Mini Eclairs

Mini Eclairs 

Perfect for a Sunday Tea and very easy to make.  Start with the choux pastry early in the day so that you have enough time to cool and fill these.  I used whipped cream to fill these instead of Creme Patissiere or Custard.  The icing was just a simple icing sugar glaze - coloured and flavoured/

Recipe

Choux Pastry:

1 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup water

4 large eggs

Cream filling:

250ml whipping cream

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing:

250g icing sugar

Flavouring of your choice

Food colouring of your choice

Edible decorations of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a melt the butter with the water. Bring to the boil.
3. Dump the entire flour and salt into the butter and water mix and beat with a spoon until it forms a dough and leaves the side of the pan. 
4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition till the mixture forms a shiny and thick paste.
6. Spoon the pastry mix into a piping bag pipe small lengths onto the baking sheets.  
7. Leave room in between each one to allow them to expand
8. Bake the eclairs for 20 minutes at 200 C and then turn down the over to 170 C and bake another 10 min. until they have risen and are crisp and golden. 
9. Remove from the oven, then using a skewer, make a small hole in each end of the eclairs so that the steam can escape. 
10. Leave to cool
11. In the meantime, whip the cream along with the sugar and vanilla until you have soft peaks. 
12. Fill a piping bag with the cream and then once the eclairs are completely cool pipe the cream into each one, Pop them into the fridge to chill while you make up the icing.
13. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add just enough water so that you have a runny icing that is still thick. i divided this into 2 lots and added mint flavouring and a little green colouring to one and strawberry flavour and pink colour to the other.
14. Using a spoon drop some on top of each eclair and let spread.  Sprinkle decoration of choice. 

Serve with a hot cup of coffee

Melting Moments

Such a simple biscuit to make - even a novice and cooking can confidently make this one.  The only thing to be careful of is the quantity you will consume.   The main ingredient is butter which gives it the shortbread like texture.  The cornflour gives it the 'melt in your mouth' flavour.  There is hardly any sugar to speak of.

Recipe

Adapted from Joy of Baking

100 gms flour

30 gms cornflour

pinch of salt

15 gms icing sugar

115 gms butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

icing sugar to sprinkle on top

• Sift the flour, cornflour and salt in a bowl
• Beat the butter, at room temperature, till light and fluffy.
• Mix in the icing sugar - if you beat this it will fly so mix in till incorporated - then beat the butter sugar mix till light and fluffy
• Add in the vanilla extract.  You could add in lemon rind at this stage.
• Fold in the dry ingredients, incorporating till mixed.
• Keep in a cool place to chill - at least an hour

• Line a tray with greaseproof paper, and preheat the over to 170 C
• Take small balls of the biscuit mix, and flatten slightly
• Bake for 12-14 min till edges turn slight golden
• Remove and keep to cool.  If you try and move them when hot they will break.
• Roll the cookies in a dish which has icing sugar.

These can be stored in a dry box for a week - if they survive that long.

Lemon Surprise

Lemon Surprise or Lemon Sponge Pudding has a wonderful feature.  It looks like a sponge cake but when you dig into it you find a curd like texture on the inside.  The outer layer is like a light airy sponge cake and the inner a tangy lemon sauce.  Research points the reason for this to the higher content of liquids.  This is a perfect dessert for summer

Recipe

170 gms + 30 gms sugar

60 gms butter softened

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla essence

zest of 1 lemon

40 grams flour

pinch of salt

80 ml lemon

240 ml milk 

 

Preheat oven to 160 C.

Butter six ramekins or other heatproof bowls.

Beat 170 gms sugar with butter until light and fluffly.

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Mix in vanilla

Toss the lemon zest with the flour and salt 

Add to the butter, egg mix and beat until combined. 

Beating on lowest speed, pour in the lemon juice and milk. Keep aside

Beat the egg whites until frothy. 

Gradually add the 30 gsm of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. 

Fold the egg whites into the lemon batter, mixing only until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. 

Place the ramekins in a larger baking pan 

Carefully pour in enough hot water so that the water is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the sponge cakes are golden brown 

Remove the ramekins from the water bath immediately and cool slightly before serving. 

Salted Caramel Brownies - chewy, chocolaty, sticky ...... I could go on.

Early morning start to send one kid to school, walk partner ditched so here I am, balance household still asleep.  I sit with my cup of tea and enjoy the view from my balcony and think what to make for the kids for tea.   

I pull out my collection of recipes - I collect lots and try out few - and browse through them.  There is this amazing picture of caramels that I have been wanting to try but keep putting off as I am the only one who will eat them.  The family wants chocolate - so here goes - I am going to do brownies with caramel.

Still not totally convinced as both the brownies and caramel are too sweet, I remembered the salted caramel apple pie I had done some time back.  Final decision......salted caramel chocolate brownies.

I googled for a recipe, found lots which talked of putting half the brownie mixture in a pan, topping with caramel and then covering with another layer of the brownie mix.    Too much effort for me as I had to finish this and get to work.  What I ended up doing was making the caramel, freezing it, making the brownie mix, pulling out the caramel from the freezer, scooping it out and dropping into the brownie.  This way the caramel melted and spread at random.

The salted caramel, is the same as that used in the apple pie but with less cream. 

Caramel

60 gms granulated sugar

20 ml water

30 gms butter 

1/4 tsp salt

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Brownie

85 grams chocolate, roughly chopped

115 grams butter, plus extra for greasing

200 grams granulated sugar 

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt - 

85 grams flour

Make caramel: 

• Put a piece of butter paper over a medium-sized plate. 
• Lightly butter this to make removal of the caramel easy
• Place water and sugar in a heavy bottom pan and stir with a spatula over low heat till sugar dissolves
• Add butter and stir to combine till butter has melted.
• Let mix come to a boil and cook till a golden caramel colour
• Remove from heat and add in cream.  Mix will foam over.  Using a whisk combine well
• Return to low heat and cook for 10 min till creamy consistancy reached.
• Pour the caramel onto lined and keep in your freezer. 
• Freeze until solidified, which can take anywhere from 20 to 30 min

Brownies: 

• Heat oven to 180°C. 
• Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with paper, extending it up two sides, greasing lightly
• Over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together. 
• Remove from the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. 
• Stir in the sugar into the chocolate.  Allow to cool slightly
• Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. 
• Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula but do not overbeat.
• Pour into greased dish
• When caramel is semi soft, remove it from the freezer and scoop into small bits.
• Scatter these bits of caramel on top of the brownies. 
• Bake in heated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool thoroughly before cutting.  

Spiced Mint Cottage Cheese with Salsa Sauce

When in comes to Continental cooking I cannot think of Paneer {Cottage Cheese} dishes to make - I would rather make non veg.  This was put together for a client, some time back, and now I find I do get a lot of requests for this.

Its a simple dish made with Green Mint Chutney stuffed into Paneer chunks and topped with a spicy tomato salsa.  Not much cooking required.

For the Mint Chutney I use mint leaves, corriander leaves, raw mango, green chillies, salt, sugar.

Put everything in a blender and churn to make a thick paste. 

Add some lemon juice to avoid discoloration.

To make the salsa, roast the tomatoes on an open flame, charring the skin.  Rub off the skin - Do not wash - and chop half tomatoes and puree half

Saute 1/2 chopped onion, 2 cloves of chopped garlic & some green chillies in hot oil to soften the onion.

Add the chopped + pureed tomatoes and cook this semi dry.  Season with salt. pepper, chilli flakes, chopped basil and a little oregano.

Add in 1 tsp vinegar.

Keep aside to cool and for flavours to come together.

Cut the paneer into thick slices, then cut these into triangles.  Slit the triangles halfway to create a small opening.  Fill this with the green mint chutney

Layer the paneer in a dish and top with the Salsa.  Serve at room temp.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cakes are normally best in winter when the red carrots are available.  However, you can do this in summer with the orange carrots we get.  The carrot actually loses its flavour in the cake but it adds moisture and sweetness to the cake.  You can see the orange flecks which makes it look pretty.  I did read somewhere that you could use crushed pineapple bits to add to the depth but did not feel the need for this.  

This cake can be made with whole wheat or with regular flour.  

 

170 grams grated carrots - I used my food processor to do this - faster and less wastage.

130 grams  flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

150 grams granulated sugar

120 ml sunflower oil

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting:

30 grams butter, room temperature

115 grams cream cheese, room temperature

115 grams icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Butter & line the bottoms of an 8" pan with a circle of parchment paper. 

In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and ground cinnamon.

Using a hand mixer,  beat the eggs until frothy.  

Add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes).  

Add the oil in a steady stream beating well.  

Add in the vanilla extract. 

Add the flour mixture and beat on slow,  just until incorporated. 

Using rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. 

For Frosting 

Using a hand mixer,  beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, just until blended with 

no lumps. 

Sift in the icing sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth.  Do not overbeat.  Please do not use castor for this.  Icing sugar has a certain amount of cornflour in it which helps the mix maintain the shape.

Mix in the vanilla extract, and lemon zest. 

Spread over the cooled cake.  

MAMMA MIA - DESSERTS TO GO FOR - AT MAMAGOTO

I am hands down,  a savoury over savory person, and so am extremely critical when it comes to desserts

In all seriousness, I would like to consider myself a bit of a dessert connoisseur (I make way too many desserts as my family is very fond of them), and desserts at very few places get me excited.

So when I was asked to do a dessert review at Mamagoto I was very skeptical on what they would be like.

We decided to have dinner there first, then do the dessert tasting.  Our order was very simple – Honey chicken, Chiang Mai Train Station Noodles which was a Chicken Khao-suey styled noodled with coconut milk, burnt onion + garlic and peanuts, and a steamed fish with a south east Asian dressing.  I absolutely loved the noodles and recommend it to everyone.  It is a winner. 

Finally it was time for what we were there – the desserts.

We started with the Crunchy Nutella Mousse.  As the name suggests this was a sticky toffee kind of mousse made with lots of yummy Nutella over a biscuit base, topped with more crushed biscuits and praline.  A very tasty dessert,  just perfectly sweetened without going over the top.  Loved the crunch of the praline. 

The Country Style Peanut Butter Cheesecake was a delight.  I have eaten Cheesecakes in lots of restaurants in Delhi and most of them serve flavored cream over a base, barely any cheese :(  I can barely count 4-5 places which do a genuinely good Cheesecake.  Well, let me tell you the Cheesecake here was absolutely gorgeous.  I am extremely fond of Peanut butter but even if I wasn’t, I would have recommended it.  Am waiting to see what other flavours they come up with in the future.

The third new dessert was the Smoking Panda’s Lemon and Coconut Tart – interesting, very light and lemony with lots of coconut pieces.  Forgive me for not sounding over enthusiastic but I am not a coconut fan except in my curries.  Maybe the coconut needs to be toned down a little as it overpowered the lemon.

This was followed by a Banoffee Pie – or rather a deconstructed Banoffee served in a bowl with lots of cream, caramel, bananas and cookie powder instead of a pie base.  Light [because of the missing shortbread base] and creamy.  

The Caramel sponge cake with the toffee sauce was the pièce de résistance.  Once I had the cake here, I knew I was not going to want anything else.  A flavorful cake which will cause a chemistry in your mouth that you have never experienced before.  

There was an excellent Flourless Chocolate Cake to follow.  This just melted in the mouth, like a molten lava cake.  Was a positive hit with the husband and son.

Next – I was exhausted by now – we tasted the Chocolate Mud Cake with Ice Cream – an extremely light cake with lots of chocolate, again a hit with the family.  I will be expected to try and replicate this.

Finally the coconut flavored  ice cream.   Please forget my comments above on how I don’t like coconut – this one was wow.  Sorry I missed this picture.

We tasted some 8 different desserts – believe me that’s a lot to experience in one evening.  It was like an explosion of fIavours between chocolate desserts, Banoffee, lemon, coconut, peanut butter, YUMMMMM.  

I was blown away by how beautiful everything looked.  I kept thinking in the back of my mind, "wow this place is amazing!" The foods has always been excellent and the desserts are absolutely gorgeous.   From my conversation with the Restaurant Manager, I understand that all the desserts are made in a central kitchen of Mamagoto and then distributed to the outlets.  This definitely helps keep the quality the same throughout.

The staff was extremely attentive – okay so the critics will say that’s because we were there to review the desserts – but it was the same with all the other tables.  Food came on time and was extremely well presented.  All in all a great experience.

My Compliments to the Chefs and Deepak Kumar Singh, the restaurant manager, for this experience.
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