Chocolate Brownie Cookies

It is difficult to find something quicker, simpler and more delicious to prepare in the kitchen than some homemade cookies (especially if we have an “extra” pair of hands ready to take on the task). There are countless cookie recipes, but generally each of us has one that stands out above the others, our favorite cookie recipe, the one that never fails. In our case, and after a long and undisputed reign of the typical chocolate chip cookies , these brownie -type chocolate cookies are our latest weakness.

And not only because they come loaded with chocolate (and the good kind, the kind that we like to eat like that, directly), but precisely because of that; Choosing your chocolate carefully will make a huge difference in the final result. In the end, this ingredient alone—double protagonist thanks to the melted chocolate in the dough and the extra chocolate pieces that we added at the end—represents almost half (or without the “almost”) of the content of each of these chocolate cookies, so it seems more than understandable that it is necessary to pay special attention to their choice.

Another virtue of these chocolatey cookies lies in their irresistible texture; If you like a good brownie as much as I do, you will understand perfectly what I'm talking about. I am referring to that dense and tender crumb at the same time, soft and melting , full of flavor and intensity that at the very least forces you to squint and sometimes can even leave you speechless. You're seeing it, right?

And if all this were not enough, what can you tell me about his appearance? That color, that shine, those irregular cracks that capriciously cross its surface, only predict good times (and if they are in good company, even better). Decided then. I'll wait for you here with a couple of these and a glass of milk so you can tell me your first-hand experience.

BROWNIE-TYPE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Pallarès carbon steel kitchen knife with boxwood handle , T&G wooden board and Laura Ashley porcelain bowl

Ingredients (for 24 cookies)

All ingredients must be at room temperature , unless otherwise indicated.

• 225 g of good quality chocolate (50%-70% cocoa, according to personal preference) ⁽¹⁾ , finely chopped
• 55 g unsalted butter
• 135 g whole brown cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs (L)
• 85 g of common wheat flour
• 12 g (2 level tablespoons) pure cocoa powder, defatted and without added sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (Royal type)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 75 g chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• Salt flakes (optional)

NoMu Vanilla Extract , De Buyer Nonstick Baking Sheet , KitchenCraft Set of 6 Measuring Spoons, and Nordic Ware Extra Large Cooling Rack .

Elaboration:

1. We preheat the oven to 180ºC (electric and without air) and place two oven racks, one in the upper third and the other in the lower third ⁽²⁾ .
2. In a medium heat-resistant bowl, place the finely chopped chocolate and the butter and melt them in a bain-marie over a medium saucepan with water over medium-low heat (without letting it come to a boil), stirring constantly with a whisk. It is very important that we make sure that the base of the bowl never touches the water; The chocolate has to melt thanks to the heat of the steam, the temperature of the water is too high to come into direct contact with the container where we have the chocolate, which would end up spoiling due to excess heat. The Nordic Ware double boiler saucepan makes this task truly simple and safe. If we prefer, we can also melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, always at medium power and checking and stirring with a spatula at 30-second intervals to prevent the chocolate from burning. Once melted and combined, we let the mixture cool while we continue with the process.
3. In a separate small bowl, add the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and stir with a whisk until completely combined. We reserve.
4. In the bowl of our electric mixer , equipped with the whisk attachment (or in a separate large bowl with preferably electric whisks), we beat the eggs together with the sugar and vanilla extract at medium-high speed for about 4-5 minutes. minutes until the mixture acquires a fluffy and smooth consistency. It is very important to incorporate enough air into the mixture at this point to achieve that attractive crackled surface on our cookies.
5. Next, we add the melted chocolate and butter (point 2), which will have already warmed a little, and we now combine gently until we obtain a homogeneous mixture.
6. Next, we add the mixture of dry ingredients that we had reserved (point 3) and, now by hand if we have been working with the electric mixer, with the help of a silicone spatula we gently incorporate them, using only the necessary movements until they are no longer visible traces of flour remain. We will obtain a dough that is visibly more fluid than the dough of other types of cookies (such as butter cookies or typical chocolate chip cookies), but dense enough to work with without problem.
7. We then place approximately 27 g of dough per cookie (a more or less heaping tablespoon) on a couple of non-stick baking trays ⁽²⁾ , like this one from DeBuyer with which we will not need to use parchment paper to bake, with about 5 cm of separation between one and the other. To facilitate this task we can use a small ice cream scoop or a pressure gun (without decorative nozzle). If we do not have any of these accessories, we can also use a couple of soup spoons, ensuring that the portions of dough are more or less rounded. For greater comfort, we can lightly grease the spoons with release spray or a thin film of neutral-flavored oil (such as sunflower, for example).
8. Once our portions of dough are arranged on the trays, we distribute the chocolate chips or pieces, pressing them lightly on the dough ⁽³⁾ . If the dough had hardened a little (this will depend on the type of chocolate we have chosen ⁽¹⁾ and the time elapsed since we melted it; if we have placed the portions of dough with the help of two spoons, it takes a little longer and the result is less uniform) and we want our cookies to have a more or less homogeneous shape, we can flatten the portions of dough slightly with the same hands and even smooth out the most visible irregularities they may have with our fingertips. Still, I personally find the rustic look of homemade cookies completely captivating.
9. Finally, we bake our cookies for about 10-12 minutes (depending on whether we prefer them softer on the inside or more cooked; I personally love them soft in the center like brownies , so I leave them less time), exchanging the positions of the trays. half the baking time. Their appearance will not reveal to us when they are already done, so it is advisable to err on the side of caution and not overdo the time in the oven, because if they are done in excess they will become dry and will completely lose their charm.
10. We remove from the oven, let a few flakes of salt fall on our cookies (if we feel like giving them that salty touch, which I assure you is a great success) and let them rest on the trays for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack with help them with a flat spatula so they can finish cooling (just out of the oven they are still somewhat fragile). Even so, if one “escapes” before it completely cools down, I'm not going to tell anyone...

Grades:

• ⁽¹⁾ The higher the percentage of cocoa in the chocolate we choose, in addition to the greater intensity of flavor, the denser our cookie dough will be as it cools. Even so, once in the oven, it will melt again without problem.
• ⁽²⁾ If we do not have two racks and/or two non-stick trays, we will bake our cookies in batches (the leftover dough can remain in the bowl at room temperature between batches). If we are going to use a conventional baking tray, we will have to cover the base with a silicone mat or parchment baking paper. In this case, the tray will be in the central position of the oven when the cookies are placed and we will have to let it cool before returning for the next batch.
• ⁽³⁾ Some people prefer to add the chocolate chips directly into the dough (in the last step) instead of accommodating each of the already formed cookies. The difference is that they may not be as visible (this is just an aesthetic issue), some cookies may be more loaded with chocolate than others and, if any falls on the base of the cookie, it will melt upon contact with the oven tray and there will be a hole in the cookie. Furthermore, if we use a pressure gun to dispense the dough, they could get stuck.
• We can also refrigerate the cookie dough for about 30 minutes once all the ingredients are combined; In this way, we can even manipulate it directly with our hands when distributing the portions.
• If you want your chocolate cookies even more chocolatey or with extra texture, try adding a few more chocolate chips to each cookie (you can even double the amount). You can also not add them at all, although I don't recommend it; You would miss out on a completely indescribable experience.
• Although we will end up with a somewhat different texture and flavor, we can replace the butter with olive oil. We will get some truly interesting and equally delicious cookies.
• If that seems like a lot of cookies, you can perfectly divide the quantities in half.
• They are stored at room temperature in an airtight container, protected from air, for about 3 days.
• Remember: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml.

Do not be fooled by appearances; It will take you less time to make and enjoy these delicious chocolate brownie cookies than to read the recipe (you already know how much I like to share with you every detail of my experience with the process of the recipes that I bring you). And now, as they say, enjoy!

A hug,

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