Caramel Crunch Cornflakes Brownie

Ingredients:

165g unsalted butter

165g semi-chocolate

330g caster sugar

3 large egg

120g All-purpose flour

45g cocoa powder

1/2 ts salt

Topping

600g caster sugar

400g double heavy cream

200g butter

250g cornflakes

1 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

Direction/Instruction:

1. Prepared Brownie: Preheat oven to 175 deg C.  Lightly greases a 10-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray.  Line with parchment paper or baking paper; set aside.
2. Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl.  Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to melt.  Pour melted butter over chocolate & keep stir until the chocolate melted; then set aside to let it cool.
3. In a stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment, beat sugar & egg together on low-medium speed till double in volume & fluffy for about 10 mins.
4. Then add the butter-chocolate mixture slowly while the whisk still whisking & to combine the batter together.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan & smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake until lightly puffed on top; about 20 mins.
6. Remove the baking pan from the oven then lightly drop the pan on a flat surface 1-2 times until the brownies deflate slightly.  Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
7. Return the pan to the oven & bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out fudgy but the edges look cooked through about 20 mins more.  The center of the brownies will seem under-baked but the brownies will continue to set as they cool.  Set the brownies on a cooling rack & cool completely in the pan.
8. Prepared caramel cornflake: Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  Sugar will form clumps & eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as continue to stir.  Be careful not to burn.
9. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter.  Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
10. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted for about 2 mins.  If the butter separating or the sugar clumped up, remove from heat & vigorously whisk to combine it again.  (If nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves.  Keep whisking until it comes back together, even it takes 3-4 mins.  It will eventually; just keep whisking.  Return to heat when it's combined again.).  
11. Very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring.  Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added.  Allow the mixture to boil for 1 min or it reaches 118 deg. C
12. Remove from heat & stir in 1 tsp of salt.  Then add in cornflakes & coat evenly.
13. Assemble: Pour caramel cornflakes over the brownie.  Press & smooth the top.  Let it chill at least an hour before cutting into square bites.