Jumat, 04 November 2011

Chocolate Ganache


I made this ganache for yummy eggless chocolate cake. This is the easiest way to create this sophisticating and professional looking ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
2 Cup Semisweet Chocochips
1 Cup Cream
1 Spoon Butter

Method
  • In a bowl add in 1 cup semisweet chocochips and butter. Microwave for 1 minute.
  • Add in remaining 1 cup chocochips and 1/2 cup cream. Mix well.
  • Microwave for another 30 seconds
  • Add in remaining 1/2 cup cream and stir till mixed thoroughly and is glossy and shiny.

Notes
Instead of microwaving, one can always use double boiler to melt chocolate and butter but microwave is easiest and clean way to melt chocolate.

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Eggless Chocolate Cake


Atul's mom had asked me for egg-less cake recipe almost 6 months back but every time something or the other came up and I didn't get chance to try out anything. Today that we are going to his place for snacks I thought that it would be perfect time to try out and see how she likes it. The cake looks, tastes awesome. It is perfectly moist and fluffy, i think i like it better than this chocolate cake with the eggs or this birthday chocolate cake again with the eggs.

Eggless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
4.5 Cup Maida
1 Cup Coco Powder
3 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Oil
1 Spoon Baking Soda
2 Spoon Vanilla Essence
1 Spoon Salt

Method
  • Preheat oven to 350F/175C
  • Sieve together maida and coco powder in a bowl.
  • Add in baking soda and salt and mix well.
  • In another bigger bowl, add in oil, 3 cups of water, Vanilla Essence and beat it together until frothy.
  • Add in sugar and blend again.
  • Sieve in the maida-coco mixture into it and beat till mixed well.
  • Grease the baking pan and pour the mixture in it.
  • Bake the cake for 50 minutes on 350F/180C, turning it after 35minutes.

Notes
I drizzled it with Chocolate Ganache and decorated it with the saved white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
If you are going to decorate on top of Ganache then let it set down for 3-4 hours because i didn't and the decoration kept sliding off the place i intended it to stay.

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Rabu, 12 Oktober 2011

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting


I have started liking the taste of cream cheese. I have used it in past with carrot cake and mixed indian spices to create floral taste for the icing. This time I decided to use the chocolate flavour given that i was making Red Velvet Cup Cakes which use the tinge of coco powder for chocolaty taste.

White Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
225gm Cream Cheese
225gm White Chocolate
1 Cup Butter
2 Cup Icing Sugar

Method
  • In a bowl microwave half of the white chocolate for 1 minute.
  • Add in remaining white chocolate and mix well. Microwave for 15 seconds
  • Stir the chocolate well till it is smooth and completely melted. Keep aside
  • In another bowl beat the cream cheese till soft and smooth.
  • Add in the melted chocolate and beat again till smooth
  • Add in butter and beat again
  • Add in icing sugar and beat till soft, smooth and fluffy

Notes
When adding the chocolate, it should have cooled off, if not wait till it cools down. Don't pour warm chocolate in the cheese.

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Red Velvet Cup Cakes


I had made these when mom dad were around but they weren't perfect especially they were little on drier side. So this time I made little bit change in quantities and they come out perfect. I frosted them with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Red Velvet Cup Cakes
Ingredients
2.5 Cup Maida
1/4 Spoon Coca Powder
1/4 Spoon Baking Soda
1/4 Spoon Salt
1.5 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1.5 Cup Oil
2 Spoon Curd
1 Spoon Liquid Red Food Color
1/4 Spoon Vinegar
1/4 Spoon Vanilla Essence

Method
  • Preheat oven to 350F/175C
  • Sieve Maida and Coca Powder in a bowl
  • Mix in baking soda, salt and sugar in it
  • In separate bowl add in egg, oil, red food color, vanilla essence and vinegar.
  • In a cup add in the curd and fill it with water. Mix well with the fork and add it to the wet mixture (oil-egg mixture)
  • Beat the mixture on low speed till smooth
  • Add in sieved dry mixture of maida-coca powder a cup at a time and beat slowly till it accommodates in the mixture.
  • Line the cupcake pan with the paper cups. Divide the mixture in 12 cups.
  • Bake the cake on 350F/175C for 22 minutes

Notes
I normally turn around the cupcakes after 70% of baking time in this case around 15 minutes. It helps in even baking of the cakes.

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Spice Paratha


I made these simple spice parathas today for dinner. They are very easy to make and taste yum.

Spice Paratha
Ingredients
2.5 Cup Wheat Flour
1 Spoon Maida
1/2 Spoon Jeera
1 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Coriander Powder
1 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • In a plate mix in maida, wheat flour, jeera, jeera powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste.
  • Add in 2 spoon of oil and mix well.
  • Add water and knead the dough. Sprinkle 1 spoon of oil and knead again. Keep aside for at-least 30 minutes.
  • Make lemon sized balls and roll the 3 fold parathas and cook them on the tawa, sprinkling oil.

Notes
The turmeric gives them awesome yellowish tinge and they look awesome. I also cooked them with very few drops of oil and that helped in retaining the yellow tinge
Maida helps getting crisp parathas.

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Selasa, 04 Oktober 2011

French Fries


Ajoy likes to eat french fries once in a while. We get those frozen ones and fry them as and when needed all the time. But i had been thinking of making them at home given that they are so simple. Always read about freezing them and keeping them cool before actually frying adding to the preparation time which off course i never had, given a sudden demand of french fries :) So last Saturday i decided to try them without refrigeration and all and worked out fine. So here is the quickest french fries recipe.

French Fries
Ingredients
2 Potatoes
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Peel of the potatoes and cut them in small rectangular pieces.
  • Keep them under running water and wash them thoroughly till the water is clear.
  • Keep them in cold water for 5-10 minutes.
  • Take it out of water and spread them on kitchen towel so that they are dry.
  • Heat oil and fry them till light golden in color. Spread on kitchen towel
  • Just before eating, fry the fries again till golden brown in color.
  • Spread on kitchen towel, sprinkle salt and serve.

Notes
If you are making them for party, you could fry the fries for the first time and then store them in refrigerator. Fry them second time just before serving.
Two times frying is necessary as it helps in taking out moisture, cooking the potato and then making it crisp.

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Rabu, 31 Agustus 2011

Mung Daal with peel Aappe


Mom had made these yummy aappe few times and we all liked it a lot. So this time i told her to show me the recipe. The aappe are easy to make and really healthy and tasty.

Mung Daal with peel Aappe
Ingredients
1.5 Cup Mung Daal with peel
2-3 Green Chillies
2 Garlic Cloves
1/4 Spoon Ginger piece
1/4 Onion
Two pinch Garam Masala
Handful Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Soak mung daal in water overnight.

  • In the morning take out all the water from the daal and add it in the mixer.

  • Add in green chillies, garlic and ginger. Grind to fine paste

  • Add in finely chopped coriander leaves and onion

  • Add in salt and garam masala and mix well.

  • Heat Aappe Pan and grease it well. Add in spoonful of mixture in each, sprinkle drop of oil on each aappe and cook covered for 2 minutes on medium flame till the sides separate from the pan.

  • Flip the aappes and cook without cover for another 2-3 minutes till the other side is done too. Serve while warm.

Notes
The daal can be soaked for couple of hours as well, so if making it for evening snack you need not have to soak it in the morning itself and these can be made on few hours notice.

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