Sunflower Brownies with Salted Caramel (Nut-Free)

Preheat the oven to 170°C (top and bottom heat, no fan). Line a square baking pan measuring about 20x20 cm with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend beyond the edges of the pan – this will make it easier to remove the finished brownie later. Take the eggs and butter out of the fridge to reach room temperature.

In a dry, clean pan heated over medium heat, add the sunflower seeds. Toast them for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or shaking the pan. The seeds are ready when they turn golden and start to smell fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Once done, immediately transfer the seeds to a cold plate to stop the toasting process. Set aside to cool completely.

In a metal or glass bowl, place the broken dark chocolate and diced butter. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (a double boiler). The bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water. Stir the mixture with a silicone spatula until completely melted and combined into a smooth, glossy mass. Remove the bowl from the pot and let it cool for 5 minutes.

In a separate, large bowl, place the eggs and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, beat the ingredients for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes lighter, fluffy, and doubles in volume. The goal is not to whip it to stiff peaks, but to aerate well and dissolve the sugar.

Slowly pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the fluffy egg mixture in a thin stream, while gently mixing everything with a whisk or spatula. Add the optional vanilla extract. Mix only until the ingredients are combined into a uniform, smooth mixture. Overmixing may cause the cake to become tough.

Sift the rice flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt (about 2g) into the chocolate-egg mixture. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the mixture, making movements from the bottom to the top. Finally, add 3/4 of the toasted and cooled sunflower seeds. Mix briefly, just to evenly distribute the seeds in the batter.

Pour the prepared mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The brownie is ready when its edges are set and slightly pulling away from the pan, while the center is still slightly moist and 'jiggly'. Check with a toothpick - when inserted into the center, it should be coated with wet cake crumbs, not raw batter.

While the brownie is baking, prepare the caramel. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, evenly sprinkle the remaining brown sugar. Heat over medium power without stirring until the sugar begins to melt at the edges. You can gently swirl the saucepan. Once most of the sugar has dissolved, you can gently stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve any lumps. Cook until the caramel reaches a deep amber color.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Very carefully, slowly pour in the room temperature cream. Be careful, the mixture will splatter and bubble a lot! Stir vigorously until the foam subsides. Add the remaining sea salt (about 6g). Place the saucepan back on low heat and cook for another minute, stirring, until the caramel is smooth and uniform. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Remove the baked brownies from the oven and let them sit in the pan for 10 minutes. After that, drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the top of the cake, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining toasted sunflower seeds on top and optionally add a few flakes of sea salt for decoration. Leave the brownies in the pan to cool completely (at least 2-3 hours at room temperature, or preferably in the refrigerator).

When the cake is completely cool, grab the protruding edges of the parchment paper and carefully remove the entire brownie from the pan. Transfer it to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cake into 12 equal squares. For perfectly even edges, dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each cut.