Cherry Caramel Brownies

From scratch start to finish and completely well worth the effort! These brownies taste amazing with a combination of caramel and dried cherry jam. I got this from Bon Appetite Mag. I say try it as is to start and make changes from there-I love adding walnuts or using a different dried fruit, even a little cayenne makes it interesting.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Yields: 18 brownies

Ingredients

• For the jam

• 4  ounces dried tart cherries
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  balsamic vinegar

• For the brownies

• 8  ounces bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened!) or 8  ounces  semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 9  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 3  large eggs
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6  ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or 6  ounces  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. For jam:
2. In small saucepan over medium-low heat combine sugar and 1/4 cup water, heating until sugar disolves.
3. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally swirling the pan, about 9 minutes.
4. Immediately add dried cherries and cream to the carmel.
5. Cover pan, remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
6. Transfer cherry and carmel mixture to processor, add vinegar and blend just until smooth.
7. For brownies:
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan.
9. Stir 8 oz chopped chocolate, butter and cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm, about 15 minutes.
10. Whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute.
11. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
12. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt over, then stir to blend.
13. Mix in chocolate chips.
14. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
15. Drop all of jam onto batter by tablespoonfuls, spacing evenly apart. Pull tip of small knife through jam pockets to swirl slightly into batter.
16. Bake brownies until puffed and dry-looking on top and tester inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.
17. Cool brownies in pan on rack then cut around pan sides. Cut brownie cake lengthwise into 3 strips, then each strip crosswise into 6 brownies. Makes 18.