Leslie, I have a brownie recipe that as much as I wish it did, it refuses to make the crackly layer I love. I'll post it today and shoot you a message. I also remember a pastry chef posting about how to achieve that layer. I can't for the life of me remember her name. She doesn't post often, but when she does, it's golden. I'll work on finding that post and you can see if you are doing what she suggests and unknowingly creating the crackle that you don't care for.
AJ, that doesn't look like the thin crackly layer I am speaking of. When it works, it's very thin and shiny. I'm vaguely remembering the post on how to create the crackle was both a sugar to egg ratio and the length of time the eggs and sugar are whipped. In the recipe I was speaking of, the eggs are stirred into the melted cocoa and butter after the sugar is mixed in. I think that is why these brownies are the same texture from top to bottom. Does that make sense?
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Look at the comments, especially the quote from Alice Medrich.
Shirley Corriher's "Bakewise" is where I first read about that thin top crust being a meringue. ;o)
;o)
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