Pineapple Cream Gateau - Happy Birthday Mom

I am no doubt  a Daddy's girl.....always taken my mom for granted...still do and I don't think it is going to change in the near future....My mom and me.....we are not the very expressive kind....always  at each others throat....fighting,arguing,screaming(well its just me doing all the three...my mom just ignores me and my tantrums).....have you ever noticed....no matter how rude you are towards your mom,she is always fine the next minute(at least that is how my mom is)....its like nothing happened, I feel god made her that way...'super special'.


I may not appreciate my mom much .....I am sometimes rude to her.......I may not hug or kiss her often......I may not say 'thank you' often.......nor do I say 'I love you' often...but I know deep down inside .....she is my SUPERWOMAN and I love her and I will be happy and blessed if years down the lane ...I am at least half the person she is. Happy Birthday Mom (Please don't tell her this...I won't be able to deal with her attitude)


My mom does not like chocolate.....I know she likes pineapple.....I was all set, started preparing for the cake the previous day.....early morning...running around....getting my girl ready to go to school....dropped her....came back....made the basic sponge cake....let it cool....skipped gym...went to pick up my girl from school....slit the cake to two......made syrup...whipped first batch of fresh cream...plopped on the cake... meanwhile cut my finger trying to open the pineapple tin....sprinkled chopped pineapple on the cream(after tending to my wound).....plopped top layer...whipped second batch of cream...took almost 20 minutes to frost the cake almost perfectly....made butter cream icing for decorating......daughter pretending to help me bake but actually being a big pain.....piped the cake with frosting ...all done.....and mom says "I would have preferred  pineapple mousse" .......Thank you mom....I wonder where I got that 'Non Appreciating' gene from.

Ingredients
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For Cake
Recipe source :From my heart

• 105g  All purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 Eggs
• 125g Caster Sugar
• 55ml Boiling Water
• 7g Butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4tsp Pineapple essence (optional)

For Soaking Syrup

• 1/2 cup Syrup from tinned pineapple
• 2tbsp  Sugar
• 2 tsp Rum

For Frosting

• 400ml Fresh Cream
• 6tbsp  Icing Sugar
• 450 g tinned pineapple slices

Butter cream frosting (optional)

• 55g Butter,softened
• 4ml Vanilla Extract
• 125g Icing sugar, sifted
• 15ml Milk
• few drops of lemon yellow color

Method

For cake

1. Grease an 8inch pan and line with baking paper.Keep aside.
2. Preheat oven at 180 degree C.
3. Sift flour and baking powder.Keep aside.
4. Using an electric beater, beat egg and sugar till it turns pale yellow,light and fluffy.
5. Fold in the sifted flour, do not over mix.
6. Now fold in butter,vanilla,pineapple essence and water and mix slowly till well combined.
7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or till done.
8. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes ,remove from pan and cool the cake completely on wire rack.

For Soaking syrup

1. Combine sugar and syrup in a small sauce pan and boil till sugar dissolves. Let this cool.
2. Add rum.

For whipped cream Filling

1. Whip cream and icing sugar till soft peaks are formed.

For Butter cream icing

1. Cream butter till light and fluffy.
2. Add icing sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed, add enough milk to get smooth and light consistency
3. Add color and beat for 30 seconds.
4. Transfer the icing bag and set aside till further use.

Assemble the cake

1. Cut the cake to two layers.
2. Place one layer on cake stand, soak the layer with half of the soaking syrup.
3. Cover with cream and top with half of the chopped pineapple
4. Place the second layer on top, soak with the remaining syrup.
5. Frost the cake with rest of the whipped cream and decorated with chopped pineapple or anyway you desire.
6. Pipe the butter cream frosting on the cake. 
7. Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Apple and Snicker Salad

        This one is for you  'Our lives taking turns in spite of straight paths'

         from.....

      'Finding hope in a hopeless place'

Recipe source :Taste of home
Ingredients
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• Homemade Vanilla pudding/custard  or store bought 
• 200 ml Cream
• 2 medium Apples (can also substitute with other fruits)
• 2 Snicker bars , chopped
• Caramel sauce to drizzle on top

Method

1. Clean and remove the seeds of the apple, chop to desired size.
2. Whip cream till thick, add sugar if you like the salad very sweet...I skipped it.
3. Pour the vanilla pudding into a bowl and fold in the whipped cream.
4. Add chopped apples and chopped snicker chocolate.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate till serving time.
6. Serve the salad in individual bowls topped with caramel sauce and chopped snickers. 

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

Simple vanilla pudding or custard that can be served with fruits ,ice creams and cakes.

Recipe Source: All recipes

Ingredients

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• 500ml Milk
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 3 tbsp Cornflour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp Butter

Method

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan mix together milk, sugar, cornflour, and salt. When all the ingredients are well blended place on medium low flame and cook stirring often till the mixture has thickened, the pudding is done when it coats back of the spoon.
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and butter and stir till combine and smooth.
3. Vanilla pudding is ready to be served.

Chocolate cake in a Can - Happy Birthday my better quarter

How many of you fall into the category of wives who do not appreciate their husbands much??.........well I surely do........I know........I am such a witch..........well........having said that........I am still not going to appreciate my husband just because its his birthday.........coz its just not ME.......and.......there is no way I am giving him an opportunity to fly too high ( I might change my mind if my husband surprises me with a Kitchen Aid cake mixer :)........oh my god I am such a witch.

All jokes apart.......Wish you a very Happy Birthday Shailesh......you know me very well to realize that I don't show much affection and you also know what is in my heart.......All I want to say is that you have given me a great gift and that is 'Patience'( I am still trying to master it).....you are a great friend ....and.......the best father ever.

I recently came across this author Debby Maugan Nakos who specializes in small batch baking.... and when I saw this recipe where the cake is baked in a can I was so amazed....it is just the perfect recipe if you are baking for two.....I had to try it out and just loved the idea.

Recipe source: Small batch baking

Ingredients  

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For Chocolate Cake 

• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp Egg, well beaten egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup + 2tbsp All purpose flour
• 1/3cup + 1tbsp Sugar
• 3tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/8 tsp Baking powder
• 1/8tsp Baking Soda
• 1/8tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted Butter softened

For Ganache

• 100 g Dark Chocolate (I used Bournville 40% cocoa)
• 100 ml Cream

Method

For Chocolate cake

1. Clean 2 cans (I have used 450g empty pineapple slice tin), remove the top and the paper around the can.Line the bottom with parchment paper, grease the sides with butter and dust with flour.Set aside.You can also use 4 muffin cases instead of a can. I have used one can and 2 muffin cases.
2. Preheat oven at 180 degree C
3. In a bowl mix in egg,milk and vanilla extract. Whisk till well combined.Set aside.
4. In a small bowl sieve flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda,salt and cocoa powder.
5. Add the softened butter and half of the milk mixture. Using a handheld electric beater ,beat on low speed till all the ingredients are combined and moist.Increase the speed to medium and beat till the batter is light and increased in volume(around 45 seconds)
6. Add remaining milk mixture and beat till well blended (20 seconds)
7. Transfer the batter into the 2 greased cans or 4 muffin cases and bake till done,when a toothpick inserted it comes out clean.20 minutes for cupcakes and 30 minutes for can. My cake in can took 40 minutes to bake completely.
8. Transfer the cans onto a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake and invert the can and remove the cakes and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting them.

For Ganache

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate on high. After every 30 seconds remove the bowl from oven and mix the chocolate with a spoon and then pop it back in the oven and continue till the chocolate is melted.My chocolate took 1 minute 30 seconds to melt.Or melt over double boil.
2. Add the cream to the melted chocolate and mix till you have a smooth thick chocolate ganache. Cool this before  frosting the cake.

To Assemble

1. Place the cooled cake on a serving plate. Cut the cake to half  horizontally. Apply the ganache on top of the bottom half and spread evenly.Place the top half of the cake on the ganache and frost the whole cake.

Gooey Choco Hot Pots

In my Fresh strawberry mousse post I had mentioned that it was my way of tempting my sister Devina to come down to India........if it didnt work out then my baby sister Neetu (who doesnt't look like a baby) would definitely come over......... aaaand I am happy to say it worked on her!...So for Neetu  I decided to bake gooey choco hot pots (she is my dessert partner)...... and from the picture below its very clear that she enjoyed  eating it very much and we both........ I am sure....... were successful in making Devina VERY jealous!

(IN YOUR FACE!!.......Devina)

Recipe Source - Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

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• 3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
• 113 g Butter , softened
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Caster Sugar (less if you using semi sweet chocolate chips)
• 3 tbsp All purpose flour

Method

1. Grease four ramekins with butter and set aside.
2. In a bowl combine chocolate chips and butter and melt over double boil.Once the chips are melted set aside to cool down.
3. Meanwhile in a small bowl beat egg with sugar till well combined.Now add the cooled chocolate and butter mixture to the eggs and combine using a hand whisk.
4. Now sprinkle 3 tbsp flour and whisk till well combine.
5. Divide the mixture among the greased ramekins.Place them in a preheated oven ad bake at 190 degree C for 20 minutes or till a layer is formed on top.
6. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or cream.

Apple Streusel Cake

The aroma of apple cake being baked in the oven is just out of the world.....the house is filled with cinnamony perfume....and you can just get lost in your own world.

Recipe Source:Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days

Ingredients

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For sponge

• 60g unsalted Butter , softened
• 140g All Purpose Flour
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
• 1tsp Baking powder
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 80ml Milk
• 1  large Apple

For Streusel Topping

• 70g Plain flour
• 1/2tsp ground Cinnamon
• 40g unsalted Butter,chilled and diced
• 70g Light Brown sugar

Method

1.Preheat oven to 170 degree C and grease one 8 inch round spring-form cake tin and dust with flour.Keep this aside.

2.Streusel topping :-Sift flour and cinnamon powder into a bowl, add chilled butter and rub the ingredients with your fingertips till they resemble breadcrumbs.Add brown sugar and stir.Keep this aside and make the sponge batter.
3.Sift flour,baking powder and salt and keep aside. In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar using an electric beater till pale and fluffy, add egg and vanilla essence and mix till well combined.
4.Now add half of the flour mixture into the creamed butter and sugar mixture followed by half of the milk.Mix on medium speed.Now add rest of the dry ingredients and milk and beat till you get a smooth and thick batter.
5.Pour the batter into the greased tin.

6.Peel ,remove the core and thinly slice the apples.Arrange the sliced apples in concentric circles on the cake batter .

7.Sprinkle the streusel topping on the apple layer, make sure it forms an even layer.

8.Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or till done and golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into middle of the cake comes out clean.Place the cake on a wire rack to cool and remove from the tin.

9.Serve warm or cold with ice cream or custard.

Chicken Burritos - Kids Special

Few months ago I got to know that my girl had outgrown her diary allergy.......Since I love diary- cream ,cheese ,butter, ice cream ,chocolates  it was very hard for me to keep my daughter away from such temptations.....I was so happy the day I came to know that she can have diary ......I just could not wait to try out diary based kid friendly recipes....and she loved these burritos...so did I....so did my granny.....I guess I cannot call it kids special then :)

Ingredients
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For Chicken Filling

• 1 1/4 cups cooked Chicken (250g)
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2cup Sour cream
• 1/2 tsp Pepper Powder

• 4 Flour tortilla
• 1 cup finely shredded Lettuce
• 2 small Tomatoes , chopped
• 3/4 cup Grated Cheese

For Tortillas

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• Pinch Baking Powder
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tsp salt
• Milk or water (enough to make a soft dough)

Method

 For Flour tortilla

1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients- flour,baking powder, butter, salt and add enough water or milk to make a soft dough.
2. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes
3. Make medium sized balls with the dough, roll out thin and lightly fry on a flat pan till light brown spots appear on the tortilla.
4. Cover with a cloth to keep warm and soft.

For Chicken filling

1. In a bowl combine cooked chicken, mayonnaise, Sour cream and pepper.Mix well to coat the chicken pieces.

Assemble the Burritos

1. Place tortilla on a plate, put 3 to 4 tbsp of the chicken filling top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes onone side of the tortilla and roll securely to close the filling.
2. Cut in half and serve.

Sour Cream Dip - Cheat Version

I have never been able to find sour cream in Bangalore (I did not search much), I know that the original way of making sour cream is by combining cream with some kind a bacteria ...cultured buttermilk...I have no idea what that is...keep it in a warm place overnight and so on......Seriously .....zero patience....so ...here is the cheat version of sour cream... and you cannot find any difference.....Perfect dip ready in minutes.

Recipe Source : Some video on youtube.....I forgot
Ingredients
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• 200ml Cream
• 4 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
• 1tsp Dried Parsley
• 1tbsp Coriander leaves 
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Transfer cream into a bowl , add lemon juice and mix well. The cream will thicken.
2. Add in chilli flakes, parsley , coriander leaves and salt, mix.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with crackers, corn chips, potato chips or vegetable sticks.

Nutella filled Chocolate Cupcake with Nutella Frosting - My first Guest Post

Have you ever felt weak at your knees....it happens when.....you experience something amazing........when you get a glimpse of someone you have been waiting to see for a long time......when you are kissed like you have never been kissed before.......oh ya it also happens when you are shit scared.......But...in my case......my knees did go weak when I had a bite of this crazzzy crazzzyyyy yumilicious  Nutella cupcake......I seriously got turned on....like seriously....or should I say in my sister Neetu's words 'My mouth had an organism' - -read it any way you want to.....If you get it- GOOD......if you don't EVEN BETTER.

I think I better give this post an 'A' rating

I am guest posting at Priya Sreerams fabulous blog Bon Appetit for this month, I felt this was the best recipe I could share with Priya and her readers.....coz these Nutella cupcakes are so ME.

Iam really glad  to be doing this guest post...I would like to thank Priya for this opportunity....it is very much appreciated :)

For the recipe please visit Priya's Blog  and do not forget to check out her amazing collection of recipes.

Chocolate cupcakes waiting to be filled.

Drool worthy.... cupcakes filled with sinful Nutella....they look so happy.

Complete the cupcakes with Nutella frosting.....ooooooo.......can't wait to make more of these.....its like they have a life of their own.