Earl grey caramelised white chocolate (Caramilk) brownies
Super rich and moist brownies using Caramilk (caramelised white chocolate) and earl grey for an elevated flavour, and topped with a drizzle of maple icing.
Sounds like a WILD flavour combo, but trust me, it works.
I've used the Caramilk and earl grey flavour combination before with some butterscotch scrolls, and it's making a reappearance here, but this time with just a little maple twist from the icing on top.
I've made earl grey cupcakes with a maple icing before, and the combination was BANGIN', so I thought I'd put the three flavours together.
It somehow feels wrong to call this 'fudgy' because it feels like that's reserved for actual fudge or dark or milk chocolate brownies, BUT this is so rich and moist that dare I call it... fudgy??? Not to mention that shiny, crackly top!
Usually the situation with me and earl grey is that I have toooooo much earl grey and need to use it up, but this time I actually only had juuust enough (then proceeded to purchase some loose leaf earl grey.... so now I have more earl grey again...).
What I mean is that this time the catalyst was not an overabundance of earl grey - it was an overabundance of Caramilk (well not really an overabundance per se, rather that it had been bought a while ago to use, but I never ended up using it so uh.... the best before date.........).
The use of the earl grey in it gives it a bit more of a 'classy' and 'sophisticated' flavour even though in reality they're just brownies. It does make it feel a bit fancier than a brownie, though if you omitted the tea it'd still be just as good.
The earl grey flavour is quite strong, so if you prefer a lighter flavour, feel free to add less or omit it altogether. You could put anywhere up to 10g before it starts tasting too strong (for my liking, anyway). If you're not sure, I'd suggest no more than 8g.
You could also just use white chocolate instead, or add whatever add-ins or flavouring you'd like.
I used castor sugar, but feel free to use brown sugar or a mix of the two. I wanted to make sure the flavour was mostly of the Caramilk and the earl grey, hence why I used castor sugar. Also feel free to reduce the amount of sugar, as white chocolate and Caramilk are quite sweet. I wouldn't increase the sugar more than what is stated in the recipe below. But be careful when reducing, as reducing it by tooooo much will affect the texture.
For a smoother texture, blend the earl grey leaves with the sugar beforehand. This is also important if you're using loose leaf tea (instead of the leaves from a tea bag) as the pieces tend to be larger. If you're just using the leaves from a tea bag, you should be fine.
This recipe is based on my favourite brownie recipe ever, the 'Ultimate Fudgy Brownies' recipe from Handle the Heat. It yields super moist brownies that are fudgy yet light, thanks to the beating of the eggs. I love that it's fudgy without feeling like I'm just eating fudge or a block of ganache (though I do love them both too. I definitely have just eaten scoops of ganache before).
The sweetness of these brownies pairs quite well with coffee, despite the tea flavour, but hey, I won't judge if you pair it with even more earl grey.
Recipe
Based on Handle the Heat's Ultimate Fudgy Brownies recipe
INGREDIENTS:
280g Caramilk (caramelised white chocolate) OR white chocolate, roughly chopped
170g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
250g castor sugar
6-8g earl grey tea (3-4 bags)
4 eggs
1 1/2tsp vanilla extract
95g plain flour
For the icing (optional)
30g icing sugar OR icing sugar mixture
15g maple syrup
a few drops of maple extract/essence (optional)
1tbsp additional milk OR water
METHOD:
1. Line a roughly 20x20cm baking pan with baking paper and preheat oven to 170°C.
Blend the sugar with the tea in a food processor if using loose leaf tea or for a smoother texture (optional if using tea bag leaves).
2. In a saucepan over LOW heat, melt together the chocolate and butter. Take off the heat immediately once everything is melted together. Be careful as Caramilk and white chocolate in general tend to split easily. Set aside. Don't worry if a little split - just take it off the heat and stir vigorously. As long as it is pourable, it is usable for this.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and earl grey until thick and falls off the beaters in ribbons. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate and butter mixture. Sift in the flour and fold until combined.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin.
6. Meanwhile, make the icing.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the maple syrup and extract/essence. Stir until evenly combined then slowly add the milk or water until it is the consistency you desire. Add more if you prefer it runnier.
7. Once the brownies have completely cooled, drizzle on the icing.
That's it, enjoy!