Reese's Peanut Butter Chip Cookies




I was given a bag of peanut butter chips recently and while I was tempted to eat them right out of the bag, just as they were, I decided that I'd be good and whip up a batch of cookies with them instead (of course, that didn't stop me from sneaking in a few mouthfuls of peanut butter chips in the process - quality control, you know). 

Adapted from Food.com's Reese's Original Peanut Butter Chip Cookies 
(Makes about 36)

Ingredients:
3/4 butter, softened
1 1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups unsifted plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
140g peanut butter chips

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs and beat well
Combine flour and baking soda
Add flour to batter in small batches, stir well (As always, I ended up using my hands)
Add chips and mix well
Wrap dough up with clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour 
Preheat oven to 176 degrees Celsius 
Drop teaspoon sized balls of dough onto a baking sheet-lined tray, about 2 cm apart and bake for 10-12 minutes (or until the cookies are a light brown)

 
I was almost certain that I had brown sugar in the cupboard but discovered, after a bit of digging around, that I had actually completely run out of it. I didn't want the cookies to be missing that slight caramel taste that brown sugar lends to cookies, though, so some innovation had to be employed. Chelsea Sugar - Baking Substitutions came to the rescue - with substitutions for most of the fundamental baking ingredients covered, this is definitely one handy link.

And the cookies?
Slight taste of caramel - check. Yummy salty-sweetness from the peanut butter chips - check. Addictive - CHECK. 


 

Duck n' Such, Hartamas Shopping Centre


Duck is right up there on my list of favourite proteins, so a name like "Duck n' Such" really does call out to me. There have been quite a few write-ups about the place of late, and it's not often that one comes across a restaurant that's really all about duck (and a few other "such"es) - so yes, a visit is definitely warranted.

Duck n’ Such
Lot G11A & B,
Ground Floor,
Hartamas Shopping Centre
Tel: 03 6143 2285


We were there for dinner one rainy weekday night and after getting just a little bit confused by Hartamas Shopping Centre (that place never ceases to confuse me), we found the outlet, and found that we were the only ones there (I have to admit, we were slightly unnerved by the lack of other customers).

 

 
The leafy fruity salad - as promised, a lovely mix of greens, grilled duck breast and nuttiness, topped with a deliciously fruity date vinaigrette reduction. This is clearly one way of getting people to eat their vegetables.


 
Salted vegetable and plum duck soup. We had high hopes for this one - with it being one of my childhood favourites. While the soup definitely packed a punch - it packed a bit too much of a punch. It would perhaps have been a lot more comforting (as soups should be) if the sour notes were tuned down by just a couple of notches. 


 
The Duck n' Such Signature Peking duck wrap, one of their (as so-named) signature dishes. Serving crispy, Peking duck with roti jala instead of the usual steamed, paper thin Chinese pancakes puts a giggle-worthy Malaysian twist to the dish. One can also opt to have their duck served simply with lettuce leaves, without the roti jala - for a lighter meal, perhaps?

 
 The skin was light and crisp, and the trio of accompanying sauces (sambal!) were good complements.

The overall menu is an interesting one and while a few kinks have to be worked out here and there (perhaps with just a little more time), I'm hoping that this will will grow into a dependable place to get your duck fix.