Coming soon: The Best Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie

I made some really wicked Chocolate Chip cookies with some left over chocolate bar yesterday. It was really good. Made a few different batches, experimenting with the texture by adjusting the flour content, found a good balance for the Purrfect gooey version.

Stay tune: Recipe and tips be posted by tomorrow!

Oops… a big big blunder occurred while uploading the recipe.

Be coming on very soon…

My Trip to Max Brenner’s at Esplanade

Doing food that makes people happy, putting something sweet in his or her heart…. That must be chocolate

There is not a single occasion where chocolate is considered a misfit. Chocolate always brings me sweet (or bitter sweet) memories…. Chocolates on the bed, Truffles with Champagne, Mystery Praline flavors on my birthdays, and definitely Cocoa in my milk at bed time!

The person who does knows how to do chocolate well is Max Brenner, The BALD man. He associated his chocolates with emotions, culture and a sense of mystery to pique the inquisitive nature of us earthlings. Base on this idae, all Max Brenner’s product ranging from the pralines, packaging and the mugs shouts out to people’s curiosity

So who is this Bald Man? After some googling, I found this photo on a dated Reuter blog post:

BUT NO!!!! There is no living Max Brenner! According to a Food Review from NYMag:

The answer is bittersweet. Just as there is no Johnny Rocket and, sadly, no Chuck E. Cheese, there is no living, breathing Max Brenner—well, not really. The name is actually a composite of two Israeli marketing geniuses, Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner, who launched the business ten years ago in Ra’anana and sold it to Strauss-Elite (Israel’s version of Kraft), which now operates outposts and franchises from Melbourne to Makati City. Somewhere over the course of spreading the chocolate gospel, the ­European-trained (and sufficiently bald) chocolatier Oded Brenner has adopted the ­Wonka-like persona of “Max Brenner.”

Either way, cocoa + sugar + milk + butter = Happiness.

My first date with Max Brenner was in Sydney along Oxford Street, and its unforgettable. He welcomed with rich aroma of cocoa and the tall stacks of sweet belgium waffles on display upon opening his glass door. Despite being on a strict diet, resistance was futile. Ha~

This time round, my trip to Singapore’s Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar, sad to say, not that impressed. Aroma… so so… No waffles, but the decor and merchandise layout remains enticing. =)

Left to right: Ankit, Eugene and Me!

Strategy: Get ALL and convince them that it fits into the 9 piece box

Magnet Choco: Signature LOVE choco >>>

Yes, I am that happy just to be in Max Brenner.

After good 30 min of fiddling around with the various merchandises and ogling at the pralines, we got down to order .

Ankit’s Happiness: Java Chocolate with Orange Peel

Taste Test: Orange peel was interestingly refreshing, but suitable only for those who like the smell of orange peel.

Eugene’s Happiness: Signature Suckao

*The Suckao spoon cum straw*

Taste Test: Milk chocolate with milk is a no fail combination, but too sweet for Eugene. Got a bit too overwhelming towards the end. Suitable for those milk chocolate lovers.

Celeste’s Happiness: Maragnan (Choco+Irish Cream+Espresso+Some Liqueur)

– It came in a teapot with a shooter glass (?!?!)

*I believe you can tell that i am clumsy and anxious to try it*

Taste Test: rich choco, strong flavors and smooth down the throat. I like it!

Overall review… Not too bad as a location to hang out with friends and have fun and “happiness”, with very decent quality chocolate and coffee.

How about the pralines?

Look:

The most impressive component in my opinion. Simple and cute square pralines that have interesting motifs printed on. These little pralines are then tuck away in lovely and elegant push out box.

Taste:

The pralines did not stand out as the best tasting pralines around but definitely among the better ones.

Day after tasting:

Seem to lose its freshness after 1 day even when I kept it in air-conditioned room. But, on the hind side, pralines are not meant to be eaten day after anyway…. hee~