Chocolate Cupcakes

These chocolate cupcakes are a dedication to all chocolate lovers. The cupcakes are soo moist and light. The texture, the appearance and the taste of the cupcake is absolutely divine. They are really easy to make and quite addictive too. Trust me, you can't eat just one. The original recipe is of a Chocolate Cake. Once, I had leftover batter and tried making these cupcakes with them. And since then, I haven't tried it any other way. I prefer not to change anything even with it's simple appearance.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup levelled all purpose flour (maida)
• 1 cup sugar (powdered)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup boiling water 
• ¼ cup refined oil
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg

Method:-

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 
• Line cupcake moulds with paper liners.
• Sieve together maida, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Add powdered sugar to this and mix well.
• Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla essence.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Now add boiling water and stir well.
• The batter will be thin.
• Pour the batter in the cupcake moulds till ¾ full.
• Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 30-35 minutes or until done.
• Cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes:-

• If you like your cupcake to be more sweet, you can add 1½ cup sugar instead of 1 cup.
• For simple icing:- double boil 100 grams milk chocolate with ¼ cup butter. Cool and use.
• If you are icing the cupcake, do not increase sugar.
• For the eggless version, just add ½ cup buttermilk instead of egg

Happy Cooking!!

Sending this to :- Vardhini's Bake Fest # 25

 

7.11.13 - +Joerg Sterner tried this Chocolate cupcakes... Thanks +Joerg Sterner for sharing your feedback... God bless.. 

Shahi Tukda / Royal Bread Pudding

Shahi Tukda, is a royal Indian dessert from the Moghul cuisine of the Nawabs. I remember first having this dish some 10 years back when my younger sister made it. I asked her for the recipe sometime back. But she had almost forgotten it. Putting together of what all she could remember the most, I made this dessert last weekend and relished it with my family. It is prepared with bread slices that are deep fried in ghee and soaked in thickened sweet saffron flavored milk and garnished with roasted khoya and dry fruits. It is very easy to make and perfect to go for a dinner party dessert. This can be served in two ways - cold and slightly crunchy and warm and immersed in milk. You can choose whichever way you'd like to make it and enjoy it with your loved ones.

Ingredients:-

• 10-12 slices of bread
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 ltr milk
• 400 ml condensed milk
• 100 gms khoya
• ½ tsp cardamom pdr
• ½ tsp rose essence
• a pinch of saffron
• ghee / clarified butter (for deep frying)
• handful of nuts - almonds, pistachios& cashews (finely sliced)

Method:-

• Cut the bread slices into half to form triangles.
• Heat ghee in a pan and deep fry on slow flame until both sides are brown and crispy.
• Remove and keep aside.
• In a vessel, take milk, sugar, condensed milk, saffron cardamom pdr, half of the khoya, rose essence and nuts. Cook on very slow flame stirring continuously until it thickens.
• Arrange half of the bread slices in a tray and pour half of the thickened milk over it.
• Arrange the remaining half of the bread slices on top of it and pour the remaining milk .
• Dry roast the remaining khoya and spread on top of the last layer.
• Garnish with finely sliced nuts.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour or two before serving.

Notes:-

• Do not use oil instead of ghee for deep frying the bread slices.
• If you like it warm, follow the same procedure, but just before spreading khoya add a thin layer of fresh cream and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes @ 180 degrees Celsius.
• You may omit the fresh cream and the khoya if you want.
• You may use almond or pistachio essence instead of rose essence.

Happy Cooking!!

Sending this entry to - Asiya's WTML Event & Gayathri's Announcement page and Amrita's Party Event and What's With My Cuppa & Nupur's Home Page and Event Announcement Page & Dish it Out Page  and Vardhini's Diwali Bash 2013 and Only " Traditional recipes" & Pari's Announcement Page 

Choco-Nut Crumb Cake - A Guest Post For Razina

I am so happy and excited to do my 3rd guest post for Razina Javed who writes at RaaaZzz Food Love. When Razina asked me to do a guest post I was really excited, although it happened a long time back but as I was a bit tied up, I took my own sweet time to make something and send it to her. Thanks to Razina for understanding and also sharing her blog for my recipe today. 

I came to know Razina through her blog and I know she is very passionate about baking.. I was actually thrilled when she asked me for a guest post so I made this ­­­­­Choco-Coconut Crumb cake for you Razina. Hope you like it.

My hubby loves coconut macaroons and my son’s favourite has always been chocolate cake. After thinking for sometime, I took this perfect opportunity to try out this choco-coconut crumb cake which is the combo of both. The cake turned out to be very moist and delicious with a unique aroma of coconut. Luckily, this combo was appreciated a lot by my hubby and son.

If you like chocolate and coconut, then this cake is totally worth-trying.. I PROMISE YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED!!

To view the recipe click HERE

Thanks Razina for giving me the opportunity to appear on your space. I wish you all the success and happiness always... Hope you like this simple treat I made for you dear. 

22.10.13 - +Razina Javed was kind enough to have sent me this 'Thank You Card'. Thanks to you too +Razina Javed .. I really enjoyed doing the guest post for you.. Love always

24.10.13 - +Joerg Sterner tried this Choconut-crumb cake... Thanks +Joerg Sterner for sharing your feedback... God bless.. 

 

   Happy Blogging!!

Creme Caramel / Caramel Custard

My son is having vacation from school and I'm trying to spend the maximum time with him nowadays. We both have manged to have structured a daily routine for both of us so that we can have our everyday run smoothly and less chaotic with lots of fun activities too.

I always feared making caramel and kept postponing this recipe for a very long time. But overcame the fear once I tried this dessert This is our family favorite dessert now which is made very often at home as its quite simple to make with all the ingredients usually available in most of our kitchens. It is very easy to make too - just have a little patience and be careful to not over-cook it. I just love the rich, silky and glossy form the custard turns out into after being baked in a water bath. As for the caramel, I do not like it dark as a little dark brown gives a slight bitter taste of caramel which I do not like at all., but you may choose to brown the caramel as per your taste and liking. You can make it for your weekend desserts or any special occasions.

Ingredients:-

• 8 eggs
• 1 ltr milk
• 10 tbsp fine sugar
• 6 tbsp sugar (for caramel)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• few drops of yellow color

Method:-

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Melt sugar in a saucepan on slow flame. Cook stirring continuously till sugar dissolves and a light golden colour is obtained. Pour it into ramekins / baking dish or a bundt pan immediately and give it a whirl so that caramel is coated on the bottom and sides of the dish well. Keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl, add eggs, fine sugar, vanilla essence, and yellow colour. Beat well.
• Add to it milk and beat again.
• Strain the mixture in another bowl.
• Carefully pour this strained mix over the caramel.
• Place the baking dish into a larger baking pan filled with water halfway.
• Bake it at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 minutes to an hour.
• When it is done. Remove and cool.
• Chill in a refrigerator for atleast 12 hours.
• Loosen the edges, overturn and serve.

Notes:-

•  You can also steam it instead in a pressure cooker filled with water. Just make sure the container fits in the cooker well. Seal the container with foil and cover with a tight lid. Make sure no water enters the dish when the water boils. Once you hear the whistle, reduce heat and cook on slow flame for 15-20 minutes.
• Be careful that water should not dry while baking or steaming.
• Do not grease the mould / dish or else the custard will stick to it and break while overturning.
• There will be lots of caramel syrup when you overturn the dish.

Happy Baking!!

Sending this to:- Foodabulous Fest Event organised by SimplyTADKA & Rafeeda's Announcement Page and Shruti’s ‘Sweet Celebration’ Event and Pramitha love cooking celebrating 1st blog anniversary page and Srivalli's Kid's Delight Potluck Party and Amrita's Party Event  

Zafrani Badam Pista Kheer - A Guest Post For Sapana

It’s always a pleasure to cook for a friend. So, when Sapana of Cooking With Sapana asked me to do a guest post for her blog, I was super thrilled and accepted the invitation immediately. This post was supposed to be published in July (as her blog completed 6 months then). But just a day before my FIL passed away, and I had to ask Sapana to hold the post for sometime. I would like to thank you Sapana, for your understanding and support.You truly are a very dear friend sweetheart. 

Sapana is one of the sweetest bloggers I've come across in this blog-o-sphere. She is a fabulous cook and I love the step by step detailed touch to all her fantabulous recipes. A simple look at her recipes is just enough to make you fall in love with her blog. From basic recipes to grand ones, all of them are worth bookmarking and trying for sure. 

My favorites from her kitchen are –

Eggless Raspberry Cake, Shahi Tukda, ChocolatePudding With Fudge Sauce, Paneer Stuffed Dal Chilla, and Water Chestnut Dosa. 

Her blog has completed more than 300 recipes..Congratulations dear on hitting such a remarkable achievement..  My sincere wishes are always there with you.. May you achieve lots of success and cross many more memorable milestones. I am really happy for you dear Sapana..  To celebrate the happiness, I decided to make this traditional and delicious kheer.. It has a rich and creamy texture which makes one fall in love with it.. This is one recipe that no one can turn down ever, but it needs a secret ingredient for best results... PATIENCE!! My son loves this soo much that he asks me to make this for him every now and then.

To view this recipe CLICK HERE!! 

Thanks a lot Sapana for giving me the opportunity to be your guest. I am indeed honored, to be a part of a your amazing blog which I always admire and appreciate.. Hope you will like this dessert I made for you dear. 

 Happy Blogging!!