Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Dry Fruits Cake

Ingredients :

1. Cashewnuts - 10

2. Badam - 5

3. Pistachios - 10

4. Apricots - 5

5. Butter - 1/2 cup

6. Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp.

7. Water

8. Egg - 1

9. Plain Flour - 1 & a 1/4 cup

10.Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup

11.Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp.

12.Buttermilk - 1/4 cup

13.Cashewnuts and Raisins - a few

Method :

1. Blanch the cashewnuts, badam, pistachios and apricots in water.Add vanilla essence. First let it come to a boil, then heat on medium flame for 10 minutes.

2. Let it cool.Grind the dryfruits. Then add water to it to make it exactly 1/2 cup. If there's extra, drain it.

3. Mix the butter and powdered sugar until you get a creamy mixture.

4. Mix flour and baking powder. Add the butter mixture and the dry fruit mixture to this.

5. Add egg and butermilk to the mixture and stir for a while until you get a semi-solid batter.

6. Chop the cashewnuts and raisins into half and add to the batter.

7. Trnsfer to the baking try and add a few more half cut cashewnuts on the top.

8. Bake at 180 degree celcius for 15 minutes.

I love the rich fragrance that comes when it gets baked :) Let me know how it turns out :)

Mushroom Buns

Ingredients :
For the dough :
1. Plain Flour/Maida - 2 cups
2. Whole wheat flour - to dust
3. Yeast - 1 tbsp.
4. Water - 1/4 cup
5. Sugar - 1 tsp.
6. Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp.
7. Oil - 1 tbsp.
8. Salt

For the stuffing :
1. Mushrooms - 200g
2. Onion - 1
3. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp.
4. Tomato Sauce - 1 tbsp.
5. Cornflour - 1 tbsp.
6. Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp.
7. Turmeric Powder/Haldi - 1/4 tsp.
8. Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp.
9. Green Chilli - 1
10. Salt

Method :
1. Put yeast and sugar in warm water and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Add this to the flour.
3. Add the salt and butter and make a soft dough by adding some more warm water.
4. Knead the dough very well for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Cover the dough and leave for at least 1/2 hour or till double in size.
6. When double in size, knead the dough again for 1 minute.
7. Leave for 20 to 25 minutes or until double in size.
8. Wash the mushrooms. Mix the cornflour in 1/4 cup water and add to the mushrooms to this mixture.
9. Fry onion and cumin seeds over a high flame for a few seconds. Add the ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry again for a few seconds.
10.Add the mushroom and cornflur mixture to this and cook for 2 minutes.
11.Add the tomato sauce and salt and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
12.Make small buns out of the dough and stuff them with a little mushroom filling.
13.Bake them at 180 degree celcius for 10-15 minutes.
14.Serve hot.

Shrewsbury Biscuit


Ingredients :

1. Plain Flour/Maida - 1.5 cups

2. Egg Yolk - 1

3. Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup

4. Butter - 1/2 cup

5. Lemon Rind - of 1 lemon


Method :

1. Cream the butter and together.

2. Beat the egg yolk and add it to the mixture.

3. Add powdered sugar.

4. Mix together the lemond rinds and flour, add the mixture and make a soft dough.


5. Make small balls out of the dough and flatten them slightly.

6. Bake at 120 degree celcius for 20 minutes.

You can coat these with chocolate and enjoy :-)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Rocky Soufflé

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU :-)





Ingredients :

1. Eggs - 3
2. Sugar - 130 grams
3. Plain Flour - 45 grams
4. Milk - 200 ml
5. Cocoa Powder - 15 grams
6. Cashewnuts(chopped) - a few

Method :

1. Separate the egg whites and yolks.
2. Beat two yolks with half the sugar till a creamy consistency is reached.
3. Blend in the flour and milk mixed with the cocoa powder.
4. Beat the egg whites of three eggs and make a stiff mixture.
5. Carefully, fold the egg white mixture into the cocoa batter, add the nuts, pour into moulds and bake in an oven at 175 degrees Celsius for 8 - 10 minutes.
6. Serve with cream :-)

I didn't have soufflé moulds, so i baked it in a normal cake tin and then cut pieces and put them in a bowl and mixed the pieces together.

Easy Cupcakes


Ingredients :

1. Plain Flour/Maida - 1 & 1/4 cup
2. Wheat/Aata - 3/4 cup
3. Oil - 2 tbsp.
4. Citric Acid(solid) - 1/2 tsp.
5. Water - 1 cup
6. Powdered Sugar - 1 cup
7. Baking Powder - 1 tsp.
8. Salt - a pinch

Frosting :

1. Cocoa Powder - 1 tsp.
2. Icing Sugar - 2 tbsp.
3. Milk - 2 tsp.

Method :

1. Mix plain flour, wheat and salt together. Add baking powder to it.
2. Separately, add citric acid in water and mix well.
3. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.
4. Add oil and sugar to this. Mix all the ingredients well until the shown consistency is obtained.


5. Pour this into greased cupcake molds and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. The time may vary according to your oven, but it should pass the toothpick test(insert a toothpick and it should come out clean). If it doesn't, keep it for some more time. Once done, let it stay in the heat for 5 minutes.

Frosting :

1. Heat the cocoa powder for a few seconds and add to it, icing sugar and milk.
2. Stir for a few minutes in the heat, till a creamy consistency is obtained.

Now apply this frosting on the cupcakes and enjoy :-)

You can use vinegar instead of citric acid, But you'll have to add the 1 cup water mentioned in the recipe.

Crunchy Delights



Ingredients :

For the crust :

1. Plain Flour/Maida - 1 cup
2. Vegetable Oil - 3.5 tbsp. + 1 tsp.
3. Cold Water - 2 tbsp.
4. Sugar - 3 tsp.

For the filling :

1. Cocoa powder - 3 tsp.
2. Milk - 1/4 cup + 1 cup
3. Sugar - 5 tbsp.
4. Biscuits(I used Krack-Jack) - 1 packet(medium sized)
5. Plain Flour - 1/4 cup
6. Wheat Flour - 1/4 cup

Method :

For the crust :

1. Mix the flour,sugar and salt and then add oil, 1 tbsp. at a time.
2. Then add the water and form a dough using the remaining oil.
3. Keep it in the freezer for 40-45 minutes.
4. Then take it out, and form thin shapes out of it.
5. Bake them for 10 minutes at 200 degree celcius(Greasing is not required as they come off easily). The temperature and time may vary depending on the oven.
6. The crusts should not be too hard. They'll become crispy after some time.

For the filling :

1. Powder the biscuits with your hand. A fine powder is not required.
2. Mix the cocoa powder and sugar in 1/4 cup milk. Keep aside.
3. Roast the flours together in a pan till the rawness of the wheat goes and the mixture turns light brown. Add the biscuit powder to this.
4. Then in a separate pan, heat the cocoa mixture and let it come to a boil. Boil it for a 10-20 seconds, keep stirring. Reduce the flame.
5. Add the flour mixture and 1 cup milk to the cocoa mixture.
5. Cook the mixture for around 5-8 minutes, till it becomes slightly hard and leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Then make shapes out of the mixture and roll them first in the sugar and then in the biscuit powder.

Take one crust and put the mixture on it and cover it with another crust. You can roll the mixture in sugar(granulated) and then keep it on the crust.

Enjoy your Crunchy Delight and do let me know how it turns out :-)

Now when I thought of the recipe, I had planned to make something hard out of the cocoa mixture but since it came out soft, I thought of making something like cream biscuits. If you know how to make a hard mixture using the same ingredients, please let me know :-)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Cinnamon Cookies

Ingredients :

1. Whole Wheat Flour – ¾ cup

2. Corn flour/Maida (plain flour) – ½ cup

3. Sugar – ½ cup

4. Milk – to knead

5. Cinnamon – 2 one inch pieces

6. Butter – 1 and a half to 2 tablespoon

7. Cocoa Powder – ½ teaspoon

Method:

1. Powder the sugar and mix it well with the butter with a spoon.

2. Powder the cinnamon pieces.

3. Mix whole wheat flour, corn flour/plain flour, cocoa powder and the powdered cinnamon.

4. Roast this mixture for a while, around 5 minutes. Make sure that it does not burn.

5. Turn off the stove and add the sugar-butter mixture to the flour mixture.

6. Knead the mixture into a smooth soft dough, using milk if needed.

7. Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius for 3 minutes.

8. Line the baking tray with parchment paper, or just grease it with butter.

9. Make slightly flat balls out of the dough, and place them on the tray.

10.Bake the cookies at 180 degree Celsius for 8 minutes.

11.Let the cookies stay in the oven for a few minutes, say 5 minutes.

12.Take them out. They’ll be very soft, so let them cool down.

Once they cool down, they’re ready to be eaten.

Enjoy and do let me know how they come out J

Banana Cake


Ingredients :

1. Plain Flour/Maida - 2 cups
2. Pureed Bananas(small) - 1 and a half
3. Butter - 1 cup
4. Egg - 1
5. Powdered Sugar - 3/4 cup
6. Nutmeg Powder - a pinch
7. Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp.

Method :

1. Stir the butter till it becomes creamy.
2. Add sugar to it and mix well.
3. To this, add the pureed bananas and the egg..
4. Separately, sieve maida and add baking powder to it.
5. Add this to the butter mixture, part by part, not all at once.
6. Mix well. You'll have to mix for a long time, as the batter should be of a ribbon consistency, i.e., when you hold the spoon in a slanting position, the batter should fall down like a ribbon.
9. You may add milk to achieve this semi-solid consistency.
10. Grease the cake pan with butter, pour the batter into it and bake for 10 mins. at 180 degree Celcius.
11. Do not take it out immediately. Take it out after 5 mins.
12. Insert a tooth pick into it, it should come out clean.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Cabbage Crunchy




Ingredients:

1. Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
2. Corn Flour - 1/2 cup
3. Cabbage - 3/4 cup
4. Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp.
5. Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp.
6. Salt

Method:

1. Make a soft dough out of the flours, 1 tsp. red chilli powder, salt and water.
2. Now, in a pan, add 1 tsp. oil and add the chopped cabbage to it and fry till cooked.
3. Add the garam masala powder and salt to it. Stir fry for a few mins.
4. Now make balls out of the dough, and flatten them using a rolling pin.
5. Cut the circle into two halves, keep the cabbage mixture in the centre of each half , and fold in whatever shape you like!
6. Pre heat the oven at 180 degree celcius for 5 mins.
7. Bake the crunchies at 180 degree celcius for 20 mins. or until they're brown and slightly hard.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Semolina Cornflour Sweet Bread


Ingredients :

1. Semolina/Rava - 2 cups
2. Cornflour - 1 cup
3. Powdered Sugar - 1 cup
4. Yeast - 1 tbsp.
5. Water - 1/4 cup
6. Oil - 1/4 cup
7. Salt - 1 tsp.

Method:
1. Add the yeast and sugar to warm water and let it rest for 5 minutes.
2. Make a soft smooth dough using semolina, cornflour, sugar, oil, salt and the above mixture.
3. Apply little oil on the dough and let it rest for around 2 hrs so that it doubles in size.
4. Now shape it in the form of a bread or place it in a loaf pan if u have one, otherwise place it in a baking tray like I did.
5. Since the temperature and duration entirely depend on the oven, I would say, bake at 180 degree celcius until the bread turns golden brown.
6. Perform the toothpick test - Insert a toothpick, it must come out clean.
7. Dust the bread with powdered sugar.

Palak Paneer


Ingredients:

1. Spinach - 1 bunch
2. Green Chillies - 2
3. Turmeric Powder(Haldi) - 1/4 tsp.
4. Medium Sized Onions - 2
5. Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp.
6. Cumin Seeds(jeera) - 1/2 tsp.
5. Medium sized tomatoes - 2
7. Corriander Powder - 1 tbsp.
8. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
9. Black Cardamom(badi elaichi) - 2
10.Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp.
11.Bayleaf(tejpatta) - 1
12.Paneer(Cottage Cheese) - 250g
13.Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp.
13.Salt

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash the spinach leaves after removing the stems.
2. Chop the green chillies and boil them with turmeric powder and the spinach leaves for 8-10 minutes. Don't let the leaves turn black.
3. Cut the onions and tomatoes.
4. Add little oil in the kadhai(frying vessel), add cumin seeds,cinnamon and ginger-garlic paste and corriander powder.
5. Add the onions and fry till they turn light brown. Then add the tomatoes and continue frying for a few minutes.
6. Let the mixture cool and then grind together this mixture and the boiled spinach.
7. Then transfer this into the kadhai and add some water to make a thick gravy.
8. Add black cardamom, red chilli powder, bayleaf, garam masala powder and paneer and let the mixture boil.
9. Once it boils, let it get cooked on simmer for a few minutes.

Your dish is ready :-) Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Fruit Squares


Ingredients:

1. Plain Flour(Maida) - 1 cup
2. Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp.
3. Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp.
4. Sugar - 3/4 cup
5. Water - lesser than 1/2 cup
6. Pureed cheeku(suppota) - 3
7. Butter - slightly lesser than 1/2 cup
8. Brown Sugar - 1/4 cup
9. Egg - 1

Method:

1. Mix thoroughly the butter and brown sugar.
2. Make sugar syrup by boiling the sugar and water and once it starts getting thick, reduce the heat and continue stirring till you get a thick sugar syrup.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder.
4. In a pan/vessel, add the butter mixture and the sugar syrup. Slowly add flour to it and heat this mixture for a few minutes.
5. Turn off the gas. In a separate vessel, add the egg and beat it properly.
6. Add this to the mixture and stir well.No need to heat it.
7. Pre-heat the oven for 3-5 minutes. Pour the mixture to a greased baking container.
8. Bake the mixture at 180 degree celcius for 15 minutes.
9. Once done, let it remain in the oven for a few minutes. Then take it out and insert a tooth pick. It should come out clean. Otherwise, bake it for a few more minutes on a lower temperature.
10.Cut it into squares and serve hot.

Kids will love it :)

Variation : You can replace suppota with pureed mango or pureed banana.
You can combine whipped cream and icing sugar, or heat butter, icing sugar and flour, to prepare the frosting and spread evenly on the squares.