Thursday, 25 December 2014

Passionfruit Satin Chiffon Pie

Passionfruit Chiffon Pie

Hi everybody, How are your holiday celebrations coming along? Hope you are all set for Christmas. It’s been a very busy time for the past couple of weeks, hence couldn’t update my blog even though I had a couple of posts already drafted! Son had exams and I got busy with him… Now his school is closed so I may get some time to spend on my blog, hopefully :).... Like every year I made the Christmas Cake, but couldn’t do the icing yet:( .... Today’s recipe is a Passionfruit Pie I tried recently and if you are still thinking of dessert for Christmas or New Year you can try this! If you are a regular reader you know my love for passionfruit by now :P...  So here is another passion fruit recipe to add to my list :)...
For the crust you can either use the Buttery Vanilla Nut Crumb Crust recipe given below or can use vanilla biscuit crust or Ginger Biscuit crust

May this Christmas fill your hearts with warmth, peace and joy!
Merry Christmas from our home to yours! 

Passionfruit Satin Chiffon Pie Recipe


Passionfruit Satin Chiffon Pie
Serves -8
Recipe from 365 Great Cakes and Pies
Buttery Vanilla Nut Crumb Crust
Ingredients:
½ cup nuts (can use pecans, walnuts, almonds or cashew nuts)
1 ¼ cups vanilla cookie crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted
Method: 
  • Preheat oven to 350°F / . Arrange nuts on a small cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool and finely chop.
  • In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and nuts. Stir in butter, tossing until mixture is evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture evenly over bottom and sides of a 9 –inch pie pan. Bake 8-10 mints, or until crumbs are lightly toasted. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Passionfruit Filling:
Ingredients:
10 fresh passionfruit or ½ cup frozen passionfruit puree, thawed
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp grated lime zest
½ cup heavy cream
Whipped cream and passionfruit puree for decoration
Method:
  • Cut each fresh passionfruit in half and scoop out pulp and seeds with a spoon. Transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl; strain pulp through sieve, pressing with back of spoon. Discard seeds. You should have ½ cup passionfruit puree.
  • In a cup, sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup water; let it stand 5 minutes to soften.
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and ½ cup sugar. Whisk in passionfruit puree and lime juice until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin and lime zest until gelatin is completely dissolved. Place the mixture in a larger bowl filled with ice water. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar. Increase mixer speed and continue to beat until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Remove partially set gelatin mixture from ice water. With a rubber spatula, fold in beaten whites until blended.
  • In another bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer until stiff. Fold into passionfruit mixture. Turn filling into Buttery Vanilla Nut Crumb crust. Cover and refrigerate until filling is set, several hours or overnight. Uncover, decorate top with whipped cream, passionfruit puree and lemon zest. 

Passionfruit Pie

Friday, 12 December 2014

Corona Beer Bottle Cake

A small new venture I have started and..... My first Cake order :)... A surprise gift from a wife to her husband :)... Use the Contact Me form if you need custom made cakes....... 

 Corona Beer Bottle Cake

Sunday, 23 November 2014

Nadan Mutta Roast / Kerala Style Egg Roast

Mutta (Motta) Roast is a very popular side dish of Kerala, which can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner!.... A very simple, easy to make side dish usually served with Palappam, Vellayappam, Idiyappam or Puttu for breakfast or as a side dish for chapathi or porotta for dinner or as a quick fix when guests shows up unexpectedly :) :) … Mutta Roast is also a very popular item in “thattukada” or road side eatery ….  Mutta roast can be used as a stuffing to make Mutta Puffs :)…

Kerala Style Egg Roast


Monday, 10 November 2014

The Fashionista Doll Cake

I was wanting to try the Fashionista Doll Cake for some time and was looking for an opportunity to do so. Last week it was my birthday and I made the Cake for myself :)… I am quite happy with the outcome even though I need to perfect some areas... Here are the pictures of my Fashionista Doll Cake design inspired by Ipoh Bakery :) :)

The Fashionista Doll Cake Pictures

Monday, 3 November 2014

Model of Human Brain with Fondant

Human Brain with Fondant I made for my son's Annual School Exhibition :) :)

Fondant Brain


Structure of a Human Brain with Fondant

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Coconut Burfi / Kerala Coconut Sweets

Coconut Sweets

Coconut sweets /  burfi are a traditional Kerala sweet often made in many homes during the festive season. This was one of mine and hubby’s childhood favorites. Mom used to make it in two layers, one layer in white and another one is pink or green. For this recipe you should use freshly grated coconut and use only the white part of the coconut. Also you should be extremely careful of the sugar consistency.... This is an easy to make sweet dish. You can make it not only for festivals but also as an item for a tea party or can be packed as a nice return gift too.... 
Wishing You All a Very Happy, Prosperous and Safe Diwali!!!

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Caramel Cupcakes (Dulce de Leche Cupcakes) with Buttercream Frosting

It’s been a long time my blog was on a sleep mode..... Took a small break and it got extended for more time than I indented.... It’s hard to come back to regular blogging after taking a break and I will try to post regularly from now on :).... These cupcakes have been in my draft for more than a year now. I made it for our Church’s harvest festival and somehow couldn't post it. The cupcake recipe was already posted some time back with a frosting of Swiss Meringue ButterCream, But this time I decorated it with American Butter Cream Frosting..... You can use homemade dulce de leche or store bought in the recipe....

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting


Sunday, 7 September 2014

Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi / Beetroot in Yogurt and Coconut Gravy

Wishing you all a Very Happy and Prosperous Onam :) :)

It is Onam today and I was hoping to post some Onam sadhya recipes at least this time around!  But as usual just after summer vacation I was trying hard to settle down here.... School re-opened for my son and they are getting ready for their first semester exams by next week....  So in between all this, I didn’t even get time to update the blog which was idle for the last 2 months.... I tried my best to reply to the comments and queries, but if I have missed any please let me know.... Today I thought of sharing the recipe of Beetroot Pachadi the way I make it. I don’t know if it is the traditional way.... Some people don’t add coconut, but somehow I like pachadi this way.... Here is a list of a very few Onam special recipes I have posted earlier, if in case you are searching for any :)....


Kerala Pachadi Recipe

Monday, 21 July 2014

Royal Icing

This is a fruit cake completely covered and decorated with Royal icing.

Royal Icing Bridges and extensions


Royal Icing Rose Buds

Thursday, 17 July 2014

Uppumanga Chalichathu / Salted Mango with Shallots, Chillies and oil

Salted Mango with Shallots

A tongue tickling chutney made with Uppumanga (Salted Mangoes in Brine). It is great when you do not have much side dishes for rice or kanji and also a great substitute for pickle too.... This dish gives a distant taste when sour and salty mangoes mixed with shallots, green chillies and oil..... Heavenly dish for Keralites with kanji....

Uppumanga Chalichathu / Salted Mango with Shallots, Chillies and oil
Recipe Source: Mrs. K. M. Mathew
Ingredients:
Salted Mangoes in brine – 2
Shallots / Chumannulli – 6 to 8, cut into thin slices
Green Chillies – 3, cut into thin rounds
Curry leaves – few, chop the leaves fine
Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
Method:
  • Smash the salted mangoes with hand (If not soft enough cut it into fine pieces).
  • Add chopped ingredients and oil to the mango.
  • Mix well with hand and transfer into a serving bowl.
  • Serve with rice or kanji.
Salted Mango Chmanthi

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Fondant Baby Pram Cake

Fondant Baby Shower Cake

The cake design is inspired from PME course book.

Baby Carriage Cake

Friday, 4 July 2014

Fondant Baby Shower Cake -1

Pregnant Woman Baby Shower Cake

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I did 2 PME courses from London recently in Royal Icing and the Sugarpaste module. I have to do one more course to get my masters and I hope to be able to do that some time :)…. Now a days I am seriously thinking of taking cake orders after the summer vacation :)… Here is the picture of the first cake I did after my course for a sweet expecting mom. I will be adding more pictures of my cakes soon…


Fondant Pregnant Lady Cake

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Mango Tart with Ginger Biscuit Crust

Mango Tart Recipe

Made this mango tart with the last mangoes of the season. Instead of the regular Marie biscuit base I used Ginger biscuits this time and it was a really good decision! We really liked the combination. If you don’t like ginger biscuits use any other tea biscuits for the base. To maintain the freshness of the mangoes you can bake the base and the filling a day ahead and add mango pieces and whipped cream decoration just before serving.

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Keema Stuffed Idiyappam / Meat Stuffed String Hoppers

Idiyappam / Noolappam / String Hopper is a typical Kerala breakfast usually served with different types of curries or even with sugar. It can also be prepared with meat or vegetable stuffing. Since I had some left over Keema Masala, I used it as stuffing. You only need to make the stuffing ahead of time and you can make stuffed Idiyappam for breakfast or dinner quite easily. It can be eaten as is or served with egg roast or kadala curry.

Keema Stuffed Noolappam

Monday, 16 June 2014

Mango Burfi / Aam Burfi

Aam Burfi

It’s been a long time since I updated this space. Took a short break that got extended because of my laziness! Meantime I did two courses in cake decoration from PME London. Also did a couple of cakes for relatives and friends here. Will share the pictures of the cakes soon…. On the cooking front I didn’t experiment much except a couple of recipes. This Mango Burfi was one such new trial. Got the recipe from here and it came out good. It’s a little time consuming recipe that needs almost constant stirring and the contents will splutter all over the counter and sometimes on our hands too if we are not careful. But the end result is really worth all the hard work. Do try this Mango Burfi before the mango season ends…

Saturday, 19 April 2014

Eggless Chocolate and Vanilla Condensed Milk Pudding

Chocolate and Vanilla China Grass Pudding

This is an all time favorite from my childhood days … I have posted the vanilla version sometime back and this time I have layered it with chocolate flavor like my mom used to do… You can either set the pudding in individual serving bowls like in the picture or you can layer it in a big dish. Always make sure to use good quality China Grass or Agar Agar …

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe

Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe

Pesto sauce is handy when you want to make a quick meal. It is good as a spread on plain or toasted bread, you can make this as a filling for bread rolls, you can marinate chicken or fish with pesto sauce and grill them and also the famous pesto pasta, it is even good with chapathi or basmati rice too! This pesto is really tasty with a blend of spinach, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and cheese.... The original recipe asks for pine nuts but you can substitute with almonds.... It is perfect for freezing in an ice cube tray and you can add to a pasta dish for a quick and easy meal.....

Thursday, 13 March 2014

Mocha Mousse Slice

Chocolate Mousse Slice

Another recipe from my favorite Australian Women's weekly that I tried recently..... I have previously posted two recipes from the same book, White Chocolate Caramel Slice and Banoffee Slice .... This Mocha Mousse Slice is an equally decadent one.... We enjoyed these rich and luscious little chocolate heavens.... They are real easy to make and a good choice for parties as they can be made a day before....

Friday, 21 February 2014

Coffee Chocolate Mascarpone Layered Cake

Chocolate Mascarpone Layered Cake

It was my hubby’s birthday a couple of days ago and unlike every year this time he was pretty sure of the cake he wanted! He had seen the picture of this cake on my FB feed and asked me to make it… I knew I didn’t have to worry about how the cake would turn out as I trust Deeba’s recipes blindly and from experience I know her recipes always turn out perfect :)…. Like we expected this is a beautifully flavored, 6 layers of delicious cake which you will definitely like if you are a coffee lover! I followed the recipe as is, but added a little rum in the filling and frosting. Also I reduced the gelatin in the filling to 1 tsp as I used heavy whipping cream… Only trouble I had was the frosting… mine turned out a little loose and it was difficult for me to frost it on to the cake so I added a little gelatin to the frosting to make it thick… The procedure is a little lengthy and elaborate  but if you split the work and start making a day or two  ahead, it will be an easy job…. But worth the effort for a beautiful 6 layered Coffee Chocolate Mascarpone Cake!

Monday, 10 February 2014

Chocolate Orange Fudge Recipe

How to make Chocolate Orange Fudge

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, shops are filled with roses, chocolates, teddies etc... Like every year I thought I will update this space with some recipes that are apt for the season... This Chocolate Orange fudge is super easy to make and it will be a big hit with kids and grownups... This is a great option as a gift on Valentine’s Day, Christmas or even when visiting friends or relatives....  The nuts in the recipe is optional and if you don’t like nuts you can completely omit it or reduce it to ¼ cups... I only added ¼ cups of cashew nuts...  Try this Chocolate Orange Fudge at home....

Thursday, 30 January 2014

One - Bowl Dark Chocolate Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

One – Bowl Dark Chocolate Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

I made this for my son as he was requesting me to make his favorite chocolate cake with butter cream frosting. After several days of nagging I finally decided to make this as I wanted to try out a frosting idea I saw recently on Amanda’s blog… For the decoration she suggests # 32 tip and you can see her detailed tutorial here…I didn't have # 32 tip so I tried with my star nozzle. .. It didn’t come out perfect and I ran out of butter cream frosting at the last row … But somehow I liked the overall look of the cake, so I thought of blogging it… Was intended as a blog anniversary post last week but due to time constraints I could not manage it last week...  It’s been 6 years of blogging and thank you so much for the love and support you have given me :)...

This chocolate cake I have already posted a long time ago... I used to make this cake regularly and the best part is that it is a one bowl cake and uses oil no butter…  it’s a very  soft cake and you can frost it with Butter cream or with Whipped cream ....

Friday, 17 January 2014

Falafel Salad


Falafel

This salad recipe was shared by my friend, Neethu in Kuwait. A classic Arabic salad and a party pleaser too.... You can prepare falafel ahead of time and fry them just before preparing the salad. For healthier options you can even bake or grill the falafel.... you can add any leafy vegetable like spinach, cabbage etc to the salad.... 

Thursday, 9 January 2014

Pork Vindaloo Recipe

How to make Pork Vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo, is a hot and spicy dish popular in Goa and also amongst Christians in Kerala. It’s a very spicy dish and is served on special occasions like Christmas, Easter, engagement and baptism ceremonies. Like in any other recipe there are many different versions of this recipe. Some recipes add fried potatoes towards the end of cooking; I did not do so but if you wish you can add cubed and fried potatoes towards the end of cooking.  Vindaloo tastes better when served the following day and it goes well with breadsPalappam, Vellayappam, Sannas and all kinds of Indian breads and rice.  And for those who don’t like pork you can substitute with Beef, Chicken or Lamb....

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

Lemon Wine Recipe

 May every day of the New Year glow with good cheer & happiness for you & your family.
Happy New Year!

How to make Homemade wines

I made this Lemon Wine soon after I made Orange Wine last March.... At first just after the fermentation period, it tasted and looked like lemon juice and I was a little disappointed.... I kept the wine away and untouched for a couple of more months and again when I checked the wine, the pale color had changed to golden and the taste had changed drastically.... Now it has a unique zesty flavor of lemon mingled with the sweetness of raisins! Another successful wine experiment to add to my collection....