Chocolate Brownie with Ganache and Marshmallow Topping (chewy type)

You may want to check out my other entry about my chocolate brownie with cashew topping for some notes about the brown and white sugar ratio.

INGREDIENTS:

For the batter:

1 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

¾ cup butter or margarine, melted

2 tbsp. fresh cream (I used 매일 생크림 Maeil Fresh cream) . Alternatively, you can also use 2 tbsp. water

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

For the ganache:

250 grams baking chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup fresh cream (same one as above)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). 

2. Grease an 8x8” or 13x19” baking pan. Set aside.

3. Mix sugar, butter and fresh cream in a bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into the sugar-butter mixture. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.

5. Spread the mixture into the baking pan and bake for 35 minutes. You can also do the “toothpick test” by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of your baked brownie. If it comes out slightly sticky, your brownies are done. Remove from the oven and leave the brownies to cool completely in the pan.

6. Make the ganache. Using a heavy saucepan or pot, pour in the fresh cream and bring it to a simmer.  Be sure to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes.

7. Using a separate bowl, put in the chopped chocolate and pour the cream over the chocolate. Add in the vanilla extract and let stand for a few minutes before stirring. Mix until the mixture is smooth and no chocolate chunks are left.

8. Spread the ganache on top of the cooled brownies. Sprinkle with some mini marshmallows and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

9. Cut and serve.

Chocolate Brownie with Cashew Toppings (chewy type)

I like sweets. No. Let me rephrase that. I LOOOOOOVE sweets! Especially baked goodies! I don't think my meal would be complete without ending it with a piece of cream puff or that slice of egg pie or even that bar of chocolate.

I have a couple of brownie recipes that I found online in the past, but for some reason, most of the recipes call for white sugar only. I have always had the impression that using some brown sugar (whether in brownies or in cookies) gives baked goodies a chewy consistency, so I decided to try having 1 cup white and 2/3 cup brown sugar to test whether my theory is right.

So today, I baked two batches of brownies since I am expecting visitors tomorrow. The other one has a chocolate ganache and marshmallow topping, but the rest of the ingredients as well as the directions are almost the same. Check out the link if you want to try that one out.

As for the fresh cream, you can skip that one and just add in 2 tbsp. of water. I used fresh cream since I still had some left over and didn't want to throw the rest away.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

¾ cup butter or margarine, melted

2 tbsp. fresh cream (I used 매일 생크림 Maeil Fresh cream) OR 2 tbsp. water

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

Cashew nuts, halved

Corn syrup for the glaze

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). 

2. Grease an 8x8” or 13x19” baking pan. Set aside.

2. Mix sugar, butter and fresh cream in a bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into the sugar-butter mixture. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.

4. Spread the mixture into the baking pan. Arrange the cashew nuts on top. Believe me, it took a while to arrange all these cashew nuts, but it was worth it!

5. Bake for 35 minutes. You can also do the “toothpick test” by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of your baked brownie. If it comes out slightly sticky, your brownies are done.

6. Brush some corn syrup to give the brownies that shiny look!

7. Cool completely in the pan before removing and cutting them into bars.

Note: I usually cut the whole brownie into bars the following day.That way, I’m sure they are completely cooled and won’t crumble when I cut them. 

So is my theory about the brown sugar right? Yes, they came out moist and chewy on the inside.^^

Apple Jam Recipe

Fall season! When you can buy plenty of fruits and vegetables at a cheap price!

About two weeks ago, I bought some 40 pieces of apples from a fruit vendor truck just in front of our apartment building. A basin cost only 3,000won so I decided to buy 2 basins. The apples weren't bad; in fact, they were all juicy and sweet, but they were quite small. So what did I do with these apples? Aside from munching on them, I decided to make some jam as well!

Here's the recipe to the jam. I'm not sure whether pectin is available here in Korea, but I've been searching at Homeplus and E-mart and I haven't had any luck finding them. No luck finding them on online shopping malls, too. So searching online, I found a recipe that teaches how to make your own pectin using apple peels.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 kilos of peeled, seeded, and cored apples, chopped (do not throw away the peels and cores!)
2-3 cups of sugar, adjust measurements depending on your preference
2-4 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon or lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

 1. Add water enough to cover the apple peels and cores. Let it boil, then simmer for an hour or 2 until the peels are about to fall off. Using a cheesecloth, strain the juice out of the boiled apple peels. Do not squeeze the juices out. Just leave them overnight.

2. Combine the chopped apples and sugar in a large pot. Cover the apple-sugar mixture and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or until it has released quite a bit of juice.

3. Prepare your jars and lids for water bath canning. I don't have my own canning equipment so I make do with whatever I have at home using this method I found online. At this stage, you would also put a small plate in the freezer for testing your jam's consistency later.

4. Bring the apple-sugar mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Stir frequently.

5. When the chopped apples have softened (Note: meaning you can crush them with a spoon), add in your lemon juice. I like my jam to be a little chunkier so I don't crush all of them. Besides, it's going to be very tiring and will take me a long time using only a spoon to crush them. ^^

6. Taste your jam. Include a bit of syrup and some fruit. If you think it needs more sugar, you can add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup more of sugar. When adding more sugar, remember that it all depends on how you want your preserve to taste.

7. Use the juice from the homemade pectin and incorporate them into your jam. Let it simmer for 30 minutes to another hour.

8. This is the time to test your jam's consistency. Put a small amount of jam on a cold plate and leave it for a minute or two. If the jam runs only very slowly, it is done. If it is still a bit runny, simmer it for a few more minutes.

9. Continue to simmer your jam over very low heat as you fill and lid your jars. Once all the jars have been covered, put them in your canner/pot for the water bath. Boil the jars for 5-10 minutes.

These jams will keep for up to 6 months unopened. When opened, consume within 3 months.