Chocolate Chunk Brownie Recipe

1. Prep

Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal, and grease the paper lightly with the butter or oil.

2. Melt chocolate and butter

Place the chopped semisweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt over a simmering water bath (double boiler) or in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between bursts, until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool 3–5 minutes so it’s warm but not hot.

3. Combine sugar and eggs

In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs until combined and slightly thickened (about 30–60 seconds by hand, or 1 minute with a hand mixer). Whisk in the vanilla extract.

4. Incorporate chocolate into egg mixture

Pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate–butter mixture into the sugar–egg mixture and whisk until smooth and glossy.

5. Add dry ingredients

Sift (or whisk) together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt to remove lumps. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix — a few small streaks are fine.

6. Stir in 100 g of the chopped dark chocolate (reserve about 50 g for topping) and the chopped nuts if using. Fold gently to distribute evenly through the batter.

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the reserved 50 g chocolate chunks evenly across the surface and press down lightly so they sink a little. If using, scatter flaky sea salt over the top.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 22–28 minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes: the edges should be set and pulling slightly from the sides, while the center remains glossy and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). For fudgier brownies, remove earlier; for cakier but still moist brownies, bake a few minutes longer.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 1–1.5 hours) to set. If you want warm, slightly gooey brownies, let cool 25–30 minutes before cutting.

10. Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie block from the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 9 or 12 squares using a sharp knife. Wipe the knife between cuts for cleaner slices. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.