Whole wheat apple cake

1.5 cups whole wheat flour ( I use Navadarshanam)
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Apple (puréed)
1/3 tsp Cinnamon powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 degrees for ten minutes.

1. Sieve together flour, baking soda, baking powder a couple of times and keep aside.

2. Mix milk, honey, apple purée and cinnamon. Mix well.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mix in two to three parts and mix until combined well. Do not over mix.

4. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 180 degrees for about 40 - 45 minutes. It may take another ten mins in some ovens.

5. Bake until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

Ps:

Apple replaces oil or butter here. Honey adds to the moistness of the cake.

Whole wheat can be replaced with all purpose flour or equal parts of whole wheat and all purpose flour if you wish to.

Classic Tiramisu made Eggless for FondBites Bake Along #50

My notes for the Tiramisu:

Tiramisu broken down into components and then I will list the recipes in order of how I am going to make them.
1. Mascarpone Cheese - refer Divya Kudua's blog

600ml fresh cream (3 packs amul fresh cream or could be nilgiris)
1 tablespoon lime juice
Preparation

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. 

Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet.

Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F.

It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating.

Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles.

Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise.

It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.

Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve.

Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time).

Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.

2. Lady fingers or Savoiardi Biscuits from http://www.amuthiskitchen.com/2013/05/eggless-savoiardi-lady-fingers-sponge.html

Ingredients
All purpose flour: 1 cup
Butter: 1/2 cup
Milk: 1/4 cup
Sugar: 1/4 cup
Baking powder: 1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
Powdered sugar: 2 tablespoons

Procedure
Beat butter and sugar well with a hand blender until it is creamy
Add milk, flour,vanilla extract and baking soda and mix well
Place the dough in a piping/ziplock bag with 1/2 inch round tip
Pipe the batter in 3" straight lines in a parchment paper 
Sprinkle the powdered sugar on the piped sponges.
Bake at 350F for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from oven when it slightly starts turning brown.

3. Zabaglione or Custard from Divine taste - 3 full cups of this custard

Ingredients:

600 ml (2 cup and scant 1/2 cup) milk

2 * 200 ml (1 and 1/2 cup) cream (I used 25%)*/

6 tbsp vanilla custard powder

6 tbsp sugar (use 3 tbsp for just about sweet and 4 tbsp for moderately sweet)

Method:

In a saucepan, mix in the milk and the cream. In a small bowl, put in the custard powder. Take about 1/4 cup milk from the saucepan and mix it with the custard powder to make a smooth paste.

Mix in the sugar with the milk in the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and put in the custard paste, stirring all the while and bring to a boil. This will take less than a minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

4. Coffee Syrup

• Water – 1 1/2 cup
• Instant coffee powder – 2 teaspoons
• Granulated white sugar – 1/3 cup
• Marsala or dark rum – 1/4 cup

5. Whipping Cream - 1/2 cup

6. Creamy Mixture:

• All the custard made in the recipe
• Mascarpone cheese – 200 gms
• Whipping cream – 1/2 cup
• Instant coffee powder – 1/2 teaspoon ( Optional )

1. Beat the whipping cream on medium high speed until soft peaks form. Use custard and mascarpone cheese cold from the fridge. Take them out and use a spoon to mix them well to soften it a bit. Then add both of them into the whipped cream and beat on medium speed until all the 3 have incorporated well with soft peaks. You can add the instant coffee powder now and whip it again, if using. I chose not to add instant coffee powder to the cream.

ASSEMBLY:

1. Take each lady finger and dip them individually into the coffee syrup and start placing them adjacent to each other on the bowl in which you are setting the dessert. Fill up the entire base of the bowl.

2. Add half of the creamy mixture and spread out to cover the cookie layer. Now again dip the lady fingers into coffee syrup and arrange them on top of the creamy layer filling the entire top.

3. Now add remaining portion of the creamy mixture and spread all over and smooth out the top.

4. The dessert is usually served with dusted cocoa powder. I used a stencil to dust it on top. You can just dust using a sieve all over on top of the dessert. Few choose to add grated chocolate too on top. Set in refrigerator until ready to eat.

If you want more layers, choose a smaller bowl and split the cream into 3 or 4 portions accordingly.

Now I had some left over cream and also some lady fingers. So here are some awesome Tiramisu trifles I made which I just so loved them like my babies 

This can also be baked as a tiramisu cake with using sponge cake instead of lady finger biscuits.

Use the springform pan

Inspiration pics from HBG Nirmala Arokia

Chocolate collar explanation from Fond Bites

 Tools/Ingredients (For an 8 inch frosted cake):

• Dark/Milk/White Chocolate – 150 gms
• 2 big trays lined with aluminium foil
• Butter paper
• Bowl to melt chocolate
• Offset spatula
• Scissors to cut butter paper

Method:

1.  Measure the circumference of the cake. You can calculate it by multiplying the diameter of the cake by 3.14 ( Some academics coming into use here  ). For eg. if your cake is 8 inch, then the circumference will be 8 * 3.14 = 25.12 inches.
2. Cut out a strip of butter paper that will be about an inch more than the circumference of the cake. In this case it can be 26 inches.
3. The height of the strip can be the height of the cake or a little more than that. If you cake is 4 inches tall, the height of the strip can be 4.5 inches.
4. So you have your butter paper strip ready that is 26 inches long and 4.5 inches tall.
5. The aluminium foil lined tray has to be as long as the strip, and that should also be able to fit in your refrigerator. If the size is not feasible, just divide the length by 2 and have 2 separate strips. So you might be having 13 inches long and 4.5 inches tall and 2 such strips. The trays should be 14 inches long or more and that fits into your fridge.
6. Place the butter paper(s) strips over one of the aluminium paper lined tray.
7. Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler which ever is your choice and pour them gently over the butter paper.
8. Use your offset spatula to smooth out the chocolate, making sure the chocolate is well spread over the edges of the butter paper and is all evenly spread out.
9. Transfer the butter paper into the other tray lined with aluminium foil and pop it into the refrigerator for about 3 to 5 minutes until the chocolate is not shiny any more.
10. You only should make it set to the extent that it can bend and not break.
11. Take out the chocolate strip(s), keep your cake ready. Wrap the chocolate strip around the cake with the butter paper side facing outwards and the chocolate side touching the cake. Make sure the ends over lap a little bit.
12. Pop the cake along with the wrapped collar into the refrigerator for about 15 to 30 minutes until the chocolate is well set and you are able to peel the butter paper without breaking the chocolate.
13. Now remove the cake from the fridge and carefully peel the butter paper and ensure more care at the end where the paper over laps. Its ok if some chocolate breaks in the overlapping side.
14. If you are using compound, this collar will stay upright at room temperature for hours, but not advisable to be kept at room temperature over night. If you are using chocolate, you have to follow the tempering process else the chocolate collar might not be stable.

Here is a youtube link to better understand the process

Apple Spice Cake and White Chocolate forest

Thinking of making this:


apple spice cake - divine taste
cream cheese buttercream - cheryl rajkumar
lightened caramel sauce soaking the cake also would add flavour - brown eyed baker caramel sauce
caramel sauce drizzled all over the filling - brown eyed baker caramel sauce
toasted walnut praline - divine taste praline.. looks like this could also be roasted salted peanuts.
it seems peanuts also go well with apple.

Made this for amma's birthday:
White chocolate forest cake
eggless vanilla cake - sailu's soaked in 1/4 cup in 1 cup sugar syrup
filling and frosted with with whipped dairy cream (milky mist)
I needed 2 packets of milky mist cream to make 2 cups of cream and then whip it up to soft peaks.
i stopped at soft as i was not sure the cream would not curdle.
for each cup of cream i used 4 tbsp of granulated sugar but this could be reduced a wee bit as the cream was a little sweeter than i would like it

good points:
very yummy and moist cake - the cake itself was too good
the filling was also very soft and yummy - i felt good making this for Ani and he really really liked it.
it was not soy cream.  there was no colour added.. all good things
i used a spatula to spread the cream in the filling as opposed to using a piping bag, don't know if it made any difference but this was one of my cakes which did not fall apart on slicing.  the layers stood with the cream and you could even hold it in your hand without a cup or a plate and eat it.  this despite the cake being so soft and moist.
the cake weighed 1.3 kg
this was one of the rare cakes that every body enjoyed.  even my chocolicious daughter.
points to think of:
the 2 cups of cream were not enough for a 7" cake
i barely had enough to pipe a small star border on top and bottom of the cake

Whole wheat melting moments for trip to MDU

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour
225 g butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1.4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup icing sugar to top the cookies
sieve together flour and salt
beat butter until smooth for about 3 minutes
add icing sugar, mix and then beat until pale yellow and fluffy
add the vanilla extract, mix
add the flour
transfer to a cling wrap sheet and refrigerate for about 20 minutes
pre heat oven at 180 degrees
scoop out lemon sized balls of dough and make a smooth ball
smooth ball will ensure your biscuits are not cracked on top after baking
bake for 15-17 minutes until bottom of cookies are browned but cookie still looks white on top
transfer to wire rack placed over paper as soon as possible from the sheet
go over the top with icing sugar and dust generously on the tops
cool and pack up
should make about 36 balls with this recipe
double it to give amma and leave those without topping wiht icing sugar
buy 1/2 kg butter - 200g and 1 kg aashirwad atta on way home today at Grace.
Buy one packet cream if available
Buy on coupons.

Hummingbird cake with cream cheese butter cream for amma's birthday

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup curd
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/2 can crushed pineapple
Beat together curd and sugar
Add mashed bananas if you think the curd mixture is very less for the sugar
Add the baking powder and baking soda and combine
Add the oil and vanilla extract and combine
Add the flour and mix until just mixed
Fold in the nuts and the crushed pineapple
Bake in 2 layers at 180 degrees
Cream Cheese buttercream frosting

113 gm unsalted butter. room temp about 10 minutes, should still be cool, soft to touch and in form.
Not a gooey mess. Gooey butter gives runny frosting.
If the weather is humid, reduce butter to 4-6 tbsp.
you can play with the ratio as per the weather conditions.
You know what will be the outcome when it's 100 F temp and it's an outdoor event
226 g cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring of choice
450 g sifted icing sugar

Method
1. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. That about 3 mins. The bowl will be cold upon touch.
2. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. DO NOT over beat.
That gives a runny frosting.
3. Add vanilla extract and icing sugar, blend on low speed (stir in KA) until combined. Increase to medium speed
( speed 4 in KA) and beat until it begins to get fluffy. That's about another 4-5 mins.
4. Use at once or keep refrigerated.
This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days (3 days max as per my trial)
but you may need to re-beat it for when out of the refrigerator.
Deco
Don't colour cream cheese frosting
Rosette border top
Star border on bottom
target is a smooth finish and straight sides
work in an ac room at night
use dark chocolate ganache to write happy birthday amma on the sides
check indulge cupcakes for a sample
try to make chocolate butterflies if you have time - use card stock and not books for the raised effect




 

Cheryl Rajkumar's Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

This is my cream cheese butter cream frosting recipe. I use this for RV and other cakes. It's not too sweet, smooth and lick worthy. 

This recipe can be doubled and halved. 

I use US cup measurement. Easier for me when I do large quantities like fourtimes the recipe.

8 Tablespoons/ 113 gm unsalted butter. room temp about 10 minutes, should still be cool, soft to touch and in form. Not a gooey mess. Gooey butter gives runny frosting. If the weather is humid, reduce butter to 4-6 tbsp. you can play with the ratio as per the weather conditions. You know what will be the outcome when it's 100 F temp and it's an outdoor event 
8 oz. cream cheese (directly from the refrigerator ) I use Philly cheese always.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring of choice
4 cups icing/ confectioners sugar. Pls use sifted sugar. Measure after sifting.

 For folks who use grams, this will be the measurement. 113 gm butter, 226 gm cream cheese, 5 ml vanilla extract , 450 gm sifted icing sugar.

Method
1. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. That about 3 mins. The bowl will be cold upon touch. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. DO NOT over beat. That gives a runny frosting.
2. Add vanilla extract and icing sugar, blend on low speed (stir in KA) until combined. Increase to medium speed ( speed 4 in KA) and beat until it begins to get fluffy. That's about another 4-5 mins.
3. Use at once or keep refrigerated. This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days (3 days max as per my trial) but you may need to re-beat it for when out of the refrigerator. I have a fridge thermometer to monitor temps. It's usually at 35-40 degree F always.

I've not used homemade CC for this recipe as philly is not pricey here. I've received feed back from my readers that they used it for CCBC and cheesecakes, with good outcome. I can't vouch for home made sub as I've never tried it for frosting n cakes.

Tip - I always make the frosting the night before and use it the next morning for covering. It settles the frosting and when re whipped it's smoother in texture. Melt in mouth types. This is my personal experience and not claiming this is the right way. Been doing this for for a while. Experiment yourself and do what suits your needs.

If your CCBC is runny, adding more sugar and beating the heck out of it doesn't help. Been there done that. It makes a cloyingly sweet and runny mess of a CCBC. Stop right there, refrigerate it so that it thickens a wee bit and thin it down with cream or milk. I use this for glazing scones and muffins. You can freeze portions and use when needed. Works just fine. 

Tarts with pumpkin halwa (kaasi halwa) filling

Diwali specials:

Tarts with pumpkin halwa or badam halwa filling
Baked karonji filled with sweet khoa
Motichoor kesar gulab cheesecake
Cashew cookies topped with toasted pista flakes for colour
Mawa cupcakes

Mini tarts with pumpkin halwa filling:

Shortbread crust for the tarts from joyofbaking; recipe is halved

Shortbread Tarts:

113 grams unsaltedbutter, room temperature

27 grams confectioners (powdered or icing)sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

100 grams maida

15 grams cornstarch (corn flour) or rice flour

a pinch of salt

Lightly butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, 18 miniature muffin tins (approximately 2 inch (5 cm) in diameter).
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together (1-2 minutes) until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Mix together the flour, cornstarch and salt.
Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix just until incorporated. If the shortbread dough is too soft to roll into balls, cover and refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes.
Take a scant 1 tablespoon of shortbread dough (about 15 grams) and place in the center of each muffin tin. With your fingertips, press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the individual muffin tin. Once filled, cover and place the tart pan, with the unbaked shells, in the freezer for about 15 minutes so the shortbread can become firm. (This will help to prevent the shortbread from puffing up during baking.)
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. About halfway through the baking time, if the shortbread has puffed up, lightly prick the bottom of each shortbread with the tines of a fork. Once they are fully baked, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan. (They can be frozen.)

Kasi Halwa

540 gm (3 cups) white pumpkin, grated

270 gm (1 1/2 cups) sugar

135 gm (3/4 cup) ghee

4 green cardamom pods, powdered

2 tbsp cashew nuts (or more if desired)

2 tbsp golden raisins (or more if desired)

 Method:

In a wok or kadhai, place the grated pumpkin and over low heat cook until the water evaporates and the pumpkin is dry. Make sure that the pumpkin is stirred constantly, if not there is the danger of it getting burnt.

Once the pumpkin is dry, add the sugar, increase the heat a little and cook until the sugar melts. Decrease the heat a little and cook until the mixture is a deep golden colour and dry.

In a small wok, heat the ghee and add the cashews and raisins and fry until they are golden in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Add the remaining ghee to the pumpkin and cook until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Put in the golden cashews and raisins and stir in the fragrant cardamom powder.

Turn off the heat.

Assembly:

Top up each tart with up to 2 spoons of the pumpkin halwa filling.

Top with whipped cream and flaked nuts on top or even saffron strands or a raisin

Ratchu's 6th birthday cake

Ratchu's 6th Birthday Cake

Eggless Pineapple Fresh Cream Cake

Eggless Vanilla Cake

2 recipes of SailusFood Eggless cake

Maida - 3 cups, sieved 2-3 times from a height
Baking powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Curd - 2 cups
Oil - 1 cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
Pineapple essence - 1 tsp
Granulated Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Beat together sugar and curd for a couple of minutes
Add the baking powder and baking soda, combine and leave aside for 2 minutes.
Prepare 2 9" baking pans
Preheat oven with both coils on at 180 degrees
Add the oil, vanilla extract, pineapple essence and combine again
Add all the flour in one shot and just mix together until no lumps, do not overbeat.
Change oven to lower coil heating mode
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for about 30 min until done
Cool on wire racks until completely cool

Pineapple filling:
Chop pineapples really fine

Whipped cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup whipping cream

Whip cream to stiff peaks.

Assembly
Put one cake layer on the cake board
Soak with pineapple juice
Put a layer of whipped cream
Layer with finely chopped pineapple
Put the second layer of cake
Soak with pineapple juice
Frost with whipped cream
Make a smooth top
Pipe out the message with ganache on the cooled cake before you put the border on
Add yellow colour to 1/4 cup whipping cream and whip to stiff peaks.
Add the white and yellow cream so they are side by side to a nozzle
Pipe out double toned roses for the top border
Pipe stars for the bottom border

Edited to add - The cake came out so yummy and full on pineapple flavour.  I got rave reviews on this one.  One thing - the cake does not make a 2 and a 1/2 cake kg cake when using the 9" pan.
It makes a 1.8 kg cake and the cake diameter is only 8" even though it is made in a larger pan.  I made 12 cupcakes to compensate and ensure nobody was left with no cake.
Also, i backed out of making dual toned rosettes... was worried that i will spoil the smooth finish (for me.. ) which i had worked so hard at making.  But to make dual toned rosettes, you need to push the spatula with the cream right up to the end of the cone with some force and then push the second color also in the same way.  Then you need to pipe out until you get dual colour.

Motichoor Kesar Gulkhand Cheesecake - Fondbites Bake Along 43

For the base:

Motichoor Laddu – 5 laddus / balls
For Cheesecake:

Cream cheese – 180 gms
Condensed milk – 200 ml
Dairy fresh cream – 200 ml
Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup
Warm milk – 1/4 cup
Saffron strands – a big pinch, ( depends on how strong you like the flavour)
China grass strands – 15 gms
Water – 1/2 cup

For Glaze:

China grass strands – 8 gms
Water – 1/2 cup
Gulkhand – 20 gms
Dairy fresh cream – 20 gms
Pink food colouring – 3 drops, Optional

Acetate sheets from Stationary shops

Break china grass into small bits and soak in the half cup water for 10 minutes
Line spring form pan with a circle made of acetate sheet
Also line the sides with acetate sheet and tape it
Add the saffron to the milk and let it soak for a few minutes
Add cream cheese, condensed milk, fresh cream and coconut milk to a bowl; beat together until smooth - should take just a few seconds
Heat the china grass water mixture until the china grass is dissolved
Bring the cream cheese mixture to a boil
Drain and pour the china grass water mixture to the cream cheese mixture that is also still hot
To the prepared pan, add the motichoor.Break and firmly pack the motichoor laddoo especially towards the sides
Go over the motichoor layer with the bottom of a tumbler to make it as even and smooth as possible
Pour the cream cheese mixture into the sprinform pan leaving alone room at the top for the glaze
Put the pan into the freezer for about half an hour until firm or wobbly to touch while not sticky.

For the glaze
Add the china grass to the water and let it stand for 10 minutes.
Add the gulkhand mixture to the cream and mix well
Heat the gulkand and cream mixture for a couple of minutes.
add food color if desired
mix the soaked china grass into the cream mixture
put back in fridge to set correctly - it should set in 30 minutes

decorate on top with whipped cream swirls
Or with ganache pipe as mehendi.

Chocolate cupcakes for Ashwin's birthday

These are going to be chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate truffle and frosted with mocha whipped cream and drizzled with dark chocolate ganache.

Chocolate cupcakes - use a good brand of cocoa powder (can buy hershey's especially as we are going to make red velvet cupcakes as well)
mocha whipped cream
chocolate ganache drizzle


Dark chocolate truffle filled chocolate cupcakes frosted with mocha whipped cream and drizzled with dark chocolate ganache

Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe inspired from Pavithra Elangovan's chocolate cupcakes

First make cake flour

Ingredients:
Maida - 2 Cup
Corn Flour - 4 tbsp

Method:
1. Take the maida and remove 4 tbsp from that
2. add the 4 tbsp of cornflour
4. Sift 5-6 times to make cake flour

For the chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cake Flour - 1 1/2 cup ( See how the cake flour can be made here.)
Sugar - 1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 5 tbsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 8 tbsp
Apple Cider or any vinegar - 2 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
Instant Coffee - 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line 12 cupcake liners.
2.  In a large bowl whisk all the dry ingredients.
3.  In a small bowl, whisk all the liquid ingredients with the coffee granules.
4.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Whisk until everything is well mixed. Do not over mix.
5. Fill the cupcake liner about 2/3rd.
6. Top with a tablepoon of the just firm chocolate truffle.  Don't press into the batter, it will sink in by itself.
6. Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cupcake center comes out clean. (Few crumbs clinging is absolutely fine... as it will be moist)
7.  Cool the cupcakes completely before you dig in, so that it is nicely set.

For the chocolate truffle:
60 g chocolate
1/8 cup amul cream

Chop the chocolate really fine
Heat the cream until it bubbles
Pour the cream into the chocolate, let it stand awhile and then mix until smooth and glossy
Leave to rest for a few hours so it becomes firm
Scoop with a spoon and roll into balls
Keep refrigerated

For the chocolate ganache:
60 g chocolate
1/4 cup amul cream

Chop the chocolate really fine
Heat the cream until it bubbles
Pour the cream into the chocolate, let it stand awhile and then mix until smooth and glossy
Leave at room temperature

Whipped Mocha Cream
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whip until you get stiff peaks and the cream has doubled in volume



Use this tip to frost

Three Cookies and a Weekend

This is my ambitious weekend plan - make GingerBread Man cookies, Dark Chocolate cookies for FondBites #41 and M & M cookies as a trial version for the return gifts for Navarathri or for Sammu's birthday.

Gingerbread man cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) maida
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon + 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2 ground cloves
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
• 3 tbsp regular curd
• slightly less than 1/3 cup  honey

Method:

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the curd and honey and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated.

Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least two hours or even overnight). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies.  With an offset spatula lift the cookies onto the baking sheet, placing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer. (If cookies are a little soft, place the baking sheet (with the cookies) in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This will prevent the cookies from losing their shape.)

Bake for about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, you can press raisins, currants, or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Edited to add - I could not make icing for these cookies but made them and the kids as usual liked them.  No pics to show this time.

Fond Bites Dark Chocolate Cookes 41

Ingredients:

• Dark Chocolate – 125 gms
• Butter – 35 gms
• Flaxmeal - 1 tbsp dissolved in scant 3 tbsp water
• Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
• Powdered jaggery – 1/4 + 1/8 cup
• Maida – 1/3 cup
• Baking powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt – 1/8 teaspoon
• Chocolate chips – 175 gms

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Line baking tray with butter paper/silicon mat.

Chop butter and chocolate and melt in a double boiler over stove top until completely melted without any lumps
Add the flax meal mixture after running it in a small mixie jar for a minute
Beat together for about a couple of minutes
Add the powdered jaggery to the mix
Beat again on medium high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and fluffy. Add pure vanilla extract and beat well.
Now add the melted butter-chocolate into the eggs mixture.
Beat well until everything combines well together.
Add flour, baking powder and salt into the liquid mixture.
Beat just until the flour combines. Do not over beat
Add the chocolate chips into the batter like dough. 
Fold the chocolate chips using your spatula or a wooden spoon. The batter like, will slowly cease to be batter-like and get close to a dough.  But it will still look like a thick batter not a dough.
Use a teaspoon, or a scooper to scoop out the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Place them about 3 inches apart. They spread well. Alternately, you can cling wrap the dough and refrigerate it. After an hour, you will be able to scoop out. Then you can make balls, flatten it and then place them on the baking tray.
Bake in pre-heated oven for about 10-12 minutes for a chewy version. Cool on wire rack.
Bake upto 15 for a crispy version.
Bake with top and bottom rods on.

Edited to add:  Baked these and really liked them.  I let them be chewy and they turned crisp on storing after a day.  So they would have been hard if i had baked them for 15 minutes.  I baked for just over ten minutes.  Also, they should be spread in a circular shape and spread out really well if you want perfect looking cookies.

Pics below:

M & M cookies
Ingredients:

• 1 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
• 1/2 & 1/8 baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 85 unsalted butter, room temperature
• 65 granulated white sugar
• 70 grams powdered jaggery
• 3 tbsp thick curd
• 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) M&M's® or Smarties® candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place one oven rack in the top third of the oven, and one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

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

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the curd, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (If batter is soft, cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes or until firm.)

Using a tablespoon, an ice cream scoop, or two spoons, form batter into large balls. Spread into a round about 1 1/4 inch diameter. Completely cover the tops of the cookies with the M&M's® or Smarties®. Gently press the candies into the dough. Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when they are light golden brown in color and just set around the edges. They will still seem a little soft in the center but they will firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Edited to add:  Have not made these yet.  Will make them soon.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Caramel Sauce and Dark Chocolate Ganache drizzle

Recipe Source: http://www.fondbites.com/bake-along-40-hazelnut-white-chocolate-cake/

Cake:
Ingredients:

•  Unsalted butter – 70 gms
• Castor Sugar – 1 cup
• 2 tablespoon flax meal dissolved in 6 scant tablespoons of water
• Apple cider vinegar – 1 tablespoon
• All-purpose flour – 1 1/4 cup
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon + 1 pinch 
• Salt – 1/4 teaspoon
• Milk – 1/3 cup
• Hazelnuts – 2/3 cup
• Dark chocolate chips – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees (top and bottom on), line a rack in the middle of the oven
2. Mix the flaxmeal and set aside
3. Measure the hazelnuts and blitz them until they are like breadcrumbs
4. Mix once and then sieve together the maida, baking powder and salt  
5. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and fluffy.
6. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes pale yellow, creamy and fluffy.
7. Add the flax meal and vinegar and beat until just incorporated
8. Add the milk and flour alternately in 1/3rds; ending with the flour
9. Fold in the dark chocolate chips
10. Fold in the hazelnut meal
11. The batter will be very thick like a brownie batter.  Transfer to the greased and floured bundt pan and spread with a spatula to make uniform
12. Bake for about 30-35 minutes until you can smell the cake - bake with bottom rod alone on

Glaze:

Caramel Sauce (inspired from Brown Eyed Baker http://www.browneyedbaker.com/homemade-salted-caramel-sauce-recipe/): 

Ingredients:

Granulated sugar 1 cup

1-2 tbsp water

6 tbsp butter

1/2 cup amul cream

Put the sugar and the water in a large pan (pressure pan) and heat on medium heat until the sugar begins to melt.  Move around the pan a little bit to ensure the sugar is not sticking.  Wait and the sugar will start to caramelize.  Wait until you see a deep amber color and the surface of the sugar is full of bubbles.  Add the butter all at once once the color is achieved.  The caramel will rise up when you add the butter, so be careful when doing this.  Once the butter is whisked well into the caramel, add the cream and then switch off the stove.  Mix in the cream into the caramel to get the caramel sauce.  

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

60 g dark chocolate 

1/4 cup amul cream

1/2 tbsp butter

Chop chocolate into tiny pieces or grate

Heat cream till bublling

Pour cream over chocolate

Allow to rest a minute, then mix well to get a glossy ganache.

Cool the cake completely, then drizzle both ganache and caramel alternately using a piping bag (with the end snipped off) over the cake.  

This is a very soft cake, to cut neat slices, refrigerate the cake.  Cake texture does not become hard on refrigeration.

Baked for Fond Bites Bake Along # 40 for Subhashini Ramsingh.