Miso Caramel Brownies Delight (Printer-Friendly)

Rich, fudgy squares with creamy caramel swirls enhanced by white miso's subtle savoriness.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Brownies

01 - 7 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 10.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 0.5 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 0.33 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ For the Miso Caramel

10 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar
11 - 0.25 cup heavy cream
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 1.5 tablespoons white miso paste
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the sugar, stirring occasionally, until it becomes a deep amber color. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the cream (mixture will bubble). Add butter and stir until smooth. Whisk in miso paste and vanilla until fully incorporated. Let cool slightly.
03 - Melt chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
04 - Whisk both sugars into the melted chocolate-butter mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
05 - Sift in flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gently fold until just combined—do not overmix.
06 - Spread half the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Dollop half the miso caramel over the batter and swirl gently with a knife. Top with remaining brownie batter, then swirl in the rest of the miso caramel.
07 - Bake for 32–35 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is still fudgy. A skewer inserted should come out with moist crumbs.
08 - Cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into squares.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • That sophisticated salty-sweet contrast hits differently when you're craving dessert without the usual sugar overload.
  • The miso paste keeps its secret—no one guesses what makes these brownies taste like a luxe, grown-up version of themselves.
  • They stay fudgy for days and somehow taste even better after a night in the fridge.
02 -
  • The caramel needs to reach deep amber—pale caramel tastes thin and one-dimensional, while deep amber carries that complex sweetness that makes people wonder what's different.
  • Don't skip cooling the caramel slightly; pouring it hot into cold batter can create a texture problem, and pouring cold caramel makes it impossible to get those beautiful swirls.
03 -
  • Invest in a good instant-read thermometer for your caramel—deep amber sits around 160°C (320°F) on the thermometer, which takes the guesswork out.
  • Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they actually taste better on day two when the flavors have settled and deepened.
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