Basic Waffles

Waffles - when I think of them I think of Belgium.  Spent a couple of days in Brussels during the Beer Festival, some years ago.  More than the Beer what excited me were the waffles.  Topped with strawberries, bananas, cream and then chocolate syrup.  Impossible to eat a full waffle and heartbreaking to have to share it.

This is the recipe for a regular waffle.  

Top it with the above and you are set.  

Top it with Bacon and maple syrup for a slice of heaven.

Top it with just powdered sugar

Top it with butter

Top it with anything - its an experience of its own

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp castor sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp melted butter + additional butter for the iron
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Toppings of your choice

Method

• Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites to stiff peaks
• Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl
• Mix the egg yolks with the milk, butter and vanilla essence.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, taking care not to overmix.  Lumps are fine.
• Fold in the beaten egg whites into the mix.
• Bake in a preheated iron till golden brown.
• Serve topped with toppings of your choice.

Mini Pies

I'm an extremely lazy blogger.
So i probably do one post a month :(

This one is just a version of the Mini Caramel Apple pie done earlier, but with different fillings.

Recipe can be found here 

So we have Apple Caramel, Chocolate Marshmallow Fluff, Strawberry Coulis

Pizza Bread

In continuation with the yeast experiments, the next in line was Pizza Bread.  The original recipe is from The Ivory Hut.

This is an absolutely tasty bread, full of lots of flavour.   Lots of cheese and italian spices ties it all together.

The topping combinations are endless.  As you can see I started of with Garlic and Bell Pepper, then added on jalapeno, pineapple, basil leaves

The actual bread recipe is very simple and basic.  So do play with the additions.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 3/4 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup favorite toppings, diced - minced garlic, chopped bell pepper, pineapple, jalapeno
• 1 tbsp dried pizza topping - oregano, basil, chilli flakes.
• ½ cup Cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl. Add in sugar and mix to dissolve.  Let it sit till foamy - around 2 minutes. Add in flour, pizza seasoning and salt. Mix using a spoon just until it comes together. 

Add in the toppings and Cheese and mix to combine well. The dough will be slightly wet. Dust with a bit more flour if it feels too wet. Let rise for about 1 hour, then put in the refrigerator to continue rising for another hour.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Flour your counter top, then pat out the dough into a rough rectangle. Sprinkle mozzarella in the centre and fold the dough to encase the cheese. Let your loaf rest while you preheat oven to 200 degrees C

Bake the bread, for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. About 3 minutes before taking it out, lightly brush the top with olive oil and let it finish baking. Let rest on a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing.

Focaccia

So continues my adventure with yeast.  I found fresh yeast, in one of the supermarts, and have been using that.  Its been a boon.

Focaccia is a really simple bread.  Easy to throw together and make.

Make this for a quick dinner with soup or chicken.  

Torn and dunked in olive oil and balsamic, absolutely yumm

Ingredients - for the dough

1. 2 cups – Flour 
2. 1 ¼ tsp dry yeast 
3. 1 tsp sugar
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 3/4 cup buttermilk [this was a recommendation from a friend]
6. ¼ cup warm water
7. 2 Tbsp olive oil

Ingredients for Topping

1. salt
2. jalapeno
3. basil leaves
4. oregano & basil,  dried

• In a large bowl, put the yeast, sugar and dissolve in warm water.
• Let this be for 15 min in a warm place till it doubles and is frothy - Please ensure the water is just the right temperature- not too hot because that will kill the yeast and not too cool because the yeast won’t prove. Approximately 40 C is good.  Proper proving of the yeast is vital to good bread making
• Once the yeast has bloomed, add 1/2 cup of flour and mix well.   
• Add in the balance flour & salt.   
• Add in the buttermilk.  The mixture will be sticky.  
• Normally Focaccia dough is really wet so you might prefer to make it with a mixer.
• Mix in the Olive oil and knead for another 10 minutes till you have a soft and manageable dough now.  
• Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and rest till double.  
• Remove from the bowl once the dough is doubled and gently knock out the air.
• I used an heavy bottom oven tray and just hand fitted the dough into it.   
• Cover with a damp kitchen towel  and leave to rise again.
• Using your fingertips make little dimples on the surface of the bread.  
• Drizzle with Olive oil and sprinkle some salt, oregano and dried basil on top.
• I also added some jalepeno. 
• Bake in a preheated 200 C oven, for 20 minute
• Serve with Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, fresh out of the oven.

Toppings can be varied to suit yourself

POUND CAKE

A beautiful moist and buttery cake.  Can be eaten plain or with ice cream.

Normally a pound cake takes equal proportions of everything - flour, butter, eggs but this version is lighter.  

3 eggs at room temperature

3 tablespoons milk at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

150 grams sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

150 grams granulated sugar

185 grams butter, softened

1. Prepare the cake tin - I used a loaf tin, buttered the sides and lined the base with parchment paper.
2. Weigh the flour after sifting.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl - that is the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
4. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs, add in the vanilla extract and milk.
5. To the dry ingredients add the softened butter and half the egg mix and beat on low to incorporate both. 
6. Increase beater spead to medium and beat for another minute to aerate the mix
7. Add in the remaining egg mix in two lots, beating well, ensuring to scrape down the sides
8. Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 60 minutes in a preheated 180 C oven

Remove the cake from the oven and leave in the pan for 10 mins before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

This cake normally has a crack on the top so don't worry about it.  If, while baking you find, it is turning too dark, cover with a piece of foil.

Scones

Best served warm from the oven, with jam and cream.  These are really easy to make and can be on your table, ready to serve, in 20 minutes.  Serve with a nice cup of tea.

Ingredients

• 140 gms self raising flour - if you don't have self raising flour just take normal flour and add in 1 1/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp castor sugar
• 30 gms butter
• 120 ml milk + 60 ml water
• jam
• cream

Method

1. Sift the flour, castor sugar and salt together.
2. Cut in the butter and mix till the flour resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the center and add the liquid mix.
4. With quick movements bring the dry and wet ingredients together, taking care not to overmix.
5. Transfer to a floured surface and knead gently.
6. Pat into a round circle, 2 cm in height, and using a 7 cm round cutter, cut into rounds.
7. Place on a lightly greased tray & brush the tops with milk
8. Bake for 18 - 20 mins in a 190 C preheated oven
9. Serve hot with jam and cream

Caramel Cheesecake

Salty Caramel over a baked cheesecake - perfection

Ingredients

1 cup crushed digestive biscuits
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
4 Tbsp salted butter, melted
400 gms cream cheese, softened - Britannia has a new cheese
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream

Salted Caramel Sauce - click for recipe

Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. 

In a mixing bowl, mix together crushed graham crackers with granulated sugar. 

Pour in melted butter and stir mixture until evenly coated. 

Put the mixture in a cheesecake tin.  Press mixture into an even layer. 

Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool while preparing filling.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together castor sugar with flour until well blended. 

Add softened cream cheese to a separate mixing bowl and mix sugar mixture over top. 

Blend mixture on low speed until smooth. 

Mix in eggs one at a time and blend on low speed, while scrapping sides and bottom of bowl and mixing just until combined after each addition. 

Add vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream and mix just until combined. 

Put mixture on top of baked crust. 

Bake in preheated oven 20 - 23 minutes, centers should still jiggle slightly, don't overbake (if they begin to crack they are starting to become overbaked). 

Remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. 

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator and chill 2 hours. 

Once chilled top with Salted Caramel Sauce

Garlic Naans

This was a great recipe for homemade naans.  Honestly you will not order them from outside once you try this out.  The best thing about them is NO YEAST and they can be made on the stove top.  You don't need a tandoor or oven for these.

The Final result was a soft delicious naan.

Ingredients & Method 

04 pcs Fresh Bread 

1 cup Fresh Yogurt

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

kalonji, dhania leaves 

2 tbsp butter + 1 clove crushed garlic

Roughly break the bread into chunks and process in a mixer to get crumbs

Into the crumbs add the sugar, baking soda and curd, mixing well and keep aside for half an hour

After half an hour add in approx 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt and bring everything together.

Knead into a smooth dough and keep in an oiled bowl, covered to prevent a skin forming, for at least 2 hours.

Roll out the dough using minimal flour.  Press down some Kalonji or chopped garlic onto one side.

Heat a tawa, sprinkle it with water and put the naan on the water.  Cover with a lid to keep steam in.  Ensure flame is high.

When the naan lifts of the tawa easily cook on an open flame using a steel mesh - this can be done direct on the flame also - with the uncooked side facing the flame.

Once done brush with garlic butter and serve hot.

Cream Horms

During my airline days, there used to be a small bakery on Janpath, I think it was called Annapoorna, where I spent a lot of time eating these.  Browsing through my notes, i found a recipe and here is my attempt at recreating them

Cream Horn Molds required for the recipe but since i did'nt have any I used my Kulfi moulds. 

1 sheets Puff Pastry, thawed

Sugar crystals

1 bowl of whipped cream [I used Rich's]

100 gms cream cheese, softened at room temperature

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the Oven to 200 C

Using pizza cutter, slice the sheet into even strips.

Very lightly grease the mould and then wrap the dough around it, pushing the dough down to seal it as you go.

Brush the dough with a little milk and roll in a plate of sugar.

Place the rolled mold on a baking sheet, with the end side down & bake 12 min until golden brown. 

In case it is not done, lower temp to 180 C and bake another 5 mins.

Cool completely then pipe in the cream.

For the cream, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and mix until blended.

Fold in whipped cream until smooth and fluffy.

Pipe it in to each cream horn to the top.

Red Curry

A spicy fragrant curry - gets its name from the fiery red chillies used in it.  Make it with your favourite vegetables or seafood.

Am giving the recipe from scratch though if you are short on time feel free to use the ready available red curry paste. 

Be warned nothing tastes better than freshly made curries

Ingredients 

For the Red Curry Paste

3-4 Red chillies dry - Kashmiri - soaked in warm water for 15 mins

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 onion chopped

8-10 garlic flakes

1/2 inch ginger

lemon grass - 1 stalk

1 1/2 tsp roasted corriander seeds

1/2 tsp roasted cumin seed

4 peppercorns

salt to taste approx 1 tsp

Juice of one lemon

Grind all above ingredents to make a fine paste.  If required use the water the chillies were soaked in.  This can be kept refrigerated for a month or so.

Ingredients To make curry

1 pack mushrooms, halved

400 gms pumpkin, cubed

10 pcs snowpeas, cut diagnolly

400 ml coconut milk

1 tsp light soya sauce

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp palm sugar 

kaffir lime leaves

lemon grass

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the red curry paste and saute for a couple of mins.  
2. Add a couple of tbsp of the coconut milk to ensure it does'nt burn.
3. Mix in the vegetables well to coat with the spice mix.
4. Add in the balance coconut milk alongwith soya sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.
5. Simmer till vegetables are done.
6. Check seasoning if required
7. Add basil leaves and boil for a couple of minutes more.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice or noodles

Chocolate Chip Cookie in a cup

Single serving wonders - fun to make as its quick.  

This one for my daughter - who now has to make it for me. She has made the Chocolate Cake in a cup with a lot of success.

Ingredients

1 tbsp melted butter

1 tbsp castor sugar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

30 gms flour

handful of chocolate chips 

1. Melt the butter and mix with sugars, vanilla, and egg yolk. 
2. Add in the flour and salt and mix till combined. 
3. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Put the dough into a small microwaveable bowl, ramekin, or coffee cup.
5. Microwave for 60 seconds or until the cookie looks done. 

Remember 

• microwaved cakes n cookies are best eaten fresh.  If kept they will harden.
• you will not get the beautiful golden brown colour of the cookie made in an oven.

Fudge cake

My favourite and tried tested Fudge cake also called Devils food cake or mud cake.   You cannot go wrong on this one, even if you have never baked before.

To prepare mould take 2 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp cocoa powder and make a paste of it.  Brush the mould with this and your cake will not stick

1.5 cups flour

1.5 cups castor sugar

1.5 tsp baking soda

0.5 cup cocoa powder

Mix all and keep aside

1 cup milk

2 tbsp malt vinegar

Mix in a glass bowl and leave to thicken

Add

2 eggs  + 1 cup oil +thickened milk

To the dry ingredients and mix till moistened, with a spoon

Beat with an egg beater for 2 minutes.

Pour into a prepared tin and bake at 180C

for 35 minutes.

Mix will be more liquid than normal cakes but that is correct so don't worry.

Drizzle with chocolate ganache