Very Chocolaty fudge brownies

 I still got pieces of chocolates (like toblerone milk chocolate, lindt, and hersheys) from my last travel. Since I got bored eating them, I decided to make them into something yummier.

Tada!!!!!

Brownies.....my favorite. :)

You want to make your own, here is how I did it.

You will need;
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine (melted)
1 1/2 cups sugar (brown sugar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup Cocoa
1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips ( I used 200g toblerone Milk chocolate, chopped)
1 cup of bitter sweet chocolate ( I used  lindt madagascar, melted in a 2 tsp of butter)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Then for the direction;

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 2-2 1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Then add the melted lindt chocolate. Throw in the  flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Throw in the chopped toblerone chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan or toothpick inserted at the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare chocolate ganache; spread over brownies.  Let it cool for an hour then cut in squares.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

I used hershey's milk chocolate and hersheys kisses. I chopped them into pieces. So about  2 cups of chopped chocolate and 1 cup cream in microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave at  30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

This is my entry for this week's Food Friday. TGIF everyone!

Mocha Cupcake with Marshmallow frosting

For the cupcake you will need;

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup water

1 sachet of 3 in 1 instant coffee

1/2 cup white sugar (I used caster sugar)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven at 350F or 170C. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.

Stift together flour, bakins soda and salt. Set aside.

Add the instant coffee to water. Stir until the coffee dissolves.

With an electric mixer, beat butter sugars and salt.  Do this until  its light and fluffy.

Then add egg and the vanilla. Beat well.

Lower the speed and add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating the coffee mixture. Increase speed to medium until exverthing is incorporated.

Divide the mixture evenly on the muffin liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes of until toothpick inserted at the middle comes out clean (I bake mine for 18mins only) Cool on a wire rack.

Then make your marshamallow frosting.

To do this you will need;

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

2 eggs whites, unbeated

1/4 tsp salt

3 tsbp water

Then what you will do,

Combine the egg white, water , sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a heatprof bowl over a pan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolves and mixture turns white.

Transfer mixture in an electric mixer with whisk attachment starting with low speed and gradually increasing to high, until the mixture becomes stiff, glossy peaks form about 7 to 10 minutes. Add vanilla and mix. Use immediately.

'Tis The Season

Christmas is fast approaching and right now I am thinking of what to make for our Noche Buena. I might make baked chicken and Baked Ziti as my potluck share for that night. Well, I still dont know, I might change mind and just make seafood kare-kare and Chocolate Lava Cake instead. Im really excited now. :)

Oh anyway, Aside from that, I'll be a bit busy this week baking goodies for friends for their Christmas give-aways. Im so happy. Now I am experiencing what I really wanted to do. Bake and make business, hehehe!

Here are some of the goodies, friends asked for.....

Chocolate Chip Cookies with walnuts.

Chocolate Brownies

and then after baking the cookies and brownies, I will place it nicely in this red box......

As I've said, Im so happy. Things are falling into place. I am so blessed. Thank You ! :)

Food Friday: Snickerdooles

Snickerdooles, a soft sugar cookie lightly dusted with cinnamon. It's one of my favorite so later I'll be making few batches to bring at my in-laws place this coming weekend....that is if I dont change my mind, the husband requested me to make brownies instead. Hmmmm!!!

Oh Well!!!!

Happy Foodie Friday everyone and Enjoy the long weekend!

Bread Pudding

To make this bread pudding, you'll need;

6 pcs of pandesal

1 can eveporated milk

1 can condensed milk

1 cup butter, slightly softened

1 tsp of vanilla

1 tsp of cinamon

5 eggs

raisins

Then what you'll do....

Preheat oven to 350F Grease pan (I used a 9" round pan)

Tear the pandesal into medium chunks. Soak break in evaporated milk and condensed milk mixture until soften. I soak and refrigerate mine overnight.

In a separate bowl, beat butter then add egg one at a time. Then include vanilla and cinamon. Add the bread mixture, then the raisin.

Set the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm. Cool slightly before serving.

If you want to try this but dont have an oven, you could steam it. Preheat the steamer, scoop the mixture in a lyanera pan cover it with aluminum foil. Steam for about 45 minutes or more depending how thick your pudding is. :)

Nigella Bites!

She is one of my favorite food show hosts, Nigella Lawson. There’s something in her presentation that relaxes and soothes me. She makes cooking and baking sexy and sophisticated. She has this magic that makes working in the kitchen so so easy. I just dont know how she does it? ;)

Now let me share a vid where I got the brownie recipe! :)

Thanks Nigella!

Cheesecake-A must Try!

Got to thank Rico for leading me to this recipe from Ms. Lori . I must agree this recipe is a true champion cheesecake. It's velvety smooth and melts in your mouth....oh yummy!!!

and a little cheaper as it use condensed milk and calamansi (or lemon) instead of sour cream.

If you want to try this recipe hop on here

Red Velvet Cupcake

A visit to J.Ana's blog reminds me that I had a pending recipe entry for red velvet cupcake. I made it last May and I forget all about it.

If you want to try it, I listed down the recipe.

To make this you'll need;

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 oz red food coloring

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Then; Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat for 30 seconds. Add cocoa and red food coloring, beat slightly. Add sifted cake flour, salt, buttermilk, vanila and mix. Remove batter from mixer. In a small bowl dissolve baking powder in vinegar. Then pour over batter and manually stir. Dont over stir okay, or else the cake might get tough :) Scoop into cupcake pan 2/3s full and transfer to a 350 F oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the middle comes out clean Cool for a while then top with cream cheese frosting

For the cream cheese frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Then

Beat the cream cheese, softened, cup unsalted butter, softened, powdered sugar, and 1teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Enjoy :)

Chocolate chip cupcake

Ingridients:

1/2 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 cup water

50 grams unsweetened cocoa

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the graham biscuit crust

1 cups of crushed graham

4 tbsp of melted butter

1. Combine the crumbs, and melted butter.

2. Scoop a heaping teaspoon into each cupcake paper, pressing down to cover the bottom.

For the chocolate cupcake

1. Beat butter until creamy, add sugar. Mix well.

2.Then add the eggs one at a time. Add the milk, water and the cocoa and the chocolate chip. Mix everything until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt and baking soda. Mix the chocolate mixture into the batter.

4.Spoon batter over biscuit crust until just under 1/2 full.

5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

I baked this last Sunday for my birthday :)

Sugar Cookies

I whipped another Christmas Cookies.

If you want to make your own, you just have to;

3/4 cup crisco shortening (or butter), softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

What to do;

Cream butter, sugar until smooth. Add egg, one at a time then the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry mixture over the butter sugar mixture. Mix well. cover and chill dough for an hour or overnight.

When your ready to bake, heat overn for 375 degrees F, On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness (mine was a bit thicker though). Cut in shapes with cookie cutters. Add more flour to the surface as the dough is sticky. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes (so as not to break the cookies) before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Instead of making sugar icing to decorate, I just used wilton food writer. No sweat ei!?

Christmas Mint Cookies

If you love peppermint mocha at Starbucks,I guess you'll enjoy these (as not all love mint in their cookies)

You'll need

2 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 egg 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon peppermint oil Colored Candies

What you'll do

1. Sift the first four ingridients. 2. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth 3.In a separate bowl, beat sugar and egg. Then beat in the choclate mixture then add the buttermilk and peppermint extract.

4. Combine the dry ingridients. Mix well.

5. Stand for 15 Minutes. 6. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoon or with a cookie scoop 3in a part. 7. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball. 8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. 9. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Easy right...So will you try?

Peanut butter banana cookies :)

I bake these last Saturday. This cookie is one of my personal favorite :)

You'll need:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup crisco shortening

1/2 c. peanut butter (skippy reduced fat peanut butter )

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 pcs ripe banana, mashed

then...

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large bowl, cream peanut butter, banana, and the sugar. Mix well until smooth

Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder & salt. When the dry ingridients are well mix, combine the dry mix with the peanut butter, banana mixture. Blend well

Scoop out batter and place on baking sheet aproximately 2 inches apart. I topped it with brown sugar streusel and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until lightly brown.

remove from the baking sheet and cool on wire racks.

For Streusel

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

5 tbsp (2.5 oz) unsalted butter, chilled

Just mix everything :)

Castle for chocolates

After attending baking class, I asked hubz if he wanted to go straight ahead to see Chocolate lover and without hesitation he drove the car and few minutes my heart was filled with joy upon seeing this chocolate looking castle.

When we were inside, I got the feeling I wanted to buy everything hahaha.

Anyway, just bought few baking pans and some of my baking needs. Ahhh....A place of solace for me. :)

Oatmeal Cookies

Aside from my husband, my father love my baked goodies particularly the cookies that I prepared the other week though he fancied a less sweet treat. So I decided to make a healthier snack. This week I baked oatmeal cookies.

The original recipe calls for a cup of sugar, I only used 1/2 cup and add 1/4 cup of maple syrup. The result was just fantastic.

Here's the recipe just in case you want to try it;

You will need:

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

then

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla, egg and maple syrup. Mix well

4. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the oats and raisins.

5. Drop the batter by rounded teaspoon or with a cookie scoop.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies won't look ready at 10 minutes but take out and let sit for 5 minutes in order to be chewy.

Storage: Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

I tasted the dough. It was really yummy. How could I resist it!

Scoop them like ice cream..yeah baby!!!

When I am baking I make sure that oven heats up to its asked temperature, so there, the oven thermometer comes in very handy!

After 12 Minutes, here are the yummy oatmeal cookies. It was chewy and not that sweet.

Have a bite!

I got a thumbs up from my father after his first bite :)

Have a happy weekend!

Dark Chocolate Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake

You need:

1 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp instant coffee
1 cup hot water
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups All-Purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

then....

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 9in round pan and set aside.
Then dissolve the coffee in hot water. Add the milk. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cocoa, set aside
Then cream butter and sugar until fluffy. add the eggs one at a time, make sure to beat well after each addition. Stir in Vanilla. Add the dry and liquid ingridients alternately into the cream mixture, Mix Mix Mix!!!!
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or toothpick inserted at middle comes out clean.
I used chocolate ganache for frosting. I just followed this recipe and it was perfect.
Now to assemble:
Put one cake on a platter. Spread some of the frosting over this layer. Top with the other cake. Frost top and side of cake.

I also did vanilla buttercream frosting for the swirl and add a cherrie.

After I finished making the cake, I was so happy because it was my first to make a really nice looking cake, hahaha :)

Oreo Cheesecake

Oreo Cheesecake
Originally uploaded by jeannycdj

I bake this last Sunday. Hubz love it :)

To make this cheesecake you'll need:

18 pcs oreo cookies (finely chopped)
8 pcs oreo cookies (coarsely chopped)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
8 ounce packages philly cream cheese
1 cups powedered sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Then....

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, mix the finely chopped oreo cookies with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan. In a mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in sour cream, then mix in the eggs one at a time, Add the vanilla. Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo in the cream mixture.
Pour filling into prepared oreo crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature and chill in the refrigerator before removing pan.

Easy peasy....
I love eating this with coffee :)

Cheesecake

strawberry cheesecake
Originally uploaded by jeannycdj

I thought, baking cheesecake is difficult but I was proven wrong. After reading some recipe books and baking websites, I simplified it a bit and voila, a yummy and easy cheesecake.

Here is what you need...

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
8 ounce packages cream cheese (I used philedelphia cream cheese)
1 cups white sugar (I used the powdered sugar)
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tbsp all-purpose flour

Then....

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan. In a mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving. Topped with strawberry/blueberry preserve if you want.

Cupcake in Red

I made this cupake today for hubz..he was not really feeling well. So to cheer him up, I bake these cuppies...

I made research over the net to find a good recipe, since I've tried choclate, banana, strawberry and coffee cupcake, I picked this recipe to make a difference. I made slight substitution on some ingridients though. It still turned out good :)

I'm a bit busy but I promise to post the recipe really really soon!