Recipe: Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Caramel Squares

Creamier than chocolate, yet chewier than fudge – these dark chocolate and salted caramel squares marry the best qualities of everyone’s go-to-treats. They strike just that right notch of sweetness too, swerving clear of coming across as too cloying or sickly by virtue of the recipe using less than half the quantity of condensed milk typically used to make fudge.

In fact the beauty of this recipe is that it’s barely a recipe. All it really involves is stirring together a handful of ingredients (just five if you count sea salt) and waiting patiently for a requisite few hours. The reward you reap is rich in intensity and unique in flavour. I know you’re going to ask and yes, these squares are just as delicious as they look with streaks of salted caramel layering the dark chocolate with a marbled aesthetic!

Ingredients

150g sweetened condensed milk
250g (1½ cups) dark chocolate chocolate chips (I would recommend 60 – 70% cocoa solids)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 tbsp salted caramel (I use Sprig Gourmet)
Sea salt for sprinkling

Method

Start by prepping a medium sized baking dish/ tin – grease and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add the chocolate chips and butter to a mixing bowl. Pour the sweetened condensed milk on top and give it a quick stir to combine. Pop the bowl in the microwave for 30 second intervals until melted. You could alternatively place the (heat-proof) bowl over a pan of gently-simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water (that is, use a double boiler).
Remove the bowl from heat as soon as the mixture has melted, as we don’t want the chocolate to lose it’s shine or become grainy. Gently stir until the mixture is evenly combined. Be careful not to mix it too vigorously, as that would case air bubbles to form. Remember, we want the texture to be rich and thick!
Pour the mixture into the pan slowly, using a spatula if needed to smoothen the surface. Now dollop on the salted caramel in big blobs and use a knife to gently swirl it into the chocolatey-batter, to create a marbled effect.
Generously sprinkle sea salt on top and pop the pan in the fridge for a few hours until set (preferably overnight). Slice into squares and store refrigerated in an airtight container.

We’d love to hear from you! Do let us know if you try this recipe – you can leave a comment below and/ or tag us in your delicious creations on Instagram @the_foodiediaries.