Berry Vanilla Gateau | Academy of Pastry Arts

Contd from .. Here's the recipe for the dessert that was demo-ed by Chef Kimberly at the Academy of Pastry Arts. (Recipe credit : the Academy)

BERRY VANILLA GATEAUX

CHOCOLATE ALMOND SPONGE

Ingredients Quantity (gr) - (recipe for 2 nos 6” cake)
Almond Paste/Marzipan 150
Whole Egg 62.5
Egg Yolk 37.5
Egg White 137.5
Sugar 50
Cake Flour 40
Callebaut Cocoa Powder 20
Dark Chocolate Callebaut Madagascar 67% 75

Method
1. Mix almond paste with paddle. Add in egg and egg yolk slowly until smooth paste.
2. Change to whisk attachment and whip mixture above until fluffy.
3. Make a medium peak meringue with egg white and sugar.
4. Fold in meringue into 2nd
5. Fold in sifted cocoa powder and flour and then continue with melted chocolate.
6. Bake in 6” ring for approximately 25 minutes at 165-degree Celsius.

VANILLA MOUSSE

Ingredients Quantity (gr) - ( recipe for 1.5 nos 6” cake)

Milk 150

Whipping Cream 120
Vanilla Pod ½ stick
Egg Yolk 120
Sugar 90
Gelatine 8
Italian Meringue 120
Cold Water 40
Whipping Cream 135

Method
1. Dissolve gelatine with cold water.
2. Bring cream, milk and vanilla pod to boil.
3. Mix egg yolk and sugar and gradually add into hot mixture.
4. Continue to bain-marie until 83-degree Celsius with a spatula. Add in gelatine; wait until slightly cool down, strain and fold in Italian Meringue.
Lastly, fold in whipped cream.

BERRY JELLY

Ingredients Quantity (gr) (recipe for 1.5 nos 6” cake)
Ravifruit Blackberry Puree 200
Ravifruit Raspberry Puree 100
Ravifruit Strawberry Puree 130
Sugar 15
Gelatine 8
Cold Water 40

Method
1. Dissolve gelatine with cold water.
2. Warm all purees with sugar until sugar is just enough to dissolve.
3. Melt gelatine and mix with puree mixture.
4. Pour into mould and freeze it.

RED (BERRY) GLAZE

Ingredients (Quantity (gms))
Water 75
Sugar 150
Glucose 150
Condense milk 100
Gelatine 12
Milk Chocolate Callebaut 823NV 33.6% - 150
Red colorant +/-

Method:
1. Bring the sugar, water and glucose to boil.
2. Add in the bloomed gelatine and condensed milk.
3. Pour the mixture over the milk chocolate and add in colouring to emulsify.

Finishing - Glaze with raspberry glaze and garnish with chocolate décor.  Also add chopped raisin with gold dust.

Learning the ropes

     For the love of cooking..and baking.. For many a home chef, baking that perfect cake is a dream come true. Some come out well, some fall flat and literally so. And when the latter happens, we either take that as a challenge and keep trying till we get it right or give up and move on. But for the enthusiasts, passionate wannabe bakers, a guiding, helping hand is a must. And that's where the Academy of Pastry Arts comes in.

        I was fortunate to be part of a demo by Chef Kimberly Rozario who patiently took us through a brilliantly executed baking session. The dessert in mention was - Berry Vanilla Gateau.
Sounds simple? But hold your breath, this one had several elements and components to it that needed perfection, technique, patience and of course, the right ingredients.

        But first, a bit about the academy. Academy of Pastry Arts was established in 2010 with their flagship centre in Malaysia. They have grown on to presence in Philippines, Mumbai, Gurugram and Bangalore and soon to be opened centres in Dubai and Indonesia. I visited the Bengaluru centre and was absolutely impressed by the vast space, huge learning labs, state of the art equipment, superb chefs and high-end ingredients.

      Now about the demo..Baking is a science as much as it's an art. One step, ingredient, technique, timing goes wrong and your end result will be anything but perfect. So it becomes inevitable to get the basics right before you set out on your baking journey.

Chef Kimberly explained so many nuances as she went through the different stages of the dessert preparation. For example:

◘ Using the right ingredients, be it the chocolate, cocoa powder, cream, fruit extracts, and so on is extremely important if you want that perfect dessert. No compromises there.

◘ Temperature and Timing are very important. And they are proportional to the baking moulds being used, so no one temperature setting and time works for all. Smaller molds like the typical round cake mold would need a lower temperature so the baking process spreads evenly over the selected time. A larger tray with a thinner layer of batter, on the other hand can work with a higher temperature.

◘ When whisking a glaze, you need to avoid air bubbles so keep the whisk head below the surface but don't let it touch the bottom. When done, if you still spot bubbles on the surface, use a cling wrap to smooth them out.

◘ It's good to invest in sustainable and good quality equipment. One such is the Probe or thermometer which is indispensable when working with delicate desserts.

            And here's the twist, contrary to the name, the academy doesn't just offer baking courses, but culinary as well. And there are both Full time and Part time courses.

       
           So end note, getting the basics right, be it for cooking or baking is crucial. And you need the right place to learn them. Head to the Academy of Pastry Arts to earn your Toque!!
Here's the dessert and for those interested in trying it out, the recipe is at: http://www.akshayamrecipes.com/2018/09/berry-vanilla-gateau-academy-of-pastry.html

Academy details : http://academyofpastryartsindia.com

Bangalore Center
9, 1ST BLOCK SARJAPUR MAIN ROAD,
JAKKASANDRA,
KORAMANGALA,
BANGALORE
+91-8095719222
+91-8095442277
+91-8025505222
info@academyofpastryartsindia.com

Gurgaon Center
Plot No. 64,
Udyog Vihar Phase IV,
National Highway 8,
Gurgaon Haryana,
+91-7838381229
+91-9599108530
+91-1242399006
info@academyofpastryartsindia.com

Mumbai Center
A Wing, Ground & First Floor,
Litolier Chambers,
Adjacent to Marol Metro Station Andheri East,
Mumbai
+91-8095718222
info@academyofpastryartsindia.com

Eggless Whole Wheat Cupcakes

One really doesnt need a reason to indulge in cupcakes. And trust me, they are soo easy to make. Once you get the basic measure right, there are endless possibilities of flavours and ingredients.
Here's a simple and healthy one that's eggless and uses almost no butter!

EGGLESS WHOLE WHEAT CUPCAKES

Ingredients :
Whole Wheat flour - 1 cup (Or refined + Wheat flour, 1/2 cup each)
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Whisked curds - 1 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp
Ripe bananas, mashed - 2 medium or 1 large
Demerara sugar, powdered - 1.5 cups (or normal sugar 1 cup)
Clove or cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp
Almond powder/Ready to mix Badam drink powder - 2 tsps (optional)

Method :
1. Add the mashed bananas and 1/2 cup curd to a bowl and mix well. Add the sugar and butter and mix well again.
2. Sieve together flour, baking soda, spice powder into a clean bowl.
3. Fold the flour into the banana mixture, a little at a time. If batter is too thick add the remaining curds little by little till you get a dropping consistency, resembling Idli batter.
4. Spoon the batter into cupcake moulds. Bake in a pre-heated microwave (I place an oven-proof glass bowl filled with water and let run on high for 2 mins) at 180 deg C for 7-8 mins. If the toothpick test fails, bake for few minutes more.
Remove and let cool on a wire rack before de-moulding.

Eggless Choco-Chip Cupcakes (Micro)

            Microwave Baking is a blessing for many in many ways..in terms of time, mainly. If you are a person who likes to use their Micro for more than just re-heating then I am sure you have invested in a variety that offers combination controls. Though it can never replace the conventional oven, those pressed for time will still swear by the wonders they can get their microwave ovens to do :)
           Our theme for the 30th Bloghop was anything Microwave, so that would be cooking, baking, grilling, et al. I chose a simple, yet delectable Choco Chip Cupcake. Ready in minutes, this will rarely survive beyond one tea-time session :)

EGGLESS CHOCO-CHIP CUPCAKE

Ingredients :
Refined or wheat Flour - 2 ½ cups
Baking Powder - 1 ½ tsps
Soda Bicarbonate - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Cocoa powder - 2 tbsps
Powdered Sugar - 2 cups
Softened Butter - ¾ cup (170 gm), 
Fresh curds (as drained as possible) - 1 cup at room temp
Warm Milk - ½ cup
Vanilla Essence - ½ tsp
Chocolate Chips - 1/4 cup

Method : 
1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder & salt into a ckean bowl. 

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, curds and milk till well blended. 

3. Add in the sifted flour mix and gently cut and fold. Finally add the vanilla essence and chocolate chips and give it a final folding.

4. Pour into cupcake moulds and bake in the microwave at 200 deg C for 7 minutes (Used a combination oven and Micro+Convection mode) followed by 4 more minutes at 170 deg C. Check with a toothpick or clean knife if done. 

5. Remove from the oven, let cool a bit before unmoulding. Your yummy cupcakes are ready :) 

Eggless Red Velvet Cupcakes

                 True foodies love to be inspired by others' culinary creations. I recall the time when exchanging recipes on paper, scouring through magazines and proudly possessing that neatly catalogued recipe book was a delight in those good ol' days. 
                 Now that everyone has access to almost every information they seek, the recipe book might have been literally 'shelved', but the trend of being inspired will continue forever. For our 28th bloghop theme, we chose to be inspired by recipes from each other's blogs, and give it a twist if we want too!!
                 I was spoilt for choice in selecting from my Bloghop mate, Preethi's blog I chose a simple Eggless red velvet cupcake recipe as I have been looking to try it for quite sometime now. I liked that fact that this recipe used wheat flour & no fat and looked so simple to make. Baking always makes me nervous, so I found it especially comforting !!!
Only change, I used strawberry compote (happy that they are in season!!) instead of the food colour. 

MICROWAVE EGGLESS RED VELVET CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
150 ml Wheat flour
50 ml Refined flour
6 tbsps + 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup finely chopped strawberries (if in season, else use red food grade colour)
100ml Milk
Whipped cream, Chopped strawberries for garnishing

Method:
1. Heat a non-stick pan, add 1 cup strawberries and 1 tbsp sugar to it and let caramelise. If the strawberries are medium sweet, then use 2 tbsps sugar instead. Stir occasionally and mash lightly till the strawberries are soft. I wanted a bite to them, so did not cook till too soft. This should take about 10 mins or so. Remove and let cool.

2. Sieve together the flours, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Since using wheat flour I sieved them at least thrice. 

3. Add in the milk and mix well. Finally add the cooled strawberry compote and mix again. Pour the batter into greased cupcake moulds. I use a combination microwave oven. I baked at 200 deg C for about 5 minutes followed by 4 more minutes at 170 deg C, or till the knife came out clean. 
Remove and let cool to room temperature. Decorate with whipped cream and strawberries or jam. Serve.

Chocolate Cake with Jalebi Crust

Featured on http://www.chefajaychopra.com/chocolate-cake-on-jalebi-crust/                
         Love is in the air! Much heard, much said :) But my principle when it comes to food, as long as one can eat what makes them and their health happy, that for me is true love :)
               Wishing to create something more than just a layered dessert, I thought of using crisp Jalebi as the base for a soft cake. Easier decided than done as I had never tried making Jalebi in my life before. God bless the GITS company for this Jalebi mix with a free nozzle bottle as well!!
                I am not sure how a true dessert connoiseur would interpret this combination, but as a foodie, the layers of crisp, slightly warm jalebi, soft chocolate cake with whipped cream icing, and further topped off with more Jalebi and melted chocolate was "THE WOW" factor for me :) 
On to the recipe....

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH JALEBI CRUST

Ingredients :
For the cake : 
Refined flour / Maida - 1 cup (250 ml) 
Baking pwd -  1 tsp
Baking soda -  1/2 tsp
Salt a pinch
Butter - 60 gms
Pwd sugar - 90gms (3/4 cup)
Lukewarm Milk - 150 ml
Vanilla essence -  1/2 tsp

Other ingredients : 
Whipped cream
Instant Jalebi mix (Or one can follow any basic Jalebi recipe)
Sugar syrup for the Jalebis
Chocolate syrup

Method : 
1. For the cake, sieve together the dry ingredients into a clean bowl.
2. In another bowl, beat together butter & sugar. Fold in the sieved flour mixture. 

3. Finally add milk and vanilla essence and lightly mix, till you get a smooth cake batter.
4. Pour into a cake mould and bake @180 for 10 mins. (Since I use a combination microwave, I tend to bake at 200 deg C for about 4-5 minutes, followed by 4 more minutes at 170 deg C.) Remove and cool to room temperature.

5. Using a clean palette knife, apply whipped cream evenly over and around the cake or decorate as desired. Refrigerate till the jalebis are done.

5. Prepare Jalebis as per the instructions, dip for about 20-30 seconds in warm sugar syrup and keep aside. (Note : Try making jalebis in shapes similar to the cake wedges you will serve, for eg, a triangle or meshed square instead of the traditional round design)

6. Now for the assemling and serving... cut the cake into wedges. Place a jalebi on the serving plate. Keep the cake wedge on top of it. Garnish further as desired with more Jalebi pieces, cream and chocolate syrup!!!

Veg Lasagna

    I am a big fan of Italian cuisine (after Indian cuisine, of course!!), and not just the ubiquitous Pizza. And while I keep attempting the pasta, pizza and even the gnocchi at home, lasagna was one thing I was putting off, more for fear of getting the homemade lasagna sheets wrong!! But fears are meant to be conquered, so I set out to try it and get it as right as I could!! Plus, the 14th Foodie Monday Bloghop theme was baking...I got the recipe for homemade eggless lasagna sheets from this blog

VEG LASAGNA

Ingredients :

Vegetable filling :
Boiled & diced potatoes (not too squishy) - 1 cup
Diced red pumpkin (Kaddu) - 1 cup
Diced capsicum - 1 cup
Blanched Cauliflower florets (** - see notes) - 1 cup
Soaked & drained soya nuggets - 1/2 cup
Boiled & diced carrots - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder - 1 1/2 tsps
Garlic powder - 1 1/2 tsps
Dried Oregano or mixed Italian herbs - 1 tsp

For Lasagna sheets - Makes about 10 sheets (original credit to this recipe ) :
Refined flour - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1/2 cup 
Water - between 1/2 and 3/4th cup

Other ingredients (I used a white sauce topping, but you can use any) :
Cheese - 5 cheese slices or 1 cup grated processed cheese
Milk - 2 cups
Refined or wheat flour - 2 tbsps (dissolved in milk)
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Dried Oregano or mixed Italian herbs - 2 tsps
Garlic powder - 1 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tbsps

Method : 

1. Heat olive oil in a wok and add the red pumpkin. Sprinkle little salt and cover cook till 3/4th done. Now add the cauliflower florets. 

2. Once the cauliflower is half-done as well, tip in the capsicum and let cook. Again when this is half done, add the remaining vegetables one by one. Add some more salt to taste along with chili powder, garlic powder and mix well. After about 5-7 minutes add the dried Italian herbs, let cook for couple minutes more and remove.

3. While the veggies are cooking, let's prepare the dough for the lasagna. In a clean bowl, add the refined flour and wheat flour. mix using a fork. Now add water little by little and keep mixing with the fork. 

4. Once the flour is assembled, knead with hands to get a firm but soft dough. Take care not to make it stretchy or add more water than needed. A little dry texture is fine here, but not crumbly. Let rest for 10 minutes.

5. For the white sauce, pour the milk and flour mix into a saucepan and keep stirring to avoid lump formation. Add in the cheese and stir again till cheese mixes well. Add the salt, black pepper powder, garlic powder and dried herbs. Stir for just a minute more and remove. It's ok if the sauce is a bit runny as it will typically thicken once cooled.

6. Dust a counter with some flour. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll out into a rough square and cut into 2. Keep one portion aside and continue to roll out the other half into as thin a sheet as possible and manageable. 

7. Keep dusting flour while rolling out. When you have a fairly large rectangle or square, cut into lasagna sheets or strips as desired and depending on the size of your baking dish. I used these rectangular ceramic dishes. 

8. Dust the sheets liberally with dry flour and place them on a flat tray or plate. Boil enough water in a large saucepan and salt. Gently drop in the pasta sheets one by one and take them out after a count of 10 seconds. Use a wide rimmed ladle to scoop them out lest they tear. Place them to drain on a plate.

9. Now comes the assembling. Coat the baking dishes with oil. Place 1 lasagna sheet. Add a layer of the veg filling and top off with another pasta sheet. Repeat as desired. It is also optional to add grated cheese in between layers if you like it rich. (I do!!)

10. Finally generously pour the white sauce over the assembled lasagna so that it coats all layers and then some. Using a microwave, I baked this at 200 deg C for 8-9 minutes and then at 170 deg C for 4 minutes more or till golden bubbles formed at the top. Remove from the oven, let cool for a bit. Cut and serve. 


(** - Advisable to blanch cauliflower and broccoli florets in boiling water with a 1/2 tsp turmeric powder added to it, then drain, wash and use for your dishes. This is not ideal but at least de-contaminates the florets of possible worms)

  

Potato & Cheese stuffed tartlets

     Starters are just that, a great start to any meal, or just on their own, the perfect accompaniment to catching up on some gossip, or in more technical terms...preparing and balancing one's appetite for the bigger meal ahead!!
For this tartlet, I chose an English-style stuffing, simple potatoes and peas with minimal spices. The stuffing tasted simply wonderful and proved that, sometimes, less is more!! 

STUFFED TARTLETS

Ingredients :

For the tartlets :
All purpose flour -1 cup
Bajra (Pearl Millet flour) - 1/2 cup
Soya flour - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder - to taste

Stuffing (for the spicy version):
Oil - 1 & 1/2 tbsps
Boiled and mashed potatoes (with salt)- 1 cup
Boiled peas - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Mixed herbs - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Crushed chili flakes - 1/4 cup
Grated processed cheese - 1/4 cup or 1 cheese slice

Stuffing (for the sweet version) :
Butter - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Boiled and mashed Sweet potatoes - 1 cup
Chopped apples - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Misc : 
Grated cheese - for sprinkling
Oil for frying

Method :

1. Let's prepare the stuffing first. [The sweet version is totally optional, I just made it for a variation and since apples are so in season and with the right crunch :) ] Heat 1.5 tbsps oil in a pan, and add the mashed potatoes and peas. Stir the mixture till the oil is well mixed in.

2. Add salt to taste, garlic powder, pepper powder, chili flakes or chili powder and stir well into the mashed veggies. Let cook for about 2 minutes on low flame. Now add the grated cheese/cheese slice and the herbs. Stir again and check for salt. Let cook for 1 minute more and turn off the flame. 

 3. For the sweet version, heat butter and oil in a pan. Add the chopped apples and let cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cooked sweet potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste, very little as we only want to enhance the sweetness in contrast! Add pepper and chili powder as well and stir in till well-mixed. Let cook for 2-3 minutes more and remove. Let cool.
4. Now for the 'tartlets'..... Sieve together the flours and add the salt and pepper powder. Knead into a soft but firm dough using sufficient water. Divide into small and equal portions. 

5. Heat oil for frying. Roll out a dough portion into a puri or a round 2 inches in diameter. Wrap over an aluminium cupcake mould and press gently. Prick all over with fork and drop carefully into the oil. 
Press down to hold the mould in place for few seconds and to let the fried puri retain its shape before the mould frees itself. Then remove the cupcake mould out of the oil and let the puri fry on low heat for few seconds more. 
Do not fry till golden brown and crisp as we will be further baking these along with the stuffing.

6. Repeat with the rest of the dough and drain excess oil. Now fill the puris with the prepared stuffing and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Preheat oven at 170 deg C. 
[Note : I use a microwave oven, so to pre-heat I tend to place some water in a micro-proof bowl and run it on high for a minute or so. ]

7. Arrange the stuffed puris or tartlets in a baking dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes till cheese turns golden brown. In the micro, I baked them for about 7-8 minutes.
Serve hot with desired accompaniment.

Eggless Banana Blueberry Cupcake

An eggless fruity chocolicious cupcake...

CHOCOLATE-FILLED BLUEBERRY BANANA CUPCAKE

Ingredients :

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Softened Butter - 100 gms
Powdered sugar - 1/4 cup
Ripe banana - 1
Milk - 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Blueberries - 6 to 7
Chocolate sauce - 1/4 cup

Method :

1. In a bowl, add butter, sugar, mashed banana and a few tbsps milk. Blend well using a hand blender.

2. Keep blending adding all the milk gradually.

3. Sieve together all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into the butter mixture.

4. Finally add the vanilla essence and blueberries and give a final whisk.

5. Spoon out a little batter into the  cupcake moulds. Now pour a little chocolate sauce and top off with little more batter.

6. Bake in a microwave in convection mode @ 200 deg C for about 6 minutes.

7. Remove and cool. De-mould and garnish with remaining chocolate sauce and blueberries.

Mango Cupcakes

Mangoes are in and one can be forgiven for going crazy thinking what next they can try with the King of Fruits, before the season is over !!!

Here's a simple but delectable cupcake recipe...

EGGLESS MANGO CUPCAKES

Ingredients : (makes 12 cupcakes)

Mango pulp - 1 cup + 2 tbsps (for decoration)
Refined flour - 2 cups
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Yoghurt - 1 cup
Warm milk - as required
Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
Softened butter  - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Icing sugar - 2 tbsps

Method :

1. Sieve together refined flour, baking powder and a pinch salt into a clean, dry bowl.

2. In another bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar and condensed milk. Now add in the yoghurt, mango pulp and vanilla essence and whisk again.

3. Gradually fold in the flour, mix leaving no lumps. Add warm milk, a little at a time as required, to get a thick cake-like batter.

4. Spoon the batter into the cup-cake moulds and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for about 15-20 minutes. My baking time was 7-10 minutes since I use a microwave.

5. Remove and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile stir together the remaining 2 tbsps mango pulp and icing sugar till well mixed.

6. Arrange the cupcakes on a serving tray and decorate with the mango-icing sugar mix.

Eggless Apple Cup-cake

 Apple, Cinnamon and brown sugar...the threesome combination that never fails any dish..I continue my experiments with egg-less treats !!    

EGGLESS APPLE CAKE

Ingredients :

Apples - 2 (medium, grated)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1/2 cup
Softened butter - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Cinnamon powder - a pinch
Milk - 1/4 cup
Milkmaid - 1/4 cup

Method :
1. Heat a pan and add both white and brown sugar to it. Add 3/4th of the grated apples and stir till sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick. Remove and let cool slightly.

2. Sift together the flours along with baking powder and salt into a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together butter and the apple sauce. Add the milkmaid and whisk again. Add only half the portion of the milk, we can add more later to adjust consistency. Stir well.
If no milkmaid is available increase the quantity of milk and the sugar.

4. Fold the flours into the whisked mix slowly, leaving no lumps. If you feel the batter is bit thick add a little milk.

5. Pour into a greased baking mould.  Bake at 180c for 10 - 12 minutes or till the knife comes out clean.

6. Let cool on a wire rack and serve as desired. 

Eggless Peanut butter Carrot Cake

A healthy eggless carrot cake made with a combo of butter and peanut butter.

                                               

EGGLESS PEANUT BUTTER CARROT CAKE

Ingredients :

Finely grated carrot - 1 cup
Chopped/grated dates -2
Softened butter -1/4 cup
Peanut butter - 1/2 cup
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup (75gms)
Whole wheat flour -1/2 cup (75gms)
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Brown/Demerara sugar - 1/2 cup
Melted chocolate - for garnish

Method :

1. Pre-heat oven @ 180 deg C.

2. In a bowl mix together butter, peanut butter and both the sugar and whisk till sugar dissolves and mixture is light and creamy. Mix vanilla essence and mix again.

3. In a separate mixing bowl sift together the all purpose and wheat flours along with a pinch salt and baking powder.

4. Gradually add the flours to the butter mix and fold gently. Add milk as required to get a thick cake batter.



5. Grease a cake tin or use a silicon mould and pour the batter into it. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Note : check after 10 minutes using a clean knife or toothpick to see if done, if not continue baking a bit more.
Using a microwave, I first baked @ 200deg C for 4 minutes and then @ 180 deg C for 7 minutes more.

6. Remove and let cool slightly on a wire rack.  Then invert on to a serving dish and decorate/serve as desired.

Eggless Sponge Cake

The good ol' Eggless sponge cake based on condensed milk that I tried yesterday with minor variations. The original recipe that I jotted down ages ago called for the use of water, I twisted it with a dash of cream...result, a very soft and aromatic cake....

                                                     EGGLESS SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients :

Self raising flour - 125 gms
Note : If using refined flour or maida, use baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 1/2 tsps
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Condensed Milk - 3/4th cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cream - 25 ml
Water - 30 ml
Melted butter - 75 gms

Optional - if you want a chocolate cake
Cocoa powder - 1 tsp
OR Melted Dark chocolate - 1/4 cup (In this case, reduce the quantity of water to 20 ml , the idea is to maintain the batter consistency)

Method : 

1. Grease a baking tin and preheat oven @ 180 deg C.

2. Blend together melted butter, sugar, condensed milk and vanilla essence till soft peaks form and sugar dissolves completely.

3. Gradually add cream and half the quantity of water and blend again.

4. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Gently fold this into the blended mix, taking care to leave no lumps. Add remaining water if batter is too thick.
(A famous chef once pointed out that it's always recommended to add dry flours to a liquid mixture than the other way round. This minimises chances of lumps formation)

5. Once a smooth batter is formed, pour into the baking mould and bake for 10-12 minutes.
(As I was using a microwave oven, the technique I tried this time was to not leave the cake for the full prescribed 15 minutes, but take it out 5 minutes earlier even if it was a bit moist, but as long as the knife came out clean)

6. Remove and cool on a wire rack. Best served immediately after it's cooled down to room temperature.

Eggless Banana Cake

I love baking (and trying to bake!!) delicious cakes and cookies for my parents...In my endeavour to look up new and interesting recipes, it's been a constant challenge for me to use alternatives for eggs(especially for my mother) in those recipes and yet get a satisfactory result.
Though the World Wide Web abounds with eggless recipes, I try to use my own measurements and experiment with what works best and not and thus understand the logic behind the ingredient...
The following recipe is one such experiment which came out delightfully soft and tasty. The use of banana, condensed milk and curd make for good binding agents that give the cake a nice texture and structure. Depending on the type and sweetness quotient of the banana you use (also because of condensed milk, which is pre-sweetened), adjust the sugar measurement to avoid over-sweetening.

Eggless Banana Cake

Ingredients :

Maida - 2 cups
Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Demerara or brown sugar - 3/4 cup (If using white sugar, reduce quantity to 1/2 cup)
Cocoa Powder - 1 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Condensed Milk - 1/4 cup
Softened butter - 1/4 cup
Bananas - 2 (Pureed)
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Water - 50 ml

For Topping (optional)
Dark Chocolate - 1 cup
Milk or cream - 2 tbsps

Method :

1. Sift together maida, baking powder, Salt and cocoa powder. The sifting process is very important as it opens up the flour.

2. Add the softened butter and sugar to a bowl and whisk well till sugar dissolves. Add condensed milk, vanilla essence and 25 ml water and beat till frothy.

3. Now add the curd and mix lightly with a hand whisk. Gradually add a small measure of the pureed bananas, followed by a cup of the flour mix; continue to add the two alternatively. Fold in with a light hand using a wooden ladle. Make sure to leave no lumps.

4. Preheat over to 200 degrees C. Grease a baking dish and pour the batter into it. Bake for about 30 mins or till the knife comes out clean. Remember to not over-bake as the cake firms up more upon cooling.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate sauce by heating chocolate in a double boiler along with milk to make it softer. If using cream, add it after the chocolate has melted.

5. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Spread the chocolate sauce over the cake and decorate as desired.

Variations : - You can also add crushed walnuts or pecan nuts. raisins and chocolate chips to the batter to make the cake richer. The kitchen is your laboratory, so don't be shy of innovating :))
Suggested serving - warm the cake slightly before serving.