Whittaker's Peanut Butter Chocolate and Caramel Brownie

This next recipe comes from the wonderful Whittaker's Passion for Chocolate book. While on holiday in New Zealand I found this cook book and its a little gem. The Whittaker's have been producing Chocolate in New Zealand for years, since about 1896 I think, and finally they have put out an amazing cook book, with an array of recipes for the chocolate lover in all of us. 

This is one of those books you can't walk past or put down as its filled with great photos and really interesting and diverse recipes. The recipes are from the Whittaker family's treasure trove, some local chefs, and even some really cool local bloggers. Some of the recipes are savoury such as chocolate braised leg of hare and lamb rump with rosemary-infused dark chocolate sauce, the majority of them however are sweet, which is perfect for my sweet tooth. Truffles, brownies, fudge, meringues, custards, brulees, cookies, oh the list goes on. So I may be busy for a while making them all.

I have been eating Mr Whittaker's famous peanut slab for years. I was reading that it use to come in a huge slab and when you went to the local dairy (Convenient Store) they would cut pieces off for you, however all my life I have only even known them to come as an individual wrapped chocolate bar.

 Mr Whittaker has in recent years put out some new blocks of chocolate, and one of them is peanut butter chocolate, holy yum. So it goes with out saying I was very excited to be able to make this recipe, a caramel and peanut butter chocolate brownie. 

I thought I would have to get some of the chocolate sent over from New Zealand, however was really delighted to see that their selling this chocolate at Big W, and Woolworth's in Australia. For those of you in parts of the world that can't get the chocolate I will put up an additional recipe in the next few days, yes thats right I'm going to make a second batch just for you, not because I can't stop eating it or anything :) 

If you love chocolate, good photos, and great recipes, you have got to get your hands on a copy of this book. Did I mention that every recipe comes with a photo of the end result, go on find out where to get one and get it. It will make you so very happy.

Enjoy  xxx

Whittaker's Peanut Butter Chocolate and Caramel Brownie

Brownie

250g Whittaker's Peanut Butter chocolate

225g butter

450g sugar

8ml Vanilla essence

45g cocoa powder

175g plain flour

5 eggs

Caramel

80g Salted butter

390g sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 tbsp golden syrup 

Pre heat the oven to 180C

Place the chocolate, butter, sugar and vanilla into a double boiler and heat until the ingredients have melted and combined, remove from the heat. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture and stir though. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Set aside

To make the caramel place the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup into a saucepan, and on a medium heat boil until the mixture becomes golden brown. Make sure you constantly stir otherwise it will stick to the bottom and burn.

To assemble, pour half of the brownie mixture into a lined 20x30cm tin. Then dollop on 2/3 of the caramel. Pour over the remaining brownie mixture and Dot over the rest of the caramel. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked.

Recipe from Whittaker's Passion for Chocolate, Andrew & Brian Whittaker, 2012, Random House