Salted caramel pretzel brownies

There’s something wonderful about the combination of sweet and salty flavours – it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. These easy-to-make brownies make the most of that with just enough salt to feel grown up plus an extra crunch thanks to the pretzel. Perfect if you want to take your brownies to the next level.

Step 1

Line a 20 cm square baking tin with baking paper and preheat your oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan/Gas Mark 4).

Step 2

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, gently melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

Step 3

Whisk the sugar into the warm chocolate mixture, then beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is glossy and thick. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Step 4

Fold in the crushed pretzels, keeping some nice chunky bits for crunch.

Step 5

Pour the batter into your prepared tin and level it out. Warm the caramels or caramel sauce slightly until runny, then dollop over the top of the brownie mixture. Use a knife to gently swirl it through. Press a few whole pretzels into the top for decoration and added crunch.

Step 6

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centre still has a slight wobble. Don’t overbake—you want a fudgy middle.

Step 7

Allow to cool completely in the tin. Once set, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, then lift out and slice into squares.

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