– Helen Keller

Sincere Apologies for the long gap between posts.  It was unintentional, the summer months in Britain is our official holiday season! that means going to India.  It’s become a kind of ritual I have to go to India whatsoever! To visit my parents and family.  It’s like Popeye and his spinach.  It’s like the potion of love and I can somehow manage the whole year without seeing them.  It all comes back to heart down the lane, it’s that love which makes you do things and takes you places without which we do not survive.

“Love is not a matter of what happens in life it’s matter of how you are dealing with it” – Ken Keyes

Coming back from India I had to juggle with a lot of things, every year the same story repeats itself predominantly, things to sort out!  Kids going back to University and my lovely garden needed a lot of tending some tear and care as it was kind of abandoned with a ritual of unrealistic seasonal changes with sunny spells, sudden emotional downpours! And off course the ghastly wind how can I forgo it from my thoughts, remember those days one cold night in December the northern lights brought severe winds which would bring Santa down to earth but alas! It blew away my innocent greenhouse to my next door neighbour’s garden, knocking things around.  Poor Lady called me waking me up from my dreams to the reality to a shock of how she was trying to hold down the greenhouse not to fly away to visit another neighbour! who wouldn’t be happy at all!

With all the chaos I baked this cake, this cake brings me back a lot of wonderful memories.  My school days when I would wait for my daddy to bring this cake for us to munch on as after school snack, sometimes we would be treated with puffs, apple cake, Khara bun, palya Bun and Congress Kadalekai beeja (Indian Spiced peanuts) the list can go on and on, But, this cake was always my favourite.  A cake so delicious so moist with the sweetness of honey. A cake you wouldn’t say No!

This would be a perfect cake for any celebration be it a valentine’s Day or Birthday or just a keep it as a centre-piece! when baked it in a tray  it goes to say pick me up.  This cake can also be an inspiration for the Breast Cancer awareness #Pinktober 2016.

Everything to do with your heart, either way , A day to celebrate Love –

“Doubt thou the stars are fire; doubt that the sun doth move; doubt truth to be a liar; but never doubt I love you.  I love thee, I love but thee with a love that shall not die.  Till the sun grows cold and the stars grow old”

– William Shakespeare.

Little did I know I would have to travel again which came as a surprise and I had to do this post, my holiday simply extended within a span of weeks now I am in Netherlands!  A country which I love coming back to! A country with Scenic beauty and a land of canals, anywhere and everywhere you turn around you are surrounded by water, you just can’t miss it.  Streaming down with lush greenery, swans, ducks and whatnots swimming and wading and an array of birds - chirping and chattering playfully on the trees, giving us a wake-up call.  The beautiful landscape has never ceased to amaze me.

It’s a love affair, it might be  a fellow human being or  nature it doesn’t matter and it has no criteria.   Love is a universal Language, it doesn’t know caste, creed, colour or religion.  Rich or poor alike, it is  just a given and give policy. So, here is how you make this cake, pouring lots of love to it…..

“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Honey Cake (Iyengar Bakery style)

Recipe Author: Jayasri
Type : Indian
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time : 45-50minutes
Food type : Dessert
Servings : 6 to 8
Shelf- life: up to 1 week without refrigeration

Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake
185 grams All-Purpose Flour
185 grams Sugar
150 grams Butter
50 grams Coconut Oil(any oil)
5 Eggs
½ tsp Baking Soda
¾ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Agar Agar powder or cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla essence
Ingredients for the topping
6 tbsp Jam
4 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp water
¼ to ⅓ cup Desiccated Coconut

Method
1. Keep all the Ingredients at room temperature
2. Take a 9’’ by 3’’ heart shaped cake tin or a square tin** prepare the tin by rubbing the butter and then sprinkling All-purpose Flour completely so it is well coated.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degree C/Gas Mark 4
4. In a mixing bowl take all the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Using a sieve sift the dry ingredients at least 3 times so they are well combined. set it aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl take butter and whip it until it is light and fluffy, then add sugar ¼ cup at a time until everything is incorporated.
6. Now to this butter, mix add one egg at a time and beat well, If you find it curdling please do not  panic it’s just normal add 2 tbsp of the flour mix into it. Use all the eggs until well combined, add 2 tsp of vanilla essence when beating the eggs.
7. Now take the dry ingredients and combine carefully little at a time. Fold it in the butter & egg mixture without over mixing it.
8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for at least 45 to 50 minutes, mine took around 50-55 minutes. This depends completely on how your oven works.
9. Check the cake with a skewer or any other way by piercing it in the middle of the cake to make completely sure that the skewer comes out clean.
10. When it’s baking make the syrup / topping for the cake. Place a pan on a low flame to this add Honey and mixed fruit jam to loosen it up. Once it starts to combine well and a tbsp of water mix it thoroughly and keep it aside until needed.
11. Remove the cake once done onto a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
12. Taking a toothpick, prick holes all around the cake. If your cake tin is springform, it is easy to remove even after pouring the syrup. If not, it is better to remove the cake onto a serving plate, or onto a stand.
13. Place it on a board and pour the warm topping mixture onto to the cake completely spreading it all around. Don’t allow it to drizzle around. once the syrup is poured all over the cake. Leave it for a while 20 to 25 minutes.
14. Then sprinkle the desiccated coconut all over the cake and that’s it your cake is done.
15. Just bake it and enjoy it.
** In India this cake is usually baked in a square tin and cut into small squares and sold individually.

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Honey cake (#Iyengar Bakery style) #pinktober

Most delicious cake, Drizzled with the sweetness of honey and jam. It's definitely a honey cake!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Jayasri

Ingredients

• Ingredients for the cake
• 185 grams All-Purpose Flour
• 185 grams Sugar
• 150 grams Butter
• 50 grams Coconut Oil
• 5 Eggs
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¾ tsp Baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp Agar Agar powder or cream of tartar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• Ingredients for the topping
• 6 tbsp Jam
• 4 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp water
• ¼ to ⅓ cup Desiccated Coconut

Instructions

• Keep all the Ingredients at room temperature
• Take a 9’’ by 3’’ heart shaped cake tin or a square tin** prepare the tin by rubbing the butter and then sprinkling All-purpose Flour completely so it is well coated.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degree C/Gas Mark 4
• In a mixing bowl take all the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Using a sieve sift the dry ingredients at least 3 times so they are well combined. set it aside.
• In a large mixing bowl take butter and whip it until it is light and fluffy, then add sugar ¼ cup at a time until everything is incorporated.
• Now to this butter, mix add one egg at a time and beat well, If you find it curdling please do not panic it’s just normal add 2 tbsp of the flour mix into it. Use all the eggs until well combined, add 2 tsp of <g class="gr_ gr_238 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="238" data-gr-id="238">vanilla</g> essence when beating the eggs.
• Now take the dry ingredients and combine carefully little at a time. Fold it in the butter & egg mixture without over mixing it.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for at least 45 to 50 minutes, mine took around 50-55 minutes. This depends completely on how your oven works.
• Check the cake with a skewer or any other way by piercing it in the middle of the cake to make completely sure that the skewer comes out clean.
• When it’s baking make the syrup / topping for the cake. Place a pan on a low flame to this add Honey and mixed fruit jam to loosen it up. Once it starts to combine well and a tbsp of water mix it thoroughly and keep it aside until needed.
• Remove the cake once done onto a cooling rack. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Taking a toothpick, prick holes all around the cake. If your cake tin is springform, it is easy to remove even after pouring the syrup. If not, it is better to remove the cake onto a serving plate, or onto a stand.
• Place it on a board and pour the warm topping mixture onto to the cake completely spreading it all around. Don’t allow it to drizzle around. once the syrup is poured all over the cake. Leave it for a while 20 to 25 minutes.
• Then sprinkle the desiccated coconut all over the cake and that’s it your cake is done.
• Just bake it and enjoy it.
• ** In India this cake is usually baked in a square tin and cut into small squares and sold individually.

Notes

This cake is usually baked in a square tin, I have baked it in a medium sized heart shaped tin. You can bake it in a square tin and cut into a heart shape as I have done as shown.

The post Honey cake (#Iyengar Bakery style) #pinktober appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Making a dessert is time-consuming don't you think? but after it's made and  if you have a sweet tooth you are bowled out to both the virtual and real treat.  I am not a dessert person, I love pineapple pastry though, I go weak in my legs I have a special love for them and all milk based Indian sweets.  I don't like sweets which are too sweet and surprisingly this pannacotta is not too sweet, well of course you can make it sweet if you add more sugar but, panna cotta aren't too sweet but wickedly delicious.  Panna cotta is an Italian delicacy, panna cotta is an  Italian dessert made with thickened cream and moulded with gelatin, as I don't use gelatine I have subbed it with Agar Agar.  These days panna cotta can be made skinny, dairy free and whatever way you want to enjoy it!

It's that time of the year your palette changes from warm food and soups to something refreshing and cool, Fresh salads either with veggies or fruits or a combo of both and something thandi (cool) to drink.  Spring is slowly settling to Summer,  brings your senses to a galore of tastes tingling your taste buds craving for something fresh and juicy.

Strawberries and summer come hand in hand, you can see loads of strawberries in the market a punnet would cost you a pound, not all strawberries are sweet, talking to local people here I found out strawberries from Hertfordshire are very sweet, and when I find them in the market I never miss to buy them my daughter loves them, both us wander a lot she is a foodie friend to me.  Last time when we went to Gym we found these British strawberries I forgot from where it came, they weren't too sweet, we were a bit disappointed so we decided on munching some cherry tomatoes instead walking back home, Ahh.., I didn't  tell you did I? there is a little farmer's market we often go to whenever we go to Gym pick up some fresh fruits and veggies, Cherries are my favourite, I just can't stop eating with one  by the time we come back home I would finished the whole lot.

I first thought I will make some lemonade then decided otherwise as I had just made it a few days back.  I had put my grey cells to work, I remembered that I had to do a dessert this month for #cookingwithfriends theme and had already planned on making Mango pannacotta  which I changed to strawberry instead and made Mango milkshake (Seekarne).   As the strawberries weren't that sweet I thought of making  this with a combination and decided upon vanilla and some chia seeds  to go with it.

We never had strawberries as kids.  I can only think of Melons and Mangoes when summer set in, in our part of the world, we loved eating loads of watermelons and mangoes and sometimes eat Ice cream when there used to be a man who used to bring in his cart all these Lollipops and sometime Kulfi's,  mother never made them at home looking after three kids and her full-time job was enough for her to manage.  My parents never liked us buying Ice creams from him, and was a rare treat. I still remember my first Ice cream I made was when I was in year 11, for a first timer it was a great success and as eggs were a no-no at home I made it eggless as well.

Time changes so many things in life, never thought  I would be here eating strawberries instead of Mangoes!, how we change our food habits and adapt to what we get.  Mango milk shake to a pannacotta, that's what has changed when you are blogger best of all, with all the love in the world you prepare it.

STRAWBERRY-VANILLA CHIA SEED PANNA COTTA (GELATINE FREE / VEGETARIAN)

Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Recipe source: Jayasri
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes (20 min each)
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS: 
For Strawberry pannacotta:
500 grms Strawberries
(2 Cups pureed strawberries)
1/4 cup very warm water
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
1/2 cup Brown sugar

For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
2 Cups milk
1/2 cup double cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
1 tbsp Chia seed
2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
1/4  cup very warm water
1/3 cup Suagr

METHOD:
Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender  with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.

In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes,  Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod  and blend them all together.  Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.

Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of  the fridge.  Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

NOTES:
Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is  vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin.  It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises.  It does not have any taste, odour and smell.  You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc.  1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if  you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste.  My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

Do you like panna cotta, which is your favourite and tell me why it is your favourite?

Disclaimer:
Cooking With Friends: This blog post is part of the monthly “Cooking With Friends” themed blog post challenge. This challenge was started by a bunch of virtual friends united by their love of food, with the aim of tackling a different food-related theme each month. If you want to try this month’s theme, please feel free to do so and link your recipe in the comments section. We’d love to check it out. Meanwhile, check out what the others in the group have come up with this month.
Anjana from At the Corner of Happy and Harried, Garima from CafeGarima,  Jyothi from Curry Tail, Madhuri from MADaboutkitchen, Subhasmita from The Flavors of Kitchen, Sujatha from Spice n Treats, Dolphia from Story of cooks

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Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatine free/Vegetarian)

An Italian delicacy made with thickened cream and chia seeds with Agar-Agar and delicious strawberries.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Author Jayasri

Ingredients

• For Strawberry pannacotta:
• 500 grms Strawberries
• 2 Cups pureed strawberries
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder*
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• For Vanilla Chia seed Pannacotta
• 2 Cups milk
• 1/2 cup double cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract / slit and scrape vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp Chia seed
• 2 tbsp Agar Agar powder
• 1/4 cup very warm water
• 1/3 cup Suagr

Instructions

• Wash and cut Strawberries into a container puree them in a blender with little water into a smooth puree, pour the pureed strawberries into a container and allow it to cook add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until all the sugar dissolved.
• In a container add 2 cups of milk and sugar and boil it in a low flame for 10 minutes to this add chia seeds and cook for 5 minutes, Meanwhile in a different bowl, boil water add tbsp of Agar powder until it completely dissolves, pour this mixture immediately into the milk mixture, add double cream, Vanilla extract or slit and scrape a vanilla pod and blend them all together. Leave it cool for 1/2 an hour, mix now and then, check its not thickening, as you don't want it solidifying, they just need to get cooled down now pour this into the serveware in which you want to serve, I slanted my glasses and put them in the fridge to set. May take 3 to 4 hours.
• Once the vanilla panna cotta sets, you can start the strawberry panna cotta, you get two cups of pureed strawberries from 500 grms of strawberries into a container with sugar and cook them together until sugar is completely dissolved switch off the stove and keep aside, In an other bowl warm water and add Agar powder mix well with no lumps add this immediately into the pureed strawberry mixture blend well and leave it to cool, keep checking now and then that it doesn't set, you need it just to cool down, when its cooling down and ready to poured into the glasses to set bring your vanilla panna cotta glasses out of the fridge. Pour strawberry panna cotta into the gap until they both balance or the way you like to design it put them back into the fridge to set. May take 2 to 3 hrs
• Once both of them are set you can serve them when needed.

Notes

Agar - Agar is a sea weed algae, it was discovered in Japan and it is called Kanten, It is called china grass in India, this is vegetarian/vegan substitute for gelatin. It even sets in room temperature and is better than gelatine even when temperature rises. It does not have any taste, odour and smell. You can find them in health food stores as powder, flakes, threads etc. 1 tbsp of agar powder dissolve it in a 4 tbsp hot water, 10 minutes it will start setting. For one cup of liquid to set use around 10 grms of Agar powder, I used 1 tbsp(8grms) as I wanted it to set it bit softer (wobbly), if you want it set properly use 10 grms.
Increase or decrease sugar as per your taste. My strawberries were a bit tart so had to use more sugar to balance it.

The post Strawberry-Vanilla Chia seed Panna Cotta (Gelatin free/ Vegetarian) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

GREEN TEA MOUSSE

140 gms  Whipping cream
70 gms white chocolate
1 tbsp Green Tea Leaves
1 tbsp Dolce de Leche
1 tsp Agar powder
2 tbsp of warm water

CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
140 grms Strawberry Puree
140 grms Sugar
1 tsp Agar
3 tbsp Warm water

Whipping cream as required
Pistachio Nuts as required

METHOD
TO MAKE GREEN TEA MOUSSE
In a thick bowl heat cream and tea Leaves until boiling set aside for 30 minutes, strain the tea leaves from cream then whip to soft peak melt chocolate and mix into tea infused cream and set aside.

TO MAKE CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
Soak Agar powder in  warm water beat keep it aside for few minutes then beat again , Puree strawberry and sugar together heat them in a bowl, add this to the puree and boil for few minutes keep it aside.

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks are formed. chop pistachios and keep aside.

ASSEMBLE

In a glass bowl or any thing you wish to arrange, layer whipping cream, add chopped pistachios, then layer them with Strawberry mousse then layer it with Green tea Mousse then layer it with Whipping cream and pistachios again then top it with Green tea mousse and top it with pistachios again, leave it in the refrigerate an hour or two and serve it cold.
Recipe source from these two blogs with minimal changes from here and matchachocolate.com
It was very sweet said my kids, hope you like it...

The post Eggless Green Tea mousse with Pistachio and Strawberry Verrines appeared first on My Veg Fare.

FOR THE PASTRY CASE:
1 cup Plain flour
65 gms butter
1/8th tsp salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 + 1 tbsp water

FOR THE FILLING :
1/2 cup Plain Flour
3 tbsp of melted butter
1/2 + 3 tbsp sugar
1/8th tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tbsp Yogurt
2 tbsp Soya Custard**
1 tbsp Hot water
1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence
A pinch of Yellow food colouring (optional )

FRUITS FOR DECORATING
125gms Blue Berries
1/2 cup Rasberries
2 Fresh Apricots
1/4 cup of Melon
1/4 cup of Persimmon
6 Large Strawberries
1 Kiwi
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp water

METHOD:
TO MAKE THE PASTRY
First of all Mix everything under Pastry except water they will be like crumbles now start adding water until it is well combined to make it into a dough not too soft or not too stiff. cover it with a cling film and allow it to chill in the fridge.

TO MAKE THE FRUIT DECORATION
Meanwhile In a large sauce pan take 2 tbsp of Honey and water to this add 1/4 cup of sugar and start warming it up keep stirring until all the sugar dissolves now add the Blue berries and cook carefully until they are soft but doesn't loose their shape when 1/2 way through add chopped Apricots ( I added Apricots as they were tart, if they are quite sweet you can just use it as it is).
After few minutes switch off the stove and drain them out through a strainer and keep aside.  To this sauce add Raspberries, shake them a bit so all of them get coated, now leave them in the pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING
Meanwhile take little Tart tins apply butter all over  and keep aside until need. Now Take out the dough from the fridge make little balls and roll out  little disc shapes, Take these little rounds and carefully place them on the tart tins and press all over the sides, with the help of a fork prick the bottom of the tarts, don't make holes just give a prick all over.
Top all the 6 Tarts with Baking parchment and add Baked bean balls on top of it and bake these Tarts for 15 minutes on Gas Mark 3 / 170 degrees
once done take out these Tarts on to a wiring rack to cool down, after 5 minutes, remove the baked beans and the baking parchment and allow it to cool down a bit.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3
Meanwhile when it is cooling down In a bowl take Plain flour, to this add Bicarbonate of soda and Baking powder, a pinch of salt mix well and keep aside. In another bowl take melted butter, sugar, soya custar, yogurt and mix well together, add a tbsp of Hot water and mix well.
Scoop this above cake mixture in a spoon and spread them evenly on all the tarts, Put them back in the oven and allow them to cook for an other 20 minutes,
Beautiful cake forms on top of the tarts, once done, switch off the Gas and take them out leave them on a cooling rack.after 5 minutes remove them all from the tart tins.

ASSEMBLING THE MIXED FRUIT TART
Slice of the top portion the cake nicely, and remove the top portion, take the cooked Blueberries, Raspberries, Apricots and arrange them on the tart shell as you desire.
Now either serve them just as it is otherwise with the help of tea strainer, sprinkle some Icing sugar on top of it and serve them.

These little Individual tarts were not only beautiful to look but also tasted very nice.
The sweet tart and cake inside the tart and the sweet fruit filling was divine..

Sending this to Blogger's Buzz, I am joining them and so looking forward to it...

The post Eggless Mixed Fruit Tart with a surprise filling.. appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Of course it is not St.Patrick's day does it mean we should not make these cookies and eat it..,Well for something Green for St.Patrick's day she had made these, as she says you need not be an Irish to celebrate this day nor there is any excuse to celebrate festival days right ?. When I went searching in her blog for recipes, My eyes caught these cookies, I got hooked to these cookies as they had minty flavour and which I had never tried this before, I was a bit scared how my kids would like it, but they really liked it :)), I was a happy mother.  As you can see I did not use too much green colour in it. so you would definitely see the difference in our cookies..
Oh! I never told you why I posting this recipe, and about what I am talking about, This is our Secret Recipe Club Assignment, next is to whose blog I was assigned to right ?, Suzanne my hostess had assigned me to Adventures in all things food by Andrea, she is into so many things not only cooking, baking, Farming, products and Giveaways and crafting. Do check out her blog you will definitely try it out...
I have halved the recipe.
Here is the Recipe...

EGGLESS MINT FLAVOURED COOKIES - MARY LEPRACHAUN COOKIES
Recipe Source: Adventures in all things
Time  Required: 45 minutes
Made 15 cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/4 cup All purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
75 grms butter*
1/2 Cup Cane Sugar**
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Mint extract
1 tbsp Corn Flour
4 drops Green food colouring
1/4 cup Choco chips (dark Chocolate)

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree ***
Take all the dry Ingredients together and mix well except for sugar.
cream Butter and sugar together, add food colouring, extract, then add the dry Ingredients into it mix well with choco chips, Refrigerate the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, Make small balls flatten it a little bit and place them on a parchment paper and bake them for 20 minutes.
Remove them on to a cooling rack for 10 minutes and enjoy it..

NOTES:
I halved the recipe so I could just substitute for 1 Egg
*I have reduced the butter she uses 1 stick butter (around 125 grms)
**Increased sugar by 1/4 cup, I have used Demarara Natural Cane sugar
***I baked them in my oven at Gas Mark 3 as my oven has a very high temperature.

The post Eggless Mint flavoured cookies - Mary Leprachaun cookies appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, Oranges and me have a great connection I think you might have noticed I have loads of Orange recipes in my blog, Oranges as we all know is good source of vitamin C, and I think this time of the year we definitely need it, Consuming Vitamin C rich food keep the cold away.., This also helps in the absorbtion of Iron when you are eating Iron rich food as well,  keeps the Haemoglobin content well.
Coming back to this cake, This is suppose to be a  Greek Cake which I got from a cakes and bakes Magazine, People in Greek bake this often and they love and enjoy it.  I searched few websites for this cake but ended up making from this magazine, as I liked the Idea of it.  Hope you like the Idea and enjoy it too.. as my family and friends did...
My Children loved it, they said it was sweet and moist, I made few changes adapting it to my way of baking, I have used silken Tofu in my bakes, but not to this quantity,  I tried and was quite satisfied, This particular cake was more interesting to me as I had  fruit in it and later on I decided to use cocoa powder in it so I could send it to Kalyani's Monthy mingle Chocolate and fruits, which I am posting it a bit late.  Check my notes for the changes I have made in this cake.
This cake stays moist for at least 5 days, no need to refrigerate it either (well I am talking about this climate)

KEIK PORTOKALI - ORANGE SEMOLINA CAKE - EGGLESS
Minimally adapted from Cake & Bake Magazine

INGREDIENTS: 
FOR THE CAKE
2 Medium Organic Oranges well Scrubbed
1/2 cup Olive oil
1and 1/2 Cup soft brown sugar
200 grms fine Semolina
1 Cup + 3 tbsp Mori Nu Silken Tofu ( around 300 gms )
50 grms Almond meal ( Powder )
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tbsp milk

FOR THE GLAZE:
1/2 tbsp Butter / vegan Butter
1/2 cup Icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
1 tbsp of Milk / soy milk
1 tsp of Orange Blossom water
1 tsp of Orange juice

METHOD:
In a very hot water add two oranges in intervals of 5 minutes for 4 to 5 times keep changing the water that is after every 5 minutes throw away the water, use fresh hot water again and do the same way at least 4 times, this will remove the sourness of the orange skin. (even though not completely )
In a thick bowl boil the whole oranges in plenty of water until softened, almost about 1 hour in a low flame, with a closed lid which had a little hole in it. keep checking that they are well covered and keep adding hot water as needed.
Once it is cooked take out the Oranges, once they are cool, Quarter the oranges to ensure that there are no pips and seeds,  Puree the oranges skin and all in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth orange puree.
Grease a Bundt pan and coat it with flour and set aside.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 degree**.
Take all the dry Ingredients and sift them well together except cocoa powder and keep it ready.
Meanwhile Blend Tofu**  in a blender or Mixer until smooth with 2 tbsp of milk (see notes)
In a large bowl, pour this Orange puree into it, to this add oil, sugar and well blended Tofu puree also into it.
blend them all well together.

To this Blended Liquid mixture add the dry Ingredients until well incorporated.
Divide this mixture equally into two bowls to one of this bowl blend cocoa powder to this set aside.
Take your Bundt pan pour one spoonful of the white (not exactly) batter next the cocoa next to it then the white batter and next the cocoa batter on the next step alternate each batter on top of it as the batter is not very stiff but bit liquidy it spreads.
Once all the batter is used up.
Place it on the middle rack and bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes**.
Once done remove it from the oven and place it on a cooling rack, after 10 minutes, remove it from the tin and allow it to cool.
Then I made the Glazing and poured it on to the top of the cake and leave it cool down.
Slice and enjoy the cake...

NOTES:
Blend Tofu in a blender or a mixer without any lumps, then add 2 tbsp of milk blend again so it is smooth and silky.
I always bake my cakes and other baked products in Gas Mark 3 as my oven has very high temperature, even though I have given the universal cake baking temperature.
You bake with your oven temperature and also check the timings as well.

ORIGINAL RECIPE IF YOU WANT TO TRY OUT:
Original Recipe calls for 5 eggs, 185 ml Olive oil, 140 gms caster sugar, 250 grms fine semolina, 80 grms almonds chopped and few chopped almonds for decoration.
This recipe also uses syrup to pour on to the cake after it is baked. for this syrup 125 grms caster sugar, juice of 1/4 lemon and 1 tsp orange blossom water

This recipe goes to my Bake-a-thon event by Champa and check out Priya, Suman, srivalli and Preethi

Sending this also to Kalyani's Magic Mingle - Chocolate and fruits 

The post Orange Semolina Cake - Keik Portokali - Revani (reh-vah-NEE) - Eggless appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, Looking through the window truly gloomed, weather wet and the sky making you feel to tuck yourself under the duvet and do nothing.  But, Go out into the streets and the shopping complexes you will feel the festive spirit every where, makes you feel happy and doesn't depress you any more.  That is Christmas, looking around you even though I don't have Christmas I enjoy it so much.
Buying gifts, writing cards to friends is such an enjoying thing, My kids especially my second one enjoys it so much, she has bought gifts for her friends and packed with such care., I really enjoy seeing her excitement.  This post had to be up yesterday, suddenly things happened so had to post pone it for today.  Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen asked us to Bake one of the three different cakes two suggested by Suja of Kitchen Corner try it and the other one by Archana of Tangy minds.
I chose this Chocolate Brazil nut cake immediately after I got to read the doc sent by swathi, do you know why, because for one I love nuts and Brazil nuts too..., kids love chocolate.., what else can you ask for...
Long back, when I came here my Husband used to get me so many things which I wouldn't have seen tasted or seen in India.  One of them was these Brazil nuts, I did not like them at all when he bought, after few months one day when I was sitting with my friend she was having some nuts to eat and and offered me few of them I started eating one of it, and it tasted really nice, that was when I asked which nut was this and she said it was Brazil nuts, I was surprised that it tasted so nice and then my thoughts went to my H and felt sad that I had not even bothered to taste it but said I didn't like it 🙁 .
These Brazil nuts have  very buttery taste and delicious to eat, I started eating them often and one day I read that they are high in calories but cholesterol free.., any-ways I thought whatever I am eating I will eat it in limited quantities.  Sometimes you won't realize this when you like  something very much right ?.
Ok, let's get back to this recipe..,
This cake recipe was from Faye Levy , Chocolate Sensations, HP Books Inc, USA, 1986, p 22-23. for the original recipe.  as I tweaked it a bit for making it eggless.
I Changed the quantity of the flour as this basic recipe calls for 6 eggs, replacing 6 eggs is not easy, the volume of the cake and sponginess of the cake is because of the eggs, the quantity of the flour used in the recipe is just 1/4 cup with lots of butter, If I am to keep the quantity of butter I need to change the quantity of flour by increasing it to get the cake consistency. so I made some changes I increased the flour, lessened the butter because Brazil nuts have their own oil content in it.  Let me stop this here and  tell you how I made this cake....

EGGLESS CHOCOLATE - BRAZIL NUT CAKE

Do not look at my photos nor my frosting :).., still trying out sort out my photo problems..

Eggless Chocolate Brazil Nut Cake

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CAKE
1 & 1/2 Cup (7 oz / 198 grms ) Brazil nuts
6 oz (170 grms ) Semi Sweet Chocolate Chopped ( I used Hershey's Chocolate)
1 Cup soft Brown Sugar
1 & 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
100 grms Butter
233 grms Apple ( peeled skin & seeds discarded)
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cream of Tartar

or substitute Apple sauce instead of apples and vinegar

CHOCOLATE HONEY FROSTING
1/2 cup Whipping Cream
6 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate very finely chopped
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp Honey
1/4 cup Brazil nuts chopped to Garnish ( I omitted)
I used few cherries for Garnishing

METHOD
Line a 9'' cake tin with parchment paper, and butter the sides and flour them and set aside until needed.
Toast Brazil Nuts in oven for 10 minutes and rub against each other to remove skin as much as possible.
Using 2 tbsp of sugar grind Brazil nuts to powder in intervals, if you continuously grind it, the oil in it makes it very greasy.
Now to this powdered nuts add All purpose flour mix them well together and with the help of a sieve,  running your hands or spoon in it get a good perfect powder and keep aside the larger nuts which doesn't go through the filter.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 degrees...
To this powder add Baking powder, Baking soda & cream of tartar and set aside.
Meanwhile peel the skin and core of 3 Apples chop them into fine pieces, grind them into a smooth batter with 1/4 cup of milk and set aside. Do not keep it for too long as it turns dark in colour.
In a double boiler melt chocolate, in a simmering bowl of hot water, to this add butter and mix well until you get a smooth consistency and to this batter, add the apple smoothie to it and cook for few minutes. ( 2 to 3 minutes) , switch off the stove, allow it to cool,  to this add apple cider vinegar.
In a large bowl take the dry Ingredients and Sugar, mix well together,  make a well add the liquid batter and fold it in until well incorporated.
Pour this batter into the prepared tin and bake until well done, a skewer inserted should come out clean
I baked this cake in Gas Mark 3 as my oven temperature becomes too hot at Gas Mark 4 so check out your oven for suitable baking temperatures. I baked my cake for 50 minutes.
REMEMBER : Check out temperature and timing to bake your cake according to your oven, as ovens vary..
Take it out of the oven on to a cooling rack after 10 minutes remove it from the tin
WL
FOR FROSTING:
In a bowl bring cream to boil, remove it from the stove and immediately add  the chocolate pieces let it melt and until smooth, to this add butter, Honey and beat it until it forms peaks.  Apply this frosting to the completely cooled down cake.
I did not garnish it with Brazil nuts but just topped it with cherries..,

You will have to wait for the tasting sensation..., I am waiting for my kids to tell me how it tasted..., tune in tomorrow check out this space for an other piece of information., I thought it tasted too much of nuts, when I pulled out a little piece from it.., will eat a bigger piece and tell you how it tasted.... ok... until then c you soon with an other recipe tomorrow...
take care....

I am sending this Kalyani's event Monthly Mingle Chocolate and fruits..

The post Eggless Chocolate - Brazil nut Cake appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, Hope you are all doing well, Day by Day weather is getting colder and colder, I thought we might be having snow as the temperature are dipping down and down, A bit scary for me, and I hate the heaters, I keep bringing it down and my family hate me for that, I hate the heater as I end up having headaches.., even though sometimes I like winter I don't like the heaters.  One more thing I get scared of winter is the Bug which goes around when everybody gets sick and goes around in circles :)), almost every year I get stuck with flu and suffer too much, so this time I decided I will get a Flu Jab and escape from this problem, funnily after taking the flu jab within 4 days I was down with Laryngitis  and viral fever and that too I got complete down the day my mom went back to India!!.
Anyways Flu which bugged me for a long time kept me away from blogging and I missed to post few of my recipes for the Events which I was part of it, I have to thank all of them for understanding my problem and allowed me to post when I recover and here I am ready to post one by one and hope you will enjoy as did my friends and family.
Gayatri of Gayatri's cook spot  had asked us to make a Butter Cake for the Eggless Baking Challenge and I thought this was a chance to post a cake which I used to do before when I used  to use  lot of butter,  I have  cut down a lot these days on butter, but as this cake is a butter cake you can't go back on it  right ?, This time I changed a bit from my usual Eggless butter cake recipe, which also turned out really well, My other cake I will post someday soon the usual recipe I always make.  Hope you like this , Bake it, eat it, enjoy it, and write to me about it.  Here is how the recipe goes...

I have decided to post my event recipes from today continuously for 4 days. I want to do this so I can post my other recipes soon, as I have been baking quite a lot, and want to post them all stay tuned for these bakes...

EGGLESS BUTTER CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/2 cup (220 gms) All Purpose Flour
1/2 (100gms) Butter
2 tsp Baking powder
1  tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder
2/3 rd cup granulated sugar
1/2 (150 ml) cup Condensed milk
1/4 cup milk
1/2 Cup warm water*
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
20 gms Corn Starch

Topping:
1/4 + 1tbsp butter
2tbsp Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

METHOD:
Sift all the dry Ingredients ( All purpose flour, Baking powder, Baking soda and corn starch ) together and keep aside. (except for sugar)
Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 / 170 degree
Line a Baking tin 9''
Take a Large bowl add melted butter and sugar cream them well together, In a blender ( I used my Indian mixie ) Blend condensed milk with milk, add it to the creamed mixture, mix them all well enough.
To this add vinegar, vanilla extract and warm water and combine them all.
Now add the dried Ingredients to the combined liquid ingredients little at a time, and make sure there are no lumps in the cake batter.
Pour this batter into the prepared tin, Bake it for 35 minutes depending upon your oven, check if it is baked perfectly by inserting a skewer or tooth pick, when it comes out clean cake is done.
Remove it from the oven and cool it on a wiring rack for 10 minutes then release it from the tin. Allow it to completely cool down and enjoy...
Gayatri had asked us to do cinnamon topping. which I did not do, I have given the topping ingredients you need to melt, mix well and top it on the cake when it is still warm.
My kids didn't want that topping so I added cinnamon powder to the cake batter itself.

Thanks Gayatri Enjoyed it, Thanks for giving me time to post...
Check this link for the round-up of all the Eggless Butter cakes 

NOTES: This cake was lovely to taste, but I thought it was a bit dry.

This cake also goes to my 3rd day of Bake-a-thon started by Champa of Versatile Vegetarian and my other blogger friends are doing this with me are Srivalli, Priya, Preethi, Sumana and Veena

The post Eggless Butter Cake appeared first on My Veg Fare.

First thing First I have to write this on the start of my post I will be posting two cookies, will have to wait for the third one for my kids to come...., Tried, Tested and very important TASTED and declared most delicious cookies I have baked and want they want more!!.
Baking is what I am posting these days, well, I think you might have come to know by this time that is the most attractive thing I see when I look at a book or a blog or Google, I Oogle at all the recipes with such love that even I decide to bake them ASAP, but most of the time they go into my draft, that is why I have joined these Groups which make me bake, yes, you are right today is the posting of our little Baking Group called the Baking partners headed by our dear Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen, as you all know that we baked Reine de Saba which was our first baking challenge.
This time we had 3 Challenges, swathi consulted three of group friends to pitch in some reicpes, so our most wonderful, innovative, perfectionist and a very sweet and my favourite blogger in the blogging world is Priya, from Priya's Versatile recipes.  let alone I would have written whole page about her, I deeply have a special place for her she never misses to comment in my blog, even if I don't. I feel so guilty so many times. These Corn Flake Cookies were her contribution.

Next was from our Dear Tina, whom I met through Baking partners Group, thanks to swathi, Wow she has a fabulous website Pinay In Texas Cooking with wonderful recipes.., Just fell in love with her blog.. she sent her Ultimate Chocolate Cream cheese cookies.
Next was from Reeni of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice, who asked us to make Home Made Oreo Cookies, met her also through BP, who also is a  Beautiful Blogger with wonderful recipes.
As you all know I have been not blogging properly from past a month, as Mom with me, I have become quite lazy and try to spend time with her going around, talking, cooking and arguing with her. Being very busy these days I had decided to write to swathi that I might miss this month's challenge. But when I came back from work yesterday, as always Mum had already cooked, and I had nothing much to do..., I immediately decided I will bake the cookies at least one of them, and started putting the ingredients, I got so carried away I made two of them and the third one is on the way!!.., But couldn't bake them immediately as H took us to our friends place and we returned only nearing 11, so I put them in fridge and baked them today.
The corn flake cookies were so delicous. I have fallen in love with them and can't resist stop eating them!.
The ultimate chocolate cookies, are quite chocolatey for me..., but kids loved it.
Here is how I made it... with few changes, First I halved the recipe, I substituted APS flour with Finger millet flour, and used golden raisins and read between the lines while reading the recipe and forgot to roll the corn flakes but mixed them in the dough. Next time I will bake them again as they are so addictive.  They might not be looking good but totatlly delicious.

EGGLESS FINGER MILLET CORN FLAKES COOKIES
Recipe Source: Baking: A Commonsense Guide - Murdoch Books

INGREDIENTS:
62.5 grms ( 63 grms) Butter
82.5 grms ( 83 grms) Sugar
1 tbsp Flax seed powder + 3 tbsp Hot water
4 tbsp Milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp Golden Raisins
67.5 grms ( 68 grms) Desicated Coconut 
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
125 grms Finger Millet flour
1cup crushed Corn Flakes ( made by 2 cups of corn flakes)

METHOD
First of all cream butter and sugar, add vanilla essence then Blend flax seed with hot water, then again blend flax seed with milk and make it into a paste like consistency.
Add this to the large bowl, to this add Baking powder and Baking soda, to this add dessicated coconut and finger millet flour then crushed corn flakes.
Mix them all well together make it into a nice ball of dough.
preheat the oven to 180 degrees / I kept the Gas Mark to 3,
Keep the dough for 15 to 20 minutes and make small balls and press them a little and bake them on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
You can keep it in the fridge and bake them later as I did.
cool down on a wiring rack.
Enjoy.....,

Want to take a bite..., make it, bake it, tell me and Enjoy it....
c you soon with two more cookies.., but will be posting a different one soon...

The post Eggless Finger Millet and Corn Flakes cookies appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi everybody, Hope you are all doing well, I know I have disappeared from few days, it's a long gap between my posts, well, I have been so busy as Mom is here :))., Oh! I know its so wonderful to be with her here and enjoying her cooking completely. My kids have declared that their Mom is a super cook but their Paati ( Grandmother/Nan) is the world's best cook.  I will have to write about it more in my authentic recipes, which I am planning to post soon enough.  The reason for this little intro for my absence was because I took Mom few places here and still I need to show her some more, fingers crossed hope I will be able to cover as much as possible and I really don't want to miss this opportunity as she won't be coming back here again :(.
Today, I had to come to post this as you all know today is SRC Reveal Day. I thought of writing to my Hostess I might not be able to do it, but I just couldn't do it and really don't want to miss it, for two reasons going through Heather's blog when ever I had time, as her blog was in my phone permanently which I always do when I am assigned a blog!! and  I really wanted to bake and of course team spirit for SRC.
I feel  guilty and I never want to miss out, as this is such a big team and the stress and strain to manage this large group is not a easy joke. Hats of to the SRC team for that and thank them that I always come back to blogging just to post from SRC even sometimes I don't want to!!.

Suzanne my hostess had assigned me Heather's blog. She blogs at Fit Mama Real Food. A wonderful blogger with versatile things she blogs about. I had bookmarked a few like the Moist Banana bread, Zucchini Bread, Energy Balls, Nutella Balls and this Lemon and poppy seed bread. I have been going through her blog quite a few times when ever I got time to browse.  She is a fitness freak!!, Mom to a cutest kid, a good cook and loves to bake and cook good food no processed food and loves to eat what nature provides which turn into meals to please the little crowd!!, DIY and Organizer too.., and of course she is a food blogger, click on to her website you will know what I am talking about, I enjoyed going through her blog and do you want to know why I settled on to this recipe.., Just because of those words she wrote in this post made me feel that is what I always keep thinking when I get free time..
As Heather says:
Baking is total relaxation time for me.  When I need to get my mind off things, I head to the kitchen. When I’m bored I will bake.  If I want to procrastinate, I will bake.
I love to bake particularly Breads.., that's my favourite.
Coming to this recipe I had no poppy seed in hand and just got carried away with the recipe., I loved the texture of her bread as she has used Eggs (2) if you plan to make this Bread check out the original recipe. You will know what I mean. Looks really Gorgeous.  I had some Tutti fruity at home as I had baked a Bread out of it for them to take to school, the Left over filling I used it in this bread.  The bread isn't too sweet, it has the Lemony taste to it.

EGGLESS WHOLE WHEAT AND OAT MEAL LEMON, POPPY SEED, COCONUT AND FRUIT  BREAD
Adapted from Fit Mama Real Food with minimal changes

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup ( 145 grms) Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup (95 grms) Oat Meal Flour
100 grms Dried Fruits ( Dessicated sweet Coconut, Mango, Pineapple, Raisins, Cashews, Almonds )
3/4th Cup Natural Cane Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Butter
1 Cup Yogurt
1 tbsp Vanilla Essence
Zest for 1 Lemon
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp white Poppy seeds ( Indian variety)

METHOD:
Preheat Oven to Gas Mark 1
In 2 tbsp of hot water soak Poppy seeds until you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Take both the Flours and sieve together and keep aside.
In a Large bowl take the Lemon zest, Yogurt, Lemon Juice and sugar and mix them well together.
Grind poppy seeds with water into a paste ( It won't become too smooth ), add this to the above mixture to this add Baking powder, Baking soda you will start seeing bubbles forming.
Add melted butter to it and mix well.
Add Dried fruits to it.
Add the prepared flour little by little and mix well together don't over mix it.
Pour this on to the prepared Loaf tin and Bake at Gas Mark 3 for about 45 minutes and bake for an other 5 more minutes reducing the temperature to Gas Mark 2.
Totally bake it around 50 minutes I changed temperatures because of my oven.
Insert a toothpick to find out if it comes out clean then it is baked.

Take it out and cool it on a wiring rack leave it for a few minutes then slice it and Enjoy..,

This is perfect Tea Bread can also be enjoyed as a Breakfast bread.

Here are my dear friends who have posted recipes for you to devour and enjoy a visual view of their creations from their kitchen through their Lenses...., take your time and enjoy the recipes... before I sign off I need to do a little thing.., My apologies for posting it a bit late Please do forgive me April, Suzanne and my dear Heather... Hope you like it..
Heather this Bread is so delicious.., I just couldn't resist I usually don't eat too much of what I bake just for tasting & texture to find out how it has turned out, but when I was slicing it Mom & me devoured it. Thank you for this recipe it is a keeper.

I am also sending this Recipe to
Nupur's  ''Cooking with Spice - Poppy Seeds'' started by Anu's ''SYF and HWS - Cook with Spices
Sowmya's ''Taste of Tropics - Coconut'' started by Chef Mireille's event
Srivalli's Celebrating 4 years - Kid's Delight potluck Party
Swathi's Favourite Recipes Event - Breakfast Recipes
Archana's Bake Fest # 11 - started by Vardhini

The post Eggless Whole Wheat and Oats, Lemon, Poppy seed, coconut and Dried fruit Bread appeared first on My Veg Fare.