Rolo Brownies

Yes you did read that right! Rolo Brownies!

Stand by...here comes a cookery step by step blog.

First of all I should say that I have no idea if Rolo's are available anywhere else in the world apart from the UK, so for anyone reading this who is not familiar with the Rolo they are a small individual caramel centred chocolate, if you have access to something fitting that description you could use those instead. A packet of Rolo's look like this, (just in case you're wondering!)

As you can see from the top picture above I have this recipe written down, how very old skool!  I have no idea where it originally came from but once created it is sweet chocolatey heaven!

Now....ingredients....you'll need:

1 square cake tin measuring 20cm (8 inches) per side

100g of dark chocolate. (I used 74% cocoa but it's up to you, use what you like)

2 eggs

2 packets of Rolo's (or 16 individual caramel chocolates)

75g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

Half a teaspoon Vanilla Extract

58g plain flour

Half a teaspoon Baking Powder

Salt - just a pinch!

Ok, got these?
Then here's what you do:

Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees C

Break the chocolate into an ovenproof bowl and then measure the butter cut it into bits and add this into the bowl with the chocolate and put it in the oven so these two ingredients melt together while the oven is heating up. Keep an eye on it!

While the melting of chocolate and butter is happening in the oven line your tin with baking paper.

Then in a mixing bowl cream together the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence with an electric mixer until they are all combined and light and fluffy looking.

Is the butter and chocolate melted together? Yes? Then take it out of the oven and let it cool down a bit. Do NOT just tip it straight into the eggs and sugar as it may possibly turn the eggs to scrambled eggs (not nice)! So once it's cooled a bit pour it into the eggs and sugar mix and mix again with the electric whisk until everything is nicely combined.

Then measure out the flour, baking powder and salt and sieve these onto the top of the chocolately egg mix. This time use a metal spoon or spatular and fold the flour into the chocolatey mix. Fold until everything is mixed together nicely, no flour left showing, then STOP! Don't over mix!

Pour this into your tin.

Now the fun bit. Open your packets of Rolo's and place them on top of the mix in a 4 x 4 pattern. Like this:

And just let them sink into the mix. Like they're sinking in a chocolate swamp!
I actually pushed my Rolo's into the mixture, upon reflection I wouldn't do this, just let them sink in.

Then pop this in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes.

Now do the washing up while they're baking!

When your timer buzzes, check to see if they are cooked. I do this by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre and if it comes out with a bit of the mix attached...they're done! The skewer doesn't want to have uncooked wet looking mix on it, if that happens put them back in for another 5 minutes. Nor does the skewer wasn't to come out with no mix on it - then the brownies are basically cake! It's a fine line to know when they're done...but be brave, you'll know!

Leave to cool a bit in the tin on a wire rack then when you can touch the tin, turn out and peel off the baking paper, and turn back over onto the rack to cool completely.

I'm not going to lie I could not wait for them to cool completely, come on the smell of warm chocolately yumminess was too much! So I cut them up while still warm, made a cup of tea and did some quality control!

Here's the exterior and interior shots!

See how you can't see the Rolo? Just a little dimple in the top! So when you bite into it and discover the surprise caramel centre...oh the joy!

Now, a quick "post script": remember I said don't press the Rolo's into the mix? Well if you do this is what happens! They touch the bottom and when you peel off the baking sheet you take off the bottom of the Rolo and when you flip them back over the caramel runs out! Not good. But panic not, if this happens just scrape the missing bit off the baking sheet with a spatular and put it back where it should be! As they cool the caramel will stick back together again. Plus it'll be underneath, nobody will ever know, your secret is safe!

Please leave a comment on this blog if you give these a try and let me know how they turned out.

Happy Baking!

GD*BG