For our second baking session with Doc Joanna (first session here), we decided to bake some brownies and some butter cake.
I have baked both before so it was a painless session.
Brownies
We chose this recipe and technique in making brownies since my cousin wanted fudgy, moist brownies. I think brownies are as good as the chocolate they’re made with. In this case we used imported cocoa powder from I forgot where. 
Butter plus Chocolate
For our first ever blog writing contest, KusinaMaria.com is tying up with DavaoFoodie.com. And we are asking you what your favorite specialty cake or pastry is?
Just blog about that specialty cake or pastry that you have tasted or been wanting to taste and why you deserve to have it for Christmas. The blogger with the best entry will get that cake or pastry from me.
I, Ria Jose, will bake that pastry for you. So as a limitation, no requests for wedding cakes or fondant cakes, ok? But it can be anything like Super Moist Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Icing, Black Forest Cake, Eclairs with Orange Filling, or Extra Chewy Snickers Cookies.
This contest is limited to Davao City and Metro Manila bloggers only. But if you’re willing to travel to Davao City and/or Metro Manila to claim your prize, then you can join.
Group 2's Cakes and Cookies
Day 5 was all about sweets… cookies and cakes!!! Our instructor was again Chef Rhea Castro who has her own pastry business.
Our group was assigned to make the following:
Before mise en place, Chef Rhea shared some tips and tricks in making good cookies and cakes. She also shared with us the trick in making chewy cookies which I want to try out very soon. Remember: cookies and cakes are very delicate so one must handle the mixing, the batter and the baking with care.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
John was assigned to make the Chocolate Chip Cookies. Chef Rhea had reminded us to make sure the butter didn’t melt and to cream it just enough but not too much so that it won’t get soggy or have too much air. The batter was chilled before it was shaped. And chilled again after it was shaped, before baking it. Our cookies turned out fine. Not perfectly shaped but it was delicious. Everything was baked just right. My friends absolutely loved it and are requesting for me to bake more.
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Maria "Ria" Jose