Chocolate & salted butter caramel mousse walnut brownies

How hard is it to string a few words together to make a sentence? Very for me today.

Whilst my hands have been super busy, I feel as though my brain has taken a siesta with an undisclosed return time. I was trying to think of what topic I should write about today and nada. Nothing but an empty shop up there. And then I thought, well, I shall write about my lack of something to write about. And what do you know? An almost decent paragraph's worth.

In regards to today's dessert, it was chosen to please five people all with different tastes. Whilst I do foresee it failing to please one particular guest, I am hoping everyone else will find it pleasant, perhaps even lovely. Caramel and I have had many disagreements; our relationship is quite tempestuous, I have a feeling it too is a Scorpio. I'm always the most hesitant when browning, how dark is dark? Whilst I prefer my caramel mild, most like that deep toffee which comes from pushing it as far as it will go before burning and becoming too bitter. Well, here's hoping Miss Caramel is in a good mood today.


ease: 3.5/5.
prep time: 45mins to get brownie cooked.
cooking time: 3 hours. (includes cooling time)
total: 3 hours & 45mins.

taste: 4/5. They look nothing like the lovely Tartlette's but they still tasted fab.
The ganache is as silky and dark as a ganache can be, it melts instantly and envelops everything in a dark sharpness.
The caramel mousse dissolves instantly on your tongue, with a deep bitterness, mine made all the more bitter because of my use of dark chocolate, I could not taste the salt unfortunately.
My favourite layer, the walnut brownie base, has a large soft crumb, more cake-like in its adhesiveness but with a definite 'fudge-like' quality. It is the sweetest component for me and along with the dotted walnuts it helps to soften the other bitter layers. Upon eating, the ganache and mousse meld into each other before yielding to the friendly brownie beneath.
Alterations I made:

• I used dark chocolate throughout (had no milk chocolate to use for the mousse darn it).
• I cooked my brownie for just under 30mins.
  

would I make it again: No - multi-component desserts stress me out and they have to be a 5 for me to make it again (see Triple Chocolate Praline Tart).

recipe: Chocolate & salted butter caramel mousse walnut brownies