Summer Nights

The thing about summer in the Philippines is that it can get excruciatingly hot at night.  Sleeping without a blanket is so not my thing, but even for a thermoregulation-challenged individual like me, I have no choice but to kick my warm sheets out of my bed. It leaves me feeling incomplete falling asleep, but really - desperation, that's what it is.

But the real deal about summer nights are actually any of these things:

1. Cold kalamansi juice with brown sugar.

2. Having an excuse to climb up the rooftop to watch the clear night sky.

3. Wearing short shorts and skimpy skirts.

4. Waking up in the middle of the night. Impulsive baking. Three different kinds of brownies. All at once.

These days, I rarely get to bake for me and my family. While I do bake everyday, it's often for my clients. But on hot summer nights when I just need to make myself feel better get a fix of some sort, I turn to baking brownies. The heat makes me restless to do anything other than sweat in bed. While baking certainly has its own way of giving me a work-out, it's the only kind of exercise I would rather submit myself to. It's an addiction. No big deal.

Peanut Butter and Graham Brownies

Sometimes, a scoop or two just won't do. Just dump all the peanut butter from the bottle.

Coconut Brownies

* In my haste to eat the coconut brownies, I was not able to take pictures. Of course, I may have consumed all of it at once, but I'd rather not talk about my *cough* gluttony *cough* being forgetful. 

Chocolate Smores Brownies

Because swirling melted marshmallows and grahams into your brownie batter makes you feel better. True story.

Again, three kinds of brownies all at once. Because summer nights make me feel more hungry productive than any other night of the year. And really, it's all about making me feel better about my no-blanket situation.

Make your own summer night treats as well!

Basic Brownie Recipe (adapted from Bakergirl)

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Mix together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add in cocoa powder,  flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix until well combined.

Variations:

For Peanut Butter and Graham Brownies: Fold 1 cup crushed graham and 1/2 cup crushed nuts into prepared batter. After batter is settled in the baking pan, top with 1 cup peanut butter and swirl it around to create a marbled (and yummy!) effect.

For Coconut Brownies: Top prepared batter with 1 cup coconut shreds.

For Chocolate Smores Brownies: Fold in 1 cup melted marshmallow and 1 cup crushed graham into batter before transferring onto baking pan.

Pour batter into prepare baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 35-45 minus or until toothpick inserted into sides come out clean. Allow to cool completely before serving.


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