Almond Mocha Brownies to Celebrate 8 Fabulous Years at Infoedge....

Nothing is work unless you'd rather be doing something else.

George Halas

A good boss makes his men realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could.

~Charles Erwin Wilson

This is exactly what my bosses n mentors have done for the last 8 years.... Sanjeev, Hitesh, Ambarish, Simeryn, Saroja, Ayesha, Vivek, Vibhore, Deepali, Vineet and Partha have been my mentors and bosses... It's on 31st March 2003 when I joined Infoedge fresh out of business school..... In 8 years I've learnt so much in Infoedge, not just about work but so many other things which are way more important in life....

Celebrating 8 years at Infoedge with my favorite flavours, making Almond Mocha Brownies....

These brownies are rich, dense and full of flavours like all my years at Infoedge... Have seen it grow from Fledgling to Eagle... few lakhs to many crores.... very proud of the entire team...

We've had a blast working.... making new products, analyzing data, drawing up marketing plans, managing ad campaigns.... late nights... revamps....these times spent in office have been most fun despite being the most tiring.... leading to winning contests...

This was the training workshop which changed so much for me... so many new friends, a fresh new perspective.... a super experience. How can we forget what the long meetings would do to Shiv..... The wonderful 'Prashikshan' workshops where many eminent personalities spoke with us....

Have hosted some lovely parties on my birthday at home...... we've had loads of fun... pictionary and tambola being an important part of all the parties with free flowing alcohol and yummy food. It was so much fun organising the Spring theme & Red n White parties.....

Our outdoor camping, rafting and parasailing trips have been really adventurous. Have had the most fun with Vivek, Julie, Puneet Makkar and Puneet Chawla(Mad Hatter) amongst others. The Tunganath trip stands out as the most difficult yet exciting one.

Diwali parties in office have been a blast... dressing up for fashion shows, shine n shimmer, dabangifying the show... spreading cheer n festivity...... poking fun at all the seniors(risking our jobs n appraisals)... making special presentations and awards.... awesome shows hosted by Payal and Harveen...

All festivals and special days like Independence day n Christmas saw us coming together and doing all sorts of crazy stuff.... The boys would constantly be pushed into doing off-the-cuff stuff at these celebrations making for some very precious memories....

Lots of weddings and new family members were added.... some farewells were much more painful that others... but they were friends for life.... Food and food trips (esp to Chandni Chowk) have always been a huge highlight for all of us...

I saw these Brownies on Martha Stewart's site and lost my heart.... I just had to make these for my celebration....

Almond Mocha Brownies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

few toasted almonds for garnishing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. Place butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan. Add sugar; mix to combine. Add eggs, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Add instant espresso powder. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper). On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

The parties we've done are just something else... most of the censored pictures are still censored. all the people who attended these will see these pictures n have huge grins across their faces.... just like I do now :))))

A few party rituals, lots of pictures of people and food n drinks.... crazy pictures of silly things we did... insane behavior n total masti.....

There is so much more to life at infoedge, 1 post isn't enough to capture them all. Would like to thank everyone who made these 8 wonderful years pass by in a jiffy... Would I change anything about them.... [In retrospect No, yet some stuff for improvement yes]... Just like I won't change a thing in these brownies....

Sending these warm fudgy brownies to wish Divya all the best for her 3rd Blog Anniversary e-Party and she is giving away a gooey gooey brownie book!!! Pl drop by to wish her...
sd

Strawberry n Almond Brownies, Filling in the Craving

Had bid adieu to strawberries in my earlier post..... but I found some more nice ones in the market.... quickly put them into my basket lest they vanish....
I won't have too much to say in this post..... this anecdote will spill the nutty beans[pun intended]...

A young man was at the dentist for a check up. With much tutting, the dentist examined all his teeth. Finally he announced crossly "Young Man, you've been eating far too many sweet things, several of your teeth need filling."
"Oh goody!" he replied happily. "Can I have chocolate filling please?"

My neighbour Gaurav, has been eating loads of my Chocolate Peanut Peppermint Brittle, Chocolate Fudge and now Chocolate Strawberry Brownies...

It's actually true... He's been going to the dentist for fillings... does that stop him from chomping away at my Strawberry n Almond Brownies.... nahhhhh..... the brownie monster chomps them all up in 1 go... :)

Just before saying a final Bye Bye for the season to strawberries[only till next year :) ]....sending these fruitful brownies to wish Divya all the best for her 3rd Blog Anniversary e-Party and she is giving away a gooey gooey brownie book!!! Pl drop by to wish her...

Verdict:

Gaurav says... You are an absolute rockstar baker...!!! Awesome stuff!!!!

Strawberry Peppermint Brownies ~ Sharing Some Sisterly Love, Happy Valentine's Day

Love… love… love….. it’s in the air…. Can something express more love than chocolates and strawberries…. A love fresher than mint…. So let’s put them together…. And we have Strawberry Peppermint Brownies…..

I had done cherry brownies sometime ago... but with strawberries calling out to me from the stands.... How could I not put Chocolate and Strawberries together. The Sun must rise on these yummy brownies made as cupcakes....

Diya and mamu were here for a few days... So let the professionals get to work while I work in the kitchen....

Strawberry Brownies

Ingredients:
100 gms Chocolate
1 cup Flour (minus 1 heaped tsp)
1 heaped tsp Cocoa Powder
3/4 cup Castor Sugar
3/4 cup softened Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
4 Eggs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup chopped Fresh Strawberries + extra for decoration[optional]
Crushed peppermint for garnishing

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Prepare the cupcake moulds by linking with parchment paper, I used ready made butter paper cups.
2. Place the chopped
Strawberries in a cup and add 1/2 the Sugar to them, set aside for them to macerate.
3. In a double boiler{over hot water} melt the chocolate and butter. Mix well till both are melted and incorporated.
4. Cool to slightly higher than room temperature.
5. Stir in rest of the sugar and vanilla.
6. Stir in chopped strawberries in the above mixture and let them sit for a bit. In the mean time beat the eggs.
7. Add lightly beaten eggs slowly to the above mixture, while mixing.
8. Stir in the sifted flour and salt. mix very lightly till incorporated.
9. Pour mixture evenly in the tray.
10. Garnish with some peppermint on top.
11. Bake in the pre-heated oven, reducing temperature to 180 degrees.
12. Bake for about 30-40 minutes till skewer come clean. [Watch the crust, it burns fast...]
13. Sprinkle with rest of the crushed peppermint after it cools

Diya and I had a glorious time with these soft moist n flavourful brownies in a cupcake..... I sent some over for my sister[she's someone who doesn't enjoy desserts... yeah we're poles apart n She's stick thin ;)] in Mumbai.... She loved them.... That's 1 big test passed for these yummy babies cause she wants M-O-R-E and says 'the strawberry cup cake was awsome...'

Zesty Orange Brownies for Christmas ~ Mamu's Testimony to Sin

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

The orange flavour came thru very well and the chocolate made it sinful..... The mamu's loved them... Finger licking good :) am so glad.....

Sugarfree Cherry Brownies ~ Happy Birthday Radhika

Happy Birthday Radhika :)
Yeah you guessed it... She L-O-V-E-S Coffee... met her while doing my MBA.... She's such a lively person with an amazing sense of humour.

We've had a great time together over the years.....

The 5 of us have been quite a gang.... from left to right in the picture below... Surbhi, Rads, me, Shuchi n Kanika...

We celebrated her birthday at Hard Rock Cafe, while doing something she generally advised against... she says "Don't mix your drinks" yet we all mixed our drinks :)

Radhika's brief to me for the cake/dessert was LOW Sugar, NO Cream, Chocolatey for sure, Fruity [likes Cherries, Apricots n Peaches but not Mangoes]. So I set out to think of what can fit the bill...... 'Sugarfree Cherry Brownies' glazed with Chocolate and Peaches. We cut the brownie cake outside as Hard Rock didn't allow outside food....

These brownies had a comforting feel to them... a welcome break from fruity desserts... finally she could also eat chocolate without feeling very guilty...

Sugarfree Cherry Brownies

Ingredients:
100 gms Chocolate
1 cup Flour (minus 1 heaped tsp)
1 heaped tsp Cocoa Powder
3/4 cup Baking Splenda
3/4 cup softened Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
4 Eggs
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 table spoons Raspberry Conserve [no added sugar]
1 cup chopped n de-seeded Fresh Cherries + extra for decoration[optional]

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Prepare the baking tray by linking with parchment paper {leave some hanging on the sides}
2. In a double boiler{over hot water} melt the chocolate and butter. Mix well till both are melted and incorporated.
3. Cool to slightly higher than room tempertature.
4. Stir in baking splenda and vanilla.
5. Stir in chopped cherries in the above mixture and let them sit for a bit. In the mean time beat the eggs.


6. Add lightly beaten eggs slowly to the above mixture, while mixing.
7. Stir in the sifted flour and salt. mix very lightly till incorporated.
8. Pour mixture evenly in the tray.
9. Garnish with cherries on top.
10. Bake in the pre-heated oven, reducing temperature to 180 degrees.
11. Bake for about 30-40 minutes till skewer come clean {this will not for a flaky crust like normal brownies as there is no sugar for browning.}


Read a helpful tip at purplefoodie.com about chopped cherries... "When you’re pitting cherries, it’s important that you dunk them into a bowl with sugar, to coat the exposed layer of the cherry. Pitted cherries brown pretty fast, and thought you can’t tell in cakes and pies, you can most certainly notice the brown tinge in a frozen yoghurt."
In my sugarfree brownies, had no such worries but you could find this tip handing while working with most fruits :)


For those of you who can eat sugar, Chocolate Espresso Brownies are some sinfully yummy brownies I made for Shuchi earlier on her birthday. Some of the pictures in this post are taken by Madhurima Sil, a colleague. You can view her collection of pictures at www.madhurimasil.com

Verdict:
Radhika says: Thanks for the yummy brownies. They made my birthday so much sweeter! may you always keep coming up with such yummilicious creations that make us feel like we tasted a peiece of heaven :) muuuaahhhhh

Sid Khullar: Delicious! Going to save one for morning coffee. Can't wait to try the ones with real sugar. Thank you.

Starry Chocolate Brownies

She is known as the 'Star' at work.

The moment she enters office, faces brighten with a smile, people look up from their screens to hold her bright gaze and say a hello. Her clothes are always the happy shades and she smells like cool sea breeze.

Her playlist is loaded with songs that are peppy and loud.
Her desk, ah!!, is the most vibrant, with pictures and pieces of her life which is full of color.
But there is one drawer which is empty. She opens it several times a day, mostly when people are out on breaks, peeps inside and shuts it back.

And for few moments, her smile is off, and a deep shadow covers the white in her eyes. Sometimes, few friends have caught her doing it and they asked what is it? "Her heart" she jokingly says; which is empty and that is the truth. She still misses it; the feeling of being loved unconditionally!!!

"Ma'am, a bouquet for you", the office boy said, placing the brightest tulips on her desk. Who would have sent these, she wondered.

There was a note:

"I love you,
not only for your smiles and happy banter;
or for your attitude and confidence;
but for that innocent girl, inside the woman you are.
The one, that wants to be loved, not just admired;
wants to be caressed, not just complimented;
to be held and cared for."
Can I love you, for the rest of our life with no questions asked?

- From the grey desk across the floor!!!

She looks up, and smiles. Her sparkling eyes catch him looking at her, with hope and affection. She nods, 'Yes'. He smiles. She puts the note in the empty drawer. She knows what she is going to bake for their first date :)

"When Star met Love"

This entry is for the food fiction event "Of Chalks and Chopsticks" hosted by Aquadaze at "Served With Love" Spun a yarn yet? Hurry, you have another day left.

My star love Daksayani [my kid sister Who you would see a lot of in my blog] is a little chef in the making... her apron has D-A-K-S-A-Y-N-I embroidered on it.... She's not allowed to eat chocolate but sneaked in a fingerful and the G-L-E-E on the child's face was blissful...

Thanks Richa of Life is like that, for helping with the story :)

This post is being sent to “KIDS DELIGHT” by Pari of Foodelicious.

Starry Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks butter
2cups white sugar
4 large eggs
1cup AP flour
1 tsp salt
½tsp vanilla



Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9”x9” pan.
3. Melt the chocolate[reserve some for garnishing] and butter and mix well. (Can be done in a microwave, heating and mixing every 10 seconds until just melted. A double boiler also works well.)
4. Add 1 cup sugar to the chocolate mix, and stir.
5. Beat the eggs, vanilla, and 1cup sugar until frothy (about 3 minutes).
6. Slowly add the chocolate mix to the eggs, stirring to avoid cooking the eggs.
7. Gently fold in the flour and salt.
8. Pour the mix in the baking pan and level it out.
9. Bake for about 30 minutes or so, until the center is mostly dry when a toothpick is inserted.
10. Let cool before trying to remove from the pan.

You can read some more food fiction at:
Beguni -- ar Ashare Goppo by Bong Mom, In An Instant, Pickle & Fiction Both by When My Soup Came Alive, Cheese Capsicum Onion Pizza and Chicken in oyster sauce and Red - the endby Served With Love.