Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse, a light fluffy dessert,  perfect for entertaining guest and the presentation makes them happy and for chocolate lovers, its hard to resist the indulgence of this light ,fluffy smooth textured dessert.

Ingredients
8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tspn butter
1/4 cup fresh raspberries for garnish
3/4 cup heavy Whipping  cream
1/4 cup sugar 
1/4 Vanilla extract
1 tspn Fine sugar
4 Eggs , separate the yolks from whites.

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

Method
1. Using a medium size heat proof bowl, over simmering water (double broiler) melt the chocolate chips and butter, over little heat, stirring well till  chocolate appears melted well and smooth.
2. Remove from heat and add in egg yolks one by one carefully incorporating into the melted chocolate, add in 1/4 tspn vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites to form peaks,adding in 1/4 cup sugar and continue to whisk till  peaks are formed.
4. Gently add in  whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture.Next  beat the whipping cream with 1 tspn sugar till it gets thickened and forms peak, now gently fold in the whipping cream into the chocolate mixture.
5. Fill the cups (ramekins) about 3/4 th with the  ready chocolate mixture , cover each cup and refrigerate for couple of hours. Serve garnished with dollop of whipped cream , chocolate shavings, or fresh raspberries.

Protein packed bars

We all like to eat things that  give us  energy we need , but many times we forget that its important to balance  the proportion  of carbohydrates, proteins and fibre which together can give us  the health benefits of what we are eating . It is exactly what this recipe does and this recipe I got from my uncle.
These bars have used whey powder as the main ingredient, whey is full protein. You can add what ever nuts, you like to this recipe. I like home made bars because you can make them fresh and also we know what we add in them, and make them to our liking.
It is very economical too as these bars are expensive to buy.


Ingredients:
1 cup Rolled oats its important to use the right kind of ingredient to get optimal results, so use steel cut or rolled oats.
1/4 cup Whey powder , this is available in health food or grocery store too. It is the protein content
1/4 cup mixed nuts
1/4 cup flax seeds for the fibre
1/4 cup  golden raisin
1/2 cup skim milk or Almond milk is good too.
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup peanut butter 

Ingredients

Soaked Oats

Mixture 

Ready mixture in foil

Ready protein bars

Protein bars 

Method:
1.Soak rolled oats in 1/2 cup water ,overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours.
Next day, add skim milk to the soaked oats, and microwave for  2 to 3 minutes, till the appear soft. Next follow step 3.
This will make the bars  soft and chewy, if you want the uncooked type go to step 2 directly.
2. In a medium bowl add in almond/skim milk, add whey powder ,stir with a spoon and add in oats, honey,nuts and  flax seeds, and peanut butter. Stir this mixture together and pour into a flat container, lined with parchment or silver foil and refrigerate overnight or 4 to 6 hours. Remove from foil and cut into bars.
3. Add in whey powder,nuts, and honey. Mix in flax seeds and raisins and mix  it all together, store in a container. Have a tablespoon full of this mixture  and get protein and  energy before   your workouts. You can form them into bars or  round balls.
Whey is nothing else but liquid that is obtained from curdling milk, It  is complete protein, like meat ,eggs ,dairy , and vegetables.

Chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite of many of us and when they are home made they get even better.
This recipe is from the original basic recipe by Nestle for making chocolate chip cookies, with a slight variation, that we have omitted nuts and used semisweet chocolate morsels, that is the main ingredient of a chocolate chip cookie.
Another advantage of making these cookies at home is the whole house gets perfumed with the fragrance of chocolate and you know they are ready . My daughter makes the best Chocolate cakes and cookies, they are so good, that there aren't any left overs :)))
So dig in the recipe and make some of these for your self and for your loved ones and watch their smiles light up..

 Ingredients
2 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter
1 tspn vanilla essence
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tspn whole milk
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semi sweet chocolate morsels(I like to use Toll house Nestle brand)

Chocolate chip cookies 

Home baked cookies

Method.
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F and grease and line with parchment paper the cookie sheet.
1. In a mixing bowl , cream the butter and sugars together , using a wooden spoon or electric  hand mixer until smooth. Next add in the eggs, one by one and continue to mix to incorporate the eggs.
2. Combine sieved flour , salt and baking powder and ad this to the creamed mixture gradually. Add in 1 tblsp warmed  milk and vanilla essence.
Next stir in the chocolate morsels. Using a spoonful drop little rounds of dough onto un greased cookie sheet, making sure to keep an inch of distance between them. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until they appear crisp on the edges and slight golden colour.
After they are done remove from oven and allow to cool on the wire rack or on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Chocolate chip cookies go great with milk or just by themselves.

Kulfi falooda

 Kulfi is frozen Indian ice-cream  that is creamy and served chilled with or without  falooda ( they are  like rice noodles) and  topped with rose syrup. This combination is  a delight to the palate and a must in most Indian get together including weddings.

This is a very simple yet tasteful version of making kulfi

                     

Ingredients for kulfi making.

Mixing  the ingredients 

Add in nuts

5oz cups filled  ready to be chilled after covering each cup with silver foil.

Kulfi

Ingredients:
 14 oz sweet condensed milk
 12 oz evaporated milk
 12 oz heavy whipping cream
 16 oz cool whip
1/4 cup coarsely ground unsalted pistachios and almond mix, with 1/4 tspn saffron.

For falooda 
1 250 gm store bought Falooda packet (available at Indian store)
Method:
Boil  falooda by heating  2 cups water and as it boils, close the heat and drain the falooda and refrigerator ready falooda for about 30 minutes to an hour.
1/2 cup rose syrup to drizzle 1 tspn on each served kulfi.
Method: 1.In a medium bowl add condensed milk, next add in evaporated milk,heavy whipping cream, and cool whip, using a hand blender mix it all together, its that simple.Lastly add in the ground nuts, and saffron.
Line up 16 to 20, 5 oz cups and pour in the mixture , cover with silver foil and freeze these cups for 2 to 3 hours.

After they are ready, before serving rub the sides of  cups with the palms of your hand this  will help to take out  kulfi easily. Serve chilled and top with falooda and rose syrup.

Rabri Kheer

Rabri Kheer
A cold desert served in Northern India and made with rice and milk,sweetened with sugar and has the goodness of nuts....

It was a great evening spent with friends and we all had a great time. I wanted to make some extra special dessert and decided to make some Rabri Kheer and serve it in earthen cups and garnish with gold flakes (not real ;) but definitely edible:) Any ways we all  friends enjoyed the desert so I thought to write down the recipe and share with all, so that you can try this too and enjoy a nice desert.

Rabri Kheer

Ingredients
500 ml Milk
1/4 cup cashews,pistachio,Almonds (powdered dry fruits)
1/2 cup rice
2 cups sugar
2 tea spoon Rose water
500 ml Half n half (thickened milk)
1 teaspoon Cardamom powder
1 small bottle gold flakes (available at food speciality stores)
Earthen pots for serving the kheer.


Method
1.Wash and soak the rice for about 10 minutes before adding it to milk. Take a pressure cooker and pour milk, add  soaked rice, sugar, half n half and boil for about 3 whistles or for about 20 minutes , till the milk thickens. 
2. Remove from the cooker ,add in  chopped nuts and few drops of Rose water to the cooked Kheer. Place the kheer in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours, before serving in the earthen pots.
3. Garnish with gold flakes or nuts.

Red velvet cupcakes

Classic red velvet cupcakes frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting is a favorite of all...Perfect for entertaining and creating a show stopper for guests and children!!! Easy to make and step by step recipe, try it out and be surprised at how easy this recipe is ....

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon red food colouring

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 stick (3 oz) of unsalted butter

1 cup store bought Cream Cheese Frosting

                                                     

Ingredients

 Ready to  put batter in to Baking  pan 

Just Baked :))

Ready Red velvet cupcakes 

Directions:

    1.   Preheat the oven (350 degrees F). Prepare cupcake pan by lining with paper liners.

    2.  Combine the buttermilk, vanilla extract, red food colouring  and vinegar together in a bowl.

   3.    Sift together the following ingredients in a small bowl: cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

      4. Using an electric mixer beat together the butter and sugar on medium for 1 minute. Then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the ingredients are combined. Turn down the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in parts. Mix until the ingredients are combined.

    5.  Using a spoon, scoop the batter into the lined cupcake pan. Fill each cup about halfway with the batter.

     6.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes. To check if cupcakes are ready, insert a toothpick in the centre and check if it comes out clean.

  7.  Cool completely and frost the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

    8. Take one cupcake and crumble it. Use these crumbles to garnish the cupcakes.  Makes approximately 24 cup cakes. Preparation time is 20 minutes and Bake time 20 minutes.

Srikhand~Indian Dessert

Traditional Indian dessert , made from strained yogurt and sugar added for sweetness. You can add pistachios,almonds and other nuts for that added richness.A little pinch of saffron gives it that lovely color. Also if one likes different flavors, one can add mangoes and make Mango shrikhand or strawberries to make strawberry shrikhand. This desert is effortless, yet so tasty and a sure winner with your guest. It's a perfect dessert after  a hot spicy Indian meal.Its special because its made by my mother in law,Mrs Nivedita Sheth.

Kesar Shrikhand 

Ingredients
2 cup's plain yogurt 
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp powdered small cardamom
5 to 6 strands of saffron
1 tsp Rose flavor extract ( available at Indian store)
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios
1 tsp corn flour (optional, if the curd is watery ,corn starch will help thicken it)


Method:
1.Place yogurt in a cheese cloth,tie together and hang over the kitchen sink to drain out the water from the yogurt.
Keep it hung for about an hour till all the water is out.
2.Place the yogurt into a mixing bowl,whisk to make the curd smooth and fluffy.
3.Add the sugar and continue mixing. Now add the cardamom,rose extract and saffron. Mix again and allow to cool for about an hour before serving.
4. Serve cold topped with pistachios or small cardamom powder. 

Eggless Date and Walnut Cake~treat for HOLI shared by Sonal Kaza

(Eggless) DATES AND WALNUTS CAKE

This eggless cake is delicious and the recipe is sent by my friend Sonal Kaza. It is perfect for vegetarians too as it doesn’t have eggs.

Also dates are packed with all the valuable nutrients  that are good to eat.  Enjoy making this quick and easy recipe.

DATES AND WALNUT CAKE 

Ingredients

200 gm date (pitted)
½ cups walnuts chopped
1/2 cup oil (olive oil)
1 cup Maida - All purpose flour
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp baking powder

Method

Chop dates into small pieces and soak in water in a pan. Heat on stove for about 10 minutes and they get soft and pulpy.

Close burner,add sugar and allow it to cool. Next add olive oil and vanilla essence.

Mix baking powder with Maida and sieve. Add the Maida to the mixture and fold in the chopped walnuts.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray cake tin with oil.Pour in the cake mixture and bake for 40 minutes.
Once done, loosen the edges and remove the cake onto a serving dish.Enjoy:)Sending this post to event Fruit Fiesta at Ramya's recipes

Sending this recipe post to Cook like a celebrity event at Food corner 

Valentine Day

Friends it is Valentine's Day  ,a day that celebrates love and that's what makes it so special. We all love this day and look forward to plan out something special and to spend the day with some one special.

 You can feel the romance in the air. Also stores are decked up with items in red color, be it balloons, heart shaped candies, cards. Along with the gifts, cards, & flowers; food too plays an important role. People go out for candle light dinner or plan out something special at home. 

Add a bottle of nice wine with romantic music playing in the background, you will be all set for a great romantic evening. If you don't drink wine, get sparkling cider. Desserts and chocolates and giving gifts to each other can also make the day so special for each other. Happy Valentine Day!!!


I would love to share the recipe for Valentine Cupcakes.

Valentine Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 Box ready cake mix vanilla or chocolate flavor cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1cup water
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line up the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl empty the contents of the store bought cake mix and following instructions add 1/3 cup
oil, mix together using an electric or hand mixer, slowly alternate by adding eggs and water, ending with
water and mix to a smooth fluffy mixture. Use an ice-cream scoop; fill each liner with 2/3 full.
Bake each cupcake tray for about 20 minutes; till they appear done, test it by using a toothpick lightly
pierces into the cupcake if it comes out clean its ready. Allow the cupcakes to cool well before frosting
them.


Ingredients for Frosting:
1 sticks butter or ½ cup softened butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Few drops of red food coloring
¼ cup milk
Method:
In a mixing bowl, mix the butter with the sugar, mixing well for about 3 to 4 minutes; add vanilla extract,
milk and food coloring. Using a spatula spread the frosting on top of the cooled cupcake or spoon into a
piping bag to decorate the cupcake. Sprinkle colored sprinkles.

Carrot Pudding (Gajjar Halwa) Recipe

Halwa is a sweet and delicious dessert of India. It is prepared in many different ways. Carrot Pudding is a popular Indian desert and it is prepared by using carrots and milk.


Growing up in India , I remember the times when my mom made this dessert and the sweet aroma from the cooked dessert filled the kitchen and other rooms. I have tried to create the same taste, so wanted to share the recipe. It is really easy and the result is rewarding ....hot halwa in cold season..makes a good combination.


Ingredients:
2 pound peeled and grated carrots.
1 cup milk
1/2 cup / 200 gm condensed milk
2 to 3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp clarified butter( ghee)
3 to 4 small cardamom powdered
50 gm cashews and raisins for garnish
1/4 cup almonds powdered
2 to 3 strands of saffron


Method:
1. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadai (wok). Add cashews, raisins saute for few seconds, remove and keep aside for garnish.
2. In the same wok, add 3 tbsp clarified butter, add in the grated carrots, stir for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the milk, further cook till the milk evaporates.Now add the condensed milk and sugar.Keep stirring well till the milk gets absorbed. Add almonds, cardamom powder & 2 to 3 strands of saffron.
4. Allow to cook for another about 10 minutes on high to medium heat, stirring  till all the liquid evaporates, and halwa turns nice deeper color. Garnish with nuts and serve hot.


You can also top it with cream and berries.

Carrot Halwa With Cream And Berries