Yumsilicious Bakes

Flourless Chocolate Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:39:00 +0000

Doesn't that cake look pretttty? It's ofcourse mainly because the cake was Oh. So. Good., but also because, I'm the proud new owner of a Canon EOS Rebel T2i! Finally :) Even though I haven't learnt any of the settings yet, I've got so many nice pictures of myself + friends. Can anyone recommend a good book / links to understand it all better, for a total beginner? It'd be super helpful, any would actally lead to me making some use of the camera beyond automatic settings! I super suck at food photography, and while I doubt that's going to change soon, I'd still like to learn more about the camera in general.

So back to the cake. I baked it on my visit home. The visit was amazing and so so much fun, but I was so busy meeting people and getting stuff done, that I hardly managed time to bake, and only did because people were requesting it so much, and ofcourse, my own cravings ;)

I'd had my eye on this cake ever since it won Most Popular on the Secret Recipe Club's December reveal, and was looking for a chance to make it, but couldn't because of exams. After baking it, I realised why it was most popular, the cake was heavenly. It was super fudgey and dense, but not annoyingly so wherein you need to grab a glass of water. The chocolate taste really shone through, which is why it's important to use a good chocolate [I used Callebaut Dark]. This cake has got the vote of a lot of people, so you need to try this one soon. Paired with some ice cream, it was sheer indulgence.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Recipe from David Rosengarten's Taste via My Beautiful Disasters

7 oz extra bittersweet chocolate
1 3/4 stick [200 g] unsalted butter
5 large eggs, separated
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup [180 g] granulated sugar
pinch of salt - omit if using salted butter
2 tbsp [15 g] unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 10 inch springform. I halved the recipe and used a 6 inch pan.
In a double boiler, melt together the butter and chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly. Now slowly whisk in the egg yolks and the vanilla. Stir to combine, and add in the sugar, salt and cocoa powder, stirring until incorporated.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Whisk in 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Now gently fold in the remaining 2/3.
Pour into prepared springform pan, and tap lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 25-28 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Place on cooling rack, removing the sides immediately. Allow to cool, and serve alongside some ice cream

German Christmas Market in Birmingham

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:57:00 +0000

Happy 2012!! I know I've been away, I'm on a visit back home for the holidays. And I'm having the absolute best time, this year has been amazing so far. I finally managed to get some time in to do this post, which has been pending since forever. Back when I was still in the UK, I went over to the German Christmas Market in Birmingham, after hearing a lot about the food there. Frankfurts make me happy :) After getting some shopping done at my paradise, the Bullring, we went over to the Market.

It was so so much fun. I had the best food and beer there, even though I'm not a fan of beer. It wasn't a very big thing, but the stalls that were there, were absolutely amazing.

The steakhouse, that had one of the best beef burgers I've ever eaten. It was moist, juicy, and their homemade sauces just took it to a whole other level.

So many different types of frankfurts, supersized :)

And ofcourse I had to try out the desserts. These crepes were fantastic, rivalling what I'd eaten in the streets of Paris. They had a ton of options.

I had the Nutella Marshmallow one - messy food is always more fun - and the Bailey's one, because I just had to try one of the tipsy ones :) The Nutella Marshmallow was delicious, but it's the one with Bailey's that hit it out the park, it was so good, and completely a new taste for me, I hadn't seen crepes with any alcohol before this.

A line up of all my favorite men. After the Bailey's I wanted to try every other version too. :)

So many options here too. Can you tell that I absolutely loved this stand?

This stall was all about the nuts. In every flavor imaginable!

There were a ton of other stalls, for German chocolate, some great tasting fudge that I pigged out on for an entire week, for various crafty things and for some great popovers, that I didn't get a chance to try. I didn't manage to click too many pictures of it though unfortunately, we were tired after a long day of shopping, holding a ton of bags, and just too exhausted. But on the whole, the Market was absolutely amazing, and if it weren't for the damn exams, I'd have easily spent a whole day there, gaining tons of weight :)

With that thought, Happy New Year again!! This year, I've resolved to not make any weight loss resolutions :D

Chocolate Pecan Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Hello there :) I can't believe how much I've stayed away from this blog. My exams are up in week, term 1 is already set to end. It's been surprisingly hectic, so much work. I literally have had no time to bake, but on the bright side, have been learning to cook pretty well. Seems I actually have the ability. Who would have thought? My day's schedule has become like - wake up, shower, hurry for class, do some group work, come back for dinner, then go back to the business school and study late into the night. Sleep isn't even considered. I'd be quite near burnout, if not for the fact that exams will be over in 10 days :D

Anyway, the other day I decided I needed a break, and also with the Secret Recipe Club's deadline looming, decided to do some baking. I spotted pecans at the grocery store long ago, and picked them up for snacking. I'd wanted to make a pie with them for thanksgiving, but since that didn't pan out, I zoomed in on Kim's Chocolate Pecan Pie. This month's blog assignment for me was a very nice one, I reallly wanted to try her red velvet cupcakes, and probably will, soon.

I made this pie at 5 am a few days ago, when I got back home. And I was so glad I did. It made the home smell amazing, my flatmates were so pleased :) And did I tell you how much I love the weather here? Making pie crust is so easy, there's absolutely no worry about the butter melting! The chocolate layer is nice and dense, with the pecans providing a wonderful texture, and the crust is a perfect complement. I used my standard pie crust, and made the filling from Kim's site.

Chocolate Pecan Pie.

For the pie crust -

Use half of my standard pie crust recipe.

For the filling

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 stick [113 g] butter
2 large eggs
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a pie plate with a bottom crust.
Melt together the chocolate and butter and in a medium saucepan. Set aside to come to room temperature.
Whisk the eggs and add into the chocolate mixture.
Now add the flour, and vanilla, stirring until just combined.
Now stir in the pecan halves, and pour onto unbaked pie shell.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the filling looks set.
Serve along with cream or ice-cream for a decadent treat, or just as is .

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:14:00 +0000

This little breakfast cake represents the first thing I ever baked in my new home. It was kind of a hit and miss, with no scale [I'm just so used to it now], weird measuring cups, a new oven etc. But I was still quite happy with it. It tasted perfectly fine, and was a wonderful accompaniment to my breakfast.

I've started cooking ever since I came here, stuff other than pancakes and eggs atleast [though I tried the BEST pancakes the other day, I'll try and post them on here soon]. It's a slow process, but I'm realising that I actually quite like cooking. I'm not doing so too regularly, but when I do, I go all out, put in an hour of effort at the least. This blog has always been about baking, and I don't think I'm ready to change that, but I might just talk about some cooking experiences sometimes. Oh and also, I would love some recipe recommendations for a beginner cook!

Anyway, back to the cake. It's for the Secret Recipe Club, and this time I got Stacy from Every Little Thing. She has the cutest blog, and it had a ton of stuff I wanted to make. Unfortunately, since I'm still setting up, my options were quite limited by ingredient / tool unavailibility. I had a few options, of which I really loved the blueberry breakfast cake, especially since I had some blueberries in the fridge [P.S - Did I tell you how much I love that I can now just say a statement like that like it's no big deal. I love how easy it is to get things here :)]. The cake was also really easy to make, I actually just used a hand whisk, since I haven't even bought a mixer yet. The cake turned out really well, so soft, and barely sweet, so it went perfectly with my morning coffee.

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Recipe from Eat, Live, Run via Every Little Thing

For the streusel -
1 cup oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter, melted

For the cake -
2 cups whole grain pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Grease a 9x13 pan, or two smaller pans, which is what I had.
Combine all streusel ingredients. Toss well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, yogurt, and butter until well combined. Gradually sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined.
Now pour out about 3/4th of the batter into your prepared pan. Sprinkle blueberries on top. Pour the rest of the batter onto the blueberries. Now pat the streusel mixture on top.
Bake for about 50 minutes, or until it feels springy to touch, and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:22:00 +0000

Happy Diwali to all my Indian readers! I just celebrated my first ever diwali away from home, and it was actually a lot of fun, though ofcourse I missed family and friends a lot! But unless I manage to get a job, I'm only here for about a year, so I figure I can manage that :)

I actually did get some baking done a few days ago, but that's for the Secret Recipe Club, so I can't post it yet. In the meantime, I'm gonna post these amazing cookies that I've been meaning to for months. All these years, I didn't like peanut butter straight out of the jar, and assumed I wouldn't if it's baked into anything either! So I never really bothered to even try. But then, a really close friend requested some peanut butter cookies, he was feeling nostalgic about them, and after he described them to me, I decided I'd just make some, and give them all to him. I scoured the net, and ultimately landed on my favourite site, should have just gone there directly. Deb's recommendations always work for me :)

I just made them very sceptically, didn't have any hopes for them, I was just gonna taste one to quality check, and then pack them all off to him. Yeah.. I don't even know what I was thinking! Peanut butter is gooood! Now I finally get what all you guys have been talking about. The soft cookies, with delicious chocolate chips, were just divine. I ate quite a few of them.. had some friends come over, and before I knew it, the entire batch was over. Just like that. To date, my friends rate these cookies as one of the best things I've ever made. You MUST try them :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook{India | UK} via Smitten Kitchen

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips - I didn't have, absolutely fine without it
1/2 cup chocolate chips
For sprinkling: 1 tbsp sugar, regular or superfine

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter till fluffy. Add in the sugars, and beat till well incorporated.
Add in the eggs, milk, and vanilla, beating between each addition. Fold in the flour mixture. Add in the chips.
Lay the sprinkling sugar out on a plate. Roll one tablespoon sized balls of dough in the mixture, then place on the cookie sheet, leaving quite some space for expansion. Using the tines of a fork, make the traditional criss cross indents, and bake for 10-12 minutes. These cookies are meant to be chewy, do not overbake them.

Where I've been

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 13:23:00 +0000

Hello you all. I apologise for neglecting you and the blog so much. It's time to finally tell you what I've been upto.

I've moved to the UK!! I'm at the University of Warwick's Business School for my Masters here. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it, and then I was very busy prepping and packing and the like.

I've been here just under a week, I'm still setting up, and considering I don't even know how to cook, it's gonna be a task, for sure. But the University is very highly recommended, and its gorgeous here too. Culinary school has been put off, probably after 3-4 years.

I hope to have a post up soon, as soon as I can manage to buy all the pots and pans and ingredients. Please stick around, and wish me luck :)

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:08:00 +0000

Hello :)

I've been super super busy with something, so I thank all of you that have still stuck around for my infrequent posts. Hopefully everything should be sorted out soon. Anyway, it's time for another SRC post. And what a post at that. These cupcakes are just dreamy good. On my top 10 list for sure. Which reminds me.. I should do a top 10 post, shoudn't I?

This time I was assigned a lovely blog too [I've been very lucky with my assignments uptil now], and I had some great choices. It's owned by Jaida, someone who's food choices I really like, just by seeing what she posted. I leaned towards these cupcakes, I've been wanting to make some chocolate chip ones since forever, and also needed to finish my Callebaut chocolate chips stash. Plus, they are from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, a book that I trust highly, they've all been winners for me. I chose a different frosting recipe, because I don't like the powdered sugar ones too much, and there's this other frosting from Martha, a cream cheese one, that I love, and make very frequently.

The cupcake went perfectly with the frosting, soft, dreamy moist cupcake, with a rich, buttery, high on chocolate frosting. What more could a girl ask for?

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Makes 32

From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

For the cupcakes -

3 ¼ cups plus 1 Tbsp sifted cake flour (not self-rising), divided use

4 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk

½ cup plus 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ¾ cups sugar

5 large egg whites, room temperature

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk and vanilla.
In your mixer bowl, cream the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat until light ans fluffy. Reduce the speed. Now add 1/3rd of the flour mixture, beat till incorporated, and add half the milk mixture, again mixing just till incorporate. Repeat, finishing with the last third of the flour mixture, making sure not to overbeat.
In another clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Mix 1/3rd of the whites into the above batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest gently.
Toss the chocolate chips with the 1 tbsp of flour, and fold them in.
Fill muffins pans to 3/4th full, and bake for 20 mins, until tops feel springy.

For the chocolate frosting -

From Martha Stewart via Annie's Eats

[I halved and had more than enough, I put on as much as you can see in the pictures]

14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

9 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream

Instructions -

Melt the chocolate whichever way you feel comfortable. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your mixer, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese till light and fluffy. Sift the confectioner's sugar into the bowl, along with the cocoa powder and salt. Mix to combine.
Beat in the room temperature chocolate, and the sour cream. Frost immediately.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:16:00 +0000

The other day, I had some friends request some brownies, and after having made countless repetitions of countless versions, I decided it was time to try something new. I've also slowly been struggling to get through my million bookmarks {I'm sure you relate}, and I noticed these cookies posted by Katrina. They looked so sinful, I was sure they'd do.

I made them almost immediately, and they were super easy to make. I was happily chomping on them an hour later. They came out rather thin for me, I think that's because I added a little extra butter. But I loved them that way, the edges were nice and crunchy, with the inside soft and brownie-ish, exactly how I like them.. These cookies are meant to be soft, so you must not bake them to a crisp.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart via Baking and Boys

8 oz [226 g] semi sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tbsp [57 g / 1/2 stick] unsalted butter
2/3 cup [80 g] flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz [340 g] semi sweet chocolate chunks

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, or whatever method you prefer. Keep aside to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add the room temp chocolate mixture, mix to incorporate. Now add the flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated. Add in the chocolate chunks, and fold.
Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the batter on cookie sheets, and bake for 12-15 mins, as mentioned above, you want them to be soft. Serve with a scoop of ice cream on the side.
Store in airtight containers so that they don't get too soft.

Strawberry Iced Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:24:00 +0000

Happy Independence Day to all my Indian readers :)

It's another month for the Secret Recipe Club, which now has it's own site, and a TON of new members, so many so, that posting has been divided into 3 different days. I feel like I've only been posting for the SRC, but it's been a crazy time for me, with joining and quitting a job, my brother getting married, and my preparing for something big in life [not food related], that I'm hoping will happen. Things are almost back to normal now, so I hope to be posting more regularly.

Anyway, this month I was assigned the blog Heavenly Treats and Treasures, which also had a ton of great options for me. I've been very lucky with the assignments, I must say. I loved her Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes, I really wanted to make those, but it didn't work out. With the sudden heat wave here, I was in no mood to turn on the oven, and I wanted something cool. Her Sweet Blackberry Tea seemed perfect. I love Iced Teas, had some frozen strawberries I needed to use up, and it'd be perfect for the weather.

And.. this is the first time I've ever made anything this easy. I was surprised when I was done and sipping the drink within 10 minutes of looking at the recipe. I really need to make more drinks, I always thought they'd be more involved. All you have to do is make a simple syrup [1:1 ratio of sugar and water], infuse with whatever flavor you want, and add to prepared tea! I know this might be fundamental to all of you, but I'm quite fascinated by the ease of it all.

Strawberry Iced Tea
Adapted from Heavenly Treats and Treasures

2 quarts prepared tea, green or black [I used green]
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
10 oz frozen fruit of your choice.

Instructions -

Allow the prepared tea to cool.
In a medium saucepan, combine together the sugar, water, and frozen fruit. I roughly chopped the fruit before adding, because I don't like pieces in my drink. Most will get mashed anyway with the heat and stirring.
Cook on high until sugar dissolves, and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Don't thicken it to a paste, it won't mix into the tea well. Allow to cool slightly
In a nice, tall glass, pour out the prepared tea about halfway to the top. Add about 1/4 cup of the strawberry syrup [adjust according to taste], stir,and add some crushed ice on top. Garnish with a fresh strawberry, some mint leaves, and serve.

Creamy Lemon Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's time for the Secret Recipe Club again. I'm the biggest procrastinator ever, and have never, ever been able to schedule a post. This group is slowly changing that in me!! This post, and last month's have both been scheduled. Can you believe it? Who knew blogging would bring about such life changes too, I've actually began doing things on time, instead of beginning a few hours after due date. Thank you, Amanda :) You should sign up too!

This time I was assigned Cara's blog, the Boys Made Me Do it. I was really happy with this assignment, she had a lot of great choices, and I was torn between these bars that she made from the Pioneer Woman, or Joy the Baker's super famous Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread. I finally chose the lemon bars, since the were so absolutely easy to make, and yeast is something I have yet to conquer. Plus, lemon is something I love baking with, but somehow I haven't done as much. Turns out it was the perfect pick, these bars, though easy and not true lemon bars, were absolutely delicious. The creaminess of the filling just went perfectly with the oat-sy crust, the and puckeriness of the lemons was just wonderful. This took like 10 minutes to prepare too, so there really shouldn't be anything stopping you from making these.

Creamy Lemon Squares

Adapted from the Boys Made Me Do It via the Pioneer Woman

1 1/2 cup [180g ] flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick [113 g] butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oats - I used quick cooking
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice - This can be varied according to taste
zest of 1 lemon

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Grease a 8 x 11 pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the softened butter and brown sugar. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this to the butter mixture, stir till incorporated. Now dump in the oats, and mix as best you can.
Line about 3/4th of this mixture at the bottom of your pan, and press it in using your fingers, or a measuring cup.
In a medium bowl, pour in the can of sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemon juice and zest. You can taste this mixture as you go, and vary lemon accordingly. It should be really quite puckery, the taste mutes a little because of the crust. Mix well, and pour over the layer of oats. Slightly level with a spatula.
Now sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the lemon layer, and lightly flatten with fingers, don't pack it in.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, till the crumb in golden brown. Cool for about 30 minutes, cut into bars, and serve.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Flour Frosting.. Turning 22!

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:57:00 +0000

I can't believe it's only been a week since I turned 22. Wait.. I can't even believe I'm 22, I still tell people I'm 21 :)

I had the most awesome birthday celebration, with a few select friends, and a whole lot of drama. These cupcakes were made before the day, since I never bake on my birthday, even though I love baking, my birthday is a day where I'm to be pampered :)

I also started working about 2 months ago, which is why I haven't been too regular with the posting, or browsing the blogs. I can't help but wonder how people are doing their own thing at work, having all the time in the world. I've had literally no time!

Anyway, I'd been seeing the flour frosting around the blogosphere a lot, and specially noticed it when Ree, the Pioneer Woman posted it as the best frosting she's ever tasted. It's called a million different names, the one I liked the best is heritage frosting. Reading up on it a bit, it sounded like something I would like, not too sweet, rich but not overbearingly slow, fluffy, and just a lot of fun. I can't stand the powdered sugar buttercreams, and I'm always looking for alternatives. This one was perfect. I loved it. My parents, the world's biggest frosting haters also ate these cupcakes, frosting and all. So it's a pure winner for me, and for anyone else who likes a not so sweet frosting. Usually sugar is the base, that gives stability to a buttercream, but here, the flour/cornstarch provides that required structure, allowing for a much more sophisticated end result.

Since I was experimenting with the frosting, I went with an old favorite recipe for the cupcake, Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake. It's one of the moistest cakes I've ever eaten. And you know what's amazing. I accidently left out the oil [I'm too scatter brained], and you would never know it looking at the cupcakes. I had happily gorged on a few, when I noticed the oil sitting on the counter. I haven't had the chance to try it again, so I can't recommend just leaving it out completely [maybe I made some other mistake too, because of which the cupcakes turned out well], but if you do try it, please let me know. It'd be so awesome to have a fat free cupcake!

Look how smooth and luscious :D

Chocolate cupcakes with Heritage Frosting

For the cupcakes -
Yield - about 28

2 cups [480 g] sugar
1 3/4 cups [210 g] flour
3/4 cup [70 g] cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup [260 g] milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line two muffin pans with liners.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the sugar.
Add in the eggs, milk, oil and extract, beating for about 2 minutes on medium. Now pour in the boiling water. The batter will be very thin, don't worry.
Scoop into prepared pans, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.

For the Heritage frosting -

1 cup [260 g] milk
1 cup [240 g] sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup [2 sticks / 226 g] butter

Instructions -

In a medium saucepan, heat together 3/4 cup of the milk, the sugar and salt, until sugar is dissolved. Don't allow it to come to a boil, keep the heat on slow.
In a small bowl, combine together the remaining 1/4 cup of the milk and the cornstarch, to create a slurry/paste like mixture. Pour this slowly into the sugar mixture, and continue heating over medium heat, stirring gently. Do not stir too much, or you will break up the molecules that are forming, and thus ruin your base. Cook for about 1-2 mins, till it forms a thick paste. Do not allow it to come to a rolling boil.
Now pour this mixture into the waiting bowl of your mixer. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Once cool, cut butter into 1 tbsp chunks. With your mixer on medium low, using the whisk attachment, beat the cornstarch mixture. Begin adding the chunks of butter, one at a time, until each is mostly incorporated. Once all the butter is added, increase the spead to medium high, and whip for about 5 mins, until the frosting is fluffy looking. Use immediately.

Cherry Clafoutis

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's time for the Secret Recipe Club again :) This time I was assigned Shumaila's great blog. I was very happy with the assignment, coz she had a lot of great stuff to pick from. I had originally planned on making the black forest cake, something that's in every bakery here, but really bad quality, so an amped up, good quality ingredients black forest cake was just calling my name.

But life gets in the way, with some personal troubles going on, I just didn't feel like it, and opted to make a simple clafoutis instead, which I remember eating on my trip to Europe, and loving! I love custard-y stuff, so it was right up my alley. And having just eaten a slice before writing this post up, I can vouch for how lovely it is. It took me right back to my trip last year. It's warm, soft, sweet and just all over wonderful.

Cherry Clafoutis
Adapted from Classic Home Desserts via The Novice Housewife
Serves about 8

2 1/2 cups [about 1 pound) cherries
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup [60 g] sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract /cognac/kirsch
pinch salt
1/2 cup [60 g] sifted all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Grease a 9 inch tart pan. I couldn't find mine, so I used a springform
Clean, steam and pit the cherries in a bowl. Reserve the juices
In a large bowl, mix together the milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cherry juices. Now stir in the flour until barely combined, a few lumps are alright.
Lay out the cherries in a single layer on the bottom of your pan, and then pour the batter over it. I recommend putting the pan on a baking sheet, the batter is pretty liquid and some of it might just get out.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes clean. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar

DIY : How to make homemade marshmallows

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 30 May 2011 06:44:00 +0000

This is a new series I'm starting here on YB. It's born out of a lack of ingredient availability here in India. Also, homemade is always better, isn't it? So whether it's to make up for ingredient non-availabilty, or to healthy your home up and avoid preservatives, or simply bagging rights [I mean, homemade marshmallows! That's sure to get some oohs and aahhs], I hope you follow along, and use this series in your homes too. I will update as and when something comes up that I make, it may not be super regular, but that's me. I don't work well with deadlines :)

These marshmallows were simply ethereal. So fluffy and light. I think I'm going to have to make one slab, and use it as my pillow! Wouldn't that be awesome? An edible pillow! I'm rushing to patent my creation ;) They are made with egg whites, and so have a surreal level of fluffiness that can't be matched. They're one of Deb's recipes, who I trust beyond belief, so ofcourse they're amazing! They're actually also very easy to make, especially if you have the correct equipment.

On the downside though, these tend to melt a little easier than regular marshmallows, because of the egg whites. While they will still taste the same, they won't look as pretty, as you may have noticed on my cookies post a while ago. If you have a kitchen torch, then you're good to go, because they are infinitely better, or even if you don't have one, just try these, they're amazing as is!! And they're absolutely perfect for roasting for s'mores, the fact that they melt easier is actually a plus.

Homemade Marshmallows

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Yield - About 85 1 inch sized marshmallows

3/4 cup [98 g] confectioners’ sugar + 1/4 cup corn starch - Sifted together
3 1/2 envelopes [2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp] unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups [480 g] granulated sugar
1/2 cup [150 g] light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tbsp vanilla [you can play around with flavorings / colors]

Note : The marshmallow 'batter' is very sticky, it would be best to pre-oil or spray everything that is going to come into contact with it.. like the pan, spatulas, your fingers, etc. I've tried to list out step-by-step, every detail to make it as easy as possible.

Equipment needed -

Stand Mixer [highly recommended, though you technically can make it with a hand mixer]
Candy thermometer

Oil a 9x13 pan well, then dust with the confectioner's sugar mixture liberally. Tap excess out.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, pour in all the gelation. Now pour in 1/2 cup cold water over it, give it a quick stir, and let it sit to soften and bloom.
In a large, heavy saucepan, pour in the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and second 1/2 cup of water. Clip on your candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves. Now increase heat to medium, and let it boil, without stirring, until the temperate on the thermometer registers 240 F, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from heat, and immediately pour into the bowl of your stand mixer, stirring until the gelation dissolves.
Using the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high until it becomes white, fluffy, thick, and almost tripled in volume, about 6-8 minutes. Don't be afraid to let it beat, it should be quite thick.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Beat these whites into the above sugar mixture, also add whatever flavorings and colors you choose, just until combined.
Pour into prepared pan, and don't try to get it all out, it's an exercise in futility. Sift 1/4 cup of the confectioners sugar mixture evenly over the top. Refrigerate uncovered until firm, atleast 3 hours, or up to one day.
Now run a thin knife along the edges of the pan, and invert it onto a large cutting board, on which some of the confectioners sugar mixture has already been sprinkled. Lift up one corner of the pan, and using your fingers, gently loosen the marshmallow slab, and ease on the board.
Using an oiled knife, [or an oiler pizza cutter works better], cut the marshmallow slab into 1 inch cubes. Sift all the remaining confectioners sugar mixture back into your empty pan, and now roll all the cut marshmallows in it, making sure all six sides are coated well. Tap out the excess from each [a quick toss in your hands, a few at a time works perfectly], and store in an airtight container, ready to use.
These were ok for about a week outside, after which I stored them in the refrigerator for about another week, and they were perfectly alright. However, I don't recommend storing them longer than that.

Uma's Orange Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Soo... How did everyone get through the Great Blogger Crash of 2011? Were you frustrated, or were you happy to stay away for a bit? I was pretty bugged about not being able to comment on blogs, and some not opening at all, but luckily, my blog got through unharmed, and I was away for the weekend to an awesome beach retreat, so I didn't feel too much of it.

It's Secret Recipe Club time again, and I got an awesome blog - Cooking Rookie. I was planning on making this last week, but her blog was down, atleast for me. So I kept waiting, and finally managed to make it on the last day, with the super helpful Amanda's help - she copied the entire post for me so I could bake the cake! I just got back like an hour ago, and am quickly typing this post up, I just hope I can finish it before my eyes shut and I crash.

The cake was gorgeously soft and fluffy, mildly flavored, and basically one that I can get away with at breakfast too :) The instructions on her blog weren't too clear, so I did it as I thought correct, came out wonderful.

Uma's Orange Cake

Adapted from Cooking Rookie

1 1/2 cups [180 g] flour
1/4 cup yogurt
1/3 stick [57 g] butter
1/2 cup orange juice
2/3 cup [160 g] sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg + 2 egg whites
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt

For the glaze -
3 tsp icing sugar (45 cal)
1 tsp vanilla essence (5 cal)
2 tsp water

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Grease and line a 9 inch round pan.
Rub in the zest with the sugar for added flavor and fragrance.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the whole egg, and beat. Now pour in both the juices.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add 1/3rd of this flour mixture to the above butter mixture. Then add in half the yoghurt. In the same way, add the second 1/3rd of flour, the last bit of yoghurt, and the last bit of flour mixing between each addition, only till incorporated.
In a clean bowl, beat together the two whites till stiff peaks form. Fold them into the above mixture, and pour this batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Mix together all the ingredients for the glaze, and pour it over the cake while it's still hot.

New York Style Coffee Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Sun, 08 May 2011 19:19:00 +0000

This sure has been a week straight out of a Disney fairytale, hasn't it? The prince got his princess, the bad guy died. And while I can't celebrate the death of a person, it does give me a sense of peace to know that he can't do any more harm.

I made this cake to gorge on while watching the Royal wedding, and loved it so much, I'm made it again, just so I could share with you guys. Its from the guys at my most loved bakery ever, Baked NYC's Baked Explorations. I blindly trust every recipe they put out. This one was no different. It was truly delicious. Even while preparing the batter, I knew it would be awesome, it was one of the silkiest-smoothest batters ever! I may have eaten quite a few spoonfuls of it ;)

The cake when baked, was so fluffy and moist, this is going high up on my sure-fire winners list. The crumb was a little too much for me, even though I love it, I'd suggest you reduce it to 3/4th.

If you're ever sad, and watching something like the Royal wedding happen, bake this cake, sit down with a fork, and I ensure you, you will cheer up. That said, I wasn't really sad, I'm all about Harry :)

New York Style Coffee Cake

Adapted from Baked Explorations [India]

For the crumb topping:

1 cup [240 g] firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup [110 g] granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
2 sticks [226 g] melted butter
2 1/2 cups [300 g] all-purpose flour

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups [330 g] all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks [170 g] butter
1 1/2 cups [330 g] granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups [290 g] sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass 9×13 pan. You can use a metal pan, but the edges may get a bit crispy.
To make the crumb topping - mix both sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour until it is absorbed. Spread out a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter and spread this mixture out on the parchment paper to dry while you make the cake mixture.
To make the cake - Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Cream the butter until it is smooth, and ribbonlike with a mixer. Add the sugar, and beat till fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Now add in the sour cream and vanilla, and beat till incorporated. Pour in the flour mixture in about 3 parts, beating just until incorporated. Once the batter looks silky smooth, it is ready :)
Pour the batter in the prepared pan. Using your hands, scoop up a handful of the crumb topping, make a fist so that it holds together, then break off in chunks and drop over the cake. Repeat until all the topping is used up. [I didn't do it this time around, so my topping will look a little different from yours. It's not a step I recommend skipping, the topping might be too crumbly otherwise]. You will have a thick layer of topping.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack, and serve alongside some coffee or tea.
The cake will last for 3 days, covered at room temperature. It's been one day since I made it, and there's only a tiny bit left.

Mississippi Mud Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:53:00 +0000

I made homemade marshmallows the other day, and ate my first s'more. Oh my. There goes the diet! I loved them soo much, I ate like 5 of them, and they were huge!

I've also joined this new blogging group, the secret recipe club, headed by Amanda of Amanda's Cookin. We're allotted a different blog each month, which is kept a secret till posting date, I got Amanda's blog itself :) Its a lot of fun, go to her blog if you want to register.

So anyway, I was looking for a recipe in her blog, plus I wanted to make something with the marshmallows. And I found this cookie! It was perfect, and it looked gorgeous! It tastes gorgeous too, the almost brownie-ish cookie, with the stringy, gooey marshmallows. Ah yum! Do try them, its a very easy recipe, came together in like 10 minutes!

Mississippi Mud Cookies

Recipe by Amanda via Megan
Makes about 24

1 12-oz bag semisweet chocolate chips, separated
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. miniature marshmallows

Instructions -

Melt 1 cup [170 g / 6 oz] of the chocolate chips, set aside to come to room temp.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beating between each addition. Stir in the cooled chocolate till well incorporated.
Now add in the flour, mix just until incorporated. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips, refigerate dough for an hour.
To bake, preheat oven to 350 F [180 C], and drop tablespoon sized heaps on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Dot the top with mini marshmallows, and bake for about 12 minutes, till edges feel done. Cool on sheet for about 5 minutes, then move to cookie rack.

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:40:00 +0000

Nom nom nom.

Oh these cheesecakes!! I simply don't know what to say about them. These were amongst the top 10 desserts I've ever eaten, that's all.

On Saturday, 2nd of April, India won the cricket world cup, to become world champions! The entire nation erupted, cricket is more of a religion here. I've never been much of a sports person, but the atmosphere here during the final few matches couldn't be missed, and I actually watched about 9 hours of cricket for each match!! And when we won! It was insane, there are tons and tons of news articles about it, so I won't go into it too much. The sense of joy and celebration on the roads was just unbeatable, no other day could you dance on the roads at 2 am with a hundred strangers and not be worried about your safety.

The adrenaline hangover went way into Sunday, with everyone being at their laziest best. That's when I made these.. no experimentation, nothing complicated, just pure comfort food. I've made these cheesecakes quite a few times, the tangy, slightly sour taste combined with the crunch of the oreos is just heaven.

Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes

Recipe from one of my favorites - Martha Stewart's Cupcakes [India]
Yield - 30

42 cream-filled sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, 30 left whole, and 12 coarsely chopped
2 pounds [4 8oz blocks] cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup [240 g] sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line muffin pam with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Beat in sour cream and salt
Stir in chopped cookies by hand, or they might break up too much.
Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes.
Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

New Look

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:34:00 +0000

Do you like it??? I did it all on my own!!

I've been completely MIA from the blog, facebook, twitter and even e-mails. I'm sorry about that, I was working on the redesign. It's something I've wanted to do since forever, but with all the distractions, I just couldn't. I finally resolved to shut everything till I launch the new design, and got it done :) All thanks to the Google gods and my design classes.

There are still a few small tweaks to be done, but this is basically the essence of it. It's still in line with the previous theme, the colors of chocolate and pink!

I've started e-mail subscriptions now, had a lot of you ask for it. It's over to the right! So sign up <3

I've also created a recipe index page, but it's empty for now, I hope to have it up and running asap!

So.. leave feedback, I'm up to changing some stuff up if needed!

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Nutella Truffle Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:14:00 +0000

The other day, I was craving homemade, simple cookies.

And here's what I made -

Anything but simple, right. I'm a Gemini, I'm allowed to be indecisive!!

What are they? They're chocolate chip hazelnut cookies, that I stuffed with a Nutella Truffle, and just because I was feeling reckless, added one on top too. Yeah, just in case you're wondering, I do yoga 5 days a week!

The outside -

The inside- Double Truffle cookies, that are way over the top, but so fun!

Making the truffles - One of the most glorious sights on earth!!

The slightly melted truffles being formed, can just be dropped into a bowl of cocoa powder and coated to form a ball.

Forming the cookie

Covering the truffle. Close it up properly, or some of the deliciousness might come out in the oven.

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Truffle Cookies
Adapted from the amazing Katrina

For the cookies -
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp [140g / 1 stick + 2 tbsp] butter
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp [135 g] granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp [120 g] light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanila
2 cups [240 g] flour
1/2 + 1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp coarse salt - I forgot to add.
10 oz chocolate chips / chopped chocolate - I always use a mix of the two for varied texture.
1/2 cup [90 g] toasted hazelnuts, chopped

For the Nutella truffles -
3 oz good quality dark chocolate - Don't use baking chocolate, it won't melt as well
6 tbsp [110 g] Nutella

Instructions -

Make the truffles first. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a microwave. Once melted, take off the heat, and mix in the Nutella. Refrigerate for about an hour.
In the meanwhile, begin making the cookie dough. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder.
Mix this mixture into the butter sugar mixture, until incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour.
Once the Nutella mixture is cooled enough, form into rough balls rolled in cooca powder as best as you can, without working them too much or they will melt. If they melt too much, just drop them into the cocoa powder in dollops, and then coat them using the cocoa, as you can see I did in the picture. Freeze for 20 minutes.
To form the cookies - just stuff a Nutella truffle into the cookie, and bake for about 12 - 14 minutes in a 350 F [180 C] oven. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to the cooling rack, these cookies are a little delicate when hot because of the stuffing.
Reheat in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds before eating to melt again.

Swedish Visiting Cake.. One of the easiest cakes I've ever made!

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Soo, who like cheesy romantic movies? I'm not at all ashamed to say, I love them. I just finished watching one of my all time favorites, A Walk to Remember! Do you love that one? What's your favorite? Most of them have a common theme, Miss Plain Jane is actually Miss Perfect, and Mr. Perfect realises it halfway through the movie. And though it's been done to death, I still watch every new movie that comes out with a similar theme, and usually end up bawling my eyes out at the end! [Not a pretty sight, I always try to watch such movies alone to save embarassment]

This cake is actually a lot like those movies. Unassuming, simple. You look at it, and go meh. A skim over the ingredient list, and it'll just be bookmarked in your to-try list forever. If it wasn't for the TWD'ers, I would never have been introduced to this cake! They could not stop raving about it, and the other day I decided to try it out. It's a one-bowl recipe, that literally took 5 minutes [I'm not exaggerating] to prepare and put into the oven. And you'll probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. So there should really be nothing stopping you from making this one!

Swedish Visiting Cake
Recipe from Baking From My Home To Yours

Note : Though this recipe calls for a cast-iron skillet, you can also use a pie plate, or even a round cake pan, this cake is not at all fussy.
Also, Dorie posted an apple variation that sounds amazing too.

Ingredients -

1 cup [220g] sugar, plus little more for sprinkling
Grated zest from 1 lemon [altenatively, you could use orange zest too]
2 large eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract [optional]
1 cup [120 g] all-purpose flour
1/2 cup [1 stick / 113 grams] unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
¼ cup sliced almonds [blanched]

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Butter a 9 inch pan, whichever one you decide to use.
In a large bowl [I used the cake pan itself], rub together the sugar with the zest until it becomes moist and fragrant. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the salt and extracts. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the flour. Now fold in the butter. Transfer to your pan. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top. If using anything other than a skillet, place that pan on a baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 mins, until the top is golden brown, and slightly crisp, the inside will remain moist. Serve warm or cooled, for breakfast or for dessert, play with this recipe, it's very open to adaptations!!

Fresh Fig Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:13:00 +0000

One thing I love about blogging is how it's making me experiment more, and not bake my usual things all the time. The other day I saw figs at the stall below my building, and while I wouldn't ever give a second look a year ago, now I was intrigued, and bought some without any idea about what I was going to do with them. Turns out, fresh figs aren't really used that much, I saw mainly two uses.. a fig tart, or figs wrapped in prosciutto, both very interesting ideas. Since I only bake desserts, [I've never ever made anything savory in my life!!], I went with the tart, though if someone were to make the proscuitto one for me, I'd gladly devour!

It was super quick and easy to make, since I already had some frangipane in the freezer, all I had to do was whip up some pastry, and be done. It tasted really good too, the figs sort of tasted like softer, moister dried figs [well duh, but I had no idea what to expect, I'd never tasted fresh figs before], and the frangipane provided some much needed sweetness! I served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but would have to loved to whip up some fresh fig ice cream from David Lebovitz's awesome book, [India] or try another master's adapted version.

Fresh Fig Tarts
Recipe from the Foodie Handbook via ChezPim

1 9" pastry dough [1/2 of the recipe]
About 10 large or 15 small figs
1/4 of the frangipane recipe below [It's really good, so make the whole amount and use up the rest somewhere else]

Frangipane -
75g [about 1/2 cup] whole almonds
75g [1/3 cup] granulated sugar
75g [about 3/4 stick] butter, at room temperature
1 large egg

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Lay the almonds on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, ot until lightly toasted and fragrant. Allow to cool.
Once cool, process together the almonds and sugar in a food processor until fine and powdery. The sugar helps prevent the nuts forming a paste. Add the chopped butter and eggs and pulse till well combined. Use immediately, or store wrapped in cling film for upto a month in the freezer.

For the tart -

Roll out the chilled pastry to about a 10 inch dish, and lay in the tart pan if using, or leave as is.
Spread out 1/4 of the frangipane on the pastry, leaving a 1 inch border along the sides.
Quarter [or halve if small] the figs, and lay them in concentric circles, pointy side up right up to where the frangipane is. [Don't lay them out to vertically, or the tops might burn, like how I did :( ] Another option of presentation is slicing them horizontally and laying them.
If making a galette, fold the edges in, and pinch to make sure it sticks and stays up. Brush the edges of the pastry with eggwash if wanted, and sprinkle on some sugar. If making a tart, leavee as is. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the pastry edges are golden brown.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:11:00 +0000

You know what? I'm not even going to try and tell you about this cake, because words really can't describe how good it is! A quick look at the flavors, and the fact that it's from the guys at Baked NYC should really be enough. This cake is going to be the sole reason I'm going to gain back all my lost weight, because I already want to make it again!

In other news, I'm almost done recovering, and can now resume eating better food! Yayyy! Travelling too much is still a no though. Oh, and I'm looking for some recommendations on cakes that are not chocolate filled with chocolate and topped with chocolate. Shocking I know, but I want to try some other flavors. Your tried and tested recipes would be the best way to start, right? ♥

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake
Inspired by Baked [India] [one of my most favorite books ever!!]
Note : I did not use their recipe for the chocolate cake, only used their filling and frosting [which, face it, are the parts that matter anyway], since I already had a few layers of my favorite chocolate cake baked up, recipe below. It's a favorite of many bloggers! If you want to try this with their cake recipe, just google 'sweet and salty cake' and you'll find millions of links to it!

Double Chocolate Layer Cake - Adapted from Epicurious [I've made a few changes over time, so the recipe looks a little different]
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped [I use a combination of bittersweet and semi-sweet]
1 1/2 cup [120 g] cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup hot brewed strong coffee
1 stick [4 oz / 113 g] unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup [340 g] granulated sugar
1 cup [220 g] light brown sugar
2 3/4 cup [350 g] cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup [165 g] oil
1 1/2 cup [360 g] sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 300 F [150 C]. Grease and line two 10 inch, or 3 8 inch cake pans.
Over low heat, stir together the chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, coffee and butter until everything melts and a nice thick paste is formed. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, sift together the sugars, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs till slightly thickened and lightened in color. Whisk in the oil, sour cream and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate mixture, mix well. Add in the flour mixture, mixing till just combined.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean, and the top feels springy to touch. It's alright if the top feels slightly sticky, it's still baked through, that's just how the cake is. Cool on wire rack. Since this cake is very soft, I recommend freezing the cake layers before using! It always makes for easier cake assembly.

For the salted caramel filling -
You probably end up using around 3/4 of this filling, but don't reduce the recipe, trust me. It'll finish in no time :)

1 cup [220 g] sugar
2 tbsp [20 g] light corn syrup
1/2 cup [130 g] heavy cream
1 tsp fleur de sel
1/4 cup [60 g] sour cream

Instructions -

Combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan, stir to combine. Boil on high heat till the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. If you don't have one, just cook till it's amber colored, about 8-10 minutes.
In the meanwhile, heat together the cream and fleur de sel till it dissolves. Don't let the cream boil. Add it to the caramel once the caramel mixture is ready. Whisk it together. Whisk in the sour cream. Allow to cool to room temp.
You can use this immediately, or refrigerate upto 3 days before using.

For the whipped caramel ganache -

1 pound dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup [220 g] sugar
2 tbsp [20 g] light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups [390 g] heavy cream
4 sticks [1 pound / 452 g] butter, cut into tbsp sized pieces, slightly softened

Instructions -

This portion is the same as the caramel filling, so you ualready have a base to judge on :)
Combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and the corn syrup in a medium saucepan, stir to combine. Boil on high heat till the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. If you don't have one, just cook till it's amber colored, about 8-10 minutes.
In the meanwhile, heat the cream, without letting it boil. Add it to the caramel once the caramel mixture is ready. Whisk it together. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate, letting it sit for about a minute before mixing till the chocolate has completely melted.
Now fit the micture with a paddle attachment, and beat the mixture on low till the bowl feels cool to the touch. Add the butter and increase speed to medium high till it's well incorporated, thickened and whipped, about 2-3 minutes. Let cool slightly before using, to make it easier.

Assembling the cake -

Slice the cake layers into 2 using a serrated knife or a cake slicer. I made a 3 layer cake, but you could make it a 4 layer cake as well, in fact, the salted caramel filling would be the perfect amount for a 4 layer cake.
Also slice off the tops of the cake. Lay down one sliced layer on a cake board, and add about 1/3rd of the filling. It will seem like it's too little, but it has so much flavor that the amount is perfect. Spread to the edges. You'll notice that some of it gets absorbed into the cake, that's supposed to happen!
Lay on the next layer, add another 1/3rd of the filling, and lay on the last layer. Save the bottom half of a sliced layer for the top, and lay it on inverted so that you have a flat top.
Now put on a light layer of the ganache, just to seal in the crumbs, called a crumb coat. Refrigerate for 5 minutes, then lay on the rest of the ganache and frost as desired [I used a cake comb, it's a lazy decorators best friend!]. Serve immediately. If you must refrigerate, reheat the cake for 10-20 seconds in the microwave, there's nothing worse than cold cake!!

Dark Chocolate Souffles with Cardamom Creme Anglaise

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:27:00 +0000

It never fails to surprise me how most of the best things are born out of what we once thought of as settling. Case in point - these gorgeous, delicious souffles. I've been home bound ever since the surgery [I'm doing great, I meet the doctor tomorrow and hopefully he lifts the 'going out' ban from me, thanks for all the sweet mails wishing me the best, they really made me feel better]. And since eating anything 'good' is still a pipe dream for me, I've been craving all sorts of cakes, brownies and stuff, you know, the forbidden fruit principle.

So one day while killing myself browsing through the blogosphere, I decided to give up on those impossible craving and instead make something that I could eat. I'd bookmarked these souffles a long time ago, and found them again while going through the 'make immediately' tag in my bookmarks. And while these would appeal to me a lot on a normal day, since I was making this as a last resort, I had no expectations out of it.

I'm soo glad that happened, because they really blew me away! Sometimes I tend to ruin things with crazy high expectations. The souffles very light and gorgeously flavored, but the real star of the show was the delicious creme anglaise, it made such a perfect accompaniment, I'm already thinking of other ways to use it! Maybe as a base for ice cream? Any other ideas are truly welcome.

Dark Chocolate Souffles with Cardamom Creme Anglaise
Recipe from Epicurious

For the souffles -

5 oz bittersweet chocolate - I used 60 %
1 tbsp [15 g] butter
1/4 cup [60 g] + 3 tbsp [45 g] sugar - divided use
2 tbsp [20 g] flour
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup [200 g] milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
1/4 tsp coarse salt

Instructions -

Place chopped chocolate and butter in a medium bowl.
In a large saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup of the sugar, the flour and the cocoa. Set aside. Boil the milk and vanilla together, then slowly whisk into the sugar mixture. Don't add all the milk at once, the lumps formed will be near impossible to remove.
Now cook this mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly until a thick paste is formed, about 2 minutes. Here's what mine looked like.
Now scrape the hot mixture into the bowl with the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts. The mixture may look curdled, don't worry about it! Add in the yolks and whisk until mixture looks creamy and shiny. This is the base for the souffle, you can prepare this upto 1 day ahead and refregirate, covering with plastic wrap directly on the mixture, but bring down to room temp before using again. It's perfect make ahead for entertaining too.
For the final part, butter 8 3/4 cup ramekins and dust with sugar. Whisk the whites until frothy, then add the sugar and salt, and whisk just until soft peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate base to lighten it, until well combined. Now gently fold in the remaining whites, just until combined, a few white streaks are ok. Pour into the prepared ramekins and lay them on a baking sheet. This can be prepared upto 2 hours ahead, leaving them at room temp itself.
Just before you want to serve, preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Bake until the souffles puff up above the rim of the ramekins, and the edges look set, about 18 minutes. Serve immediately with cardamom creme anglaise.

For the creme anglaise -

2 tbsp whole green cardamom pods, crushed [about 3]
1 cup [250 g] whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup [60 g] sugar, divided use
1/4 of a vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks

Instructions -

Place cardamom pods along with the seeds in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the pods brown, about 5 minutes.
Add milk, cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Scrape in the 'caviar' of the vanilla bean, then toss in the bean too. Bring this mixture to a boil.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar and the yolks. Stirring constantly, add about 5-6 spoonfuls of the hot milk mixture, a spoonful at a time, making sure to stir well in between additions. This process is called tempering the eggs, it ensures the yolks won't curdle when you add them to the hot mixture. Now you can add the egg + milk mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and a finger drawn across the back of the spoon leaves a distinct path, about 2 minutes. Do not let it boil or even come close to boiling.
Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Strain into a sauce boat. This can be prepared upto 2 days ahead.

These deflated before I could get a good picture, but you really shouldn't bother about that. It's bound to happen!
g

Butter Cake.. Your go-to simple cake!!

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:07:00 +0000

Another cake with strawberries!! Sorry, but I just love the color. This cake doesn't really include them, I just made a quick sauce to serve alongside the cake. This is a really nice, simple tasting cake that lends itself very well to be served with various sauces etc, but one that I love eating as is too. It's really delicious, buttery and soft!!

I'm actually having a jaw re-alignment surgery tomorrow, this post is coming to you straight from the hospital :) In the midst of preparing to go, with all the doctor visits, blood tests, and eating at all my favorite places because it's going to be quite a while till I heal enough to do so post-surgery, I was craving some simple cake. And this is the one I always turn to, it's like my comfort food when I don't want to experiment, all tried and trusted <3

Butter Cake
Adapted from Aunty Yochana
This recipe was originally given in weights, and though I've measured and given the converted amounts, using a scale and weighing would always be better.

250 g [2 sticks + 2 tbsp] butter
200 g [1 cup] sugar, divided use
1 tsp vanilla essence / half a vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp evaporated milk - can use regular too
200 g [1 1/2 cups] cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 egg whites

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Grease and line a 8 inch round pan or a large loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and 100 g of the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla essence and the yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in the milk.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add this into the butter mixture, beating only just till incorporated.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and the remaining 100 g sugar until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/3rd of the whites into the mixtures, and then fold in the rest gently.
Bake for about 40-45 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the top feels springy to the touch.

Strawberry Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:28:00 +0000

Happy 2011 <3

I had a pretty crappy year, so I have high hopes out of this one! It always happens doesn't it, that you hit a low, and from there you've only got to rise! So here's hoping for an awesome year/decade, for me and you too!!!

My oven had been on the fritz for the past 2-3 weeks, through Christmas [I know!], and it only just got repaired. With the strawberry season in full swing, I made these gorgeous cupcakes that I've had my eye on since forever. The pinky girlishness in them has been calling out to me since oh so long!

I'm not a fan on the butter-sugar buttercream, but this swiss meringue buttercream is something I could just gobble up. It's like a rich, buttery but not overwhelmingly so, sinful ice cream! The cupcakes are perfectly moist and tender, and if you do make these, you'll love how the batter looks too :) The buttercream is actually pretty easy to make, so don't worry about it!
The cupcakes are nicely sweet, and combined with the not too sweet buttecream, are totally dreamy! Perfet for any strawberry lover, because the flavor does really shine through

Strawberry cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Yield - 34 [I got 30]

For the cupcakes -
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup [2 sticks/226 g] unsalted butter, at room temp
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup milk
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries [about 20], plus about 10 more for garnish

Equipment -
2 cupcake/muffin pans

Instructions -

Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Line the cupcake pans with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and the white one at a time, mixing between each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, adding the milk twice in between i.e. dry, wet, dry, wet, dry, micing just until combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries by hand.
Pour the batter into the cupcake pan, filling not more than 3/4 full. Bake till a skewer inserted comes out clean, and the top feels spongy firm to touch, about 25-30 minutes.
Lay out on a wire rack till completely cool, and only then can you apply the icing.

For the swiss meringue buttercream -
This makes the perfect amount for the cupcakes.

1 1/2 cups [8 oz] fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped.
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups [3 sticks / 339 g] unsalted buttter, at room temp.

Equipment -
While I have made this with a hand mixer, it's a LOT of work, and subsequent arm pain, so having a stand mixer is highly recommended.

Instructions -

Puree strawberries in a food processor, set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl, [you can use the bowl of your KA] add the egg whites and set over a pan of simmering water on medium heat.
Never stop whisking the whites, and add the sugar in bit by bit. I find that adding the sugar in parts helps it melt faster and easier, alternatively, you could add it all right in the beginning. Keep it over the heat until the sugar has completely melted. You can test this by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingers, it should feel completely smooth, and not gritty or grainy. Once it is completely smooth, you can stop whisking, and attach the bowl back to your stand mixer.
Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium high until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and, if you're using the same bowl, the bowl is cool to touch, about 8 minutes
One thing to take care of is that the butter should be at the correct temperature. It should give slightly when you press down on it with a finger, and leave a small indent.
Now reducing the speed to medium low, add the butter, a tablespoon at a time. letting each get incorporated completely before adding the next. When you're a little more than halfway done adding the butter, the buttercream might look curdled. Don't worry about that, it's supposed to happen, and just keep beating the mixture until it becomes smooth again before adding any more butter.
Once you're done adding all the butter, scrape down, switch to the paddle attachment and beat for about 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. Add the puree and mix till incorporated. You just made Swiss meringue buttercream :)
This can be left out for a day or two. After that, let the frosted cupcakes/cake/whatever you use this on sit out for about 10 minutes before you eat it, so that the butter can warm up a little bit.
If you're refrigerating or freezing before using it, you must let it come down to room temperature, and preferably beat it on low for about 4-5 minutes using the paddle attachment.

Oh and the WINNER of the giveaway : It's comment #23, Hanaâ!!! Congratulations <3 <3