Hershey's Choc Chip Brownies




Hershey's Choc Chip Brownies

 




I used Bournville Cocoa Powder and Vanilla Pod

  



Oozing with perfection...

 



Cut into pieces

 




Brownies to dream of...

  





Full of chocolatey flavour...

  







Brownies are definitely made in heaven, I guess...

   

They say, when ever we feel the blues, we need to bake something. Baking is a therapy, a medicine for a wandering soul. Baking is like magic, it makes the heart jump when ever we smell the heaven-baked goods. Give me a choice of baking or shopping, I will definitely choose baking.

 Apparently, in baking, I have a confession to make- I could go crazy with brownies, without any doubt. Eventually, I have attempted this recipe of brownie in a row and this time I give it a twist, instead of nuts, I have added chocolate chips in the batter. I could never go wrong  with brownies, when ever I feel like whipping something, I always think of brownies.

    For this attempt, I have added Special Dark Hershey's Chocolate Chips (Real Midly Sweet Chocolate Chips). I just feel the need to have chocolates in my brownies, I guess I miss my experiment phase, the time when I could have all the time in this world to do experiments on what to add in my cupcakes. Thus, to cure my baking addiction ( of the need  to bake something) ~ I have baked these brownies. Well, feel free to bake them as you will know why brownies are definitely my kind of thing.

Here goes;

Ingredients

100g cocoa powder ( I used 75g Bournville Cadbury's Cocoa Powder + 25 g of Hershey's Cocoa)

140g unsalted butter

125g plain flour

4 eggs

3 oz / 175g / half cup Hershey's Special Dark Real Midly Sweet Chocolate Chips

350g Soft Brown Sugar

1 vanilla pod ( scraped) or you can use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1 pinch salt / 1/2 tsp salt

How

** Grease your brownie pan with butter. Line with baking paper.

1) Firstly, melt butter in a deep saucepan. Let it cool for a while.

2) Using electric hand mixer, in a stainless steel bowl, whisk eggs  for 2 mins. Add in brown sugar. Whisk again for another 2 mins or until the sugar dissolve.

3) Next,  add in melted butter. Whisk the batter again. Add in vanilla and salt.

** At this stage, you can preheat the oven at 125C ( for 7-8 mins) ~  I used electric oven.

4) Sift the cocoa and flour directly into the bowl. Stir using wooden spoon.

5) Add in half of the chocolate chips.





I was inspired by this book...





6) Transfer the batter into the brownie pan. Level the batter. Put another half of the choc chips on top of the batter.

7) Bake the brownie for about (20-25mins). Check if the brownie is ready, by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean- your brownie is ready to be transferred out from the oven.

8) Let your brownie cool in the pan. After 10-15 mins, you can cut the brownie into pieces.

Now, you have it - the ultimate brownies....




Love is definitely brownies...

 

Happy baking, and may brownies find your way.....deep into your heart ;)

Old- Fashioned Brownies- The Recipe

Hot from the oven...



I have cut this brownies into squares




Ready to be packed off



Brownie Bliss by Linda Collister

I'm hooked on brownies, any kind of brownies is good enough for me. Brownies seemed to have an important part in my baking agenda, that is why in my last post, I have baked brownies for a good friend of mine. I have baked these old-fashioned brownies based on the recipe by Linda Collister. However, I have twisted and adapt it a little bit, just to give a little bit of oomph here and there. Here goes;

Ingredients

100g cocoa powder- ( I used Hershey's)

140g unsalted butter ( I used SCS)

4 large eggs

140g plain flour

150g pecan nuts ( roasted and chopped)

* The original called for 150g walnuts

200g soft brown sugar

100g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla pod (You can use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence)- Scrape the vanilla pod.
1/2 teaspoon salt

How

** Grease your brownie tin with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper.
1) Firstly, melt the butter in a deep saucepan. Let it cool.
2) In a stainless steel bowl- using the electric hand mixer, whisk the eggs for 2 minutes, add in brown
     and caster sugar.
3) After a while ( 2-3 mins), add in the vanilla. Next, add in the melted butter.
** At this stage, preheat your oven at 125C. ( for about 7-8 mins)
4) After that, sift  in the flour and cocoa powder directly to the stainless steel bowl. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. Add in the salt.
5) After the mixture is fully combined, stir in the pecan nuts.
6) Put the mixture into the brownie tin, spread it so that it will be in the correct level.
7) Bake in the oven for about 20-25 mins or when you insert a skewer into the brownie, it comes out clean. Then, remove the tin from the oven.
8) Leave the brownie to cool in the tin for about 10- 15 minutes and they are ready to be removed and cut into pieces.

You can eat these brownies straight away or keep in an airtight container, and store them in the fridge.
* Serve them with  vanilla ice-cream and you'll  definitely fly. Fly to heaven, I guess... (hmmm)

Happy Monday, everyone....

Here comes the baking mood again~Old-fashioned brownies

Old-fashioned Brownies- with wild honey, Hershey's cocoa, vanilla pods, unsalted butter and roasted pecans.. who wouldn't like them, anyway?!

I baked this for a dear friend

Just a quick update.... I have got back my baking mood  again, (it went missing for a  few months )- and today I've finally broken the no- baking spell. It is  so nice to bake again and diminishing all my worries. I am bringing this to my friend's kenduri or get-together with the recital of prayers. Ms Fara is going to have a big event for her baby girl. She's been waiting 7 years for the arrival of her bundle of joy, so I guess I need to bake something special. I had wanted to surprise her with cute cupcakes with fondant pink buttons on top, but I was too tired to do any of those- so I opted to bake this. Well, I've got to go... I will share the recipe on the next entry. On a final note, these brownies are simply divine- I have to hide them from my son, as he keeps asking for them... Happy Sunday, everyone...

Laura Ashley Shopping

Love Laura Ashley

Apart from baking, I love Home Decor so much, that I love to browse home-styling magazines. I have been ignoring this part of my life lately, but last week I have managed to do some home decor shopping. Oh, I love Laura Ashley so much. Laura Ashley was definitely my first love back in 1997 in the UK, but it was their clothes that I was in love with. Apparently, it was definitely cheap in the UK, however, unfortunately, my love affair with Laura Ashley ended in 1999. I couldn't afford Laura Ashley in Malaysia. Laura Ashley was incredibly expensive back then. However, last week I went into Living Quarters ( a home decor cum crockery, etc store) and well, what I discovered was their sale... Yes, sale- 10 to 30% off the original price. So, yours truly, has definitely rekindled her affair with her first love, this time with its home decor products. It was worth every single penny or in this country- sen- and I would definitely loved to be meeting again Miss Laura Ashley. Now, who ever invented the word retail therapy is definitely a genius... ;) I went home happy and couldn't wait to start baking again... as I have rekindle my romance with Laura Ashley....

Levain's Macaroons

Lemon, Blueberry, Chocolate and Raspberry Macaroons

I went to Levain, a French-themed cafe in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, yesterday- and what I discovered was their macaroons, apart from the variety of buns and sweet bread. I bought them - six macaroons all together- for RM 19.80. They were quite cheap, considering that some shops were selling them for RM 3.90 per piece. Well, I would say that these macaroons were nice too, but I particularly liked those blueberry ones- they were definitely thumbs up for me. I do not want to rate them against any particular shop churning macaroons, but I personally think that if macaroons are not that sweet, we could always eat them in a go. I am yet to do another attempt on macaroonage, as I am too scared of the result - the last time I did try, the batter went straight into the bin- that is why it is safe to test and try macaroons at many sweet parlours. Those macaroons at Levain were plump with generous fillings, but for patrons- be warned for the limited parking space as there would be too many people especially during weekends. Colourful, plump macaroons with generous fillings, these are definitely worth it....

Macaroons @Chocolate World

Raspberry, Lemon and Mango Macaroons- In A Box



A feast for the eye- Macaroons at Chocolate World, Empire Gallery, Subang Jaya



   I love macaroons to bits.. I really do. At this moment, I give up on trying to do macaroons as I have failed once. So, I stick to- buying and testing them until I find the courage to do them-macaroons. This is supposed to be an earlier entry- but I just couldn't find the time to blog on this. For your information, I have discovered the kiosk of Chocolate World first in KLCC back in December 2011, and then bumped onto another one in Empire Gallery, Subang Jaya recently.

    Oh my, I am glad that Empire Gallery has finally reopened- I got to do my shopping again. What I like about those macaroons in Chocolate World is they come in boxes, for take-aways. These macaroons are just divine, I love their fillings- some macaroons are just  too sweet to my liking, but these are just nice. I could always finish them up with a cup of coffee. The way the macaroons are lined up, really turned me into a little kid entering a candy store. Well, I could say that these macaroons baked by Chocolate World topped my list on the quest of the best local macaroons.... Shall I say these jewels are worth to try, definitely good for any sugar fairies out there. Now, it's time to head to Chocolate World....and you will know what I mean. Macaroons to die for- yes they are- at Chocolate World.

A New Beginning

Life is like a flower blooming

It shoots high up to the sky

It paves for us the many "firsts"

Learning new things, adapting to schedules



Teaches us the meaning of responsibilities, leaving behind our loved ones in their nests

       My son who turned six recently, started school officially--this year. He's definitely one grown-up boy. Apparently, he is really into school these days, such as the way he zooms into the school canteen right after the last bell, leaving me speechless. He no longer needs me to be around, even warning me not to come near him during recess time. One year has passed and where do we go after this, I wonder...I did not know what really happened to the year 2011, there were definitely many on-goings, headaches and happy moments. And suddenly we are here in 2012. Seeing my son happily settled in his new environment, made me sad. Not that I am thinking about myself, it made me think of my own mother. How would my mother feel seeing each of her children leaving the nest finally? Seeing her own children scattered all over Malaysia, not even a single child stays near her now.  What was really the feeling,  being in an empty  nest.... Now, when should I start planning my homecoming down- south to historical Melaka, despite the ever demanding hectic schedule- I could only wonder?!