This recipe for caramelized white chocolate brownies combines fudgy chocolate brownies and rich, flavorful caramelized white chocolate ganache! Simple to make but together they make a super special and unique dessert!
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Brownies are delicious and decadent on their own. Caramelized white chocolate ganache on top makes these over the top GOOD and decadent!
These brownies made such a good base to my super indulgent cookie dough brownies, that I knew they’d be perfect topped with caramelized white chocolate ganache too!
WHAT IS CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE?
Caramelized white chocolate is white chocolate that caramelizes while it’s slow roasted in the oven. It gets stirred frequently and turns into a creamy, decadent, must-try treat!
The finished product tastes like white chocolate, but has a much richer, nuttier flavor from the roasting process. It tastes like both butterscotch/caramel taste.
I used my caramelized white chocolate ganache recipe from my delicious shortbread cookie with caramelized white chocolate. It’s just caramelized white chocolate whisked with a little cream, vanilla and salt! It’s as rich and delicious as it sounds! Another delicious caramelized white chocolate recipe you should try are my Chocolate Caramelized White Chocolate Cookies!
PARTS OF THESE CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
- BROWNIES: Ultra chocolatey, moist and fudgy brownies make the perfect base for this recipe.
- CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: If you love caramel, you’ll love caramelized white chocolate ganache. It’s gooey, sweet, rich and delicious!
WHAT’S IN THESE BROWNIES?
Below is a list of ingredients and some substitution options. They’re made with pretty standard pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand!
- Unsalted Butter
- Semi-sweet Chocolate: I used both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate. You can use bittersweet for brownies that are not quite as sweet.
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs: I recommend using large, room temperature eggs.
- Sugar: I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Brown sugar imparts its molasses flavor and adds chewiness. Use light or dark brown sugar.
- All Purpose Flour
- Cocoa: This recipe calls for regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch process can also be used.
- Salt: The salt balances out the sweetness of the brownies and also brings out the flavor of the chocolate.
WHAT DO I NEED TO CARAMELIZE WHITE CHOCOLATE?
- WHITE CHOCOLATE: It’s the only ingredient and you’ll want to make sure you use a good quality white chocolate.
- A BAKING SHEET: A rimmed baking sheet is all you need. You can line it with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to make cleaning it a little easier or you can choose not to line it. I used my baking mat because it doesn’t move around. If you use parchment paper, you’ll just need to hold onto it when you stir the chocolate.
- A SPATULA: Use a heat proof spatula to stir the chocolate and to spread it evenly as it bakes. You may also want to have a butter knife handy to scrape the white chocolate off the spatula and back onto the tray after each stir.
WHAT KIND OF WHITE CHOCOLATE SHOULD I USE?
You definitely want to use a good quality white chocolate for caramelized white chocolate. Good quality white chocolate will have a higher amount of cocoa butter in it. The higher the amount of cocoa butter means it will melt more easily and evenly. Ideally you want white chocolate with around 30% cocoa butter.
Some brands don’t list the percentage of cocoa butter. In that case, I recommend going with a good, quality brand. Ghiradelli, Valrhona, Callebaut, Lindt and Scharffenberger are all good brands. I would not recommend using white chocolate chips for caramelized white chocolate.
STEPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Make the brownies and allow them to cool.
- Caramelize the white chocolate.
- Make the white chocolate ganache.
- Spread the ganache over the brownies. Allow to set then enjoy!
HOW TO MAKE THESE BROWNIES
- Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the mixture as it melts.
- Remove bowl from heat and whisk the sugar in. Add the eggs, whisking after each egg. Whisk in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder and salt, then fold in the flour til just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into a lined 8 by 8 inch pan and use a spatula or offset spatula to evenly spread out the brownies and smooth out the top.
- Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick when inserted in the center comes out clean and with only a few crumbs. Place pan on a wire rack and allow brownies to cool.
HOW TO CARAMELIZE WHITE CHOCOLATE
- Spread chopped white chocolate evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a 250 F oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven after five minutes stir with a spatula. Spread chocolate out evenly then return it to the oven.
- Bake for ten more minutes then remove from oven and give the chocolate another good stir. Use a knife, if needed, to scrape the chocolate off the spatula before placing it back in the oven.
- Continue stirring every ten minutes, about 40-45 minutes in total. The total time may vary, so it’s important to pay attention to the color. Bake until the white chocolate is toffee colored but not quite as dark as peanut butter. Check out my Shortbread Cookie with Caramelized White Chocolate recipe for more photos of the caramelizing process.
- Once finished, give the chocolate one final stir then pour it into a medium bowl. Set aside while you warm the cream for the ganache.
CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Making the caramelized white chocolate ganache is simple and quick. You’ll simply just combine hot heavy cream and the caramelized white chocolate and add a little vanilla and salt for flavor.
INGREDIENTS
- Caramelized white chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla
- Salt
STEPS FOR MAKING CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Pour the caramelized white chocolate into a bowl.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until just barely boiling.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand 30 seconds then whisk to combine. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- Allow to cool slightly for about fifteen minutes. Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache over the cooled brownies.
The only thing that could make these already chocolatey brownies better is caramelized white chocolate ganache on top! Caramelized white chocolate adds a gooey caramel flavor and will make you want to savor every bite.
Caramelized White Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
FOR THE BROWNIES
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 7 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
FOR THE CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 300 grams white chocolate*
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
FOR THE BROWNIES
- Line and lightly butter an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper leaving enough to hang from the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the mixture as it melts. Remove bowl from heat and whisk the sugar in. Add the eggs, whisking after each egg. Whisk in the cocoa and salt, then fold in the flour until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the brownie batter into the pan and use a spatula or offset spatula to evenly spread out the brownies and smooth out the top. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick when inserted in the center comes out clean and with only a few crumbs. Keep in mind the brownies will continue to cook slightly when out of the oven, so do not over bake them. Place pan on a wire rack and allow brownies to cool.
FOR THE CARAMELIZED WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Preheat oven to 250 F and spread chocolate evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove from the oven after five minutes and use a spatula to give the chocolate a good, even stir. Make sure to spread chocolate out evenly before returning to the oven.
- Bake another ten minutes. After ten minutes, remove from oven and give the chocolate another good stir. Use a knife, if needed, to scrape the chocolate off the spatula before placing it back in the oven. Continue stirring every ten minutes, about 40-45 minutes in total. The total time may vary, so it’s important to pay attention to the color. Bake until the white chocolate is toffee colored but not quite as dark as peanut butter.
- Pour the caramelized white chocolate in a medium or large bowl. Set aside.
- Warm the cream in a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat until just barely boiling.
- Remove from heat as soon as bubbles begin to form along the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand 30 seconds then whisk to combine. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
- Allow to cool slightly for about fifteen minutes, whisking a few times during that time, then pour the ganache over the brownies. Use an offset spatula to spread evenly, if needed. Place the brownies in the fridge for at least fifteen minutes to set before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Kushi
Hey ..what can be the substitute of eggs in this receipe
Natalie
Hi Kushi,
Unfortunately I have not tried these brownies without eggs so I cannot recommend an egg substitute. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful with that. Please let me know if you have any other questions. -Natalie
Polly
Rich, fudgy and delicious. This has to be one of my favourite brownies recipes!
Natalie
Thank you for that perfect description of these brownies, Polly! So happy they are one of your favorites!! XO Natalie
Barbara Briggs Ward
Rich and Fudgy-Oh Yes!
Natalie
Exactly! Couldn’t be more delicious!