Soft, Moist, Chocolatey Brownie

I felt like eating brownie since like last week... Wanted to buy one from Mrs Fields.. but it's so hard to find the outlet nowadays.. My favourite is Triple Fudge Brownie.. But I think my sweet tooth has mellowed down.. I can't take stuffs that are too sweet anymore.. I don't know..

Anywaayyy.... I saw this recipe yesterday and I saw the pictures and straight away I knew I wanted to make it.. I couldn't wait any longer.. I know I stated somewhere in my previous brownie recipe that it was THE BROWNIE recipe BUT I think this is THE BROWNIE RECIPE.. hahahah.. Im fickle..

I've always wanted to buy those 70% or more dark chocolate and make into something but Im scared.. But this recipe provides me an opportunity to use it.. And that is partly the reason why I wanted to do it.. I advice you to use the best dark chocolate you can get cos the brownie is just awesome to me.. *I'm thinking Guanaja*... It's not that sweet but it taste strongly of chocolate with a hint of bitterness.. On top of it, it was soft and moist and makes it taste kinda fudgey... Just the way I like it... Annndd the aroma of it was just incredible as it was baking... When I open the container full of it.. Gosh~ This is a must try recipe... I kinda knew it would be a bit bitter and so I topped it with Butterscotch Chips to neutralise the bitterness.. It was just perfect.. Sweet and bitter in harmony... I think it would be very very good with ice cream too.. It kinda reminds me of Flourless Cake but better.. :P

I baked it in a 9-inch square tray but found it kinda too big unless you are going for thin brownies..I'm gonna make it again very very soon cos I have to finish my butterscotch chip.. And what better way than this...

Spiced Brownies with Cocoa Nibs (taken from http://www.vanilla garlic.com)
(my notes in red)

8 oz of 70% cacao chocolate
6 tbsp / 3.03oz / 86.1g  unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp cinnamon (optional) (I omitted)
1/2 tsp ground ancho chilli powder (I omitted)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup cocoa nibs (I replaced with Butterscotch Chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (170 C) and line a springform pan with parchment paper (a simple 8 or 9 inch square or cicle will just be fine). Light Grease and dust the parchment line pan with butter and flour.

2. Place chocolate, butter, cinnamon and chilli powder over simmering water (double boil). Stir together and until melted, smooth and warm.

3. In another bowl, place eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla together and whisk on high speed for 2 minutes. It should be thick and light coloured.

4. Add the warm chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk together.

5. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

6. Scrape the bater into the lined pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. remove springform rim. Dist with cocoa powder and serve. Great with whipped cream, mint ice cream, or chilled cream poured over it.

~If you're happy and you know
You clap your hands~

Peanut Butter Brownies

I wanted to make something new.. And I was bored.. Hence, I decided to try this recipe.. And I was feeling like some brownie that day..

It was really good.. Fudgey.. Chocolatey.. Not too cakey.. Soft.. A bit too rich cos of the peanut butter.. The frosting was sweet but DUH rite? haha.. Frosting is always sweet.. Well, this brownie recipe reminds me of Mrs Field's Brownie.. My favourite Triple Choc Brownie excluding the peanut butter.. I think I found THE brownie recipe that I like but I'm not gonna incorporate the peanut butter next time. Hence, I have to play around with the recipe.. Next time..

The good thing is I did not use any machine for the brownie part.. Just the power of the hands.. :)

Peanut Butter Brownie (taken from http://canadianbaker.blogspot.com/)
(my notes in red)

6 oz (175g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 oz (125g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup (75ml) butter

1/3 cup (75ml) natural peanut butter, at room temperature (I used normal Peanut Butter)

2 cups (500ml) granulated sugar

1 tsp (5ml) vanilla

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups (400ml) all purpose flour

1 cup (250 ml) chopped unsalted peanuts (omitted cos I like my brownie plain)

pinch salt

Topping:

1/3 cup (75 ml) butter, softened

1/4 cup (50ml) natural peanut butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla

2 cups (500ml) icing sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) milk (I used water as I had no milk)

3 oz (90g) bittersweet chocolate, melted

1. Line 13 x 9 in (3.5 L) metal cake pan with parchment paper or grease. ( I used a 9x9 in pan)

2. In saucepan, melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate, butter and peanut butter over medium-low heat; let cool for 10 minutes. ( I used double boiling method to be safe)

3. Whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each.

4. Fold in flour, peanuts (omitted) and salt.

5. Spread in prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350 F (180 C) oven until tester inserted in centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

Topping: In bowl, beat butter, peanut butter and vanilla until creamy. Beat in icing sugar in 2 additions. beat in milk (I used water as I did not have any milk.. It shouldn't affect much as I think liquid is just to get the right consistency for the frosting). Spread over brownies. Drizzle with chocolate. Refrigerate until form, 1 hour. Cut into bars. Makes ~60 bars.

Tip: Make ahead. Remove from pan; wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Or overwrap in heavy duty foil; freeze up to 1 month).

~This is not what I intended

I always swore to you I'd never fall apart

You always thought that I was stronger

I may have failed but I have loved you from the start~

Brownie

After baking this brownie.. I realize that my ideal brownie is more cakey with a bit of fudgey-ness in it.. For now.. I used to like chewy brownies.. I don't know why I stopped liking them too.. Haha.. Neway, I found this recipe from a book by Daniel Tay.. He's the owner Bakerzin if I'm not wrong.. I was searching for recipes for brownies and his recipe seems to appeal to me most of all the brownie recipes that I had collected... Why?? Cos his recipe was the first recipe I saw that had cream cheese in it.. Hmmm

Well, it turned out wonderful.. Cakey and kinda fudgey when it's hot.. I like my brownie plain.. Maybe with fudge on it.. But I don't like nuts in it, especially walnuts.. eugh.. Not that I don't eat it but I just don't like it.. But I think the next time I do this, I can add some white chocolate chips or even milk chocolate buttons inside.. I think it would be really nice and make the brownie fudgier.. Just the way I like it..

Reviews from my sis is that it's too cakey.. But I guess different people have different takes on it.. It's cakey but when I heat it up in the microwave before I eat it, it's a bit fudgey.. You just have to try it yourself.. The recipe makes good clean and neat brownie.. Haha.. Whatever that means.. Lol.. Nice eaten with Island Creamery ice-cream too.. Yummy!!
Chocolate Brownie (taken from just desserts and other baked treats by Daniel Tay)
(makes one 28-cm / 11" square cake) (my notes in red)
(I make one-third the recipe as I just wanted to make a small tray for myself.. hehe)

325g (11 1/2 oz) plain (all purpose) flour
5g (1/2 oz) baking powder
150g (5 1/3 oz) cocoa powder
225g (8 oz) cream cheese
860g (1 4/5 lb) sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
10g (1/3 oz) salt
450g (16 oz) unsalted butter
400g (14 1/3 oz) eggs
300g (10 1/2 oz) walnuts
butter for greasing

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350 F)

2. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

3. Place cream cheese, sugar, vanilla essence, salt and butter in another mixing bowl and whisk until blended.

4. Fold eggs into cream cheese mixture, then gradually fold in flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix well. (I didn't fold.. Just added everything in my KitchenAid and Beat it~ haha.. ok.. lame)

5. Lightly grease a 28 cm / 11" square baking tin with butter. Level Batter into tin and bake for 20 minutes. (I baked in my 6" x 9" rectangle tray)

6. Unmould brownie and leave aside to cool. Slice before serving.

You might think that the ingredients list is a bit weird as all the quantity are in grams and ounces.. But from the baking books that I read, giving the quantities this way is the most accurate. This is because measurements in spoons and cups can vary in different countries.. Even the size of eggs can be different everywhere.. That should explain it.. But I must say it's more troublesome having the recipe in grams as I have to weigh everything.. And I guess it's time I invest in a good weighing machine..

~There are many things that I
Would like to say to you but I don't know how~