Fresh Cherry and Dulce de Leche Brownies

It's a little difficult to post a brownie recipe thinking it's going to be the best out there. There are so many recipes and so many variations that I'm not going to pretend this is a novel dessert idea. However, once you've found your favourite base recipe (mine are the Baked brownies), the fun is to mix it up isn't it?

In the summertime, why not make the best of fresh cherries and add them to the mix? These cherries are the perfect surprise in the middle of a brownie square as is a little swirled dulce de leche. Creamy, sweet and smooth, dulce de leche is a great ingredient to spice up everyday brownies. Try a nice organic brand to use in these and some bittersweet chocolate and you're done! In the summertime, I cut these into small bite size pieces and serve them on a platter next to some fresh fruit.

Fresh Cherry and Dulce de Leche Brownies
Makes 16 small squares

3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of dark unsweetened cocoa powder
5.5 ounces of dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup of fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1/3 cup of dulce de leche

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13 inch glass or light colored metal baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
Put the chocolate and butter in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan and let the mixture come back to room temperature.
Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula (not a whisk) fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Add the dulce de leche in small batches ontop of different areas of the brownie batter. Using a knife, making swirling motions to lightly mix the dulce de leche and brownie batter and create a swirling effect. Dulce de leche strands should remain on the entire top of the brownie. Disperse the cherries ontop of the batter. Add the remaining batter and gently smooth out the top making sure it covers the cherries and dulce de leche.

Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then cut them into squares and serve.
Tightly covered with plastic wrap, the brownies kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.