Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Ultimate Chocolate Caramel Brownie 🍫 | Fudgy, Crackly, Salted Perfection
We’re not talking about just brownies—we’re talking about the ultimate chocolate caramel brownie. After testing 10+ top recipes, we broke brownies down to their fundamentals: rich cocoa, dense fudge, crisp edges, and a signature crackly top.
👨‍🍳 Watch Nick make this decadent brownie featuring a swirl of dulce de leche, a sprinkle of finishing salt, and next-level baking techniques that box mixes just can’t match.
🍫 Recipe Steps:
1. Melt butter and chocolate until silky.
2. Whip eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy.
3. Fold in the chocolate mixture gently.
4. Add flour, cocoa, and salt—don’t overmix.
5. Swirl in dulce de leche before baking.
6. Bake at 325°F (163°C) until the edges are set and the center jiggles.
7. Sprinkle with salt while warm.
🔥 Key Baking Tips:
• Whip eggs and sugar to create that iconic crackly top.
• Melt butter and chocolate low and slow for max gloss.
• Chill before cutting for perfect, clean slices.
đź’» Full recipe + pro baking tips: chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-chocolate-caramel-brownie
The Ultimate Chocolate Caramel Brownie 🍫 | Fudgy, Crackly, Salted Perfection
We’re not talking about just brownies—we’re talking about the ultimate chocolate caramel brownie. After testing 10+ top recipes, we broke brownies down to their fundamentals: rich cocoa, dense fudge, crisp edges, and a signature crackly top.
👨‍🍳 Watch Nick make this decadent brownie featuring a swirl of dulce de leche, a sprinkle of finishing salt, and next-level baking techniques that box mixes just can’t match.
🍫 Recipe Steps:
1. Melt butter and chocolate until silky.
2. Whip eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy.
3. Fold in the chocolate mixture gently.
4. Add flour, cocoa, and salt—don’t overmix.
5. Swirl in dulce de leche before baking.
6. Bake at 325°F (163°C) until the edges are set and the center jiggles.
7. Sprinkle with salt while warm.
🔥 Key Baking Tips:
• Whip eggs and sugar to create that iconic crackly top.
• Melt butter and chocolate low and slow for max gloss.
• Chill before cutting for perfect, clean slices.
đź’» Full recipe + pro baking tips: chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-chocolate-caramel-brownie









![How to Shape Dumplings, Easy to Advanced
Shaping dumplings is one of the main barriers to entry for home cooks, even though the process is as straightforward as can be: Dollop a little bit of filling onto a dumpling wrapper and seal it up, and you’ve got a dumpling. But there’s an entire universe of dumpling shapes out there, and while becoming comfortable with more advanced shaping techniques is mostly a matter of practice, you’ve got to start somewhere.
In this video, chef Tim Chin demonstrates in detail how to fold and pleat 12 different dumpling shapes, from super-basic ones that require no more than a couple of pleats and folds to trickier variations.
In the process, Tim highlights how the shape of a dumpling can determine the best method for cooking it. For example, cinching and pleating the dumpling wrapper many times around the filling will create a flat base, which is ideal for pan-frying, because the dumpling will have maximal surface area contact with a frying pan.
To learn more about dumpling wrappers, fillings, and cooking methods, check out our Ultimate Guide to Chinese Dumplings (JiÇŽo Zi): https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/guide-to-chinese-dumplings
[Time Codes for the 12 Common Shapes]
0:00 - How to Make 12 Different Chinese Dumpling Shapes
0:59 - Half-Moon (Bà n Yuè Jiǎo Zi)
1:55 - Pinched Half-Moon
2:49 - Open Potsticker
4:22 - Potsticker
5:57 - Pinched Potsticker
7:43 - Ingot (Yuán Bǎo Jiǎo Zi)
9:08 - 2-Pleat Half-Moon (Yuè Yá Jiǎo Zi)
10:31 - Bidirectional 4-Pleat Half-Moon
11:23 - Bidirectional 6-Pleat Half-Moon
12:24 - Bidirectional 8-Pleat Half-Moon
13:26 - Unidirectional 8-Pleat Half-Moon
14:49 - Pleated Leaf (LiÇ” Yè XĂng)
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ChefSteps 101: Through science, entertainment, and industry experience, we strive to help every home cook reach their full potential. With more than 1,000 recipes developed in our kitchen, there’s something for everyone. To find out more, visit our website: https://www.chefsteps.com/ How to Shape Dumplings, Easy to Advanced](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TD-Znt4z9_I/mqdefault.jpg)
