miso caramel mochi brownies

Fudgy and chewy mochi brownies topped with rich miso caramel. Sweet, salty, and a little sticky, these are the ultimate caramel brownies!

I’m a huge fan of sweet and salty desserts. They have that addictive layer of complexity from the salt enhancing the flavor and sugar which just makes them irresistible.

One of the sweet and salty desserts that’s always a crowd-pleaser is definitely salted caramel brownies. Now, I love a salted caramel brownie on its own, but of course I needed to make a few twists, and I think they truly elevate the salted caramel brownie from “pretty good” to “SO good”.

To substitute for the salt in the caramel, I use miso, a fermented soybean paste made from soybeans, salt, and koji (a type of fungus). This results in a rich and sophisticated caramel sauce packed with umami. In these brownies, I swirl the miso caramel into the batter before the oven and then drizzle on the rest after baking so there’s miso caramel in every single bite.

This isn’t just a normal brownie either. It’s a mochi brownie, fusing fudgy chocolate with stretchy mochi! The addictive chewiness comes from the sweet rice flour (Mochiko), which you can find at a nearby Asian grocery.

These miso caramel mochi brownies are sure to impress. Making caramel from scratch can be intimidating, but trust me when I say it’s not so bad! Just make sure to follow the “tips for success” below, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the perfectly smooth miso caramel!

tips for success

• Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan – When making the caramel, make sure to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure the sugar melts evenly. Otherwise, the sugar will melt unevenly and some parts will burn before others have melted.
• Avoid stirring too much – Try to swirl, not stir, the caramel in the pan. If you stir too much, especially when the sugar is first melting, the sugar will crystallize, and you’ll end up with a grainy caramel!
• Watch the caramel very closely… – Since this is made using the dry caramel method (heating just sugar without any liquid), the sugar can caramelize fast and burn before you know it. So, keep an eye on the caramel and wait until it melts, turning into a nice amber brown.
• Chill in the fridge! – Although you can let the brownies cool out of the oven at room temperature, I highly recommend chilling them in the fridge for at least an hour. This doesn’t only quicken the cooling process but also ensures clean cuts when slicing the brownies (because they can get pretty messy!).

Love all things mochi? Then make sure to check out my chocolate chip mochi cake and yuzu butter mochi! They’re favorites for a reason!

miso caramel mochi brownies

Fudgy and chewy mochi brownies topped with rich miso caramel. Sweet, salty, and a little sticky, these are the ultimate caramel brownies!

5 from 1 vote

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Course Dessert

Servings 16 pieces

Ingredients

  

for the miso caramel

• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (28 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white miso paste

for the mochi brownies

• 1 1/4 cups (187 grams) sweet rice flour (Mochiko)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk room temperature
• 4 tbsp (57 grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 oz dark chocolate finely chopped

Instructions

 

for the miso caramel

• In a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream and miso together until smooth.
• In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat, add the sugar into an even layer. Do not stir; let it sit and melt. This will take a few minutes.
• Once the sugar clumps up and starts to slowly melt, you can occasionally swirl the pan. Once the sugar fully melts and turns an amber brown, remove from the heat.
• Stir in the butter until combined. The mixture should be bubbling.
• Gradually add the heavy cream and miso mixture, and stir until combined. Let it boil for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly; the caramel will thicken as it cools.

for the mochi brownies

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one 8 by 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the Mochiko, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract together. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients from the previous step, and whisk until smooth.
• Pour into the prepared baking pan. Scoop large dollops of the miso caramel (about 1/3 cup in total) onto the top of the brownie batter and swirl using a paring knife or chopstick. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate on top.
• Bake for 50 minutes. Drizzle on the remaining caramel. Let cool completely on a wire rack or chill in the fridge for at least one hour. Slice into squares and enjoy!

Keyword brownies, caramel, chocolate, miso, mochi