A Very Late TWD Post: White Chocolate Brownies

In the midst of packing, packing and more packing, I was so tempted to simply skip this week's TWD bake. I've always been well-organized and probably over-ambitious when it comes to putting a list of to-dos and making sure each item is checked off prior to a trip, especially one such as this,
but alas, I'm only learning now that the energy level one has is inversely proportional to one's age! The final week back home, just before we left, had been absolutely exhausting and energy-sapping so much so that I'm not even trying to bother about those to-dos that are still on the list - unchecked, unfinished or well, actually even un-started! The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak......Besides, I've never been much of a brownie fan. But then once I reviewed this week's recipe - White Chocolate Brownies picked by Marthe of Culinary Delights, I thought this would be a good way for me to practice baking without having the aid of an electric stand mixer, just like how it's going to be in pastry school and how I'm going to have to bake in the tiny rental apartment in Paris! And definitely, the most economical way for working out while I'm there, in lieu of gym membership! I'm not certain if whipping egg whites to a frenzy to make the meringue would give me a total body workout but heck, it sure will help tone my right arm, once I do this a gazillion times, I assume.

My brownie was more like a cake, with such a subtle hint of white chocolate (perhaps it was because I had used white choc chips) and although I had practically whipped the egg whites till I just can't whip it anymore, my meringue fell flat and reduced to just a thin slightly crispy-chewy mess (yikes)- less than half its original pre-baked height.

I had to bake the brownie for well over 40 minutes ; I didn't think any meringue would hold its volume after baking at >300˚F for such a long time, so perhaps that was one of the reason for the sunken meringue? Or perhaps it was because I had used aged egg whites that I had saved for another one of my "I-wished-I-had-time-to-make-but-I-guess-not" macarons? I'm somewhat disappointed that my recent bakes have been problem-ridden; oh, how I miss those first-time-success bakes! Nonetheless, the brownie-cake tasted pretty decent and with a little raspberry preserves (I couldn't find any ounce of strength nor time to take out the food processor for raspberry coulis), it does make for a somewhat elegant dessert.

This will be my last TWD post for a while. I believe it'll take some time for me to get assimilated to life here, juggle school work and getting to know Paris - every "food inch" of it, hopefully. I will definitely still keep following the group and once I have a better sense of the lay-of-the-land, I hope I'll get to bake along again.