Homemade Fudgies - Chocolate Fudge Brownies

What's your favorite brownie?
Where can we buy them?

Well, mine's easy. KFC. Yup! I sure love those KFC Signature Brownies - chewy base brownies with chocolate glaze and choco chip toppings.  Definitely, a choco overloaded goodness!

If you like them as much as I do, you are in sheer luck cause I just bumped into a recipe, which with little bits of modification, tastes as good as KFC's brownies. Now, we can make as many of our favorite brownies at home >:)

Baked Brownie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (Bensdorp)
• 275 grams bitter-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Nova)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder (NESCAFÉ Classic)
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Put the chocolate, butter, and instant coffee powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (you may opt to use a double boiler for this), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the white and brown sugar. Whisk until completely combined, then remove bowl from the pan. Mixture should be at room temperature.
4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined.
5. Sprinkle flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
7. Let the brownies cool completely. Remove from pan. cut into squares and chill.

Foodnotes:

> For step 4, do not over-beat the batter as this may result to a cakey textured brownies.

> For step 5, remember to use a spatula (not a whisk) to fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.

> You may add some nuts in the recipe.

written by: Shobe

Summer Delight: Deep Fried Oreos

Deep-Fried Oreos, a carnival favorite,  is a tasty treat that surfaced few years back. Oreos get dipped in funnel cake batter and fried to perfection.

"Witness the magic of Oreo cookies being deep fried!"  

"So so so bad, yet so so so good." 

Easy and Simple Deep-Fried Oreo Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup water
• Magnolia waffle mix (small pack)
• Oil - for deep frying
• 1 pack original Oreos

• Powdered sugar - for dusting

 Procedure:

1. Heat oil for deep frying. Have 3 inches of oil hot and ready.
2. Whisk together egg and water in a bowl until smooth. Stir in waffle mix until no dry lumps remain.
3. When oil is hot enough, dip each Oreo into batter one at a time, then carefully place into hot frying oil. Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding. Cook until golden brown on each side.
4. Remove from oil, drain, then dust with powdered sugar.

Foodnotes: 

> For proper deep-frying technique, maintain the oil's temperature between 325°F and 400°F. Keeping the oil hot is critical to producing a quality product. The key is to fry items in small batches, because putting too much food in the oil all at once will lower the oil's temperature.

written by: Shobe

Sun, Sea, and Shrimp! - Shrimp Dynamite

Checklist:
- Sun (check!)
- Sea (check!)
- Fabulous Shrimp Appetizer (you could actually check it now, as we're sharing an easy tangy shrimp recipe ;) - see below)

Shrimp Dynamite Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg shelled and deveined medium-sized shrimp
• Oil - for deep-frying

Batter:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg white
• 50 ml water
• 1 Tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Dressing:

• 3 Tbsp mayo
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce (preferred: Tobasco) 
• Squirt of lemon juice (appox. 1 tsp)

Procedure:

1. Clean and rinse shrimp with cold running water. Pat dry, then set aside.
2. Prepare batter - mix all ingredients together.
3. Prepare dressing - mix all ingredients together.
4. Add shrimp into the batter and coat evenly.
5. Heat up a deep-fryer or a pot with oil for deep-frying. When the oil is heated, drop each shrimp gently. Deep fry until golden brown. Transfer fried shrimps out, drain excess oil or transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels.
6. Remove paper towels and add Dressing into the bowl and toss around until all the shrimp are nicely coated.
7. Serve!

Foodnotes:

> For a summer twist, you could actually add a can of fruit cocktail to the recipe. Drain fruit cocktail and mix with these dynamites. Whala! a Shrimp Dynamite Salad.

written by: Shobe

Quick Chocolate Fix: Tipsy Chocolate Cherries

When the craving hits hard, these should do the trick.

Tipsy Chocolate Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1 jar (240 grams) maraschino cherries with stems, drained
• brandy, enough to cover cherries in the jar
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure:

1. Fill drained jar of cherries with brandy. Screw on cap and refrigerate. (For cherries with more kick, steep in brandy for a week.)
2. Drain cherries for 2 hours. Gently pat cherries dry with paper towels. 
3. When ready to dip, place chocolate and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Melt over warm water and stir until smooth. Holding each by the stem, dip cherries one at a time until cherries are completely covered in melted chocolate.
4. Place on a tray lined with plastic wrap.
5. Freeze until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes

Recipe by: Tina C. Diaz

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Competition for the title of Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is steep. Cookbooks, blogs, food sites claim they have the best recipe. But, are they certain? From the ones we've tried, by far this one's the winner.

"These are the cookies that appeared in the July 9, 2008 edition of the New York Times, the very same cookies that set off an explosion of baking across the Internet to see if, indeed, they are the perfect specimen. The consensus is yes." –David Leite

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups minus 2 Tbsp ( 8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
• 1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp (8 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 pcs large eggs
• 2 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60% cacao content
• Sea salt

Procedure:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° (176°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop six 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm.

Foodnotes:

>  For step 2, allowing the cookie dough to rest for 36 hours in the fridge is more recommended. The longer the dough stays in the fridge, the richer the taste.

> If your cookies are small in diameter and completely crispy after baking, then the dough was too cold and the cookies were over-baked. As per David, you could let the dough sit for 10 or even 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, and bake them for just the minimum time stated in the recipe.

Recipe by: David Leite | Photo by:  Francisco Tonelli

It’s Summer, time for some Co-Co-Nut!

Summer’s finally here! And I bet you can’t wait to catch the waves and bathe in the sun=D
How about if I tell you that it’s possible to get the summer feel at the comfort of your home…
Then, you don’t have to wait a minute longer!

With the aroma of freshly baked coconut macaroon, you can’t help but breathe in the warmth and sweetness of summer… it reminds you of—lazing around in a hammock,  tanning beneath the sun’s rays, while drinking fresh coconut juice!

What are you waiting for- take out your baking pans and lets bring in the summer!

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

• 350 grams Sweet Shredded Coconut (or Desiccated Coconut)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 can condensed milk (300 ml)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter using a fork 
3. Add the white sugar, eggs (one at a time) and condensed milk, while continuously stirring until well blended
4. Add the Sweetened Shredded Coconut (Desiccated Coconut), then mix  
5. Prepare the baking molds/ muffin tin by adding paper cups 
6. Scoop a teaspoon of the coconut mixture into each cup
7. Bake for 20 mins- 30 mins or until golden brown
8. Cool. Then serve =)

Foodnotes:
How to keep cupcakes from sticking to the cupcake wrappers?
> Spray the inside of the cupcake wrappers with nonstick cooking spray before pouring the batter into them.
> Or, brush a very light coast of vegetable oil onto the insides of the paper liners with a pastry brush, making sure to get oil inside all the creases.

written by: Atchi

Sunday Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs

I usually skip breakfasts, but never on a Sunday.

Sunday is my favorite weekday, as it is the perfect day for breakfast! Also, it is the only day of the week wherein you could actually hear the entire household in chorus, making it ideal to make a BIG breakfast for the entire family (a family of friends). Our typical Sunday usually starts with me and my sister chopping/ slicing/ sautéing/ mixing/ baking/ (whatever it is you actually do in the kitchen) as early as 6am, filling the kitchen with the aroma of fresh ingredients and spices… Then, one- by- one, members of the household gather around the kitchen table, chatting their way through us- to prepare them a scrumptious meal.

When it comes to breakfasts, eggs are definitely one of the basic staples; as early meals are incomplete without Scrambled Eggs!

* The most important thing to remember when making scrambled eggs is too prevent them from over- cooking. The perfect scrambled eggs should be light and fluffy in texture, and bursting with the simplest flavors.

Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

3 pcs Eggs

A knob of butter

1/2 tbsp of heavy cream

1 tsp sour cream (optional)

Pinch of salt and pepper

1/2 tbsp of chopped chives

Procedure:

1. Crack eggs on the pan 
2. Add butter
3. Under high heat, stir the eggs using a spatula. (Technique: put it on the heat and off the heat to avoid overcooking; treat it like a risotto – continuous stirring )
4. When texture is creamy and fluffy, turn off the heat, then put in heavy cream and sour cream
5. Season with salt and pepper
6. Fold in chopped chives
7. Serve hot with toast.

Foodnotes:
> Don't whisk the eggs in a bowl before heating. It will break down the eggs - causing it to be watery
> Put the butter early in the process to add a velvety texture
> If heavy cream is not available, fresh milk can be used as a substitute for this recipe
> Onions are great in adding flavor

written by: Shobe