Tummy Delites

2012-03-01T23:25:00.000-08:00

Good Luck Fondant Cake

I always wanted to try and make a cake covered with fondant. I used to browse through the pics of all the beautiful fondant cakes and use to imagine making them. A few days back I did my first attempt. I made a chocolate cake, covered and decorated with fondant. Though I know it lacks the finesse and I'll have to practice a lot but felt so happy when I completed it.. It was a Good Luck Cake made for my elder son appearing for 12th Board Exams. Just hope to lots of work on Cake Decoration....

The picture quality is not so good as I have a small digital Camera and it was taken in the evening time...Everybody was waiting for it to be cut...Shared with some friends it was gone in a few minutes....Everybody thankfully loved it..the taste as well as the looks..!!

2012-02-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

Easy Dougnuts

Easy Doughnuts

Doughnuts are usually a round piece of sweet dough which is fried ( can be sometimes baked also) and then can be glazed with sugar or chocolate. I always use to think that making doughnuts was a long and tiring thing but when I came across this recipe and tried them, I found them to be quick, easy and super delicious. This recipe is for all my friends who think that making doughnuts is a tedious job, but these doughnuts are not only quick and easy to make but at the same time does not require much of physical work.

In this recipe I am using baking powder for raising the dough as not everybody has got yeast at home, but still I think yeast is a better option if available. Kids love to eat doughnuts and please keep me updated when you try these at your home.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Flour
!/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg beaten
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
oil for frying
Castor sugar, chocolate for decoration

Method

1. Sift Flour, baking powder and sugar.
2. Add beaten egg into the flour and mix in the melted butter, milk and essence to make a soft dough.

3. Cling wrap the dough and keep it at room temperature for about half an hour.
4. Roll the dough to 1/4 " thickness.

5. Cut with a doughnut cutter.

6. Deep fry on a medium flame till golden brown.

7. Mix together cinnamon powder and castor sugar. Roll the doughnuts for sugar coated ones.
8. Melt some chocolate and dip the doughnuts for chocolate doughnuts. Sprinkle some decorations for extra touch.

2012-02-12T22:38:00.000-08:00

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Valentine's week is here ...Love is in the air....Everywhere u r seeing chocolates...cards...flowers....and lots of gift... I also thought this is the best time to make some red velvet cakes for family and friends....

(Recipe adapted from a very popular blog http://purplefoodie.com )

Ingredients
(will make about 8-9 medium cupcakes)

1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
60 gms butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
2 ttsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp red food colour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Method

1. Sieve flour, baking soda and salt together and keep it aside.
2. In another bowl beat softened butter and powdered sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and mix properly.
4. In a small bowl mix cocoa powder, red color and vanilla essence.
5. Add to butter mixture and mix with light hands.
6. Now add flour and buttermilk alternately spoon by spoon till everything is blended thoroughly.
7. Spoon into cupcake moulds.
8. Bake at 180 o C for about 20-25 mins.

9. Top it up with some cream cheese frosting and some sprinklers.
10. Serve them with lots of love.

2012-02-08T23:11:00.000-08:00

Figs and Honey Bundt

Figs and honey Bundt Cake

Its been long since I used my Bundt pan....was waiting of a nice bundt cake recipe ..which i have not tried before when i came across this beautiful Bundt cake with figs and honey....But then i didn't have fresh figs ...so what...i thought of trying it out with dried figs.....

Ingredients

120 gms butter
3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
12 figs approx.
2 tbsp brown sugar

Method

1. Soak figs in 1/4 cups of milk and brown sugar for about 2-3 hrs till they
are swelled up and soft.
2. Sieve flour, baking powder, salt together in a bowl and keep aside.
3. Beat butter with sugar till the butter is light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time.
5. Stir in yogurt.
6. Add the dry ingredients spoon by spoon.
7. Mix in honey and in the last add figs mixture.

8. Pour in a bundt pan of 6" and bake for about 50 mins or till golden brown.'

Note: You can dust the cake with some icing sugar before serving.

2012-01-28T02:06:00.000-08:00

Saffron Rice

Today is "Basant Panchami "'. This is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of Knowledge, music and art. The day of Basant Panchami is considered as the beginning of life. It is also the beginning of Spring Season. In this season, fields of yellow mustard, charm everyone’s heart. Colorful flowers start blossoming. The day of Basant Panchami is celebrated as the welcoming of colors and happiness. The yellow color has great significance, People wear yellow clothes, offer yellow flowers in worship. At home, 'Kesar Halwa' or 'Kesar Chawal', which is also yellow in color, is prepared.

Goddess Saraswati

Saffron Rice

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups water

1 1/2 cup sugar

few threads of saffron soaked in a tsp milk
a few drops of yellow food color

5-6 small cardamom

2 star anise

1 javitri (mace)

a few raisins

a few fried cashew nuts

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Method

1. Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour.

2. Take a large heavy bottom pan and put it on the flame.

3. Put ghee in the pan.

4. Add cardomom, javitri and star anise in the ghee.

5. After a minute put rice and shallow fry rice for a few minutes.

6. Put water and cover the pan with the lid and let the rice cook till three-fourth done.

7. Add sugar when there is a little water left.

8. Also add saffron and a few drops of yellow color.

9. Cook the rice till all the water is soaked and the grain of rice is seperate.

10. Garnish it with fried cashews and raisins.

2011-12-25T02:36:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-12-09T05:34:00.001-08:00

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.

2011-11-12T02:03:00.001-08:00

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.

2011-10-29T02:06:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-10-29T01:45:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-10-09T03:04:00.000-07:00

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/

Coloured Chocolate Truffles

2011-10-02T03:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Bread Halwa

2011-09-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

Bread Halwa

There are lots of delicacies which are 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.

Choco Lava Delite

2011-09-20T00:25:00.000-07:00

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.

Almond Torte

2011-09-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

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

A 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.

Cheezy Corn and Macaroni Casserole

2011-08-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

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...

Marble Bundt Cake

2011-08-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

Today..... I decided to bake another Bundt. This time I went through more topics on Bundt Cakes . I did not wanted to repeat my mistakes of yesterday. So, i chose a very simple Vanilla Bundt Cake recipe from http://www.dianasdesserts.com/ .....and made it into a Marble Bundt Cake .......Also added a few choco-chips and baked it for a longer period. The cake was really looking good. Inverting and taking it out of the pan was a bit problem...but finally i succeeded.....The result was much much better.....I could see the grooves ....and it was looking beautiful.........Then i poured some home- made truffle sauce over it.........and it became heavenly.......!!!

Marble Bundt Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake 1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder

25 gms choco- chips

For the Truffle Sauce

100 gms dark chocolate

100 gms fresh cream

Method

1. Sieve Flour and baking powder and salt.

2. Beat eggs and sugar till fully dissolved and foamy.

3. Add butter and vanilla extract.

4. Add flour and milk alternately and then mix in choco chips.

5. Pour half the batter into the gresed and dusted pan.

5. Mix cocoa powder and chpco-chips in the batter and a few drpos of milk if the batter become thick.

5. Pour the cocoa batter on top.

6. Bake at 200 o C for about 40 - 45 mins or till toothpick inserted come out clean.

7. Melt cream in a heavy bottom pan and add chopped dark chocolate. Keep on stirring until it becomes a thick glossy sauce.

( U can keep it refrigerated for about a week).

8. Warm some truffle sauce and pour over the cake.

This was a very light cake with less butter and great taste. Everybody loved it......!!

My personal experience says -

Bundt cake recipies should be denser, have less of air bubbles.
They should be baked for a longer period in comparison with normal cake tins to give a bright color.

My Bundt Pans

2011-08-19T01:23:00.000-07:00

Bundt Cakes

Wow.....Wow........wow......were the only words that came out of my mouth when i saw my Bundt Pans from Nordic Ware. I had ordered them from Amazon and got them delivered to my cousin, Shikha's place, brought to India by my Uncle (who left his own things back to bring my stuff)..How nice of him...!! I thank them whole heartedly......Thank U Shikha......Thank u Uncle.........These gadgets have become more precious (more than the shining golden metal) as they bring smiles and we , bloggers feel proud to own them. I was waiting anxiously for them as we don't get such things in India. Procurring baking tools and ingredients is still very difficult even in cities like Delhi. Bakers who reside in North will understand me perfectly. These kinds may be available in Mumbai or Banglore or if at all in Delhi , its very expensive. I also got a whole set of silicon pans which are still waiting for their turn to be cherished.

It was a happy, joyful, red week for me....Got the lovely things........And imagine next day me dear friend, Smita brought another red baking set of stone ware for me. Thanks Smita... I just loved it.....!!

Bundt Pans have to be treated differently from the normal baking pans. Greasing them and taking out the full cake is not so easy. The tips about using Bundt Pans http://housewares.about.com/od/bakewareservingware/a/bundtbasics.htm helped me a lot to understand.

I choose an Orange Marmalade Cake recipe for my first Bundt. Made the batter hurriedly. I was waiting anxiously for the results. All the time thinking about whether the cake will come out properly or not . Thanks to God, the cake came out full. I could see the strands of ornage marmalade. It was a very nice smelling , less sweet, tea cake to be enjoyed with evening coffee.....but....but i could not make out the grooves easily. It was looking more an inverted funnel pan cakes. I was disappointed with the result.......I wanted a more denser, more prominent kind.

Orange Marmalade Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup / 175 gms flour

3/4 cup / 100 gms pwd sugar

3 tbsp orange marmalade

1 1/2 tsp baking pwd

2 eggs

50 gms butter

1 tsp orange essence/ zest of on orange

Method

1. Sift all the dry ingredients together and keep them in a bowl separately.

2. Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add one by one egg.
4. Mix in orane marmalde and essesnce/zest.
5. Fold in flour with a wooden spoon.
6. Lightly grease the bundt pan with some butter and dust it.
7. Pour the batter into the pan.

8. Bake at 180 0 C for about 45 mins.

9. Make some icing sugar glaze and pour over the cake.

I took out a slice to check.......Wow....it was nice.......tasted it.......Mmmmm .....it was delicious but will have to try again for getting a proper shape........Tomorrow..........will bake another one........

Yellow Butter Cupcakes with Quick Jam Frosting

2011-08-04T01:55:00.000-07:00

Muffins ......or.....Cupcakes ......?? I was wondering what exactly is the difference between the two. If i am baking a small cake in a cup whether its a cupcake or should i call it a muffin? According to our dictionary, a cupcake is defined as "a small cake, the size of an individual portion, baked in a cup-shaped mold," whereas the muffin is defined as "a small, cup-shaped quick bread, often sweetened." And then ...there was this one more thing which drew my attention that.... "If you threw a cupcake against the wall, you would hear something of a 'poof!' If you threw a muffin, you would hear a 'thud!'". I think basically a cupcake is softer kind eaten and decorated with some kind of frosting.....and a muffin is on the denser side enjoyed with a cup of coffee or juice....
Uh!.....I think we should leave the difference at the moment and do some baking and then enjoy our cupcakes with any jam frosting.........hmmmm cupcakes sound better......and inviting....Hoping u all also like them........

Yellow Butter Cupckes

Ingredients

1 cup yellow butter ( I have used Amul)

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 eggs

3 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

cupcake paper liners

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy. The yellow butter will turn almost whitish in colour.

2. Put the eggs one by one and mix it properly.

3. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Add the flour mixed with baking powder.

5. In the end add the milk gradually and keep on mixing. There should not be any lumps.

6. Place the cup liners in the muffin cups and put the batter in them.

7. Bake at about 180 - 200 o C for 25 mins or till light golden colour.

8. When they are cool put any jam topping of ur choice and enjoy.......

Tomato and Cheese Spirals

2011-07-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

Baking is fun!! U just have to get the ingredients and the right measurements and it becomes so much easier.......and addictive. Once u start enjoying baking u'll want to try out different recipes. Today I thought of making something different. Though its a kind of bread with filling, but everybody loved it. U can have it in breakfast....or evening snacks....or even serve it in dinner along with soup...Its a full meal....!!

TOMATO AND CHEESE SPIRALS
(recipe partially adapted from - My Singapore kitchen)

Ingredients

For the Dough

Flour 3 cups

water 1 cup

fresh yeast 1- 1/2 tbsp

salt 1 tsp

sugar 1tsp

oil 1 tsp

For the filling

Tomatoes 2 finely chopped

Onion 2 finely chopped

Pizza Sauce 3 tbsps

Paneer (home made cheese) 200 gms grated

Oil 2tbsp

salt to taste

some chilli flakes

Method

1. Mix fresh yeast with 1 tsp of water (room temp) and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Keep it aside for a few minutes. Sugar is food for the yeast and u can see some foaming after a few minutes.

2. Meanwhile make the dough with flour, salt, sugar and 1 cup of luke warm water and fresh yeast mixed with water and sugar.

3. Apply some oil on the dough and cover it with some cling wrap and keep it for proving (fermenting) for about 45 mins to 1 hr. In winters it will take 2-3 hrs. The dough should be double in size.

( Before Proving)

( After Proving)

4. Knock down the dough when its double and make it smooth.

5. Roll it on a platform applying very little flour and make a rectangular kind of shape.

6. Put some filling on one side and start rolling it tightly till the end.

7. Cut it into eight equal pieces.

8. Apply some oil on a cake tin and place these roundrals in a flower shape.

9. Keep it for 15 mins and then apply some egg wash with a pastry brush.( u can use milk wash if u don't want to use egg).

10. Bake it in a preheated oven at 220 o C for about 30 mins or till golden brown .

11. Sprinkle some chilli flakes on top and serve it hot with some garlic dip or sauce or some soup.......

Apple Crumble

2011-07-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Apple Crumble

Its rainy season. Season of rains, happiness and humidity. I Hate to work in the kitchen for long hours. Everbody wanted to have something sweet after dinner. Cough, cold and fever had already entered the family, so having ice cream or any cold dessert was out of question. I checked up my refrigerator. There were those juicy apples bought a day before. So the idea of making Apple Crumble came into my mind. Its damn easy, quick and has got nutrients also.

APPLE CRUMBLE

Ingredients

For the filling

Apples 3 medium size
Sugar 50 gms
butter 50 gms
Chocolate museli 50 gms( u can use normal museli, oats or even cornflakes)
Raisins 20 gms
almonds 3-4 finely chopped
cinammon pwd 1/2 tsp

For the Crumble

Marie biscuit 7-8
icing sugar 50 gms
unsalted butter 50 gms

Method
1. Peel and chop the apples into cubes.
2. Add museli, raisins, almonds, cinammon pwd, sugar and butter in a bowl and mix properly.

3. For the crumble crush the biscuits into powder( I had put them in a zip lock bag and crushed them with a rolling pin).
4. Add butter and icing cuar and mix it with your finger tips till it resembles like crumbs.

5.Spread the apple mixture in a heat proof dish and put the crumble on top.

6. Bake it in a preheated oven for anout 15-20 mins at 180 o C.

A must try for everyone who still not have made it.!!!.....

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

2011-07-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my hubby’s B’day and indeed it was a day for celeberations. I wanted to bake a pineapple cake (with lots of whipped cream icing) for him as he loves pineapple , but electricity was playing hide and seek since morning and time was rolling on. So I decided to bake a simple ‘Pineapple Upside Down Cake’. Though it’s a simple cake but I think pineapple and caramel add to its flavor which makes it special.

The recipe is very basic, just like a pound cake type. The only thing is I have used malai (home made cream which comes on the top when the full cream milk is boiled) instead of butter. I have adapted a very old recipe that my mother used to make using malai. Malai gives the cake moistness and makes it more spongy.

Any cake (chocolate cake, marble cake, coffee cake, orange cake) can be made using this recipe, we just need to make some basic changes while using this recipe for other types of cakes.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

2 Eggs (I have used 3 eggs as they were very small)

1 cup maida
¾ th cup sugar
3/4th cup/100 gms malai/butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pineapple essence
A few drops of yellow colour
A few rings of tinned pineapple
Cherries
3-4 tbsp sugar( for caramel)

Method :

1. Grease the pan with butter and dust it with maida.

2. Place pineapple slices on the tin and put cherries on them.

3. Make caramel with sugar and add 1 tbsp of water in caramel if required.

4. Pour this caramel in between gaps.

5. Sieve maida and baking powder.

6. Beat eggs and sugar together in a blender.

7. Add pineapple essence .

8. Mix in maida .

9. Put malai or butter and mix well.

10. Pour the batter on the decorated pineapple and cherries.

11. Bake at Pre- Heated oven at 200^o C for 40 mins.

Turn it upside down and place the cake on a platter.

Velvet chocolate cake

2011-07-07T23:58:00.001-07:00

Time to Celebrate

Welcome All…..

Its’s Celebration time. A first post surely deserves something sweet so I decided upon this ‘Velvet Chocolate Cake’ . This, soft melt in the mouth cake will surely leave you craving for some more... . Plain tastes heavenly but a generous topping of chocolate sauce truly creates magic…..

Velvet Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup pwd sugar

½ cup cocoa pwd.

1 tsp baking pwd

½ tsp baking soda

A pinch of salt

1 egg

¼ cup oil (any refined oil)

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

½ tsp coffee pwd mixed with ½ cup boiling water

Method

Sift all the dry ingredients together and keep them in a bowl separately.

Grease the baking tin with a little refined oil & dust over

some cocoa powder.(as it's a chocolate cake)

Beat egg and sugar with an electric mixer and add oil and milk gradually.

Put the mixer on slow and start adding the dry ingredients spoon by spoon.

In the end gradually add coffee mixture and mix into a smooth paste.

The mixture will be very liquidy so don’t worry.

Pour the cake batter into a medium size tin.
Bake at 180 o C for approx. one hour or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool & cut into slices & enjoy.....

Introduction

2011-07-07T00:37:00.000-07:00

About myself

Hi! I am Deepika Garg, a passionate cook & an avid baker. Years back , entering the kitchen used to be the last thing on my mind …… Someone has aptly said marriage not only transforms your soul but also your likes & dislikes too… Owing to my my hubby’s die hard love for food and cooking, I slowly started learning cooking …. After several experiments I had started loving my new hobby till the bottom of the core. Compliments from hubby & relatives served as a boon & with time the addiction towards this new hobby rose like a phoenix from several successful & unsuccessful experiments from my kitchen . With motherhood new experiments with baking had also started … & soon I realized my true delite was baking …After cooking & baking for years , today I set off on a new journey of food blogging – hope these tried & tested recipes from my kitchen will delite your tummies too…….

About the blog

One day my dear friend Smita of the famous kids food blog – Little Food Junction motivated me to start a blog . Since I was always open to share the recipes with others , I thought it would be a great idea to start blogging about them. So I started this blog as a way to improve my culinary journey & expand my photographic skills. Tummy Delites will be a collection of my cooking & baking recipes. There will surely be much more of baking coz truly my heart is where ‘Baking ‘ is… Your comments, views , feedback is always much appreciated. If you have any queries feel free to drop me a mail at tummydelites@gmail.com.