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CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE for HUNGRY KIDS!!

“Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don’t need an appointment”

Anonymous

CHOCOLATE SNACK CAKE FOR HUNGRY KIDS…

Here’s a chocolate cake recipe I conjured up for the kids for when they come home after school. I was working on a cake without frosting…and while doing the lemon cake, thought I could give it a shot in chocolate. The results were very welcome indeed!! I used big chocolate chips which sank to the bottom…maybe smaller ones will suit this one better, but the kids liked the taste of the big, gooey, chocolate chips at the bottom. Here goes…

Ingredients:
Butter – ½ cup/100gms
Eggs – 3
Sugar – 1 ¼ cups
Flour – 1 1/4 cups
Cocoa – ½ cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – ¼ tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Yogurt – 6 tbsp / thick
Cream – 3 tbsp / 25 % fat
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease well and line bottom of 8” ring tin
Sift the dry ingredients together. Keep aside
Mix the yogurt + cream in a small bowl. Keep aside
Beat the butter + sugar well until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs 1 by 1, scraping the sides down after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla essence
On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients alternatively with yogurt and cream mix…in 3 goes.
If you like, you can add chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts.
Put the batter into the tin and level out. Sprinkle with coloured/chocolate sprinkles if desired.
Bake for approximately 60 mins, or till the tester comes out clean.
Cool in tin on rack for 10 mins
Turn it out on rack, handling gently while warm, as it’s quite delicate while warm.
This cake is delicious and moist when fresh out of the oven!!

LEMON POUND CAKE SANS SOUR CREAM…my twist to the cake!

“We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.”

Alfred E. Newman

Here’s one of our favourite ‘anytime’ cakes…with a tangy, fresh lemon taste and a light crumb. Doesn’t need icing, and is lovely for an evening tea. I’ve worked on the recipe for a while to find a good substitute for sour cream. This cake always gets me rave reviews.

Ingredients:

Butter – ½ cup/100gms
Eggs – 3
Sugar – 1 ¼ cups
Flour – 1 ½ cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – ¼ tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Yogurt – 4 tbsp / thick
Cream – 2 tbsp / 25 % fat
Juice of 1 lemon
Rind of 2 lemons
Lemon Extract – 1 tsp
Orange Essence – 1 tsp
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Water – ¼ cup
Sugar – ½ cup
Lemon Juice of 2 lemons
Orange Extract – ½ tsp (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Grease well and line bottom of 8” ring tin.(Tends to stick otherwise)
Sift the dry ingredients together. Keep aside.
Mix the yogurt + cream in a small bowl. Keep aside.
Beat the butter + sugar well until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs 1 by 1, scraping the sides down after each addition.
Beat in the lemon rind + lemon extract + orange essence + vanilla essence + lemon juice.
On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients alternatively with yogurt and cream mix…in 3 goes.
If you like, you can mix a deeper yellow colour in 1/3 of the batter to get a marble effect.
Put the batter into the tin, alternating with the deeper coloured batter, if using, and level out.
Bake for approximately 60 mins, or till the tester comes out clean.
Cool in tin on rack for 10 mins, and then turn it out on rack.
While the cake is baking, heat the water + sugar + extract and make syrup.
Take off heat, and add the lemon juice. Taste, and increase the lemon if desired.
Should taste nice and tangy…like a concentrate.
Poke the cake gently with a skewer.
Pour the warm syrup over the hot cake. Handle cake gently while warm, as it’s quite delicate.

Babushkas peeping out…this one’s for you, Chhoti!!

FUSILLI PASTA IN A SIMPLE CORIANDER CREAM SAUCE

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.”

Julia Child

A recipe I put together when the kids were ravenous, and the cupboard was bare!! I felt like ‘Old Mother Hubbard’, but this is now a regular feature with stir fried veggies, pan fried chicken, and a salad. A refreshingly different change, and a hit with the kids….

Ingredients:

Fusilli – 300gms
Cream – 200ml(25% fat)
Onion – 1 / chopped fine
Garlic – 4 cloves/ Chopped fine
Olive Oil- 2 Tbsp
Cheese – 3 Tbsp (I use whatever I have-Gouda,Cheddar…)
Coriander – 1 BIG bunch (leaves chopped up fine)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put the fusilli onto boil in plenty of salted water.
On the other stove, put the oil in a pan with the garlic and onions.
Allow to sweat for 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the cream and simmer gently till it bubbles.
Stir in the grated cheese, salt and pepper.
Now, put in ALL the coriander laves. They might appear to be too much, but these wilt in 2-3 minutes.
Keep stirring till the leaves wilt and impart a lovely green colour to the sauce. The flavours intensify as the sauce stands.
If required, add a little milk to get the correct consistency
ZATS IT!! Take it off the fire and wait for the pasta to be cooked till al dante.
Drain the pasta, pour the sauce over, mix in well..Voila! Its ready!!

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA …It’s time for ‘BEYOND BAKING’

“The duty of a good Cuisinier is to transmit to the next generation everything he has learned and experienced.”

Fernand Point, 1941

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Here’s a simple chicken curry …a version of the now famous ‘Indian Butter Chicken’. Increase or decrease the spices as you like . This can be made in stages, and also be made in advance, as it tastes better the next day. Remember to reheat this on low heat because of the cream in it.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA…An Indian Chicken Curry Recipe (as mild as you like)

Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 small/cut into pieces ( or boneless if you prefer) 600-750gms
For Marinade:
Thick yogurt- 3
Oil – 1 tbsp
Lemon juice – of 1 lemon
Garlic – 1 tsp
Ginger -1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1tsp
Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp (or paprika for colour)
Salt to taste
For Curry :
Onions -2 medium
Garlic- 6 pods
Ginger – 1″ piece
Tomato puree – 200ml (we get 200ml tetrapaks here)
Green chillies – 1-2 / finely chopped
Haldi – 1/4 tsp
Dhania – 2 tsp (coriander powder)
Zeera pdr – 1-2 tsp(roasted cumin powder)
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime ( 1 tsp)
Butter – 2 tbs
Cream – 2 tbs or more if heart allows/desires!!
Capsicum – 1 small , julienned, very optional!
Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Wash and dry chicken pieces. Make tiny slits with a sharp knife to allow the marinade to seep in.
Mix the marinade ingredients, and put the chicken pieces into it. Mix in well, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Grill till done and browned…approx 8-10 minutes on either side, turning once. Be sure to place tray underneath to catch the drippings!!
Meanwhile…for the curry/gravy:
Grind onions, garlic and ginger. Put 2 tbs of oil in pan and fry this ground onion masala for 7-10 mins.
Now add tomato puree, green chillies, lime juice and dry spices. Fry for 3-5 mins.
Simmer and put in butter and cream and simmer, covered for approx 15 mins till oil rises to surface.
Now gently slide in chicken pieces and simmer for further 10-15 mins till chicken heated right through with gravy. Adj seasonings etc.
If the curry is too thick, add the drippings from the grill tray.
Garnish with coriander leaves and cream swirls if desired!

Note: Can use cottage cheese cubes (paneer) instead of chicken for veggie version

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHIP MUFFINS

“I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation”

Madame Benoit

One of the kids fave muffins. I keep playing around with the combos…sometimes mocha & choc-chip; or brown-sugar & walnuts; or plain vanilla and choc-chips and walnuts. Kids love ’em!!

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHIP MUFFINS
Ingredients:
Flour – 1 1/4 cups
Whole-wheat flour – ½ cup
Baking Soda – 1 tsp
Salt – 1pinch
Cocoa – ¼ cup
Yogurt – 2/3 cup/thick
Milk – 4 tbsp
Eggs -3 / small
Butter – ½ cup (100gms), at room temp
Sugar – ¾ cup
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Chocolate chips – ½ cup (I like to use Ghirardeli dark chips)

Method:

Sift flour + whole-wheat flour + baking soda + cocoa + salt 3 times. Keep aside.
Stir together the yogurt + eggs + milk
In a big bowl, beat the butter + sugar + vanilla essence
Gently beat in the yogurt mix…gently, or it might splatter everywhere!!
Stir in the sifted flour and chocolate chips until JUST MOIST.DO NOT OVER MIX.
Sprinkle on any topping if desired.
Put into lined muffin pan and bake for 25 mins (approximately)
Test with a wooden pick to see if done.
Remove from pan immediately and cool on rack.
Can top with a butter cream icing/ganache…but they taste just fine as they are.

Makes 12 regular muffins.

Antipasto…Roasted Bell Peppers on Melba Toast

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”

George Bernard Shaw, “The Revolutionist’s Handbook,” Man and Superman

A great appetizer made from roasted bell peppers,

preserved in olive oil...and served on Melba toast.

Ingredients:
Yellow bell pepper – 1
Red bell pepper – 1
Garlic – 1 clove/smashed
Olive Oil – 1/2 cup
Salt if required

Hot dog buns – 2
Basil leaves – 4-5/chopped fine

Method:

Roast the peppers on the grill till the skin blisters and gets charred , turning a couple of times.
Put into a baggie and allow to cool.
Once cool, remove the skin and wash seeds out . Cut the peppers into strips.
Put them into a clean jar with the garlic, top with olive oil, just enough to immerse them.
Season with salt if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps for 5-7days.
For the toast:
Preheat the oven to 180deg C
Slice the buns fine. Brush with olive oil from the jar of preserved peppers.
Toast on rack under grill till browned, approximately 10 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn.
Cool on cookie racks, and store in an airtight tin.
To serve:
Lay out the toasts on platter. Top with few strips of both coloured peppers, sprinkle with freshly chopped basil leaves. Enjoy!!

Makes approximately 24 toasts.

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