Chocolate swirled Banana Loaf as my first entry for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop

Chocolate and banana make one amazing combination and to die for. And when I got to know the theme for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop as Microwave cooking I knew I had to bake this cake which was on my to do list since long.Starting from this Monday I am a part of this talented group of food bloggers who have included me in their group and I am one of the privileged few.This is the 30th Foodie Monday Blog Hop and the theme is Microwave cooking which includes not only cooking in Microwave mode but in Grill, Convection and Combination mode too.

There is something genuinely very therapeutic about baking.Whenever I am feeling low I turn to baking and have always felt the erratic negative energy fade away. Basically it is constructive and helps to focus and it's impossible to describe the immense amount of satisfaction that I get seeing my own creations.

This Chocolate swirled Banana Loaf had been in my mind for ages since the time I saw it in At the corner of Happy and Harried .Just one look at the chocolate and banana treat is enough to say that it won't stay in the cake tin for long. Its a nice way to use the ripe bananas sitting on the kitchen counter. Its a lovely teatime cake and perfect for picnics too.

 This marbled chocolate banana loaf has zero butter and the addition of oil and buttermilk keeps it moist and soft and makes it comparatively healthy.I doubled the measurements to make some swirled cupcakes in addition to the loaf for my little one's lunch box.I am planning to pipe the cupcakes with ganache next time I bake these for my children's tea parties once the holidays set in.

Ingredients
1 3/4 C. All purpose flour
2  large Eggs
1/2 C Safflower ,Canola or any refined Oil
1/3 C Buttermilk
1 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
1C  2-3 Mashed Bananas
1 tsp Vanilla extract
3 Tbsp Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Method

• Turn on the microwave to Convection mode.Adjust the temperature to 170 deg C.Pre heat the oven to this temperature and grease a loaf pan and line with a parchment paper.
• Sift the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl and keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl beat the eggs,oil and buttermilk together till well mixed and creamy.
• Add the mashed bananas, brown sugar and vanilla and mix till combined.
• Add the sifted dry ingredients to the batter and mix till just combined.
• Remove 1/3 rd of the batter in a different bowl and mix the cocoa powder with it and mix well.
• Pour spoonfuls of both the batters alternately in a loaf pan and with the help of a skewer or knife make a few swirls along the batter making sure to go down till the base of the pan.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or till a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Am sending this delightful chocolate swirled banana loaf to the 30th Foodie Monday Blog Hop for the Microwave Cooking Theme.

And to Sarah of Maison Cup Cake and Helen of Casa Costello for their weekly event Bake Of the Week.

Perfect Snickers Brownies

One more year has passed away into history and how time flies just right by you. The last few years have been a blur, like a whirlwind ...moments have just rushed past.The beautiful moments in life always accelerate  and you want to grasp it and hold on to it as long as possible.

My kids are growing up so fast..the elder one has already shot past me and the younger one is growing out of my lap.Soon will be facing the empty nest syndrome and am already dreading it.If only we could have a time machine and we can go back to spend some precious times with our children.I know I will pay anything to have another day with my kids when they were babies.

And during one of those gloomy days,pondering over my thoughts I baked these gooey, chewy,moist,heavenly brownies layered with snickers for my babies.This was sitting in my drafts since a month and what better day than today...my first post of a brand new year, my favourite and the perfect chocolate brownie.My perfect brownie is chewy in the sides and fudgy in the middle.The added melted chocolate makes these brownies more dense ,rich and chocolatey.The addition of snickers to the batter takes it to a different level altogether.You can personalise it by adding candies,nuts or chocolate chips but the basic brownie recipe remains the same which gives a perfect
shiny,crackly top.

You Require
2/3 C all purpose Flour
1/3 C cocoa powder
10 tbsp butter,unsalted
4 oz chopped dark chocolate
02 Eggs
1 1/4 C ground sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
50g x2 snickers bar,chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.Line a square 8x8 inch pan or a rectangular 13 x5 inch pan with a greased parchment paper for easy removal of the brownies.
• In a bowl whisk the flour and cocoa powder together.
• On a double boiler melt the butter,add the sugar and chopped chocolate and whisk till smooth.The mixture will be grainy.Remove from heat and let it cool till lukewarm .
• Add the eggs to the lukewarm chocolate mixture and beat with a hand mixer in medium speed for 1 minute,add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Add the whisked dry ingredients to the mixture and beat for 2-3 minutes in medium speed,this is necessary for the perfect brownie recipe.
• Add the chopped snickers to the batter and mix with a spatula.
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or till a toothpick comes out with little crumbs stuck to it.
• Cut into squares when cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy the dense,chewy,fudgy brownies with chunks of snickers in between.
These brownies are going to Helen of Casa Costello for her baking event Bake of the week.

Christmas Sugar Cookies

  

Baking is much a Christmas tradition as stockings and carols.And  Sugar cookies are a rage in the Christmas season.Nothing beats an iced Sugar cookie made from scratch.... A sinfully sweet Christmas treat .

Our house is filled with the Christmas spirit and the mother and daughter trio brought more cheer by baking these classic old fashioned sugar cookies and decorating them.These pretty cookies are a classic addition to the holiday cookie tray.

By the time we completed decorating them it was past midnight and the kitchen counter was full of sugar,butter,icing,sprinkles ,colours but then we had a whale of a time cutting them out in festive shapes and icing them...the right way to get into the holiday spirit and bonding with each other.

Today evening our house guests arrive for the holidays and my daughters are over the moon planning their days with the elder cousin .Makes me remember my childhood days with our cousins and the gala time we had in the holidays.

This cookie recipe doesn't ask for chilling the cookie dough, but if you still want to chill it you can go ahead.As for decoration a little corn syrup can be added to the sugar mix to give a sheen to the icing but it's optional.

This recipe is adapted from a friend's blog Naive cook cooks.
These pretty sugar cookies go as an entry for Helen of CasaCostello for her baking event Bake of the week.

You require( makes nearly 2 dozen cookies)
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 C soft Unsalted butter
3/4 C powdered Sugar
1/2 an egg,whisked
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp milk

For the Icing
1C icing Sugar
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Food colouring

Method

• Whisk the flour, baking soda and baking powder together,keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar till fluffy with a hand mixer.
• Add the vanilla and egg,beat .
• Add the dry ingredients gradually and mix.
• Add the milk and form into a soft dough,it should be soft and not wet.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface and if it's wet adjust it with a little flour added to it and if it's dry add a little milk.
• Form into a ball and cover with a cling film and chill it for an hour if chilling the dough, otherwise roll it out straightaway.
• After removing from the fridge wait for a few minutes for the dough to soften so that it's easy to roll it out.
• Roll the dough on a floured surface and with holiday theme cookie cutters cut them out and lay them on a cookie tray with parchment paper.
• Bake them in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 8-10 mins.If you want them crisp you can bake it a little longer .I like them chewy in the middle and crisp at the sides .
• For the icing ,mix the icing Sugar with the milk and vanilla and make sure the mixture is not flowy,adjust the milk and icing sugar as needed.
• Divide the mix according to the colours you want and transfer them to piping bags,can use zip locks as piping bags.
• While cutting holes in the piping bags make sure the hole isn't too big or it will be difficult to make outlines.
• Decorate the cookies with piping the outlines first and then filling them and spread with a butter knife.
• Decorate with sprinkles and let them set overnight before storing.

Enjoy the soft,chewy,delicious cookies and a merry Christmas !

Gingerbread Mini bundts with a White chocolate ganache drizzle...for the holiday season

Its that time of the year again when the world falls in love,every song you hear seems to say Merry Christmas .....the Christmas waltz playing in my wifi radio ,Christmas cheer everywhere,the aroma of Christmas baking ,a cup of coffee and my laptop...and this is the best moment of this year.

The smell of holiday bread,cookies,cakes ,pies and other goodies is in air.And the blogosphere too overflowing with gingerbread cookies,Yule logs,fruit cakes and cute Santa hats.And baking is so therapeutic and addictive..how can you not contract the baking fever when Christmas is in air.

And how can you not bake gingerbread in Christmas...the old fashioned gingerbread is everyone s holiday favourite.When you bake a gingerbread recipe the smell wafting around the house is wonderful.This time I have made mini gingerbread bundts with a white chocolate ganache drizzle on top.Have been smitten with my mini bundts pan since the time I have got it home.

Gingerbread foods vary from a moist loaf cake to a ginger biscuit ,the ingredients comprise mainly of ginger, spices, honey or molasses.Molasses is used in baked goods to give colour,moistness and flavour.I have used a bundts pan but can be baked in a loaf or square dish too.

This recipe is adapted from Joy of baking.
I am sending these beauties to Helen of Casa Costello for her event Bake of the Week.

You Require (for 9-10 mini bundts)
2 C all purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground Cloves
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/2 C brown Sugar
1/4 C fine white sugar
2 large Eggs at room temperature
1/2 C butter or3/4 C refine oil
1/2 C molasses,unsulphured
1 C milk
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger or1/4 C chopped crystallized ginger

For the Ganache
1C cream
2 C chopped white chocolate

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and grease the dish .
• In a bowl whisk the flour,spices,baking powder, baking soda,lemon zest and chopped ginger.
• With a hand mixer cream the butter and sugar till fluffy,add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition .
• Add the molasses and beat  to combine.
• Now add the dry ingredients and milk alternately beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.beat till incorporated,finally with a spatula mix the batter with cut and fold method,scraping from the bottom and sides.
• Pour the batter in the pan or the dish and bake for 18-20 mins for the mini bundts and for 30-35 mins for the loaf or square dish or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Take out from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
• For the ganache  heat the cream in a saucepan ,don't boil.Add it to the chopped chocolate in a bowl,wait for 30 seconds and whisk to melt and combine.
• After it cools to room temperature,pour in a piping bag and drizzle on the bundt cakes.

A Merry Christmas to you all !!

Applesauce spice bundt cake with a brown sugar glaze

A busy week of Diwali festivities and excitement and then the sudden lull ....schools have reopened with the elder one s exams starting today,and the little ones sports day practices.So back to the monotonous humdrum life with lunchbox preparations,dirty laundry,healthy menu plan, homework, etc.

Thanks to the blog and my blogger friends ,have something to look forward to every single day.Checking out the food posts with my morning cup of tea has become my favourite time of the day.

Took quite a long break for Diwali as it was quite hectic with squadron coming home and my eccentric streak making me prepare every single delicacy at home.But theres a different kind of satisfaction when you see the pleasure on people's faces while gorging on the dish prepared by you.

Finally my break ended today when I remembered that it was Monday and time to send my weeks baking to the weekly baking event held by Helen of Casa Costello.

Last week my fruit basket was overflowing with apples and my girls were busy gorging on the sweets of the festivities.Before the apples got spoilt I decided to make apple sauce and freeze it  and made a applesauce cake with spices and drizzled home made brown sugar glaze on it.You can refer to my Home made Apple Sauce recipe here.If spice is your thing you will love this moist and spicy cake.The lemon zest in the cake brightens the flavour of the cake and the delicious brown sugar glaze gives a nice edge to it.

You Require

For the Cake
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground all spice ( substitute with  ground 1/2 tsp cinnamon,cloves nutmeg each)
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C unsalted butter( room temp)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 large eggs ,room temperature
3/4 C ground sugar2/3 C  brown sugar
1C applesauce
1 big Apple ,peeled and chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C walnuts or pecans chopped( optional)

For the brown sugar glaze
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar ,packed
3 tbsp heavy cream
3/4 C powdered sugar or icing sugar,sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C,grease a 9 " pan bundt or tube pan and dust it with flour .
• Sift the flour,salt,baking soda and all spice and Add the pecans if using and keep it aside.
• Beat the butter and lemon zest with an electric mixer till smooth and creamy.
• Add the sugar gradually and blend it well with the mixer,add the brown sugar and beat till smooth.
• Now add the eggs one at a time and beat well till well blended.
• Add the chopped apples and vanilla and blend with mixer speed low.
• Finally with the mixer speed low or medium add the flour/ nut mix in 3 additions and the applesauce in 2 additions starting and ending with the flour.Mix just until incorporated .
• Spoon the mixture into the bundt pan,level the top and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 mins or till a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 mins and add the glaze when the cake is still warm,so invert the cake carefully onto a rack so that it doesn't break.
• For the glaze,melt the butter with the brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat.
• Add the heavy cream and cook till it comes to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the sugar in two additions whisking constantly.
• Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth.
• If it is too runny ,add some more icing sugar and if it's too thick add little cream.
• It should be of pouring consistency and hardens fast,pour the glaze on the warm cake quickly and let it drip naturally down the sides.
• Enjoy the moist,spicy cake with a cup of tea.

Pumpkin spice Chocochip squares

And the pumpkin saga continues....the humble ,versatile pumpkin in a new avatar,  super moist pumpkin spice squares studded with chocochips. These squares are baked with white chocolate  and pumpkin pie spice.Pumpkin Pie spice is a blend of powdered cinnamon,nutmeg,cloves and ginger and sometimes all spice(Jamaican Pepper).

 Simple and delicious and the chocolate chips are the wow factor in this recipe.My kids loved the pumpkin part just because of the choco chips and the white chocolate in it takes it to a different level altogether....little sweet pockets against the dense ,spicy cake!

I boiled a huge batch of pumpkins and puréed them in the food processor and froze them in individual small zip locks so that can use them as and when needed.I substituted the butter part with oil to make the cake a little healthier and I prefer it that way.



You require

1C all purpose Flour
2/3 C brown Sugar
1 large Egg
1/2 C refined Oil
1/2 C pumpkin purée
2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 C white chocolate ,chopped
1/4 C choco chips
1/2 tsp salt

Method

• Grease a 9 inch square pan and preheat the oven to 180 deg C .
• Whisk together flour,baking soda, spices and salt in a bowl.
• With an electric mixer whisk the egg and then add sugar and whisk till it increases in volume and the sugar is incorporated,approximately for 3-4 mins.
• Now add the oil gradually whisking it simultaneously.
• Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée and mix.
• Now with the mixer speed in low mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Fold in the white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate with a spatula into the mix.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins or till a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Take out from the oven when the cake is hot and spread the 1/4 C chocochips on the cake and press them gently on to the cake .
• Cool and cut into squares.

I am sending those pumpkin Chocochip squares as an entry for Helens Casa Costello event Bake of the week

A Lemon Bundt Cake with a lemon frosting

Well,when life throws you lemons...No! I didn't make lemonade ...I baked a cheery, fluffy, lemon Bundt cake instead.My bday and committee meeting of the NGO that I do voluntary work for coincided and I was expected to bake a cake for the members.And  tried and tested the perfect tea time cake was this Lemony cake apt for a summertime get together and a truly delicious recipe.

The double dose of lemon juice and zest in the cake and in the frosting makes it tart and zingy.Not to miss out the aroma of the cake baking which welcomed my kids back from school and the look on their faces when they realised it wasn't meant for them...for a second I thought I was the worst mom in the world. 

This recipe is an adaptation from my favourite baking site Joy of Baking and not a single recipe from this website has gone wrong till date.There's a list of lemon recipes in my to do list..a lemon blueberry cake and a key lime cheesecake are my next experiments.Afew things to remember before we start baking this cake.

• Always buy lemons which are fragrant and have nice, oily, yellow skin without any blemishes and spots or are hard and wrinkly.Microwave the lemons for 10 secs if you have taken out straight from the fridge..this ensures enough juice from the lemons.
• While removing or grating the zest do not remove the white membrane or the pith as it tastes bitter and will affect the taste of the cake.
• Drizzle the frosting on the cake while the cake is a little bit warm...that helps the cake in soaking the frosting and gives a crusty glaze and nice crunch to the cake.

You Require

2 C all purpose Flour

1C  granulated Sugar

1C butter,room temperature and unsalted

04 large eggs,room temperature 

1/4 C lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt

 Zest of 1 large lemon,the outer yellow skin

For the Frosting

1C confectioners or icing sugar,sifted

2-4 tbsp lemon juice

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180 deg C,grease a 9 inch bundt pan or springform pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour ,baking powder,salt and whisk it with the lemon zest.
• Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy for about 3-4 minutes with a electric mixer.
• Add the eggs one by one..the mixture might curdle which is normal.add the vanilla extract and mix well.
• Add the flour mixture with the lemon juice alternately ,flour in three additions and lemon juice in two additions mixing till you have a smooth batter
• Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 mins or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Do not over bake  otherwise the cake becomes dry.
• Cool for 15 mins and unmould it to pour the frosting while the cake is still a little warm.
• Add 2tbsp of lemon juice with the sifted icing sugar and mix to get a smooth and thick glaze.
• Add more juice or sugar as needed.
• Pour it on the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
• Let the frosting dry before you cut and store the cake.This cake can be stored for several days in an airtight container.

Enjoy the delightful,moist,zingy cake and remember me:)!
I am sending this Cake as an entry for Casa Costellos event Bake of the week.

Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been baking cakes since my college days and those days vanilla cakes were a hit and that too in a basic round electric oven which was ubiquitous to every baking household .I stuck to vanilla and chocolate till I got married and all the time thinking of myself as a baking queen. When I entered into the baking arena with a hand mixer and OTG and few sophisticated foreign author cake books I discovered that there was a world of cakes that I had never ventured into.Since then I haven't looked back,baked cakes after cakes  and have carved a place for myself as an expert baker baking from simple pound cakes to towering layer cakes.My passion for baking has made me bake at 1 in the night too and savouring a warm ,fluffy piece before retiring to bed.There is nothing like the taste of a cake you make in your own kitchen.Measure your ingredients properly, mix it with lots of love and bake it with utmost care ...that's my secret to a perfect cake.Here is my favourite Carrot Cake recipe with a hint of walnuts and cinnamon and a tangy cream cheese frosting.Simple,Sweet,Moist and Flavourful...adapted from Joy of baking.

You Require:-

For the Cake
1 C All purpose flour
1 1/4 C grated raw carrots
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 C fine sugar
1/2 C refine oil( vegetable,canola or safflower)
1/2 C coarsely crushed walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

For the frosting
2 ounces unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1 C icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C
• Line a round 9 inch pan with parchment paper.
• Whisk flour baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl with a electric mixer whisk eggs till frothy and then add sugar gradually  till the batter is pale and thick and then beat in the vanilla.
• Add the flour mix to the batter and mix till incorporated.
• 
  
• Add the grated carrots and walnuts and fold in with a spatula.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or till a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.
• For the frosting beat the butter with cream cheese with electric beater just until blended.
• Gradually add sifted icing sugar to the mix and beat on low speed until smooth.
• Lastly add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat.
• Spread the frosting on the cool cake and decorate with walnuts and refrigerate the leftovers.

P.S. Always ensure to sift your flour before measuring.


I am sending my entry to Bake of the week held by Helen of Casa Costello.

A Zebra Cake for my little one

What is the best part about being a mom?The love I receive from my daughters, the hugs and kisses, watching them grow, the giggles and the ring of laughter in the house, the unconditional love, the I love yous and the list is endless.For me cooking their favourite dish or baking a cake for them gives me immense pleasure...seeing the twinkle in their eyes when they gorge on it makes me super happy and satisfied.

And this Zebra pattern cake was baked as a reward for my younger one. A surprise for her in the lunch box was my plan and so it was baked in the night after dinner, after tucking her into the bed.I felt that the swirls could have been more neat nevertheless the pattern in the baked cake was perfect, exactly how I wanted. A eye catching stripy cake and super easy once you know the trick.For this cake I used my marble cake recipe which I follow from Donna Hay ' s Cook Book.

You require

All purpose plain flour   2 1/4 C

Baking powder  2 1/4 tsp

Cocoa powder(sifted)  1/4 C

Castor (superfine) Sugar  1 1/4 C (2 tbsp extra)

Butter (unsalted)   250 g(8 oz)

Eggs  4

Vanilla extract 1 tsp

Milk 1 C(8 fl oz)(1 tbsp extra)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170 deg C
• Place the butter ,sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.
• Gradually add the eggs one by one and beat well.Sift the flour and the baking powder over the butter mixture and fold through with the milk alternately.
• Divide the mixture into two and stir the cocoa powder,extra milk and sugar through one of the mixtures.Make sure both the mixtures consistency should be the same.
• Grease and line a 10 inch round baking tin with parchment paper  and drop alternate spoonfuls of both the mixtures and you will see concentric circles forming like this.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 mins or till a wooden skewer comes out clean.

This lovely, light, spongy,stripy cake disappeared from my cake platter within minutes and was a hit with my little one and her friends.Enjoyed watching my loved ones devour the labor of my love.

Nutty prune Cake...after a long break

Well, I can blame this unexpected break  from blogging on my internet connection,the computer which crashed suddenly,shifting accomodation,settling down with two kids  blah ...blah ...blah.The only good thing that happened with me during these two months was that we shifted into a bigger house and all the extra stuff that was lying for years in those boxes are out and breathing some fresh air and yes how can I forget to mention that now I enjoy my tea and the goan monsoon relaxing in my verandah,the rains lashing trying to spoil the peaceful feeling,the balmy breeze tingling your face and watching the sudden sprout of greenery all around....so therapeutic for the mind ,body and the soul. A respite from the hot weather,the bonding of the family over some hot pakodas ,chai and a game of scrabble ,a ride on the sleek ,flashy Ninja (Biplab is a passionate biker and this is the new addition to our family)in the rains with my better half ...thats what rains are for me.So now everybody knows what I was upto these last few days.....so I shouldn't be cribbing about the net connection and the computer!!!!

This nutty prune cake  was baked during one of those balmy rainy evenings and got wiped out within minutes.The cinnamon and the peanut butter combo imparted a nice unique flavour to the cake.The wholemeal flour with the nuts and prunes make it a healthy cake for the children,a must try and a sure hit!

You Need

125 g (4 oz) butter

1/4  C crunchy peanut butter

1/2 C  sugar

2 eggs

1 C wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking pwdr

1 tsp cinnamon

a pinch salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup chopped prunes

Method

1. 
   
   1. Beat together butter,peanut butter and sugar until creamy.
   2. Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
   3. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and beat until smooth.
   4. Lastly add prunes and beat well.
   5. Place in a greased and lined loaf tin or a slab tin and bake in a moderate oven(170 or 180 deg C) 40-50 mins until cooked.If desired, sprinkle with 1/2 C finely chopped walnuts before baking.Leave in tin few mins before turning out.

Our new Ninja

Chocolate Sesame Cookies

The heat,the humidity,the holidays are playing havoc with my senses now.Oh ! how I love the Russian summers now.In Moscow I used to crave for Indian food ,the weather ,the people and suddenly here I am missing the colourful and pleasant  moscow summers.After nine months of bone breaking winters the russians love the bright and lovely summer and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather to the fullest.There is a buzz of activity everywhere, people everywhere....sunbathing, cycling, rollerskating, boating, just chilling out with some russian Kvass (a russian drink made from rye bread)and soaking in the summer sunshine.I used to feel energised and lively during the summers there,here in goa the humid and hot weather makes us feel dehydrated with a lethargic feeling all day long.

But then with the holidays starting Mishti plans a tea party every second day for her friends,thank god she atleast has the courtesy to ask me before inviting them,otherwise I would have gone bonkers by now.Thanks to Mishti my baking books are out from the closet now.Last week I baked some nice ,chewy chocolate cookies with sesame seeds sprinkled on it and it was a hit with the children.The recipe is adapted from Nita Mehta's Bakes and Cakes.

You Need

Plain Flour  -60 gm

Cocoa          -30 gm

Butter (softened)-75 gm

Powdered Sugar -60 gm

Vanilla extract    -1tsp

Sesame seeds(white til)-2tsp

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add Vanilla extract and beat again.
3. Sift flour and cocoa together.
4. Add flour to butter and mix gently to form a soft dough.
5. Form into balls,flatten them and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 13- 15 mins( my oven took 20 mins)on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

P.S- If the dough feels too soft to form balls,keep it in the fridge but do not add any extra flour.

I am sending these cookies as my entry for Bangalore Bakers' this week's Bake-Off event.

These are some pics of our Moscow stay clicked by us during the summers.

The onset of autumn, end of summers,Monorail with the Ostankino Tv tower

A church near the Ostankino lake near our Apartment

Flowers in full bloom,kuzminki

Roadside landscaping with flowers,opposite kievski vakzal

Mississippi Mud Cake

When Mishti heard the name of the cake she didn't find it appetizing and  refused to touch it...she thought Mama dear used the messy mud to bake the cake...but when she saw all of us gobbling down the sinful chocolate glazed pieces she forgot all her inhibitions about it and gorged on the cake.

The name reminded me of the novel" Uncle Tom's Cabin"in which the river Mississippi featured and which was our syllabus english book in std 6 .I was so fond of the book that I had read and reread the book numerous times.The character had evoked so much of sadness and sympathy for him in me that I would cry thinking about the agonies,the pain and the suffering that he and the other slaves had gone through.The humiliation and the torture faced by them  was too much for a young reader to handle,may be that's why the story is etched in my memory till date.

Do not judge a recipe solely on its title:).The cake was rich, dark and moist ,the taste was awesome which made us crave for more and more!I made the recipe  a bit healthy by adding oil instead of butter and cream.The topping had less dark chocolate than what the recipe asked for as I had run out of cooking chocolate.So me thinks the cake would have been mercilessly tasty if I would not have omitted the above ingredients.So go ahead with this recipe and let me know how it turned out to be.

You need  :

185 g(6oz)  butter ,softened(I used 4 oz vegetable oil)

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup cold black coffee

4 eggs

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup cocoa pwdr

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking pwdr

a pinch salt

1 tsp Vanilla extract

100 g block cooking chocolate,grated

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients except chocolate into the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed for 1 minute,scraping down the sides of bowl while beating.
2. Pour into a greased lamington or slab tin(i used a round one) and bake in a moderate(180 deg C) oven for 40-45 mins or until done when tested.
3. Carefully remove from tin onto a wire cake cooler,sprinkle the grated chocolate over the hot cake.Leave for 1 min and then using a spatula or knife,spread the softened chocolate over.Leave until cold and sprinkle some chocolate sprinklers before cutting.

Enjoy!

Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Friends ,I have had my first taste of rude anonymous comments,unfortunately it is not about my cooking or recipes but concerns my personal life.This person has so much time that he/she has created a new account under a new name(as anonymous comments are prohibited in my blog) and left an insolent ,abusive comment for me...see how important I am for this person:)I had read about these pranksters in other blogs...so was mentally prepared.I had a good laugh at the enlightening comment and I feel that people who do not have the guts to come out in the open do these cowardly acts and get immense satisfaction,basically psychos who have had a bad day at work or might be one of those guys whom I had ditched in my college days :P



My post today is lentil shepherd's pie...brown lentils with cottage cheese layered with creamy potato mixture and baked to perfection.I served steamed broccoli sauteed with olive oil and carom seeds(ajwain) with it and garlic bread which made it a perfect continental dinner with an indian touch.The recipe is adapted from my favourite Nita Mehta's continental collection.

You need:
To be pressure cooked:
1 cup brown lentils(saboot masoor)
1 tbsp oil
1" pc ginger
3 cups water
salt to taste
For filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
a pinch asofoetida(hing)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot,cut into tiny pcs
1/2 cup boiled peas
100 gm cottagecheese(paneer) crumbled
1/2 tsp soya sauce
For topping:
4 potatoes boiled,peeled,grated and mashed till smooth
2-3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup hot milk
2 tbsp cream
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste Method:
1.Pressure cook the lentils with all the other ingredients under to be pressure cooked to give 1 whistle,simmer on low heat for 12 mins.If there is any water dry on fire.
2.Add all the ingredients under topping to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
3.To prepare the filling,heat oil,add asofoetida and pepper and saute for 3-4 secs.Add the carrots and stir for 1 min.Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 mins till soft.Add peas and salt and mix.
4.Mix salt and soya sauce to the crumbled cottage cheese and mix well.
5.Combine the cottage cheese,lentils and the cooked carrots and peas.
6.Spread this pie filling evenly at the bottom of a greased oven proof dish.



7.Cover the mixture with the potatoes,level the potatoes with a knife.Ripple or score the potato mixture with a fork in a decorative design,by making lines on the topping as shown in the picture.
8.Preheat oven to 200 deg C.Bake for 25-30 mins till the potato topping turns golden.Serve hot.
.

Eggplant Parmigiana

My last post talked about spring butI can hardly see any traces of spring in the city.This morning when I woke up I was surprised to see a thick shroud of snow everywhere.Where is the sun....its ages since I have seen and felt its warm golden rays and miss the warmth of the room as the rays filter through the french windows and create those dancing shadows on the wall.There are so many amazing and wonderful things that go unnoticed in our lives,it's the small things that we sometime take for granted without giving a second thought to appreciate their presence.

The weather out here has been very unpredictable these past few days and as I was reading Sia's post and came across the term global warming the first thing that came to my mind was a documentary film in National geographic that I was watching a few days back.The documentary was on global warming and its frightening repercussions.With global warming taking its toll the worst hit country would be India they claim,according to them within a span of 200 years all the glaciers in Himalayas would melt and the Ganges would transform into a desert.With so many people relying on the Ganga for their daily requirement of water,the consequence is horrifying.
I have been having this terrible stinging sensation in my throat since last night and my sixth sense says I am going to be down with a bad bout of cough and cold.My only concern is Mishti, my little one who is bound to pick up an infection from me....and with the mom and the child both sick and hubby dear tending to us, it's utter chaos in the house.I am just not looking forward to this:(

My post today is Eggplant Parmigiana,sliced eggplants fried,layered with creamy red and white sauce and baked with a sprinkling of cheese.The recipe is again a Nita Mehta's Italian collection, I specially
prepared it to send an entry for Creative Pooja's Vow Brinjal.

Eggplants is not a great favourite in my house but this delectable version with garlic bread and a greek salad was an immensely enjoyable meal.One more brinjal dish that we relish is "Baigana Bhaja" an oriya dish ,sliced brinjals marinated in turmeric,salt and chilli pwdr and deep fried or shallow fried in mustard oil.....this tastes ultimate with puris.You can check out the recipe Here.

you need:
1 big eggplant of round,oblong variety
2 cubes cheddar cheese(i used a russian cheese )
2 tbsp grated parmesan
oil for frying
tomato sauce:
2 large tomatoes,pureed
3 flakes garlic,crushed
8-10 basil leaves,chopped
1 tsp oregano,dried
1/2 tsp chilli pwdr
1/2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp thick cream
1 tsp olive oil
white sauce:
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion,chopped
2 cups milk
1 tbsp thick cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method:

1. Slice the eggplants and sprinkle some salt and keep aside for 15 mins.Pat dry on akitchen towel and deep fry them in oil to a light brown colour.( I shallow fried them in olive oil)
2. For the tomato sauce,heat oil and fry the onions and garlic till it slightly changes colour.Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and boil for 10 mins till the juice from the tomatoes evaporates and turns slightly thick.Remove from fire and add cream.
3. To prepare the white sauce melt the butter,add onion and stir till light pink.Sprinkle flour and cook on low heat for 2 mins,stirring throughout.Remove from heat and gradually add milk,mix until well blended.Return to heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens.Remove from fire,add cream ,salt and pepper and mix well.
4. To assemble,spread 1/3 of the white sauce in a baking dish.
5. Place 1/2 of the eggplant slices on it,spread tomato sauce over the eggplants,sprinkle some parmesan cheese.
6. Repeat another layer of eggplants,top with the remaining white sauce and sprinkle both the cheddar and parmesan cheese.
7.Bake for 10 mins at 200 deg C till the cheese melts.