"Quick Icecream Sandesh"

The month of August is arriving bringing in a  host of beautiful festivals. 

I decided to give my oven a little break and share some quick mouthwatering indian sweet recipes that will enchant you and your families during these celebrations.

These are easy to make with simple ingredients that are available at home and absolutely fantastic to taste.

The first recipe is called Icecream Sandesh. A healthy and yummy light sliced pudding recipe. 

Hope these recipes add an extra dash of sweetness to your festive celebrations. 

"Quick Icecream Sandesh"

Ingredients:

2 cups of fresh cottage cheese / paneer

4 tsp of sugar ( powdered)

2 tsp of vanilla essence

1 tbsp butter

dry fruits for garnish

Preparation:

•  Blend the cottage cheese with sugar and vanilla essence in a blender. 
• Grease a microwave oven container with the butter and put the mixture into it.Flatten it to form a smooth layer
• Microwave for 8 mins at 100% power
• If you dont want to use a microwave then you can steam it in a steamer or in a pressure cooker.
• Once its cooled down, put it in the refrigerator for two hours
• Cut it into pieces ( square or diamond) , decorate with rose petals or fry fruits
• Serve chilled

"Jawbreaker Cookies"

"Cookies baking in the kitchen

The smell floats through the air

She is baking Cookies

with her usual merry flair"

I have dedicated this week to cookies and would like to share another recipe today. 

These Jawbreaker cookies are delicious and crunchy. They are usually made on Easter at my place & goes well with coffee or icecream.

Hope you all like this recipe. Enjoy the cookies and do send your feedback.

Happy Baking !!!!

"Jawbreaker Cookies"

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup superfine caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

1 egg,seperated

3/4 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup black currants

1 tbsp mixed chopped candied peel (optional)

1-2 tbsp milk

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven at 200*C for 10 mins before baking
• Lightly grease two baking sheets with little oil and flour and keep aside
• Cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy, then add and beat in the egg yolk.
• Sift the flour,cinnamon in the above mixture and fold in the currants and candied peel.
• Add sufficient milk to make it in a fairly soft dough.
• Turn the dough on a floured surface from the bowl,knead lightly until just smooth
• Roll it with a rolling pin to about 1/4th inch in thickness.
• Cut the dough in circles using a cookie cutter.
• Transfer the circles to the baking sheets and bake for 10 mins
• Beat the egg white,then brush over the hot cookies. Sprinkle with caster sugar and return to bake in the oven for another 10-15 mins until golden and firm.
• Using a metal spatula transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
• You can store them in an air tight container for days. 
• Serve as a snack with tea or coffee or make it a dessert combination with Butter Scotch/ Chocolate Ice Cream.

"Butter Cookies"

The smell of baking cookies, the smile on your face.

Your little hands reaching, “eat dough” they say.

You reach for the spoon, you take a bite,

your face is covered in chocolate and delight.

The timer rings, you jump and run,

little hands clapping, for such a sweet treat.

The time has come, your hand reaches out,

oh, the delight of sweet cookies and milk.

I simply adore cookies and biscuits.They are a saviour for your sudden hunger pangs and sugar cravings.

A batch of fresh homemade cookies with a cup of tea or milk are a delight. You can make a big batch of these cookies and store them in an airtight container for weeks ( if any left to store for that long).

This recipe is of simple Butter Cookies that can be made easily at home.

Do try this recipe and share your feedbacks and experiences. My blog will get more richer with your feedback and comments. Keep Baking :)

"Butter Cookies"

Ingredients:

150gms butter

200gms caster sugar

1/4tsp vanilla essence

1 small egg, beaten

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

grated rind of 1 lemon

15gm almonds ( grounded)

150 gms plain flour
Dark chocolate or chocolate chips

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven at 190*C for 10 mins before baking
• Lightly oil 2 baking sheets and keep aside
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl.Add vanilla essence and mix
• When light and fluffy beat in the egg with the cinnamon,lemon rind and ground almonds.
• Sit in the flour and make a firm dough by mixing all the ingredients together.
• Knead lightly on a floured surface until smooth and free from cracks.
• Shape the dough into two blocks and wrap in cling film or butter paper and chill for atleast 2 hours
• Roll the dough with a rolling pin and cut into cookie shapes of about 1/4th inch thickness.
• Place on baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 mins or until firm and browned.
• Remove from the oven,cool on a wire rack.
• When completely cold, you can decorate them by piping melted dark chocolate or putting chocolate chips with the help of melted chocolate. 
• Store in an airtight container once cooled. 

"Chocolate Muffin"

I know a little Cupboard

       With a teeny tiny key,

And there’s a jar of Lollypops

    For me, me, me. 

It has a little shelf, my dear,

    As dark as dark can be,

And there’s a dish of Banbury Cakes

    For me, me, me.

I have a small fat grandmamma,

    With a very slippery knee,

And she’s Keeper of the Cupboard,

    With a key, key, key.

And when I’m very good, my dear,

    As good as good can be,

There’s Chocolate Cup Cakes, and Lollypops

    For me, me, me.

-- A Cute Dessert Poem by Walter De La Mare

I love this poem and it reminds me of cute muffins & cupcakes with a big cup of tea. 

Today I am going to share a simple recipe of Chocolate Muffin. I have used walnuts as a combination but you can try it with any other dry fruit or candy. 

"Chocolate Muffins"

Ingredients:

50gm self raising flour

25 gms cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

75gms butter, softened

75 gms brown sugar / caster sugar

1 medium egg, beaten

1 tbsp milk

Few chopped walnuts or any other dry nut chopped

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 190*C for ten mins before baking
• Sift the flour,cocoa powder and baking powder in a bowl
• Add the butter, sugar,egg and milk. Beat for 2-3 mins or until light and fluffy
• Add nuts and mix well.
• Pour the mixture in muffin or cupcake moulds and arrange on a baking tray. 
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and firm to touch.
• Leave them in the moulds for few minutes to cool down completely.
• Unmould and serve warm

"Sunday Lemony Pudding"

Sunday is a special day. The whole week passes by with a lot of hard work and routined chores & then is the arrival of this amazing day.

I cannot imagine life without Sunday. The whole atmosphere changes and the world comes to a standstill. 

This day is about enjoying and relaxing your body and senses. Its about good food and celebration before starting a new week again.

In my house each Sunday has to be special when it comes to food . So this time I tried using lemons and sweet lime to make a nice Citrus Sunday pudding.

Make your Sunday special with this tasty treat & do post your comments or feedback. 

"Sunday Lemony Pudding"

Ingredients:

Butter 50gms

Caster sugar 200gms

zest 1 lemon

zest 1 sweet lime

lemon juice 25 ml

sweet lime juice 50 ml

eggs 3 , seperated

plain flour 50 gms

milk 250 ml

Preparation:

•  Heat oven at 180*C for 15 minutes before baking.
• Beat butter, sugar, lemon and lime zest together till smooth
• Add juices, egg yolks, flour and milk one by one to make a smooth batter.
• Whisk the egg whites with a beater until firm and fold into the batter
• Pour the batter into 4 ovenproof pudding bowls or moulds and put in a baking tray half filled with warm water
• Bake for 35-40 mins till the top crust is browned and the pudding is set.
• Serve warm or cold with or without cream
• You can dust some icing sugar on top before serving

Note : The pudding will have gooey lemoncurd on the inside so dont take it for being uncooked. If you like less tangy or citrus flavour then you reduce the lemon juice or only use the sweet lime juice.

"Shepherd's Pie"

The old rustic countryside has its own charm. The untouched beauty of the old wooden houses, vast fields, water streams and aroma in the air connects to your heart & soul.
The clay ovens and the open barbeque makes you go weak in your knees as you desire to take a bite of all those beautiful dishes.Its a proven fact that you eat more merrily and heartily at such places without sacrificing your health.
Keeping the purity of countryside in mind and getting back to the old classic recipes, I would like to share Shepherd's Pie with all of you.

Shepherd's Pie is an absolute stunning dish which has the richness of meat and the mushiness of the soft potatoes. 

Relax and unwind with this country dish this weekend and do share your thoughts & feedback.

"Shepherd's Pie"

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable or olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk , chopped ( optional)

Thyme or coriander leaves - chopped

300 gms lamb or mutton mince

1/2 cup tomatoe puree

salt to taste

1 tsp black pepper powder

500 gms potatoes 

25 gms butter

6 tsp milk

chopped parsley ( you can replace it with coriander)

fresh herbs, to garnish ( you can the use the italian seasoning mix)

Grated cheese 

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven at 200*C for about 15 mins before cooking. 
• Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions, carrot and celery. Cook over a medium heat for 8-10 mins until softened and starting to brown.
• Add the thyme/coriander and cook for a min. Add lamb and tomatoe puree. Mix well.
• Season with salt and pepper and let it cook for about 20-25 mins till the lamb is perfectly cooked and dried.
• Remove from heat and keep aside
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender. Peel and let them dry out. 
• In a bowl, mash them till creamy, adding milk, butter ,parsley/coriander.
• Season with salt,pepper and italian seasoning mix as per your taste
• Transfer the mince mixture to a shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon the mash potatoes over the filling and spread evenly to cover completely. 
• Fork the surface, place on a baking sheet, then cook in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the potatoe topping is browned and the filling is piping hot.
• Garnish with herbs, seasoning or cheese and serve.

        

"Eclairs Tart"

"You never forget a beautiful thing that you have eaten or made, cause'

Even after you eat it, it stays with you - always"

Our love for Eclairs pastry has grown with every year passing by. This is one sweet treat which has never missed the shelf of a good bakery. The chocolaty crust with the creamy filling provides contentment to your heart and soul with every bite.

So this one is my take on Eclairs with a twist.

Using the remaining pastry dough from the Spinach & cheese quiche I prepared this tart.
Keeping the originality of the choco crust & flavorsome creamy filling, the tart has its own unique flavors to offer you.

So do try this recipe & Enjoy the Dreamy Eclairs Experience !!!!

"Eclairs Tart"

Ingredients:

1 recipe pastry dough - refer to the pastry recipe in Spinach & Cheese Quiche post

For Cream Filling:

100 gms cream cheese

2 tsp sweet lime juice

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp rind of lemon

1 tsp rind of sweet lime

4-5 tsp sugar - powdered ( you can adjust the sugar as per taste)

For Chocolate Crust:

1 bar plain dark chocolate

3 tsp butter - softened

3-4 tsp sugar - powdered

3 tsp strong black coffee

4-5 drops vanilla essence (optional)

Preparation:

• Roll the pastry dough on a floured surface and with the help of a rolling pin layer it on the pie or tart mould. 
• Press the sides and cut out the remaining dough. Refrigerate it for 30 mins
• Heat the oven at 180*C for 10 mins. Prick the pastry dough with a fork. 
• Cover it with a baking sheer/ butter paper and fill it with beans to add weight & blind bake it for 15 mins.
• Remove the paper and beans and bake the pastry for another 20 mins till its brown and firm all over.
• Kee aside to cool . 
• In a bowl, whip the cream cheese till smooth , add sugar, lemon juice, sweet lime juice and rinds. Mix well.
• Pour it in the pastry case and let it chill for 30 mins.
• Melt chocolate in microwave or on a double boiler and let it cool
• Whip butter and sugar seperately till it becomes soft and of a smooth consistency
• Add cooled chocolate in the butter and mix well. Add black coffee and vanilla essence and mix it properly. 
• Pour over the cooled pastry and keep it back in the refrigerator for 30 mins till chocolate is firm and set.
• Before serving dust a little icing sugar on top.
• Slice & serve.

Note : If you dont like tangy or fruity flavours then you can ignore the lemon or lime juice in this recipe.

"Spinach & Cheese Quiche"

Monsoon has finally arrived and so has the tastebuds .
Raindrops, cool wind, dark clouds and a lazy day ... The only thing that makes this day complete and enjoyable is a good snack and coffee.
Today's recipe is for the rainy weekends when you want to cuddle up at home enjoying a warm,mushy snack in front of your television watching your fav show.
Quiche or Pa^te Brise'e, as it is called in French, is one of the most beautiful and appreciated snacks all over.It goes perfectly well with coffee or hot chocolate and can be eaten at any time.You can use any filling as per your choice and taste. It can be made as a savoury or sweet snack.
Today I am sharing the recipe for a Spinach and Cheese Quiche.
Do try it and share your feedback and experiences. Enjoy the monsoon & keep baking !!!

"Spinach & Cheese Quiche"

Ingredients:

For Pastry:

Flour 300 gms plus extra for dusting

Butter 150 gms ,cubed and chilled plus extra for greasing the mould

Eggs 2 

Cold Water 3 tsp

For Filling :

cream 250ml ( you can replace 1/2 of the cream with milk to make it lighter)

eggs 2

salt as per taste

black pepper 1/2 tsp

nutmeg grated ( optional)

Spinach 1 bunch

cheese 150 gms ( goats cheese or cheddar cheese)

processed cheese 50 gms , grated

Italian Seasoning - optional

Preparation:

• To make the pastry dough, put flour into a big bowl. Rub in cold butter with your fingers till it resembles breadcrumbs. 

• Add eggs and mix well. Add iced water and knead in a soft dough.

• Add a little flour if it gets too sticky while kneading. Make it like a round ball and wrap it with a clingfilm.

• Refrigerate it for two hours.

• Rub butter on pie mould and dust with flour. Keep in the fridge to chill.

• Dust rolling area with a little flour and roll out the chilled dough with a rolling pin till it is around 2 inches bigger than the pie mould.

• With the help of the rolling pin, life it gently and place it on the pie mould to cover the entire base and sides. 

• Press the sides of the mould with the dough and cut out the remaining dough ( you can make small pastries with the the remaining dough later)

• Chill the pie again for 10 mins in the fridge

• Heat the oven at 180*C. Prick holes in the pie dough with a fork,line with baking paper and put kidney beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. ( if you don't have baking sheet then just prick it properly with a fork and bake)

• Remove paper and beans and bake it further for 5 mins. ( At this stage you can brush the pastry with egg wash before baking it again)

• Blanch the spinach, squeeze out the water and finely chop it.

• To make the filling,mix eggs,cream,processed cheese,salt,nutmeg & Italian seasoning in a bowl.

• Line the pastry with the spinach and pour the egg mixture.

• Put cheese on top and bake for 25-30 mins at 180*C till the quiche is firm and fully brown on the sides.

• Cut slices and serve

Note: You can try making the quiche with onions, mixed veggies, ham & cheese, etc. I like to decorate this quiche with crusty fried ham pieces for an added taste. 

"Lamb & Pasta Pie"

" The first law of Pies -- No Pastry, No Pies"

Lets give a break to our sweet tooth for a while and indulge in some Savoury baked dishes. 

Puffs,Pies,Tarts, whatever it may be, all these baked savoury dishes are absolutely mouthwatering.

Today's recipe is of Lamb/Mutton mince and pasta. So if you are a non vegetarian and love to indulge in mince dishes then you're in for a great treat.

For vegetarians, just replace mutton mince with any vegetables of your choice. The recipe remains standard but the filling can be changed as per your choice and taste. 

Remember there is no right or wrong about cooking a dish. Its your mind and technique which makes it special.

Enjoy this recipe and do post your feedback. 

Keep watching this space for a lot of more savoury dishes this week.. 

"Lamb & Pasta Pie"

Ingredients : 

400 gms plain white flour

200 gms margarine or butter

( you can replace 100 gms of butter with white vegetable fat if available)

pinch of salt

1 egg - seperated

50 gms butter

50 gms flour

450 ml milk

salt and black pepper

225 gms macaroni

50 gms cheddar cheese

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion - chopped

1 garlic clove- crushed

2 celery sticks - chopped

450 gms lamb/mutton/chicken mince

1 tbsp tomatoe paste

400 gms chopped tomatoes

Preparation:

         

For the Pastry :

• Preheat the oven to 190*C for ten minutes before cooking
• Lightly oil a round spring foam cake tin.
• Add flour,200 gms of butter/margarine and salt in a bowl and mix with hands
• Add cold water and knead it in a pliable dough
• Roll out 2/3rd dough to line the base and sides of the tin.
• Brush with egg whites and keep aside.

For the Pasta :

• Melt 50 gms of butter in pan, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk and stir well to avoid and lumps and cook till it becomes like a thick white sauce
• Season with salt and pepper and keep aside
• Boil a large vessel with water and salt and add macaroni and cook according to the instructions on the packet or until al dente.
• Drain and add it to the white sauce with the grated cheese.

For the mince filling :

• Heat oil in a pan, add onions, garlic,celery and lamb mince and cook for 10-15 minutes till the meat is properly cooked.
• Add salt, pepper, tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and cook further for more 10 mins. Cool slightly.

Arranging the pie :

• Place half the pasta mixture, then all the lamb mince mixture in the pasty lined tin.
• Top with a layer of pasta.
• Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out a lid.
• Brush the edge with water,place over the filling and pinch the edges of the pastry together.
• Use trimmings to decorate the top of the pie in different shapes.
• Brush the pie with the beaten egg yolk and bake in the pre heated oven for 50-60 mins,till its equally cooked and turns brown.
• Let is cool for 15 minutes before turning out.
• Cut slices and serve

Note : Vegetarians - you need to only replace the mince filling section with a mix of sauted vegetables . My suggestion is to use sauteed spinach,cottage cheese,peas,cabbage and capsicum. 

"Luscious Mango Cake"

In keeping with the mango season, here's another recipe i tried this weekend & it was absolutely divine. 

Vanilla cake can be frosted with practically anything and everything.You can run your imagination wild with the things available & create a super dessert for any occassion or day. So this time I decided to make complete use of mangoes and chocolate to create this dessert.

I hope you liked my previous mango recipes and would love to try this one too.

For cake sponge please refer to my "Eggless Tea Cake" or "Britannia Fruit Cake" recipe. Else you can make any of your favourite plain vanilla sponge cake recipes.

Enjoy this delicious dessert & do post your feedback. 

"Luscious Mango Cake"

Ingredients :

8" vanilla sponge cake 

250 gms cottage cheese or cream cheese

2 mangoes - ripe ( small)

4 tsp thick curd

3/4 cup castor sugar

1/2 cup thick cream

1 bar chocolate - optional

2 tsp chocolate powder or cocoa powder

mango or cherries for decoration

Preparation :

• Grease a cake mould with little butter or line it with cling film to set the cake pudding
• Blend cottage cheese or cream cheese with mango pieces in a blender till smooth 
• Add curd and sugar and blend again till it becomes smooth and silky
• Whip cream in a seperate bowl till light and fluffy. Fold this into the mango mixture gently to avoid incorporating any air or bubbles
• Cut the sponge cake into two halves.
• Put one layer in the bottom of the tin and pour half of the mango batter to form an even layer
• Place the second piece of cake on top and pour the remaining mango mix. 
• Decorate it with chocolate pieces, mango pieces and cherries
• Dust the cake with chocolate powder
• Freeze it for 2-3 hours till firm and set
• Unmould it gently, cut slices and serve chilled

Note -- for decoration, you can melt chocolate and design the top of cake into various designs with the help of cookie cutters. To make mango rounds use any small round measuring spoon.

"Custard & Cookie Sundae"

"Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table"

Guests arriving for dinner tonight and you have only few hours to prepare that wonderful meal to please them. Its good to panic for a few seconds and let your mind wander about things to do but get over with it as fast as you can and start cooking ... At the end of the day what really matters is simple and good food. 

Simple dishes prepared well will please your guests more than dozens of complicated dishes. 

Today, ill share a very simple yet beautiful recipe of a custard and cookie sundae. I am sure all of you have custard powder and cookies at home. Honestly, its good to stock few flavours of both as they always come handy in these situations. So dont fret and just make this dessert once and i can guarantee your guests will leave with a big Smile :)

Time Taken : Less than 30 minutes 

"Custard & Cookie Sundae"

Ingredients : 

4 tsp vanilla custard powder

4 tsp raspberry custard powder

1 litre milk

8-9 tsp sugar 

10-12 digestive biscuits or cookies

2 tsp butter

1 bar plain or dark chocolate

For topping - sugar pearls, cherries, dry fruits

Preparation :

For Vanilla Custard : 

•  In a saucepan, heat 1/2 litre milk. 
• In a small bowl mix 4 tsp custard powder with little milk to form a smooth paste
• once the milk comes to boil, add this custard liquid and stir well to avoid any lumps.
• Add 4-5 tsp sugar and stir till it forms little thick.
• Remove from heat and let it cool

For Raspberry Custard :

• In a suacepan, heat 1/2 litre milk. 
• In a small bowl mix 4 tsp custard powder with little milk to form a smooth paste
• once the milk comes to boil, add this custard liquid and stir well to avoid any lumps.
• Add 4-5 tsp sugar and stir till it forms little thick.
• Remove from heat and let it cool

Arranging the dish :

•  Crush the cookies and mix them with butter to make a bread crumb type mixture. 
•  Grate half chocolate and mix with the cookie mix.
• Take any square or round glasses or bowls of your choice
• Make a bottom layer with cookie mix.
• Pour a layer of vanilla custard 
• Pour a layer of raspberry custard
• Pour another layer of vanilla custard
• Spread little cookie mix on top
• Top it up remaining grated chocolate shavings 
• Decorate it with sugar pearls , dry fruits or cherries
• Chill for an hour and serve once set

Note :- You can try this recipe with different flavours of custard and cookies to make it look more vibrant and delicious. 

"Melting Moments Mango Icecream"

"We love Mangoes"

From the time the summer season arrived, I have been waiting for mangoes to hit the market. The taste and smell of these yellow delicacies is so amazing that you cant stop with just one. 

There are so many varied type of mangoes available everywhere with that perfect unique taste.

There are so many recipes which you can try with this kingfruit. Pies, icecreams, shakes,smoothies,salads, curries,rice,pudding,custard,tart,pastry,cake,etc etc. There seems to be no end to the list when it comes to mango.

I have already shared a mango cheese pie recipe before and hope all of you have tried and enjoyed it. Today I am sharing a rich and silken smooth Mango icecream recipe. I made this yesterday and we absolutely loved it. Usually when you make icecreams at home, they tend to get hard and icey and do not possess that smooth finish which melts in your mouth. So, I gave it a twist and I can assure you that this recipe will give you a beautiful silky smooth icecream with mango flavour in every spoon. 

Do share your experiences or feedback . Enjoy the Mango Season !!!!

 " Melting Moments Mango Icecream"

Ingredients :

2 cups milk

4 tsp milk powder/ dairy whitener

1 tsp vanilla custard powder

200 ml fresh cream / double cream

5-6 tsp sugar / 4 sachets sugarfree ( as per taste ) 

2 big ripe mangoes - pulp

honey to drizzle

pinenuts or almonds

Preparation :

• Heat milk in a saucepan. Once it comes to boil, add milk powder and sugar. Stir well
• Mix custard with 1 tsp milk in a small bowl. Add it to the boiled milk and whisk well to avoid any lumps
• Remove from the heat. Add cream and stir well. Leave it to cool for sometime
• In a blender, blend the mangoes to form a pulp. Pour little cooled milk mixture and blend well.
• Pour the remaining milk mixture in the blender and blend till it becomes smooth and thick.
• Take a icecream tin or mould and line it with cling film. 
• Pour the icecream mixture in the tin and seal it with cling film.
• Freeze for 2 hours 
• Remove from tin and blend it again in the mixer till it becomes smooth and thick
• Pour back in the tin ( lined with cling film). Seal it again with the cling film and put it back in the freezer for 4-5 hours or till set. 
• Cut slices and drizzle honey and pinenuts or almonds on top and serve

Note - cling film is used to help retain the smoothness of icecream without forming any ice or water on the top. 

"Brownie Monday"

" Can it be a mistake that STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards ????"

With time and experience I have concluded that its not. For times when mood swings are on and the temperature inside the brain is soaring high,what comes handy and soothes is Sweets ... A slice of cake, a scoop of icecream or even a cream roll helps in getting back to the normal state .... Tell me what you like to dig in when you're bored or angry .. Would love to read ur thoughts and experiences .. Please do post in your comments and lets share our experience ... 

For now, Its time to beat the Monday Blues with this Quick Brownie Recipe

"Brownie Monday"

Ingredients : 

1 cup self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 bar of plain chocolate

50 gms butter

1 cup sugar ( powdered) 

2 eggs

1 cup walnuts

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven at 180*C for ten minutes before baking
• Seive flour,salt and baking powder in a bowl. 
• Heat a double boiler ( put a pan with water on the gas and on top of it put another heat resistant bowl for whisking)
• Melt chocolate and butter in the double boiler till it becomes smooth and let it cool.
• In another bowl whip sugar and eggs together till soft and fluffy. Add the chocolate mixture when cool and keep whisking to avoid cooking the eggs
• Add flour and keep whisking till it forms a smooth batter
• Add some walnut pieces and mix well
• Grease a brownie tin/ mould with little butter and flour. 
• Pour the batter and garnish with remaining walnut pieces on top.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes till its brown on top and done when checked with knife or toothpick
• cut in square slices and serve with tea or coffee

Note -- if you dont intend to use the double boiler method then just melt the chocolate and butter in microwave for 2 mins and mix it to make a smooth paste. 

"Indulgent Recipe -- Eggless chocolate Cake"

“My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished a really big and yummy chocolate cake. I feel better already.”

Every bite of a chocolate cake is indulgent. You land up going in a state of nirvana or bliss with every mouthful of this delicious cake

Its the perfect recipe for any occassion - you name the occassion and the cake fits in .. 

Though there are numerous recipes for baking a chocolate cake, this is my take on a simple cake which has an added advantage for all vegetarians --- Its Eggless !!!!!

So for you people who love to indulge in chocolate and cant keep your eyes of a chocolate cake , please try this recipe and do post your comments and feedback .. 

Happy Baking !!!!

"Indulgent Recipe -- Eggless chocolate Cake"

Ingredients :

2 cups self raising flour

4 tsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup beaten curd

1 & 1/4 cup sugar ( powdered)

3/4 cup vegetable refined oil

1 tsp soda bi carb

a pinch of salt

8-10 drops of vanilla essence

1 cup lukewarm water

Preparation :

•  Preheat the oven at 160*C for 10 mins before baking
• Grease a baking tin with little oil and flour. You can put a baking parchment paper at the bottom if available
• In a bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, curd, sugar and oil. Mix well
• Add soda, salt, vanilla essence and water and whisk in a circular motion till a smooth batter is formed. 
• Pour the batter in the cake tin and bake in the oven at 160*C for 20-25 mins or till golden brown on top. 
• Insert a knife or toothpick to check if done
• Remove from the tin once cool. 

Note -- You can enjoy the cake just like that or glace it with chocolate icing or any other form of icing of your choice. You can also try decorating it with grated white and dark chocolate and top it up with sugar candied decoration pieces. 

Another option is to add a mix of almonds,walnuts and cashewnuts on top of the cake before baking it. 

Eggless Tea Cake

" Vegetarian Cakes . I am sure you know what I am talking about.... Cakes without eggs. So how many of you have gone through the process of hunting for eggless cakes & landed up picking the only one option from the counter shelf. It can be difficult but its not impossible.

My mother used to always bake cakes without eggs. Infact my whole family has been doing that since i was a kid. Well ofcourse i belonged to the vegetarian lot wherein eggs were not supposed to be cooked at home. So the tradition of eating eggless cakes goes back to the time when the oven was invented. Still the taste and the aroma of that cake used to be so inviting that you cant help yourself from taking another bite. 

So today I am sharing a recipe of an Eggless Tea Cake which is rich and indulgent. This is dedicated to my mum for making those delicious cakes in the small round oven which looked like a spaceship having some sci-fi features.

Do try this recipe & enjoy it ... Would love to know your feedback & comments !!!! 

"Eggless Tea Cake"

Ingredients:

1 cup self raising flour

1/2 cup sugar ( powdered)

1&1/2 cup milk powder

1&3/4 cup Malai or thick cream

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence/extract

3-4 tsp custard powder

1/2 cup curd

1 tsp soda bi carb

Nuts & Cherries 

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven at 180*C for ten minutes before baking and grease a cake tin with oil and flour
• In a small bowl mix curd and soda bi card and leave it to ferment for few mins
• In another big bowl, add flour,sugar,milk powder, custard powder and baking powder . Mix well
• Add cream to the dry mixture and whisk well
• Add vanilla essence, curd and keep mixing till it forms a smooth batter of a pouring consistency.
• Add nuts or cherries 
• Pour in the greased cake tin and bake in the pre heated oven at 180*C for 25 -30 mins or till its golden brown in colour. Check by inserting a knife or toothpick ( if dry the cake is ready)
• Remove the oven and cool before removing from the tin.
• Slice and serve with tea or coffee.

Britannia Fruit Cake

When I think of Fruit Cake the first picture that comes to my mind is of Britannia slice cake. There was a particular taste and smell of that cake that one can easily remember and relate to. The only thing that was not unique was the dryness of the cake. Its not as moist as a normal tea cake is supposed to be so you need to gulp it  down with a sip of tea or coffee. 

So I decided to make a fruit cake which is moist and can be eaten with or without a cup of tea or coffee. 

You can add any types of dryfruits or candies fruits of your choice to make this cake more colourful and tempting. I have named it Britannia Fruit Cake to relish our childhood memories. 

"Britannia Fruit Cake"

Ingredients:

1/2 tin milkmaid

140 gms self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda bi carb

2 tsp vanilla essence / extract

40 gms white/unsalted butter

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/2 cup tutti frutti / glaced cherries/ mixed dryfruits

Preparation:

•   Preheat the oven at 160*C for ten minutes before baking
•   Sieve flour, baking powder and soda bi carb together and keep aside
•   In a mixing bowl pour milkmaid, add butter, vanilla essence and mix 
•   Add maida and keep mixing gently 
•   Add Add water and mix it till its of a smooth batter consistency
•   Add all the dry fruits or tutti frutti and mix .
•   Grease a round or square tin with butter or oil and dust it lightly with little flour
•   Bake in the preheated oven for around 20 minutes or till its golden brown and risen. Check with a  toothpick or knife if done. ( If it comes out dry then the cake is done) 
•  Remove from the oven and let it cool. Unmould it gently and slice and serve
•  You can decorate the cake with royal or fudge icing before slicing it. 

Note -- you can try another variation by replacing water with Thumsup or Coke and get a new flavoured fruitcake.

Shortbread Chocolate Cookies

Cookies !!! Tell me who doesnt like eating cookies .. I know there is a lot of fitness quotient behind that dont eat that cookie , it will make you fat and blah blah . But can you resist the temptation of munching on that chocolate cookie . Imagine nowadays we have places like cookieman to visit and buy aromatic cookies. You go to the supermarket and the shelves are filled with the packaged assortment of varied types of fruits flavoured and nutty and whatnot cookies. So I call it absolute injustice if you dont eat a cookie. To bake a cookie is not difficult. You have to just get a little patience and and do wonders with your hands when crafting or making a cookie. What I suggest is playing a nice audio cd and distracting yourself away from all the other things and get ready to make cookies. 

"Shortbread Chocolate Cookies"

Ingredients: Makes around 12 to 15

125 gms self raising flour

125 gms plain butter, softened

25 gms unsalted butter or white vegetable fat

50 gms granulated sugar

25 gms cornflour

5 tbsp cocoa powder

125 gms icing sugar

one packet gems or glaced cherries

Preparation :

•  Preheat the oven to 150*C for ten minutes before baking. Lightly brush two baking sheets with oil.
• Sift the flour in a large bowl , cut half the plain butter and the unsalted butter/fat into small cubes. 
• Add the butter cubes to the flour and using your fingertips, rub it in the mixture until it resembles like fine breadcrumbs
• Add the sugar, cornflour and 4 tbsp cocoa powder and knead the mixture to make a soft and pliable dough
• Place on a lightly floured surface and shape it in 12-15 small round balls. Place on the baking sheet and maintain gaps of atleast 2 inch between them.
• Press each one with a clean thumb to make a dent
• Bake it in the oven for 20-25 mins or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave for few minutes to cool
• Transfer to a wire rack when cool for the icing
• Sift the icing sugar and the remaining cocoa powder in a bowl and add the remaining soft butter. Blend to form a smooth icing with 1-2 tsp of hot water.
• Spread a little icing over the top of each cookie and place half cherry or gems .
• Leave until set before serving
• Store in an airtight container when set. 

    Note - you can opt for any icing and decorative methods to make the cookies look more attractive.

Lemon Cheese Frosted Pie

Who says that cheese is only for Italian cuisine. Cheese for me is sinful indulgence just like a bar of chocolate. Imagine having a soft and tender cheese cube which melts in your mouth and makes your brain go numb for seconds . 

Let's just say that we cant live with or without cheese.So lets talk about a recipe which makes you indulge in abundance of cheese and still very light on your palate. I have made this recipe with Mascarpone cheese but if you like then you can replace it with cottage cheese or cream cheese. The taste will still be delectable.  

Another interesting addition to this dish is lemon. Imagine lemons in desserts. I could not even think about putting them few years back but now as the theme is about using anything & everything we land up using the whole lemon. Hope you all find this recipe interesting and try it for the weekend lunch. Do post your comments and feedback.

"Lemon Cheese Frosted Pie"

Ingredients :

• 1and 1/2 cup digestive biscuit crumbs 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 250 gms mascarpone cheese / cream cheese/ cottage cheese
• 4 tsp thick curd
• 3/4 cup castor sugar ( you can put one cup if you like it more sweet) - powdered
• 1/2 cup fresh cream - whipped
• 2 lemons ( small)

Preparation:

•  Grease a tart or pie tin. Mix the biscuit crumbs and unsalted butter in a bowl and make a rough dough like mixture which can be pressed with hands. 
• Press the mixture at the bottom of the tin to form base. Chill it in the refrigerator until firm.
• In a blender, add cheese, curd,sugar, cream and the juice of lemons.
• Blend till its smooth and of of liquid consistency.
• Pour on top of the biscuit base which has been set and firm after chilling
• Decorate the pie with lemon rind to add a dash of yellow and green colour on top.
• Chill the pie in the refrigerator for few hours until firm. 
• Unmould it gently ( its always better to make it removable pie tins or sponge foam tins to avoid breakage)
• Serve chilled.

    Note : you can replace lemon with sweet lime or orange if you want to try out more options.

Mushy Sugar Cookies

"Mushy Sugar Cookies"

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract / essence

Preparation:

• Whisk flour,salt and soda together.
• In a mixer, beat butter and sugar for  mins. Add eggs, vanilla extract and whip well
• Add flour mixture and and keep mixing till it forms a firm dough
• Divide in two halves. Wrap in cling wrap and chill for an hour.
• Preheat oven to 177*C
• Take two baking sheets and grease them. 
• On a floured surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 1cm. Keep turning so that it doesnt stick
• Cut cookies in varied designs with the cookie cutters.
• Place them on the baking sheet and chill them for 15 minutes.
• Remove from fridge and bake it for 8-10 minutes ( edges start to brown)
• Remove and cool on a wire rack.

For the Icing :

Ingredients : 

2 egg whites

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups icing sugar ( sifted well)

Food colour

Method: 

• In a mixer,beat egg whites and lemon juice.
• Add the icing sugar. Beat on low speed till smooth. 
• Add more sugar or water to take a piping consistency
• Add food colour of your choice and mix well
• You can pipe these on the cookies or just cover the whole cookie top as per the designs you want to create
• Let the cookies icing dry completely before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

B&W Chequered Biscuits

"B&W Chequered Biscuits"

Ingredients: Will make around 20 cookies

150 gm butter

75 gm icing sugar

pinch of salt

200 gm plain flour

25 gm cocoa powder

1 small egg white

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 190*C for ten minutes before baking.
• Lightly oil 3-4 baking trays or sheets
• Place the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk till light and fluffy
• Add salt and gradually add flour and keep mixing. Make a firm dough.
• Cut the dough in half. In half dough and knead it with cocoa powder. 
• Wrap both the portions of dough seperately in clingfilm and chill for 2 hours
• Divide each dough into 3 portions. Roll out the portions into long roll and arrange these rolls on top of each other to form a chequeboard design, sealing them with egg white.
• Wrap again in clingfilm and chill for an hour
• Cut the dough rolls into 1/4 inch thick slices so that when you turn them they resembles chequered cookies. Bake for 10-15 minutes. 
• Serve when cool. Store in an air tight container.