Hi. My mom and I have been trying to mimic that shiny crust of yours. The chocolate chips truly adds shine to the top. I would like to share the result of my trials.

I don't know where I got it wrong but I could never get that perfect shiny crust by just melting sugar and butter together. Following your measurements, I tried making the batter differently.

First, I put the butter on low heat. I was told that browning it gives that nutty flavpur, and yes...it does! While the butter is in the process of browning, I mix the eggs and sugar together with a hand mixer at high speed until there mixture gets super soft; no grain. Thr butter should be browned by then. I melt half of the chocolate chips in the browned butter. Once melted, pour it into the egg mixture slowly while constantly whisking it. I then add the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso. Then the remaining chocolate chips. And lastly, flour with 1 tbsp cornstarch.

This is weird but I tried without cornstarch, and the top was not as shiny. Other than the cornstarch, everything was followed; ingredients and measurement wise.

I read the cornstarch elsewhere and they have illustrations of with and without so zi tried it myself.

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