Get creative with these deliciously spooky Ghost Brownies, filled with a secret layer of homemade salted caramel sauce!
Reasons to love these Ghost Brownies
- The cute ghosts are frightfully easy to make
- Fudgy brownie texture
- What lurks beneath? Salted caramel sauce!
- Perfect for Halloween parties or a spooky dessert
Tips for making the salted caramel sauce
These Ghost Brownies are layered with salted caramel sauce for extra indulgence. I love how the caramel oozes out of the brownie and looks deliciously spooky. Layering the brownies with caramel sauce is an optional addition but trust me, it’s 100% worth the extra effort.
Making salted caramel sauce from scratch can be tricky, but after all the trial and error I’ve experienced, I’m hoping these tips that I’ve learnt will make things easier for you:
- Use a light-coloured stainless steel saucepan – it will heat more evenly and the light colour means you’ll notice the caramels precise colour changes.
- Use white granulated sugar – the sugar crystals are bigger than finer sugars like caster sugar, so it’s less likely to burn.
- Watch the sugar at all times – don’t be tempted to multitask when you’re melting the sugar, it can change and burn very quickly. Stay by the saucepan and watch it the whole time.
- Stir continuously – prevent the sugar from burning by using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to move it around the saucepan so it doesn’t stick to the bottom or sides.
- Use a whisk to stir in the butter and cream –this is the easiest and quickest way to incorporate the ingredients. Just be careful of any hot caramel splashes.
- Let it cool and thicken – pour the sauce into a bowl and place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours to thicken. You should be able to spoon the caramel onto the brownies, rather than pour it on.
How to make the ghosts
Cute, spooky and simple, here’s an overview of how to make the white chocolate ghosts for your Ghost Brownies:
- Place a large white marshmallow on top of the brownie.
- Use a teaspoon to coat the marshmallow in melted white chocolate.
- Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to set.
- Draw on two dots for the eyes and an oval for the mouth. I used Cake Decor’s Milk Choco Writer pen.
Recipe troubleshooting
- What baking tin should I use? This recipe uses an 8x8inch square baking tin. If you’re using a bigger baking tin, decrease the baking time by 3-4 minutes. If your baking tin is smaller in size, increase the baking time by 3-4 minutes.
- How do I know when to take the brownies out of the oven? The top is no longer shiny or wet, small cracks have started to show around the outside edge, and if you give the baking tin a gentle shake, there should be a slight wobble.
- Do I have to let the brownies cool completely? Yes, this will make them set and turn fudgy. Slice them whilst warm and they will fall apart and be too gooey.
- My brownies were dry and over-baked, what happened? The brownies were in the oven too long. Some ovens run hotter than others, which is why the baking time may not be right for everyone. Next time try reducing it by 3-4 minutes. It might also be a good idea to purchase an oven thermometer, this handy little gadget sits inside your oven and will tell you the correct temperature.
Ingredients & Equipments used to make Ghost Brownies
Ghost Brownies
Get creative with these deliciously spooky Ghost Brownies, filled with a secret layer of homemade salted caramel sauce!
Ingredients
For the brownies
- 150 g Unsalted butter chopped into chunks
- 150 g Dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) I use Lindt 70% dark chocolate broken into chunks
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 220 g White caster sugar
- 150 g Self-raising flour
For the salted caramel sauce
- 100 g Granulated sugar
- 40 g Unsalted butter at room temperature and chopped into chunks
- 100 g Double cream at room temperature
- 0.5 tsp Salt
For the ghosts
- 12 Large White marshmallows
- 100 g White chocolate
- Chocolate writing icing I used Cake Decor’s Milk Choco Writer pen.
Instructions
Start by making the salted caramel sauce
- Place the granulated sugar into a medium-sized stainless steel saucepan and set over a medium-low heat on the hob.
- Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to continuously stir the sugar until it gradually starts to melt. The sugar will initially clump-up before turning into a clear liquid, and then finally into an amber-coloured golden liquid. Be patient as this can take between 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add the butter, use a whisk to stir it into the melted sugar. The mixture will bubble up so be careful of hot caramel splashes.
- Now pour in the cream and again use the whisk to stir it through. Finally, stir through the salt.The caramel should be smooth, golden in colour and the consistency should coat the back of a spoon.
- Pour the caramel into a bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until the consistency is thick but not solid.
Now make the brownie mixture
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan oven).
- Line an 8x8inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
- Place the unsalted butter and dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second blasts (mixing after each) until smooth. Set the bowl aside for now.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and white caster sugar for 1 minute until pale in colour and frothy.
- Now pour the melted chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and add the self-raising flour. Fold everything together until it comes together into a thick brownie mixture.
Layer and bake the brownies
- Spoon half of the brownie mixture into the baking tin, spreading it out into an even layer.
- Take the caramel out of the fridge and spoon it on top of the brownie layer, leaving a 1 inch gap around the edge.
- Spoon the remaining brownie mixture over the caramel and gently spread it out to conceal the caramel.
- Bake the brownies for 18-20 minutes until the top is no longer shiny and the edges have started to crack.
- Leave to cool completely in the baking tin for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. If you’re short on time, you can speed this up by putting the brownies in the fridge for two hours.
Decorate with white chocolate ghosts
- Break up the white chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second blasts (mixing after each) until smooth.
- Lift the brownies out of the tin and slice them into 12.
- Place a marshmallow on top of each brownie.
- Use a teaspoon to coat the marshmallows in melted white chocolate. Place in the fridge to set for 5 minutes.
- Use the chocolate writing icing to draw two dots for the eyes and an oval for the mouth, on each marshmallow to make the ghost face.
Notes
Your Ghost Brownies will keep at room temperature, in an airtight container, for you to 3 days.
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