Serves: Makes about 24 - Time:
These hybrid brownies are not for anyone concerned about their sugar/fat/calorie intake- so walk on by my-body-is-a-temple types. I would classify them as a twice-yearly treat; simply preparing and cooking them gave me a chocolate headache. What you have here is a base layer of white chocolate cookie topped with a moist, fudgy dark brownie. Don’t leave out the Maldon salt in the cookie layer-the saltiness is imperative to counteract the very sweet dough. I think brownies improve after 24 hours rest but it requires enormous will power not to dive in as soon as they exit the oven.
Ingredients
- For the cookie layer
- 150g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 100g light muscovado sugar
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 200g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons Maldon salt
- 100g white chocolate chips
- For the brownie layer
- 200g plain chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
- 130g unsalted butter
- 40g salted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 250g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 70g plain flour
- 30g cocoa powder
Method
- Grease and line a 30 x 20cm tin with non-stick baking parchment. For the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scrape into the prepared tin and spread to the edges in an even layer. Set aside while you make the brownie layer.
- Heat the oven to 200˚c, fan oven 180˚c, mark 6. Put the chocolate and two butters in a microwaveable bowl and microwave on high in short bursts, stirring after every burst, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to blood temperature –i.e. when you dip in a finger there should be no discernible temperature difference.
- Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk for 8-9 minutes until thick and frothy. Carefully fold in the cooled chocolate mixture followed by the sifted flour and cocoa powder. Spoon over the cookie layer and spread to the edges. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until risen and firm. Leave to cool in the tin for at least one hour. Chill until thoroughly cold, 3-4 hours. Lift out of the tin and cut into small squares.
