Honeyed Pandemonium

Roasted Banana Bread

2017-05-06T14:46:00.000+05:30

I've a writers block. Have had one since a week...I have absolutely no idea how to blog anymore. Not that I ever did consistently blog, but something is just amiss right now. To be honest, I haven't written a thing since I left my job with the hope and drive to start something new.

If you really know me, you know that the enthusiasm to jump into something new faded out within a week and a lot of anxiety and insecurity took over. Like, ruinous amounts of it. I basically turned to food for comfort and have been toying with the idea of getting back to the blog ever since. I've been thinking and thinking about which recipe I should share and what I'd write along with it. The writing part continues to evade me; even as I type this. But, I've got the recipe part down. And trust me, it's a wonderful one.

Also, what do you think of the new blog? My little sister, who's studying to be a graphic designer, made the header and I absolutely love it. She's super talented and you guys should totally check out her website.

Here's Banana Bread, version 2.0.

Mocha Cupcakes

2015-05-28T02:34:00.001+05:30

It has been over a year and a half since my last post. Not much has changed. Except, I now find myself on the threshold of being a law graduate. A month from now, a piece of paper we call a mark sheet is going to pull me out of my current state of comfort and throw me out into the proverbial big bad world. To say I'm terrified would be an understatement. I think I know what to expect but that's not enough. I feel so unprepared, it's unnerving. Hence, I've decided to curl right back up into my comfort zone and enjoy it while it lasts.

Contrary to what one might think, the Baking Bug never left; the Procrastination Parasite, however, took over. I'm back and this time around I mean it. No, seriously! Believe me! You'll see, I promise! I'm chalking out a plan for myself, a bucket list, if you may. Things I plan to accomplish by December 2015. More on that in a later post. For now, we'll talk about these mocha cupcakes.

Granola Bars and Remembering a Dear Friend...

2013-09-29T21:24:00.000+05:30

Nivedita...Nivi. I remember her telling me to make something healthy in, if I'm not wrong, the second week of August last year. I told her I would make something for her..egg less and healthy. I wish I'd baked her something the very next day, but I didn't know then that I was running out of time..she was running out of time.

I remember her telling me that the cupcakes I baked were way better than the ones she had at Theobroma. That compliment had me smiling the entire day. We weren't the best of friends but she was someone I looked up to. There are very few people who inspire me, she is one of them. She inspired me to believe in myself, to push myself and reach out for what I deserved. I never told her any of this, never got the chance to tell her that I loved and cherished our friendship. I regret it now. But how much would have changed had she known?

Nivi, I'm sure you're in a happy place right now and I just want you to know that I miss you and whenever I think of you, it brings a smile to my face. No tears, just as you would have wanted!

I dedicate this post to Nivi's memory :)

Make your own: Almond Butter!

2013-06-09T20:07:00.000+05:30

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or, as they are lovingly called, PB&Js. Most of you all have grown up on them. Me? I didn't. I was happy with the Indian breakfast staples..poha, idli, dosa, vegetable sandwich..you get the drift. I came across peanut butter much later..in my teens almost. And I was too impressed by it. Not my kinda thing back then. But my sister?! She loved it. LOVED it. In my case, its been an acquired taste..not without added sugar though. I just cannot get myself to eat peanut butter that has no sugar in it. Oh and even after 'discovering' the loveliness that is peanut butter, I haven't tried a PB&J...there, I said it.
Coming to almond butter, its fantastic!! No no, I don't like almonds more than peanuts. I love them both, equally. And almond butter didn't taste icky at first..it tasted wonderful. Like an explosion of creamy almond-ness and the nutty aroma! It pairs really well with fruit. Also a cheese sandwich paired with this spread would be delightful!!

Caramel Custard with Sesame Seed Brittle

2013-05-20T17:02:00.001+05:30

Hello people!!
There are so many things I missed out on during these days!! My blog anniversary :'( , being recognised as a Notable Newbie on Blogadda and I never mentioned the new domain. My blog went from a 'blogspot.com' to a '.in'. Fantastic, eh? But no point crying over spilt milk. A very belated Happy Anniversary Blog!! You're nearly 1.5 years old!!
Lets talk about this fabulous Caramel Custard!! I came across this recipe on Dulce Delight, a food blog by the very innovative Raiza Costa (yes, yes, she was on Masterchef USA!). I've halved her recipe and instead of macerated strawberries, I decided to go with some brittle.

Syrian Onion Bread

2012-09-02T22:59:00.000+05:30

I've been wanting to bake bread for quite some time now. And I wanted something different and nice. Firstly, I love onions. They have this absolutely fantastic quality of caramelizing and turning sweet. Also, onions are a complete necessity with non vegetarian food, for me at least. They complete a meal. Secondly, whats not to like about bread?! Its tastes fantastic, goes well with about anything and it gives immense joy to make your own loaf. There are few things, in terms of baking/cooking, that bring more happiness than a well risen bread dough!!

The sister and I were flipping through a book by Martha Day, 'Baking' . Its a fabulous book for all baking enthusiasts. There a loads of recipes for breads and cakes and cookies and pies..you get the drift. So, the sister was like 'I wanna make this, and this and this and that'. One of the recipes she liked was this Onion bread recipe. Its looks so pretty and I am very happy with the outcome. I somehow feel it looks prettier before going into the oven. But it tastes yumm..especially with the sweetness from the onion, the little heat from the spice, the mild freshness of the mint and of course the lovely, soul warming taste of bread.
Eat this bread while its still warm or re heat in on a pan before consuming. Its just tastes better that way. Also, dip it in some curd. Delicious!!

Beat the Heat with Popsicles!

2012-05-07T02:44:00.001+05:30

Hello there!
Yes yes, curse me. I've been gone way to long. I'm not going to say that I've been burdened with exam stress, that wouldn't be the whole truth. But yes, its a part of it. Apart from being busy with exam preparation, I've just been really, well, lazy. Not anymore though! Of course I'll be gone for two more weeks because I have exams from the 18th! Its time to be a nerd!! I've been thinking so much about what I want to make/do after the exams are done that I think I'm daydreaming a lot more than studying. Happens with everyone, no?

Anyhow, moving on to popsicles (Brace yourselves for any extra lengthy post)! The heat is killing me and I'm pretty sure its killing you too, if you live in India. Some afternoons are downright brutal.

So, I was surfing Pinterest one lazy afternoon and came across one particularly colourful popsicle. It looked beautiful! I just knew I had to make popsicles!! So, I looked at a few recipes and realized they were incredibly easy to make. Fruit juice, water and sugar and thats it. Perfectly easy, tasty and no fuss summer treats! If summer is being too harsh on you, trust these ice candies to make you feel better.

Daring Baker Challenge: Tiger Bread.

2012-04-04T18:34:00.000+05:30

This marks my first challenge as a Daring Baker at The Daring Kitchen. Sara and Erica of Baking JDs were our March 2012 Daring Baker hostesses! Sara & Erica challenged us to make Dutch Crunch bread, a delicious sandwich bread with a unique, crunchy topping. Sara and Erica also challenged us to create a one of a kind sandwich with our bread!

I should have ideally posted about the challenge on the 27th of March, but, hey, you cant blame a girl who's birthday is just round the corner right!! I celebrated two decades on this yummy world on the 2nd of April!! Yes, I'm finally 20!! So much to look forward to now! I had an absolutely fabulous birthday. Received 6 cookbooks! Six! All at one go. For a person who has not owned a single cookbook almost all her life, six of them, all at once, is a lot.

Coming back to the challenge, the recipe for the Dutch Crunch topping came from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible. The recipes for the bread came from The Bread Bible and an adaptation of a recipe found on bakingbites.com (http://bakingbites.com/2006/09/cooking-school-dutch-crunch-bread/).

Vanilla Cupcakes and my first Blog Award!!

2012-03-10T17:15:00.003+05:30

I made sprinkles a couple weeks ago. Now I needed a reason to use them! So I made simple Vanilla Cupcakes.
This cupcake recipe is very basic and awfully easy to make. Also, these were the first cupcakes I'd ever baked, so they are a bit special to me. Everyone at home loves these, especially my mom! She wants them for her birthday, anniversary..you name it! She LOVES these, and I do too.

There isn't anything in the world like a just-out-of-the-oven vanilla cupcake. Nothing tastes better right out of the oven. And it makes the house smell so good. These cupcakes are soft and fulfilling. what more could you ask for from a cupcake!?
Vanilla and cinnamon is one of my favourite flavour combinations. I absolutely love cinnamon, with all its sweetness and that very slight heat. So, I thought of making a Cinnamon Frosting. You could never go wrong with this combo..it'll always be a hit. ALWAYS! :D
Also, just about anything goes with vanilla. That leaves you with endless frosting options. At first, I thought I'd make an espresso frosting but then I was like 'Ooohh! Cinnamon!!', when I spotted it in the kitchen cabinet.
Belated Happy Holi and Belated Happy International Women's Day!! I made a cupcake each for these occasions too. Same recipe, just used some colours

Make your own: Sprinkles!!

2012-02-20T20:27:00.000+05:30

I. made. sprinkles.
The story goes like this.. One of the first things that attracted me to cupcakes were the little 'thingies' that adorned the frosting. They looked so beautiful and added the much need element of colour and fun to plain ole chocolate cupcakes. Hence, when I decided to make my first ever cupcakes (vanilla), I wanted those sprinkles (yes, by then I knew what they are called) for my cupcakes too. I bought all the ingredients needed to make the cupcakes but the sprinkles eluded my sight and me and the good ones available, were way to expensive to fit my pocket. At that time, I didn't think I'd ever make my own.

THE Chocolate Cake.

2012-02-11T02:50:00.000+05:30

Is there anything better than moist, almost melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cake?? If your answer is in the negative you've reached the perfect place. I'm gonna give you the recipe to the most moist, chocolaty and sinful chocolate cake you'll ever have! It stays perfect even after a couple of days. It's just PERFECT! For every occasion!!

The original recipe calls for oil. I just cannot get myself to use oil in any cake; I've tried once but the attempt was such a failure, I've never mustered enough courage to try again. You know what the secret ingredient is?? Coffee, Black Coffee. And the best part is, the cake doesn't taste like coffee one bit! In fact it helps the chocolate to really shine through! Also, I like to add buttermilk, I think it adds to the whole texture and makes the cakes incredibly moist.

Rich Brownies.

2012-01-16T23:57:00.002+05:30

This is my go-to brownie recipe and believe me when say, it is THE BEST BROWNIE RECIPE EVER!!

I'd first tried these when I was new to baking, not that I'm any less a newbie now, but this was my first experiment with the oven. This is Nigella Lawson's recipe from her television series. I fell in love with the brownies when i saw them on television..they look SO good and taste even better. You'll reach brownie heaven in just one bite. They're so heavenly, consuming them should be a sin.

I could go on and on and on about how good these brownies are. I've never tried any other recipe because everyone loves these so much. And my foodie friends at college, who I took a few for this morning, loved them too. So, you see, I haven't had the need to turn to any other brownie recipe..hehe. You should really give these lovelies a try.

Marshmallows!!

2012-01-06T00:12:00.001+05:30

I made marshmallows after so so long! I'll tell you why. Earlier when I used to make them, they never really turned out all nice and fluffy like they're supposed to, that's because I'm too lazy to actually beat them too hard..its a lot of hard work, you know! And so, I waited for the perfect day to buy myself one of those electric whisks..I had my eyes set on a KitchenAid, but who was i kidding?! A KitchenAid easily available in India?? Well, lets just hope that happens soon. But yeah, I finally got my Mumma to buy me a Philips Hand Whisk! And now I've finally put it to some good use! I made some OH-SO-FLUFFY, MELT-IN-THE-MOUTH MARSHMALLOWS. These clouds of heaven are sure to take you to Marshmallow Heaven!

You need just four ingredients to make the marshmallows! And its so very easy to make them. Also, you don't even need to use a candy thermometer. Just carefully observe while the sugar melts or else what you could also do is, take a small bowl and fill it with some cold water, just when the sugar melts, take a little of the syrup and drop it into the bowl of water. Collect the syrup into a ball in the cold water; if it holds its shape and is soft, the syrup is ready to be taken off the heat. In case it's hard, then it means that you've overcooked the syrup and if it doesn't form a ball and just falls away, it would mean that you need to cook the sugar a bit longer. But keep checking after 10 seconds and don't let the sugar overcook. Just be very observant!

Decadent Hot Chocolate.

2011-12-30T00:56:00.000+05:30

Mumbai is finally feeling like Winter has arrived! The early mornings are of the kind that make you want to get cozy in your blanket and not leave the bed at all. The days are lazy with no school, studies or anything at all to bother about...Vacations!! And in the cold chilly evenings, i'm left craving for something hot and yummy. At such times I would usually turn to my Mother, the best cook in the whole wide world. But today was different.
I was nice and cozy in a blanket reading an Agatha Christie book and I wanted some hot beverage. Coffee seemed like the obvious choice but then I thought of chocolate and how nice it would be to have some hot chocolate..not hot cocoa ..hot chocolate!
I've never been to a coffee shop that serves hot chocolate which tastes as good as their menu promises, except Theobroma, they serve some awesome hot chocolate! But that isn't close to where I reside. It was time I made my own Hot Chocolate..with Real Chocolate not Cocoa.

Orange Cranberry Cookies.

2011-12-26T23:59:00.000+05:30

Alrighty then!. I'm finally posting my first ever recipe post!! Yay me!

I decided upon this particular cookie recipe when a friend suggested it to me. I luckily had some cranberries on hand and these seemed like the perfect cookies for the festive season and also my first post :D The cookies are incredibly easy to make and I'm happy about the way they turned out.

Now now, what I've seen of other similar cookie recipes, the cookies I've made don't look half as good as those. I'll give these dearies another go soon and let you know how they turn out. For now, I'm happy with the way they look and taste. :)

The cookies taste refreshingly orange and the dried cranberries give it a wonderful tangy flavor and also lend a nice texture to the otherwise plain cookie.

ORANGE CRANBERRY COOKIES

70 g white sugar
100 g granulated brown sugar
57 g butter, softened (not melted!)
1 medium sized egg
Juice of one medium sized orange
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (use orange extract if at hand)
1 tsp orange zest
188 g all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 salt
120 g dried cranberries

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F). Line baking tray with parchment paper.
2) Cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Stir in the egg, orange juice, vanilla extract (or orange extract) and orange zest. Stir until well incorporated .

3) Sift together the all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into the orange mixture until just incorporated. Do not overwork.

4) Fold in the dried cranberries. Add as many or as little as you like. I added a cup full.

5) Drop the cookie dough on the prepared parchment about 2 inches apart.

6) Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE:

* Ensure that the cookies have enough space between them as they will spread and rise while baking.
* The cookies will feel soft when only browned at the edges. they are supposed to be that way. They will firm up once cooled.
* The cookies have a cakey texture so that isn't anything to worry about.
* I baked my cookies for a tab bit longer and hence they look a shade or two darker than they are supposed to be. Do bake them longer if you want them crunchy but there is a great probability of them burning sooner than crisping.

I hope you enjoy making these cookies. Let me know how they turn out for you in comments sections.

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Happy baking!!