soy sauce brownies
fudgy, chocolatey, sweet, salty, and just a little umami-funky
as my parents can attest, i was obsessed with soy sauce as a kid and would beg to put it on everything
spag bol? soy sauce. mashed potato? soy sauce. a bowl of white rice with soy sauce was (and still is) one of my favourite foods
with that in mind, i decided to gild the lily on my new favourite brownies (see below) — and add soy sauce, in the form of a soy sauce caramel
the soy sauce is just enough to bring that salted-caramel goodness — with a fun, umami-funky twist. the soy adds depth to balance the sweetness, a little savory pop that keeps your taste buds guessing, and a glossy, rich texture that swirls beautifully through the batter.
yields 10 small bites or 8 more generous serves
ingredients
soy caramel swirl
57g caster sugar
28mL water
28g butter
28mL soy milk (or cream)
1 tsp soy sauce
brownie
67g butter
78g dark chocolate, chopped
88g caster sugar
1 egg
65g gluten-free self-raising flour
6g cocoa powder
method
soy caramel swirl
add the sugar (57g) and water (28mL) to a saucepan over medium-high heat
cook, swirling often, until the sugar has dissolved
let cook without stirring until the sugar syrup turns a light amber
remove from the heat and add the butter (28g)
stir together until smooth
add in the soy milk (28mL) and soy sauce (1 tsp) and return to the heat, stirring gently until smooth and glossy
transfer to a container and place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the brownie batter
brownie
preheat the oven to 180°C
line a square tin with baking paper
add the butter (67g) and chocolate (78g) to a saucepan
melt together over low heat
set aside to cool slightly (as to not cook the egg!)
add the sugar (88g) and egg (1) and whisk together
sift in the flour (65g) and cocoa powder (6g)
fold together until just combined
spread half the batter in the prepared tin
drizzle over half the caramel and gently swirl through
spread over the remaining brownie batter and swirl with more caramel
optional: sprinkle with a few sesame seeds
bake for 20-22 minutes, until the edges are set but the centre is still fudgy
let cool completely before slicing
serve with a little extra drizzle of caramel
note: any extra caramel is also excellent on oatmeal, drizzled over pb toast, or as a dip for apples