Congo Bars

Ok, I know almost the entire earth population have already baked and tried these bars...But as they said, better late than never, right? I first saw this recipe two years ago from the reigning "queen of layer cakes" Kak Rima's Bisous a Toi. From then on, a few other bloggers also tried this fabulous recipe and I finally settled on Kak Nor of Secubit Garam version. The original recipe calls for a pound of sugar (gasp!) and I decided to go with Kak Nor's reduced sugar measurement since we seem to share the same level of sweetness tolerance. What is best about these bars is that they are generously studded with chocolate chunks! Nothing can compare when you bite into that chocolate-y goodness amidst the dense, fudgy and mellow brown sugar cake. Heaven.    

look at 'em chocolate chunks!

Congo Bars
Source:Bisous a Toi & Secubit Garam 

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour (315g)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened (150g)
1 lb. light brown sugar (453g) *I used 220 gm like Kak Nor
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips (326g) *I used dark chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped pecans (optional) *I omit

Method:
1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Stir brown sugar into softened (not melted) butter in another large bowl until butter disappears. You can use the back of your spoon to help incorporate the two together.
3. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.
4. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts. Mix well.
5. Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.
6. Coat a 13 X 9 pan with non-stick spray and spread batter evenly into dish. *I used 10X10 baking pan lined with baking paper
7. Bake at 170C for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Make sure you don’t over bake. *I baked at 160C for 30 mins.

Congo Bars
Sumber:Bisous a Toi & Secubit Garam 

Bahan-bahan:
2 3/4 cawan tepung gandum (315g)
2 1/2 sudu kecil baking powder
1/2 sudu kecil garam
2/3 cawan mentega, suhu bilik (150g)
1 lb. gula perang (453g) *saya guna 220g
3 biji telur gred A
1 sudu kecil esen vanilla
11.5 oz coklat chips (326g) *saya guna dark chocolate dicincang kasar
1 cawan kacang pecans, dicincang (optional) *x letak

Cara-cara:
1. Ayak tepung gandum, baking powder dan garam dalam satu bekas. Ketepikan.
2. Dalam bekas yang lain, pukul mentega dengan gula perang. 
3. Masukkan telur sebiji demi sebiji dan dan pukul hingga adunan sebati.
4. Tambah esen vanilla, coklat chips/dark chocolate dan kacang pecan (jika guna).
5. Masukkan campuran tepung yang telah diayak tadi dan kacau lagi.
6. Gris loyang segi empat (13 X 9 inci) dengan mentega atau non-stick spray dan tuangkan adunan. Ratakan permukaan adunan dengan senduk kayu. *saya guna loyang 10X10 inci dan alas dengan baking paper
7. Bakar pada suhu 170C selaam 30 minit atau hingga masak. *saya bakar suhu 160C selama 30 minit.