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.

Sammu's 5th Birthday Cake

Sammu finally decided on a very simple kitkat cake for her birthday.
I think the main reason was Diya's having the kitkat cake for her birthday last year and it seems to have stuck in her mind.
Anyway this makes me confident of the cake design and I'm sure I can make it for her birthday.
The thing that i am worried about is how many of her friends will attend the birthday function and how do we organize that in our flat...
Hmmm..
Will need about 11 kitkat bars for the round cake and about 6 kitkat bars for the cupcakes

Recipe below:

Sammu's birthday cake

8" Choco vanilla swirl cake with lightened chocolate pastry cream filling and whipped cream frosting, covered with kitkat bars on the side.

Frost the vanilla cupcakes with whipped cream frosting
Frost the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate pastry cream frosting
Stick half a kit kat into each cake

Choco Vanilla swirl cake:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups maida - sifted 3 to 4 times
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup curd
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla essence

Beat the sugar and curd together for about 2 minutes
Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix together; leave aside for a couple of minutes
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade
Prepare 2 8" pans
Add the oil and vanilla extract, beat together
Add in all the flour and mix until just combined
Remove 1/4 cup of the batter, add 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder and combine
Split the batter between both pans
add 1/8 cup of the cocoa batter to both pans and swirl with a tooth pick a couple of times
Change oven to bottom rod alone and bake for about 25-30 minutes until done
Cool the cakes on a wire rack, cling wrap the cakes and refrigerate

Sugar Syrup:
Add about 4 tablespoons of sugar to a 1/2 cup of water, boil until sugar is dissolved and cool.
Use to brush on cake while decorating.

Lightened Dark Chocolate Pastry cream

2 cup + 6 tbsp milk

6 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup chopped up bittersweet chocolate

3 tbsp salted butter

1 cup whipping cream

Dissolve the corn startch in 6 tbsp of milk
Melt the chocolate and butter in a pan over hot water.
In another pan, dissolve the sugar in the milk and bring to boil.
Take the milk mixture off the heat.
Add the melted chocolate and corn starch mixture.
Whisk well till everything is blended.
Add the remaining ingredients and put back on the stove and keep whisking till the pastry cream thickens.
Cool and refrigerate till needed. This pastry cream pipes well.
Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream.
It is worthwhile to do this in 2 parts, once for the cake and once for the cupcakes

Whipped Cream
Add a few drops of pink color
Whip 1 cup cream to stiff peaks


Vanilla cupcakes

1 1/2 cups maida - sifted 3 to 4 times
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup curd
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla essence

Beat the sugar and curd together for about 2 minutes
Add the baking powder and baking soda and mix together; leave aside for a couple of minutes
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade
Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan and line it
Split the batter into the 12 cups
Change oven to bottom rod alone and bake for about 12-15 minutes until done
Cool the cakes on a wire rack

Chocolate cupcakes


Ingredients:

Cake Flour:
Take 1 cup of maida, remove two tspn of maida and add back 2 tsp of corn flour.
Mix well and sieve 5 - 6 times to get cake flour

Cake Flour - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 5 tbsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 8 tbsp (scant)
Apple Cider or any vinegar - 1 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
Instant Coffee - 1/4 tsp (Optional)

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. 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.

Pictures are as follows

Recipes are below:

Make 1 recipe of Sailu's eggless vanilla cake in 2 8" pans.  Add cocoa powder to make it a choco vanilla cake

Make 1 recipe Divine Taste vanilla cupcake to make 12 vanilla cupcakes

Make 2 recipe Pavithra's chocolate cupcakes to make 12 chocolate cupcakes

Make 2 recipes full of my diverse kitchen dark chocolate pastry cream and lighten it up using 1 cup whipping cream.

Use 2 cups of whipping cream for the 8" round cake and the 12 cupcakes.

Will need about 11 kitkat bars for the round cake and about 6 kitkat bars for the cupcakes

Chocolate Mud cake for Lakshmi

make full gayathri's cookspot recipe


chocolate mud cake - 2 7" layers
make a cake in the small pan and cut into 2 layers
use the remaining cake crumbs to just eat away or make cake pops

filling

Eggless Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients:

Butter-250 gm

Dark Chocolate-200 gm

Water-1 cup

Caster Sugar-2 cups

Curd-1/2 cup

Flour / Maida – 2 3/4 cup

Baking Soda-1 tsp

Baking Powder-1 1/2 tsp

Cocoa Powder-1/4 cup

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. In a sauce pan mix together butter, chocolate, water and sugar.

3. Keep on medium flame and keep on stirring until the butter and chocolate are completely melted.

4. Remove from flame and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Mix curd.

5. In another bowl sift together maida, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder.

6. Add this to the warm chocolate butter mixture and whisk until incorporated.

7. Grease and dust 2 7" pans and 1 5" pan

8. Fill the 5" pan until 2/3rds full and split the remaining among the 7" pans

9. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

9. Cool on wire rack, wrap it with a cling wrap and refigerate.


Filling is eggless dark chocolate mousse using the my diverse kitchen recipe

Eggless Mocha Pastry Cream:


Ingredients:

1 cup + 3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

120 g chopped up bittersweet chocolate

1 ½ tbsp salted butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

Method:

In the case of both the pastry creams, melt the chocolate and butter in a pan over hot water. In another pan, dissolve the sugar in the milk and bring to boil. Take the milk mixture off the heat. Add the melted chocolate and the corn starch dissolved in 3 tbsp of milk. Whisk well till everything is blended. Add the remaining ingredients and put back on the stove and keep whisking till the pastry cream thickens. Cool and refrigerate till needed. This pastry cream pipes well.
Whip the pastry cream to soft peaks - set aside
whip 1/2 cup whipping cream to stiff peaks
fold the pastry cream into the whipping cream
Set aside

Eggless dark chocolate ganache

400g dark chocolate
200ml amul fresh cream

chop chocolate into small pieces or grate
heat cream until bubbles form
pour cream over chocolate and leave for a couple of minutes
mix the cream and chocolate thoroughly - leave at rooom temperature for a few hours

Costing:

Dark Chocolate 750g 525
Butter 250 g 100
Amul Cream 200 ml 50
Milk 250 ml + a little more 20
Whipping cream 125 ml 25
Maida 500 g 50
Curd 125 ml 20
Castor sugar 500 g 60
Cocoa powder 50 g 50
Corn Flour 50 g 10
Leaveners 25 g 10
Sugar etc 10
packaging 150

Project: Showcase Vanilla

This week is going to be an all vanilla week.

The first step is to showcase my home made vanilla extract - will need to buy special bottles for this and take great photographs.
A clear small glass bottle - 3 of them with 200ml quantity will be fine.
Show case against a white background - a white dhothi should be a fine backdrop - I can prop the dhothi up against the tile in the balcony and also use it below the bottle.
No need to filter but can use as such with the dense seeds showing

Make the mini vanilla bean donuts
Vanilla Bean Mini Donuts

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp flaxmeal dissolved in 3 tbsp of water

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking power

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

For rolling:

2 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup vanilla bean sugar, for rolling

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 12 cavity muffin pan.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and flaxseed meal
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Pour into flax meal mixture and stir to combine. Pour in vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Scoop batter into a large zip lot plastic bag or a piping bag. Snip the corner off of the plastic bag and pipe batter into muffin cavities, filling each about 3/4 full.
Bake for 11-12 minutes, until donuts spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
As the muffins come out of the pan, quickly dip the tops in butter and roll the whole muffin in vanilla bean sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Blondies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup scant thick or hung curd

1 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light.
Beat in salt and curd until well combined.
Add in flour and stir until just until no streaks of dry ingredients remain. Pour dough – it will be thick – into prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until bars are set and the edges are just lightly browned on top.
Cool completely in the pan before lifting the bars out using the aluminum foil and slicing.

Makes 16-20.