Cups of Magic ~ Vanilla Cupcakes @ Deeba's

Lunch at Deeba's was so much fun..... She made cupcakes ahead of my arrival as they have issues with electricity in Gurgaon. We use the left over Chocolate Ganache from decorating the Zebra Cake. We used the new icing set Jenny mami had sent me. My first ever..... was very excited.... She had sent me a Decorative Icing Set, Multigrater, Cookie Scoop and loads of other stuff .... Chetan, my brother got me Silicon Moulds to make cupcakes and the cookie cutters from melbourne.....


This was the first cupcake I iced...... Deeba made everything look so easy.... :-)


We had even looked up a book she had on decorating cupcakes... most of it was too labour intensive, we found something easy and nice looking, yeah.... I love butterflies....

After I was done with my squiggles... We had them all ready and then freaked out taking pictures in her 'Light Box'....


Took them home in a box and Daksayani[my 3 1/2 year old kid sister] freaked out when she saw them.


We gave her only 1 and the sugar rush that she had after that was Crazy... She was bouncing off the walls with excitement and the sugar rush combined......

The rest was taken to work.... Bhaskar, Amit and Partha enjoyed it....

Will soon try and make even the cupcakes myself..... Thanks a ton Deeba, for welcoming me with such open arms :-)

Ps: Check out Deeba's account of the fun we had TRIFLE TALES...OF VISITING BLOGGERS & SWEET THINGS!

Also Zebra Cake for the Rajpals and Lunch at Deeba's

Salamiwich ~ Anyone for Salami Sandwich

Mom called me at work, asking what I wanted to have for dinner, would salami sandwich be ok. What a spoilt brat I am... :-) Told her to get me smiley's with it..... Ha...Ha...Ha.....

Knowing the mom I have, was expecting some healthy bread and juice to be served with it..... right I was.... There was Whole Wheat Bread along with Mixed Fruit Cucumber n Spinach & Orange n Carrot Juice from active.

Got going on my sandwich making spree.....

Mom n chachi were constantly hurrying me up..... n here I was taking pictures.... :-)


I had good fun putting it together.....

The final output was quite nice, mom n chachi both enjoyed it..... I popped in a few extra olives in my sandwich.. :-) I freaked out on the Dijon Honey Mustard. Am a total mustard freak......


Salami Sandwich:

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat bread
• Salad leaves / lettuce
• Grated Cheese
• Chicken/Pork salami
• Mustard [ I liked the sweet flavour of homey mustard]
• Couple of sliced olives and gerkins
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Freshly ground pepper and some salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak Salad leaves / lettuce.
• Take 2 slices of bread, and cut them into circles with a cookie cutter [or a steel katori would work equally well]
• Spread Mustard on it both the slices [if you're not calorie conscious use butter n cheese :-) ]
• Put on Salad leaf/Lettuce
• Place slices of Salami on it to cover the entire surface of the bread.
• Place Olives and Gerkins on it
• Top it up with grated Cheese.
• Sprinkle freshly ground Pepper and some Salt to taste.
• Add another layer of Salami on top.
  
• Place the other side with the Mustard facing down.
• Serve with Fries and Sauce.

Lunch at Deeba's

My enthusiasm has been bubbling away, Thanks to Deeba... Check out Zebra Cake for the Rajpals

Pottering arround in Deeba's kitchen was such fun..... Her fridge was stocked with so many goodies.... Even found a Sugar Clown in the fridge :-)



Lunch was awesome. We had Corn n Tomato salad, Penne in Mushroom Cream Sauce, Roasted Chicken in Garlic n Lemon and Garlic bread [done on artisan bread which Deeba baked herself...... flags are flying :-) ]along with lovely music, now ain't that a meal for princesses... :-)

We were so busy chattering and taking pictures that in the mean time Vineet [Deeba's husband] was looking at the food so longingly..... So Sweetly, he waited for us to do our stuff, so that he could eat :-)


The meal was scrumptious and totally yummy.... She whipped it up in a matter of minutes.
The best was yet to come, the dessert.... ain't she brilliant at it... :-) STRAWBERRY PANNA COTTA WITH A STRAWBERRY COULIS



Isn't that DIVINE.... Hmmmmmm.......

Thanks for having me over guys :-)


[Updated] Check out Deeba's account of the fun we hadTRIFLE TALES...OF VISITING BLOGGERS & SWEET THINGS!

Also view Zebra Cake for the Rajpals and Cups of Magic ~ Vanilla Cupcakes @ Deeba's

Zebra Cake for the Rajpals

I was so excited.... was to meet Deeba... my friend who blogs at http://passionateaboutbaking.blogspot.com. Had been drooling all over her blog from so long and called her at odd hours for SOS advice about something or the other while baking.... She's fabulous.... gave me all the encouragement I ever needed.

We were finally gonna meet. Thought of taking chocolates for her wonderful kids, Mehar and Rohan. Then at night, while driving back, was thinking... why not bake something new instead of buying chocolate off the shelf. It's just so much more personal.

There wasn't too much time to experiment or think at 9pm, as no shops would be open for new ingredients. Plain cake, Chocolate cake... toooooo boring. Then I though Marble cake.....AAAHHHAAAA.... Remembered seeing a Zebra Cake posted on Deeba's blog. Didn't follow the recipe, instead adapted the method of getting the zebra stripes.....

Then again..... why is it my disability to follow a recipe [LOL]..... I knew Deeba loves Chocolate n Coffee so instead of adding just Cocoa, added Chocolate shavings, generous amounts of Coffee and some Cinnamon to enhance the taste. [Am also a chocolate freak ;-) Check out a previous post Chocoholic]

There was madness in my kitchen cause mom was serving everyone dinner and here i was pottering around with my stuff.

The cake itself was simple to do, just had to be careful with the way it was poured into the baking tin. As Deeba says "The most important part is assembling the cake batter in a baking pan. This is what you do. Scoop 3 heaped tablespoons of plain batter (you can also use a ladle that would hold 3 tablespoons) into the middle of the baking pan. Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter."



The outcome was smelling so good that I wanted to cut it and eat it there n then...... Had to resist the temptation with all the will power i could muster, packed it in a box and was ready to go to bed. I kept the decoration part to be done at The Expert's place and what a good job of it she did. I was the kitchen helper.


It looks so amazing ... check it out.....


After taking pictures, we cut a slice n I was ready to drool........

The Zebra stripes didn't come out so well cause the chocolate part of the batter got much heavier in consistency compared to the vanilla part due to the chocolate, yet tasted yummy. The kids had seconds... :-)

Shared the cake with my brother[who was so skeptical about me having made it at all] and then took some to office n Nikhil had it.

Zebra Cake from Deeba @ passionate about baking

My Zebra Cake Recipe
Ingredients:

• Eggs - 4
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Flour - 1 1/2 cups
• Vanilla Essence - 1/2 Teaspoon
• Baking powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
• Dark cocoa powder - 4 Tablespoon
• Cooking Chocolate - 150gms [grated]
• Coffee Powder - 2 Tablespoon
• Cinnamon - 1 Teaspoon

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar until creamy and light in colour.
2. Add vanilla extract to the mixture.
3. Gradually add flour and oil in the Dry-Wet method[some oil, then some flour, some oil, then some flour,] and then mix the batter till it is smooth and the flour and oil are thoroughly incorporated.
4. Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Keep one portion plain. Add cocoa powder, coffee and cinnamon into another and mix well. The color of the cocoa batter should be quite dark.
5. Add the grated chocolate shavings.
6. Preheat the oven to 180C. Greased and floured the sides of the cake tin.
7. The most important part is assembling the cake batter in a baking pan. This is what you do. Scoop 3 heaped tablespoons of plain batter (you can also use a ladle that would hold 3 tablespoons) into the middle of the baking pan. Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter.
   NOTE: Do not spread the batter or tilt the pan to distribute the mixture. It will spread by itself and fill the pan gradually. Continue alternating the batters until you finish them.
8. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes.

Decoration with Chocolate Ganache:

1. While the cake is baking, put 200ml cream with the dark chocolate on simmer & continue to stir till the chocolate has melted. Take off heat & allow to cool completely[NEVER the freezer]. This will thicken as it cools.
2. Spread the ganache over the top and sides of the cake evenly.
3. Slice a strawberry and place in the centre for colour.
4. Decorate the edges with chocolate flakes.
5. Chill well before serving.
   Note: If the ganache is too thin, add a little more chocolate and heat on low till melted; and then cool. And, if the ganache is too thick, add a little more cream & repeat procedure.

Coming up is the post about the yummy lunch at Deeba's.



[Updated] Check out Deeba's account of the fun we had TRIFLE TALES...OF VISITING BLOGGERS & SWEET THINGS!

Check out Deeba's account of the fun we had TRIFLE TALES...OF VISITING BLOGGERS & SWEET THINGS!

Also view Cups of Magic ~ Vanilla Cupcakes @ Deeba's and Lunch at Deeba's

When Henry blew bubbles they became more than that

When Henry blew bubbles they became more than that.....

"When Henry blew bubbles
They became more than that
With a face and two legs
And the occasional hat"

Check out the this really nice ink & watercolour by Marc Johns at http://www.flickr.com/photos/97897408@N00/3048132897

Dinner for a Million

Found this really funny..... posted on "http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/03/40-comics-strips-for-web-designers/"

Tasting Chocolate

Most of you would know by now how crazy I am about chocolate.... if not, then check out
Chocoholic, Cheesecake ~ God's Way of Blessing Us, You Can Kiss My Fingers - Strawberry Chocolate Swiss Roll & Lemon Chocolate Swiss Roll, Daksyani Making Chocolate Fudge Brownies,
You Can Kiss My Fingers,Partha's Birthday Party

Was browsing thru some blogs and found a very interesting post called 'Tasting Chocolate' at Artisan Sweets.



Some excerpts from the article:

Many people suggest that the first year of marriage is the hardest (I’ve also heard the seventh is a tough one - we’ll see about that) but I look on that year with great fondness.

My husband and I made it our mission to try nearly every restaurant in Seattle. We kept a notebook about where we went, what we ate, what we loved and what disgusted us - luckily that didn’t happen very often as we did loads of research before picking our final destination. Every Friday night we would ready ourselves to hit the town, notebook in hand and an eager palette.

Those were the beginning days of my love affair with food. As with any new found love, everything was thrilling and new. Gabe and I were bursting with excitement and wanted to share our new love. We decided to host a tasting party.

Each chocolate sample was tasted separately while examining all five of the following categories.

Appearance - What does is look like? Sheen, bloom, even texture, color. Color should be even with a nice gloss, no discoloration, spots or cloudiness.

Snap - What does it sound like when you break it or bite into it? Should sound clear, crisp - this is a sign of a proper temper. The chocolate should not bend or crumble.

Aroma - Similar to tasting wine. This is a matter of subjectivity. Fruity, spicy, floral, etc. Anything goes. Do you smell leather, tobacco, dirty socks? Say it.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, not grainy or gritty. It can feel velvety or creamy, or it can be waxy or greasy.

Taste - Descriptors similar to aroma. Allow the chocolate to slowly melt on the tongue. Different tastes will emerge at different stages of consumption.

That's me..... Freeeeeeeeeaking out on dark chocolate n chocolate donuts..... Hmmmmm.... Yummmyyyy......

The Most Disgusting Tasting Cake

Was browsing thru some blogs and found a very interesting post called 'The Most Disgusting Tasting Cake.... I ever made in my entire life...' on Becks & Posh

It's amusing, read it at http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/2009/02/most-disgusting-tasting-cake.html

Am pasting the image here cause it really tickled me.. :-)

photograph courtesy of Jen Maiser

Chocoholic

I am on the 12-step chocoholics program:


I am never more than 12 steps away from chocolate!


Credits to Bhaskar for all the photographs [rather proof of all my moments of temptation... ;-)]

Cheesecake ~ God's Way of Blessing Us

Fresh fruits have always been a favourite with me....
Even when I hadn't discovered the baker in me, i use to do this cheesecake recipe. It always gives me wonderful results....


Made this orange cheese cake for someone very special....


For special people something special had to be done...... There was a surprise in the cheese cake..... chocolate coated fruit... Yummy..... How can I leave chocolate out of my dessert recipes. Got everything right by the book. Decorated the bowl with freshly peeled oranges. Now what to do for my second bowl.....

As usual S.O.S call to Deeba of 'Passionate About Baking'.... I had seen it somewhere on her blog ... Hmm.. Here it is.. She had done a 'DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE' for her mom's b'day decorated with Chocolate Leaves. She was really sweet to revert back in minutes with the process to do the chocolate petals. Have detailed it below after the recipe.


For the base:
1/2 packet glucose biscuits [abt 100gms]
60 gm butter [softened, not melted]
20gm grain sugar

For cheesecake:
250 ml cream[whipped]
150gm hung curd
100gm fruit pulp [use mango, orange, strawberries or any other fruit you fancy]
40 gms gelatin [in winter 1 reduce it by 2-3 pinches as it sets just fine]

Method:
For the base:
Crush the glucose biscuits finely [not to powder]
Bind them together with the softened butter till the mixture is course. [i use the back of a spoon, you could use ure hand if you like]
Pace this on the base of the dish in which you want to make the cheesecake and serve.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

For Cheesecake:
Whip the cream to soft peaks.
Mix in the hung curd to a silky consistency.
Add the fruit pulp and mix well, don't beat too much. [I like to leave a few course pieces of fruit in the mixture too]
Melt the gelatin in cold water first and then heat on a double boiler.
After it's completely dissolved, pour into the above mixture and mix well.
Take out the Refrigerated base, pour the above mixture into the bowl over the base.
Refrigerate for about an hour.[more in summers till it sets]
Garnish with fresh fruit or chocochips.

For Chocolate Petals:
Chocolate leaves are really really simple. They work best with rose leaves.
Pluck a bunch of rose leaves, clean & pat dry. Leave a stalk on each leaf to make it easier to peel off once the chocolate is set.
I make a few extra leaves just in case a couple break etc. They store very well in any case.
Melt some chocolate (I do it in the microwave), & then paint on gently onto the back of the rose leaf. (The back of the leaves has strong veins) .
Make sure the chocolate doesn't drip to the front of the leaf, or it gets difficult to peel off cleanly/without breaking.
Allow to set on a platter in the fridge. If you are in a hurry, then the freezer does the job in 10 minutes too.
Once the chocolate has set, quickly, but gently peel the rose leaf off. Quickly because the chocolate tends to melt on being held.

Hope you try this one day...it's a great feeling making your own leaves! I was so super excited..... It's beyond words..... They didn't like all come out brilliant... But enough to make me really happy..... 3 Cheers to you Deeba...

Deeba also made this recipe of cheese cake.... Strawberry Refrigerator Cheesecake... Eggless.... It's beautiful..... take a peek....
She's really sweet, calls me 'a chirpy young thing, full of beans'... LOL....