Steaming

The weather is killing me recently. I think I am just not made for the (extreme) tropics like this. Its hot hot hot. Did I mention humid too? Easily 34C at least. This kind of (damned) weather makes me grouchy and gives me a mega headache. Feel like soaking myself in a bathtub of ice cubes. I tried to seek refuge in the cool air-conditioned bedroom but found that I can’t do that too often or else my parents will give me a good one when they see the hefty electricity bill at the end of the month. Poor me. Don’t quite understand how you people can bask under the sun for hours or how you profess your love for the tropics. Try staying here for a year, honey. Witness the butter in your pie / tart dough melting at abnormally fast speed) and squishing out of the layers. Watch ur meringues and macaroons soften before you say ‘Arghhh!’. So before you starting complaining about how cold your toes feel, pity us at the other side of the world.

These brownies are seriously fudgy and has a crackling top. The addition of white chocolate and crunchy macadamia nuts made them absolutely irresistable. I used Valrhona 67% chocolate and the velvety tones of this chocolate shone right through these brownies.  I sit in my air-conditioned living room, eat my warm brownie and look at the sunny weather. Ah, bliss.

Classic Fudgy Brownies

(From The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet)

 

1 stick (4oz) butter, cut into ½ inch pieces

4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (up to 64% cacao), finely chopped  

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup (7oz) sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup (2 ½ oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

½ cup (3 ¾ oz) chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

½ cup (2oz) nuts, chopped and toasted

 

1.       Preheat the oven to 175C (350F) and position an oven rack in the center. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil or parchment paper across the bottom and up two of the sides, then lightly coat with unflavoured or high-heat canola oil spray.

 

2.       Boil a saucepan of water. Place butter, semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl. Turn off the heat and place the bowl over the saucepan. Stir occasionally with the spatula until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

 

3.       Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, stirring well to incorporate each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract. Whisk in the flour and salt. Continue to stir until the mixture changes from dull and broken-looking to smooth and shiny, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts, if any.

 

4.       Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

 

5.       Run a thin knife or flexible spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the brownies. To remove the brownies from the pan, grasp the foil or parchment paper extending up the sides and pull gently upward. Set the brownies on a cutting surface and use a serrated knife to cut into desired sizes. To store, tightly wrap the remaining brownies (if any) or place in an airtight container. They keep well at room temperature for 2 – 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

  

To my newfound friends ^____^

Time really flies. It was not too long ago when I was bracing myself for the hardships to come when I was about to enter GE. All the horror stories I heard about the engagement, terrible clients, long hours….. But it wasn’t all bad. At least, it was not as bad as I thought it would be. True we worked insane hours (like till 5am in the morning), most people on the team were nice, and the clients I dealt with were (thankfully) cooperative too. I must be lucky Friday was my last day there (woo hoo!). I decided to bake those lovely peeps some brownies to cheer them on. Moving on to the next engagement, I hope things will turn out okay too. Hopefully, sitting in THE ROOM (EC & SP will know about this) will bring me some luck in job hunting as well.

I got this recipe from Dorie’s Baking: From my home to yours. It was the only recipe that did not require me to use unsweetened baking chocolate. I used my Valrhona chocolate and threw in a handful of toasted walnuts. It turned out wonderfully moist and fudgy as indicated in the book. However, the baking time and temperature needed a little tweaking. It was stated to use 165C (325F) and bake for 20 – 22 minutes. I did so and the brownies were still very wet when tested with a toothpick. Then, I upped my temperature to 170C and continued for another 7 minutes.

 Bittersweet Brownies
(Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours)

1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon sized pieces
9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a large rectangular brownie pan with aluminum foil (this makes the brownies easier to extract). You may want to grease the aluminum foil. I didn’t and the brownies got somewhat stuck to the aluminum foil.

 

2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and the butter.

 

3. Remove the double boiler from the water (i.e. take the top part off the pot), and whisk in the sugar.

 

4. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and whisk gently. Stir in the salt and the flour until just combined. Gently fold in the walnuts.

 

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared brownie pan and smooth out the surface with a spatula. Bake the brownies for about 22 – 25 minutes. Test with a toothpick, if it comes out with a few crumbs on it, it is ready.

 

Grilled brownies anyone?

I made some cream cheese brownies prior starting this blog. They turned out too fudgy and thick for my liking. Since then, I have been searching for another great cream cheese brownie recipe to try. I found one on one of my favourite sites Smitten Kitchen and decided to work on it. Everything was groovy at first. Beat cream cheese till smooth? Check. Melt chocolate and butter together? Check. Fold in flour quickly? Check. BUT………… I forgot that I was grilling garlic bread before this, and my oven was still on grill mode. I only found out about this horrible mistake 5 minutes before the brownies were supposed to be done. ARGH! There were no telltale signs as the brownie still rose beautifully. There were some cracks though, but I did not think too much about them.

I quickly changed the modes and let the brownies cook for another 10 minutes. Thank god the situation could be salvaged. In fact, they were good. Obscenely good. Which makes me wonder, how they would be like when they were done correctly. Also, I think I will add 2 oz more cream cheese in future. Not sure how many people can resist these brownies, with their crackly tops and fudgy insides. As I cut them up into 1 1/2 inch squares, I kept popping them into my mouth. One for the box, one for me, one for me, one for the box, maybe another for me… Someone take them away from me!!!!!!!

Cream Cheese Marbled Brownies
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

For swirl
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all purpose flour

For brownies
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
10 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 165C (325F). Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Beat cream cheese and two tablespoons butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in egg. Mix in one tablespoon flour. Set mixture aside.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5. Transfer half of batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Pour cream cheese mixture over, then second half of brownie batter. Swirl the batters together decoratively with the tip of a knife. Bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 45 minutes, watching carefully for overcooking. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.