X'mas Offering...Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have always wanted to know what gingerbread tastes like,I wasnt in the mood to make cookies, and I found this great recipe for gingerbread CUPCAKES. You can have it with or without the frosting. Tastes great either way.

Ingredients:
225 gm golden brown sugar
3 eggs, room temp.
225 gm flour
1 1/2 tbsp bak.powd.
2 1/2 tsp grated cinnamon or ground cinnamon
1 tsp fresly grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup cream/milk
Optional: 1/4 cup brandy, whisky or rum.
Frosting:
12 oz(340gm) cream cheese Room temp
6 tsp unsaled butter, R.T
2/3 cup maple syrup/golden syrup
1 1/4 cup icicng sugar
Sprinkle od ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Line muffin tins. Preheat oven to 180 Degree C.
2. Whip sugar and eggs until foamy. Add the dry ingredients and gently sir.
3. Comine butter and cream and add slowly to the batter.
4. Bake for 20 -25 mins. Cool. 

• Combine cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Add the syrup and powdered sugar and mix.
• Frost the cupcakes.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Have a merry Xmas!!

Devil's Food Cake with Swiss Chocolate Frosting.

I have already put up the recipe for Devil's food cake. Its the same recipe, I have only changed the frosting. This cake is THE most decadent of all. I had some leftover Swiss Chocolate with Hazelnuts in the fridge and I thought of using it instead of dark chocolate to make the frosting for this cake. I must say, this frosting can be extremely tempting and you may not be able to hold off to frost the cake with it.

You see those yellow bud- like things?? They are Hazelnuts in the chocolate.

This was just YUMMM....

Glitzy Chocolate Puddings

I dont know how many of you know about Nigella Lawson. I got this recipie from her site. Its a simple enough recipe and very tasty. You just need a few ramekins. I used metallic jelly moulds and a few glass bowls.

Ingredients:
100 gm dark chocolate
100 gm soft butter
200 gm sugar
4 eggs
50 gm flour
1/4 tsp bak.powd
salt
Glaze:
150 gm dark chocolate
45 gm butter
2x40 gm Crunchie Bars, broken into shards

Method:

1. Break up the chocolate and melt it with butter over a double boiler. Cool.
2. Beat eggs and sugar until thick, and pale and moussy, then gently fold in the flour, bak.powd and salt.
3. Fold in the cooled chocolate moxture and then pour into 8 ramekins and bake for 25 mins at 180 degree C.
4. For the glaze: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler then whisk to form a smooth glossy mixture and spoon onto the cooked puddings.
5. Decorate with crunchie rubble.

Can also decorate with pistachios or any other chocolate bar.
Enjoy!!

Spring Lemon Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cakes, I have heard are qiute tricky to make. They have a tendency to fall flat if the egg whites are not beaten and incorporated properly. So far I have made them thrice and haven't faced that problem. Not boasting here... just an observation. :)
Anyway's I am not fond of lemons in my cakes but I must say this is a fantastic cake!! And the glaze... is to die for!! So soft and light... Just melts in my mouth.

 I know that chiffon cakes are asked to be made in tube pans, but i hate the removal of the cake from these pans. So I have just gone ahead and used a square baking tin. A round tin also can be used.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup veg oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp grated lemon peel
7 egg yolks
8 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar/ 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 160 degree C.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat in cold water, oil, vanilla, lemon peel and 7 egg yolks until smooth.
3. Beat egg whites and lemon juice till stiff peaks form. Gradually pour the batter over beaten egg whites folding with rubber spatula until just blended.
4. Pour in to ungreases pan. Bake about 1 hour, or until the top springsback when touched lightly.
5. If using a tube pan, turn it upside down on heat proof bottle. Cool.
6. Spread creamy lemon glaze over the top of cake allowing some to drizzle down the sides.

Creamy Lemon Glaze
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tsp lemon juice

Melt butter over low heat, add the lemon peel and podered sugar. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice 1 tbsp at a time until smooth and consistency of thick syrup.
Enjoy!!

Fresh Lemon meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie has always been a very traditional pie served in American households, and it has been especially popular with African-American home baker's.

I had the idea of making it from the TV show Desperate Housewives. There is an episode in which all the women absolutely drool over the Lemon meringue Pie that Bree makes and it turns out that its not hers!!! So I wanted to find out if it really is delicious, and voila!! It turned out good. But lemon curd is not my favourite.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. granulated sugar
6 tbsp. (3/4 stick/3 oz/84 gm) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup shortening
2 to 3 tbsp. ice water, or as needed

For the Lemon Curd:
3 eggs
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
8 tbsp. (1 stick/4 oz/113 gm) softened unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions:
To Make the Pastry:


In the bowl of food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar and pulse once to mix. Add the butter and shortening and process short pulses to form pea-size crumbs, 20 to 25 seconds. While pulsing, gradually add the ice water to form larger, moist crumbs, 10 seconds more. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, with floured hands, shape the mixture into a flat disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

To Make the Lemon Curd:


In the top pan of a double boiler or in a nonreactive saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, milk and salt until blended. Then whisk in the lemon juice. Set the top pan over the bottom pan of simmering water but not touching the water, or set the saucepan ove medium-low heat. (If using a saucepan, take care not to heat the mixture too quickly.) Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or spoon, until the mixture is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Begin adding the butter a little at a time, stirring each addition until blended before adding more. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until a finger drawn across the back of the spatula leaves a path, 8 to 10 minutes more. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pass the curd through a chinois set over a nonreactive bowl and cool to room temperature.


Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, fit the dough into the dish and trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under the excess dough and, using your thumb, decoratively flute the edges.

To Make the Meringue:


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbsp. at a time, beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes more.


Spread the meringue over the hot pie filling to the edges of the pastry to seal and prevent shrinkage. Bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Dip a knife in warm water to cut slices.

Pretty Little Pastel Frosted Cupcakes

These pretty little cupcakes make a perfect treat for a children's birthday party. They are colourful and pretty and is sure to be a hit with the kids!!

Ingredients:
Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla ext
1 cup milk
Frosting
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla ext.
Pink, blue, green, yellow food colouring
Pastel coloures sprinkles.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. LIne the muffin pan cups with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugar ina large mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour alternately with milk. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake for 18 to 20 mins or until a wooden pick inserted in the cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely.
5. Spread cupcakes with warm frosting. Sprinkle lightly with sprinkles.

For Frosting:
Combine egg whits, sugar, corn syrup and water in a double boiler. Beat on high speed for 1 minute with a hand held mixer. Place over boiling water, beat on high speed for 7 minutes. Remove pan from boiling water add vanilla and beat on high for 2 minutes more until stiff enough to spread.
Makes 2 3/4 cups frosting.
Divide frosting into 3 or 4 medium bowls. Place a couple of drops of food colouring into each bowl and stir well.
Have Fun!

Procrastinating...

Hi. Its been a few dry months. Been kinda busy with shifting and school and such. I can only hope that I get the time to blog...
And like I wrote at the beginning, words have just deserted me. I dont have a thing in my mind except the housework and kids and food.... I'm guessing it'll take sometime to get into the flow...
I have started my baking but not really taken the time to snap pictures and load the recipes. I've been procrastinating.

Another Pie

Its been quite some time. Again I was procrastinating writing. So here's the latest...
I dont know why its called Boston Cream Pie, but its a very good cake err... pie. Whatever. Its delicious and creamy, courtesy the vanilla custard put in between the cakes.
Ingredients:
Pastry Cream/Custard:
1/4 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

1/8 cup flour

3 tbsp corn flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
25 gm butter
150 ml whipped cream
Sponge Cake:
5 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
140 gm flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp butter
Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces (120 gms) semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tsp unsalted butter

Method:
Pastry Cream:

1. In a bowl mix together sugar and egg yolks. Sift the flour and corn flour together and add to the egg mixture and mix till you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, bring milk just to a boil. Pour the milk slowly into the egg mixture whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
3. Pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling whisking constantly. When it boils, continue to whisk till it becomes thick. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract.Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to keep crust from forming. Cool in the fridge.

Sponge Cake:

1. Butter and line 2 cake tins.
2. Separate 3 cold eggs. Add the remaining 2 eggs into the yolks.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Warm milk and butter together till butter melts.
5. Beat the yolks with 6 tbsp sugar on high speed till thick, fluffy and light coloured. Then beat in vanilla.
6. Beat egg whites till foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and beat till soft peaks form. Fold into the egg batter.
7. Fold in the flour. Do not overmix.
8. Pour in the melted butter-milk mixture and mix gently.
9. Divide batter between 2 pans and bake for 18 to 20 mins or till light brown. Cool Completely.

Chocolate Glaze:

1. Place the chopped chocolate into a bowl. Bring cream and butter just to a boil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 mins.. Stir till smooth. Set aside until it has thickened to pouring consistency.
3. Assemble the cake.

The cake is very fluffy and soft so you have to be careful while transferring it from one surface to the other.
Enjoy!!

Red Velvet

I made these nice Red Velvet Cupcakes...I dont have a picture, but for those of you who have no idea what it is...Check out Red Velvet Cake. Its the same thing, but the recipie for cupcake's slightly different. Well, mine came out dark orange velvet cake, because the red food colour was not fully red. It was orange red.
Its good with a Cream Cheese frosting and some red sprinkles. Its actually a Valentine day's Cake.
Now this recipie is a bit too much, so I used only half the quantity of Ingredients.
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter(1 cup)
5 large eggs
1 cup butter milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp red food colour

Method:
1. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Sift it 3 times to get the velvety texture.
2. Cream together butter and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour.
4. Mix in vanilla and food colour. Fill cupcake pans half full of batter
5. Bake at 350F for 20 mins.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cup Cakes Marble Style!

Hi. Its been a few days...
So, today I tried a variation of the marble bread/cake . I made marble CUPCAKES!! Came out good. Nothing to it. Just make the batters for marble bread/cake and put small spoonfulls of batter in the cupcake cases, both chocolate and vanilla and swirl!! You got marble cupcakes! I know I know, not very original, but I was sorely lacking in creativity after the week I had. Husband not in town for a week, 24/7 company of the kids over the weekend... Anybody's brain would turn into mush!!

PS: Dont forget to swirl a knife through. I forgot!!

Enjoy!!

Something other than Baking.

So how many of you out there have heard of Harry Potter? What am i saying? Of course you've heard of him, but how many of you are fans of the Harry Potter series? I'm sure, ever since the last installment of the series came all of you've been disheartened that you wont be reading any more.. Yeah i know the feelling.
Anyways...Have you refreshed your Harry Potter knowledge recently? I thought I'd make a small quiz, just to entertain my readers. Just put down your answers as they come. NO peeking into the book. Right. Here goes...

1. Who was Harry disguised as at Bill and Fleur's wedding?
2. What spell reveals the presence of humans?
3. What is R.A.B?
4. What disease does the ghoul in Ron's house suffer from?

Ok. That's it for now. Remember, no peeking or consulting the book. 
Just for fun.

First Time Lucky? I think Not!!

I am not really an expert at baking but I do get by. Whenever I try out something for the first time, it comes out pretty well. So I always thought that I was "First time lucky". And then i decided to test it. I wanted to know whether I was really any good. And that's how I made the Classic American Apple pie twice!! It really put my mind to rest, because it came out absolutely delicious both times.

I'm a fan of Pies, and I tried to make them once long ago, but the crust wasnt good. It was hard and chewy. So I gave up for sometime, till I found this recipie. It is an absolute treasure. The crust is flaky and sweet and just perfect! I know that readymade pie crusts are available, but I'm one of those people who feel that making (baking) something from scratch is the best way to make(Bake) it!!

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 tbsp granulated sugar

3/4 tsp salt

10 tbsp (140 gm) chilled butter cut into 1/2" pieces

6 tbsp (or more) ice water 

Filling:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg or cinnamon

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Method:

Crust:

1. Blend flour salt and sugar.
2. Add butter and cut in until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Add 6 tbsp of ice water and process until moist clumos form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if the dough is dry.
4. Gather into a ball, divide into 2 balls. Flatten to disc.
5. Wrap in plastic and chill for 2 hours.

Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F/200 degree C.
2. Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl.Add Apples and toss.
3. Roll out one dough disc on a floured surface to an 11" round. Transfer to a 9" Pie dish. Fold the edge under forming a high standing rim.
4. Add the apple filling, mounding it slightly in the center of the crust.
5. Roll out the 2nd disc to a 12" round. Carefully place the rolled dough on top and pinch the edges of the top and bottom crust, turning under all around to make a thick edge.
6. To decorate just press the edges with the back of a fork. With tips of scissors, snip 4 evenly spaced vent holes in the top crust. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 25 minutes.
7. Reduce temp and bake till the juices bubble thickly and the crust is deep golden.
8. Serve with your choice of icecream.

The first time I made it, the crust didnt get to the golden brown stage, I was too afraid it might burn (as seen in the picture). But the second time..

Swirls and Marbles!!!

I'm sure everyone loves a good marble cake. I honestly dont know why its called that, but it is fantastic cake. You can have it at tea time, or even as dessert with a dollop of cream or icecream. However, its just absolutely scumptious!!

 

The recipie I have is actually Chocolate Marble Bread, as in it has to be baked in a loaf pan. I tried something different and used a square baking dish. It came out good! And the cake was consumed in just a day. No leftovers!! Its quite a popular cake with my family!

Ingredients:

4oz (100 gms) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup milk (120 ml), divided use

1 1/2 cups (210 gms) cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sour cream (If you dont have sour cream, regular cream is also fine)

1/2 cup (113gms) butter, room temp

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (170gms) granulated suger

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate with 1/4 cup (60ml) of milk on a double boiler. Remove and set aside.
2. Whisk flour and salt and baking powder.
3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and the remaining 1/4 cup of milk.
4. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
5. Alternately add the flour and sour cream begining and ending with flour, on low speed.
6. Spoon a little more than half the batter into another bowl.
7. Add the melted chocolate to the remaining half and fold in.
8. Butter and dust a loaf pan. Place spoon fulls of batter in the loaf tin alternating with vanilla and chocolate. The swirl a knife through and bake till done.

# The batter is not of pouring consistency.

Sinful Decadence- Devil's Food Cake

This cake looks and tastes absolutely awesome!!! Its a rich chocolate cake with a creamy chocolate fudge frosting between and coating it. My first attempt was a success!

 

I experiment on my children and an extremely tolerant husband who eat what I make with a minimum of complaints. And children, ofcourse dont lie so i get the most honest opinions from them and from the way they gobble up my cake and come back for seconds... Well let's just say that I am filled with happiness!! Ofcourse my husband is also a brutual in his honest opinions, and his reaction to the Devil's Food Cake With Fudge Frosting was utter bliss!!!

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups cake flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp (170gms) butter, room temp.

2 cups light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs, roon temp.

1 1/2 cups butter milk

 

Frosting

12 oz bitter sweet chocolate, cut into small chunks

1 3/4 cups of heavy cream

Pinch salt

 

Method:

1. Beat butter until smooth
2. Gradually add brown sugar and continue beating untill fluffy.
3. Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add flour in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour.
5. Divide batter between 2 pans and spread it out evenly.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting:

Bring cream just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate and let it stand fir 5 mins, Stir until smooth. Whisk the frosting briefly until it lightens in colour and is thick enough to spread.

Mishaps

Hello.
Even though I have had a relatively good success rate with most of my baked goods, I'm just as susceptible to failures.I've had some spectacular non-cakes too! Just last week I tried to make a good ol' POUND cake. It was an old tried and tested recipie. 
Well, I certainly got a pound.. A pound of uncooked batter!!!
In my arrogance I thought to forgo the exact measurements, and I think I used too much butter or something and well... the result was disastrous!!
There have been times when I've not been fully satisfied with cakes I've made.And neither have my family.
Like the time I made an Apple Chiffon Cake withYellow Butter Icicng.. Yeah Yeah, Doesn't sound very appetizing. The cake was ok but the icicng was a wrong decision.
Or the time I made the Buttermilk Fruit Cake.I am not a fan of dry friuts and well..the cake used a LOT of rasins and dates and currants. Suffice to say that the cake would be a favourite for those who like dry friuts but not me.

The Latest Offering...

I have always been interested in baking especially cakes and cookies and bread. Fortunately i have been able to pursue that hobby and i am proud to say that I can bake a really good cake. The latest i have attempted is the ever famous BLACK FOREST CAKE.

The baking part is actually very simple, just a few layers of chocolate sponge cake. Its the assembling that takes quite a lot of time. It came out pretty well considering it was my first time attempting it.
I dont think i have an official recipie for this cake but i will write down what i have.

Ingredients:
Icing Sugar 45gms
Whipped Cream 200gms
Cherries 1/2 tin
Grated Chocolate 40 gms
Cherries for decorating

Method:

1. Prepare a chocolate sponge cake.
2. Cut into 2 horizontally. You have to very careful lest the cake breaks.
    Soak with the cherry syrup from the tin.
3. Beat cream with sugar until stiff peaks form.
4. De-seed the cherries and crush them.
5. Sandwich the cream and cherries between the 2 cake halves.
6. Put a thick layer of cream on top. Level it.
7. Finish off with grated chocolate and cherries on top.

Getting Started...

When you haven’t done some creative writing in more than 5 years, except for writing emails and sms’s (which could hardly be called creative), its kind of hard to know where to start.

The afore mentioned 5 years of no creative writing is not due to an inability to write but due to the unavailability of time and creative processes which could be attributed to the trials of motherhood. Raising 2 children below the age of 5 can be a hair-raising experience!
Its not exactly a conducive environment to set some time apart to write or create a blog. But i have come to realize that it’s just not feasible to put on hold all the words that have been clamouring in my head to be written. So, voila!
I also realize that life will always hand me lemons and that it is up to me to either let them rot or make lemonade.


So... Lemonade it is!!!