Caramel Macchiato Brownies

So I will admit....I'm not a huge coffee drinker.  I'm a little sensitive to caffeine.  That and I can't just drink it black.  I have to have some cream and sugar...THEN I like coffee...

So I STAY AWAY from Starbucks...because they have that SUGAR+coffee thing down....to a science.  

When fall comes around...sucker for those pumpkin spice....everything.  I try to limit myself to a skinny non fat cinnamon latte if I EVER decide I will give in to coffee....in college coffee and I were pretty tight...amigos...campadres...

Anyway....I don't drink coffee...I drink caffeinated sugar milk basically.....and that is why I am not a huge coffee drinker.

Doesn't mean I don't still WANT the sugar cream concoction...I do.  And I would have to say the KING of the over sugared creamy coffee drink would be...

The Caramel Macchiato

those yummy caramels are from Firefly Confections

I wanted one really bad the other day and I had no clue why....  Maybe I was in a caramel mood...but I was also in a dark chocolate coffee mood.  I was at a loss...

So I baked me some brownies...and put coffee in it....and then topped it with thick caramel sauce....and sugar...and chocolate...

Because I'M BAD!

So with reckless abandon.... I made Caramel Macchiato Brownies

Now before I hand out the recipe let me go over a few points.

This recipe calls for coffee....instant coffee...specifically the Starbucks VIA instant coffee...you can use whichever coffe you want.  I suggested the Dark French Roast or the Caramel....If you want it more on the sweet side (say your not too into dark dark chocolate...) use the caramel.  Trust me.  I like the dark almost bitter dark chocolate and I wanted COFFEE so I used the dark French Roast

I also used Endangered Species Dark Chocolate....mostly because it's the darkest chocolate I can find around here...and they had this toffee thing...uh yes please.

And you can either add heath toffee bits OR chocolate chips.  Heath would be a really fun addition...kinda like adding nuts or something...for a little texture and more of that sweet caramel flavor.  I just went straight chocolate chips this time....because I wanted dense and DARK.

But there you go.  I think either version is amazing.  But the version I made today was as dark as I could get it...

Caramel Macchiato Brownies

Baking Pam
Parchment Paper
1 stick unsalted butter
3 oz Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Toffee
2 oz Bittersweet Chocolate
2/3 c flour
2 packets Starbucks VIA Dark French Roast or Via Caramel flavored Coffee
1 TBSP Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c Heath Toffee Pieces or (1/3 c bittersweet choc chips)

1/2 c sugar
2 TBSP water
2 TBSP heavy cream
2 TBSP unsalted butter
Sea Salt

You will need a 8x8 square pan.  Spray the pan with Baking Pam.  Then cut your parchment paper into two strips the same width as the pan...so like 8x.....8x15???  I dunno...just so it covers the bottom and goes up and over the sides.  Cross your strips over the bottom of the pan so that all sides of the pan and the bottom are covered and you have a lip of parchment paper on each side that hangs out of the pan.  Spray with Baking Pam again.

Preheat oven to 350

In a large microwave safe bowl...heat butter, dark chocolate and bittersweet chocolate together until melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk your flour, coffee, cocoa powder, and salt together.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk your eggs, sugar and vanilla together till pale and thick.  I find this usually takes about 2 minutes of whisking....manual labor....already working off your brownie calories.  Bonus.

Slowly pour chocolate mixture into your eggs whisking continuously.  Then add flour mixture and stir till smooth. Add your chocolate chips (or toffee pieces). Pour into your pan and smooth out the top.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

When finished, set aside in pan to cool for a bit while you make your caramel.

Heat your sugar and water together in a medium saucepan till sugar dissolves....stirring constantly.  Then knock it up to med high and just let it simmer....don't touch it...till its a beautiful caramel color.  Watch this...because it can go from light brown to black in seconds.  This is the critical moment.  A lighter caramel will be sweeter....a darker caramel will be more intense.

Remove from heat and add cream and butter.  The mixture will bubble...just keep stirring.  Maybe wear an oven mitt to protect yourself from the steam....use a long spoon.....

 Let it sit till it cools a little....till it's starting to thicken up.  Then pour over your brownies in the pan.  Let cool COMPLETELY.  I even refrigerate.  You want that caramel to set up a little. Then using your wax paper as an aid, remove your brownies from the pan.  Cut into 16 squares...sprinkle with rock sugar....and eat.

If you can confiscate legally attain some of those nummy sprinkles they actually put on the macchiatos at Starbucks...that would be awesome on top of these.

These are best if eaten....soon.  It's not a "store me" kind of brownie really.  It's more of a company brownie.  Still amazingly out of this world delicious tho.

If you love coffee you will love these,

So give it a go and tell me what you think!  I would love to see which variables worked best for you!

Till next time.....