Red Velvet Cake!

Finally, Red Velvet Cake from my kitchen…huh…i had been planning to make it for quite a few years and at last finally made it one day!!

Red velvet cake is a popular cake with a dark red, bright red or red-brown color. It is traditionally prepared as a layer cake topped with cream cheese icing. The reddish color is achieved by adding red food coloring or dark beetroot juice.

Will post the recipe of this yummy cake later.

 

 

Fresh Choco Muffins!

My Niece’s 10th Result – A Time of Joy – Strawberry Mousse :-)

Yes, It’s indeed a time of great joy as my Niece’s Scintillating performance in her 10th board exam came to the limelight. MashaAllah!! Alhamdulillah!! She is a State First Rank Holder in Arabic Language and She is also the school topper with a total of 485/500 with centum marks in Science and Arabic. MashaAllah!! MashaAllah!! You hard work has been well rewarded dear Nazneen and you have brought all of us great joy dear. May Almighty bestow you with more success in the coming years, InshaAllah!! And yes, this yummilicious Strawberry Mousse is just for you!! Enjoy!!

Quick Recipe : I quickly whipped up 3 tbsp of cream cheese, 1 cup of whipped cream, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 egg whites and 1 tbsp gelatin soaked in warm water together and set it in fridge for 1-2 hrs to make this quick mousse.

 

 

 

Tiramisu – A simple version

Tiramsu is an elegant and famous Italian dessert of sponge cake soaked with coffee and sandwiched with fresh mixture of mascorpone cheese and whipped cream. Traditional tiramisu recipe calls for ladyfingers, that have been soaked in coffee and spirits, and layers with a rich custard but i have used normal sponge cake which has been dipped in thick coffee decotion.

In a tall glass, arrange the sponge cake dipped in strong coffee decotion. For the cream, i used cream cheese whipped with fresh whipping cream and icing sugar. Take equal portion or vary the portions of each and whip it well. Pour the cream over the arranged cakes and again place some sponge cakes, pour the cream again and sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Thats it your yummy exotic italian dessert is ready.

Cheese Cake

Cheesecake is a dessert consisting of a topping made of soft, fresh cream cheese, usually on a crust or base made from biscuit. They may be baked or unbaked.

This rich dessert will not go missed among the list of favorite dessert of many. My friends and family are a great fan of this creamy dessert and so are my all relatives to whomsoever i had served this. Try it for yourself and i am sure it will become a favorite in your home too

Ingredients

• Biscuits – 250 g, crumbled
• Butter – 100 g, melted
• Cream cheese – 200 g
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – 397 g
• Cream – 170 g
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon gelatine powder -10 g, dissolved in 60 ml of hot water.

Method

• Combine biscuit and butter. Press mixture into a bottom loose cake tin. Place in fridge for 10 minutes.
• Using a food processor, beat cream cheese,Sweetened Condensed Milk ,Cream , vanilla powder and lemon juice until smooth.
• Stir the melted gelatin into the cream cheese mixture and spoon over the biscuit then place in fridge for 2-3 hours until completely set.

Chocolate Mousse – A Lipsmacking Dessert :-)

Try this fabulous dessert for your next iftar or any parties and i am sure your family would be behind you for the second serving

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 8 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups cream
• 2 tbsp sweetened whipped cream (chilled)
• 3 tsp gelatine
• 6 cherries (glaced, blanched, canned, fresh, any)

Method

• Put 3 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatine over it. Do not stir. Keep aside.
• Mix coco and cornflour in 1/2 cup milk. Boil remaining milk with sugar, for 5 minutes.
• Add cocoa paste gradually, stirring continuously. Cool for 3-4 minutes. Cool a little.
• Warm the soaked gelatine over very low flame, stirring. Do not boil. Mix into the milk and stir. Chill till thick but not set.
• Beat with hand beater till smooth. Gently mix in cream. Pour in individual mousse cups. Set in freezer.
• Once set transfer to fridge compartment. 15 minutes prior to serving, ice a swirl of whipped cream on each with an icing gun. Sprinkle a pinch of cocoa powder. Or top with grated chocolate and  a cherry.

Shrimp Pasta

Need a feel of an gourmet Italian restaurant???..Try this out

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 or 2 white onion
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 kg pasta
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Shredded mozarella cheese (as required)

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook shrimp, garlic and white onion for 5 minutes, or until shrimp is pink. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, cook tomatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, oregano and basil over medium heat along with tomato sauce until tender, 10 minutes.
4. Line a baking dish with pasta, topped with tomato shrimp mixture and generously top it with shredded mozarella cheese. Bake for around 10-15 mts till cheese has completely melted. Serve hot.

Cinnamon Toast

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (50 grams) white granulated sugar or light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or to taste)
• Butter, at room temperature
• 6 slices of white or whole wheat bread

Method

In a small bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon, adjusting the ratio of sugar to cinnamon to your own particular taste.

Toast the bread until golden brown, on both sides on a grill, or a pan or  in a toaster oven.  Butter one side of the toast and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar. If desired, place the cinnamon toast under the oven’s broiler until the sugar has melted and starts to bubble. Remove from oven, cut the slices of cinnamon toast in lengthwise, and eat straight away.

Sausage Sandwich

Another filling dish for kids lunch box. Any kid would love sausages and hence any no of veggies along with sausage would make the kids to empty the plate in minutes. And moms would be happy that they fed them with some veggies…Below is the list of ingredients that i used for this sandwich. But it’s totally up to your creativity to mix n match. All these ingredients are available in all the supermarkets in Chennai. I got them very very fresh from Star Bazaar in Ampa Skywalk Mall.

Ingredients

• Long bun (Samoon)
• Sandwich spread / Mayonaise
• Mustard Dressing
• Iceberg lettuce
• Cucumber Slices
• Tomato Slices
• Pepper n Salt
• Thousand Island Dressing
• Sausages (boiled n cooked)

Method

Cut the bun into half and liberally apply mayo/ sandwich spread on one half. Top with teared lettuce, cucumber n tomato slices. Place the cut sausages. Add lil salt n pepper, mustard and thousand island dressing. Close with the other half of the bun.

See what my buddies are upto in their marathoners’ kitchens….Jayashree, Bhagi, Champa, ,Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, ,Harini, Kamalika,Meena, ,Minu, Padma, ,Pavani, PJ,Priya Mahadevan, Priya Suresh, Priya Vasu, Rujuta, Santosh, Saraswathi, Savitha, ,Shanavi, ,Smitha, Sowmya, Srivalli, Suma, Usha, and Veena

Chocolate Cup Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour / maida
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 ounces melted unsweetened baking chocolate or 1/3 cup cocoa powder

 

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• Combine all ingredients into large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, and scrape bowl.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes.
• Fill liners with 2/3 full of batter.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• You may frost these cute cup cakes when they are completely cool.