Caprese Lasagne Roll Ups

Italian comfort food at its best

A different take on presentation of Lasagne. There are endless possibilities for variation on fillings - this is just one of them. 

Can't say this will be a quick preparation as Lasagne has multiple steps to the final product but the assembly is quick. Everything, including the boiling of the pasta, can be done well in advance.

Ingredients
4 Lasagne Sheets
100 gms shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided into 2 lots
100 gms Ricotta cheese
100 gms feta cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
3 - 4 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced 
Fresh basil chopped 
1 cup Freshly made Marinara Sauce [Recipe Given below]

To boil lasagne sheets

• Boil 6 cups of water with 2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp oil. Add 4 sheets at a time to the boiling water
• Brush the lasagne on both sides with olive oil before putting in water else it will stick even in the water 
• Once boiled and drained then place on a tray to store till ready. 
• Grease bottom of the tray, place the lasagne in single sheet – no overlapping.
• Then cover with a sheet of foil greased on both sides.
• You can add more pasta on top. Basically the sheets must be kept between greased layers to keep moist.
• This can then be kept in the fridge for a couple of days in advance

For the filling,

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, 1/2 mozarella and feta until well blended. 
• Season with black pepper to taste (I wouldn't recommend seasoning with salt just because the cheeses already have plenty of salt).

Assembly

1. Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. 
2. Place 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. 
3. Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. 
4. Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. 
5. Place lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. 
6. Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). 
7. Sprinkle top with remaining Mozzarella. 
8. Cover dish with foil
9. Bake in preheated oven 180C oven for 20 minutes and then remove foil and grill for 5 mins.
10. Serve warm.

Marinara Sauce

• 2 Tbsp olive or sunflower cooking oil
• ½ onion finely chopped
• ½ cup carrot grated
• 1 Tbsp Celery or Garlic chopped fine
• 500 Gms Tomatoes – blanched, peeled – ½ deeseed and chopped and balance pureed
• ½ cup tomoto puree 
• ¾ Tsp dried oregano 
• ½ Tsp freshly ground pepper 
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tsp sugar 
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil over moderate heat
2. Add onions, carrots and celery. 
3. Add blanched tomatoes, pureed tomatoes and tomato puree, oregano, salt, pepper & sugar. 
4. Mix well and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered, stirring often till thickens slightly. 

Mini Desserts

There was a request from a friend n client for different dessert in small portions.  This was the outcome

Recipes here

1. Banoffee in a martini glass
2. Chocolate Caramel Mousse
3. Strawberry Jelly Souffle
4. Lemon cake with Lemon Curd
5. Tiramisu in a cup

Pina Colada Cheesecake

Weekends are funnily busier than weekdays, but I still managed to sneak in some cooking.

I have been wanting to try out a boozy cheesecake - after going through my recipes I narrowed down to a Margherita Cheesecake.  Very happily I go to the bar and yikes.....where is the tequila ?  All I see in an empty bottle :(

Since I was determined to make something I quickly switched to my second option, a Pina Colada Cheesecake.

I love coconut and pineapple so it was not really a bad second choice.  Honestly it should have been my first.

I used the digestive biscuits to make the base [no coconut macaroons in the house] and added in some coconut instead.  For the filling I made the cheesecake using coconut cream, rum, regular whipping cream, pineapple juice and pineapple chunks.  And the topping was pineapple.  The since I felt it looked very plain I caramalised the pineapple and topped it with the same.

All in all it was a good dessert, a true representation of the drink without going overboard on the alcohol.  And yes it can be made minus the alcohol also.

Recipe

Crust:
1 1/2 cup digestive biscuits
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/3 cup butter, melted

Combine ingredients. Press mixture evenly over bottom and up sides of 8 or 9-inch springform pan.  Put in the refrigerator to chill.

Filling:

200 gms cream cheese

300 gms cream

200 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp rum [optional]

1/2 cup sugar, powdered

1 tin pineapple slices

5 tsp gelatin

From the pineapple tin, use the juice, adding water if required to make it one cup

Sprinkle gelatin over the pineapple juice and set aside to bloom for at least 15 min.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar.  

Mix in the coconut milk and rum to blend well

Place the gelatin pineapple mix over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves. 

Gradually beat hot gelatin mixture into cheese mix

In medium bowl, beat cream until fluffy. 

Fold into cheese mixture, until well blended. 

Cut up 2 slices of pineapple into small bits, and fold into the mix.

Pour over the crust and Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Pour on the pineapple toffee topping and serve.

Topping

1 can pineapple slices

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp water

1 tbsp butter

Heat the sugar and water on low till sugar melts

Stir in the butter and let it boil to a good caramel colour

Add the pineapple slices to coat well

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

In the mood for Lemon Meringue pie but not in the mood for making a pie - its too much effort,  I had bookmarked a recipe on Pinterest for Lemon Meringue Cupcakes which was what I ended up making.

Kept some cupcakes plain as my son did not want the lemon curd.  

The recipe given below is adapted from Ohsweetbakery.blogspot.in - I reduced it to make 6 cupcakes instead of 12.

Ingredients

3/4 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
3/4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 Eggs
1/4 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Milk
1/2  Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Extract
1 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 C
2. Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners
3. Sift together dry ingredients together in a bowl
4. Mix in the egg, milk, oil, extracts and lemon zest.
5. Mix with an egg beater on medium speed for 2 minutes till well blended.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full
7. Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into one of your cupcakes comes out clean 
8. cool cupcakes completely before decorating

Lemon Curd

Courtesy joyofbaking

3 eggs
150 grams white sugar
80 ml fresh lemon juice
60 gms butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest

1. Over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. 
2. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling, until the mixture becomes thick
3. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. 
4. Add the lemon zest and let cool. 
5. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. 
6. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Note: 

• Room temperature lemons provide more juice. 
• Cold lemons are much easier to grate. 
• Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

Frosting

100 gms white sugar

40 ml water

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and cream of tartar. 

Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.

In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks. 

Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes. 

Assembling

1. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, make a small hole in the top using a melon scooper.
2. Fill this with Lemon Curd
3. Using an icing bag frost the top of the cupcake with the 7 min frosting.
4. Place under a grill for 3 mins to brown the frosting, taking care not to let it burn

Crumb Cake

A cup of Tea and a beautiful cake - what more could you ask for.  

This crumb or coffee cake - I don't drink coffee hence the change in name - is a light butter cake with an extremely moist crumb.  The texture comes from using buttermilk alongwith baking soda and baking powder. 

The cake is topped with a mixture of brown sugar, chocolate chips, pecan nuts which gives it the crunch element.

It is extremely delicious served warm from the oven with your cup of tea or coffee.

A must try for all :)

Ingredients

Crumb Layer

• 100 gms walnuts or pecans
• 55 gms brown sugar
• a handful of chocolate chips - white or chocolate
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp flour

Cake

• 215 grams flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 110 grms butter, room temperature - I used Amul so did not add salt
• 200 grams castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 180 ml plain yogurt or buttermilk 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Butter a 9" pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of paper.

1. Chop the nuts coarsely. 
2. In a bowl, stir together the nuts, brown sugar, chocolate chips, ground cinnamon and flour. 
3. Keep aside.

1. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda
2. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened. 
3. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until pale and fluffy. 
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
6. Using the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and yogurt alternatively, starting and ending with the flour. 
7. Do not overbeat but mix only until combined.
8. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
9. Sprinkle half of the crumb mix on  the batter. 
10. Cover this with the remaining batter and then sprinkle with the remaining crumb topping. 
11. Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 
12. Serve warm or at room temperature with a nice cup of tea.

Boston Cream Pie

A Pie which is not a pie but a cake.  A total misnomer but a delicious light cake.  Its actually a sponge cake filled with vanilla cream and then covered with a chocolate ganache. 

Recipe

Sponge cake

• 100 gms flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 120 gms sugar
• 4 eggs - separated
• vanilla extract

1. Sift the flour and baking powder and keep aside.
2. Grind the sugar to make powdered sugar.  Sift to ensure there are no lumps
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in the castor sugar, till you achieve stiff glossy peaks.
4. Add in the egg yolks and extract, beating well.
5. Fold in the flour, in three lots, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour into a lined, dusted 9" dish and bake for 30 mins at 170 C or till skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Turn onto a wire rack and leave till cool

Pastry Cream

• 3 egg yolks
• 50 gms sugar
• 300 ml milk
• 20 gms cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar till light and creamy
2. Add in the flour and stir to make a paste.
3. Bring the milk just to boil.
4. Pour milk into the egg, sugar, flour mix, whisking all the while to ensure egg does not curdle.
5. Put this mix back on the heat and cook on low till it becomes thick and coat the back of a spoon.
6. Remove and cool.  Add extract once it comes to room temperature.
7. Cover and keep in the refrigerator to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

• 100 gms chopped chocolate
• 100 gms cream
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Heat butter and cream together till warm and butter melts.
2. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir to mix all.
3. Keep to cool to room temperature.

Assembling.

1. Split the cooled cake into three layers.
2. Place the top layer on the bottom and spoon the center with some of the pastry cream
3. Cover with 2nd layer and repeat.
4. Cover with the 3rd layer and pour ganache on the top.  I just let it drip down the sides.

Since this is a sponge cake and is not soaked in any liquid, its best eaten fresh the same day.

Chocolate Nutella Cheesecake

Do you like Cheesecake ???  And do you like Nutella ?? If yes then this is an absolute gem of a dessert as it combines both.

What I liked about it was that it came together in a real short time with not much effort as its a no bake cheesecake and super easy.  

I should probably mention there’s lots of rum involved too.  

So forget the diet and grab a spoon!

This is a great cheesecake I want to make a fabulous quick dessert and don’t have time or energy for springform pans, water baths, ovens, etc.  You know what I mean?  

Layer your dish with cookie crumbs mixed with melted butter.  I used Digestive biscuits but you could use chocolate also.  If you use a flat dish you could just layer the base with oreo cookies.

For the Nutella Ganache, 

Using a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup [100 gms] cream [I used Amul] up to a boil and remove from heat.  Pour over 150 gms chopped chocolate and whisk till smooth. Stir in about 5 generous tablespoons of Nutella. 

Spoon 2 Tbsp. ganache in each parfait glass and refrigerate to set.

For the Cheesecake layer,  using a hand blender,  beat 200 gms cream cheese [I used Kwark from Flanders but Amul plain cheese spread works fine] and about 1/4 cup or 30 gms of  powdered sugar on medium speed till smooth. 

Add 170 gms of Nutella and continue mixing.

Stir in 200 gms mascarpone and mix till combined.

Mix in 1/4 cup of dark rum

Separately whip 1 cup cream [I used Riches], vanilla extract and 1/4 cup powdered sugar till stiff.

Gently fold into the cheesecake till everything is combined.

Fill parfait glasses with cheesecake filling and leave for 1/2 an hour to set.

Garnish with flaked Almonds