glossy and smooth, with no streaks of flour.
   Tip Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears to keep the bars fudgy.
4. 4Warm the caramel sauce
   Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds, then add the remaining caramel candies and stir until melted into a smooth, pourable sauce. Let it cool slightly so it does not run through the batter.
   Look for Sauce should be smooth, glossy and easy to pour.
   Tip Heat in short bursts and stir between them so the caramel does not scorch.
5. 5Layer, swirl and bake
   Spread the batter into the lined pan. Drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the top, then swirl it through the batter with a spatula or knife to form marbled ribbons. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the surface is set and the edges pull slightly from the pan.
   Look for Surface should look set and matte, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Do not overbake; the center should still look slightly soft when you pull the pan out.

The melted chocolate and butter should combine into a smooth, glossy mixture. Once the sugar, eggs and vanilla are whisked in, the batter should look thick and shiny, with no streaks of flour after folding. The caramel sauce should be smooth and pourable, not thick or lumpy. Check the consistency of the batter by lifting the spatula: it should fall in a slow, ribbon-like stream. If the caramel is too stiff, warm it briefly in short bursts before drizzling so it swirls easily through the batter without tearing.

Swirled bake and cooling

6. 6Cool, finish and slice
   Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Drizzle the remaining caramel across the top, scatter the grated white chocolate and chocolate curls over it, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Lift the slab out by the parchment and slice it into neat bars on the wooden board.
   Look for The slab should be firm to the touch and hold clean edges when cut.
   Tip Wipe the knife between cuts for sharp, clean bars.

After baking, the surface should look set and matte, with the edges just pulling away from the parchment. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs rather than wet batter. The caramel ribbons should look distinct and glossy on top. Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, until the slab is firm to the touch and holds its shape. Only then drizzle the remaining caramel, scatter the grated white chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt, so the toppings stay crisp and neat rather than sinking into the warm brownie.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is overbaking. Brownies continue to firm as they cool, so pulling the pan out when the center still looks slightly soft gives the fudgy texture this recipe depends on. Another common problem is overmixing after adding the flour and cocoa. Stop folding as soon as no dry streaks remain, otherwise the bars can turn tough and cakey.

Caramel that is too hot or too thick can scorch or clump, so warm it in short bursts and stir well. Slicing too early is also a mistake: a warm slab will crumble and smear, so wait the full hour on the rack. Finally, do not skip the parchment overhang, because cutting the slab in the pan can tear the caramel ribbons and leave sticky edges.

How to tell it’s done

Look for a surface that appears set and matte, with the edges just pulling slightly from the pan. Insert a toothpick or thin knife into the center: it should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter. The eggs in the batter must reach 160°F (71°C) to be cooked through.

Use an instant-read thermometer in the center of the pan, away from the caramel ribbons, to confirm this reading. The bars should feel firm once cooled, hold their shape when lifted by the parchment and cut with clean edges. Remember that the center will continue to firm as it rests, so take the pan out a few minutes before you think it is done.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part