Dulce De Leche Brownies

Melt in your mouth brownie, soft dulce de leche and chocolate chips give texture

Someone said to me, “This is the best dessert I have ever eaten!”

Yeah, thanks, it is pretty good, I must say!

And easy to make, cuts beautifully, freezes well and great for sharing.

Wrap up pieces in parchment and hand them out.  Everyone will look at you hopefully every time they see you.

This Brownie recipe is cakier and more firm.  

It is good for this recipe, with a filling.  It is also good for brownie delight type things where you might want to re-heat the brownie.

You can buy Dulce de leche almost anywhere now, but I find them sweeter and I prefer the taste and firmness of one I have made myself from canned condensed milk.

When it is thick enough, it is like thick caramel pudding.  It is almost like jelly.

You could open the can and put its contents in a covered baking dish and cook it slowly in the oven in a bain marie at 400°F/200°C for about 2 hours, or poach it, so to speak, on the stove in a pot for about 4 hours.

I prefer the stove top method, and I have never had any problems, except for not leaving it long enough, but, as a disclaimer, I have heard of accidents.

I promise I will let you know if I ever have a mishap.

How to Make Dulce de leche Brownies

If you are making your own dulce de leche, you can make it weeks in advance, which is why I usually do more than one can at a time.

I am afraid I only do the boil in can method, I find the bain marie method more messy, wasteful and slightly more dangerous, but I have outlined the baking in bain marie method above.

I place a thick, or folded dish towel on the bottom of a large, deep pot.

This prevents rattling and marking the bottom of the pot.  

I remove the labels, (although it makes no difference in the end result, just easier to do now, keeps the pots cleaner), and place the cans, I usually do three at a time, in the pot.

Fill the pot with cold water that comes at least two inches (six cm) above the cans, always.  Make sure the cans have room around them.

Bring the water with everything in it, just to a boil, then right away, reduce to a simmer.

I do not let it boil.  Simmer is ok.  I place a lid over, but just half way, or a firm cloth -just in case,  and do not let it go over a simmer.

Make sure the water level is over the cans always.  You will need to top it up with boiling water, and this is important.

The cans must always be covered with water.  Never let the water get too low.

I repeat, The cans must be fully submerged or they will see a chance to release pressure.

Let simmer, topping up with water for at least three hours, I like four. 

Turn off the heat at let cool until you can remove the cans.

You can store these as you would canned condensed milk, on the shelf.

An insulated brownie pan is good, or use baking wraps if you have, but well-done-on-the-outside brownies are, to many people, the best part.

Line the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar. 

3. Beat in the gently melted butter (not hot is what I mean), and vanilla.

4. Add the flour, salt, and cocoa.

Brownies are so easy, in the way that you don’t have to add anything in any real particular order, you don’t have to alternate dry and wet ingredients, or be careful not to overmix.

What you do need to do is combine the ingredients very well, mix for 3-5 minutes, but not beating on high. We are not trying to aerate.

Brownies do not have baking powder or soda in them because that would give them rise, like a cake, and this is not really a cake.

The eggs will give them enough rise.

5. Mix in the chocolate chips.

6. Spread about ½ of the brownie batter into the prepared pan.

7. Drop small spoonfuls of dulce de leche evenly on top of the batter.

You could also spoon dulce de leche into a strong piping bag or ziploc, but you will have to heat it a bit first because it should be firm.

Leave blobs, don’t swirl it in too much or you will lose the dulce de leche in the brownie batter. 

My point is to find a dulce de leche pocket.

8. Spoon and lightly spread the rest of the batter over, but just barely.

I made lines with my knife as I spread it to give it a pattern. 

The shine is a natural brownie sheen.  It has not been marbled by the way.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes

Just the brownie without the dulce de leche, 25-30 minutes.