For the brownies:
65 grams dark chocolate (approximately 1/3 cup chopped)
60 grams butter (about 1/4 cup)
1 level teaspoon cocoa powder
1 large egg
65 grams white sugar (about 1/3 cup)
35 grams brown sugar (about 3 tablespoons)
Pinch of salt
35 grams flour (about 1/4 cup)
50-60 grams chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup, optional)
For the cookie dough:
120 grams butter
120 grams brown sugar (about 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
45 grams white sugar (slightly less than 1/4 cup)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
140 grams flour (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
85 grams chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (about half a cup)
The prepared brownie cubes
Coarse sea salt (optional)
Note: Cup measurements are approximate. For the most accurate results, especially with flour and sugar, weighing ingredients is recommended.
Instructions
Begin with the brownies:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a wide loaf pan or small baking dish with parchment paper. The brownie layer should be relatively thin.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave using short pulses, or over a pot of hot water. Stir until smooth, then mix in the cocoa powder.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg thoroughly with both sugars until the mixture becomes slightly lighter in color and airy.
Add the chocolate mixture, stir to combine, then add the salt.
Fold in the flour just until no flour lumps remain. If desired, add chocolate chips at this stage.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 10-11 minutes. The brownies should be stable enough to cut after cooling, but the center must remain soft and fudgy—not liquid. This is precisely what will create the chocolate pockets inside the cookies later. The original recipe calls for baking just until set, then cooling thoroughly.
Cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator. Once the brownies are very cold, cut into small cubes of approximately 1.5-2 centimeters and place in the freezer while preparing the cookie dough.
Now for the cookies:
Place the butter in a small pot and melt over medium heat. Continue cooking while stirring until it begins to foam, develops a golden-amber color, and releases a deep, nutty aroma.
Transfer to a bowl and cool for about 10 minutes. It can be warm, but not hot.
Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, and vanilla, and beat until you have a thick, uniform mixture.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mixing with a spatula just until almost combined.
Add the chopped chocolate and the very cold brownie cubes. Fold gently—you don't want to crush them into the dough.
Form approximately 14 large dough balls. For an especially attractive presentation, reserve some brownie cubes and chocolate pieces and press them into the top of each ball.
Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour. Chilling helps the cookies maintain their thickness and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the cookies with generous spacing and bake for 13-14 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the center still appears soft.
Remove from the oven and don't touch them immediately. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes—they continue to set during this time.
Those who enjoy the sweet-salty combination can sprinkle a bit of coarse sea salt on top immediately after baking.
The tip that makes the difference here:
Don't skip freezing the brownie cubes. If you add soft, room-temperature brownies to the dough, much of them will simply smear and blend into the batter. When they're very cold, distinct pieces remain inside the cookie, so when you break one open you get a golden cookie with pockets of fudgy brownie inside.
Note: For a dairy-free version, you can substitute the butter with quality baking margarine in the exact same amount—just note that when preparing the cookies, you don't brown it like butter; instead, simply melt it, cool slightly, and proceed as usual.
Enjoy!
