Tasty Bakes and Zesty Tales

Vanilla Cookies with Chunky Chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 07:42:00 +0000

Hearty vanilla cookies loaded with chunks and chunks of chocolate bites, oh cookies you are so wonderful

I have been on cookies quest so how come the amazing vanilla cookies loaded with chocolate chunk could be missed. The best things about these cookies is their wonderful taste and texture, chewy yet soft. Couple of important things to remember, do not over mix the dough and chilling for at least 3 hours. It’s advised to use egg for the wonderful chewiness in cookies but I avoid it as much as I could and replace it with curd. Please try to use thick curd and not runny one. Have everything at room temperature before you start working on you cookies. I can keep writing about how wonderful these cookies look and taste, but like to leave you just there with the recipe, try yourself and let me know.

2 cup Flour

½ cup Granular Sugar

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Butter

½ cup Curd

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup chopped dark chocolate

Cream the butter for 2mins until light and then add both the sugars. Beat till its light and pale in color. Add curd and vanilla extract and beat for another minute.

Shift the flour, baking soda and baking power together. Add the chopped chocolate chunks

Add this dry mixture in the wet mix small amount at a time and mix till the all of the flour mixture is incorporated. You will get a dough, which is quite easy to handle. If you find yours too sticky don’t worry and if its too hard you and sprinkle a tablespoon milk to loosen it up. Try not to over work the dough, you will not get the right texture

Bring the dough together by gently working on it and make a ball, wrap it with cling film and keep in the refrigerator for chilling for at least three hours

Pre-heat the oven at 180 Degree C

Take out the dough from refrigerator and make 11-12 dough balls. Line the baking tray with baking paper and place them slighting apart from each other

You might need to press the dough balls a bit to help them get the cookie shape sooner if the dough it too hard after chilling

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden in color

Chocolate Cake Batter Cookies with Almonds

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 10:10:00 +0000

Chewy, fudgy and rich chocolate cookies loaded with Almond crunchy goodness.

The world of easy cookie recipe cant be any better than this. When you have the most easy recipe at your hand which would yield you the better than the best tasting cookies, you just cant be happier. I am a sucker of simple or rather I should confess “Simplest recipes”. Complex and elaborated recipes are for Chefs and Professional not for home bakers. We bake for taste, joy and above all love. Love for baking, love for the products, love for the entire home fill with the great aroma of baking and above all for people who gonna eat our dishes.

I have been a “Crazy Cookie Lady” lately. Whatever spared minutes and seconds I have got from my busy life, I spend it searching, surfing and reading cookie recipes. Chocolate, vanilla, whole wheat, coffee, fruit flavor based, crunchy, chewy or soft..there is no limit of variances. I came across cake batter cookies…Voila!! Well to tell you honestly it was not a new thing to me. Few cakes I made in my teens but more like cookies then cakes but I did not know at that time there could be such a thing like cake batter cookies.

This recipe is dedicated to all the people who think cookie baking is technical, go through the steps and you would be baking these lovely cookies even before you know it.

1 Pack Cake mix (I used Pillsbury’s chocolate cake mix)

½ cup refined oil (Canola, Sunflower anything will work)

1 Cup curd ( or 2 eggs)

1 Teaspoon Baking powder

1 Teaspoon Vanilla exract

1 Cup chopped Almond, take out 1/3 of this for decoration

Preheat oven to 180 °C.

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well. The mixture not be that wet and will take some efforts to get it all combine. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Pour chopped almonds onto a plate. Form dough into tablespoon-sized balls and roll in the almonds.

Line a tray with baking paper and place prepared dough balls on it giving enough space to expand.

Bake 10 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for another 10 -15 minutes after removing from the oven.

You will not be able to resist these chewy and fudgy chocolaty bits.

Vanilla and Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 17:16:00 +0000

Soft like cloud cake with a comforting combination of Vanilla and Coffee

Let me begin by asking you, what’s opinion about simplicity? Hmmm!! Good question. If I turn the table and take the question myself, I would say “it depends”. It depends on time, context, occasion and mood. Sometimes an elaborated brunch does wonders but other time just a simple lunch is satisfying. But when it comes for breakfast I still like hearty, healthy and simple things. I have been exploring breads, muffins and cakes for breakfast. Coffee is an intriguing flavor to work with. I was very much exited to combine two wonderful flavor, Vanilla and Coffee, as I mind both together create a soothing sensation. Is there a thing like it, yes there it is. Try this recipe and you would now.

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup Granulated Sugar

3 Eggs (use 1½ cup curd, if you don’t want to use egg)

1 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

¼ Cup Vanilla Custard powder

1 Tablespoon Coffee powder

1½ cup Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Milk

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners

In a bowl beat the butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer whisker attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamed and fluffy

Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 -3 minutes. Set aside 1/3 of the mixture

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside 1/3 of dry mixture

Now add shifted Vanilla custard powder in the 2/3 portion of dry mixture

Add coffee powder to 2 table spoon of warm milk and dissolve properly

Slowly add the dry ingredients, Vanilla mixture to 2/3 portion of wet mixture and remaining 1/3 dry mixture to 1/3 wet ingredients plus coffee, in 3 additions and stirring by hand after each addition

Mix until just combined, do not over mix. This batter will be thick

Line a cake tin with baking paper. Now pour the vanilla cake batter in the pan followed by coffee batter on top. Tap the tin on a flat surface couple of times to release in trapped air

Bake for 35 minutes at 190 °C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Buttery Cinnamon Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 18:06:00 +0000

Soft, buttery, sweet and soaked in cinnamon goodness. Here it is, simple yet so gorgeous cinnamon rolls.

Add this comforting warm bread in your breakfast menu or just serve them with a hot cup of tea or coffee. These are super delicious and tad easy to make at home. I have been dyeing to make few types of bread from quite some time. So what was stopping me? It’s a shame to say, but a reality..I don’t get good yeast in the area where I live. It makes me cry. What a fuss for such a simple thing. If get a good one and buy in bulk they will die off eventually. Every time I open a pack and do the test, my heart beats faster and I pray to have a good yeast to continue my endeavor with bread. Of course I was lucky and went on to bake these beauties which are my current favorite (So yummm!!!)

I have mentioned before in my earlier post on bread here the most important thing in bread making is your humble yeast and step to test that your yeast is alive is just not to be skipped. In this recipe all you need is all purpose flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon. Yeah some water and milk as well, and you can have a winner after the process.

2 and 1/2 cups Flour

1/2 cup Water

1/4 cup Milk

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 and 1/4 teaspoons Instant Yeast

2 and 1/2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter

FILLING

3 Tablespoons Unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 cup Sugar

For dough:

In a large bowl, toss the 2 and 1/4 cups flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast together until evenly dispersed. Keep ½ cup flour for later use.

Heat the water, milk, and butter together until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot enough to touch. Pour this butter mixture into the flour mixture. You may add the reserved flour to make soft dough, if the mixture is too wet. I just used a spoon more. Your dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic consistency.

Lightly flour the surface and knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for about 10 minutes.

For Cinnamon filling:

After the dough is rested, roll the dough out in a rectangle (approx 12x6 inch). Spread the softened butter on top. Sprinkle it all over the dough. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Roll up the dough tightly. Cut into 8 even pieces and place in a lightly greased the pan. I used a rectangular pan.

Cover the pan with cling film and allow to rise in a warm, for 60-90 minutes. After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.

You can make Vanilla glaze by combining 1 cup of icing sugar, with 1 table spoon of Vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk. Mix well and spatter over the rolls.

The Magical GEMS Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:31:00 +0000

Want to see BIG twinkles in eyes and big WOW expression on your love ones face??? Continue reading…

Because here I present the simplified version of world famous M&M cookies (knows as GEMS here in India).

Would you not love to make something super special for your lovely family and friends this holiday season…Yes of course!!! That’s why when I was counting days for my year end vacations I thought of baking these cookies for my dear daughter as she is a big fan of Gems. I have to admit I still find it challenging to go through much elaborated cookie recipes. I had read so many M&M cookie recipes and I love Sally’s cookies Here. But I am not big fan of eggs in the cookies so I went through few more recipes and finally derived this one based on my liking and comfort.

The result is chewy, thick and delicious soft cookies loaded with chocolaty Gems. This recipe is no brainer such one bowl and you are done!! One caution – how your love to the dough and chill it for some time (at least 3 hour). A tip from Sally and I think it’s the best on when comes to cookies. Thanks Sally!!. Second have everything are room temperature.

2 Cup Flour

½ cup Granular Sugar

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Butter

½ cup Curd

½ Teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Vanila Extract

1 Cup chopped Gems, few unchopped for decoration

All you need to do is

1. Cream the butter for 2mins until light and then add both the sugars. Beat till its light and pale in color. Add curd and vanilla extract and beat for another minute.

2. Shift the flour, baking soda and baking power together.

3. Add this dry mixture in the wet mix small amount at a time and mix till the all of the flour mixture is incorporated. You will get a dough, which is quite easy to handle. If you find yours too stickly don’t worry and if its too hard you and sprinkle a tablespoon milk to loosen it up.Try not to over work the dough, you will not get the right texture.

4. Bring the dough together by gently working on it and make a ball, wrap it with cling film and keep in the refrigerator for chilling for atleast three hours.

5. Pre-heat the oven at 180 Degree C. Take out the dough from refrigerator and make 11-12 dough balls. Line the baking tray with baking paper and place them slighting apart from each other. You might need to press the dough balls a bit to help them get the cookie shape sooner if the dough it too hard after chilling.

6. Bake at 200 degree C for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. After 1o minutes you can quickly stick the Gems on the cookies for looks. Be careful as everything would be super-hot at this time.

7. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. I have observed the good crunch and chewieness get set after the cookie is cooled enough.

Make this with love and share with your circle of love and lot’s of twinkles in the eyes and wows will make you feel very happy. Happy holidays!!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 11:37:00 +0000

Dark chocolate gooey brownie combined with peanut crunch and peanut butter cups.

What do you do, when you have super simple (don’t tell anyone) brownie recipe and got some peanut butter cups. Yeah we don’t get peanut butter cups everywhere in India so it get a special stature. I have read quite a few peanut butter recipes in books and on internet. So I thought to give it a go, to combine chocolate and peanut butter flavor. I wanted to play with the textures too and I roasted the peanut in oven with some salt until golden brown. These brownies are special for one more reason that it achieves that salty, sweet, chocolaty and butter balance. I layered brownie, then roasted peanuts with chopped peanut butter cups followed by milk chocolate ganach. How good is that??? Heaven!! That’s the work.

Now we have a new favorite brownie and don’t mind baking them every now and then.

2 ½ Cup Plain Dark Chocolate Chopped

1 Cup unsalted butter

3 Eggs

1 ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Tps Baking Powder

1/2 Tps baking Soda

1 Cup gm Peanut (Skin Removed)

1 Cup Chopped Peanut Butter Cup

½ Cup Chopped Milk chocolate

½ cup Heavy Cream

Preheat the oven at 190 ºC. Grease and line a square baking tin.

Spread 2 Tablespoon salt on the baking tray and spread the peanut on it. Roast for 10-12 min at 210 ºC or until golden brown. You don’t want them to get brown. Remove the salt and set aside.

Melt the plain chocolate and butter in microwave for 2 min but keep string it every 30 sec or you can melt them in heavy base saucepan.

Beat Together eggs and sugar then beat in the melted chocolate mixture.

Shift together flour and baking powder and add this is in wet mixture. Add walnuts and mix to bring everything together.

Pour the batter in the baking tin and spread the roasted peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups evenly. Press this layer with light hands in the batter.

Bake for 40 minute at 190 ºC until cake feels just firm on the crust but soft underneath. Please do not overcook or the brownies will be dry. Leave to cool in the tin

Warm the heavy cream in a heavy bottom pan and add chopped milk chocolate and tip a tablespoon butter and mix well. Remove from heat and let it thicken a bit

Spread the cooled ganach over the cooled brownie and cut into square.

Molten Lava Cake - Oozy surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 18:13:00 +0000

Welcome to chocolate indulgence. Molten lava cupcake is all about super rich chocolate taste and an encapsulated molten center in its super gooey texture.

Let me begin with asking you a question. Do you like surprises?

Who does not!!! And that’s exactly I adore about lava cup cake. Best enjoyed just out of oven and when you cut into it and molten chocolate oozes out….Yummmm!!

I don’t know why but I just feel excited every single time. The joy get triple fold when your home baked lava cup cake behaves the same. I have to admit I used to intermediated thinking about how the bake such a thing. I have gone through lot of recipes of lava cake but I was just scared to try them as most of them are too technical for me. Then I stumbled upon this super duper simple recipe…and wasted no time in embracing it my own. Simple chocolate cake better play with some simple trick and Viola!!! Done.

Try this out…take my words you will love it.

¼ cup Chocolate chips

¼ cup Cherry filling

2 cups Refined flour

1 tsp Baking powder

¾tbsp   Sodabi-carb
1cup   curd
A few drops  Vanilla essence
1cup   Milk
¾cup   White butter
¾cup   Caster sugar
6 tbsp   Cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 170*C. Grease a cake tin and line it with butter paper. Mix the chocolate chips with cherry filling and keep aside.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, soda bicarb and cocoa powder together. Heat the milk till it is lukewarm.
3. Whisk the curd, caster sugar, butter and vanilla essence together till smooth and frothy.

4. Fold in the flour mixture alternating with milk. Mix quickly but gently to a smooth batter.
5. Pour into well-greased muffin moulds and spoon chocolate chips & cherry filling mixture in the centre and bake on the center rack for 8 minutes.
6. Check the cake, remove cake from the oven and after a few seconds, demould it and serve

Baked Pasta : A small little treat anytime any day

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:55:00 +0000

Finally, I am back. Yes after such a long time, today I am able to let me thoughts flow and writing it down. Its kind of over whelming at this point. How do I structure my thought to let you know where I have been all this while and what all I did.

First thing first, thank you so much everyone who has drop by my posts. I thought my abandoned blog must be deserted. But, no some many of you have being dropping by and seriously that has given it a new lease of life.

So what happened? I went through a very tough time personally as well professionally. But through I this learnt few very important lessons, which I will be sharing one by one. I got this really difficult project at work, which challenged all my learnings and skills. At one point I thought seriously am I really good at what I am doing? Do I really have it in me? Kind of questions. I started doubting myself as it was pushing me to the edge to excel. I somehow sail through but biggest take away was, I truly love my profession J

Then came bad health amidst of storm of crazy work schedule. I always say “in my head, I am still 22”. But body does not hear that unless you take care of it and that’s exactly I have been doing. Juggling through hundreds of things, ignoring signal that I need to slow down and take care. Anyway all that is bygone and with my newly acquired knowledge I am trying to do what I love, Bake and write.

Today I am sharing a very simple classic dish,over simplified to suite all of us – Bake pasta, to give a little treat to yourself when we don’t have much time to cook yet want to enjoy a little something.

Everyone cooks pasta, and everyone has that something to be spot on when it comes to the dish. So for me it “Al Dante”. Perfectly cooked pasta. I hate overcooked pasta to the core. So what the trick to have it perfect every time. For me simple –bubbling boiling water, an eye for2-3 mint when pasta is cooking and sprinkle of olive pit just after draining. What is it for you? Let me know.

All you need:

1 Cup Pasta (any shape you like but Penne is great for baking as it absorbs lot of sauce)

4 Cup water

3 Tablespoon Olive oil

3 Tomato (chopped and sliced)

6 garlic Cloves

1 cup Milk

½ table spoon plain flour

1/2 cup grated cheese

½ cup onion chopped

Salt, Paper and Herbs to taste

1 sage leaf

1 table spoon butter

1. Boil water and add a pinch of salt. Add pasta and cook it for 2-3 min. Cook it till it’s cooked but still has a slight raw center. Drain and add olive oil. Keep aside

2. Boil milk in a heavy base pan with 1 spoon chopped onion and sage leaf for 15 min and strain the milk.

3. In a pan, warm butter and add flour. Cook for 2 min and add milk while stirring. Make sure there are no lumps in the mixture. Add Cheese and cook for 1 min, add salt and paper to your taste.

4. Pre-heat oven at 200 degree C. Grease a baking tine with butter. Arrange chopped tomato, sprinkle chopped onion and garlic. Pour half of the white sauce.Drizzle some olive oil. Over this layer with half of cooked pasta and sprinkle some cheese and herbs. I chose thyme, go for what you like. Repeat the process. Now place remaining tomatoes and cheese and give a good sprinkle of olive oil, salt and paper.

5. Bake for 30 min at 200 degree C unless cheese melts and turn brown.

Serve warm and enjoy a happy meal with a smile.

Whole Wheat Citrus Pancake with fruity Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 18:13:00 +0000

Healthy and comforting pancakes laced with orangey fragrance and topped with fruit honey.

This post is dedicated to all mothers who spend almost their 16 hours either feeding, cooking or just worrying that their little one have not eaten enough. So far the most challenging aspect of being a mother has been, making sure my daughter has eaten something out of her meals. Yeah, just something!! You understand my plight??? Thank you!!!

I know many mothers like me, who go through the same struggle four times a day. My daughter said “Good bye” to baby food long back and jumped on to regular food. So I got this challenge of cooking things which are grownup’s food as well as full of nutrition.

I personally love pancakes and can have them any time of the day. She also liked them but the regular pancakes do not fit in my nutrition criteria. So??? I picked one of very humble Indian pancake recipe and gave a twist to make it fun and exciting.

As a child I use to be mad about these whole wheat, sugar laced pancakes which my mother use to make. It was healthy, homely and comforting. Cooked in clarified butter (also known as Ghee) with a hint of cardamom, would lift basic ingredients to a level above.

I thought to throw a spin and replaced cardamom with orange zest and added some orange juice to intensify fruity flavor. Why fruity??? Because my child (Thanks god for this) loves..Loves and loves fruits. Another replacement was sugar with honey. She is not that found of very sweet things and honey does the trick.

Some time back I mentioned about my trip to Coorg. I brought this divine fruit honey from there. Fruit honey will complement the fruity flavor of pancake, though you could use any honey you have.

As you would be making these lovely pancakes for your child, I would suggest you to make them small and slightly thinner than the regular ones. Why? Because first, smaller ones would look super cute and big amount of food in one go overwhelm kids..Try this trick and let me know, if worked with your child.

Whole wheat, orange flavor, honey and cooked in butter did not it sound comforting already??? I am sure your mother brain would be saying “Yes healthy as well”. Don’t you think how come a child would not like to eat such a treat? This recipe has been a hit at my end so I am happily sharing with you..Give it a try mommy and even all the grownups will also like to indulge in its comfort.

2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tablespoon Orange Zest

¼ Cup Orange juice

6 Tablespoon Fruit Honey

1 Egg (replace with ½ cup curd)

¾ Cup Milk

4 Tablespoon Butter (melted)

1 Teaspoon Baking powder

Pinch of Salt

In a big bowl add whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, orange zest, 1 spoon of melted butter and mix. Make a well in the mixture.

In another bowl mix all the wet ingredients ( Orange juice, honey, milk) . Add the egg ( or beaten curd) and mix.

Pour this mixture into the well of dry ingredients and mix well with a whisker to make smooth batter.

Heat a flat pan and rub tiny butter on the surface. Pour small amount of batter and spread to make a small pan cake. Flip when the side is done and cook on the other side as well until golden brown.

Drizzle 2-3 spoon of honey on the pancake while serving and important serve warm.

You can sprinkle some orange zest while serving.

Eggless Mocha Cupcake with Vanilla Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 18:18:00 +0000

Super intense coffee cupcakes topped with soft buttercream vanilla frosting..This is hundred percent mochalicious pleasure.

Here I am, presenting my best frosted cupcake so far. Let me confess something today, I dream of producing beautiful bakery style frosted cupcakes every time I make them. Luck has not been on my side and I have not been able to do so till now. Frosting looks like an easy thing when I see people doing it but I have been beaten by it royally.

Never mind!!! I am determining to go beyond homely looking frosting to bakery style sophistication. Be part of my journey..till then, let’s focus on the taste. ;P

One of my friend who tasted these told me that this is the best frosting I have ever done and she just loved it. See me flying Yeeeeeyyy…..

As a home baker its immensely satisfying that people for whom you bake for, love your dishes and would like to try the recipes themselves. I started blogging with the intention to record recipes and share my ups and downs, learning and experiences so that any one could look at my recipe and start baking. Just one requisite, You need an OVEN!!!

Do let me know if I have been successful doing that and you have baked something after reading my post.

So check out how to make these egg less but extremely light and testy mocha cupcakes frosted with vanilla buttercream.

For the Cupcake

1 Cup Curd

1/2 cup Buttermilk

1/2 cup Vegetable\Cooking oil

1/4 cup Black coffee or espresso, at room temperature

1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cup Flour

1/4 cup Regular unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup Brown sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking soda

1/4 Teaspoon salt

For The Vanilla Buttercream

6 Tablespoon Butter

4 Tablespoon Heavy Cream

3 Cup Icing sugar

2 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil, coffee, and vanilla extract.

In another large bowl whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with light hands using a spatula and stir only until the ingredients are combined. (Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough.)

Divide the batter between 12 liners in your cupcake pan. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for about 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

To make the frosting:

Beat the butter until creamy, add shifted sugar in small amount and mix. Alternate with heavy cream and vanilla, until all the sugar is combined. Beat for 2-3 minute to make it smooth and light and its done.

Frost the cupcakes with buttercream and dust some coco powder. Decorate with coffee caramel toffee. Am I able to tempt you to try baking yet?? Do let me know...

Oreo Vanilla Cupcake with Tempered Dark chocolate Icing

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:34:00 +0000

Do you want to dig into pure pleasure of dark chocolate crunch followed by vanilla sponge and taste gooey dark chocolate Oreo Bites?

Then read on…

Experience is a wonderful thing, irrespective of whether its good or bad. A good one definitely make one feel good but even a not such a nice on leaves with a learning. This goes word to word for me and my baking. To tell you very honestly my equation with cake batter has not changed much, remember my confession here

Kitchen still feels like boxing ring where batter calls me for a face off every time I pick up a recipe to try….But as I mentioned before, experience is teaching me tricks and tip even if batter gets the upper hand some times.

I have learnt the most important thing is that I need to give it love and attention to make it behave. Accuracy in measurement and patience while mixing and baking, is doing wonders. So yes, we are getting better in terms of sweet successes.

This newly acquired trait “Experience” has given wings to creativity, now when I see some good recipe I don’t hesitate to try and even I think of new recipes and ideas(Ahuum Ahumm J). As an ardent fan of “Masterchef Australia” I have learnt one thing to look at recipes as building block and use them to create something new altogether.

So what have I done so special that I am writing so much about it..well nothing indeed. Yes really just took my vanilla cupcake recipes and added Oreo and choc chips to have this divine vanilla chocolate cupcake.

Just that?? Yes!!!. Its that simple that indeed it’s feeling silly to write the recipe. Mind you!!! These cupcakes are only simple to make but the flavors are to die for. I am big fan of Oreo and have seen few dishes incorporating it. What is so great about this cookie is when baked it converts into such wonderful soft gooey texture. My plain vanilla cupcake came alive with its dark and dense chocolate taste with vanilla cream melted in the cake to intensify the vanilla taste.

Shall I talk about the dark chocolate icing…Let me do a quick dance first!! I am excited and thrilled to share this here that my first ever Chocolate tempering effort is a success.

If you are wondering what Tempering is??? Its defined as process of producing small cocoa butter crystals to get the uniform sheen and crisp bite of properly processed chocolate is tempering.

It is actually a simple yet technical thing to do. Chocolate is melted in a double boiler which is not boiling till it reaches 46-48°C (depending on milk or dark chocolate) then a small amount of chopped chocolate is added in the melted hot chocolate. The mix is stirred to maintain the same temperature though out and then again the temperature is increased till 46-48 °C. For Dark chocolate the chocolate is melted at 46-48°C. Tempered chocolate get spread or poured warm and the temperature is maintained placing the pan back on double boiler when ever required.

I tried tempering with a small batch of chocolate and without thermometer, just going by my instinct.Luck was on my side and my temperature instinct worked. I coated my cupcake with warm tempered chocolate and in the end I had this wonderful shiny and full of bite chocolate layer on top.

It’s a sin full delicious cupcake…don’t trust me??? you have to bake to believe.

For the cupcake

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup Granulated Sugar

2 Eggs (use 1 cup curd, if you don’t want to use egg)

1 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1½ cup Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Milk

¼ Cup Chocolate Chips

6 Oreo Cookies chopped in big chunks

For frosting

200 gm Dark Chocolate Chopped

2 Tbsp Milk Chocolate grated (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a bowl beat the butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer whisker attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamed and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 -3 minutes.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions and stirring by hand after each addition. Mix until just combined, do not over mix. This batter will be thick.

Fold in chocolate chips and Oreo chunks with spatula.

Divide the batter between 12 liners in your cupcake pan. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For Tempered Chocolate icing

Prepare a Bain Marie (Double boiler) by placing a saucepan on stove with some water. Take a slightly smaller pan and put ¾ of the chopped chocolate in it.

Place the smaller pan in the simmering water pan, making sure only the bottom of the pan touches the water. PLEASE MAKE SURE THE WATER IS NOT BOILING and you be careful about no water droplet gets into the chocolate pan. PLEASE FOLLOW this to the “T” or else you will not be getting tempered chocolate at all.

When the chocolate is melted remove from heat and add chopped chocolate and stirrer this with a spatula until all the chocolate is dissolved. Place this pan again in the simmering water pan and stirrer gently for 1 min and remove from heat.

Your chocolate must be shiny and super smooth. Cover the top of your cupcakes generously with it and sprinkle grated milk chocolate.

Leave you cupcakes alone to get the chocolate set on the top. You can tuck these shiny babies in the refrigerator for 5 min, if you are in a hurry to eat them: D

Mini Chocolate Loaf - Easy Breezy Baking

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 13:38:00 +0000

My love for tea has incited my interest to explore more around its cup of warmth. I absolutely love English High tea. I feel it’s so classy and luxurious to spend your evening with a cup of tea being served with nice and fresh tea breads, scones, loafs, cookies, pies, cakes and bars…Umm Yummms. Sounds like pampering.

Basically this concept of high tea was started by British Royal ladies. In those times of tight corsets it was very difficult to eat much during lunch time. By early evening hunger use to strike back so this routine of having tea with small treats at 4 o’ clock started. This not only fill the stomach to go till dinner but tasted great with tea.

And now days as I am more inclined to bake bready things I thought of baking a chocolate tea loaf. I have been very nervous around yeast lately because most of the time it did nothing to my dough. The thing with instant yeast is you get your success sign in the very beginning. If you were ignorant like me, first thing you need to learn is to know whether your yeast is alive or dead. When you put your yeast with warm water, sugar and milk it start reacting to form a foaming mixture. If you see all that had happened and your mixture is bubbly and foamy, you have a alive yeast. On the contrary, if bubbles are not formed or very thin layer of froth has appeared, you very much have got dead yeast. Only thing you could do is to discard this mixture and start with a new yeast. It’s a must to have an alive yeast or your bread will not prove and rise.

To get started all we need is:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1½ Tablespoons Lukewarm Water

½ Cup Lukewarm Milk

2 Tablespoons Superfine Sugar

50g Unsalted Butter, melted

2¼ Cups (335g) Flour

1 eggs

Dark Chocolate squares – 6

Place the yeast, water, milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Add the butter, flour, eggs and another 1 tablespoon sugar to the yeast mixture and use a spatula to mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Make a ball of dough and roll out 1cm-thick to make a rectangle.

Divide it by cutting with a sharp knife into 6 rectangle pieces. Place a chocolate square in the middle and fold the dough inward like wrapping a gift and seal the ends to make loaf like shape.

**Please make sure that chocolate pieces are big enough to get wrapped properly and should not be too small or else you would not be able to get good bits of chocolate.

Place these mini loafs on a baking tray lined with baking paper and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen. Sprinkle some granular sugar on top.

Place them in a pre-heated oven at 220°C and bake for 20 min or until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack and you are ready to enjoy crusty from outside and soft buttery bread with a rich gooey chocolate.

Its a winner….and sure pleasure thing to bake and eat.

Plum Pudding Cake - Sweet, Fruity and Spicy Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:49:00 +0000

It’s a gorgeous sweet, fruity and spicy treat – great as a pudding or with evening tea.

I find baking with fruits is very exciting and quite challenging. Getting a good texture and keeping the flavours of fruits alive is quite tricky if you ask me. So when I got my hands on some lovely ruby red plums I thought of trying this cake. The heart and soul of this cake is good sweet plums so please taste your plums before taking the plunge. I came across this recipe long back on a BBC show and it’s just got stuck in my head. It’s not like I did not try it before, that warning above is coming from there. You need beautiful and sweet plums, ITS A MUST.

Other thing which I would insist on is brown sugar. Brown sugar not only uplifts the flavors of fruits in the cake but it does wonders to the texture. So get ready to bake a rich, buttery and gooey cake with me.

2 Cup Flour

1 lightly heaped Tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 lightly heaped Tsp ground Cinnamon

1 lightly heaped Tsp Ground Ginger

4 Tbsp of Honey

1 Cup Butter

¾ Cup Brown sugar

¼ Cup Granular sugar

2 Cup Plums

2 Eggs (Replace with 1 Cup curd, if not using eggs)

1 Cup Milk

Pre heat the oven at 180C. Line a square baking tray with baking paper.

Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger into a bowl.

Warm honey, granular sugar and butter very gently in a pan until the butter and sugar melts. Stir in the brown sugar. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Halve the plums, or cut them into quarters if they are very large, and remove the stones.

Break the eggs into a bowl, pour in the milk and whisk lightly to mix.

Pour the honey butter syrup mixture into the flour and mix with a large spoon. Pour in the egg and milk and continue stirring till you have almost sloppy batter without any lumps.

Tip the mixture into the lined cake tin, drop in the plums and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Server this pudding cake with a dollop of whip cream or just a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and see the magic.

Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 12 May 2014 18:13:00 +0000

Ever since I have made Doughnuts at home (Yes, I can proudly say that) my husband is just not interested to eat any store brought one (Yes I am writing from Cloud number nine ;)) and Now I am making them quite often.

This time I thought to upgrade them with a glaze and no marks for guess, Chocolate is the most obvious one.

How to make doughnuts part is not changed at all and here is your Recipe of doughnut.

Sky is the limit when it come to glaze these doughnuts, its just the matter of what you find handy to play around with. As we don’t get many exiting sprinkle options here in grocery next door or even in Super markets. I would insist on sticking to using only good tasting options rather than anything available.

I used plane dark chocolate glaze which is super easy and taste good.

All you need is:

1 Cup Chopped Dark Chocolate

½ Cup Unsalted Sugar

1 Cup Confectioner Sugar

1 Tbsp warm water

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave for 2 minutes giving a stir every 30 sec .

Add sugar and water in small amounts and mix well after every addition to form a nice glossy not so thik paste.

Dip the doughnuts one at a time and keep on a wire rack to catch the access.

Let it cool for a while, you can place the tray in refrigerator for 5 min for quick set.

If you want to perk them some little sprinkles, it will be fun.

Lemon Cupcake with Lemon Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 12 May 2014 17:45:00 +0000

As summer is on peak, I am going crazy for fruits of this weather. Seriously if you look at it, how cleverly nature has balance everything. All the fruits of summer are so water rich, light and refreshing. Think if would not have watermelon, Lime, Muskmelon, cucumber and etc. etc in summers, what it would have been like.

So as this fruity and fresh flavor was on my mind, I thought of baking something with them. So a Lemon cupcake was my calling.

Yet again, I have got this super duper easy recipe but what I am more excited about is the Lemon glaze icing. This icing is so simple yet so special because this not only looks and taste good but adds another level of texture to the soft like cloud cupcake.

The extra punches of lemony zing with crunchy sugar intensify the flavor.

For Cupcakes

1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup Granulated sugar

2 Eggs (use 1 cup curd, if you don’t want to use egg)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Milk

Zest and fresh juice of two medium lemons

For the Frosting

1cup Granular sugar (Pulsed once in the mixer, so that its slightly powdered but not superfine)

2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a bowl beat the butter and sugar together with a handheld mixer whisker attachment on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until creamed and fluffy.

Add eggs (or Curd) and vanilla and beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 -3 minutes.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions and stirring by hand after each addition.

Add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix until just combined, do not overmix. This batter will be thick.

Divide the batter between 12 liners in your cupcake pan. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Get the frosting ready just before cupcakes are going to be done. Combine sugar and lemon juice in small bowl and stir once or twice, just to enough to bring them together.

Pour one tablespoon of lemon sugar paste on “Just out of oven” cupcakes, spread and add some more glaze if needed. The heat from the cupcake will melt the glaze slightly, which will help it to run, spread and finally cling as it cools off.

Enjoy your bites into this crunchy, sweet and tangy glaze followed by soft, fluffy refreshing lemony cupcake. Don’t tell me you are not showered with compliments and thanks.

Peanut Butter, Oats and Chocochip cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Sat, 10 May 2014 12:49:00 +0000

It’s true that love has no definition, no boundaries, no rule and not even remains the same forever. Look back in your life and you would know what I mean. As a child we loved our parents and thought there in nothing beyond their love, then came our siblings and friends. In our teens we make a picture of love of our life and how we would be when in love. When in love we evolve as well as let go a lot. We always want to be in love yet so much change around this emotion. From one dimension to other love is so dynamic. What is so amazing that I find its true for my love of baking as well (Burrrrrrhhhhhhh…..) Lol!!! I started with cakes, which lead to cupcakes and now I am more drawn to cookies now days. Every cookie I taste, see or read about just want to bake. So I came across this flourless peanut butter recipe and jumped on it.

Though I am not a Peanut Butter fan specially the store brought one, but started making it at home for my daughter after one of my friend told me about this super easy recipe she use to make at home. Believe me, I did not know one can make Peanut Butter at home and second it could taste far better than store brought.

As my Peanut butter was sorted it was so easy to get on to make cookies. What we are aiming is to get thick, soft and chew cookies, which will remain soft even after 3-4 days after baking but I can bet they will not last that long. The key to make chew and soft cookies is to use brown sugar. It not only give a good color but the nice chewy texture too. So please don’t compromise on it. I have used egg, if you don’t want to use leave and use a splash of milk instead. Cooling the dough is the essential step of making this cookie so please doesn’t skip it and give at least 30 min of chilling in the fridge. 2 hours to overnight rest will be even better.

For Peanut Butter

2 Cups Peanut

1 Tbs Butter

½ Tsp Cinnamon Powder

2 Tbs Honey (Optional)

Heat a pan and melt the butter. Add peanuts and road them evenly. Add cinnamon when peanuts are light brown.

Add honey if desire. It will give nice sweetness to the peanuts and enhance the flavor of cookies. It’s important to keep stirring the mixture till it cools off completely otherwise the peanuts will get stick to the pan and will form big lumps.

So next step process the cooled peanuts in a processor till its smooth and creamy. That’s it, you have a fresh and super tasty peanut butter.

For Cookies

2/3 cup (58g) Rolled oats

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

1 tspn baking soda

1 large egg

1 cup (250g) Peanut Butter at room temperature

6 Tbsp Brown sugar

1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips

Mix the oats, cinnamon and baking soda together in a bowl.

In another bowl beat the egg. Mix in the peanut butter and brown sugar with a spatula until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and slowly mix until everything is combined. It will a thick mixture, if you use peanut butter at room temperature if will easier to combine everything.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the cookie dough for 2 hours ideally and minimum 30 minutes. This step is a must.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheet. Place the dough in the form of mounds to get think cookie and do not press them down or spread at this point.

Bake in two to three batches depending upon your tin size, just making sure you are giving enough space for cookies.

Gently press down on the dough mounds with the back of a spoon to slightly flatten.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for soft yet crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Keep them in air tight container and they will be fresh for a week. Enjoy your flourless thick and chewy cookies with coffee. Kids will love them with a glass of milk.

Chocolate Brownie made super easy

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 09:45:00 +0000

When a girl is not feeling that great well what really perks up her mood..yes we all say loudly Chocolate!!!! (Yet Again).

So yes I have baked couple of intense chocolate things lately. I have a special corner for brownies in my heart, not just because they taste sooo.. good but also for the reason that I have a very simple recipe for that (Because I am just about easy to bake stuff). So I have whipped up and baked these brownies one Sunday morning while making breakfast. Excuse for some not so great pics because before I could click the photograph my two year old would just grab a piece and start eating… :D.

A good brownie has good chocolate flavor loaded with nut and chocolate chunks with this gooey texture and slightly crusty top. Achieving all this not difficult at all. You just need good ingredients and lot of love while handling the batter. Though this recipe is very easy just asks for slightly higher attention while mixing the better. Please do not over mix the better, just enough to bring everything together. Over mixing the batter will spoil the texture of the brownie.

2 ½ Cup Plain Dark Chocolate Chopped

1 Cup unsalted butter

3 Eggs (Use 1 ½ Cup Curd, if you dont want to use eggs and make Eggless Chocolate Brownie)

1 ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Tps Baking Powder

1/2 Tps baking Soda

1 Cup gm Walnuts Broken ( You can add chopped milk and white chocolate as well)

Preheat the oven at 190 ºC. Grease and line a square baking tin.

Melt the plain chocolate and butter in microwave for 2 min but keep string it every 30 sec or you can melt them in heavy base saucepan.

Beat Together eggs and sugar then beat in the melted chocolate mixture.

Shift together flour and baking powder and add this is in wet mixture. Add walnuts and mix to bring everything together.

Pour the batter in the baking tin and bake for 40 minute at 190 ºC until cake feels just firm on the crust but soft underneath.

Please do not overcook or the brownies will be dry.

Leave to cool in the tin and when cooled, turn the cake out and cut square pieces.

Yes, this is it and you will have heavenly chocolate brownies. Believe me you could just keep on eating them and they are so inexpensive as compare to the store brought ones. I hope you would try making them at home, as there is no reason you should not and let me know…who all were drooling after you ;)

Double Chocolate Cupcake with chocolate frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 13:33:00 +0000

In the west you hear lot about comfort food, honesty this term does not make much sense to my Indian foodie heart as I feel everything we cook is comforting and specially what our mother would cook for us is the ultimate comfort food. With this thought, I was thinking what really pops in our head when most of think of one thing which would bring a smile. Chocolates!!!

I am sure I could not be wrong with that. We all are so obsessed with chocolates and its loved by every age and gender. So I got my sleeve’s up to bake dark, rich, soft and extremely chocolaty double chocolate cupcake with a smooth chocolate frosting. Well I did not made my frosting super chocolaty as I like the chocolate chips to stand out but you can go ahead with adding 2-3 full tbsp of coco powder to intensify the chocolate flavor in the cupcake frosting.

Though I started with a mood to do beautifully frosted cupcake but in the end lost the steam and again washed my hand by rustic look (lazy look, I should write rather) but the taste did the talking and my little one came running for the next one as soon as finished her first cupcake.

Double Chocolate Cupcake

1/2 cup Unsalted butter

80gm Semi-sweet dark chocolate

1/2 cup Cocoa powder

3/4 cup All-purpose flour

1/2 tsp Baking soda

3/4 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Dark Chocolate Frosting

2 ¾ cup Confectioners’ sugar

2/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

6 Tbsp heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips for decoration

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I used a 6 cup pan and baked in two batches.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave for 2 min and stirring every 30 sec. You may also melt the butter and chocolate over low heat on a double boiler. Stir until smooth and let it cool a bit.

In a bowl, mix the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the cooled butter/chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Add half of the flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk. (To make buttermilk at home just add a tsp of white vinegar in ½ cup milk and let it stand for 5-7 min.)***

Repeat until everything is added. Stir until just combined; do not overmix. The batter will be very thick, so don’t worry.

Divide the batter between 12 liners in your cupcake pan. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to assure there are no lumps. Set aside.

With a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder alternately with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Once all added, beat on high speed until creamy and combined for at least 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.

Frost cooled cupcakes and top with chocolate chips and that’s it. You have these lovely cute intense chocolate cupcake inviting to taste them. Do bake them and let me know, how they turned out.

Pita Bread and Hummus

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 10:02:00 +0000

If you have been following my blog lately you must have wondered where I was gone. Yes I had almost abandoned my blog for a month and so. Work load and not keeping well had taken a toll on me and only thing was on mind was to have some rest. I was not able to post on blog but it did not mean I was not baking. I just manage to do what I love and so now as I am feeling better I am going to share what I have made lately. I have just posted my Focaccia recipe let me know what do you think.

All I had on my mind is baking savoury. All I wanted was to have fluffy bread with a nice dip so Pita bread and Hummus is so my thing. Once again these two so exotic dishes for an Indian kitchen are so easy to make. Don’t belive me have a look at the recipe down below:

For Pita Bread you’ll need:

3 cups flour

4 tsp dried yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 tbsp Olive oil

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, place the yeast and sugar and pour over some lukewarm water. Leave in a warm spot for about 15 minutes until frothy.

Pour the frothy yeast into the flour and mix well to form a soft dough.

Mix the salt and olive oil on the side of bowl and work into the dough. The resultant dough should be soft and smooth like a baby’s bum.

Cover with cling film or damp cloth and leave in a warm spot to double in size (about 15-20 mins.)

Knock back the dough and divide into six equal portions. Leave to rest again for about 5-10 mins.

Roll out each dough to about 3 inches in diameter.

Slap onto a lightly greased and dusted baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 200°C

Remove and cool.

For Hummus:

1 Large cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked until tender

2 tbsp Tahini (I use my own home made Tahini, Roast 1 cup of Sesame seed on low flame till they start crackling and lightly browned. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind them with half cup of virgin Olive oil and season with salt. You will get a thick yet runny paste, you can make a fresh batch every time. It’s so quick and easy.)

4 Cloves of garlic

1/4 cup good quality olive oil

Juice of 1 medium sized lemon

Salt to taste

Chili powder to sprinkle on top

Place all the ingredients in a blender and grind to a smooth paste. Top with a liberal glug of more olive oil and sprinkle condiments of choice. Done Ta da!!

All you left to do it DIG IN!!!

PS: You have some left over Pita Bread just cut them in tringle and rub with a mix of olive oil paper and herbs of your choice and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C . Enjoy your Pita chips with Hummus or salsa.

Focaccia with green olives,onion rings and thyme

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 11:12:00 +0000

When it comes to watching TV, many gets surprised that even being a woman I don’t watch much of it. I cant watch movies on TV because I don’t have patence to sit for that long and my “Task to do” keeps popping up in my head and “Soap Opera” we don’t get along. Its only been quite a few food and travel shows which could get my attention. Among them I love Masterchef Australia and lately I have got to learn a lot from food safari.

Focaccia is one of dishes/recipes I got to know through this show. it is a flat oven-baked Italian bread, which may be topped with herbs or other ingredients.

Focaccia’s dough is similar in style and texture to pizza dough, consisting of high-gluten flour, water, salt and yeast. It is typically rolled out or pressed by hand into a thick layer of dough and then baked in a stone-bottom or hearth oven. Bakers often dot the bread to create multiple wells by finger to relieve bubbling on the surface of the bread.

The recipe fits into my philosophy I tried my hand on it and what I had was unbelievable good looking flat bread which is chewy yet soft and moist from inside. I have tried few versions but today I am sharing Focaccia with green olive and onion rings and thyme.
Genrally focaccia is made in square shape but I got away with me lazy streak and made it oval this time

150 gm Flour

1 tsp Dry Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt plus a pinch or two

3-4 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 cups Lukewarm water

1 Egg, whisked

3-4 Sprigs of fresh thyme

2 Tbsp Olive

1 small red onion, peeled and ringed

8-10 Green olives, pitted and sliced

Freshly crushed peppers

Mix the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, warm water and egg to form a firm, yet soft dough.

Flour the dough lightly and let it rise until it has doubled in size. Keep in covered with a wet cloth or cling film to preserve the moisture in the bread.

Place the chopped garlic cloves and thyme in a bowl with some olive oil and leave it for an hour.

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch out the air with your fingers and let it rise again for 30 minutes.

After the second rise, roll the dough into a large oval (you can do a rectangle, if you want to go traditional way).

Make small holes in the dough with your little finger, without pushing out the air.

Spread the oil mixture evenly on the surface of the bread. Place the onion rings and olives on the bread. Sprinkle some salt and freshly crushed peppers.

Place the bread on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ºC for 15-30 minutes until the bread is golden brown in color.
Serve hot with your choice of dip, i like curd with butter roasted garlic dip. Try it out!!

Melting moments - Some what rustic this time

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 18:36:00 +0000

I have been following Masterchef Australia for quite some years now and this has opened up mind food wise. I used to get amaze and still do by the extent food knowledge contestant and Judges have. There are many long lasting impression on me of Judges, chefs, contestant and off course recipes which inspire me everyday. One of such contestant is Julia Taylor who was the finalist of season 4. She was this super competitive reserved lady who has strived to be at top all her life. Now she was here on Masterchef where she was among best of bests. It was initially surprising for her that there are people better than her. She struggled to find herself in elimination as she knew and believed the she was just meant to be at top. But she realized, accepted and respected the this fact the competition is really tough and there are far more talented people against her. Then what we saw was real dedication, determination and hard work from Julia. I could relate to her a lot because I have also gone through this challenge in life. She made quite a few stunning dishes in the competition but what left a big impression on me was her “Melting moments” from cookies challenge.

Melting moments are shortbread-like cookies that rely on butter for their wonderful flavor. I got hooked to these cookie because they look very cute and a very easy to make.

I have baked this cookie I don’t know how many times because they just disappear in jiffy. I have to admit more than half I must be eating alone. This time I have introduced my twist to make them very rustic like any home baker. First, I gave it more rustic look by baking it on bit higher temperature for slightly brownish color and used creamy tangy cheese cream filling with mixed fruit jam. I saved some efforts here by using a store brought jam. Fewhh!!! So following is my version of melting moments.

180 gm Flour

180gm Butter

60 gm Custard

60 gm Powder Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

Pre-heat the oven at 180 ºC

Line your baking tray with baking paper

Cream butter until light and fluffy

Add custard powder and mix, and then add powder sugar

Sift flour and baking powder together and then add to the dough

Mix until a soft dough come together

Make small balls from the dough and place on baking sheet

Use a fork and press lightly on the dough balls to create impression

Bake for 10-12 mins until golden. For bit more brownish color, I cranked the temperature to 210 and baked for anothe2-3 mins

Let them cool and then remove from the tin

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ Cup of Cream Cheese, Softened, at room temperature

¼ Cup Butter, Softened, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powder sugar

3 Tbs of Mixed fruit Jam

Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until creamy

Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds

Now start adding the powder sugar 1 cup at a time and beating in between each addition

You can make this frosting before and refrigerate. At the time of usages can give it a whisk and pipe

Before starting assembling of cookie gently warm the jam in small pan

To assemble the cookie, pip cream cheese on the flatter side of cookie and then smear a small spoon of jam over the cheese. Finally top it with another cookie, flatter side facing the filling to make the sandwich

And now enjoy!! Crunchy, creamy, tangy, fruity bits all at the same time will just melt in your mouth

I, thank Julia every time I make these

Button Buns for many reason

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 04:48:00 +0000

When we think of fresh healthy and light starter or snacks between meals, Soups and salads pops up in our mind. But tell me honestly how many of us really go for them. Not many times because a spicy samosa or some chips would easily burst the bubble. Especially if you have a guest coming over or planning a special dinner soups and salads are not considered fancy enough to grab our attention to do more around it.

So I have a trick out of my kitty to add some zing to plane jane soup/salad. Beside making an interesting dressing adding homemade Button Buns is an easy, simple and healthy idea. These buns not only add texture and look but makes the salads bit filling too. You can serve them with some hot soup with a chiplet of butter or a scoop of cheese spread (fancy severing options, you see. Some butter and cheese is allowed.)

As these are made of whole wheat flour and no butter, it’s very good as tea time (Yet again..Yeah!!) nibbles or small snacks for the kids.

½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

½ Cup Plain Flour

½ Cup Cheese (shredded)

2 Tps Baking Powder

1 Tps Salt

1 Cup Milk

Preheat your oven to 200°C, line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl

Add milk gradually and make the dough

Roll the dough lightly to flatten it out 1 cm think. Cut circles using 2 cm cutter or small bottle cap to make button bun. Please make sure the shape is small and good for one bite.

Place the buns in baking tray and bake for 15 min on 250°C.

Cool and store in air tight container.

Easy and Fun - Cinnamon Sugar doughnuts

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 13:39:00 +0000

Doughnuts for me always been an exotic treat as in India good doughnuts can be tasted only at fine bakeries or café unlike west where they are everywhere. Always great in taste and quality. I remember how I treated myself with variety of doughnuts during my stay in Australia. My sweet tooth which loves all not so sweet things got soaked in doughnuts and tarts.

I use to wonder how these things are made and never in my dream, thought that these are deep fried items. Seriously I did not know till I saw in Masterchef Australia that doughnuts are fried.

So now you can imagine what my thoughts must be for considering them as a dish could be made at home. “It’s a store brought thing” was encrypted in my subconscious mind, till I ran into Krispy Creame doughnuts some time back. Off course they are yummilicious. Soft as clouds and super tasty.

It rang a bell inside me asked why don’t you at least try give it a try.

So with newly found motivation I turned to take up this battle.

With some doubts and lot of determination I stared making them and before I could doubt more they were there on my plate. I did not know a home cook can make doughnuts in a humble kitchen and its not a rocket science.

I am in so much love with these fluffy, fragrant and sugary babies that I want to make them again and again. It feels like dream to me.

All you need is:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1½ Tablespoons Lukewarm Water

½ Cup Lukewarm Milk

4 Tablespoons Superfine Sugar, plus extra, for dusting

50g Unsalted Butter, melted

2¼ Cups (335g) Flour

1 eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Place the yeast, water, milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Add the butter, flour, eggs and another 1 tablespoon sugar to the yeast mixture and use a spatula to mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Make a ball of dough and roll out 1cm-thick.

Use a 6cm-round cutter to cut around the dough to make 6 rounds. Use a 2cm-round cutter to cut holes from the centre of the rounds to make rings.

Place rings on a baking tray lined with baking paper and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.

Place the oil in a large and deep pan over medium heat until temperature reaches 180°C.

Cook the doughnuts, in batches, for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden.

Drain on absorbent paper. Dust with the extra sugar and serve immediately.

Ta-da , crispy on outside and fluffy soft from inside doughnuts are ready.

Verdict – If I can make doughnuts at home, you can make them too and with sooooo.. much less worries.

Chocolate Cinnamon Wonton Donna Hay Style

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:48:00 +0000

Wontons are dumpling dish which is made in various ways in south east Asian countries. There are both boil and deep fried version with various different fillings. Earlier the shell was made by rolling out very thin wonton sheets but now days most of the Super markets have got ready made wonton sheets. In Indian we get it like Spring roll sheet as well.

I am a big fan of Donna Hay; she is an Australian food stylist, author, and magazine editor. I love her “Fast, Fresh, Simple” series. She does magic using just couple of simple ingredients and cooks stunning dishes.

Another reason for my love for her is our common love for white color. She is an extensive user of white in all her enamelware, crockery and kitchen equipment. Even her food styling and photography is heavily based on white themes. So, I decided to do my wonton photograph in white theme too.

Wonton sheet is one of the produce she has used to present a range of dishes and Yes, savoury as well as sweets. Chocolate cinnamon wonton is my favorite because it’s really really really: Fresh, Fast and Simple. 15 minutes all you need to pull this out of your magic box. All you need are following for this recipe:

8 Wonton Wrappers or 2 Spring Roll Sheets

20 gm Butter, melted

8 Small Squares of Dark Chocolate

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 tbsp caster sugar

Pre-heat the oven at 180 ºC

If using spring roll sheet fold it from middle to divide in half and then fold one more time from middle. Cut from these fold mark to divide one sheet in 4 small squares

Brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with a little butter and fold from middle to make a rectangle

Place a chocolate square in the middle of the rectangle and press to seal the edges. You will make 8 rectangles

Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush wontons with butter and bake for 8 minutes or until golden

Sprinkle with combined cinnamon and sugar. Your Chocolate cinnamon wonton is ready

Serve warm

These small nibbles are great for any time, have them with tea (Again?? Yeah), serve with your favorite ice-cream to add panache in your dessert or just have them just like that…crunchy, warm chocolaty treat anytime

Vanilla Bean Muffin with Cheese Cream Frosting - Baked in nostalgia of Coorg

noreply@blogger.com (Shweta) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 15:51:00 +0000

Vacations are always good and those vacations where you have had a wonderful time lingers for long time on your mind. I have been really busy with work and so many things, on my to do list for few weeks now. As I was dealing with fatigue and stress, I just remembered my vacation in Coorg couple of months back. We all had awesome time in Coorg and even here I would like to thank, our host Mr. and Mrs. Ganapathi of Coorg Classic home stay. One of the exciting thing was to visit coffee plantation and there we got to see spice garden. It was so thrilling to see black paper bunch which was still green. Cardamom, Cinnamon and various other spice are grown in this region of south India along with coffee. The most exciting bit for me was “Vanilla Pods”. Its smell so awesome and induced appetite for cake. Apologies for not posting those pics due to some technical issue with them but here is the pic of my Vanilla Pods.

So I have brought quite a few pod for baking. I had decided to do a recipe in which the vanilla bean will be the star and did not got a chance to do. So now when Coorg poped up in my head again I decided to put everything on hold and take comfort in baking vanilla bean muffin.

It’s a very easy recipe, actually nothing much to do then mixing everything in one go.

Vanilla bean Muffin

1 cup Flour

1/4 cup Vanilla Custard Powder

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

100 gm Butter, softened at room temperature

3/4 cup Powder sugar

1 egg (Use ½ cup of curd, if don’t want to use egg)

1 cup milk

1 Pod of Vanilla Pod scrapped (you can use 1 tps of real vanilla essence, if don’t get the pod)

Pre-heat the oven at 180 ºC

Line your muffin mould with butter and sprinkle flour evenly.

(You can use paper moulds as well but as I don’t have them right now I am doing without it.)

Mix and sift are the dry ingredients together.

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

Add the egg (or Curd) and mix for 1 minute.

Then add the dry mixture small amount at a time and alter it with addition of milk.

Add vanilla beans in the batter. Mix well and pour the batter in muffin mould.

Bake at 200 ºC for 30 minutes until golden brown on top. Let it cool in the oven then transfer on rack for further cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ Cup of Cream Cheese, Softened, at room temperature

¼ Cup Butter, Softened, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Cups Powder Sugar

Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until creamy.

Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds.

Now start adding the powder sugar 1 cup at a time and beating in between each addition. You can make this frosting before and refrigerate. At the time of usages can give it a whisk and pipe.

I used a soft plastic bag for piping. Filled it up with frosting and pushed the cream in one of the corners and then tied a band to make my piping bag. Cut a moderated opening to pipe the icing on muffin. Start with outer edge and come circling till center. Drop some chocolate chips or colored vermicelli for fun.

You could see small beans in the muffin; they intensify of flavor and fragrance of muffins and make them shine.