Sunday 25 December 2011

Carrot Cake








 Carrot Cake




Its Christmas time ! Merry Christmas to all my friends!! Everyone is out and celebrating the fun and holiday week ahead. Though I didn't bake an exact version of Christmas Cake but a small one. I made a ' Carrot and Walnut Cake' with raisins soaked in Rum and topped it with some cream cheese frosting.


It was Yum.....enjoyed it without frosting ........but enjoyed it more  with the frosting....!!
The recipe was noted down sometime back from the net but forgot to  bookmark it . But it came out to very nice and easy. .........




Ingredients


3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
Rum to soak raisins
2 eggs
3/ cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup oil ( I used olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup apple sauce
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Method


1. Grate carrots. Take 3 cups of grated carrots and mix with brown sugar and let it sit for about an hour.
2. Soak raisins overnight. Combine raisins and carrots. Drain excess liquid.
3. Beat eggs till light in colour.
4. Add sugar, oil and vanilla essence.
5. Mix in apple sauce.
6. Fold in dry ingredients.
7. Add carrot mixture.
8. Add chopped walnuts.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 o C for about an hour or till golden in colour.






To make apple sauce


1. Chop 3-4 apples and pressure cook them till soft.
2. Add 2 tsp of sugar and puree them


Cream cheese frosting


Cream cheese 100 gms
cream 100 gms
orange zest


Beat cream cheese till soft and then add cream. In the end add orange zest.







Monday 19 December 2011

Bread and Butter Pudding









 Bread and Butter Pudding




BBC Good Food 'India' Is Out and I am sure most of my blogger friends have bought their copies and tried a few things from it. November issue carried a few desserts and I am posting here a simple  "Bread and Butter Pudding" which I tried and was liked by everyone.


I could not find unsliced bread so had to go ahead with the sliced one. I made half the recipe given in the magazine.


Ingredients


Butter 45 gms
Jam 200gms ( I used mixed fruit jam as kids love its taste)
Fresh white bread 5 slices
eggs 2
heavy cream 200 ml ( I used amul fresh cream)
milk 200ml
powdered sugar 45 gms
vanilla seeds scrapped from 1 vanilla pod


Method


1. Butter a casserole and put half the jam in the base of the dish.




2. Trim the sides od the slices and press them a little with a rolling pin.




3.  Apply butter on one side of the slice, turn it and apply jam on the other side.
4.  Roll the slice lightly keeping the jam side inside. Place them in the casserole.




5. Beat eggs, cream , sugar and milk and pass through a sieve.




6. Add the vanilla seeds and pour over the slices soaking them fully.






7. Bake at 180 o C for about an hour until the top gets a golden colour.



Friday 9 December 2011

Date and Walnut Cake











Date and Walnut Cake


Ahhh!  Writing a new post after a long time.....Has been so busy for past few days in marriages and other things. ..Posting a quick but easy and very tempting eggless cake recipe.....'Dates and Walnut Cake'....It came out so well and tasted even better.....The only thing you have to keep in mind is choosing a good quality of dates to get a rich, moist cake. 







Ingredients

  • 200 gms dates deseeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 200 gms condensed milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1  teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 baking soda
  • 1 - 2 tsp milk (if required)


  • Method

  • 1. Dee seed dates and chop them finely.
  • 2. Take 1/2 cup of water (approx) in a pan and put on the flame. When the water starts boiling add the dates.
  • 3. Keep them on low flame for 2 mins and then switch off the flame.
  • 4. Add baking soda and keep it aside to cool.
  • 5. Sift maida and baking powder together..
  • 6. Mix in dates and walnuts.
  • 7. Beat oil and condensed milk with a hand mixer. Add essence.
  • 8. Fold in maida mixture and mix properly.
  • 9. Pour the batter in a 9" loaf tin and bake at 180 o C for 40 mins or till done.





  • Note : 1. You can substitute 2 eggs  and 3/4 powdered sugar with condensed milk if using eggs.
  • 2. The above cake will have  chunks of dates in it. If you don't want chunks you can soak them over night or 5-6 hrs  in half cup of milk and puree them in a mixer. Use 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and remove baking soda from the list.


Saturday 12 November 2011

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies






Fudgy Chocolate Brownies




Brownies are everybody's favorite. Whenever there is mention of brownies, Chocolate is the first thing that come is mind. Brownies have very basic ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, eggs and chocolate , yet the results are variable if you change the proportions. The Brownie can be 'cake like', 'nutty' or 'fudgy'. ....Tips from Diana Desserts helped me a lot to understand and make perfect brownies.....
http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/bakingtips.Brownies/Brownies.cfm


There is nothing as delicious as biting into a freshly baked brownie..and today I am making 'Fudgy Brownies'....The recipe is simple...the ingredients are very basic and the texture when it came was really fudgy and very chocolaty....


 Ingredients


350 gms of dark chocolate (chopped)
1/2 cup butter ( approx 115 gms)
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt and baking powder


Method


1. Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave bowl.
2. Sift Flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Whisk eggs and sugar.
4. Add the chocolate mixture and add vanilla extract.
5. Fold in flour.
6. Line an 8"square tin with butter paper and pour the batter in the tin.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 o C for about 40 minutes.
8. Cool overnight and consume next day. 


"                    

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Cream of Almond Soup









Cream of Almond Soup


The winters have started approaching and the mornings and evenings are cool outside and pleasant inside. With the change of every season our food interests and habits  also change. This is the season of having hot soups, variety of greens and different kinds of breads of Indian cuisine. Today, I am making a very simple Cream of Almond Soup which is very delicate in flavours , but at the same time very tasty and nutritious .






Ingredients


200 gms almonds
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
salt
black pepper


 Method


1. Soak almonds in water for about 4-5 hours.
2. Take off the skin of almonds and blend them to a puree adding a little water. Strain the almond puree and keep it aside.
3. Take butter in a pan and add flour in it.
 ( u can also use all purpose flour or corn flour)
4. Saute it for a couple of minutes. Put the gas at the minimum and and start adding milk gradually. Keep on stirring continuously. There should not be any lumps.
5. Let the white sauce cool completely and blend it in the mixer to give it a smooth consistency.
6. Put it back on a pan and put on the gas.
7. Add the almond puree and add salt and pepper according to your taste.
8. Add 2 cups of water and boil  it for a few minutes.
8. Garnish it with slivered almonds and a few basil leaves.
7. Serve it hot with toasted garlic bread.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Baked Cornmeal and Spinach Bread






Baked Cornmeal and Spinach Bread 

It seems that this month had been the busiest month this year for me. With so many social and family engagements, I have really been tied up. Squeezing between my all other responsibilities I tried this Cornmeal and Spinach bread. It was nutritous, healthy and easy to make. But it didn't tingled my family's taste buds. So I tried to give it an Indian twist to it (though was not able to click any photograph for the end product as it was all gone within minutes). Now its up to you to decide which way its better.


Ingredients


100 gms cornmeal ( Makke ka atta)
100 gms plain flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp salt
40 gms grated cheese ( I used Amul Processed Cheese)
1 egg
300 ml milk
40 gms butter
1/2 bunch chopped spinach
1 large chopped onion
ground black pepper


Method


1. Sift cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and ground black pepper.




2. Beat together egg, milk and melted butter.
3. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well.
4. Add chopped spinach, onion and grated half the cheese.




5. Put the mixture in a 6 1/2 square inch greased tin.
6. Sprinkle the remaining Cheese over the mixture.




7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35-40 mins at 180 o C or till golden brown.
8. Cut it into square pieces and serve it with any chutney or sauce.




Indian Twist
 1. Cut it into further small pieces.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok.
3. Add a few mustard seeds and let them splutter.
4. Saute it till a little crispy.

Hi! back to blogging after a long time.. Had really been busy with so many things going at home.. Could not find time to post any recipes. will come back soon to post many new ones...


Today wanted to thank IndusLadies.com forchoosing my 'Bread Halwa' recipe for the Diwali Ebook. The e-book of "100 Yummy Diwali recipe" containing my recipe is out for this Diwali and available http://www.indusladies.com/100diwalisweet..  There are many other tasty recipes also which are suitable for all ocassions. I am sure everybody is going to love this Ebook and will try most of the recipes.


Diwali2011_100recipes_coverpage.jpg          


   diwali-banner-300x250.jpg

Sunday 9 October 2011

Hi! Saw the invitation by  Chitra of http://sharemyrecipe.blogspot.com/   inviting all food bloogers and friends to send  our sweet/dessert recipes for Diwali Collection E-Book called “100 Yummy Diwali SweetRecipes”. This E-book will be made available as a free download to our community's 1.3 Lakh+ members. In addition, they will also be making this E-Book available to our 9000+ Facebook fans and Twitter followers. 


I am sending my Bread Halwa recipe for this. Its easy to make and perfect Indian sweet  for diwali. 


I also invite all me friends who are interested can send their recipes . The details are on http://sharemyrecipe.blogspot.com/



Sunday 2 October 2011

Coloured Chocolate Truffles








Coloured Chocolate Truffles


Have been really busy last month with kids exams, guests coming and other things. Could not find much time to bake or shoot for the blog. Then Navratras...and then Diwali round the corner...There are so many things to do and so less time...making chocolates for friends, family and a few orders...Have made these truffle balls with leftover biscuits and dark chocolate...My kids relish anything that is made from chocolate..Its a very very easy and quick method.Hope u will love it...


Ingredients


12-14 marie biscuits
( u can use other biscuits which are not very sweet but marie is best)
100 gms dark chocolate (melted)
50 gms heavy cream (I used Amul)
2-3 tbsp powdered sugar( if  u like it very sweet)
4-5 tbsp mixed nuts


for rolling over truffle balls
coconut powder
chocolate vermicilli
coloured sugar balls
cocoa powder


Method


1. Crush the biscuits coarsely with a rolling pin.
2. Put them in a mixing bowl and add cream.
3. Add melted and cooled chocolate.
4. Lastly add nuts and mix properly.
5. Put them in refrigerator for half an hour.
6. Take the mixture out and make small balls.
7. Roll over coconut powder or vermicilli or sugar balls according to your liking.
8. Place in small paper cups to serve.



Monday 26 September 2011

Bread Halwa

Bread Halwa





There are lots of delicacies which our mothers used to make and we used to relish. But during the course of time, they are forgotten and we keep on trying our hands making cakes and chocolates and other baking goodies (Myself being on the top of the list). Even though I also don't know many of these but would like to share some of these with all my friends. I would also like my blogger friends to come out with more of these not so 'popular kinds'. Please leave a comment if u like them or try them or suggest any more possible changes.


Today I am starting with a very simple yet very delicious Indian desert 'Halwa'. Everybody makes halwa of some or other kind but I just love this. Though its loaded with calories but the devine taste will surely lessen the guilt . Do try it once.


Ingredients


10 Bread slices(white)
4 tbsp of thick malai ( fresh cream)
(substitute 2/3 cup of fresh cream if u don't get malai)
2 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
pinch of cardamom powder
a few almonds, pistachos
a few strands of saffron


Method


1. Soak the bread slices in milk and squeeze them.
2. Put malai and ghee in a kadahai (wok) and put it on the gas top.
3. Put the slices in it and bhuno (lightly roast) on low flame till a light brown colour.
(This will take a little time and energy)
4. As the bread gets it colour and starts to leave the sides add the sugar and bhuno for a few more minutes.
5. Turn off the gas.
6. Add the slivered almonds and a pinch of cardamom powder.
6. Garnish with saffron and pistachos.
7. Serve hot.







Tuesday 20 September 2011

Choco Lava Delite

Choco Lava Delite






Its been a long time since I could post anything. My computer was not working properly. Some system files got corrupted and somehow it took more than ten days to get it corrected. Computer and internet has become a part of our day to day life that  I was feeling lost without it. Meanwhile I tried a few things which I'll be posting soon and also learnt a few photography tricks from Smita. 


Every body loves chocolate and molten lava cake has become so popular. Its so delicious, chocolaty and yet simple to make. The trick behind it depends on the time and the temperature . If its over baked, the flowy center also gets cooked and if its under baked it doesn't come out easily.  The temperature and timing have to be adjusted according to your oven. But I am sure whatever the end result is everybody would love it.


Ingredients


100 gms butter
1 cup powdered sugar
4 eggs
150 gms of dark chocolate ( cut into small pieces)
3/4 cup of flour
1 tbsp of cocoa powder( for dusting)


Method


1. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl in microwave to a smooth consistency.




2. Grease the ramekins with a little butter and dust them with cocoa powder.
    ( u can also use muffin mold if u don't have ramekins)






3. Sieve the flour.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar till foamy.
5. Add the flour slowly.




6. Add the cooled down chocolate and butter mixture.
7. Mix in properly.
8. Pour them in ramekins till 3/4th of the cup.9. Bake them in a preheated oven for 12 mins at 200 o C.





















Sunday 4 September 2011

Almond Torte




Alomond Torte
(Served with strawberry preserve and some whipped cream)


torte is a rich, usually multi layered, cake that is filled with buttercreams, mousses, jams or fruits.In easy words its a  cake made with many eggs and often grated nuts or dry bread crumbs and usually covered with a rich frosting. Here I am making an almond torte in which I have used almond powder or sometimes referred as almond meal (almonds grinded in ur mixie). Instead of refined  flour , I have used wheat flour which gives the cake its colour and very little butter just to give right amount of softness. Its a dry cake and should be served with some jam, sauce or cream of your choice.


Ingredients


50 gms butter ( I have used home made white butter)
3/4 th  cup pwd sugar

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 th cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup almond powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • a pinch of salt
  • 8-10 blanched almonds cut into thin slices


  • Method
  • 1. Cream the sugar and eggs together till light and fluffy. 
  • 2.  Add the soft butter.
  • 3. Add the flour, almond powder mixed with baking powder and salt.
  • 4. Put the batter in the tin.
  • 5. Put the cut almond slices on top.


6. Bake at about 180 - 200 o C for about 40 mins or till light golden colour.




  • 7. Serve when it is cool with any preserve and some whipped cream.


Wednesday 31 August 2011

Cheezy Corn and Macaroni Casserole


Hi!.....The kids wanted to have some pasta.....  Checked my refrigerator....Oh..Oh...not much in there...Just some sweet corn...some Cheese ... So decided to make some cheesy macroni with tomatoes to give them some colour. Its a very simple dish with old age white sauce but its so filling and yummy to taste and everybody loves it.....

Cheezy Corn and Macaroni Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 cup Sweet Corn
1 cup boiled macaroni
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
salt
pepper
1 tomato
3 cubes pasteurized cheese ( amul or britania will do)

Method

1. Blanch sweet corn in hot water for 2-3 mins till tender. Keep aside.
2. In a non stick pan take 2 tbsp butter and melt it an slow heat.
3. Add flour and saute a little till the bland smell of flour goes.
4. Put the flame to minimum and start adding milk .Keep on stirring till the sauce is smooth and thickens.
5. Make sure there are no lumps ( u can pass the sauce through a sieve if any lumps are formed).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.



7. Add two cubes of cheese and then add macaroni and corn.




8. Put the macaroni mixture in a oven proof dish.
9. In a seperate bowl mix the bread crumbs and one cube of cheese.
10. Spread this on top of the macaroni.
11. Cut a tomato in rings and arrange on top.



12. Bake it at 180 o c for about 20 mins or till the top is brown .



 U can have with any bread or just like that...
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