Ingredients (serves 8)

• 100g Butter
• 140g Caster Sugar
• 75g Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Golden Syrup
• 150g NESTLÉ BAKERS’ CHOICE Dark Chocolate Melts
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 100g Plain Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Tbsp NESTLÉ BAKERS’ CHOICE Cocoa Powder
• Optional 50g NESTLÉ BAKERS’ CHOICE Milk Chocolate Bits
• CHOCOALTE FROSTING (Optional Addition)
• 125g Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
• 1 Cup Pure Icing Sugar
• 1/4 Cup NESTLÉ BAKERS’ CHOICE Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tbsp Cream or Milk
• SALTED CARAMEL (Optional addition)
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1/3 Cup Cream
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• Pinch of Salt (to desired taste)

Method

1. FOR BROWNIE CAKE: Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Grease and line a cake tin (18-20cm will work best). Place the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar, chocolate and golden syrup in a saucepan and melt over low heat while stirring until smooth an lump free (mix may appear slightly gritty or have melted butter that has not absorbed - this is OK.) Remove from the heat and allow to cool for around 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl - whisk the eggs until frothy. Add in the vanilla, flour, baking powder and cocoa, mixing until it comes together. Pour in roughly a third of the melted chocolate mix and stir quickly until combined. Add in the rest of the chocolate mix and stir well. Add in the optional NESTLÉ BAKERS’ CHOICE Chocolate bits to the mix if desired.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes. Brownie cake is cooked when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If the brownie is hardening too quickly on the outer edge - lower the heat of the oven for the remainder of the cooking time.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tray for 20 minutes before removing and placing onto serving plate. [If preferred - you could STOP at this step and serve the delicious warm brownie cake with cream, custard or ice-cream!!) If frosting the brownie cake - wait until it is fully cooled.
5. FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with paddle attachment - beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (approximately 90 seconds). Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the cup of icing sugar, cocoa powder and salt - beating until the sugar/cocoa is fully combined with the butter.
6. Increase speed to medium and add the vanilla and cream. Increase speed to high and beat for a further minute. If mix is too thick - add a touch extra cream or if too thin add a little more icing sugar.
7. Spread over the top of the brownie cake to desired thickness. I like a nice thick layer but this isn't to everyone's taste. Serve as is or continue on and add the delectable salted caramel topping which helps to cut any extra sweetness due to the addition of the salt.
8. FOR SALTED CARAMEL TOPPING: In a small saucepan, melt the butter on a low medium heat. Add in the sugars and about 1/4 cup of the cream. Continue whisking on low medium heat until mixture comes to the boil which should be about 4 minutes. Reduce heat slightly and continue whisking, allowing the mixture to boil for approximately 2 minutes. Add the remaining cream with the pinch of salt and whisk until combined. Cook for a further 1 minute then remove from the heat.
9. Allow caramel to cool - not quite to room temperature as it will turn too thick to drizzle. Using a spoon or by pouring from a jug - drizzle the caramel over the top of the frosting. The warm caramel will melt into the chocolate frosting slightly - don't panic! Want to be extra decadent?? Melt some additional chocolate bits then drizzle over the top of the caramel.
10. Choc Frosted Chocolate Brownie Cake with Salted Caramel is BEST served at room temperature in my opinion. The frosting and caramel will set perfectly while the brownie will still be nice and fudgy. You could warm in the microwave slightly but be prepared for the frosting to melt.

Notes

90 minutes preparation time does not include cooling the brownie cake for frosting or cooling the salted caramel.