Baked! Salted caramel brownies a la Smitten Kitchen.

So, I caved and baked the Smitten Kitchen salted caramel brownies last week. I thought I had a salted caramel recipe brownie down pat (this one—which uses Deb's salted caramel sauce, actually), but nope: These are the ultimate. They take the, uh, cake. And they couldn't be easier to make, which is kind of dangerous.

Unsweetened chocolate and butter are melted together, then whisked into granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Flour (but only 2/3 of a cup) is stirred in, then chunks of faux salted caramel candy (basically salted caramel that's been poured onto a parchment-lined plate, tossed in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to solidify, then chopped into one-inch squares) are folded into the batter and the whole thing is baked for about 30 minutes (closer to 40 if you're using my terrible oven).

The result is totally addicting—a pan of brownies that it would be easy to wolf down in no time, the kind of brownies that make me glad I have hungry coworkers who will take them off my hands. I always say baking is just as much about the creative process as it is about actually eating what I've made—I'm fascinated by the things that butter and sugar and flour and sometimes chocolate can make—but that doesn't mean I don't snack on them if I have them laying around. So thanks, work buddies.

Anyway, these brownies are the real deal. Make them. You won't be sorry.

P.S. If you're in the mood for blondies instead, here you go. And (new feature!) you can find the Baked! recipe index right here.

Photo by Smitten Kitchen