Brownies

This has to be quick. It`s almost midnight, and I have a long list of work tomorrow.
Anyway, thanks to Rita, I have a sudden craving for chocolate. And brownies. So I made it. The brownies of course!
Lucky me, I`ve got all the ingredients. My magical kitchen.

First, toast the almond to bring out the oh-so-yummy-nutty smell. I followed my cookbook instruction, 150 C for 5 mins. I think toasting them a couple minute longer will be better, though.

 So I turned on my oven, set the temperature, and spread the almond on a baking sheet while waiting the oven to be ready. Then I started smelling something funny in the air. Smelled good, actually. The smell got stronger and stronger until I was like, "OH ****!!!" I quickly opened the oven door and there it was, a pack of store-bought fried oyster looking like a plastic monster. My husband (who was responsible for this!) kept it inside so he could just heat it up tomorrow morning. Now he couldn`t anymore.

Thank goodness my oven is fine! So, I beg you, always, ALWAYS check first if there`s anything inside your oven before you heat it up.
After the oyster incidence, I continued with toasting the almonds. I won`t let any oyster messes up with me ever again.




Now, CHOCOLATE. Eat it. But then you won`t have your brownies. So control your self and place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl. No double boiler this time. I want it to be quick.
And by the way, I used 50% less fat unsalted margarine. Just stick with full fat (yum!) butter if that`s what makes you happy.

To fasten the melting process, cut up the margarine (or butter) into chunks. And the chocolate too, if you can. Thing is I tried to break up the chocolate bar, but it resulted in a painful experience for my hands and arms. So my chocolate bar was still a bar.

Pop`em in the microwave and this is how they looked after 1 minute heating at 600W.

 Okay, I was a bit worried looking at the chocolate still in its bar shape. But when I stirred them up with a spoon, they just started to combine altogether. I know, this looks like a mess.

Keep stirring until it looks like hot chocolate syrup. I`m pretty sure using a double boiler will give a better looking melted chocolate and butter, but using microwave isn`t bad at all. Especially when you`re in hurry.

Now slowly stir in  beaten whole eggs. Okay, don`t do what I did, or didn`t do. I suppose I should have brought back the egg to room temperature before using. What happened today is, I mindlessly stirred in the very cold eggs to my warm chocolate mixture. And....the batter started to turning into a jelly-like gooey texture. I don`t know if this was because of the eggs or something else. I made brownies before, so I`m 120% sure that this wasn`t supposed to happen. But what choice did I have other than continuing the work??

 Throw in sugar...mix...

 ..and almond...but save some for garnish before baking.

...and finally, flour. Stir well. Start heating up your oven at 180 C.

Now pour the batter into a greased baking dish and sprinkle the almonds. Look like a brownies already. I`m smiling now.
Bake it for 25-30 minutes at 180 C.

 Tadaaaaaaa....!! Brownies brownies brownies!
Despite the oyster, cold eggs, and chocolate mess, I`ve finally had my brownies safe and warm.

I can hear them saying, "Bite me!"

Ingredients:
For 20 x 20-cm baking dish:
Chocolate 100 g
Margarine/butter 100 g
Sugar 100 g
Whole eggs, beaten 100 g
Vanilla essence
Flour 65 g
Almond 100 g, toasted at 150 C for 5 mins
Salt, a pinch


Baking: 180 C for 25-30 mins