Foodie Goodie | Brownie Brittle.

I reckon it was around this time last year when I first had a taste of Sheila G's Brownie Brittle. You know, those crisped up brownies that are as thin as chips. They're highly popular in the US, and became pretty famous in the Philippines, too - thanks to S&R.They don't come cheap though, as one bag costs around Php 500 each. I actually consider it a luxury to buy more than two bags since I can pay for my phone bill with that same amount, lol.

There are, however, cheaper alternatives to this tasty treat. There's the Brownie Crunch from Cream-O, which sell for Php 35 a pack, and the Brittle Brownie from Chips Delight, which sell for around the same price. And then there's this quick and easy recipe, which you can try in your kitchen. :)

Brownie Brittle

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg white
1/3 cup flour,
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
A few dashes of salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. If using parchment paper, lightly spray the surface with baking spray.
2.In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar and vanilla, and mix until incorporates. Add in egg white and blend well.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt,  and mix for about 1 minute or until the batter is smooth.
4. Spread batter over your mat/parchment paper using a spatula. Make it thin, but not transparent. An area of about 11 x 8 will do.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, remove brittle from the oven and quickly sprinkle with the mini chocolate chips.
6. Return to the oven for an additional 7-10 minutes (total cooking time 22-25 minutes) then remove from oven and cool completely. It will crisp up as it cools. As it begins to cool, you can score or cut brownie brittle into pieces or you can simply break it apart once it is completely cool. Store in an airtight container.

As seen on Babble.

Foodie Goodie | Sweet Bunch Cookies!

'Round here, everybody loves cookies. The kids (my son and my niece) feast on them each chance they get, while the adults (me and everybody else) indulge in a piece or two after meals, oftentimes paired with a cup of coffee.

This love for cookies paved the way to my discovery of Sweet Bunch, a home-based baking business that currently opened shop on Instagram.  Owned by mompreneur Joey Gaspar, Sweet Bunch offers a wide-range of homemade goodies such as cookies, crinkles, cupcakes, and other sweet delights. These tasty treats are made-to-order and baked fresh using quality ingredients.

I had the privilege of trying Sweet Bunch's goodies, thanks to Joey's daughter, Mars. She reached out to me via email, asking if she could me some samples of her mom's products. And who am I to say no to cookies? Of course, I said yes!

This box was delivered to my doorstep last week, and inside was an assortment of Sweet Bunch products.

Thanks, Sweet Bunch!

Truly, a sweet bunch.

Here's a closer look at the goodies that I received.

Chocolate Crinkles, Php 100/pack (8 pcs).

Fudgy and chewy with just the right sweetness, Sweet Bunch's Chocolate Crinkles are tucked with a white chocolate medallion inside. An added bonus for your sweet tooth!

Chunky Choco Chips Cookies, Php 100/pack (8pcs).

True to its name, the Chunky Choco Chips Cookies were indeed chunky! Meaning, each piece contained a generous amount of semi-sweet chocolate chunks. The cookie itself was soft and chewy, much to my son's delight. He finished two pieces in one sitting, but was kind enough to leave one piece for me to enjoy. Haha!

Choco Oatmeal Cookies, Php 100/pack (8 pcs).

For those who love the combination of chocolate chips and natural oats, this one's for you. Well, it's for me, too since I'm a fan of this yummy combination myself. Sweet Bunch's Choco Oatmeal Cookies are a bit crispy on the outside, but are soft and chewy, and filled with tasty oats and chocolate chips inside.

Ghirardelli Choco Oatmeal Cookies, Php 120/pack (8 pcs).

Now here's a fun twist to the classic choco oatmeal cookie. A combination of dark sweet choco chips and 70% cacao Ghirardelli chocolates, the Ghirardelli Choco Oatmeal Cookies are quite popular among chocoholics. Not surprising, since this variant is really packed with flavor. For me, it was love at first bite!

Oreo Choco Chip Cookies, Php 100/pack (8 pcs).

Here's another interesting variant - the Oreo Choco Chip Cookies. They're pillow-like chocolate chip cookies with mini Oreos inside. It's basically a cookie within a cookie!

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies, Php 100/pack (8 pcs).

Equally delicious are the Oreo Cheesecake Cookies. They're Oreo cheesecakes transformed into cookies, with chocolate chips added in the mix.

Brookies, Php 125/pack (5 pcs).

Finally, there's the Brookies, a Sweet Bunch original. This is a 'hybrid' between a brownie - that's the chocolate-y part on top, and a cookie - the soft and chewy part on the bottom.

Feasting on Brookies!

The Brookies were so yummy that I'm thinking of ordering two or three packs of this from Sweet Bunch. Oh, and yes, they actually deliver to San Pablo City, and nationwide for that matter. Orders from Luzon are usually delivered the next day, while those in the Metro can also opt for meet-ups in specific areas (Pasig, Eastwood, MRT stations).

Ah, the good stuff. :)

Aside from these cookies, Sweet Bunch's menu also includes Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Banana Loaf, Sugarless Banana Loaf, Yema Loaf, and Chocolate Cupcakes.

To know more about Sweet Bunch, like them on Facebook and/or follow them on Instagram. For orders, you can text them at 09156635555, or send them a Viber message at 09279401535. Rush orders and bulk orders are accepted, and they're open to resellers as well.

Foodie Goodie | Tous les Jours Brownie Mix.

Bet you didn't know the French-Asian bakery chain Tous les Jours have brownie mixes too, huh? I wasn't aware either, until I received this big basket of goodies last Christmas.

Tous les Jours Christmas Gift Basket!

They were sent to me by Tous Les Jours Philippines (thank you, TLJ Ph!) and inside were an assortment of their artisan cakes (Mini Castella, Mini Chiffon Cake, Cream Cheese Muffins, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Blueberry Muffin), a bottle of Strawberry Jam, and a box of Brownie Mix.

Tous les Jours Brownie Mix.

Unlike other brands of brownie mixes (as in the ones that we usually see at supermarkets) which requires you to add oil or eggs or milk or sugar, this one just needs water.

Just add water! :)

Preparation is a no-brainer. :)
1. Mix the TLJ Brownie Mix with 55ml of water in a mixing bowl. Stir until there are no lumps.
2. Put the mixture in a baking pan.
3. Bake it for 3 minutes and 30 seconds in the microwave. If you're using an oven, set it to 180°C and bake for 6-7 minutes. 
4. Let it cool for at least an hour. Slice and serve.
Tip: For fluffy and moist brownies, use 70ml of water instead of the usual 55ml.

Ta-daa! Homemade brownies ala Tous les Jours! :)

The TLJ Brownie Mix sells for Php248 per box, available at Tous les Jours stores in Metro Manila.

Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday. :)  

Foodie Goodie | Peanut Butter Cup Brownies.

Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been a crazy, stressful week at school (my little man's school, to be exact) and I just was not in the mood to write for the past couple of days. I'm thankful for the weekend - time off from school, and I get two days to rest at home, update my blog, do the laundry, and watch my favorite Kdramas.

And I can get to experiment in the kitchen, too! Here's another recipe using my all-time favorite spread. And you know I'm talking about peanut butter. :)

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Ingredients:

1 batch brownies batter, made without nuts
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 ounces soft cream cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar

Procedure:
1. Line 18 to 20 cups of a standard muffin tin with bake cups.
2. Combine the filling ingredients in a medium-size bowl and beat them with an electric mixer until evenly blended. The texture should be like whipped peanut butter. If it's not stiff enough, add some more peanut butter.
3. Fill each muffin cup about halfway with brownie batter.
4. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of peanut butter filling into the center, pushing it down slightly into the batter.
5. Cover the filling with another spoonful of batter, making sure that the cups are no more than about two thirds to three quarters full.
6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, just until well risen and cracked on top.
7. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
8. Remove the brownies from the pan and place them directly on the wire rack. Allow them to cool before serving.

As seen on Spoonful.com.
Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

Foodie Goodie | Sweet Heart Brownies.

Valentines Day or not, here's a tasty treat that's very easy to make. Let your kids assist you while you're at it. Now that's what I call yummy family fun!

Sweet Heart Brownies

Ingredients:

36 pcs graham crackers

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
16-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (if unavailable, walnuts or almonds will do)


Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º. While you generously grease an 8-inch square baking pan, let your kids crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. To make this task easier and more fun, simply seal the crackers in a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
3. Add the chocolate morsels, pecans, and graham cracker crumbs; mix with a wooden spoon until well blended.
4. Spoon the batter into the greased pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon (or your hands - just make sure they're clean!) to pat the batter into an even layer.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool in the pan afterwards.
6. Use a cookie cutter to cut out small heart shapes.
7. Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or raspberry sherbet. Makes about 8 to 12 pieces, depending on size.

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, and Heavenly Treats Sunday.

Foodie Goodie | Chocolate Mint Brownies.

Thinking of giving food gifts for Christmas? That's a great idea too, as long as it's not the traditional fruit cake - which most people hate anyway.

If you're baking for the holidays, here's a gift idea that you can try - Chocolate Mint Brownies! They're quite easy to make, and yummy, too! Definitely a better and tastier alternative to stale bread soused with candied fruit and rum.

Ingredients:

BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

MINT FROSTING

1/4 cup softened butter

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Green food coloring

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Heat the oven to 350º and grease a 9-inch square baking pan. For the brownies, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1 minute more. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Stir in the chocolate and the vanilla extract. Finally, stir in the flour and salt until thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared pan, then bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour.

2. To make the mint frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar. Add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until it is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the peppermint extract and tint to the desired shade with green food coloring. Frost the cooled brownies, cover, and chill for 1 hour.

3. To make the chocolate topping, pour the chips into a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the brownies and smooth it with a knife. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until the coating hardens.

4. Bring the brownies to room temperature, then cut into 16 to 32 pieces. Layer them on a piece of cellophane; remember to place waxed paper between the layers to prevent sticking.

5. Wrap the brownie package and tie with a ribbon (red or gold would be best).

As seen on Spoonful. Shared with Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Heavenly Treats Sunday.