Ultimate Chocolate Chip,Oreo and Fudge Brownie Bar

“May your life be filled, as mine has been, with love and laughter; and remember, when things are rough all you need is ... Chocolate.” 
― Geraldine Solon, Chocolicious

Forgive me Lord, for I have sinned..
I have induced chocolate  chip cookies and brownies and Oreo's into an unnaturally symbiotic relationship...

And now, I am hooked!
All my controlled eating for the last one month has just been washed down the drain...just the whiff of this Ultimate Chocolate Chip,Oreo and Fudge Bar and I was lost.
OK the pix are not that great, but I wish you could smell the warmth emanating from this plate.
I have never been so enamoured by anything I baked in a long long time....
And now ,as it rains(after the most miserable spell of heat in Ranchi)I sit with the small portion I had tasted for myself and nibble at it with the tiniest of tiny bites.
Ah pleasure...
I made Mango Cheesecake yesterday and as I served dessert, I realised that Nothing, nothing has the power to tempt me as much as Chocolate.
And if you adore chocolate as much as I do...

Remember Chocolate is your best friend.
I tasted something similar in Delhi and when I googled for this I found all about it here.here.
The whole day my house was full of the aromas of baking warm chocolate and butter and more chocolate...sweet dog just went nuts...hovering everywhere in the kitchen...licking off all that fell from the kitchen counter.
The mess maker decided to assist the baker in these endeavours...and a lot of the uncooked batter went straight into the tummy.
But I'm sure that is what happens when your kids bake with you.


This was a soul satisfying experience...and what I tasted in Delhi was nowhere close to what we managed.


Drag your kids or your spouse or for that matter your best friend into this...the making will e as much fun as the baking and  the final product will be soooo worth it.
I don't like to brag...but this is worth bragging about.


for the


Ultimate Chocolate Chip,Oreo and Fudge Brownie Bar...


you need


35 Oreos


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough...
1 cup/225 gms butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla essence
2 cups chocolate chips(I cut a slab of semi sweet chocolate into small pieces)
1 tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt


Cream the butter and the sugar.It works better with superfine sugar..but here out of sheer lack of foresight we just open our sugar jar and use whatever is available.

One egg at a time beat them in with the vanilla.

Sift the dry ingredients together.

Fold the flour into the butter mix .I thinned the cookie dough with 2-3 tbsp milk because it looked a wee bit dry to me.

Now, decadence!

The chocolate.

You can eat away at this stage...yum, yum, yum!

OK what you should have done was line a 9 by 13 Pyrex dish with paper or foil. If you do not have a Pyrex dish then 2 square 8 by 8 tins are good too. But make sure you line the tins or dish.And buttered it.

Spread the batter over the base.

Now open the Oreo’s and spread them all over the base...likes so. The promise of this dessert was so strong that only one Oreo was devoured by sweet child.

Now turn on the oven to 180C/350F.

For the

Fudge Brownies

You can go for pre made or elevate the bars to Cordon Bleu status.

I did...premade here is crappy, totally not worth the effort or the cost.

I do it the real way.

300 Gms semi sweet chocolate

1 cup/225 Gms butter

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup sugar (I used ½ cup)

2 tsp vanilla essence

6 eggs

1 ½ cup flour

½ tsp salt

Place the chocolate and the butter in a pan and place over a simmering bowl of water or a Bain Marie...double boiler.

Stir till it melts and add in the cocoa powder.

Take it off the heat and stir to cool the mix. In the meanwhile sift the flour and salt together.

When the chocolate mix has cooled...yes you can taste it now...absolutely divine!

Add in the eggs one at a time, beating them in well.

The sugar goes in now or before the eggs...whatever makes you smile.

Once that is done add the essence and then just simply fold in the flour.

Voila...C’est fini!

Pour over the Oreos.

Sweet child wanted his individual portion...so we made a separate bowl to satisfy his royal highness’ chocolate craving.

Oktent a piece of Al Foil over the dish and pop them in for 30 minutes.

By now your kitchen will be the place to be.

Remove the foil covers and the dishes go back in for another 40 minutes.

The brownie mix will be woozy, shiny and drunk looking...and firm around the edges.

The cookie mix will look cooked.

And when you put a pick in the Oreo will have surrendered and will not offer any resistance...

Though you may have a bit brownie mix sticking to your pick...but that will be done by the time this cools.

Cool!

Turn out, turn over and slice and serve with a blob of vanilla ice-cream and fudge...or just eat cold...

Heaven is made of this.

And you are hooked..the smell of this ultimate bar..lingers on me now!

Where the cookie starts and ends and where the Oreo is and where the brownie lives...it’s all like harry potter and No 13 Grimmauld Place. Blend in!

Temptation...I love you hot, cold with or without the ice cream...

This time the pictures did no justice...make the chocolate chip cookies or the fudge brownies..but when you do it together...

WOW!

So what are you waiting for??? 

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Happy Fathers Day Papa

Papa.
My oldest memories are of your laughter and your singing.
I know that I never heard those songs anywhere else...you stopped singing those songs ,but papa...they still play in my heat.
Warm and blessed by that music and the love you spread with them.

If your player stops papa..
The song is "Papa, he loves mama,mama,she loves papa"
You used to make me sing with you...and the giggle...
I remember it all, like it was yesterday.
I was your bundle of joy and I hope I always will be.

Life has brought me full circle...I know,  things have not always gone according to our choices, but today I am wise enough to know that you only have my best at heart...now and always.
You are the first man in my life...my first superhero...the blessing I got without asking...
I fell like a little girl around you, safe in the knowledge that you will put everything right!
You are the best, papa.
And I am proud to be your daughter!
And I love you !
Happy Father's Day!

PS..though you may now approve....We still don't deserve light!!!

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Lychee Ice Tea

Heat Wave in India...
And the Lychee trees being exceptionally generous.
To hot...and not hungry!
And then...the heat wave generates a brain wave!

Ice tea with Lychee.
Lychee Ice Tea.
I'm a non tea drinker , especially in the summers, I live, breathe and die coffee...and right now, its cold. Frappuccino style , my blender is working overtime these days. What do we do with the lychees...just shell and deseed them and dump them in various Tupperware in the fridge. Yup, that's the only way hubby dear and sweet child eat fruit. Processed ...
They are unable to appreciate the labour that goes into peeling fruit and then spitting the seed to the other end of the garden.
That is why these two , not to mention the dog ,don't eat cherries.

What does one do with the million or so teabags that hubby dear brought back from the Nilgiris last year??No one, no one drinks tea these days?
So we make Ice tea.
And make it Lychee Ice Tea for two.

for the

Lychee Ice Tea...

you need


2 tea bags
3/4 cup shelled and deseeded lychees
Juice of 2 lemons
sugar to taste
mint leaves and slices of lemon to garnish
Loads of Ice

Boil 1 cup water and pour into a jug with the tea bags and let steep a minute. Too long and the tea will be bitter. Remove the bags after a minute.

Now pop in a tray of ice to chill the tea liquor.

The lychee, which you need to puree...with all its juices.

Squeeze the lemon juice and add sugar to taste along with 3/4 th of the pureed lychees.

About an inch of the remaining lychee puree into the glass....dress it up with the lemon slice and pop in some ice.

Now pour in the prepared Lychee Ice Tea. You can chill the drink also...but in my house it is always NOW OR NEVER!

Ready to go down...
Wonder what tastes better with lychee??Vodka or Baccardi ?
My vote is always for ...
Vodka!!!

What say???

Spot the dog ...

The Lychee Ice Tea was gone with the wind...

PS...sweet child tried mango flavor too....it was gone with the drain!

Cheers to good health!

Tea and fruit!

So what are you baking today??

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Besan Ke Gatte from Rajasthan

I miss Rajasthan!
I miss Alwar!
After spending almost 5 beautiful years in Rajasthan...I miss not being there.
I miss the heat...

The simple fact that Ranchi is sweltering...the heat emanating from the ground and the roads...
Some food that brings back memories of the deserts.
PS Alwar is nowhere desert area...but the "dongris" remind you taht the desert is not far!(Moti Dongri,Alwar...dongri or a hill)

Food from the desert...been long away from Alwar and my gatte were just not right...so with the help of friend Bhavna Panwar who hails from further in the desert in Bikaner.
I totally ditched the recipe from my "Cooking With the Masters- Jiggs Kalra" for hers.
Easier and totally authentic.
FYI, Gatte  are soft dumplings made of gram flour ,cooked twice in a gravy made of yogurt and onions and spices.
Absolutely satisfying, and they made me miss Alwar even more.
Some memories make roads for tomorrow...lets see where these take me!

for the

Besan Ke Gatte from Rajasthan...

you need

The Gatte...
2 cups besan or gram flour
2 tbsp refined vegetable oil
1 large onion grated
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ajwain or bishops weed seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder/flakes
2 tbsp yogurt/curd

The gravy...
3 2-inch sticks cinnamon
1/2 tsp shahi jeera/jeera or cumin seeds
6 cloves
3-4 cardamom
8-20 peppercorns
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt ,red chilli powder/flakes to taste
2 tbsp ghee/ refined vegetable oil
1 large onion grated
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 cup yogurt/curd
a few sprigs of coriander to garnish

This is a two part dish...first we make the dumpling and then the gravy.
Start the gatte or dumplings.
In a bowl, dump the besan/gram flour ,salt ,red chili,  ajwain/bishops weed seeds and oil.

To this add the onion and garlic paste and knead with only as much yogurt as needed

To get a not too soft dough.

Now with oiled hands make small balls and roll them into finger sized logs. This lot always reminds me of Angulimal, the bandit who wove fingers of his victims into a necklace and then converted to Buddhism. Thank Amar Chitra Katha for our vast repertoire of mythological stories.
Back to food.

These are the gatte...once you have these get a pan of water to the boil...

Slowly immerse them into the pan and allow them to simmer for 20 minutes. They sink at first and then they rise...just like the phoenix....Now you know its time to take them out.

Don't throw the water, just cut the gatte into bite sized pieces.

Now the gravy, these are the spices...ready for the pan

I used ghee/clarified butter. Into the pan went the spices and after a reassuring pop, in went the grated onion.

Just need to let it turn light brown,add in the cut gatte. The ghee/clarified butter may seem a little less....you can add more but this will suffice.Keep stirring gently...

Now in another bowl,whisk  together the yogurt, salt, red chili, garlic paste and a cup of the reserved liquid till no lump can be seen

Once the gatte have taken on a light colour, its time to add the liquid. Keep stirring and add in the liquid...if you let it rest before it comes to the boil, them the yogurt will split...so take care.

OK done now, you may rest your arms...

Now pour in the remaining liquid from cooking the  gatte.

Set the pan on simmer and leave to cook about 20 30 minutes. When the gravy has oil floating on the top and tastes of a gentle heat and spice..its done.

Garnish with some coriander and server hot.

With hot rotis to soak up the gravy and fill your tummy with warmth.

You can of course use more ghee...but this is enough to take you home...
Parth Gupta...you had akked me for Gatte ki subzi....come on over!


So what are you baking today???


Coming up...
A classic...Lemon Chiffon Cake and Salted Caramel Sauce and Much more...Watch this space!

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Egg Less White Sandwich Bread with Oat Flour

Simple White.
No Complications.
Perfect accompaniment to your breakfast.
Just a wee bit of butter...amazing way to settle your hungover stomach.

After Chocolate Shots for dinner...any bread will do.
Yup, hungover stomach..tabasco and tomato juice is it, that settles the hung over head...mine is always crying out for carbs!

I love the comfort of the crunch in my toast...and the sesame seed on top.

Ever since The Telegraph reported that all is not well with the bread available GLARE ON YOUR DAILY BREAD...  we have not been buying bread from the market.At least you know how old or clean the bread on your table is.
So it rests upon me to oblige,because hubby dear loves hot buttered toast....as long as the bread is white.No, he is not racist, he's just a purist at heart...for him,bread was meant to be white.

But,the knowledge that cholesterol lurks at every turn when you come close to being 40makes you do the weirdest things.
Like add oats and still call the bread white.
Well ,it is.
Oats have been sown and reaped...its now time to harvest the bounty.

for the

Egg Less White Sandwich Bread with Oat Flour...

you need

2 tsp dry yeast
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 cup oat flour(process oats in your blender to get a fine powder)
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
Seeds to sprinkle-optional
4 tbsp Milk to glaze the bread

Start with the yeast in the water, which should be just warm. leave it aside for 5 minutes.

In another pan warm the milk with the butter and sugar till it almost melts. Add it to the yeast water.Now add in the oat flour ans salt.

Stir in about 4 cups of the flour and mix. The dough will look  wet, but hello we aint done yet.

Bring it out onto your work top or a large flat bowl and knead in as much flour to make a non sticky dough. Knead for around 6 to 7 minutes.

Into an oiled bowl to rest.Keep covered about an hour.

Till it has doubled.

Knead and knead till it is now back to its original size. Oil two loaf tins...discipline is good. Its easier to toast bread if you make bread in loaf tins. Two parts. One was the simple loaf...not worth photographing...

The other Challah all the way again.If you missed Challah...check this. Six strands, woven together into...
PS Challah is bread made out of 3/4 /6 strands of dough. And I totally love the look and taste of this bread.

This beauty.

Oven heated to 220C/430F, Bread popped in after 1 hour(it doubles in that time) and brushed with milk and topped with sesame seeds.
In the oven for approximately 40 minutes,You need to let the bread rest till it cools to appreciate the taste.

Sliced and toasted...with a little knob"let" of butter.

I remember one Charlie Brown statement, something like ..."Nothing takes away the taste of butter like unrequited love".

Butter makes everything Better my friend! Check the texture of the bread.

I'm only trying to inspire you to make and bake your own bread .And if at first you don't succeed,blame DESTINY!

But nothing beats the taste of home baked fresh bread, when you know that along with all the good stuff you put in, your love makes it all butter!..err BETTER!
This is my first Yeastspotting!




So what are you baking today???

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