Tag: raisins

NUT, SEED & RAISIN BISCOTTI…Preciously jeweled cookies!

“Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who decided to stand their ground.”
Unknown

Doing rounds of blogs is never easy when you have to run a regular life too, full of routine stuff like laundry, grocery & school trips galore. Junior goes to a new grade in another week, so half the days were scheduled with PTA’s, orientations, new books & uniforms etc. The past week has been even more hectic with the kids at home (Spring Break), & I’ve had little or no time to blog hop. One blog that I often attempt to stop at is Heidi @ 101 Cookbooks because it’s always got some path breaking stuff that you get hypnotized to try. The pictures are mesmerising, & the gentle persuasive nature of her posts have you literally eating off her blog. The ‘Nut & Seed Biscotti‘ or jewelled biscotti was such one case which I chanced by about a month ago. Heidi posted a ‘cracker’ of a biscotti, the ‘Nut & Seed’ Biscotti which looked very pretty & maybe easy to slice thin, or so I thought. Should have known better, because nuts are nuts after all, but she had me chopping the nuts of my bookmarked recipe at a frantic pace the next morning after the kids left for school. The recipe itself is simple & ‘packed with nuts’…very jewel studded indeed, like the Queen’s crown. However, it wasn’t as simple to slice thinly as the jewels had a mind of their own. I managed fairly well, but didn’t get anywhere close to the thin, gorgeous slices that Heidi did. Maybe it was because I added raisins too, or my knife wasn’t good enough, or the loaf was undercooked, though it tested done. As Helen says in the recipe “Bake for 45-50 minutes – or until the loaf tests done. If you under-cook the loaf at this stage, it makes slicing difficult.” I shall definitely give this a try again as it was deliciously studded & very YUM! Healthy & hugely successful with the kids too.
My nut mixture was a blend of 1 cup lightly toasted almonds, 1/3 cup each of lightly toasted pistachio nuts, and pumpkin seeds, and 1/2 a cup each of green & black raisins. We don’t get wholewheat pastry flour here, so I used a third cup of oatmeal flour. NUT, SEED & RAISIN BISCOTTI
adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup oatmeal flour
2 cups mixed nuts,raisins etc (almonds, pistachio nuts, pumpkins seeds, green & black raisins)
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup light brown sugar, fine grain
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 150C. Lightly butter or oil a 1-pound loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
  • Combine the flour, nuts and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate large bowl whisk together eggs and sugar.
  • Add the flour-nut mixture to the egg mixture and stir until combined. The dough will be quite thick. Scoop into the prepared pan and press the dough into place using damp fingertips.
  • Make sure everything is nice and compact, level on top, with no air bubbles. (I sprinkled some left over oatmeal flour on top).
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes – or until the loaf tests done. If you under-cook the loaf at this stage, it makes slicing difficult.
  • Remove loaf from the oven, and turn the oven up to 220C.
  • Immediately run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the loaf, remove it from pan, and set the loaf upside down on a cutting board. Using a thin serrated knife (or the thinnest, sharpest knife you have), slice the loaf into 1/4-inch thick slices.
  • Place the slices on a baking sheet. brush tops with a bit of olive oil and bake for 3-4 minutes or until the bottoms are a touch golden and toasty. Pull them out of the oven, flip each one, and brush the other side with olive oil. Bake for another 4-5 minutes or until nice and crisp. Let cool.
  • Makes 1 1/2 – 2 dozen.

Another recipe for Bookmarked Recipes, an event started by Ruth @ Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments. This week’s host is Laurie @ Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska.

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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

Dorothy Mae Brown’s Apple Spice Cake

“The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe.
You have to make it fall.”
Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara

There’s a great foodie blog I recently discovered & I absolutely love what she does. She bakes WONDERFUL stuff, mainly cakes, & I’m really having a hard time keeping up. Seem to get into a bookmarking frenzy each time I get to the Food Librarian, and the Dorothy Mae Brown Apple Spice Cake was no exception.

This cake is one I bookmarked off her blog on Friday, the 13th, quite the minute I laid my eyes on it. I felt an instant ominous ring to my bookmarking because of the date, LOL, but everything went along just fine.I love apple cakes, especially after the earlier Apple Almond Cake I had made from a recipe @ Dragon’s Kitchen. Dorothy Mae Brown’s cake was called spicy & I planned to make it ASAP. I had apples on the counter, & wanted to pair this up with pumpkin pie spice, nuts & raisins.

As the Food Librarian said, Dorothy Mae Brown’s Apple Spice Cake is one of the most popular recipes on Martha Stewart’s website. Didn’t make the caramel syrup to top the cake, since I wanted to cut back on sugar, and substituted a bit of wholewheat flour for plain flour, which is something I often do. Also used pumpkin pie spice in the cake as I like the flavour. If you check out the pictures on that post at the Food Librarian, you might just get tempted to make the caramel syrup as well coz it looks really nice on the cake. Her cake is much prettier than mine.

Mine was not too pretty, but it was certainly pretty delicious. Was absolutely wonderful served warm, & kept very well for the couple of days that it lasted. It made for a fine dessert with a dollop of delicately spiced pumpkin pie spice cream …. very indulgent indeed!

APPLE SPICE CAKE
as taken from the Food Librarian
adapted from Apple Spice Cake on Martha Stewart’s website
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup green & black dried raisins
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce (I didn’t make this, just gave my cake a dusting of powdered sugar & pumpkin pie spice)
Method:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  • Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Reserve in a bowl.
  • Beat vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow. Beat in extract.
  • With mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated. I had to finish it off by hand because the mixture became very thick.
  • Add apples and nuts to batter; mix to combine.

  • Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.
  • Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack, and serve drizzled with caramel sauce, or just a light dusting of powdered sugar & pumpkin pie spice.

I served a few special slices with a pumpkin spice flavoured whipped cream! This one if off to Bookmarked Recipes, an event started by Ruth @ Ruth’s Kitchen Experiments. The event now has it’s very own spot on the net, & is a nice tribute to thank someone or something for a recipe that you’ve enjoyed making.

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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

IS IT A BAR, IS IT A COOKIE? Guess what…It’s a BAR COOKIE!

“In the nut, nothing is lost, except perhaps the noise it makes when breaking.”
World Wide Walnut
Pistachio, Cranberries & Golden Raisin Bars

Was flipping pages of one of my favourite cookie books, ‘The Colossal Cookie Cookbook’, wondering what snack to make for the kids snack box for school. Thought I’d quickly do a batch of brownies, got the tin ready, lined it etc, & then had a change of heart. Wanted something other than chocolate…I like introducing them to as many flavours as possible, when they are still willing. Found something I liked the sound of… ‘Cranberry & Golden Raisin Bars’ hmmmmmmm. Passed a handful of golden raisins to the boy, who gave them a disdainful look, but tried one…& decided they weren’t that bad after all. Then the pistachios were chomped happily & the craisins too, which were a big hit! (The craisins were Ocean Spray’s ‘Orange Flavor Sweetened Dried Cranberries’ that I had lying around for a while. They are seriously good & healthy as a snack too.)

Having passed the litmus test, I set to work…

Bar Cookies are cookies that the dough is baked spread-out in a pan. The cookies are cut into “bars” after baking. Most drop cookies can also be made into bar cookies. Bar cookie dough is pretty stiff/firm like a cookie dough. They are usually simple & straight-forward cookies, that are fun to make!

Bar cookies consist of batter or other ingredients that are poured or pressed into a pan (sometimes in multiple layers), and cut into cookie-sized pieces after baking. Brownies are an example of a batter-type bar cookie. In British English, bar cookies are known as “tray bakes’.

The recipe as adapted from ‘The Colossal Cookie Cookbook’ , pg 393.

Ingredients:
Butter – 100gms (or margarine)
Brown sugar – 1/2 cup packed (soft brown)
Eggs – 2
Vanilla Essence – 1tsp
Flour – 1 cup ( the original recipe has 1 cup of self-raising flour)
Baking powder – 3/4 tsp
Salt – 1 pinch
Ground Almonds – 1/4 cup
Craisins – 1/2 cup
Pistachio nuts – 1/2 cup / chopped roughly
Golden raisins – 1/2 cup

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line a 10.5″ X 6.5″ or 8″ X 8″ pan with a 2″ depth. Leave a bit of overhang on the lining paper.
  • Sift the flour + baking powder + salt. Set aside.
  • Beat the butter & sugar till light & fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs one by one, followed by the vanilla essence.
  • Now gently fold in the flour + ground almonds + craisins + golden raisins + pistachio nuts.
  • Turn batter into tin & level out evenly with a spatula/butter knife.
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top & done. Test with a wooden pick if need be.
  • Take out of oven & cool on rack for 10 minutes, then gently lift out of tin (holding the lining paper) & cool completely. Remove lining paper once cool.
  • Cut into bars or squares as desired, only once cooled. Dust with powdered sugar.
  • Best stored in the refrigerator, as per the book. (I’ve left them out as the weather is till cold & the houses here aren’t centrally heated.)
Enjoy a cookie with a cuppa tea or coffee…or a glass of chilled milk!
Posted by Deeba @ PAB

KHEER / INDIAN RICE PUDDING…Special Occasion Food

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart.”
Erma Bombeck
Traditional Indian Desserts…KHEER / RICE PUDDING

Here’s one of our great Indian desserts, quite similar to the English rice pudding, & much loved in our part of the world. The earlier recipe for rice pudding that I posted a while ago doesn’t use condensed milk; this one does, and tastes very rich & creamy too. It is a popular egg less dessert, & a great way to finish off a meal. I find the freshly grated nutmeg gives this a warm and comforting flavour. The raisins & almonds are quite optional, & one, or both, can be given the miss if need be.

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup (washed & dried)
Milk – 1 ½ ltrs (whole milk)
Condensed Milk – 1 can / 400ml
Saffron strand – 1 pinch
Green Cardamom – 5-6/ seeds crushed in pestle & mortar
Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp / freshly grated
Raisins – 1 handful
Almonds – 1 handful / without skin
Sugar if required

Method:

  • Grind the rice in a coffee grinder.
  • Bring the milk to a boil, and then simmer it for 30 minutes.
  • Add the condensed milk, stirring it constantly while pouring it in.
  • Soak the saffron strands & cardamom seeds in a tbsp of warm milk.
  • Mix the rice powder in ¼ cup of cold milk.
  • Stir the rice into the simmering milk, stir continuously to avoid lumps getting formed, & bring to a boil.
  • Now once again leave to simmer until rice is cooked, and the kheer/pudding has thickened, like a thick batter consistency. Stir occasionally.
  • Add the freshly grated nutmeg + raisins + almonds and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add sugar if required. I find that the condensed milk adds enough sweetness of its own.
  • Cool till lukewarm, and then set in a big serving bowl, or individual bowls.
  • Chill well, for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight, before serving.
  • Note: Amount of rice required may differ due to starch content in different varieties. If it becomes too thick, thin it down with extra milk. If it is still too thin ( will thicken a bit & set as it cools down), add a tsp on cornflour in a tbsp of cold milk, and give it a boil. Should do the trick!
    Serves 8-10

This dessert can be made a day in advance, and the work can be further reduced if you grind the rice a couple of days before.I’m late & not feeling good at all. Anna at Morsels & Musings had a blog event for “special occasion food”. I did so want to send this one in because its a nice pudding, which has easily available ingredients, & is a hit with family and friends. Sadly, I missed the bus ‘ coz I muddled up the dates. :0(….will send it in anyway, just so Anna knows I tried!

‘Special Occasion Indian Food’…the Kheer or Rice Pudding!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

Phirini / Saffron Indian Rice Pudding … think spice, think SAFFRON!

“Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.”
Anonymous

PHIRINI/RICE PUDDING

Looks like it’s time again for ‘beyond baking’, and this time I’m hitting the saffron trail! This recipe has finally been typed and blogged thanks to Sunita’s World, who runs a really interesting spice event every month. I think it’s a pretty neat idea, and also a great learning experience. I missed the last few spices due to the ‘tension’ of trying to blog. I feel a little more confident now, and a bit more organised of course! Got a loooooooooooooong way to go, but am getting there.

Strands of Saffron…with the flowers of the Indian ‘Haar-Singaar’ tree

This months’ spice is ‘SAFFRON‘…the world’s most expensive spice by weight. I’ve just used a few strands, and they seem to work the magic. The recipe is for a creamy, delicious pudding/phirini made out of ground rice. A great vegetarian dessert option which can be set it in individual bowls too!! This is a recipe I have made over and over again, and is a firm favourite after dinner. A bowl of this was always reserved for a dear friend who LOVED it…but sans raisins. She is now in Babushka land for a while, and gets her bowl over the net!! The flavour of saffron is gentle and complements this dish beautifully. I make this with condensed milk too…another of my own recipes, which I will post another day.

Ingredients:

Rice – 3/4 cup (I use Basmati)
Milk – 1 1/2 litres (full cream/whole fat)
Cardamom – 5-6 (seeds ground in pestle & mortar)
Saffron strands – 1 pinch (soaked for 10 mins in 1 tbsp warm milk)
Raisins – ¼ cup (optional)
Almonds – ¼ cup
Sugar – ¾ cup (Start with ½ cup and increase if required)
Cream – ½ cup (optional for a GREATER tasting phirini /pudding)

Method:

  • Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and peel them. Reserve for later.
  • Wash the rice well, drain, and run in a blender with about 1 cup of cold milk.
  • Mix this into the rest of the cold milk, and put to boil. Stir constantly, to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
  • Once it comes to a boil, add the cream if using, reduce to low heat, and cook for about 30-45 mins till the rice is cooked, and the pudding starts to thicken. Stir now and then…
  • Meanwhile, crush the cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar to release their fragrance. Once done, add a few strands of saffron, and about 1 tbsp of warm milk (I took it out of the pan while cooking); grind gently, and then leave to soak. This enhances the flavour of the saffron.
  • Once the rice is cooked, take off the heat. When this isn’t very hot, run the hand-blender through it. This will grind the rice completely, and thicken the pudding too.
  • Put back on low heat. Add the saffron mixture, raisins and almonds, reserving some raisins and almonds for garnishing. Also add the sugar and adjust taste as required. At this point if you think the pudding is too thick, you can add some more milk.
  • Take off heat, and allow to cool for 15-20mins. Turn either into 1 big serving bowl, or individual bowls. Garnish with almonds, raisins, saffron strands, beaten silver parchment (chaandi ka vark) etc.
  • Chill well for 4-6 hours (or overnight) before serving.. (Keep covered with wrap/foil in fridge).

Note: Varieties of rice differ…one kind may have more starch than the other. If you want the pudding thicker (or if it doesn’t thicken enough), add a tsp of cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp of cold milk once the rice is cooked. Give it a rolling boil. Do remember though that the phirini/pudding will continue to thicken as it cools once done.

And yes, you guessed it! Am on the THINK PINK trail still…

Posted by Deeba @ PAB
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