Try this Chocolate Chip Brownie Tarts recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 egg yolk (from a large egg)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- scant pinch salt
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- maldon or other large-grain salt for topping (optional)
- Carbohydrate 10.5317717104409 g
- Cholesterol 50.7794444444444 mg
- Fat 14.377398614993 g
- Fiber 0.56139380268218 g
- Protein 1.64138644681109 g
- Saturated Fat 8.86957495575505 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (38g)
- Sodium 19.4722196801492 mg
- Sugar 9.97037790775871 g
- Trans Fat 1.14792429503508 g
- Calories 174 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease a mini muffin tin.
- To make the cookie crust, in a small bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (do this by hand with a wooden spoon or in a standing mixer).
- Add the egg yolk and mix.
- Add the flour and salt and mix until well combined.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips.
- Put the bowl in the refrigerator to chill while making the brownie filling (this will make it easier to handle).
- For the brownie filling, heat the butter on the stove or in the microwave, just until melted.
- Whisk in sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.
- Set aside until only slightly warm to the touch, about 5 minutes.
- Using a wooden spoon stir in the egg and vanilla until evenly encorporated.
- Add flour and stir until smooth.
- Divide the cookie dough into 12 even portions (about 2 teaspoons each) and press them into the prepared muffin tin to form tart shells.
- Pour the brownie filling into each of the shells.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, just until the brownie starts to set around the edges (the centers will still be gooey).
- Be careful not to overtake these - pull them from the oven as soon as you see that the brownie edges are setting.
- Let cool at room temperature in the muffin tin (Note: be sure to let these cool completely or they will crumble - patience is key!).
- Sprinkle with salt (optional).
Combining a buttery shortbread base with a dense cocoa center requires careful management of fat ratios and thermal thresholds. Butter contains roughly twenty percent water. When this water converts to steam during baking, it acts as a leavening agent. Standard brownies rely on this mechanism for lift. Restricting the flour and melting the fat completely beforehand yields a fudge-like density instead of a cake-like crumb. Chilling the dough prior to shaping prevents the butter from melting prematurely on contact with warm hands.
Structural Chemistry of the Dual Layers
The cookie crust and the brownie filling undergo different physical changes in the oven. The crust uses an egg yolk instead of a whole egg, supplying extra fat without excess moisture. This creates a crumbly, tender bite that contrasts with the chewy, chocolate-heavy center. Cocoa powder contains starches that absorb liquid quickly. Whisking the cocoa into warm melted butter gelatinizes those starches before the egg enters the bowl, preventing graininess. <Judging Doneness Visually
Visual cues dictate success when baking small pastries. Set ovens accurately to 325 F to prevent exterior scorching before the interior sets. Pull the mini muffin tin from the heat source precisely when the brownie edges begin to pull away from the sides and look matte, while the center retains a soft gloss. Residual heat finishes the cooking process inside the pan. Cooling completely is mandatory because hot butter and starches lack structural integrity.
