Congo Bars

Congo Bars.

The name is amusing is it not? But just like you can't find mee bandung in Bandung you probably won't find Congo Bars in Congo!
But a friend asked me to bake it and I agreed. As usual I looked at a few recipes for this delicious dessert before finally settling on my favorite blogger, kak ita from Masam Manis. Terima kasih kak!!

At first glance the recipe is like for a cake but all the pictures show a rather short squarish cake. It is chewy like a brownie and improves on taste the following day! The name and texture remains a mystery to me but I must admit it is easy to bake, the ingredients is very basic and most importantly it is very sedaps!!

Congo Bars.
source: Masam Manis.


Ingredients
315g flour (I used Tepung Gandum Blue Key)
21/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
150g butter (I used Buttercup)
320g brown sugar (I lessened it to 300g)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
250g chocolate chips (any brand, semi sweet or milk or dark chocolate can one!)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (I added this to mine!)
Some chocolate chips and slivered almonds for topping (optional)


Method
Combine butter and brown sugar. It will look like sandy bits at first, but keep going.
Add in eggs one at a time, beating well. Add in vanilla.
Fold in flour and walnuts until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
By now the batter will be sticky and quite lumpy. Not quite like the normal cake batter.
Don't worry. Spread out onto a greased baking tray. I used a 10" x 10 " short tray.
Spread out the mixture as even as you can.
Sprinkle some additional chocolate chips and slivered almonds for decoration.

Bake at 170 C for 30 min. Don't overbake!
Once cooked, cool for a bit before tipping it out onto a rack to cool
It is easier to cut when cooled.

Good luck!