Really, REALLY Fudgy BROWNIES!!!!!!

No kidding, the title says it all! 

I made this brownies  using the recipe from a book that my son gave me for my birthday years back. This thick (692 pages) book with very little photographs (I think it has only 14 photographs) called " in the Sweet Kitchen, The Definitive Baker's Companion" by Regan Daley. I  asked my son  why he chose this book, considering he was merely 14 years old (now 19), his answer was very sweet too. It was the title, he liked the title "In The Sweet Kitchen" , oh very sweet indeed my little plum!  

Recipe from: 

In The Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley

Ingredients:

7  ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

3  ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup plus 2 tbs unsalted butter, in small pieces

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2⅓ cups granulated sugar 

1½ tsp vanilla extract (I used dark rum)

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 tbs good quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa

¹⁄₈ tsp salt

additional unsalted butter for greasing the pan

a 9 x 13-inch aluminum baking pan (I half the recipe and used 8 inches aluminum square cake pan).

parchment paper

• Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Grease the pan with butter, line the bottom and up to two sides with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the two long sides by an inch or so. 

• In a small bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, and the salt together. Set aside.

• Fill a  large skillet with  about one inch of water. Set the skillet over low heat, and bring the water to a gentle simmer. 

• Place the unsweetened chocolate, the bittersweet chocolate and the butter in a heat proof bowl. Set the bowl over the skillet. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the skillet, let the chocolate mixture cool slightly.

• In large bowl, beat the eggs slightly just to mix the yolks and the whites. Whisk in the sugar until the mixture is pale, about 2 minutes by hand. Stir in the vanilla. 

• Pour the slightly cooled chocolate into the eggs-sugar mixture, stir just enough to blend them together. Add flour mixture in three addition, using  rubber spatula to gently fold in each addition before adding the next one.

• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownie comes out with a few moist crumb cling to it. The surface should be set and shiny with a slightly crack at the edge. Do not overcook! 
  (What I did was, baked it for for 20 minutes, checked, then I added the time for another 5 minutes - checked, it was already done. So the  time will range between 20 to 30 minutes depending on the temperature of your oven and the pan  you are using. I used aluminum pan. If you are using the dark/nonstick pan, I believe it will cook faster. So keep checking).

• Transfer the pan onto wire rack, and let cool completely before cutting it into bars. 

Note: 

Wrap the bars in plastic, and store at room temperature for gooier brownies, or in the refrigerator for denser, fudgier brownies  for up to five days. The author was right when she said:  "I doubt it's going to stay that long" Mine was petty much gone that day. 

44

Today is my birthday! 

Still healthy, still happy. Have all the love from my family. Couldn't ask for more, and I am truly greatfull!!!!!!!!

CANNELÉS De Bordeaux

I would like  to share my first trial with these delicious little treats. It was not a successful trial, so I will try it again, once successful, I'll post about it along with the recipe. Some recipe mention that I should put wax for the moulds, but I felt reluctant to do it. I knew how messy it would be. So I skipped the waxing process. As result, most of the Cannéles stuck in the moulds and I had to soaked them for days. Anyway, I could only salvage a few for photograph. Taste wise was delicious, and I'll be using the same recipe for my second try. 

Does anyone knows the trick to make Cannéles without waxing the mould? Would you share the secret, please? Thank you...

KOUIGN AMANN

Haven't tried to eat Kouign Amann before? I encourage you to try it at least once in your life time. It's very rich, loaded with butter and sugar,  tastes insanely good, and it seems like heaven is within your reach. If you are on diet, you can just enjoy the photo, k?!

This is the second Kouign Amann  I made using the same recipe. The instruction was pretty clear, so most likely you will be successful at first try. Although, I must add that, he had a few people said  it was difficult and had no luck with it. I think if you follow his instruction carefully, you will be fine. 

This is for  Yeast Spotting event created by Susan from Wild Yeast. There will be many delicious sweet and savory bread recipes to enjoy, so make sure to visit her blog. To join this event is very easy, here is how:

• Bake with yeast (wild or baker's) or make a dish starring bread.
  
• Post about it. Please include a recipe/formula, or a link to one, or some indication of how the bread was made. Also please include the word "YeastSpotting", with a link to this page.
• Submit your post here. Please submit it during the same week it was posted.
  

Lilium Pardalinum (Pool Garden)

Bakewell Tart. The Daring Baker's June'09 Challenge

The June Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart... er... pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800's in England.

Note on the challenge: 

the tart was pretty easy to make, and was pretty delicious as well. But, I think (personally) I would prefer to serve this during cold month in winter accompany by a cup of mint tea. 

Sweet shortcrust pastry

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

• Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
  
• Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.
  
• Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Frangipane

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

• Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle.

• After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Assembling the tart

1 quantity sweet shortcrust pastry 
1 cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd (I used raspberry jam), warmed for spreadability
1 quantity frangipane 
1 handful blanched, flaked almondsHandful of almond flakes

• Grease a 9 inch tart pan, set aside.
  
• Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it's overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. 
  

• Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
  

• Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

Thanks to Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar who chose such a delicious and classic English treat. What a fun challenge this was! AND, thanks to Lisa and Ivonne who created this fabulous monthly event.

Keiko's Gâteau Week-end

You see, BUMP is beautiful!

I just have to share this delicious and addictive recipe which came from Keiko. For me, it is always inspiring to visit her, although at the beginning, very often I find my self disappointed to find a beautiful and mouth watering photographs with no recipes, but, I soon start to learn just to enjoy and be inspired by her stunning photographs. When she does post a recipe, I immediately want to try it.  One of her recipe caught my attention, because it sounds fairly manageable. At the time, I needed some delicious treat, but wouldn't mind the wait (the batter need to sit in the refrigerator overnight) So, I made  this "Gâteau Week-end" and become my favorite treat ever since. A bit of warning!!!!!! This gâteau is highly addictive, so don't be surprise if  you find your self making it pretty often.  

Lilium Pardalinum

(pool garden)

The recipe is similar to  Madeliene recipe, the batter need to sit  overnight to create the "bump". If the time is limited,  chill the dough for an hour or two, it will be good enough, although you will not be able to have the beautiful high bump.

Next project, I want to make this, or this (she doesn't have the recipe, hick... ) and this  or this  (phew, glad I have both books). Wish me luck! 

Not as pretty as hers, but I think she will be happy to see the bump, yes Keiko?

Interview And Pane al Cioccolato

I was pretty surprise when Celine of Celine's Cuisine e-mail me and requested an interview. Of course I accepted, in fact I feel honored to be interviewed by a professional cook like Celine. Many of you probably already known her from her cooking classes in Southern California, as well as her beautiful and delicious blog.

Thank you so much Celine, I had fun answering your questions!

Curious about me and  really want to see me, why not visit her blog? 

I can not wait to share with you what kind of bread I've made this week. This is becoming my new favorite bread after Norwich Sourdough that I make on a regular basis. I found the recipe of this Pane al Cioccolato when visiting YeastSpotting, and immediately attracted to this (@ ToxoBread) particular bread.  Couldn't wait that long, so here it is. I hope you like it as much as I do. I'll be making this pretty often. 

I am submitting this  Pane Al Cioccolato  to Yeast Spotting event created by Susan from Wild Yeast. There will be many delicious sweet and savory bread recipes to enjoy, so make sure to visit her blog. To join this event is very easy, here is how:

• Bake with yeast (wild or baker's) or make a dish starring bread.
  
• Post about it. Please include a recipe/formula, or a link to one, or some indication of how the bread was made. Also please include the word "YeastSpotting", with a link to this page.
• Submit your post here. Please submit it during the same week it was posted.

Thank you to Jude for posting this delicious bread! I am totally in love! Oh, one more thing, don't forget to  visit me at Celine's blog?