Out & About #1075 | Brownies & Butterscotch Chip Cookies Feat. The Wild Robot, NESTFEST Restream

As one would expect, I wasn't about to let my freshly procured  ̶b̶a̶t̶c̶h̶  haul of Hershey's Unsweetened Natural Cocoa sit untouched for long.

Powered by an objectively nourishing and comparatively healthy breakfast of oatmeal and raisins, I readied the kitchen for a pan of brownies.

1) The Brownies To End All Brownies

​NYT Cooking's Triple Chocolate Brownie video had dropped just four days ago, and had been lingering in my mind since. Suffice to say, I headed straight to the YouTube video I had sent to my baking coworker. Sunday Baking's Mochi Brown was my undeniable go-to, however I was intrigued about the impacts of brown sugar and espresso powder.

​The original ingredient list reads as follows:

• 113 g unsalted butter
• 113 g bittersweet (70%) chocolate, chopped
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 110 g dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 64 g AP flour
• 47 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 4 ounces chopped milk chocolate
• 4 ounces chopped white chocolate
• Flaky sea salt

Yield: 16 brownies, 2 in x 1.5 in

Relieving was the list of ingredients in metric units. I lined a pan of similar size, then proceeded to arrange my tubs of sugar along the counter. I had anticipated a handful of tweaks, including a reduction in sugar, however it wasn't until I dumped the remainder of my stick of butter into the bowl that all amounts were roughly scaled up by 5-7%.

Ingredients:

•  ̶1̶1̶3̶ ̶g̶ ̶u̶n̶s̶a̶l̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶t̶e̶r̶   →  128 g unsalted butter
• ̶1̶1̶3̶ ̶g̶ ̶b̶i̶t̶t̶e̶r̶s̶w̶e̶e̶t̶ ̶(̶7̶0̶%̶)̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶c̶o̶l̶a̶t̶e̶,̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶p̶p̶e̶d̶    →  135 g 52% chocolate couverture  
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder
• ̶1̶5̶0̶ ̶g̶ ̶g̶r̶a̶n̶u̶l̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶s̶u̶g̶a̶r̶   →  120 g granulated sugar * reduce by 25%! (effective 120 g)
• ̶1̶1̶0̶ ̶g̶ ̶d̶a̶r̶k̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶w̶n̶ ̶s̶u̶g̶a̶r̶   →  95 g dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• ̶6̶4̶ ̶g̶ ̶A̶P̶ ̶f̶l̶o̶u̶r̶  →  30 g AP, 30 g cornstarch
• ̶4̶7̶ ̶g̶ ̶D̶u̶t̶c̶h̶-̶p̶r̶o̶c̶e̶s̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶c̶o̶c̶o̶a̶ ̶p̶o̶w̶d̶e̶r̶   →  60 g cocoa powder
• ̶4̶ ̶o̶u̶n̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶p̶p̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶k̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶c̶o̶l̶a̶t̶e̶
• ̶4̶ ̶o̶u̶n̶c̶e̶s̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶p̶p̶e̶d̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶t̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶o̶c̶o̶l̶a̶t̶e̶
• ̶F̶l̶a̶k̶y̶ ̶s̶e̶a̶ ̶s̶a̶l̶t̶ * should have added this
• 22 g olive oil

Directions

1. Line a 8 in x 8 in square baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 365 F.
2. Place diced unsalted butter and chocolate couverture in a large, heat-proof bowl. Gently melt in bursts in a microwave until just fluid. Do not subject the chocolate to prolonged periods of high heat.
3. Dissolve instant espresso powder in the chocolate-butter mixture. Add in vanilla. Mix well and set aside. Let cool to at least room temperature before using.
4. Combine eggs, sugars, and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Thoroughly aerate using a whisk until thickened and pale in colour. The mixture should be able to form loose ribbons in the bowl, then vanish within seconds. A hand mixer is not necessary; this consistency should be able to be achieved by manually whisking with a wire whisk.
5. Ensure chocolate-butter mixture has cooled to at last room temperature. Continue to let cool if still warm.
6. Fold whipped egg mixture into chocolate-butter mixture. Combine well.
7. Add in flour, cornstarch, and cocoa powder. Fold gently until no streaks of flour remain.
8. Drizzle in olive oil and fold until homogenous.
9. Transfer to lined baking pan, spreading the batter to the corners of the pan.
10. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes. The surface should be set with signs of crack propagation, while the centre slightly moist but not runny.
11. Let cool completely before slicing.

Obvious differences were:

1. Natural cocoa powder in place of Dutch-processed
2. 52% chocolate coverture in place of 70% bittersweet/dark chocolate, chopped
3. A small amount of olive oil in addition to melted butter
4. Omitting the use of a hand mixer in favour of a good ol' wire whisk
5. Baking continuously within the range of 330-360 F, without removing the tray halfway and banging on the countertop

​The batter was awfully thick, should you ask me, and didn't require the 2h cooling period that the recipe had specified.

After about 1h of cooling was enough to provide the slab with a sense of sturdiness. They did not resist the pressure of a serrated knife, though premature sampling definitely confirmed the need for extensive cool time.

When sampled at room temperature approximately sixty minutes after being removed from the pan, NYT's recipe was horribly cloying. My first takeaways were that: there was far too much sugar, followed by an absurd amount of flour/dry ingredients. Moreover the use of a hand mixer for a basic recipe hardly ever translates well. Of course, I alluded the tooth-achingly sugary qualities to my choice of natural cocoa and 52% chocolate, noting that further sugar reductions could likely take place for a more palatable outcome. I achieved a modest surface crackle, but nothing like the wispy shards of Sunday's edition, which strictly utilized granulated sugar and not a drop of molasses.

Dark brown sugar contributed noticeably nutty, caramel tones, but could potentially be swapped for light brown sugar as to preserve moistness without overwhelming the chocolate-forward profile. I wouldn't eliminate molasses altogether though, for the moistness achieved was rather splendid.

Using a small amount of olive oil also helped to create a pliable, fudgy cross-section. The interior was glossy and inviting, and even retained subtly herbaceous notes of the oil of choice. Those unfond of olive oil can opt for a neutral-tasting alternative, but steer clear of canola at all costs.

I appreciated the lightly fruity aura of natural cocoa, but can see the value of Dutch-processed in the face of sweetened chocolate chips or substantial chocolate shards. Although the cocoa choice ultimately boils down to personal preference, the acidic component of natural cocoa should be noted when adjusting the recipe for pH variations.

​A sprinkle of flakey salt is often recommended if readily available. To prevent the addition from masking the inherent qualities of the formula though, I opted to omit it for this trial.

All in all, I was generally pleased with the turnout, which yielded sixteen sizable squares worthy of a cookbook cover page. Visually speaking, this may have been my best batch yet. That said, it was not the most aromatic, despite easily achieving a high score in terms of gustatory pleasure. Maybe I'll take greater care to fully dissolve the instant espresso next time.

​2) Chocolate and Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Beyond the cocoa powder haunting my dreams, I also stumbled upon a trio of Nestle Toll House products. Supposedly infamous amongst baking enthusiasts south of the border, I excitedly grabbed a bag for experimentation. For the purposes of my own chocolate chip cookie, I'd use a mix of Lindt Excellence 70% chocolate and Toll House Butterscotch Chips.​

My heart yearned for a crispy-chewy cookie with rippled edges and minimal height, which steered me away from the Levain formula towards a seemingly soft base used for partially encasing jumbo, jet-puffed marshmallows.

The original ingredient list reads as follows:

• 110 g unsalted butter
• 110 g granulated sugar
• 40 g brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 170 g AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 60 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 8 Jumbo Marshmallows

Yield: 8 cookies, each weighing around 60 g before baking.

My rendition uses about 10% more butter, thus scales the other ingredients (somewhat) accordingly.

• 128 g unsalted butter
• 128 g granulated sugar
• 43 g brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 170 g AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 60 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 80 g butterscotch chips

Yield: 19 cookies, 1.5 tbsp scoop

​Sunday instructed refrigeration of the dough for 30 minutes before forming and baking. Of course, adhering to this precise timeline proved difficult. Frankly, the dough was sturdy enough to be scooped and baked immediately, but other daytime duties prompted me to portion, roll, and chill for about one hour. Three dough balls would be placed into the toaster oven at 350 F for 11 minutes around the one-hour mark, while the rest would remain covered in the fridge, adorned by my mandatory "Do Not Touch" warning.

When baked in the toaster oven at 350 F for 12 mins, the result was a compact cookie with faint surface crevices and more height than spread. Hardly ideal was the latter. The cookies were bite-sized, but decently filling. They were a bit sweet when barely cooled, though gradually evolved with time to boast a balanced depth with discernible butterscotch-y elements. Interestingly - and surprisingly - the six squares of Lindt Excellence dark chocolate contributed little to no impact to the overall cookie profile.

When chilled for 28 hours, unintentionally, then baked in a traditional oven within the range of 325 - 350 F for 12 mins, the cookies  domed before spreading and settling into the approximate diameter of my palm. Some developed the pale, scaly surface associated with the presence of baking soda; others were mostly smooth, even showcasing a faint ruffle along their circumference. I couldn't understand this drastic non-uniformity, but presumed it to be a consequence of uneven heating within my ever-finnicky oven. Underneath almost all of them were runny puddles of chocolate - the Lindt Excellence bars had escaped the dough during baking, oozing readily but ultimately failing to solidify after cooling, in contrast to couverture. Despite the obvious differences in appearance, the underlying profile was identical across the remaining count of sixteen.

Although delicious as soft-crunchy-chewy cookies, I was hardly impressed by the presence - or lack thereof - of the Lindt Excellence Bar. While the thin squares had enabled easy separation and incorporation into the dough without needing to summon a scale, the resulting dough did not display an optimal inclusion of dark chocolate. Toffee notes dominated the morsel - not in a negative way, but not in the manner I had anticipated the comparatively bitter 70% cocoa bar to reveal itself.
Chilling the dough restricted spread, though I'd be tempted to eliminate the step altogether as a thin, crispy cookie is preferred over a lofty, flour-heavy Levain-style specimen. A pour-over pairs well with the treat, accentuating its inherently nutty notes and neutralizing its sweetness. For future trials, I'll revert to Surfin couverture for chocolate that melts as easily as it re-stabilizes.

Having earned myself a four-day work week at home to continue recuperation, my wfh days were spent with purpose. Besides the obvious engagement in baking endeavours, I'd slowly work to incorporate exercise into my daily routine while finishing my prescribed pack of antibiotics.

My browsing partner would appear towards the middle of the week, at which point we'd resume viewing of The Wild Robot. Given that we hadn't succeeded in passing the quarter mark due to fatigue last time, I was eager to complete the sequence at the next earliest opportunity.

​Ratings aside, the first portion of the movie had caught my attention for its stunning graphics and magnificent artwork. The gradients, varied depths of field, and transitions were executed flawlessly, making seamless progression and, consequently, an enjoyable viewing experience. Setting the story on a island brimming with wildlife introduced a plethora of colours and textures, ranging from natural landscapes to rippling waves to furry animals to beady, emotion-bearing eyes. Unapologetically captivated, I caught myself repeated expressing admiration towards the movie's visuals.

Source: The Wild Robot Official Trailer | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67vbA5ZJdKQ

​The story progressed in a very much expected direction, with a once utterly pragmatic - and seemingly indestructible - robot gradually developing EQ in response to its surroundings. While one could argue that this evolution is an artificial adaptation response, the climax reveals that Roz, the main character of the story, had "overcome" her programming to display emotion and operate independently of a power source by drawing strength from sustained connections with fellow creatures.

By learning and perfecting a vast range of unique, animal-specific skills, Roz declared herself a "Wild Robot" - one that could integrate into nature and in co-habitation with other species. Despite the state-of-the-art Rozzum being designed as a machine of efficiency with hyper-activated learning to facilitate human life, there was a distinct absence (or minor presence, if at all) of humans in the movie. This is a noteworthy element as it pays homage to the natural ecosystem and its happenings, a facet that is often overlooked amidst the countless animated films released annually.

​In particular, I appreciated the modern approach of discussing the widespread use of AI in daily life, but the emphasis on how no task can truly be completed without interpersonal - in this case, inter-species - interactions and delving into the emotional realm of sensations.

​From the stunning, dynamic scenery backdrops to the impressively fluid plot flow, The Wild Robot depicted a fabulous, heartwarming story in a mere matter of 100 minutes. It may just as well constitute the extremely few movies I'd be eager to watch again.

With the arrival of Friday evening, I braced myself for the whirlwind of a weekend that was to come. Day 1 of GOT7's NESTFEST Restream would commence at 10 PM, continuing till 2 AM for a grand total of four hours!

During the original stream, I had lamented about over the tremendous difficulty in using Microsoft Edge for viewing and eventually succumbed to downloading the Beyond LIVE mobile app in haste. Amidst this chaos, I had missed the opening; a portion of the ending ments had also passed me by as I unintentionally dozed off.

The Restream opportunity enabled me to populate the gaps in my recollection, simultaneously refreshing my memory of the excruciatingly early stream. For the first two hours, I waved my ahgabong with vigor, then combatted increasing fatigue in earnest into the next morning. The latter half also saw reboot of my tablet, for a hands-free experience was much needed given the lengthy duration of the concert.
In spite of the approximate three-week lag time between the original stream and restream dates, I must admit the exclusion of subtitles for the speaking segments to be surprising. It mattered minimally to me, though the vast majority of international fans would benefit from understanding their heartfelt comments through translation.

​Differing from the original stream was the addition of bonus footage at the conclusion of the segment. The compilation showed ahgases entering the venue on concert day, as well as a thank you video from the members themselves. The heptet extended their gratitude towards dedicated fans across the globe, further enforcing their promise to return as a full group with albums and promotions at their next possible opportunity.