Chocolate cup cake with White chocolate frosting

Yes, it's been very long since I visited my lil' cooking blog. It's like I have almost forgotten about this lovely passion of mine...Time and office work often tends to rob you of your hobbies. So, here I am dedicating this post of mine to all the lovely people out there who take time to pursue their hobbies, no matter what! It's people like you who keep me inspired :)

I baked these cupcakes and they were such a hit with my friends- the recipe is definitely a keeper- It took me a couple of attempts to get this correct, but yes, it tastes gorgeous. You know the best part? you don't have to reach for the stars in terms of preparation or ingredients.

What do you need?

85 gm self raising flour
55 gm butter
55 gm castor sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp cocoa powder
55 gm plain chocolate (broken into small pieces)
white chocolate 55 gm (for decoration)

*Instead of using a self raising flour, I used 85 gm plain flour and 1tsp baking powder*
*If you don't get a large egg- 2 small ones can be used*

Preparation-

• Place the flour, butter, sugar, egg and cocoa powder in a large bowl and beat together till it is smooth
• Spoon half the mixture in cup cake paper cases.
• With a small spoon make an indentation in middle and place piece of plain chocolate
• Spoon remaining cake mixture on top (till it fills up 3/4th space of the cup cake case)
• Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until they are well risen and springy to touch.

For decoration-
Melt the white chocolate in a bowl and with a teaspoon gently drizzle it on top of your cup cake!

My twist on Pulla...

Pulla is a Finnish sweet cardamom flavored bread (also finnish sweet rolls). What makes this really awesome is the cardamom flavor that is inherent in the bread – it’s not sickly sweet and would make you come back for more.

I can’t tell you how long I have been waiting to make this bread but never had an opportunity. It’ s a braided bread and I found out that there are couple of techniques to get them braided (thanks to youtube). Though the technique I followed is not an easy one, I still could pull this one off. If you are someone, who can make bread without a sweat then there will be no concerns for you. However, for people like me, who have to think this like a big project here are couple of pointers- the trick is kneading the dough to let the yeast work it’s magic and giving enough rest time for the dough to rise.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 1 pkt dry yeast (about 7 to 8 gms)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt (can skip if you use salted butter)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp crushed cardamom seeds
• 4-5 cups flour (all purpose)
• 1 stick melted unsalted butter
• 1 egg mixed with a bit of water for egg wash
• for filling-
• 2-3 tbsp softened butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Instructions

• Heat milk till it is lukewarm.
• Pour milk into large bowl and stir in the yeast.
• Allow the yeast to awaken and let it sit for about 7 minutes.
• Add egg, crushed cardamom, sugar and salt and whisk till they are incorporated.
• Stir in about 1 cup of flour, melted butter and whisk into a batter.
• Add the rest of the flour.
• Knead for about 10 minutes with your hands on a lightly floured surface. (If it is too sticky, add a bit of flour).
• The kneaded dough should be springy to touch.
• Place the dough in a bowl and cover bowl with cling wrap/ towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
• In the meanwhile, mix the filling ingredients together.
• Once your dough has risen and doubled in size, knock the air out and Knead it gently for a couple of minutes on a lightly floured surface.
• Roll the dough into a oblong or an oval shape with a roller on a parchment paper.
• with the help of a pizza cutter, make slanting cuts along both sides (be careful not to cut deep as we need the space in middle for the filling)
• Just ensure that the strips you cut are equal in number on both sides and are of the same length on both sides.
• Spread the filling in middle.
• Leaving the end closest to the filling attached, start braiding the strips over the filling tucking in the loose ends.
• Tuck the end and pinch the dough to seal it off.
• Cover with dish towel and let it sit at least 15 minutes to rise again before baking it.
• About 5 minutes before baking, give it a quick egg wash.
• Bake them at 200 degree celsius for about 15-20 minutes on a preheated oven.
• Enjoy with a cuppa steaming coffee.

Garlic Knots

Of late, I haven’t been cooking much. My mom who is visiting me, has taken complete control of the kitchen. My taste buds are in a south Indian cuisine heaven (if there is one???). So, this weekend, I decided to make something we all would enjoy- As a big fan of garlic, I had been eyeing on making these knots for quite sometime. The highlight of the dish is Garlic butter with a coriander/cilantro twist. My original plan was to use parsley, but as luck would have it, I ran out of parsley and what can you expect from a South Indian cuisine expert’s fridge?

You need patience- needless to mention, I guess, when working with yeast! Making the knots isn’t tough- Initially, the knots can be a bit wobbly and out of shape…(can be a bit sticky, at times). Slowly, you work your way and get them right. It’s fun to work with, it’s delicious and just melts into your mouth- Buttery, Garlicky Knots :)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tsp dry active yeast
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp melted salted butter
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour (keep more handy for dusting)
• For Garlic butter coating-
• 5 tbsp salted butter
• 4-5 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 tbsp Chopped coriander/parsley

Instructions

1. Dissolve the yeast in warm water with sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes. Allow it to froth.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and butter. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the olive oil, then the yeast-water mixture. Mix this together to form a soft dough and knead for 5-10 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and lightly coat with olive oil.
3. Put it in a large bowl, top the bowl with plastic wrap and set it at room temperature to rise.
4. When the dough has doubled in size (after an hour or so), punch the air out of it and knead it on a lightly floured surface.
5. With the help of a rolling pin roll out the dough to a rectangle.
6. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into strips.
7. Take one strip and tie it into a knot.
8. The dough will be sticky along the cut edges, so dust these with flour before you tie the knot.
9. Set each knot down on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and finish tying knots with the rest of the dough.
10. Leave some space between each knot.
11. When all the knots are tied, coat them with a little olive oil.
12. Loosely cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise again until doubled in size.
13. Bake the knots in a preheated oven @ 200 degree Celsius for 10 to 15 minutes till they become golden brown.
14. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pot and cook the garlic gently in it just long enough to take off that raw garlic taste, about 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat.
15. Add chopped coriander/parsley and stir to combine. Turn off the heat.
16. When the knots are baked, take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Paint with the garlic-butter-coriander mixture and serve.

Cardamom & Cinnamon Swirl bread...

The ambience was perfect for baking. I had the whole house to myself & I had all the ingredients in my kitchen cabinet. My buddy, the radio was belting out good songs. I am on a baking spree these days and I can’t complaint. This bread is special because, it includes my two favorite C’s- Cardamom and Cinnamon. Oh boy, the smell that wafts all around the house, just spikes up your spirit! This one is a winner :)

Phew, preparation time is long. And you have to be patient while the yeast does the trick. If you are an impatient soul like me, it becomes tough. Trust me, all the patience is rewarded with a sensational and aromatic bread :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup Milk
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 2-1/2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 3-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 11/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cardamom
• Egg And Milk, Mixed Together, For Brushing
• Softened Butter, For Smearing And Greasing

Instructions

1. Step 1 will be to awaken your sleeping yeast. Mix yeast and 1/4 tsp of sugar in a bowl with 2-3 tbsp of warm water. Set it aside for five minutes for the yeast to froth.
2. Melt butter with milk. Heat until very warm, but don’t boil. Allow to cool until still warm to the touch, but not hot.
3. Since I used salted butter, I haven’t used any salt separately for the dough.
4. In a bowl beat sugar and eggs until combined. Pour in milk/butter/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour, bit by bit and knead until combined.
5. If dough is very sticky, add 1/4 cup flour and knead for 5 minutes.
6. Once the dough is done, place it in a bowl and set it in a warm, hospitable place for an hour.
7. The dough should double in volume after an hour.
8. Once the dough is doubled, punch out the air and gently knead it on a work surface.
9. with the help of a rolling pin, roll the dough in a rectangle (ensure it is not too wide to put in the baking pan).
10. Spread some butter on the dough.
11. Mix sugar, cardamom and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the butter-smeared dough. Starting at the far end, roll dough toward you, keeping it tight and contained. Pinch seam to seal.
12. Spread the baking pan with softened butter. Place dough, seam down, in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 45 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius.
14. Mix a little egg with milk, and brush over the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes on a middle/lower rack in the oven.
15. Remove from the pan and allow bread to cool. Slice and serve with a cuppa steaming coffee- bliss!

Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe

There is something dark and mysterious about this cake, and the coconut blends perfectly to create a symphony of taste.

There is something dark and mysterious about this cake and the coconut just blends so well to create a perfect symphony of taste. Remember the ratatouille movie rat and the way they show the flavors just mixing and creating a beautiful medley- well that’s exactly what was happening the moment I took a bite and savored the coconut and chocolate flavors that were oozing out of the cake. Now, making it ain’t gonna be a rocket scientist job- Considering, a novice like me can whip up this cake…Some people can just bake a cake  at the spur of a moment. For me, it’s a big deal. I decide on a day (usually sundays), read through the recipe atleast 10 times and shop for the ingredients on saturday. phew…I make it so complicated. but the results have always been good, so I think it is worth the effort.  It’s a moist cake and you can’t simply stop eating it- oops, here goes another bite in my mouth!

Chocolate coconut cake

perfect symphony of coconut and chocolate in a moist cake!


Ingredients

• 150 grams all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 175 grams butter
• 175 grams caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• Icing-
• 50 gram plain chocolate broken in pieces
• 5 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp butter
• 85 grams icing sugar
• about 5-8 tsp desiccated coconut to decorate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius-
2. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together and keep aside.
3. In a bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
5. Fold the flour into this mixture and blend well.
6. Pour the mixture into a greased tin.
7. Bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes-
8. Once baked leave it to cool on a wire rack.
9. To make the icing, place the chocolate, milk and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water.
10. stir until the chocolate melts and blend in the icing sugar and beat till smooth.
11. Leave the icing to cool until it’s thick to spread.
12. Spread the icing on the cake and sprinkle the desiccated coconut on top.

Notes

Lightly toast the coconut in a pan for few minutes before topping the cake. Don’t let it burn.

Cinnamon muffins!

Nothing beats a good, moist, cinnamon flavored muffin. It’s like biting into a piece of cinnamon bliss.

A hardcore fan of cinnamon, I can munch on these goodies day in and out. I sure had fun baking them and it’s pretty easy to make. The recipe came from the blog velvetlava.blogspot.in. I had pinned it long time back and never had a chance to revisit. And when I did revisit, I realised I had all the ingredients to bake them. I was delighted when it came out perfect.

Cinnamon Muffins

Moist Cinnamon Muffins- who wouldn’t love it?

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. butter, melted
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg (preferably room temperature)
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 c. milk
• Topping
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• Preheat oven to 350F.

Instructions

1. In a medium-large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.
2. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined, but still a bit lumpy. (Don’t overmix).
3. Scoop batter into muffin tins or muffin cups.
4. Using a spoon, I got 12 medium muffins out of this batter; I think you could get 8-10 large muffins by distributing the batter generously.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they just start to turn a bit golden at the edges.
6. For the topping, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
7. Place melted butter in another small bowl.
8. Dip the warm muffins in melted butter, then dip/roll the muffin in cinnamon sugar.
9. Enjoy with piping hot coffee :)