Garlic Knots

  

 Garlic Knots


Everybody is loving bread. Not only eating it but making a bread is also fun to make. It's a versatile food which can be enjoyed as a starter, snack or main course. And making a home made bread adds to the zing. Though I have made Garlic bread earlier also , this time I thought of giving it a braided shape and also tried making knots from the same dough ....It all came out so well.....


Ingredients


500 gms flour
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt 
2 tsp fresh yeast (about 25-30 gms)
(If using dry instant yeast use half the quantity of fresh yeast)
25 ml oil
1 1/2 cups water 
3-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)


Method


1. Soak yeast in 2 tbsp of lukewarm water and 1 tsp sugar. Leave this for about 15 minutes   until the yeast starts bubbling.
2. Make a soft dough with all the above ingredients and cover the bowl with a cling wrap for about an hour or untill the dough is double in size.
3. Now I have used 3/4 dough for the braided bread and made four knots with the left 1/4 dough.
4. Roll the dough and put chopped garlic in the center and then again roll it and then cut it into the required shape.
5. For the rest of the method you can please follow the pics. ( I think it will be easier).
6. Put the bread in tin or on a baking tray. Put some egg wash on the top for that browning effect and bake it a preheated oven at 220 o C for about 35 minutes.




                                                             Braided bread

Garlic Knots 

Cut into thick slices after it is baked and cooled. Apply some butter and then again toast it You can also add some dried herbs in the butter.

Good Luck Fondant Cake

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..!!

Easy Doughnuts

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.

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.

Figs and Honey Bundt

Figs and Honey Bundt


 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.