Warm Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9-inch (23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal and lightly butter the parchment.

Melt the butter and chopped bittersweet chocolate together: place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth and glossy. Let cool slightly (about 5 minutes).

Whisk sugars and eggs: in a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each until mixture is glossy and slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine chocolate and eggs: pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg-sugar mixture and fold gently with a spatula until fully combined and homogeneous. Do not overmix.

Sift and fold dry ingredients: sift the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and fine salt together. Add the dry mix to the chocolate batter in two additions, folding gently until just incorporated and no streaks remain.

Transfer batter: pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula so it is even. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of batter in a small bowl for use with the swirl (this helps drag the caramel slightly into the batter).

Make the toffee caramel: in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the softened butter and light brown sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble lightly (about 2–3 minutes).

Finish caramel: reduce heat to low and carefully stir in the heavy cream and golden syrup. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and stir in the flaky sea salt. Let cool 3–4 minutes so it is pourable but not runny.

Apply swirl: spoon dollops of the caramel over the prepared brownie batter (use about two-thirds of the caramel). Drop small spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter around the caramel if desired. Using a skewer or knife, gently swirl the caramel into the top layer of batter to create a marbled toffee-caramael pattern. Avoid over-swizzling to keep defined ribbons.

Prepare the crumble: in a small bowl combine the crushed Oreo cookies, raw cocoa nibs and demerara sugar. Pour in the melted butter and toss until the mixture holds together in coarse clusters. If mixture looks dry, add an extra teaspoon of melted butter.

Top the brownie: sprinkle the Oreo-cocoa nib crumble evenly over the swirled brownie batter, pressing very lightly so some crumble adheres. Reserve a small amount (about 1 tablespoon) to scatter on top after baking for extra crunch.

Bake: place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 22–28 minutes. The center should still be slightly gooey but the edges set—use a toothpick inserted near the center; a few moist crumbs are desirable. Rotate pan halfway through baking for even coloration.

Cool briefly: remove from oven and let brownies cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. While still warm (but not piping hot), scatter the reserved crumble and any extra cocoa nibs on top and lightly press so they adhere.

Serve warm: using the parchment overhang, lift the brownie out of the pan and cut into 4 large squares (or 9 smaller pieces). Serve each warm brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a pinch of coarse sea salt and extra cocoa nibs if desired.

Storage: store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a microwave (10–20 seconds) or a warm oven before serving to restore the gooey center.