Owner: Passionate About Baking...& beyond! URL:http://passionateaboutbaking.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:38:03 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: 'PASSIONATE ABOUT BAKING'...and that's what I am!! Have been baking at home for the over 10 years. Seem to enjoy it more and more each passing day.My blog has pictures and recipes of my art in the kitchen, and a few bits and pieces about it! Site statistics:Click here
"Where there is no imagination there is no horror."...HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2007-10-31 10:41:35 ' I'm going to stop punishing my children by saying, "Never mind! I'll do it myself." 'Erma BombeckHope everyone is having a great HALLOWEEN. The kids had friends over yesterday, and decided to make cards for Halloween. By the time they were done, and went to play (obstacle races in the park...more cleaning up!), it looked like a mini-hurricane had hit the room. I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of the MESS...so this one seemed more soothing. It's one of the spiders they left on the book I was reading!! Have a good season...'Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,Voices whisper in the trees, "Tonight is Halloween!"Dexter Kozen Read more:imagination
, horror
CLICK: November 2007...NOODLES 2007-10-31 10:33:41 'It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.'Laura Ingalls WilderAm pushing my limits...Between dropping the kids off to school, and now returning to get them back (they come back early today grrrrrrrrr...), I cooked, imagined, clicked,downloaded & am now trying to post.It's been like this since yesterday. The hubby came back after working all night long ( he's an aircraft engineer), to receive a call an hour deep into slumber that there was a diverted flight with a medical emergency. So we all rushed madly in all directions...me to get the kids ready for school, and he to resurrect & hit the road in 10 minutes. The medical emergency had a happy ending with the birth of a really cute little baby girl inflight!! How sweet is that!!Must thank Jai & Bee of Jugalbandi for adding to the general excitement in life! Never thought I would spend sleepless nights trying to think up noodle art & baby girls. Yes, been there & done that too...PH Read more:November
ROASTED VEGGIE PASTA PIE...A welcome vegetarian option! 2007-10-29 19:43:14 "Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." Mark TwainPENNE & ROASTED VEGETABLES IN A PASTA PIE This is my entry for 3 great blog events...'Enter a Great Recipe Featuring Vegetables and Herbs From Monday October 8 until Sunday October 14'... Here is my entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging Two Year Anniversary.Andrea's GYO (Grow Your Own) that invites you to make a dish that uses at least one item from your very own garden, anything edible, and post about it. I have used sweet basil for this, which grows beautifully in our front yard.Coffee & Vanilla's 'Vegetarian Awareness Month' which is a fun way to help others learn about the benefits of vegetarianism. Do visit the VAM homepage for more information. I try and include as many veggies in the kids diet as I possibly can, one way or another, letting them know about the health benefits, nutrition etc. As they say...'Teach 'em young!' I put this together with many i Read more:option
A CRUMBLE TO FALL FOR...a healthy Apple Crumble! 2007-10-29 03:50:08 "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."George EliotSugar & spice & 'FALL' things nice...that's what I'm made up of!Cinnamon scrolls...adding flavour to the Crumble!A twist to the regular crumble to make it healthier. I have substituted the butter for margarine, and lightly toasted (or roasted) the oats to bring out the crunch and flavour. Apple
s, cinnamon & walnuts bring out quite the best in each other...as far as taste, colour and warmth go. The only thing missing are the twirling leaves when the south wind blows!! Guess we can sit amidst them & savour the crumble.This is my entry for 3 blog events this Fall...Blog or Bust #3! where 'The Clumsy Cook' asks a healthy
“Fall” dish...'something comfortable, something cozy, something hearty'.HotM 8 where Joanna at 'The Heart of the Matter' is looking for 'heart-healthy baking recipes'....that means 'NO butter and not much
CHOCOLATE-CHIP & WALNUT COOKIES...for Halloween 2007-10-29 03:47:46 "Bring forth the raisins and the nutsTonight All-Hallows' Specter struts Along the moonlit way."John Kendrick Bangs Chocolate-chip & Walnut Cookies for Halloween
Today was a day I just wanted to sit & relax in one place till I grew roots!! Obviously the daughter had other plans as it's her friends' birthday tomorrow and they're having a Halloween party. So I got down to work with the pots & pans to make a quick batch of chocolate chip cookies. It's a recipe I've worked around with, by adding whole wheat flour to make it healthier. I've posted it earlier; if you would like to view it, click here . The cookie dough once mixed; ready to be scooped onto the tray. Warm & crisp...just like the season!I've just added a few Halloween sprinkles to get into the mood of things! They're just out of the oven, smelling great...and have led hungry stomachs to the kitchen! 5 cookies seem to have grown bats wings & have mysteriously done the disappearing act!! A very simpl
BUTTERFLIES...everyone deserves a little sunshine!! 2007-10-29 03:44:42 "Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone
deserves a littlesunshine
. "Jeffrey Glassberg The past few days have seen a nice change in the weather and have brought forth plenty of happy butterflies. I love to sit with a book in the garden, watching these fascinating creatures flutter around. The brown one on top, a little one (an inch!) has my favourite colours...beige/khaki & black . The one below , was discovered by my son, fast asleep in the Currypatta tree (Botanical name - Murraya koenigi) in the backyard...the colours reminded me of Halloween! "I've watched you now a full half-hour;Self-poised upon that yellow flowerAnd, little Butterfly! IndeedI know not if you sleep or feed.How motionless! - not frozen seasMore motionless! and thenWhat joy awaits you, when the breezeHath found you out among the trees,And calls you forth again!"William Wordsworth, 'To a Butterfly' "The caterpillar d
SMOKED BUTTER PANEER…Paneer-e-Dhungaar is what I like to call it! 2007-10-29 03:43:36 "Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything."Anna QuindlenSMOKED BUTTER PANEER CURRY…'Paneer-e-Dhungaar' is what I like to call it! This recipe is the result of trying to keep the dinner table smiling with eager kids. Here's a nice change to the regular Indian style cottage cheese/paneer curry. It combines the best of paneer tikka (which has a smoked flavor) & butter paneer. I made this up one day when the kids were losing interest at the dinner table, and I had paneer on hand which I wanted to add to the menu! The flavour turned out very nice indeed; and the kids enjoyed it a lot. I dare say this would taste just as well with chicken too, but have yet to try it.Ingredients:Paneer/cottage cheese – 250gms (NOT CUT INTO PIECES)Piece of coal – 1 smallGhee – few dropsTomotao Puree – 200mlOnion – 1/ chopped fineCapsicum – 1 / chopped f
A PINEAPPLE 'n' CREAM CAKE...& the makings of it! 2007-10-27 19:32:37 "We all have hometown appetites. Every other person is a bundle of longing for the simplicities of good taste once enjoyed on the farm or in the hometown left behind."Clementine Paddleford Pineapple 'n' Cream CakeI wonder why the cream always chooses to misbehave on days when I am MOST pressed for time. Well, it was one of those trying days yesterday when things were on an uphill drive. SIGH! I baked the sponge etc a day before, no problemo...it came out beautifully. The next day electricity decided to do the disappearing act, and when the blessed thing came back, the cream made me weep. Just didn't want to get beaten up I guess. The cake went for a drastic make-over, and once I put it together, I dressed it up with light yellow chocolate shavings. When the honours were done last night, it tasted great ! Thanks heavens for small mercies. Never thought something as silly as a cake had the power to drive me to desperation. PHEW!!Anyway, to cut a long story short, here goes. Have poste
THE DRAGONFLY... 2007-10-25 09:56:51 "Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonflyHangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky."Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Silent NoonThe Dragonfly...Look who was kind enough to drop by when I was airing out the Jaipuri throws yesterday. This dragonfly had plenty of beans, and was zipping around like it was enjoying the sun! Unfortunately I couldn't get closer...am sure I will one day, and get a better picture (& hopefully a better camera too). This fellow seemed to enjoy my 'melting' company (the sun was HOT!) and kept coming back again & again. These creatures are absolutely fascinating, with boundless energy, hovering around like miniature helicopters! (Off to bake a cake today for the parent's anniversary. Its gonna be a Pineapple Cream Cake on popular demand. Pictures tomorrow hopefully!)
MORAVIAN TARTS...warm up to cookies this Fall! 2007-10-25 09:52:55 "Seeing is deceiving. It's eating that's believing. " James Thurber MORAVIAN TARTSThis is a recipe from ‘The Great Cookie Book’, and was one the first cookie recipes I tried almost 5 years ago. These seem just right for the season, with the warm flavours of cinnamon with walnuts; complement Fall beautifully! Very nice as a gift, and great with tea. You can use pecans too if preferred, which is what the original recipe uses. I believe that Moravian tarts belong to the Pennsylvania Dutch bouquet of recipes. Ingredients:Butter – ½ cupCastor Sugar – 2/3 cupVanilla Essence – 1 tspSalt – 1 large pinchEgg – 1, beatenFlour – 1 cupSoda bicarbonate – ¼ tspCinnamon – 1 ½ tspEgg white – 1, lightly beaten35 walnut halvesMethod:Sift the flour + soda bicarbonate + ½ tsp of cinnamon and keep aside.Cream butter + ½ cup sugar + vanilla essence + salt till light and fluffy.Gradually add the egg, beating constantly.Stir in the flour mix, bit by bit into the above.Form into a d
SIMPLE, EVERYDAY BROWN SUGAR MUFFINS...with walnuts & chocolate chips 2007-10-21 10:29:54 “From morning till night, sounds drift from the kitchen, most of them familiar and comforting....On days when warmth is the most important need of the human heart, the kitchen is the place you can find it; it dries the wet sock, it cools the hot little brain.”E.B.White (1899-1985)BROWN SUGAR MUFFINS with WALNUTS & CHOCOLATE CHIPS...comfort food!It's one of those days you wake up in the morning with the 'bakers' itch'...gotta bake something, & fast. And one of those days where its got to be 'sans chocolate'. This is just a simple recipe (with a bitta PINK) with a good feeling about it, to relax with a cuppa coffee or tea, and read that book which has been beckoning you for ages. While I talk about books, here's a nice one that makes for hilarious reading..."A Spot of Bother" penned by Mark Haddon, which I am currently reading. It's a funny, humane, witty, sometimes poignant and thoroughly entertaining book. Ingredients:Flour – 2 cupsBaking Soda – 1 tspSalt – 1p Read more:EVERYDAY
THINKING PINK CAKE FOR PINKTOBER... 2007-10-21 04:14:15 "And I will pu' the pink,the emblem o' my dear, For she's the pink o' womankind, and blooms without a peer."Robert Burns, O Luve Will Venture In Its almost here, PINK RIBBON DAY. The Pink Ribbon is the symbol of support for the many women who have been affected by breast cancer globally. This year Pink Ribbon Day is on Monday 22 October. To VOTE for the PINKTOBER event, click here.My entry for PINKTOBER is below...my first entry to any blog event. Gosh, I was so enthusiastic, that I almost drove everyone quite crazy. Minko asked if the husband appreciated the PINK effort. He more than appreciated it...he spread the word, lauded Minko's event & effort, and last, but not the least, enjoyed the cake!!!The colours for the frosting.First pictures of my PINK cake! Click HERE if you wish to view the recipe & making of the cake. Quick pictures before the cake was history...THINKING PINK!!And finally...a slice of PINK!!A comment left by Swapna when I first posted the cake...how pro
EASY YOGURT DIP...Serve with Chips/Crudites.Always a hit at any gathering! 2007-10-19 03:14:26 "Food is so primal, so essential a part of our lives, often the mere sharing of recipes with strangers turns them into good friends. That's why I love this community."Jasmine Heiler, about recipezaar.com HUNG CURD (YOGURT) DIPA really simple, extremely addictive, & tangy dip which is a great add-on to any menu. Its one of those 'quick to put together', 'nothing can go wrong' sorta recipes, which is a great hit and good for finger food. For kids I serve it with chips, and always add veggies like steamed broccoli, cucumber sticks,baby carrots, baby corn etc on the side. Every single time I have served this, I have been asked for the recipe. Its hilarious to see people begging to remove it from their sight as it's so addictive. I have to add that the dip is very nutritious when served with veggies!Sometimes I include it as a sauce in a grilled chicken/cottage cheese (paneer) wrap as well; in which case, I saute some sliced onions, bell peppers & capsicum to the wrap with the Read more:Chips
THINK PINK FOR PINKTOBER CAKE...The cake I made for my dear husband's birthday ! 2007-10-17 03:05:28 "Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity." Edwin Hubbell Chapin This is 'Couture Cupcakes' first blogging event, and I think its a great idea.To coincide with Pink Ribbon Day in Australia on October 22, Minko is inviting people to make a pink dish .I baked this cake for DH's birthday today,with only PINK in mind!! Though I don't have a personal story related to the cause, I feel its important to spread the message and lend my support. Pink Ribbon Day aims to raise funds for breast cancer research; offer support services to women affected by breast cancer; and make women 'breast aware'.This is a chocolate cake with a whipped cream icing...where the cake is my canvas! This is pure therapy for me, and I love letting the colours flow!! Hope you enjoy doing this as much as I did... Chocolate CakeThe basic cake recipe is one posted by Dariana on 'Group Recipes' for a Heavenly Chocolate Sacher Torte.Ingredients:6 egg whites5 ounces semisweet or bi
YUMMY PICNIC CHOCOLATE CAKE...IT'S HEALTHY TOO!! 2007-10-17 02:52:26 "Like love, chocolate is always a delight to receive or to give."MARY JANE FINSAND YUMMY PICNIC CHOCOLATE CAKE Love experimenting with chocolate cakes for the kids…and am trying to get to the perfect chocolate cake sans frosting. I have tried umpteen recipes, and find that the good ones use far more butter than I like, or have to be frosted to taste good. The perfect balance in taste, ingredients, fibre etc is probably yet to come…but I made this this afternoon, and find it comes quite close. It's simple, straight-forward & from my heart! I tossed in ingredients from the top of my head like an expert, and then stood with my heart in my mouth when I gave my son a slice. The son gave it an instant ‘thumbs up’, and am awaiting my daughters’ return from her trekking trip to get her review. Will post it soon after… (P.S. She's back...and she LOVES it!!) Ingredients:Butter – ½ cup (room temperature)Granular Sugar – 1 ½ cupsEggs – 4 small (if the eggs are big; use
GRILLED LAMB CHOPS...Tangy and tasty!! 2007-10-17 02:44:44 'The gentle art of gastronomy is a friendly one. It hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilized people, and warms the heart.' Samuel Chamberlain GRILLED LAMB CHOPSThis is a nice, feel-good, sort of dish (doubles up as finger-food too), which we like at home for a change from curries etc. The ingredients can be increased or decreased to suit personal tastes…we love the tanginess of the meat off the bone. I grill these sometimes, and at other times pan cook them. These can be served with mashed potatoes/oven baked fries, grilled veggies, a dip/chutney, green salad, dinner rolls or naan bread. The kids love the ease of nibbling chops…with a squirt of lemon!Ingredients:Lamb Chops – 750 gms (about 10-12 pieces)Yogurt – 4 tbsps /thickGinger-garlic paste – 2tbspVegetable Oil – 2 tbspSalt to tasteJuice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)Roasted Cumin Powder – 2 tspPaprika – ½ tspRed chili Powder – ½ tsp (optional)Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp (home-made)Orange-red fo Read more:Tangy
PICTURE PERFECT...far beyond baking!! 2007-10-16 05:53:28 "When all the birds are faint with the hot sun, And hide in cooling trees, a voice will runFrom hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead; That is the grasshopper's...he takes the lead In summer luxury...he has never done With his delights, for when tired out with fun, He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed." John Keats ... On the Grasshopper and Cricket Guess who we found when we were out catching bugs??The kids were out with their little 2 year old cousin trying to catch butterflies last evening. This lovely looking grass-hopper or locust came hopping by. Neat little guy, who happily came into our butterfly net, and then happily wandered off...without a care in the world!Look closely and you can almost catch the SMILE!! Read more:beyond
BLOG ACTION DAY...Save the Earth 2007-10-14 10:24:51 "We do not inherit the Earth
from our parents, we borrow it from our children. "Antoine de saint-Exubery BLOG ACTION DAYSAVE THE EARTH…Environment issues that are hurting the Earth.Raising concerns related to the earth are gaining ground; the more voices that are heard, the better. What better way to additionally spread the message than blogging. Given the reach of the net, it’s time to ‘get involved’ in the Blog Action Day on 15th October 2007. The bigger the involvement; the greater the impact.Speaking from the kitchen, I have to say that I have always believed in home-made stuff to a very large extent. Though it is primarily due to nutrition and health factors, it is also a personal effort to ‘Save the Earth’. In my little way, I believe this cuts down on packaging materials, transportation costs, storage costs etc…. each bit goes a long way!A point that has stuck in my mind for a while is about an article on ‘Bottled Water’ that I read some time back in the newspa
ACHARI CHICKEN CURRY...A tangy Indian chicken curry 2007-10-12 03:56:55 "Happy and successful cooking doesn't rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life."Georges Blanc, Ma Cuisine des SaisonsACHARI CHICKENThis recipe is easy, full of flavour...and has no store-bought mixes. The kids enjoy this one a lot. I avoid these mixes because they have preservatives and additives. See the note at the bottom of the recipe in case you cant find the seeds! Ingredients: Chicken - 1 (700-800gms), cut into piecesOnions - 3 / sliced fineTomatoes - 3 / chopped fineGarlic Paste - 1 tbspGinger Paste - 1 tbspYogurt (curd) - 3 tbsp/thickKalonji - 1 tspMethi dana - 1/2 tspWhole Zeera - 1 tspSaunf - 1 tspBhuna Zeera Powder - 1 tspRed Chilli Powder - 1/2 tspHaldi - 1/2 tspGreen chilies - 2-3/ to tasteLemon Juice - of 1 lemonSalt to tasteFresh Coriander (Hara Dhania) to garnish Method: Slit the green chilies and soak them in the lemon juice. Keep aside. Heat about 4-5 tbsps of oi
THINK SPICE, THINK 'SAFFRON'...PHIRINI/RICE PUDDING 2007-10-10 20:39:08 "Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first."AnonymousPHIRINI/RICE PUDDINGLooks 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' treeThis 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
KOROVA COOKIES...sinfully delicious chocolate cookies! 2007-10-06 07:30:41 "Make a list of important things to do today. At the top of your list, put 'eat chocolate.' Now, you'll get at least one thing done today. "Gina HayesStill thinking PINK ... KOROVA COOKIES I found this recipe and trivia while surfing 'A Spoonful of Sugar'...and my daughter decided she just HAD to give it a shot. She had been after me for eons to bake 'something', and then I stumbled on this while surfing. Well, these were really 'SOMETHING'!! Simple to make, and sinfully chocolicious, divinely delicious, blatantly buttery...and quite addictive! The recipe as adapted from Angela's blog...Ingredients:All-purpose flour- 1 1/4 cupsCocoa powder - 1/3 cupBaking soda - 1/2 tspUnsalted butter - 165 gms, at room temperatureLight brown sugar - 2/3 cup, packedGranulated sugar - 1/4 cupSalt - 1/4 tspVanilla extract - 1/2 tspBittersweet chocolate chips - 1/2 cupMethod: Preheat the oven to 165 degrees C. Line or grease 2-3 baking sheetsSift the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Beat the butte
CLICK for Jugalbandi...EGGS!! 2007-10-01 20:33:44 "I longed to arrest all beauty that came before me." Julia Margaret Cameron This entry is for one of the sites I have enjoyed visiting for a while now. It's for an event called 'CLICK' hosted by Jugalbandi, and this months' topic is 'EGGS'!!! These are the eggs in the nest of the Indian Tailor Bird in our front yard. I experienced the truly fascinating journey of the Indian Tailor Bird...from the stitching of the nest, to laying the eggs, the hatching eggs, the chicks being fed, developing wings and loud demanding chirps...and final freedom!! Thank you Jugalbandi for affording me a platform to share my eggciting tale!! The fascinating journey...
SMARTIE COOKIES.... 2007-10-01 20:32:13 "I am still convinced that a good, simple, homemade cookie is preferable to all the store-bought cookies one can find."James Beard SMARTIE COOKIESI call these 'Smartie Cookies' because I once had many bags of Smarties on hand and didn't know what to do with them. So decided to decorate some cookies with them for my son's birthday...this was many years ago. Since they were a HUGE hit, I've always included them on the menu at kids parties. Its such fun to see little hands grabbing at them like there's no tomorrow!! Smarties can be substituted with M 'n' M's.Ingredients:Butter – ¾ cup (room temp)Castor Sugar- 1 cup (I grind sugar crystals in my coffee grinder)Egg – 1 / beatenFlour – 2 ½ cupsSalt – 1 pinchAlmond Essence/Extract – 1 tspVanilla Essence/Extract – 1 tspMethod: Preheat the oven to 190deg C. Keep 5-6 ungreased cookie sheets on hand. Beat the butter and sugar till fluffy and light. Add the salt + vanilla essence + almond essence and beat for 30 seconds.With
PINEAPPLE 'N' CREAM SPONGE CAKE...Totally refreshing!! 2007-09-30 01:05:18 "The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. "Lucille Ball PINEAPPLE 'n' CREAM SPONGE CAKEThis post is for you Anne (of Simply Anne's). Here's a picture of the cake I mentioned yesterday. Since it's the first one, it always holds a special place in my heart. It's been a long time, almost 6 years, but I was very pleased with it at the time. This is a pineapple sponge with 3 layers, cream and pineapple bits within, and iced with whipped pineapple flavoured cream. It's very refreshing
and fruity (obviously), and light. Have made this several times since!! Ingredients:SpongeEggs - 5 (250gms)Powdered Sugar - 125 gmsFlour - 125gms ( flour= half the weight of the eggs i.e. 125gms )Cornflour - 2 tbs (makes the cake texture lighter)Baking powder - 1tspSalt - 1 pinchVanilla Essence/Extract - 1 tspPineapple Essence/Extract - 1 tspFilling/Topping:Cream - 400ml (whipping/35% fat)Icing Sugar - 3-4 TbspPineapple Essence/Extract - 1 tspPineapple Bits -
STOP ABUSE!! Blogging for a cause. September 27th, 2007 2007-09-28 05:19:03 "To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. "Mother Teresa * Animal Abuse* Domestic Abuse* Child Abuse* Political Abuse & more....Let me share a small story about a girl called Ruksana. She is a 25 year old household help, who does part-time work as a maid next door. She hails from an unknown, nondescript village, deep in rural West Bengal (India), and has never been to school. I meet her every morning as she sets off to start her chores at people’s houses, and she greets me with this huge sunshine smile. The other day, I had time on hand, and got talking to her. Little did I know that behind her happy demeanour she had such a poignant tale?She got married 5 years ago. The man was very violent and used to beat her up often. She was expecting their first child, but he still wouldn’t mend his ways. Ruksana, the small Indian village girl, walked out of that place, and has never looked back. Luckily for her, she had the grit, and importantly, family support.She now Read more:Blogging
, September
"WYF Dessert/Sweet?"...ALMOND-ORANGE SPONGE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE is one of ours!! 2007-11-05 07:37:28 "Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! "Author Unknown Time for SnackORama's 'What is your favorite Dessert
/Sweet
' ? "It can be Sweet, cake or ice cream anything that is sweet like you all ;-)."...so she says.Bring on the festival season!! ALMOND-ORANGE SPONGE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE...one of our favourite desserts!!CHOCOLATE, ORANGE & ALMOND...the flavours are outstanding. Each complementing the other beautifully,they get enhanced while the cake is chilled. I have made this a number of times, and have always received compliments. The recipe is here if you'd like to see it.
PRETZELS a la CHOCOLATE! 2007-11-04 10:31:01 "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."OSCAR WILDE, The Picture of Dorian Gray CHOCOLATE PRETZELSThanks to Happy Cook, have woken up from my slumber to make my first entry for a wonderful and festive blog event...'A Spoonful of Christmas' which is a 'food as a gift' theme event...'An event designed for all the people who love to cook for their loved ones. Those, who are willing to spend some time in the kitchen in order to come up with great ideas for food as a gift.' Great way to usher in the holiday season, and a theme that I can't think can get better. HOME-MADE gifts...my mantra always! The mind is thinking, so hopefully Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen should have more entries.Here's a recipe I've made umpteen times, over & over again. It's from my first baking book I bought after I got married, 'The Baking Encyclopedia' . The kids love these chocolaty, crisp pretzels. I sometimes colour co-ordinate them with the cake frosting at birthdays; & at
STRAWBERRIES ON A ROll...Nice 'n' Light Dessert 2007-11-04 09:26:24 On the STRAWBERRY: "Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did."Dr William Butler, 17th century English writerSTRAWBERRY SWISS ROLL A delicious & light dessert which I made a while ago when I wasn’t quite camera crazy & 'blogged on'. It was loved by everyone; am waiting to see strawberries back this season to make it again. The gateau has this lovely fresh flavour, and the vibrant look enhances the great taste!! Pretty simple and straightforward, this can be made in a day in advance. Keep it covered if you choose to make it the day before.Ingredients:Eggs – 2Powdered Sugar – 2/3 cupZest of ½ an orangeFlour – 1/2 cupVanilla essence – 1 tspFilling/ Topping: Thick Yogurt – 4 tbsp (or fromage frais)Light Cream – 200ml (20-30%)Zest of ½ orangeCastor sugar – 2 tbspStrawberries – 225gmsMethod: Preheat the oven to 190degrees C.Line a 12 X 8” Swiss roll tin with butter paper. Whisk the eggs + sugar + vanilla essence + rind until thi Read more:Dessert
ITALIAN CHOCOLATE ALMOND TRUFFLES...Home-made for Diwali! 2007-11-08 19:58:43 "If there's no chocolate in heaven, I'm not going!"Author UnknownITALIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES...Its almost time for Diwali...which is also known as the 'Festival of Lights'. I usually try and make a different home-made sweet on Diwali because we get quite tired of the 'mithais' that do the rounds. It's challenging to be different, and this time I decided to tread on new ground. I had an old truffle recipe, which I played around with a bit. These Italian Chocolate Truffles tasted divine, and make a lovely gift, especially after the dressing up,,,& are very easy to make! They have an intense almond flavour. I think I'm gonna skip the almonds for a few next time , and try a few with coffee, and some with an orange essence...just to experiment! I made these in a tearing hurry...and am glad I did! PRETTY, AREN'T THEY?Ingredients:Dark chocolate - 625 gmsAlmond Extract - 2 tspButter - 1/2 cupCastor Sugar - 50gms Ground Almonds - 50 gms (I run them in the coffee grinder with the sk
BEFORE & AFTER ICING THE COOKIES... 2007-11-07 19:42:48 "Cooking is an art, but you eat it too"Marcella Hazan Oooops!! Guess what? Forgot to post the before and after pictures of the 'Iced Sugar Cookies'. I love the way they look both ways....& these photographs are 2 of my favourites!Here are the cookies in my previous post before they were iced. They look quite pretty just like this as well, and taste great too!And now...the cookies post icing! These are my signature cookies. A beautiful splash of colour to cheer up even the weariest soul! The excitement that they give kids is to be seen to be believed. Pure euphoria!!
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