Marie Biscuit Tiramisu

Traditionally Tiramisu is made from savoiardi biscuits or sponge cake. Few days back I had tasted an exceptional dessert made of marie biscuit at a relative's place. Since then, I have been thinking of what more can be done with Marie biscuits. So I transformed the traditional tiramisu into a quick and easy eggless tiramisu recipe.

Ingredients 
1 cup strong brewed espresso with 1 tsp sugar, warmed
250gms mascarpone cheese
4-5 heap tablespoon ground sugar
30 Marie Biscuit
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whipped cream


Preparation

1. In a bowl, beat mascarpone cheese till smooth.
2. Add sugar,lemon zest,vanilla extract, 3 tablespoon strong brewed coffee.
3. Fold in Whipping cream.
4. Keep this mixture aside.
5. Keep a shallow dish ready.
6. Dip 15 Marie Biscuits in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side and immediately place it on the shallow dish making a 3 layer rectangle of biscuits.Break the biscuits if needed to fill the rectangle.It is bit difficult to maintain the shape as marie biscuits are round.
7. Apply half of the mascarpone cheese mix on the top of the biscuit layer and spread evenly.
8. Repeat to create another 3 layer of biscuits and then apply cheese mix again on the top and the sides.
9. Increase the quantity of biscuits and cheese mix if you want more layers.
10. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu for few hours or better overnight.
11. To serve, sift cocoa powder on the top and place chocolate curls.
12. Cut into individual rectangle/squares to serve chilled.

Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake

 Ingredients
Cooking Spray/Butter
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp refined oil
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water
2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate
1 tbsp powdered sugar, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray/butter and set aside.
2. Sift together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl..
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and oil.
4. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate. 
5. Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved espresso powder.
6. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds; at  30 second intervals, stir each time till smooth and melted
7. Fold chocolate into batter.
8. Add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.

The recipe for the cake has been inspired from the TheKitchenSinkRecipes

Butter Ganache

Ingredients:
250 g. dark chocolate
250 g. unsalted butter OR  300mL cream

Microwave Method

• Chop chocolate into small pieces. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with the cream or butter.
• On medium power, microwave for one-minute bursts, stirring in between, until melted and combined. Mix well.

Stove Method

• Chop chocolate into small pieces. Place in a heatproof bowl with the butter OR cream.
•   Sit the bowl in a small saucepan half-full of simmering water, taking care the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the mixture is melted and combined.

Assembling the Cake
.

1. Sit the cake on a cooling rack, with a plate or sheet of baking paper underneath to catch the drips.
2.  Pour the ganache from a jug evenly over the cake. It will soak in and provide an excellent flavour.

Devilish Chocolate Cake

Had baked this cake for my husband's birthday and it was my first experience with frosting a cake. Though,it was alot of hard work but the result was a wonderfully beautiful looking birthday cake and the caffeinated frosting just added to the taste. The best compliment came from my husband, he just couldn't wait for the clock to strike 12 and the cake was cut more than an hour before 12 :)

I had made a two layer cake, but whenevr I am going to make it next I will make it a 4 layer cake.

For that 2 cakes would be needed and frosting too will need to be increased.

The Cake and the frosting recipe follows.

Cake Ingredients

• 1-1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp soft unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 3/4 cup and 3 tbsp buttermilk [Instructions given below for substituting buttermilk]

Preparation of the Cake

1.  Butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan
2. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
3. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in microwave. At 40 seconds interval take it out and stir. Keep repeating till it is melted and smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool slightly while you mix the batter.
4.  Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees
6. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
7. Put the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and lightens from yellow to cream color.
8. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl during this mixing. Beat for 2 more minutes.
9. Decrease the speed to low and mix in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl during this mixing.
10. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 flour, 2 buttermilk). Let the mixture absorb the flour before adding more buttermilk. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl after the last addition of flour. The batter is ready when the final addition of flour is mixed completely into the batter. If any flour is clinging to the sides of the bowl, stir it into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans and smooth the top of the batter.
11. Bake for about 40 minutes for 9-inch round.
12. To test for doneness, gently press your fingers on the middle of the cake. It should feel firm. If it does, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. When the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
13. Cool the cake in the baking pan on a wire rack.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4 oz unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup half-and-half [Instructions given below for substituting Half and half]
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
• 2 tsp instant decaffeinated coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water
• Chocolate Sprinklers

Preparation of the  the Fudge Frosting

1. Put the butter, granulated sugar, and half-and-half in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer the mixture for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Small bubbles will form around the edge of the pan. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
3. Add the semisweet and unsweetened chocolate and stir the mixture until it is smooth and all of the chocolate is melted.
4. Return the saucepan to low heat for 1 minute, if necessary, to melt the chocolate completely.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into the large bowl of an electric mixer.
6. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and dissolved coffee and mix on low speed just to incorporate the powdered sugar.
7. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until it is cool to the touch, about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the mixture cools throughout. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
8. Beat the cooled chocolate mixture on medium-high for 1 minute, or until the frosting is creamy and lightens slightly in color.

 This recipe has been inspired from Globalgourmet.com

 Assembling the Cake

1. When the cake has cooled, Cut it into 2 horizontal layers. Use a see-saw manner to cut it evenly.
2. Taking the bottom part, with cut side up, apply the frosting using a metal spatula.
3. Put the 2^nd layer on the frosted first layer with cut side down.
4. Apply the frosting to the sides and the top of the cake.
5. Fill some of the frosting in the icing bag  and make star shaped designs on the edge of the top of the cake
6. Sprinkle Chocolate sprinkles
7. Enjoy !!

 Substitutes

Buttermilk [1 Cup]

1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup (240 ml) (let stand 5-10 minutes)

OR 1 cup (225 grams) plain yogurt

OR 1 cup (225 grams) sour cream

OR 1 cup (240 ml) milk plus 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

Half and Half [1 Cup]

1 tablespoon butter /margarine plus enough milk to make 1 cup (240 ml) (let stand 2 minutes)

 

Herbed Stuffed Mushrooms

This is the best Stuffed Mushroom I have ever tasted.

It just explodes in your mouth! And it is so easy to make them. This is again inspired 

from purplefoodie herb butter mushroom recipe.

As I didn't have some ingredients at home I replaced it with whatever I had that time.And the results were outstanding!!

Ingredients

Mushrooms -250gms [cleaned]

Garlic Cloves -5-6 minced

Thyme - 1 tbsp

Butter - 1tbsp,cut into small cubes

Olive oil -1 tbsp

Salt

Freshly grounded pepper

Coriander leaves or parsley

30gms Parmesan cheese sliced [The original recipes calls for Smoked mozzarella]

Preparation.

1.  Preheat oven to 200C
2. Remove the stems of the mushrooms.
3. Cut the stems into small pieces,Add sliced garlic,thyme.
4. Stuff the mushroom with the above mixture.
5. Push one small cube of butter in each mushroom.This is what makes the mushroom extremely juicy!!
6. Brush each mushroom with olive oil.
7. Add salt and pepper.
8. Put a slice of cheese on each mushroom to cover the openning
9. Sprinkle generous amount of coriander leaves [or parsely]
10. Brush the baking dish with Olive Oil
11. Grill the mushrooms for 7-8 minutes untill the cheese gets golden in color.
12. Serve it fresh from the oven.

Hasselback Potatoes

Here comes the most sinfully gorgeous looking potatoes recipe.
I saw it the first time at Purplefoodie blog and since I didn't have the pesto ingredients at home, I searched for more recipes and finally came with this recipe.

Ingredients
Large potatoes - 2
Parsley -1 tbsp
Oregano-1 tbsp
Basil-1 tbsp
Garlic - 3-4 cloves thinly sliced
Butter - 2 tbsp,cut in small cubes
Lemon - 1
Olive Oil- 1tbsp

Preparation

1. Preheat Oven to 225C.
2. Clean the potatoes. Do not remove the skin.
3. Parboil the potatoes for 10-12 minutes.
4. Keeping the base intact,thinly slice the potatoes at regular intervals. Cut it in a see-saw manner.This would ensure that you are not cutting the base.
5. Put the potatoes on a baking dish. 
6. Push half of sliced garlic in the potato layers
7. Push small cubes of butter in each layer.
8. Melt some butter in a pan, Add remaining garlic pieces and all the herbs and stir well. 
9. Add lemon juice and lemon zest to the butter mixture
10. Pour this herbed butter on the potatoes making sure it goes inside the layers.
11. Sprinkle salt and olive oil.
12. Bake for 1 hour,10 minutes.
13. When it is done,pour the melted butter/oil  which is in the baking dish again over the potatoes and grill it for 3 minutes to make it crispy.
14. Serve It Hot!!

Chocolate Walnut Brownie Cookies

The idea of baking Cookies has always fascinated me.
Countless books [including Mills & Boons :)] mentions the entire house filled with the sweet smell of fresh cookies in the oven.
And I have been wanting to recreate those aromas my little kitchen ever since I started baking recently.
So, here comes the recipe of  first cookie I baked  which is inspired from BakingBites Brownie cookies.

Ingredients
5oz bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour [maida]
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup Sugar [grind it if using granulated sugar]
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla essence[ use  2 tsp vanilla extract preferably]
1/2 cup roasted walnuts [broken into small pieces]
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Chocolate flakes for decoration

 Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 190C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. 
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla essence or extract and the melted chocolate.
5. Add in dry ingredients and stir just until dough comes together and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
6. Stir in  and chocolate chips.
7. Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet.
8. Put some chocolate flakes on the top.
9. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until cookies are set and are no longer wet looking.
10. Let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 and 1/2 dozen cookies.

My Personal Notes

• Color of the cookies are an indication if it is done or not. Undone chocolate cookies are of pale chocolate colour.
• The cookies loses its wetness when stored overnight.So,don't get worried if it is little moist when it comes out the oven. If it is too wet then bake for couple of minutes more.

Danish Stuffed Pastry

 

This one again is inspired from whiteonricecouple Strawberry Danish Recipe. 

It is such a beautiful looking recipe that I couldn't resist making it.

I wanted a salted recipe so, instead of  using the stuffing mentioned there, I used my earlier Feta cheese spinach stuffing recipe and added half a cup boiled corn kernels to it. 

Ingredients

• Puff Pastry

•  Feta cheese spinach stuffing + half cup boiled corn kernels

• How to assemble the pastry : whiteonricecouple Strawberry Danish Recipe

Personal Notes

When the dough is ready, it is really tough for beginners to cut a perfect long n wide even rectangle. And with high temperatures here in Mumbai, the butter keeps melting even before you can roll the whole dough. So, I made small individual rectangles and just trimmed its sides, It was easier , butter didn't melt that fast and it looked beautiful too.

Stuffed Onions

This recipe is inspired from stuffed onion recipe from 1001 Recipes by Martha Day

Ingredients

• Large Onions
• Stuffing: Your choice : I have tried two different fillings .One was Feta Cheese ,spinach and garlic. The other one was Sanjeev Kapoor's potato cups stuffing.
  

Preparation for Stuffed Onions

1. Peel the onions without cutting through the bases.Cook them in Large Pan of boiling water for 20 mins. Drain and refresh in plenty of cold water.
2. Using a small sharp knife,cut around and scoop out each central section. Keep 2-3 layers of Onion.
3. Lightly sprinkle with salt and leave onions to drain upside down.
   
4. Preheat oven to 200 C.
5. Dry the onions using tissue.
6. Fill in the stuffing of your choice using a small spoon.Arrange the onions in oiled baking tray. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and oil. Bake for 45 min or until the onions are tender and gold.
7. Serve hot.

My personal Notes.

• If Onions are small reduce the boiling time. 10-12 mins would be enough.
• You can reuse the scooped out onions for your stuffing.
• Baking time can be reduced too.Mine were done in 30 mins. So check your onions after 30 mins if it is done.

Feta Cheese,Spinach,Garlic Stuffing

• 500g fresh spinach, blanched
• 250g Feta cheese
• Scooped out onions cut as small as you can.
• Cinnamon powder 1 and a half tsp

Reduce/Increase the above quantities according to the number onions to be stuffed.

1. Squeeze out excess water from spinach, and then roughly chop.
2. In a pan heat some oil; fry the onions until golden brown. Add the spinach, cinnamon powder. Make sure all ingredients are mixed well. cook for 1-2 mins.
3. take out from heat, mix in crumbled Feta cheese and garlic.
4. It doesn't need salt to be added. Taste first and add salt according to your taste.
   
5. Your stuffing is ready.

Stuffed Pastry

I loved these small cute little pastries and was really sad that I was all alone today and there was no one to taste these. So ,what could be a better beginning. Share something that I couldn't share :)
The recipe is inspired by the potato cups stuffing by Sanjeev Kapoor . And the puff pastry recipe was used from the site whiteonricecouple.

Recipe:
Puff Pastry from whiteonricecouple.
Stuffing from Sanjeev Kapoor

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Divide the puff pastry into 10cm circles [A bit thicker and smaller than Indian puris] . Take a round of puff pastry and lay it flat in your hand.
   
3. Put 2 tablespoon of the stuffing in the center.
   
4. To make a diamond shape, lift up two sides and pinch the neighboring edges together, similarly do it for other sides.
5. Place the pastries on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
6. Serve Warm.