Saturday 24 February 2018

Puff pastry - no waiting method



Perfect flaky puffy puff pastry, with lots of layers and no refrigeration required... Yes... No waiting. Just fold and bake.... 👍

INGREDIENTS:
Plain flour - 100 gms
Puff margarine* - 25 gms
Room temperature Butter - 25 gms + 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tsp
Ice cold water - as required


METHOD:
1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, vinegar, 1/2 tsp butter and ice cold water and knead to a soft dough.
2. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the margarine and butter to a smooth paste and divide it into 3 equal portions.
4. Now roll the dough lengthwise to a long 1/2 cm thick rectangular slab. (30*10 cm)
5. Take one portion of the butter paste and smear all over the slab and sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of flour over it.
6. Fold the dough into 3 and rotate it to 90° degrees as shown in picture below.

7. Repeat steps 4 - 6 twice and twice again without step 5 (skip smearing butter).
8. Finally freeze it for 15 minutes before use.

How to use:
1. Remove the pastry from freezer and roll it again lengthwise to 1/2 cm thick rectangular slab. (30*10 cm)
2. Cut it to desired shapes. Use it with your favourite filling or just plain.  Brush whisked egg or milk on top. 
3. Bake it at 220°c preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes.

*Puff margarine:
To prepare puff margarine, just melt vanaspati. Do not overheat. Keep a bowl ready mixed with cold water and few ice cubes. Pour the melted vanaspati into the water. Using a fork, stir vigorously. The vanaspati will turn to white solid mass. Now remove the solid mass from water and squeeze it firmly to drain any water. Shape it to a block. Your puff margarine is ready.



Thursday 22 February 2018

Chocolate ganache - Using cocoa powder


A simple, economical yet a very yummy luscious silky smooth chocolaty frosting... Yum 😋 


Recipe source: 4 you recipes

INGREDIENTS:
Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup
Icing sugar - 1/2 cup
Melted Butter - 2 ½ tbsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Honey - 1 tsp (optional) 

METHOD:
1. Sieve cocoa powder and icing sugar together in a bowl. 
2. Add melted butter and mix.
3. Finally add the honey and milk slowly and mix it well to a smooth paste.
4. It's done. Frost it on a cake / donut or just go ahead and indulge with a spoon. 

My notes:
1. For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml. 
2. Honey is purely optional. It adds a glaze to the frosting. 
3. You can add more sugar if you want it to be more sweeter. Instead of icing sugar, you can add finely powdered sugar. 
4. If you find any lumps at the final stage, just whip it in the mixer for few seconds. 
5. It can be refrigerated in an air tight container for later use. 

Monday 12 February 2018

Simple Swiss Roll


Swiss roll with simple ingredients....

INGREDIENTS :
Flour - 40 gms
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Icing sugar - 40 gms
Egg - 1 (around 45 gms)
Salt - a pinch
Essence - 1/2 tsp
Extra Icing sugar for rolling

METHOD:
1. Sieve flour and baking powder together and keep it aside.
2. Beat egg, icing sugar, salt and essence together till pale and creamy. (ribbon stage)
3. Gently fold the flour into the egg-sugar mixture.
4. Pour it into a greased and lined baking tray (24*12cm) and level it.
5. Bake it in 200 C preheated oven for 5-7 minutes.
6. Lay out a clean cloth on the work surface. Lay a piece of parchment paper (slightly larger than the baking tray size) on top. Dust the paper with icing sugar.
7. Invert the baking tray and carefully remove the tray and peel the parchment paper stuck on the cake.
8. Carefully roll it while still hot. Let it cool completely.
9. Gently unroll the cake, then spread your favourite frosting all over and roll it again.
10. Classic n simple swiss roll is ready! 🍥 🍥 🍥 

Sunday 11 February 2018

Brownie Muffins


Brownie Muffins... Broffins... Brownie babies... You'll love it. ♥ 
A simple recipe. So chocolaty and chocolaty... 😋
Very Fudgy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Yields 12 muffins

Salted Butter - 10 tbsp
Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup
White Sugar - 1/2 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
Instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
Eggs - 2 
Flour - 1/2 cup
Walnuts - 1/2 cup (broken to small pieces) 
Chocolate chips - 1/2 cup (optional)

METHOD:
1. In a bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa and coffee powder,  and melt in the microwave for 20 seconds. 

2. Let mixture cool a bit and then add in vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time. Mix well.
3. Next fold in the flour gently.

4. Finally add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix well

5. Use an ice-cream scoop to divide batter into cupcake liners evenly. 

6. Bake it in 180 c preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until tops are cracked and a toothpick inserted comes out with lots of moist crumbs but no wet batter. 

Notes:
1. For this recipe, my 1 cup measures 240 ml.
2. We do not want a clean toothpick - the brownies should still be gooey in the center.
3. Brown sugar can be substituted with same amount of white sugar.