Awhile ago, I entered a contest on Food Network UK for their cupcake month competition. I ended up winning a set of large cupcake piping tips, but along with that I ended up getting added to their email list. This week, they sent me two emails saying “make the gooiest chocolate brownies” as the main story – alright Food Network, I got the hint. This week’s baking adventure must be brownies.

But I didn’t want to make any sort of brownie. I’ve grown up on classic chocolate brownies. I’ve indulged on cheesecake brownies. But what else could I try? That’s when I came across this recipe over at Evil Shenanigans. I knew it had to be good because (A) the site includes the word ‘shenanigans’ which is always an awesome word and (B) it combines two of my favorite classic treats: the brownie and the chocolate chip cookie. How could I go wrong?

Well. It did go wrong. Sort of. The recipe called for using a square baking tin, but I only have rectangular ones – that was my first mistake. What resulted was the edges of the pan being perfectly done while the middle remained gooey. And not the gooey that Food Network had been boasting about; it was a mess. When I cut into them, the entire middle oozed out like warm uncooked brownie magma out of a fault line of chocolate chip cookie.

My second mistake wasn’t really a mistake at all, but just a realization that could have made them turn out a bit better. Next time, rather than just dotting the surface with the chocolate chip cookie dough, I’m going to swirl it in a bit, so you get more of a surprise as to what your brownie to cookie ratio will be with each bite.

Despite the improvements that need to be made, this recipe is GOOD. Like, really good. And we’ll just hope they turn out better next time.

Ingredients

For the brownies:

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ounce plain or dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Nutella
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (approx 175°C). Grease a SQUARE baking pan and line with baking parchment, the grease the baking parchment.

2. In a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, combine the 3 Tablespoons butter, chocolate, and Nutella. Stir until the chocolate is melted and everything is smoothly combined. Be sure not to let any water drop into your bowl, or else your chocolate will seize and it will be ruined. Once melted, set the bowl aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the other 3 Tablespoons of butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the medium bowl and stir until smooth. Then sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until there are no more lumps left, then pour into the prepared baking pan. Set aside.

5. Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough by creaming the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together in a clean medium-sized bowl. Blend in the egg and the vanilla.

6. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined, then mix in the chocolate chips.

7. Dot the surface of the brownie batter with the cookie dough, then gently swirl together, being careful not to mix the two doughs together too much.

8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are done and the middle is set and doesn’t wiggle. Let them cool in the pan for at least one hour before slicing.