Re: the elusive shiny, crackly top. Adapting Susan Reid's technique for her wholewheat brownies might solve the problem. She nukes (or melts in a saucepan) the butter and then stirs in the sugar. Then she heats that mixture a second time, which she says is the trick to ensuring the shiny crackly top. You could use that method with this recipe, and then add in the chocolate, which would melt by itself from the heat of the other ingredients. When all that has cooled a bit, stir in the eggs and then the rest of the ingredients, and follow the recipe from there. I'll try this soon, and report back.

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