Sweetbakes: Thick cocoa brownies

I know it's kinda weird to bake brownies during CNY season, but I did that...Haha.. But it's really for a gathering with my Secondary friends. I wasn't able to be there early for their potluck session, thus I compensated with my brownies with ice-cream.

It was my first attempt at making brownies from scratch although many people tell me how easy it is to make from scratch. Laziness always overcome me. Just can't help it =) From the title, you can tell how thick and chocolatey my brownies are.

So here's my recipe for the brownies with some modifications.
*Warning* This recipe requires good arm strength. Not for the weak! (LOL... Just kidding about the 2nd part, but it really requires alot of stirring.)

Thick Cocoa Brownies (Makes 16 large or 25 smaller squares)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/108346










Ingredients
1 and 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (I used 155g)
225g of fine sugar (I feel that the amt of sugar can be reduced further)
85g plus 2 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder (You can reduce this if you don't like a strong cocoa taste)
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cold large cold eggs
60g all purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (Optional)

8-inch square baking pan

Method
1) Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 162°C or 325°F (I put mine to 175°C)

2) Line bottom and sides of baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides for easy removal of brownies from pan.

3) Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide pot/pan of barely simmering water.

4) Stir from time to time until butter is melted and the misture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping in to test.

5) Remove the bowl from the pot/ pan and set aside briefly until mixture is only warm, not hot.

6) Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.

7) When the batter looks thick, shiny and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the but, if any. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

8) Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.











The results?
Thick, chocolatey brownies that are ever so delicious with a whooping scoop of vanilla ice-cream!

Sweet Bakes

Makan Places: 恭喜发财 (红包一个来)

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and may all be blessed with abundant wealth and great health!

I'm sure most of us will have at least one "Lo hei"(捞鱼生) session during this period of time and I had my first "lo hei" today with my family and relatives.

We went to the JUMBO Seafood Waterfront which is located at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. First up was the salmon yu sheng which was too sweet for my liking. The only thing that I liked was that there was alot of the crispy Chinese shrimp crackers added to it *crunch crunch*

For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, the pictures below illustrates the steps to eating yu sheng. Follow closely...

Step 1: Arrange all ingredients neatly on a big plate.

Step 2: Everyone to pick up a pair of chopsticks.

Step 3: Toss all the ingredients into the air (the higher the better) and say auspicious wishes 吉祥话 at the same time.

Step 4: Tuck in!

Our family's kamquat & Sunkist oranges. LOL

Sweetbakes: Easy Shortbread

This is one of the few things which I always liked to bake because this is really EASY...And I mean it... Having bad encounters with baking before, I'm usually not very adventurous with baking anymore. Unless I'm really feeling as if I have extra time and money to spare then I'll try baking something new..

Then again, home baked stuff are probably the best gifts to your friends and family. I personally feel very happy when I receive home baked cookies or cakes as gifts as it shows how much I mean to the person.



Here's the recipe:

Meat :Paper-wrapped chicken 纸包鸡

I have been wanting to try this recipe as I'm quite fascinated by how we can fry chicken that is wrapped with a paper...And coincidentally, I found this recipe from the Food & Travel magazine which I bought last year. It is a pretty easy recipe, just that the frying process was a hell lot of splurting oil. *OUCH*
But it turned out not too bad for my 1st attempt. =) Lots of beginner's luck...

SO here goes the recipe...

Paper-Wrapped Chicken
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 chicken (1.2 to 1.5kg) *I only experimented with 1 big drumstick*
100g ginger
2 tbsp Chinese wine (I use Shao Xing wine, can replace with Meigui Lu 玫瑰露 or cooking sherry)
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or honey)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 bunch coriander leaves
2 red chillies, sliced diagonally (I used chilli padi & forgot to slice diagonally)
12 pieces of parchment paper (15 cm square)
Oil for deep frying

Method
1. Cut chicken into serving sizes, removing visible fats.

2. Pound ginger to a pulp with mortar and pestle. Then add chinese wine.

3. Squeeze ginger juice over chicken pieces and add the rest of the seasoning. (It will not matter if some ginger pieces dropped in, it will add to the rustic feel of the dish.)

4. Marinate chicken pieces for at least 6 hours, or overnight would be better.

5. Place a sprig of coriander and a few slices of chillies on a square of parchment.

6. Place chicken pieces on coriander and wrap up into a packet. (DO make sure that your chicken is fairly dry and not with alot of marinating juice. Also wrap your chicken properly to prevent the liquid from spilling into the oil.)

7. Deep fry chicken packets in hot oil to brown. Then place in 250 deg C oven for another 10-15 minutes to finish off.
(I used the extra sauce that is still inside the paper packages to thicken into a sauce to pour over the chicken) Serve hot with white rice or plain fried rice noodles.

That's all folkS!