Sweet & Salty

Week 9.

This week is easily summed up in this brownie: Sweet & Salty. Long, long days at work with looming deadlines and endless hurdless brought loads of salty; good news on the relo front, and the promise of seeing one of my favorite lady-pals in just over a week and a half brought in the sweet.

This brownie fit this week, full stop.  It’s another Baked recipe, their Sweet & Salty* Brownie from their second book, Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented. Oh dang, it’s a winner.  It also marks my first time successfully making caramel (!!!).  I tried (a few times) years ago, failing miserably (each time harder and crunchier than the previous it seemed) and I think i’ve had a mental block since, caramel living on as my impossible (sweet) dream.  But no more! I’ve got it down and foresee many more caramel laced goods in my future.

These are now wrapped and ready to be devoured by my coworkers on Monday.  Though I did stash a few in the freezer for an upcoming cookie-bomb package I’m putting together for a moto friend.

The beginnings of caramel. This sight used to strike fear in my heart. No longer!                           Caramel has been owned.

*The ‘salty’ comes from good helping of Fleur de Sel. I spent $10 on 5oz of salt. Ten dollars. ON FIVE OUNCES OF SALT. Baffling, but worth it.