Johanna’s Yummy Treats!

Johanna, Jemboy’s sister just got this sudden idea of baking and you know what’s great about it, she let us into this yummy treat. Featuring her choco crinkles, and a glimpse of her banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. This food activity reminded me of our mini cupcake activity with Mara and Mathe way way back!

One time, I went with her in a little shop full of baking ingredients and tools for the choco crinkles recipe. The shop is located near Cainta Market.

We initially went to SM Hypermarket but the only available cocoa powder are Hersheys and Goya Brand. It’s quite pricey for the size plus she particularly needeed a dutch processed cocoa powder as advised by the Youtuber who posted the choco crinkles recipe.

So off we went at that little shop. While Johanna and her parents were busy looking around, I was eyeing those heart shaped pan for sale on that little baking shop. This February, we were planning to bake a chocolate cake heart shaped for valentines day! I am sure Jemboy would love a chocolate that’s perfectly and deliciously baked.

Going back to chocolate crinkles. Here’s the recipe by Youtuber Crouton Crackerjacks that promises “crunchy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, chocolaty crinkle cookies!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup (125g) all-purpose (or plain) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for rolling dough in)

In a large bowl combine sugar and cocoa powder. Add in vegetable oil and mix until evenly moistened. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. Add in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir just to incorporate dry and wet ingredients. Do not over mix! Cover and chill dough at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. When chilled, roll dough into 1″ balls and coat in powdered sugar. Put onto a silicone baking mat (or parchment) lines baking sheet. Flatten ever so slightly and bake in a preheated 350*F (180*C) oven for 10-12 minutes or until just set. Let cool on baking sheet before removing. Makes about 18 (3″) cookies.

As her ala sous pastry chef, I let Johanna command me with the baking preparation.

Sifting all the dried ingredients reminded me of our baking lesson way back my high school days. Ms. Reyes my teacher (my fave too!) back then would remind us to sift all dry ingredients first to avoid clumps, and to not push down too much dry ingredients inside the measuring cup. After sifting, that’s the time we measure again. It has to be exact in measurement as our teacher could taste the difference.

With our choco crinkles though, the sweeter and chocolatier, the better! Johanna tweak the recipe adding more cocoa powder and using brown sugar instead. I agree and didn’t hesitate even one bit!

At first, I thought after preparing the dough, we could now roll it and bake it in the oven pronto!, but NO, we need to be patient and wait at least 4 hours cool time. As per recipe, max is overnight cool time, but I couldn’t wait that longer.

4 hours passed by and Johanna had her scooper ready. It was hard to scoop using it though so we decided to scoop the dough using two teaspoons, but actually Johanna end up using her hands which was actually the better alternative. We roll it in a bed full of powdered sugar. And voila! we put it in the oven for 11 minutes baking time.

Aside from Choco Crinkles, she made Chocolate Chip Cookies and Banana Bread too. Yum!

*All three food pics thanks to Johanna

Baking or cooking or any food activity is one great opportunity to bond with your loved ones. This baking activity reminded me of the time when we prepared and decorate mini cupcakes for my Jemboy then, which was made possible with the greatest help of my closest friends Mara and Mathe! I miss you girls!

It’s so nice to be young (wild and free? hehe) What I mean is, before, I’ve got a lot of ideas and to-do list like this up my sleeve, but now, maybe priorities change and activities like this came to mind less often. But thanks to Johanna for bringing this good feeling back and for inspiring me!:)

Thanks for reading!