Easycooking

Bell Pepper Calzones

2013-06-18T15:10:00.000+05:30

I love watching cooking videos on the net.I have some favorites and I keep watching it again and again so much so that the recipe and even the background music is imprinted in my mind.Saee's cooking videos are a beauty by itself.Irrespective of whether you try the recipe or not,I can assure you'll fall in love with it,for sure.

I don't know how many times I've watched her bread video.I keep looking for a difficult step somewhere,I mean there has to be right?How can someone make bread baking look so easy?After baking with yeast for a while now,I am a little bit more confident than I was before when I attempt a recipe.

Yeastspotted
When I saw her Calzones video,I knew right there that this was one recipe I could see myself baking again and again.Ajay is a total savories person and he is only too happy that I am trying out savory bakes he could gorge on and this one was a sure shot winner.Crunchy bell peppers with a slight tang from the tomatoes along with cheese,I am in love with this one!

Bell Pepper Calzones
Recipe source - Saee's My Jhola

Ingredients

Instant Dry Yeast - 1 1/2 tbsp (I used Mauripan)
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Warm water - 3/4 cup + 3/4 cup
All purpose flour/maida - 3 cups
Salt - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the filling

Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 2,minced
Onion - 1 big,finely chopped
Tomatoes - 3 medium,finely chopped
Bell peppers - 3,1 each of red,green and yellow-cubed
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Dried Basil - 1/2 tsp
Mozzarella cheese - 100 gms,grated
Egg - 1,beaten(optional)

Method

Mix together warm water,yeast and sugar in a bowl.Let it rest for 2-3 minutes till frothy.

In a big mixing bowl add flour and mix in salt.Pour the yeast mixture and start kneading the dough.Add more lukewarm water as required till you get a smooth dough.

Mix in the oil.

As an additional step,I kneaded the dough for around 5 minutes on my counter top till the dough was smooth and shiny,but this step is optional.
Smear some oil on the bowl in which the dough was mixed and place the dough in it to rise.It took an hour in my kitchen for the dough to rise double its size.

Make the filling

In a kadai add oil and saute the minced garlic and onions till golden brown.

Mix in the chopped tomatoes followed by the bell peppers.
Add red chilly powder,salt and tomato ketchup and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Mix in the dried basil and switch off the flame.

Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions.Flour the counter top and roll the dough into a round shape approximately 7-8' diameter.

Place the filling-about 2 tbsp and top with the grated cheese and fold over.
Seal the edges using a fork.Brush the top of the calzones with the beaten egg,if using.

Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 200C for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Mango Recipes on Easycooking

2013-06-13T17:00:00.000+05:30

Are you done with eating Mangoes this summer?Now who am I kidding,we can never get tired of eating mangoes which make its presence only for a few months in a year.For us it is always the same,we enjoy the mangoes as is for a long time and when the season is just about to end,I am looking for ways to incorporate mango in my cooking and baking.

Ambya Gojju is a no-cook sweet mango curry(except for the tempering) which works perfectly as a cool after-meal dessert.Choose fibrous mangoes so that you can keep dipping the seed in the sauce and lick them off your fingers!

Mango Buttermilk Pound cake is a take on the classic Lime Buttermilk pound cake.A simple Vanilla cake recipe flavored with mango pulp and spiked with dry ginger powder.Serve it plain or with a mango cream sauce.

Ambya Paank or Mango preserve is a wonderful way to keep eating mangoes even after the season ends.Add equal amount of mango and sugar and cook till it reaches a jam consistency.Tastes great with bread,chapathi and even dosa!

Mango smoothie or milkshake can be a wonderful summer drink.Chill the mangoes and blend it with milk ice cubes and the summer heat suddenly becomes bearable!

Aamras with Poori can make my diet plans go haywire.I've restricted myself to make poori only twice in a year.Once with aamras and once with Bibbe upkari.Now don't ask me how many I eat at one sitting!

Ambya Ambat is a simple konkani side dish where ripe mangoes are cooked in a dal-coconut gravy.Goes perfectly well with rice as well as on its own.

Fresh mango loaf cake is again,a simple vanilla cake flavored with mango pulp.Makes for a wonderful snack time treat.

Mango Crumble,ripe mangoes cooked with butter and caramelized sugar,flavored with fresh ginger and topped with a streusel and baked till golden brown.Just too good!

When ripe mangoes are being discussed,how can the raw ones be left behind?

Mango Chundo,a delicious preserve made with grated raw mangoes and sugar and even better,made in a microwave.

Raw Mango chutney,raw mangoes ground into a chutney with coconut and green chilly,a spicy addition to any meal.

So what are you cooking/baking with Mangoes this season?

Espresso Choco-chip Bundt Cake

2013-06-10T08:00:00.000+05:30

There are days when I think of baking something and then some other work takes over and the baking gets postponed.Then there are days where I'll be in the kitchen doing a headless chicken run trying to finish one job before the next one crops up.Funnily it is on those days,when I am most busy in the kitchen I try and find solace in baking.

I had to clean up the fridge leftovers and then cross check the provisions for the month and the maid was on leave.Suddenly I had this idea of baking Cinnamon rolls.So I kept all the items on my counter top aside and made space for kneading the dough.After finishing the shaping of the rolls I realized the quantity was too less to be shared.

Immediately decided to bake a cake.Fortunately I had halved this recipe and written down in my word document so assembling everything was an easy job.In between pots and pans occupying space on the counter top,I made way for the cake too and the best part I love about baking is the cleaning up afterwards.

Yes,I find it so therapeutic cleaning up the whole kitchen while waiting for my bread/cake to bake.I find the job gets done fast too!

Coffee and chocolate is a combination made in heaven.Deep,rich flavors melding together made this cake a real delight.Chocolate ganache,of course can never go wrong and pairs so well this cake,please don't skip it!

Espresso Choco-chip Bundt Cake
Recipe source - Jane's Sweets and Baking Journal

Ingredients

Coffee powder - 1 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Hot water - ¼ tsp

All purpose flour/Maida - 1 ½ cups

Cocoa powder - ¼ cup

Salt - a fat pinch

Baking powder - a fat pinch

Baking soda - a fat pinch

Dark chocolate coarsely chopped OR Chocolate chips - 1 cup

Butter - 1/2 cup/100 gms

Granulated sugar - 1 cup

Brown sugar - 1/3 cup

Eggs - 3 medium

Yogurt - ½ cup

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease well a 6 cup Bundt tin.

Stir together the espresso powder,vanilla extract and hot water in a small bowl.

Sift together the flour,cocoa, baking powder,

baking soda, and salt.

In a medium size bowl, toss the chocolate pieces with about 1 Tbsp. of this flour mixture. Set both aside.

Cream the butter for for a minute and then add sugar in 3 lots.Add brown sugar and beat for 2 more minutes.

Add the eggs one by one beating for 45 seconds after each addition.

Mix in the coffee mixture and beat again.Scrape the bowl.

Add the sifted flour and yogurt alternately(3 additions of the flour and 2 additions of yogurt).

Switch to a spatula and fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.Loosen the edges with a knife and remove the cake from the tin and let it cool for another 20 minutes or so.

Pour ganache on top and let it set for another 10 minutes.Slice and serve.

For the Chocolate ganache

Dark Chocolate - 200gms

Cream - 200 ml
Butter - 1 tbsp

In a thick bottomed stainless steel pan,heat the cream until bubbles start appearing on the sides.
Mix in chopped chocolate and stir for a while.Switch off heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Whisk well till no chocolate lumps appear and the ganache becomes smooth and creamy.Mix in the butter.
Let it cool down to room temperature and use as required.

Notes

The original recipe uses sour cream and I substituted it with yogurt,which turned out just fine.Additionally,it also has cream as an ingredient and I forgot to add it,still fine :)
I greased the bundt pan with butter and dusted with cocoa powder.Somehow,the heat caused the cocoa powder to brown slightly and form a teeny layer on top of the cake,which didn't affect the taste but the looks.
Make sure you mix the chocolate chips with flour,it helps in evenly distributing the chocolate in the cake batter.

I love your Blog - Dassana, Veg Recipes of India

2013-06-06T17:00:00.000+05:30

I don't know if it is the gorgeous pictures or the simple recipes or the pleasing layout which drags me to Dassana's blog.But I know for sure that it is her passion and hard work which makes the site so popular it is today.I still remember when I hopped on to her blog first.I had posted a Biryani recipe and Nags commented on the post saying she too posted a Pulao on her blog and Dassana as well.

I Google'd her blog and now I am absolutely hooked to it.Gorgeous pictures of food literally call out to you.Here are a few of my favorites from her blog in no particular order.

Mysore Masala Dosa like how it is served in Bangalore/Mysore restaurants.Crisp dosa,smeared with a garlic chutney and filled with a spicy potato filling served with sambar and chutney on the side.The pretty coriander leaves garnish on the dosa says much about her eye for detail.

Paan Gulkand Drink.Now that is what you call innovative,isn't it?Betel leaves paste mixed with gulkand and milk and made into a cool refreshing drink.Perfect for the blazing summer heat!

Vegetable Kerala Biryani,now this one was new to me.Being born and brought up in Kerala,I have seen many a Biryanis,tasted quite a few as well,but this one looked so wholesome and delicious-a must try!

Along with baking recipes,if a blog has a good dose of vegetarian side-dish recipes,especially with paneer I mentally make a note to come back to the blog again and again.Such was the pull of this picture of Paneer Butter masala.

Cakes,how can a recipe for a baked good not make its presence here?So here's one of my favorites Eggless Apple Upside down cake made with atta and jaggery.

A step by step post for making Strawberry Falooda,now that is something I am going to try soon,very soon.

Dassana also has a section on Food blogging tips,resources for food bloggers and tips on how to start a food blog.

*All pictures published with the bloggers permission.

Dilkush Buns - Soft Bread rolls with Coconut-Tutti frutti filling

2013-06-03T08:00:00.000+05:30

Whenever someone reminisces about the food served in their school/college canteens,I sit dumb founded.I did my education in a convent institution beginning with the kindergarten through my graduation.I might have stepped into the campus canteen maybe once or twice in all those years.Primary reason being,the canteen stank and stank big time.

Maybe because during that period I wasn't as familiar with non-veg food as I am now or maybe it was the lack of cleanliness;it was a never-go-even-if-you're-dying place for me.Of course,when I had fresh and delicious food packed in a dabba from home,there was no need to as well.

Things changed when I came to Chennai and did a regular course in one of the colleges here.Getting up in an ungodly hour to make breakfast and pack lunch and hurry to the bus stop made me very receptive towards the canteen for those days when I woke up late or couldn't find time to eat breakfast at home.

Snack time between classes always meant a visit to the makeshift canteen.Depending on the time of the day we had an option of having Poori-bhaji,idli-sambhar and bread-sandwich.If nothing else there was this delicious and filling Dilkush Buns.Filled with sweetened coconut and tutti frutti,it was a hearty dessert-meal.I don't remember having this elsewhere and even now sometimes crave for it.

When we made Hokkaido Bread for WKtB,I decided to try out this bread after all.The bread rolls were soft and pillowy and I felt it would make for a perfect Dilkush and undoubtedly they were!Don't go by the lengthy process,it really is a wonderful bread to bake.

Dilkush Bread using Hokkaido Milk Bread With Tangzhong Recipe

(Original Recipe from 65 Degrees Tangzhong “65C Bread Doctor” by Yvonne Chen, and adapted from Kirbie’sCravings)

Ingredients:

For The Tangzhong (Flour-Water Roux)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

For The Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp sugar

1tsp salt

2 tbsp powdered milk

2 tsp instant dried yeast

1/2 cup milk (and a little more if needed)

1/8 cup cream (25% fat)

1/3 cup tangzhong (use HALF of the tangzhong from above)

25gm unsalted butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

1/2 to 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips if making the chocolate chip rolls

Method:

The Tangzhong (Flour-Water Roux):

Whisk together lightly the flour, water and milk in a saucepan until smooth and there are no lumps. Place the saucepan on the stove, and over medium heat, let the roux cook till it starts thickening. Keep stirring/ whisking constantly so no lumps form and the roux is smooth.

If you have a thermometer, cook the roux/ tangzhong till it reaches 65C (150F) and take it off the heat. If like me, you don’t have a thermometer, then watch the roux/ tangzhong until you start seeing “lines” forming in the roux/ tangzhong as you whisk/ stir it. Take the pan off the heat at this point.

Let the roux/ tangzhong cool completely and rest for about 2 to 3 hours at least. It will have the consistency of a soft and creamy crème patisserie. If not using immediately, transfer the roux to a bowl and cover using plastic wrap. It can be stored in the fridge for about a day. Discard the tangzhong after that.

The Bread Dough:

I made this dough in the food processor. This dough can be made by hand but the dough is a bit sticky and can take some time and effort to knead by hand. If you have some sort of machine which will do the kneading for you, use it. Don’t punish yourself. And do not add more flour to make it less sticky either!

Put the flour, salt, sugar,
powdered milk and instant yeast in the processor bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix.

In another small bowl mix the milk, cream and Tangzhong till smooth and add to the processor bowl.

Run on slow speed until the dough comes together. Now add the butter and process till you have a smooth and elastic dough which is just short of sticky.

The dough will start out sticky but kneading will make it smooth. If the dough feels firm and not soft to touch, add a couple of tsps of milk till it becomes soft and elastic. When the dough is done, you should be able to stretch the dough without it breaking right away. When it does break, the break should be form a circle.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl turning it so it is well coated. Cover with a towel, and let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or till almost double in volume.

Place the dough on your working surface. You don’t need flour to work or shape this dough. This recipe makes enough dough to make one loaf (9” by 5” tin), 2 small loaves (6” by 4” tins) or 1 small loaf (6” by 4”) and 6 small rolls (muffin tins). Depending on what you are making, divide your dough. If you are making 1 loaf, divide your dough in 3 equal pieces. If you are making two smaller loaves, divide your dough into 6 equal pieces.

For the Coconut Tutti-Frutti filling

Ingredients

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Tutti-frutti - 1/2 cup

Method

In a pan add ghee and saute grated coconut and sugar till light brown.

Mix in the tutti frutti and keep aside.

Filling and shaping the buns

I added half the filling into the whole dough and then started shaping it into smaller rolls.

The shaping of the portions, whether for the loaf or the rolls, is the same.

Roll out each portion of the dough with a rolling pin into an oval shape, about 1/8” thick. Take one end of the dough from the shorter side of the oval and fold it to the middle of the oval. Take the other end and fold so it slightly overlaps the other fold.

Roll this folded dough with the rolling pin so the unfolded edges are stretched out to form a rectangle.

Place 1 tbsp of filling and then roll the rectangle from one short edge to the other, pinching the edges to seal well. Do this with each of the pieces and place them, sealed edges down, in a well-oiled loaf tin. Cover with a towel and leave the dough to rise for about 45 minutes.

Carefully brush the tops of the rolls and the loaf with milk (or cream) and bake them at 170C (325F) for about 20 to 30 minutes till they are done (if you tap them they’ll sound hollow) and beautifully browned on top. Let them cool in the tins for about 5 minutes and then unmould and transfer to a rack till slightly warm or cool.

Serve or else store in a bread bin. This bread stays soft and delicious even the next day. This recipe makes enough dough to make one loaf (9” by 5” tin), 2 small loaves (6” by 4” tins) or 1 small loaf (6” by 4”) and 6 small rolls (muffin tins).

I'd highly recommend this bread to everyone who think bread baking is not as easy as it seems to be.Many a times,I've been disheartened too-sometimes the yeast was faulty,sometimes the recipe was faulty or sometimes,I might have done something wrong.This recipe is the answer-soft,pillowy and spongy,bread which you thought you only got in bakeries can now be made at home and with an almost fool-proof recipe.

Anjeer Milkshake - Fig & Honey Milkshake

2013-05-31T08:00:00.000+05:30

While writing out the title for this post,I was reminded of our college days where my friend Mary always ordered a fig and honey ice-cream from Baskins.I still don't know if she really liked it or ordered it just because it sounded exotic and different.We hadn't even known what a fig looks like then,so how can someone rave endlessly about the fruit,I don't understand.Now Mary,do not kill me after reading this ok?

In March,while we were in Udupi attending a cousins wedding,I was startled to find a Fig Milkshake as a welcome drink.I hadn't given much thought to this humble dry fruit but was willing to give it a chance after all.The milkshake was crunchy and sweet and very refreshing on a hot summer day.I could taste the figs as well as a faint ice-cream taste.

I decided to try it and see if it matches the taste.After all,a few ingredients including ice-cream and figs can never go wrong right.

Anjeer Milkshake - Fig & Honey Milkshake

Ingredients (serves 2)

Dried Figs - 5

Honey - 1 tbsp

Butterscotch ice-cream - 80 ml cup (approximately 2 tbsp)

Milk - 1 1/2 cups ( I used 3/4 cup milk ice cubes and 3/4 cup chilled milk)

Method

Soak the figs in warm water for 10-15 minutes.This step is important or else the figs wouldn't grind well.

In a blender add chopped figs(chopped after soaking),honey,ice cream,milk ice cubes and milk.Blend for 10-15 seconds.

Serve chilled.

Notes

I haven't added any sugar in the milkshake because figs,honey and ice-cream provide the sweetness.However,if you feel it is not sweet as per your liking,add 1-2 tsp of sugar while blending.
Soaking the figs in warm water is a must.It wouldn't blend in the milkshake otherwise(speaking from experience!).
You can add any kind of nuts too for an added crunch.I added Butterscotch ice-cream coz that's all I had.Feel free to add Vanilla too.

Instant Tomato Rasam | South Indian Tomato Rasam

2013-05-29T09:00:00.000+05:30

For a long time I was indifferent to Rasam.I didn't understand what the fuss was about a water-like gravy with tomatoes and coriander leaves.To top it,whenever I tried making it,it didn't come out all that good.I mean,Rasam was supposed to be a very easy side dish,is it not?Now how hard can that be?

Apparently,Rasam is not a simple gravy spiced up with podis and tomatoes.To make a water-like gravy taste good there has to be a good balance of ingredients.I've tried many recipes for making rasam but this one comes close to what amma always made when there was a dearth of vegetables.One tomato,a handful of dal and coriander leaves and a tsp or so of Rasam powder,she even added sambhar powder sometimes,and a simple tadka of mustard and curry leaves and there it was-simple,quick and delicious!

I've tried to maker her version instant by cooking the dal and tomatoes in a pressure cooker,a method frowned upon by many but works like a charm.

Instant Tomato Rasam

Ingredients

Tomato - 2,chopped
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Rasam powder - 1 heaping tbp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 3-4 tbsp,chopped

Method

In a pressure cooker add the dal and tomatoes(keep 1/4 of a tomato aside for seasoning) and cook for 4-5 whistles or till the dal is mushy and the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp.Using a potato masher or a spoon,mash and mix the dal-tomato together.

In a kadai add oil,splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.Mix in the reserved tomato and give a good mix.

Add rasam powder and saute for a minute.Pour the dal-tomato mixture into the kadai,add salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
Add coriander leaves and simmer for 3-5 minutes.Switch off the flame,add some more coriander leaves and serve with rice and urulai roast.

Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast- Cookbook Review & Best Ever Bombay Potatoes Recipe

2013-05-27T19:00:00.000+05:30

If you've watched Anjum Anand's show Indian food made easy on TLC,you'd understand it when I say she makes cooking look so easy,more so when it comes to Indian dishes.There are so many intricate and time-consuming,please note I didn't say complicated,dishes in our cuisine which we find excuses not to cook.But in this show she shows people(mostly people in the UK)how easy and quick it is to whip up an Indian dish.

When I received the book from MySmartPrice for a book review,I wasn't sure if the book is as good as the show.But after going through the book for almost 2 weeks now,I can safely say the book is as good,if not better,than the show.Detailed explanations,stunning pictures and step by step pictures for slightly difficult to master dishes,it is a wonderful book to own.

One thing which I found amusing is the number of recipes with eggs.Somehow I had assumed that the name Vegetarian Feast meant only vegetarian recipes.But obviously it is not so.Different people have different perspectives,so I am going to brush it aside.
About the author - Anjum Anand grew up in London but has lived and studied in Geneva,Paris and Madrid.She has worked in restaurants in New York,Los Angeles and New Delhi,but her love is delicious,stylish and healthy modern Indian food that is simple enough to cook at home.She is based in London and has presented two series of 'Indian Food Made Easy' and now has her own range of Indian sauces-The Spice Tailor.

In the introduction page,Anjum shares how she was raised by a vegetarian mother and a non-vegetarian father.She finds it a funny twist of fate that she got married to a vegetarian who comes from a generation of vegetarians!She admits some of the recipes are 'just hanging by a home-spun cotton thread to an Indian heritage but are too delicious not be included'.

A peep into the Indian Vegetarian Pantry section includes most of the ingredients necessary to whip up exciting,nourishing vegetarian food.Notes on different kinds of pulses,spices,grains,nuts and seeds.Also tips on how to roast spices and how to make paneer.

Some interesting recipes which include Keralan-inspired banana pancakes with peanut butter,Melon & Ginger Sharbat,Steamed Nepalese Momos(with step by step pictures),Mile-high Chickpea Burgers with Indian Coleslaw,PLT-Indian vegetarian version of BLT-Paneer lettuce tomato sandwich,Juhu-beach Pau Bhaji,Rogan Mushroom,a take on vegetarian version of Rogan Josh,Wild-Mushroom biryani(which looks gorgeous!)and many more.

The Dessert section though has only a few recipes,considering how varied and rich our desserts are.Cardamom Kulfi is perhaps the lone 'Indian' dessert in that section.

I wanted to try out either the Mumbai Bhelpuri,Juhu Pau bhaji or the Bombay Potatoes and chose the latter.I have heard a lot about the dish and couldn't wait to see how different it was from our usual potato favorites.Anjum says it goes well with rotis and rice and it does.I felt it was a Mumbai-yya take on the humble Urulai roast!

Best Ever Bombay Potatoes
Recipe source - Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast

Ingredients

Potatoes - 3 large
Ginger - 10 gms,peeled
Garlic cloves - 3,peeled
Tomatoes - 2,one quartered and the other cut into wedges
Oil - 2 tbsp
Jeera/cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1 medium,roughly chopped
Haldi/turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
handful of chopped coriander leaves

Method

Cook the potatoes in salted water for about 4-5 whistles in a pressure cooker.The potatoes should be just rightly cooked,not too mushy.Peel and chop into medium cubes.
Blend together ginger,garlic and quartered tomatoes to a smooth paste.

In a kadai add oil and splutter cumin seeds and mustard seeds.Mix in the onion and saute for a minute.Add the ginger garlic tomato paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add the ground spices-haldi,coriander,jeera,garam masala and red chilly powder,along with salt to taste and saute till the raw smell of the masala and garlic subsides.

Now add the tomato wedges and cook for 2-3 minutes.Tip in the potatoes and cook for a further 4-5 minutes till the potatoes absorb the masalas.
Mix in the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Indian Tea Biscuits is what I am going to try next!

Bialys-Chewy Rolls topped with Caramelized Onions ~ We Knead to Bake #5

2013-05-24T07:45:00.000+05:30

What started out as just another Facebook group with 12 breads to bake for the year,one bread every month,We knead to bake has grown leaps and bounds.It is more of a community now,with more than 80+ members who are ready to help each other with doubts and queries and of course the prime reason so many of us are posing as bread baking experts-Aparna,who thought of this wonderful idea to bake together as a group.

When she mentioned we are baking a bread of which the name starts with B,none of us as much as guessed it would be Bialys.Now come on,I haven't even heard of it before,leave alone guessing it.Bialy,is a round bread with a depression in the middle typically filled with cooked onions and sometimes poppy seeds.A good Bialy should have a springy soft crumb and a chewy,floury crust.

The name Bialy comes from Bialystocker Kuchen which translates as “bread from Bialystok” which is in Poland. Apparently, Bialys are rarely seen or made in Bialystock these days.In the days when there used to be Bialys in Bialystock, it seems the rich Jews ate Bialys with their meals, while the Bialys were the whole meal for the poorer Jews.

Bialys gets its signature chewiness from flour which is high in gluten.If you have access to bread flour,use it or use all purpose flour with wheat gluten mixed in.Aparna says it is ok to go ahead with plain all purpose flour if you find neither which will yield a slightly softer Bialy.I used wheat gluten and I must say I was pleasantly surprised when I took a bite of the Bialy,it was chewy and the flavor of the caramelized onions was fabulous.

Bialys - Chewy Rolls topped with Caramelized Onions
Recipe source Aparna;Original recipe from King Arthur Flour
Yields- 8 largish bialys (or 12 medium ones)

Ingredients

For the dough
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour (use bread flour if you can find it or all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten)
1tsp salt
Milk for brushing the dough

For the Onion Filling
1 tbsp oil
3 medium onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds3/4 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
100gm paneer, crumbled (optional) I used around 35 gms of Mozzarella cheese for topping

Method

Make the dough first. If you are using bread flour or vital wheat gluten, then your dough will be tougher to knead so if you have a machine you can use go ahead and use it.

Put the flour+gluten,salt sugar and yeast in the food processor bowl. Pulse a couple of times to mix and then add the warm water in a steady stream. Knead until the dough comes together as a mass and then let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

I added everything to a mixing bowl and mixed with a fork first and then added water and started kneading.
This will help the dough absorb water. Knead again, adding a little more water or flour (not too much) if you need it, until your dough is smooth and elastic but not sticky.I did not add excess water or flour.

Shape it into a ball and put it in a well-oiled bowl, turning the dough till it is well coated. Cover and let it rise till about double. This should take about 2 hours.In Chennai heat,it only took me an hour!
If you’re not making the Bialys right away, you can refrigerate the dough overnight at this point. When ready to make them, keep the dough at room temperature for about half an hour and then proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour and place the dough on it. Divide it into 8 equal pieces and shape each one into a roll by flattening it and then pinching the ends together to form a smooth ball.

Place the rolls on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover them with a towel. Let them rise for about one hour (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for refrigerated dough)till pressing with a finger on the top leaves a dent.
While the dough rises, make the filling.

Heat the oil in a pan, and add the cumin seeds. When the crackle, add the onions, and sauté over low to medium heat. Sprinkle a little salt and continue sautéing until they become soft and turn golden brown in colour.

Add the garam masala and stir well. Keep the caramelised onions aside to cool.
Work on one piece at a time, while you keep the others covered so they don’t dry out. When the rolls are ready, pick them up one at a time and using your fingers, form the depression in the middle.

Hold the roll like a steering wheel with your thumbs in the middle and your fingers around the edges. Pinch the dough between your thumb and fingers, rotating as you go and gradually making the depression wider without actually poking a hole through.
Remember not to press on the edges, or they will flatten out. Once shaped, you should have a depression about 3” in diameter with 1” of puffy dough around the edge, so your Bialy should be about 4” in diameter. Prick the centre of the Bialy with a fork so the centre doesn’t rise when baking.

Place the shaped dough on a parchment lined (or greased) baking tray leaving about 2 inches space between them. Place the caramelised onion filling in the depressions of each Bialy. Brush the outer dough circle with milk. If you’re using crumbled paneer, add it to the Bialys in the last 5 minutes of baking or it will get burnt.I added the cheese after 10 minutes of baking.
Bake the Bialys at 230C (450F) for about 15 minutes till they’re golden brown in colour. Cool them on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. I found that the Bialys keep well in an airtight container for a day or two and just need to be warmed up slightly before serving.

Yeastspotted
Notes

I halved the recipe and made 4 largish rolls.You can make 6 medium sized ones too from this amount.
Keep a close eye on the oven as the rolls as baking since they are baked at a higher temperature than usual(230C).When the rolls are slightly brown and sound hollow when tapped,they are ready.
Here's a video on how to shape Bialys and here's one which shows you how to eat it!

Raw Mango Chutney - Ambuli Chutney

2013-05-22T08:50:00.000+05:30

The only silver lining in this excruciating Chennai summer I would say is,the arrival of mangoes.The king of fruits can make the harshest of summers bearable with its mere name.So as I sat awaiting kilos after kilos of fresh,juicy mangoes,I got a huge bag of raw mangoes from a friends' farm.Now I was confused.

I love to eat raw mangoes as is,smeared with some red chilly powder,salt and coconut oil.I ate it too,till my teeth started shivering at the mere mention of raw mangoes.Then I started thinking of ways to use up the raw ones to make way for the ripe ones.Bottles of Chundo were made,instant pickles were made and bottled up and now what?

As always,amma came to my rescue by not giving one but two recipes for a chutney.Now how could I forget this one?Raw Mango sour chutney which goes perfectly well with a bowl of kanji or even with fluffy idli.I,of course,can eat the chutney as is.

Raw Mango Chutney/Ambuli Chutney/Pacha Manga Chammanthi

Ingredients

Raw Mango - 1/4 cup,peeled and chopped
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 1
Salt to taste
Coconut oil - to drizzle

Method

Grind together coconut,chilly and salt till coarse without adding water.

Mix in the chopped mango and pulse for 10-15 seconds till everything comes together.
Just before serving,drizzle some coconut oil on top.

Cinnamon Rolls

2013-05-20T08:40:00.000+05:30

How many times have you postponed making something you really wanted to try,fearing it may not work well or it may not rise to your expectations?I have and I regret postponing cinnamon-rolls-project for so long.because it is just so delicious and I wonder why I feared it so much.

Cinnamon is one of my most favorite spices.I add it to my cookies,cakes,muffins,breads,milkshakes and even to my regular cup of tea.The fragrance of the spice is just so warm and earthy!I have shook my misgivings to yeast baking,mostly thanks to the bread baking we do once in a month WKtB.The availability of good quality yeast also adds up to the success ratio.

A while back,I received a Giveaway package from Ria who sent me a delicious batch of Cinnamon rolls.Then and there I decided I should try it out too,in my kitchen but as always,it went deep down in my bookmarked folders and was completely forgotten.Out of the blue one day,I decided I am going to bake a batch and that's it,a fresh,fragrant batch of perfectly risen and browned Cinnamon rolls came out of my oven too,it was time to pat my back for I was worrying unnecessarily about something so simple!

Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe source Ria;Original recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients

Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp [approximately 30 gms]
All purpose flour - 3 cups
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Yeast - 2 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Egg - 1

For the filling

Melted butter - 3 tbsp [approximately 45 gms]
Sugar - 1/3 cup
Ground Cinnamon - 3/4 tsp

For the frosting

Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Melted butter - 1 1/2 tbsp
Vanilla - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

In a saucepan heat milk,water and butter till warm.

Mix together the dry ingredients -

flour,salt,yeast and sugar.

Pour in the warm to touch milk mixture and break the egg into it.
Knead into a smooth dough.It will start out sticky,so knead it for 5-7 minutes till it becomes smooth.

Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl,covered in a cling wrap/kitchen towel until it doubles-about an hour or so.

Punch down the dough and roll it into a rectangle.I started out by rolling it into a 12' square and then rolled it into a rectangular shape keeping the width intact.

Mix together the cinnamon and the sugar.

Pour the melted butter over the rolled out dough and spread it using a pastry brush or even better your fingers.Make sure the butter is spread out evenly.
Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar evenly.
Roll the dough in a swiss roll style from the longer side towards you.Pinch the seams together.Cut the dough into even sized 16 rolls.

Place the rolls in a square/round tray* and let it rest for 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C.Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes or until the rolls are evenly browned and sound hollow when tapped.

Meanwhile make the frosting.Mix all the ingredients mentioned for the frosting and

pour over the warm rolls and let it sit for 10 minutes or so.
Serve warm.

Yeastspotted
Notes

I was apprehensive to add the egg mentioned in the recipe but let me assure you,the rolls do not smell eggy at all.I am planning to try the recipe without egg too,will update the post once I try.
The rolls taste delicious warm,so if you like you can Microwave the rolls for about 10-15 seconds before serving.
The amount of filling is per one's choice.I always have a jar of cinnamon sugar in the kitchen to sprinkle over buttered toasts so I used that and the pictures are also of that one.I used part white sugar and part brown sugar.
*I had a smaller tray so I divided the rolls and baked in one square and one round tray.The square tray was baked in the OTG and the round one in the Microwave.

Mini Caramel Fudge Tarts

2013-05-16T09:05:00.000+05:30

I miss having Cone ice-creams.Not the waffle cone and definitely not the Cornetto ones but the simple cone ice cream with even simple(but delicious)ice-creams.There was a place in Adyar where we went specifically to buy the plain cone filled with rich,delicious chocolate ice-cream.I'd be lying if I say I wasn't devastated when once I ordered,the owner gave me a Kwality brochure to choose from since they stopped the cone ice-cream altogether for lack of customers.

Same case with bakeries.Gone are the days when you could choose between simple butter cakes,cupcakes and jam tarts.Now even a local bakery stocks Rosette swirled cupcakes and Fondant covered cakes.Not that I don't like either,but I feel the old world charm has lost.As kids,we used to be spoilt for choice in the Best bakery near our home even when they stocked less than 10 items in all!

So when Maria posted this Mini Caramel Fudge Tarts a while back,it immediately transported me back to my childhood.Caramel tarts were a favorite of mine and my brothers'.We preferred this over the Jam tart and used to eat 2-3 tarts at one go.I planned to make this as soon as possible and the first thing I did after baking this was share the picture with my brother on Whatspp,the closest I can get to sharing it with him:)

Mini Caramel Fudge Tarts
Recipe source - Maria's Menu

Ingredients

For the Tart shells

Plain flour/maida - 1 cup
Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp
Baking powder - a pinch
Salt - a pinch
Butter - 80 gms
Ice cold water - 2-3 tbsp

For the Caramel fudge filling

Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 tbsp
Butter - 55 gms
Amul Cream - 200 ml
Cashewnut - 1/4 cup,chopped
Almonds - 1/4 cup,chopped

Method

Sift/stir together flour,powdered sugar,baking powder and salt.

Rub in the butter with your fingertips till the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Add ice water gradually and form a soft dough.Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 25 minutes.

Mean while start with the filling.In a thick bottomed sauce pan add sugar and water and let it come to a boil.Let the sugar caramelize and turn a dark shade of brown.

Remove the pan from fire and add the butter and cream.Stir well and bring it back to fire.Cook on a low flame for 4-5 minutes,do not let it boil.Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.

Mix in the chopped nuts and keep aside.
Preheat the oven to 175C.Grease the tart molds with butter.

Take the dough from the fridge and divide into equal sized balls.Roll each ball and place into the tart mold.Prick the base all over with a fork.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or till it is slightly brown around the edges of the tart.

Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.Remove the tart from the tins.
Fill the cooled tarts with the caramel fudge filling.

Notes

The same recipe could be used for making tarts to fill with Jam,whipped cream with fruits etc.The recipe makes 12 mini tarts
While making caramel,make sure you keep a close watch on it as it can go from caramel to burnt within a matter of seconds.
I added Cashewnuts and Almonds while Maria has added Raisins too,go ahead and add any dry fruits of your choice!
Do not overwork the dough for tarts.Knead lightly with your fingertips and stop when the dough has come together.Roll the tart dough in between a cling wrap to avoid adding more flour.

Shahi Gobhi Masala - North Indian Style Cauliflower Curry

2013-05-14T15:35:00.000+05:30

There are a few vegetables with which I usually do not play around.Cauliflower is one such.Mostly Manchurian or Kurma is made with Cauliflower and I once even tried making a Biryani out of it!So when I had a big Cauliflower peeping at me every time I opened the fridge,I decided to cook something with it after all.Many ideas popped up and then I made this.

Shahi gravy is a quite popular one when it comes to North Indian curries.Thickened with either a nut-paste or cream,these gravies are nothing short of an indulgence.I've made a Paneer version before and worked around that recipe a bit to make this.

I've chosen to shallow-fry the florets before adding to the gravy,you can deep fry or even boil it before adding to the gravy,choice is yours!Pairs well with rotis as well as a simple Jeera Pulao.

Shahi Gobhi Masala

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets - roughly 2 cups,cleaned
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the gravy

Almonds - 12-14
Milk - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1,finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Tomato - 2
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp,chopped

Method

In a pan mix together cauliflower florets,cornflour,salt and pepper to taste,ginger garlic paste and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

In a non stick kadai add oil and saute the marinated cauliflower for 5-10 minutes or till the florets are cooked,slightly brown in colour and wilted.

Mix together badam and milk and make a smooth puree.

Puree the tomatoes too and keep aside.

In the same kadai add oil and saute onions till golden brown.Mix in the ginger garlic paste and tomato puree and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the masala powders - red chilly,coriander,haldi and sugar and salt to taste.

Add the badam paste and water and let it come to a boil.

Mix in the shallow-fried cauliflower florets and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add garam masala,coriander leaves and lime juice.

Serve with roti or rice.

Peanut Butter-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

2013-05-10T15:35:00.000+05:30

I have a love-hate relationship with Peanut butter.I might eat it like's there's no tomorrow at times and then get sick of it and wouldn't touch it for a few months.Yeah,that problem.I remember the first time I ate Peanut butter,it was so bad tasting that I swore I'd never touch it even with a barge pole.Then slowly I started liking it(courtesy Sundrop Peanut Butter).No crunchy peanut butter for me,I am from the smooth Pb gang.

It's been a long long time since I baked a batch of Banana bread and overripe bananas in the fruit box were calling my name.Almost empty jar of peanut butter,a handful of chocolate chips and a overripe banana resulted in this delicious loaf.

I love the ease of the recipe,almost one bowl,if you sift the dry ingredients directly into the wet,and such a perfect way to use up those over ripe bananas which otherwise might have gone to the bin.The bread tastes delicious warm and even better as it sits.Moist and moreish with a bite of chocolate chips,ah I am in love with this one.
Peanut Butter-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Recipe source - Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup
Baking soda - little less than 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Banana - 1 big,mashed
Creamy Peanut Butter - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Buttermilk - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1/8 cup
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Chocolate chips - 1/2 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt,set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the banana, peanut butter, sugar, buttermilk,

oil,egg and vanilla extract[I forgot to add the vanilla!]until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula until completely combined and there are no spots with raw flour. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top into an even layer. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs,

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cooled bread should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap; it can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

2013-05-08T08:54:00.003+05:30

Even though it is way past New Year and resolutions,I think I am sticking to one even now.Well,not exactly a resolution,but one of my food-goals this year was to cook something which I never thought I'd cook/bake fearing it wouldn't come out well,either because of the ingredients used or the method of cooking.Baking Croissants from scratch was never-ever in the list even,but thanks to WKtB,that was successfully accomplished.

Using Egg yolks or making a custard with yolks was one in the list.I am a Vegetarian and eat eggs only in baked goods,so yes you can call me an Egg-etarian.But if the cake smells eggy I'd not eat one bite,same reason why I do not like Caramel Custard.But then,I thought if it smells eggy,I wouldn't eat it but I'll try making it anyway.

Crème pâtissière/Pastry cream from scratch to fill cupcakes sounded a great idea to me.Top it with chocolate and for sure it becomes an irresistible treat,right.That's Boston Cream pie Cupcakes for you.

A Boston Cream Pie is a cake filled with Custard and topped with melted chocolate.Although it is called a pie,it is actually cake and not pie.Created by Armenian-French chef M. Sanzian at Boston's Parker House Hotel in 1856,this pudding and cake combination comprises two layers of sponge cake filled with vanilla flavored custard or crème pâtissière. The cake is topped with a chocolate glaze (such as ganache) and sometimes powdered sugar or a cherry.[source]

I followed the pastry cream recipe from Joy of Baking,but went with my own trusted recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes[which btw are very similar]and used a Chocolate ganache glaze instead of melted chocolate.I'd be lying if I said the pastry cream did not smell eggy,of course a faint eggy smell is there but when sandwiched in between buttery cupcakes and topped with chocolate ganache,it masked its smell quite well.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes
Recipe source - Joy of Baking

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes - 12
Crème pâtissière/Pastry cream
Chocolate Ganache or Melted Chocolate

For the Cupcakes

Ingredients

Flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Butter – ½ cup
Sugar – 1 ¼ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla Essence / extract - 1 tsp
Eggs - 2

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line or grease the muffin pans.

Sift flour,baking powder and salt 3 times. Keep aside.

Cream butter and sugar well.Add vanilla and eggs and beat well.

On low speed, beat in flour mix and milk alternatively in 3 lots.
Fill each muffin pan to ¾ th depth, and bake for 20-25 minutes till done.
Remove from muffin pan immediately and cool on racks.
Makes 18 cupcakes.

For the Pastry Cream

Ingredients

Egg Yolks - 2 large(35 gms)
Sugar - 3 tbsp(40 gms)
Cornflour/Cornstarch - 2 tbsp(20 gms)
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Milk - 1 cup(240 ml)
Butter,softened - 1/2 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Method

In a medium sized heat-proof bowl,whisk the egg yolks with the sugar.

Add the cornflour and salt and mix until you have a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk just to boiling (the milk starts to foam up.) I added a Vanilla bean in the milk and removed it before pouring into the yolks,for added flavor.

Remove from heat and slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling (pour through strainer if necessary).

Pour the egg mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, keep whisking the mixture for another 30 - 60 seconds or until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter and vanilla extract.I strained the custard just to make it smooth.

Pour into a clean bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until firm. The pastry cream can be stored for up to 3 days. Whisk or stir before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Chocolate Ganache or Melted Chocolate

Assembling the Cupcakes

Remove the paper liner from the cooled cupcakes.

Slice it in half and smear 1/2 a tsp of pastry cream on the bottom half.Keep the top half of the cupcake on top.Arrange all the cupcakes prepared this way on a wire rack.
Pour melted chocolate or chocolate ganache on top and let it sit for 5 minutes.Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes so that the glaze sets on top.

Ginger-Cardamom Tea | Adrak-Elaichi Chai

2013-05-03T17:40:00.001+05:30

I've been a tea-drinker ever since I can remember.Of course,at home it shuffled between Coffee and tea since I believe amma makes out of this world Bru coffee,I always want a cup of tea for a real pep-me-up when I am tired or sleepy.Ajay being a true-blue tea lover meant it was the given choice of beverage in our house,any time.

I am not particular when it comes to the kind of tea I love.Amma makes a milky tea whereas my friend makes an awesome watery tea with just a dash of milk.I take the middle path adding equal amount of milk and water.Seriously,if it is tea,I am game.Since we have tea at least 2-3 times a day,I think of ways to make it taste different every time.

Adding masala,or cardamom or ginger is a great way to make the tea delicious.Though we do prefer plain tea in the mornings,for the evening chai,some spice is allowed:)Some Parle-G or Good day biscuits on the side is truly the icing on the cake!

Ginger-Cardamom Tea | Adrak-Elaichi Chai

Ingredients

Ginger - 1 small piece[about 1/2'],peeled and washed thoroughly
Cardamom - 2,whole
Milk - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 tsp
Tea leaves - 2 tsp[I use Taj Mahal,always have-always will!]

Method

Crush together ginger and cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle.

In a saucepan add the crushed ginger-cardamom and water.Let it come to a boil.Add sugar to taste.

When it comes to a rolling boil add tea leaves.Simmer and add milk.

Let it simmer for 1 minute.Strain and serve.

Some tips to make the perfect cup of tea

Add the tea leaves to the water only when it has come to a rolling boil.This makes sure all the flavour of the tea leaves gets released into the water.Some prefer to switch off the flame and cover the pan with a lid and let the flavours infuse,that is also a good method.
I prefer adding equal amount of water and milk but you can add as much or as less milk as you prefer.
Same goes with the sugar.Add or reduce according to your choice.You can skip adding the sugar while making the tea if you prefer adding it to your cup while serving.
Do not simmer the tea for more than 1 minute as it will make the tea stronger and in turn bitter.Add 1 tsp of tea leaves per cup and simmer for 1 minute and you will get perfectly brewed tea.Not too strong and not too light.

Some snacks which pair perfectly well with a cup of tea -

Eggless Dates Bread | Easy & Simple Bread Recipes

2013-05-01T10:35:00.000+05:30

I have always dreamed of a scenario where,when the loaf of bread is empty I pull up my socks and bake a batch of my own bread loaf.Yes,I've dreamed of a similar scenario which featured cake before,but I guess I have mastered a bit in that area.After the series of bread we baked for WKtB,I think the confidence levels have upped a bit.

I'd bookmarked this recipe for Dates bread for a while now.Something about the recipe called out to me.At the back of my mind,I am always looking out for recipes which are simple and fuss free and this one fits the bill to the T.

The bread tasted delicious warm,but as it cooled down,the loaf was a bit dense.Nothing that a few pats of butter couldn't save and yes,it tasted great toasted too.The slight sweet bite from the dates and a nutty taste,I am trying this bread again for sure.

Eggless Dates Bread
Recipe source - Treatntrick;Original recipe here

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 2 cups
Instant yeast - 1 1/2 tsp
Pitted Dates,chopped - 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp
Brown Sugar - 2 tbsp(I used one tbsp of each white and brown sugar)
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Hot Milk - 1/2 cup

Method

Combine dates, butter, brown sugar, salt and hot milk in a bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Let mixture cool to lukewarm.
{I made the dough in the food processor.}
Add flour and yeast into the processor bowl and pulse for 3-4 seconds.

Mix in the cooled date mixture and knead for 1 minute or so till the dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled,for about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough and transfer to a greased tray.I made a free-form loaf,you can use a loaf pan if you like.

Let it rise for about 45 minutes.Towards the end of raising time,preheat oven to 190C.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Yeastspotted
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Coffee Cupcakes | Easy Baking Recipes

2013-04-26T08:00:00.000+05:30

It's been a while since I posted any sweet-bake on the blog.I haven't been baking much too,just few breads and cookies,that's all.Main reason being the dreaded one-d.i.e.t.Now that I am posting a sweet bake does not mean that I am off the diet,of course;).Inspiration to bake these cookies came from my amma who saw a similar cupcake recipe on Vanitha and urged me to try it.

When I went through the recipe(Lakshmi Nair's look & cook series on Vanitha),it looked strikingly similar to my go-to and ever-favorite cupcake recipe.Not only that,with the same amount of butter,I could make more cupcakes,so that was a relief,I could share it with friends.Shared calories:)

Though I love coffee and coffee flavored desserts,I haven't really ventured into adding more coffee in my bakes,so why not make a start with this one?The cupcakes,no doubt,taste excellent(even if I say so myself)on their own but the coffee,oh the coffee,elevated it to a different level.If you like coffee,you'd sure flip on this one.

These make for a great tea-time(or coffee-time?)snack and can be served plain.I had some leftover whipped cream ganache in the fridge,which refused to whip,by the way and dripped all over the cupcakes,making it moist and creamy on top.So either way,it tasted great.

Coffee Cupcakes
Recipe idea - Lakshmi Nair;Original recipe here

Ingredients

Flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt – ½ tsp
Butter – ½ cup ,100 gms
Sugar – 1 ¼ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Instant Coffee powder - 2 tsp

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C. Line or grease the muffin pans.

Sift flour,baking powder and salt 3 times. Keep aside.

Cream butter and sugar well.

Add eggs one by one and beat well.
On low speed, beat in flour mix and milk alternatively in 3 lots.

Mix in the coffee powder,do a taste test and add more if you like the coffee flavor to be stronger.

Fill each muffin pan to ¾ th depth, and bake for 20-22 minutes till done.
Remove from muffin pan immediately and cool on racks.
Makes 18 muffins.

Notes

The icing or rather the glaze I used is a whipped ganache,the recipe is here.
I baked these cupcakes in the otg,but the top didn't brown much after baking and I wanted a golden brown top.I baked the cupcakes on Broil mode for 2 minutes and got the desired colour.

Update-I accidentally added a picture from the Torcetti post among the step by step pics,sorry for the mistake.Have rectified it.Thanks Malvecka!

Torcettini di Saint Vincent ~Sugar Crusted Twisted Cookies from the Valle d’Aosta | We Knead to Bake # 4

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000+05:30

I was a bit amused and happy when I saw this month's bake at 'We knead to bake!'.It was not a bread but a cookie which involved the same process of baking a bread-yeasted dough,rising and prooving but a cookie,not a bread.As always,this almost seems like a pattern now,I was among the last ones to try it in the group.I don't know why I kept delaying,this is one easy recipe and a delicious one at that too.

Torcettini are smaller versions of Torcetti (meaning small twists), and these pear/ teardrop shaped twists are made of a dough of flour, yeast and butter which are shaped and then rolled in sugar before being baked. These biscuits are synonymous with the town of Saint Vincent in Valle d'Aosta, a small mountainous region in North-Western Italy, even though they’re well known throughout the Piedmont region as well.(source Aparna)

I chucked the food processor this time and made the dough with hand since the quantity was little.The dough came together very well,silky smooth and shiny and puffed up quite well too.I baked two batches simultaneously in the Microwave as well as the OTG and the only visible difference is the colour.The ones in the OTG have crisped up and browned well than the ones in the MW.I love the taste of the browned cookies with an extra bite to it,so kept the MW batch in the OTG on the broil mode for 2-3 minutes and voila,got the same look and texture.

The cookies are a bit puffy with a soft interior and a lovely brown crust.Reminded me of those little heart biscuits though these are way less sweet.They pair well with cold milk,hot chocolate,coffee or tea are a delicious served warm.

Torcettini di Saint Vincent
Recipe source - Aparna ; (Adapted from A Baker’s Tour by Nick Malgieri)

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water, about 110F
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (or 1 tsp instant yeast)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lime/ lemon zest (replace with orange zest for the chocolate version)
40gm unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
about 1/3 cup sugar for rolling the cookies

Preparation

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, in a small bowl and keep aside.

Put the flour and the salt in the food processor bowl (or a largish regular bowl if kneading by hand) and pulse a couple of times to mix. Add the butter pieces and pulse until the butter is well mixed and the flour-butter mixture looks powdery.

Add the lime zest and work into the flour using your fingertips.
Add the yeast-water mixture and pulse till it all comes together as a ball. Do not over process or knead. Place the ball of dough in a oiled bowl, turning it so it is well coated with the oil. Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise quite a bit.

This dough does not really double in volume, but it should look “puffy” after about an hour or so. When you pinch off a bit from the top you can see the interior looking a bit like honeycomb. Press down the dough and deflate it, wrap it in cling warp and refrigerate it for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.

When ready to make the cookies, take the dough out and lightly roll it out into an approximately 6” square. If the dough feels sticky, scatter a little sugar on it. Using a pizza wheel cut the dough into four strips of equal width. Cut each strip into 6 equal pieces, by cutting across, making a total of 24 pieces. The measurements are not very critical in this part because this just makes it easier to have 24 equal sized bits of dough, as compared to pinching of bits of the dough.

Roll each piece into a pencil thick “rope” about 5” long. Sprinkle a little sugar on your work surface and roll the “rope” in it so the sugar crusts the dough uniformly. Form the “rope” into a loop crossing it over before the ends.
Place the Torcettini on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 1 1/2" between them. Leave them for about 20 minutes or so till they rise/ puff up slightly.
Don’t worry, they will not “puff up” much.
Bake them at 160C (325F) for about 25 minutes till they’re a nice golden brown. Cool the cookies completely, on a rack. Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature. This recipe makes 24 biscuits.

Yeastspotted

Crispy and crunchy cookies which taste great on their own,If you like chocolate flavored torcettini,remove 2 tbsp all purpose flour and add 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder and proceed with the recipe.Skip the lemon zest and add oranze zest along with instant coffee powder for added flavor.

Mint Chutney Sandwich with Cheese and Cucumber | Easy Bread Recipes

2013-04-19T16:00:00.000+05:30

Mint was never really a favorite herb of mine.Part of the reason why i disliked it was because I had tasted more of mint flavored products than the real deal.So whenever the mention of mint came,I started getting a toothpaste/mouthwash smell,gross right.But all it took to change that was the small herb garden in our balcony.

Something like,fruit of your labour?I started liking mint and thought of ways to introduce it in our menu.Ajay has been reminiscing a lot about the mint sandwich that his amma made during their picnics and outings.I've been thinking to make a sandwich for a while too for the blog so what better way to incorporate both ideas than this one.

I had planned to make the sandwich from scratch,starting with the bread.I am still stuck in a Hokkaido Bread hangover.But I knew the sandwich idea might get postponed so got a packet of brown bread and set out to make the chutney.Mint chutney is quite versatile too-smear it on a bread or even dosa and add it to raita or pulao,having a bowl of mint chutney in the fridge can really give you new recipe ideas,believe me!

Mint Chutney Sandwich with Cheese and Cucumber

Ingredients

Bread - 6
Cheese slices - 3
Cucumber - 1 big,thinly sliced

For the chutney

Mint leaves - 1 bunch,cleaned and chopped
Green chilly - 1
Ginger - 1' piece
Coriander leaves - 1-2 tbsp,chopped(optional)
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste

Method

Blend together to a smooth paste the ingredients given for the chutney.

If not using immediately,store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

Smear the mint chutney on the bread slices.Keep sliced cucumber on top,add salt and pepper to taste and top with a cheese slice.

Cover with another bread.Repeat with the rest of the bread slices.
Chill the sandwich for 25-30 minutes for a refreshing and delicious sandwich.

It tastes great toasted too-just butter the outside part of the bread and toast on a hot tawa or a sandwich maker until golden brown.Perfect for kids' lunchboxes or even as a tea-time snack.

P.S- I've used brown bread,you can of course use any bread of your choice!

Good ol' Cold Coffee!

2013-04-17T08:00:00.000+05:30

Remember my summer adventures with my brother in this post,where we used to whip up glasses of Tomato juice on our own?Well,I am adding this one to the list as well,as something which started out as a flop but as time flew by,we mastered the technique of making the best ever cold coffee[according to us,at least!]

To put it plain,cold coffee is just that- chilled milk+sugar+coffee+lots of ice.But many things can go wrong even when the recipe is as simple,well I am speaking from experience here;).Main thing is the coffee you use,I use instant coffee powder and it works well.When added in right proportions,filter coffee decoction can work well too.You add too much and the coffee will turn out bitter and ruin the effect,so add less first and do a taste test before adding further.

Cold Coffee

Ingredients

Sugar - 1 tbsp
Instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilled milk - 1 cup
Hersheys Chocolate syrup - 1 tbsp(optional,but highly recommended)

Method

Into a blender[or a shaker]add all the ingredients and blend/shake well till everything gets mixed and the coffee turns frothy.

Serve chilled.

Malli Chammanthi ~ Roasted Coriander Chutney with Coconut | A guest post by Nags of Edible Garden

2013-04-15T09:15:00.000+05:30

Nagalakshmi or Nags,as she is popularly known as,who blogs at Edible Garden is not stranger to the blogging community.In fact,when I started out,hers was one of the blogs I looked up to(still do!)and get inspired.So when she offered to do a guest post for this humble space of mine,I was doubly delighted.Without further ado,here's the recipe in her own words.

Malli Chammanthi - Roasted Coriander Chutney

First of all, a huge thanks to Divya for giving me this opportunity to share a guest post on her site. This is my second guest post - I don’t do many of them, clearly - but I am happy to do it for Divya who is one of the first people to completely wow me with a post back in 2009 when she featured many dishes she cooked from my site all in one post.

This malli chammanthi is special to me for a number of reasons. It holds many memories, the best one being many train rides and lemon rice packed in banana leaves. Amma always made this to go with lemon rice and I just love that combination. Even today, if I make lemon rice, I always make this chutney to go with it. My chithappa’s wife Vimala aunty makes the best malli chammanthi in our family, in my opinion. She makes a generous mound and I often request for it when I visit them in Alleppey. Maybe the coconut is sweeter in my dad’s hometown, who knows.

There’s nothing radical or different in this chammanthi. It’s the usual suspects with a generous amount of roasted coriander seeds. Always roast the seeds fresh and use the freshest coconut you can find. Mine is usually about 2 weeks old but it still works, still brings back those lovely memories. Oh, and if you have a dusty old ammikkallu in your backyard, use it for this chammanthi. You won’t regret it.

Malli Chammanthi

Ingredients

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Shallots/ulli - 3

Garlic - 1 clove

Red chillies - 1-2

Tamarind - one small piece

Coconut oil - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add the coriander seeds

On low heat, roast them until the colour lightly changes and the seeds begin to turn fragrant

Add the shallots, garlic and red chillies. Roast for a few seconds until the shallots begin to char and the chillies turn shiny

Turn off the flame and add the coconut and tamarind. Stir well to combine

Grind to a smooth chutney consistency with salt. Don’t add water

Goes great with rice and rasam or lemon rice.

Thank you Nags for the sweet gesture :)

5 Payasam Recipes for Ugadi / Vishu

2013-04-10T11:25:00.000+05:30

Hope everyone is gearing up for the dual celebrations of Ugadi,Vishu/Tamil New Year.Check out some easy Payasam recipes for adding a sweet something to your festivities.

An easy recipe for Paalada Payasam

Gova Kanya Paysu/Cracked Wheat Payasam

No Ugadi is complete without Madganey/Moong Dal Payasam/Pradhaman

So is this lip-smacking Kadala Parippu Pradhaman for Vishu!

Last but not the least - Semiya Payasam,quick,easy and delicious!

Wishing everyone who celebrate a Happy Ugadi/Vishu/Tamil New Year!

Aah Chocolate - Sanjeev Kapoor | Cookbook Review & Chocolate Shrewsbury Biscuits Recipe

2013-04-08T10:00:00.000+05:30

Many kids from our generation grew up seeing Sanjeev Kapoor and Tarla Dalal's cooking shows on TV,now there are many shows and too many chefs to count.Khana Khazana,one of the most popular shows on Zee TV was a much awaited show for us.Even though,then we didn't know the basics of cooking,it was a pleasure watching this 'homely' looking chef who kept talking and smiling as he cooked.

My recipe diary has at least 30-40 recipes of his,all scribbled down while watching his shows.So when MySmartPrice offered me his latest book 'Aah! Chocolate' for review,I couldn't wait to lay my hands on it.Sanjeev Kapoor is one of the most celebrated face of Indian cuisine today.Khana Khazana,his cookery show on Zee TV was telecast non-stop for more than 17 years!

"Forget falling in love,I would rather rise for Chocolate"

The book does full justice to the name,with full of chocolate-based recipes,how-to ideas to work with chocolate,making chocolate decorations from scratch and fusion ideas to include chocolate in an Indian sweet menu,this one truly is a chocoholic's delight.Plus when the author says this book is a compilation of chocolate recipes which he's been working on for a while now,you know this book is for keeps.

Notes on Chocolate,where it comes from,how it is made and factors affecting the quality of chocolate makes for an interesting read.The author also provides tips on how to store chocolate and how to melt it with detailed instructions.

The recipes are neatly indexed - Beverages,Breakfast,Cakes and Pastries,Mousse and Cheesecakes,Chocolate Making,Tea-time snacks,Desserts,Mithai and Garnishes.The pictures are gorgeous too considering how difficult it is to shoot a chocolate-based dish.

I thought for a while before attempting a recipe from the book as it was a difficult choice.Should it be Chocolate Lassi,an innovative recipe combining the Indian yogurt drink with melted chocolate or then some Chocolate Granola Bars with the goodness of Muesli and honey or Millionaire Chocolate Brownie with a note from the author saying you will feel like the most privileged person on earth after having a bite of these brownies!Finally decided to try these simple and popular Shrewsbury biscuits with a chocolate twist.

Shrewsbury biscuit is a classic English dessert named after Shrewsbury,the county town of Shropshire.It is made with a dough which contains flour,sugar,butter,egg yolks and lemon zest.Kayani Bakery in Pune is very famous for their popular Shrewsbury biscuits and it seems they bake about 200 kilos of these a day and they are almost always sold out!Any recipe which is innovated with a chocolate can never go wrong in my opinion,so Chocolate Shrewsbury biscuits it was!

Chocolate Shrewsbury Biscuits

Ingredients

Butter - 1/2 cup/100gms,softened
Caster Sugar - 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoon
Egg yolks - 2
Vanilla - 2 tsp
Flour/Maida - 1 1/2 cups
Zest of 1 lemon
Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.
Rub the lemon zest into the caster sugar till the sugar turns moist and fragrant.

Beat the butter till soft and mix in the lemon-sugar.Beat well.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix again.

Now add all of the flour together and knead softly till you get a smooth and shiny dough.Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 25-30 minutes.

Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into small balls,flatten with your palms and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
Arrange the cookies on a baking tray keeping sufficient distance between them.Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
Store in airtight containers.

I was apprehensive of adding eggs to the cookie dough(that too,yolks!)as I have never done that before.I always choose to make my cookies eggless.But believe me when I say these cookies do not taste eggy at all.I think adding the lemon zest is the trick here,also the use of good quality vanilla.Having said that,I feel the eggs can easily be substituted with a tablespoon of milk or so to bind the dough together.

Hokkaido Milk Bread with Tangzhong ~ We Knead to Bake # 3

2013-04-04T08:30:00.000+05:30

This post is for all of you who mailed in and asked me why I still haven't baked the WKtB post of the month.I couldn't do it on time but better late than never,eh?

After the laborious Croissants last time,when Aparna mentioned we were doing a easier bread this time,I was quite relieved.But when I heard the name,I was amused.Hokkaido?Tangzhong?Apparently,it is a very popular bread in South Asian bakeries across the world.It is also known as Asian Sweet Bread and Hong Kong Pai Bo.

The Hokkaido Mild Bread owes its texture and height to the use of an interesting ingredient called Tangzhong. Basically, the Tangzhong method involves cooking 1 part of bread flour with 5 parts of water (by weight) at 65°C (149 °F) to form a roux. At 65°C, the gluten in the bread flour and water mixture would absorb the moisture and create a “leavening” action. When the Tangzhong is added into other ingredients that go into a bread dough, it produces light, tender and fluffier bread.

This method of using Tangzhong is often seen in South Asian breads and was created by a Chinese woman, Yvonne Chen, who describes this method in her book which translates to “65 degrees Bread Doctor”.

The Hokkaido milk bread is a very easy bread to make.The first step is to make the Tangzhong and second is kneading the bread dough.The dough is a bit sticky so kneading can be a bit hard if you are doing it by hand.The dough is pretty versatile too.You can make plain bread loaves,dinner rolls,Pav for Pav Bhaji,filled bread or animal shapes.My creativity when it comes to shaping animals is nil and I didn't want to embarrass myself by shaping something which might turn into something totally different,so I stuck to baking rolls and loaves:)

Hokkaido Milk Bread With Tangzhong

(Original Recipe from 65 Degrees Tangzhong “65C Bread Doctor” by Yvonne Chen, and adapted from Kirbie’sCravings)

Ingredients:

For The Tangzhong (Flour-Water Roux)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

For The Dough:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tbsp sugar

1tsp salt

2 tbsp powdered milk

2 tsp instant dried yeast

1/2 cup milk (and a little more if needed)

1/8 cup cream (25% fat)

1/3 cup tangzhong (use HALF of the tangzhong from above)

25gm unsalted butter (cut into small pieces, softened at room temperature)

1/2 to 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips if making the chocolate chip rolls

Method:

The Tangzhong (Flour-Water Roux):

The Bread Dough:

Put the flour, salt, sugar,

powdered milk and instant yeast in the processor bowl and pulse a couple of times to mix.

In another small bowl mix the milk, cream and Tangzhong till smooth and add to the processor bowl.

Run on slow speed until the dough comes together. Now add the butter and process till you have a smooth and elastic dough which is just short of sticky.

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl turning it so it is well coated. Cover with a towel, and let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or till almost double in volume.

I made one small loaf and 5 small rolls. So I first divided my dough into two equal pieces first. Then I divided the first half into four equal pieces to make the loaf. The other half was divided into five equal pieces for five rolls.

The shaping of the portions, whether for the loaf or the rolls, is the same.

Roll this folded dough with the rolling pin so the unfolded edges are stretched out to form a rectangle. Roll the rectangle from one short edge to the other, pinching the edges to seal well. Do this with each of the three larger pieces and place them, sealed edges down, in a well-oiled loaf tin. Cover with a towel and leave the dough to rise for about 45 minutes.

To make the rolls fold them in the same manner described above, but before rolling them up, place some chocolate chip on the dough.I did one chocolate chip roll,two nutella and one with strawberry preserve.Also one small cinnamon-sugar roll. Roll the dough rectangles carefully and pinch to seal the edge.

Place each roll of dough in a well-oiled muffin cup and cover with a towel. Allow to rise for about 45 minutes.

Yeastspotted

Serve or else store in a bread bin. This bread stays soft and delicious even the next day. This recipe makes enough dough to make one loaf (9” by 5” tin), 2 small loaves (6” by 4” tins) or 1 small loaf (6” by 4”) and 6 small rolls (muffin tins).

I'd highly recommend this bread to everyone who think bread baking is not as easy as it seems to be.Many a times,I've been disheartened too-sometimes the yeast was faulty,sometimes the recipe was faulty or sometimes,I might have done something wrong.This recipe is the answer-soft,pillowy and spongy,bread which you thought you only got in bakeries can now be made at home and with an almost fool-proof recipe.

Herb and Cheese Pull-apart Bread{January}

Classic Croissants{February}