Classic Fudgy Brownies

Brownies were one of the first things I ever baked. Just add eggs and oil to Betty Crocker’s brownie mix (the red box!) and voila, the best fudgy brownies ever. I've tried to make brownies from scratch before but they turned out either too flat and hard or really cakey. But I've finally found a recipe that replicates the fudgy chewiness of Betty Crocker brownies, but richer in chocolate and made with real ingredients.

These brownies are super fudgy and so sinfully delicious with partially melted chocolate chips!

I used a mix of semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate chips because I didn't want the brownies to be too sweet. 

Melt the butter with the chocolate chips, then whisk in the sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour and cocoa powder.

Finally, fold in chocolate chips into the batter for more chocolatey richness.

Classic Fudgy Brownies

Makes 20- 25 brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips (or 1/2 cup semi sweet plus 1/2 cup bittersweet)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 1/2 cup semi sweet plus 1/2 cup bittersweet)

Method

1. Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350F / 175C degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhand on all sides. Set aside.
3. Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done.
5. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the foil out of the pan and cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Salted Double Caramel Cupcakes

I’m a huge fan of salted caramel anything. There’s just something so wonderful about the addition of salt that elevates and deepens the caramel flavor. I’ve had salted caramel tarts, candies, ice cream, macarons and even popcorn before, but never salted caramel cupcakes. I jumped at the chance to make them for a friend’s birthday. Sometimes I just need an excuse to bake, and birthdays are the perfect occasion! These cupcakes came out fluffy and moist, and the creamy icing was rich and sweet with a savoury finish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a seperate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla.



Slowly add in the flour mixture, mixing with the spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.

 

Stir in the milk.

 

Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter.



Bake until lightly golden, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.



Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.



While the cupcakes are cooling, make your frosting. Melt the salted butter in a small saucepan.

Add sugar and cream, and let it bubble for 3 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes.



With an electric mixer, beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. I used 2.5 cups. Add a little cream if you want the frosting to be creamier, and add more salt if the frosting is too sweet.



The frosting will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Salted Double Caramel Cupcakes

Makes 14 cupcakes

Ingredients

Caramel Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

Salted Caramel Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Chocolate pieces for decorating, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a seperate medium bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until no flour remains. Scrap down the sides of the bowl.
5. Slowly stir in the milk, mixing until just combined.
6. Filled the lined cupcake tin only halfway full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
7. While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for 3 full minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
8. With an electric mixer, mix the salted caramel with the powdered sugar. Use 1 cup of sugar at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. I used 2.5 cups. Add a little cream if you want the frosting to be creamier, and add more salt if the frosting is too sweet.
9. Frost the cupcakes and decorate with chocolate.

Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Gyudon Beef Bowl

I've always wanted to make my own gyudon. Gyudon translates to beef (gyu) bowl (don). It is such an unmistakably Japanese dish. I think the secret of a good gyudon lies in the sweet sauce that the beef cooks in. Of course, higher quality/marbling of beef will also elevate the dish, but the combination and ratio of soy, sugar, mirin and wine is the key in making this the ultimate Japanese comfort food. I found this easy recipe from Harumi Kurihara's cookbook I bought almost 10 years ago. She's like the Martha Stewart of Japan, minus the tax evasion. The sauce came out just right - sweet with depths of flavour from the soy and mirin. 

Slice the onion into thin half-moons.

I got pre-sliced beef at the supermarket intended for sukiyaki or hot pot.

I used white wine, but you can also use Chinese cooking wine or sake.

It is important to use Japanese soy sauce as it is sweeter than its Chinese counterpart and also has a thinner and clearer consistency.

Bring the wine and water to a boil.

Simmer the beef and skim the scum off the top.

Add the soy sauce, sugar and mirin.

 Add the onions. The original recipe called for an otoshibuta, which is a light-weight wooden drop lid placed directly on top of simmering food to distribute heat evenly. I didn't have one, so I improvised and used the lid from a smaller pan. Cook until the onions are soft.

The beef and onions soaked up all the delicious sweet and savoury flavours. I think I will add an onsen egg next time for its silky richness!

Recipe - adapted from Harumi's Japanese Cooking

For 2

Ingredients

½ cup white wine

¼ cup of water

½ an onion

250g thinly sliced beef

¼ cup Japanese soy sauce

¼ cup mirin

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 servings of cooked Japanese rice, kept warm 

Method

1. Slice the onions into thin half moon shapes.
2. In a saucepan (I used a frying pan), add the water and the wine. When it comes to a boil, simmer the beef for 2 minutes. Skim the scum off the top. 
3. Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Mix well.
4. Add the onions and cover with the lid of a smaller pan, until onions are soft.
5. Spoon the beef and onion mixture on top of rice and drizzle with pan juices.

Sugar Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

My sister Nene has a massive sweet tooth. While I only crave sweet things when I'm PMS-ing, she snacks on candy pretty much everyday. As I'm typing this, she is at her desk having Oreos. We bought some at London Heathrow before our flight back to Hong Kong, and we both agreed that they taste much better than the ones they sell in Hong Kong. The cookie is sweeter, flakier and the center is creamier (not like its chalky counterpart). I must stock up when I'm overseas again for the sake of my PMS! Both Nene and I are now on our summer break (my last ever before I enter the drone-y workforce for good), so it's the perfect time for us to bake and cook together in between binge-watching TV shows. Here is our first bake together! We made ice cream sandwiches using sugar cookies and strawberry cheesecake ice cream that we had in the freezer. 

A thick layer of ice cream sandwiched between two soft sugar cookies and covered with sprinkles. Tasted like funfetti cake but with a cool and creamy filling. Yum!!

Roll each cookie dough ball in sugar, and place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Flatten the balls with the bottom of a glass. 

Bake the cookies until their edges are golden brown.

Pair up cookies that are of a similar size.

Put two heaped tablespoons of ice cream on the bottom side of a cookie. Top with the other cookie to make a sandwich.

Roll the sandwich in sprinkles and enjoy immediately! Perfect treat for a hot sunny day.

Recipe – Sugar cookie recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Makes 12

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly but still cool
1 cup granulated sugar, plus ½ cup for rolling dough
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Ice cream of your choice, slightly softened (I used Strawberry Cheesecake from Haagendaz)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 375F / 190C. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix.
5. Place the ½ cup sugar for rolling in a shallow bowl. Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold tap water.
6. Dip your hands in the water and shake off any excess. This helps prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
7. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar, and then place it on the baking sheet.
8. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart.
9. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of a glass until they are about ¾ inch thick.
10. Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, about 12-15 minutes.
11. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 3 minutes before transferring the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. 
12. Put two heaped tablespoons of ice cream onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie of a similar size to make a sandwich.
13. Roll the sandwich in sprinkles and eat immediately before the ice cream melts!