Salted Caramel Brownies

1. Stage

Heat the sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until it has melted, stirring once or twice. Continue cooking until the sugar is a dark, amber color, one to two minutes. Quickly remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the warm heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Whisk everything together until the caramel is smooth, then transfer it to a small bowl. Refrigerate the caramel for 30 to 45 minutes until it has slightly thickened and is about at room temperature. Editor's Tip: There are different stages of caramel, from light to dark to burnt.

2. Stage

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, cocoa, eggs and milk at a medium speed until they're smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Gradually add the flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until the batter is well blended. Editor's Tip: Brownies are not foolproof. One common brownie mistake is overmixing the batter. You should mix the wet and dry ingredients just until you no longer see flour spots in the batter.

3. Stage

Transfer the salted caramel brownie batter to a greased 13x9-inch baking pan and spread it into an even layer. Drizzle the caramel over the top, then swirl them together using a knife. Finally, sprinkle with a few pinches of flaky sea salt.

4. Stage

Bake the salted caramel brownies until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes (do not overbake these brownies). Cool them completely on a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle them with additional flaky sea salt before serving. Editor's Tip: Overbaking is another common mistake when making brownies. It's OK to see a few moist crumbs on the toothpick; it doesn't have to be completely clean. You want them to be tender and moist.