Chocolate Chili Muffins

As promised - the recipe I had stumbled upon. It's from a nice website called chocolate and zuchini and I highly recommend this site when you need inspiratin for new ideas. His original recipe is chili bites, which is quite small and I don't have mini muffin moulds - I do have large muffin moulds, his recipe makes 72 bites but the recipe fits well into my 12 muffin pan. I modified the recipe a bit.

Chocolate chili bites! Picture by clotilde

Chocolate Chili Muffins

- 200g butter
- 250g good-quality dark chocolate
- 250g caster sugar (around one cup)
- 5 eggs
- a rounded Tbsp of flour
- 1 tsp ground chili
- 1 tsp cocoa powder

Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).

Melt the butter with the chocolate in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. If melting in the microwave, be sure to do it slowly, blending with a spoon between each pass.

Transfer into a mixing bowl, add in the sugar, mix with a wooden spoon and let cool a little. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well with the spoon after each addition. Add a rounded tablespoon of flour and the chili powder and mix well.

Pour the dough in the petit four molds, and put into the oven to bake for 15 minutes. The top should look set, but the inside should still be on the soft side.

Let the the mini muffins cool down enough to unmold them, then turn them out on a rack to cool completely while you cook the other batches. Store in a plastic container, refrigerate, and take out about an hour prior to serving the next day.

My lovelies just fresh from the oven waiting to cool

Serve it with ice cream. Yum!

I'm seriously feeling high from cleaning my spoons and bowls - licking the chocolate batter off.

Thanks to Clotilde from Chocolate and Zuchini for this lovely recipe and the photo!

Chili Chocolate Brownies

Infusing the spicy flavours of chili and the richness of dark chocolate is a very exotic idea. One morning, I wanted to bake some brownies but was looking for something different. I decided to search for chili brownies and wala - Rachel Ray's website has one. I also stumbled upon Chili Chocolate Cupcakes but that will be another post! We love our chili and we definitely LOVE chocolate! Here it goes .. Rachel Ray's Chili Chocolate Brownies, serve with vanilla ice cream and chocolate shavings! I edited the recipe to make it easier to follow.

Rachel Ray's Chili Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients
225g good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 stick (125g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 /3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs

To serve with:
vanilla ice cream
One bar good-quality bittersweet chocolate, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler

1. Preheat the oven to 350°Farenheit. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter or oil. (Cookie Monster: I usually line my baking pan with baking paper and grease both the baking paper and pan so it's easier to remove the brownies from the pan)

2. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove the chocolate from the heat and whisk in both sugars until smooth. (Cookie Monster: If using hand to beat, keep whisking consistently till you see a creamy texture)

3. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, chili powder, baking powder and salt and shake together to mix.

4. Whisk the eggs, 1 at a time, into the barely warm chocolate mixture.

5. Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut the brownies into desired shapes with a cookie cutter or knife. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream and the chocolate curls.

The Alcohol substitute list

Living in Brunei means that alcohol is difficult to get and you will also have many guests who cannot take alcohol in their food. Therefore, this list will be very useful for those who encountered recipes which need alcohol. The list below's from whatscookingamerica.net.

Following is a general list of non-alcoholic substitutes that can be used in cooking. choose the option that best matches the flavor of the dish you are making:
Amaretto - Almond extract. (Substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for 2 tablespoons Amaretto.)
Anisette - Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel.
Beer - Chicken broth, beef broth, mushroom broth, white grape juice, ginger ale.
Bourbon - 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of non-alcoholic vanilla extract.
Brandy - Water, white grape juice, apple cider or apple juice, diluted peach or apricot syrups. (Substitute equal amounts of liquid.)
Champagne - Ginger ale, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling white grape juice.
Cointreau - Orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate.
Coffee Liqueur - To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, which has been mixed in 2 tablespoons of water. Can also substitute expresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract or coffee syrup.
Cognac - Juice from peaches, apricots, or pears.
Creme de menthe - Spearmint extract or oil of spearmint diluted with a little water or grapefruit juice.
Grand Marnier or Orange-Flavored Liqueur - Unsweetened orange juice concentrate or orange juice. (Substitute 2 tablespoons unsweetened orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon orange extract for 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier.)
Kahlua - Coffee or chocolate-flavored liqueur. (Substitute 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chocolate extract or substitute 1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant coffee in 2 tablespoons water for 2 tablespoons Kahlua.)
Kirsch - Syrup or juices from cherries, raspberries, boysenberries, currants, or cider. (Substitute equal amounts of liquid.)
Peppermint Schnapps - Non-alcoholic mint or peppermint extract, mint Italian soda syrup, or mint leaves.
Port Wine, Sweet Sherry, or Fruit-Flavored Liqueur) - Orange juice or apple juice. (Substitute equal amount of liquid.)
Rum (light or dark) - Water, white grape juice, pineapple juice, apple juice or apple cider, or syrup flavored with almond extract. (Substitute equal amounts of liquid.)
Sake - Rice vinegar.
Sherry or Bourbon - Orange or pineapple juices, peach syrup, or non-alcoholic vanilla extract. (Substitute equal amount of liquid 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.)
Southern Comfort - Peach flavored nectar combined with a small amount of cider vinegar.
Tequila - Cactus juice or nectar.
Triple Sec - Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade.
Vermouth, Dry - White grape juice, white wine vinegar, or non-alcoholic white wine.
Vermouth, Sweet - Apple juice, grape juice, balsamic vinegar, non-alcoholic sweet wine, or water with lemon juice.
Whiskey - If a small amount is called for, it can be eliminated.
Vodka - White grape juice or apple cider combined with lime juice or use plain water in place of the vodka.

---

Wines:

Gewurztraminer - White grape juice combined with lemon juice.
Grappa - Grape juice.
Port Wine - Concord grape juice with some lime zest added, cranberry juice with some lemon juice added, or grape juice concentrate. Substitute orange juice or apple juice for lighter ports
Red Wine - Red grape juice, cranberry juice, chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth, clam juice, fruit juices, flavored vinegar. (Substitute equal amount of liquid.)
White Wine - Water, chicken broth, vegetable broth, white grape juice, ginger ale, white grape juice.
Sweet White Wine - White grape juice plus 1 tablespoons Karo corn syrup. (Substitute equal amount of liquid.)

If you want a more comprehensive list, be sure to check out Gourmet Sleuth's Alcohol Substitutes. They cover most of the well known brands of alcohol. If ya like Japanese food and they ask for Mirin, here's a substitute
Mirin - White grape juice mixed with lemon juice or zest. More work but worth it - Mirin's one of my fav ingredients in cooking.

PS: Thanks to Ana for asking me about wine substitutes and gave me the inspiration to research this topic ;)

Something for those who need a hug

When You Feel You Can't Go On

I'm sorry that you're hurting so desperately right now.

I know how painful the seconds, and minutes, and days can be, how long the nights are.

I understand how very hard hanging on is, and how much courage it takes.

I ask though that you hold onto one day at a time.

Just one day, and slowly this despair will pass.

The feelings you fear you're trapped in will serve their purpose, and then fade away.

Difficult to imagine isn't it? Almost impossible to believe when every cell in your body it seems cries out in agony, desperately in need of comfort.

When it feels like the only thing in the whole world that can touch your pain and banish it is beyond your grasp. And after all this time, the assurance that you will heal has become an empty, broken promise.

Just let one tiny cell in your body continue to believe in the promise of healing.

Just one. You can surrender every other cell to your despair.

Just that one little cell of faith that you can heal and be whole again is enough to keep you going, is enough to lead you through the darkness.

Although it can't banish your suffering, it can sustain you until the time comes for you to let your pain go. And the letting go can only occur in it's own time, as much as we would like to push the pain away forever.

Hold on. Hold on to appreciate the beauty of the earth, to feel the songs of the birds in your heart, to learn and to teach, to laugh a genuine laugh, to dance on the beach, to rest peacefully, to experience contentment, to want to be no other place but in the here and now, to trust in yourself, and to trust your life.

Hold on because it's worth the terrible waiting.

Hold on because you are worthy. Hold on because the wisdom that will follow you out of this darkness will be a tremendous gift.

Hold on because you have so much love and joy waiting to be experienced.

Hold on because life is precious, even though it can bring terrible losses.

Hold on because there is so much that you can't now imagine waiting ahead on your journey ... a destiny that only you can fulfill.

Hold on although your exhausted and your grasp is shaky, and you want more than anything to let go sometimes, hold on even though. Please hold on.

So much in life can be difficult, even impossible to understand. I know, I know ... So many of us have cried in despair, why? why? Why? and still the answers and the comfort failed to show.

Survival can be a long and lonely road, in spite of all those who've stumbled down the path before you.

And it can be a treacherous, torturous journey...so easy to get lost, and yet impossible to avoid even one painful step.

And the light, the light at the end of the dark tunnel for so long cannot be seen, although eventually you'll begin to feel its' warmth as you move forward.

And forward you must move in order to get through the hell of remembering, of despair, of rage, of grief.

Keep looking forward please. Rest if you must, doubt your ability to survive the journey if you have to, but never let go of the guide ropes, although when you close your fingers around them, your hands feel empty, they are there.

Please trust me, they are there. When you're exhausted, when all you have to count on is a weakened, weary faith, hold on.

When you think you want to die, hold on until you recognize that it's not death you seek, but for the pain to go away.

Hold on, because this darkness will surely fade away.

Hold on. Please hold on.

Celebrity Look Alikes

I was surfing and stumbled upon this site where you can upload your photo and they will analyse it and see how much you look like celebrities. I decided to upload a few photos just for fun.

















After analysing the various results, it appears I have similarities to Leslie Chung, Takuya Kimura and my favourite all time actor Stephen Chow! Of course, I am just an average looking guy who just is just curious, if I look 90% like them, then I song lo .. hee hee .. shiok sendiri eh me here! Another interesting thing to note is that I might have more feminine features as I got more female than male matches. Hmmm...

I simply cannot resist using the photo of one of the most famous blogger of all times. *drum rolls*

Presenting Kenny Sia!

I hope Kenny Sia won't be angry at me ah -- paiseh ah Abang Kenny Sia.


Apparently Kenny Sia and Jacky Cheung's nose look very similar, if i got a clearer photo of Kenny Sia, maybe can get higher %!


I simply cannot resist putting a cute photo of a piggy doll and guess what! 62% look like Fabio Cannavaro! The famous Italian footballer! I know some Italian footballers can be a pig and here's a proof!

Nutella Cheesecake

Guys - I must thank you all for the messages, emails, sms and the pep talk you've given me. I've been going through a very tough time and been very busy with work. It's difficult when you feel depressed - you get tired really easy and there's no mood to do anything at all.

Last night, I was surfing and I found this interesting recipe from allrecipes.com. It was supposed to be a non-baked cheesecake but after reading the comments from readers, I decided to follow their advice and bake it slightly. Here's the recipe for *drum rolls*

Nutella Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

* 2 packages(250g each) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
* 350g chocolate hazelnut spread (nutella)
* one teaspoon vanilla extract
* one egg
* Your choice of crust (I used oreo cookie crust)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prebake your crust in the oven for 7-8 minutes (350 farenheit). While waiting, combine other ingredients and mix well.

2. Pour in the filling and bake for 30 minutes. Let it cool in the oven for 1-2 hours then take it out and chill in the fridge for 8 hours overnite.

3. Cut and serve.

Cheesecakes pack a lot of calories but it's nice to indulge once in a while.