Tawa Tandoori Chicken

 

I wanted to try the boiling the meat in brine method before grilling. So keeping up with my random thought process - I thought why not try the same with tandoori chicken as I don't have a tandoor nor a grill. So I mixed the chicken thighs with bones in the usual marinade, cooked them on stove for about 30 mins, just for the chicken to cook through. I did this a day ahead and refrigerated. For the next day lunch, I just charred them on a hot tawa / griddle and served it with some lime wedges and sliced onions. Since the cooked chicken releases water, there will be a considerable amount of curry which you can use for dipping naans or roti.

I found the chicken to be juicy and tender in spite of their size. There are other methods for making tandoori chicken, choose which seems easier and feasible for yourself.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs [with bones] - 4 pounds
Onion - 1 large
Tomato - 3 nos
Garlic - 10 nos
Ginger - 1 inch square
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Yogurt - 3/4 cup
Kashmiri red chili powder - 3 tbsp
Hot red chili powder - 1 tsp [Optional]
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Kasuri Methi [dried] - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - for taste
Oil - For grilling

Cooking

1. Chop the Onion, tomato, garlic, coriander leaves and ginger finely and add in a large pot.
2. Add the listed spices, salt, lime juice and yogurt into the pot and mix well. Add the washed and drained chicken into it and mix until all the chicken is well coated. Marinate for 30 mins.
3. Cover and cook the marinated chicken on stove for about 30 mins or until the chicken is just cooked through on medium heat. Check in between to make sure the bottom of the pot does not get burnt. Making it a day ahead helps the chicken to absorb the flavors well.
4. On a hot tawa / griddle with a little oil, char the chicken thighs on both sides according to your preference [about 3 to 4 mins on each side].
5. Use the left-over curry for dipping Naan/Roti.

Serve with wedges of lime and sliced Onion or with some raita.

Chocolate Cake layered with Cranberry Sauce and Cream Cheese Frosting

 

I used my old recipe for the cake and frosting. The Chocolate lace design, I owe to the lovely blog - Passionate about Baking. I find her Chocolate lace borders very pretty, mine let's just say are "artsy" aka ignoramus-piping.

Ingredients

For Chocolate Cake

* All Purpose Flour - 3/4 cup

* Corn Flour - 1/4 cup

* Baking Powder - 2 tsp

* Salt - 1/4 tsp

* Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

* Eggs - 7 nos

* Sugar - 1 + 1/2 cups

* Butter - 100 gms [approx 1/2 cup]

* Dark Chocolate squares - 80 gm

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

For Cream Cheese Frosting 

* Cream Cheese - 100 gm [At room temperature]

* Whipping Cream - 1 + 1/2 cups [cold]

* Sugar - 1/2 cup [Increase according to your interest]

* Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

For Cranberry Sauce

* Cranberry - 200 gms

* Sugar - 3/4 cup [Increase  or Decrease according to the tartness of the Cranberries]

* Brandy - 1 tbsp

* Water - 3/4 cup

For Chocolate Lace

* Chocolate chips - 80 gms

* Milk - 2-3 tbsp [Optional]

Cooking

For Chocolate Cake

1. Sift the Flour, Corn Flour, Salt, Baking powder and Cocoa powder and keep aside. This forms the dry ingredients.

2. Grease and line the pans [I used two 8" inch pans] with parchment paper and preheat the Oven to 350 Degree Fahrenheit.

3. Melt the Butter and Dark chocolate mixture on a double boiler and mix well to form a liquid and let it cool for 5 mins.

4. In a large vessel, add the Eggs and Sugar. Beat with a hand-mixer for about 15-20 mins until enough air is incorporated and it gains a foamy texture [A stand mixer like Kitchen Aid takes lesser time to whip air into the Eggs].

5. Add  the Vanilla Extract and the slightly cooled Dark chocolate and Butter mixture into the beaten Eggs. Beat for 2 mins until everything is mixed well.

6. Add the sifted dry ingredients into the beaten Egg mixture. Fold the ingredients and remove all lumps.

7. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pans and place the pans into the preheated Oven for about 30-45 mins [the time needs to be adjusted depending on the size of your cake pans]. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check whether it is done.

8. Once done, remove the pans from the Oven and let it rest for 2-3 hours until it cools down completely.

For Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a large cold vessel, add the Sugar and the cold Whipping Cream and whip for about 5 mins using a hand-mixer until soft peaks form. 

2. At this stage, add the Cream Cheese [at room temperature], Vanilla Extract and whip again for another 2-3 mins until firm peaks form and all the ingredients are mixed well.

3. Let the Cream Cheese frosting rest in the fridge for about 2-3 hrs to firm it further.

For Cranberry Sauce

1. Wash and drain the Cranberries. Pat them dry.

2. In a saucepan, add the Cranberries, Sugar, Brandy and water and mix well. Place the saucepan on Stove on medium-heat for about 10-15 mins and keep stirring.

3. The Cranberries start popping and get soft and mushy. It renders a thick sauce.

4. Filter the mixture through a sieve to get a consistent and thick sauce.

For Assembling

1. Layer the Chocolate Cake [if more layers are needed, you can slit the cake into 2] and brush a thin layer of the Cranberry Sauce. Top it with the frosting and repeat with the remaining layers of Cake.

2. Once layered, cover the top and sides of the Cake with the frosting.

3. Pipe the frosting on the top as per your desire using piping tips of your choice.

For Chocolate Lace

1. Cut a parchment paper with length equivalent to the circumference and width to the height of the cake.

2.  Melt Chocolate of your choice in a double boiler pan or microwave to form a thin liquid mixture. Add 2-3 tablespoons of milk if required.

3. Transfer the melted Chocolate mixture into a piping bag with a small round piping tip [No 3 or No 4 in Wilton piping tips]. Then pipe the Chocolate mixture onto the cut parchment paper as per your interest.

4. After 2-3 mins, when the Chocolate is still flexible, wrap the parchment paper around the sides of the cake with the chocolate lace facing inwards [onto the side of the cake].

5. Refrigerate the Cake for an hour and remove the strip of parchment paper carefully.

The Cake needs to be refrigerated and can be served cold or at room temperature.

I did some on-the-spot testing for the cake and the frosting while I was making the Cake. But we never got to taste the final product as it was finished by the time we went for Desserts. So I hope to believe it was liked by all the folks who were present :)

Black Forest Cake

 

I had made this for my 30th Birthday and Black Forest cake continues to be my favorite after almost a decade.

Have adapted the recipe from Joy of Baking and tweaked it to my interests and availability of ingredients. For Chocolate Cake, I used a tried and tested recipe from my archive.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake -

* All Purpose Flour - 1 + 1/2 cups

* Corn Flour - 1/2 cup

* Cocoa powder - 9 tbsp

* Baking Powder - 2 tsp

* Salt - a pinch

* Eggs - 4 nos [large, at room temperature]

* Butter - 114 gms [at room temperature]

* Sugar - 2 cups

* Milk - 1 cup [at room temperature]

* Instant Coffee powder - 1 tsp

* Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Cherries -

* Chopped Bing Cherries - 2 cups

* Sugar - 1/2 cup

* Brandy - 2 tbsp [Optional]

Whipped Cream -

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 700 ml [Chilled]

* Sugar - 3/4 cup [Adjust according to your interest]

* Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Chocolate Ganache -

* Chocolate - 3/4 cup

* Milk - 1/4 cup

Note

* Eggs and Butter used for the Cake should be at room temperature. If cold, the batter would curdle and affect the texture of the Cake.

* I used Ghirardelli's Cocoa powder and Trader Joe's Organic Whipping Cream and found much difference in the quality.

* Since I used very sweet fresh Bing Cherries, I did not have to add much Sugar. If the Cherries are tart, adjust accordingly. I prepped the Cherries beforehand and refrigerated them overnight.

* I wanted the Cake to last for about 4-5 days [refrigerated], hence I slightly cooked the Cherries before layering.

* Make sure to chill the Cream, the bowl used and the whisk before whipping.

* Baking time depends on the Oven, types of pans, amount of batter used etc.

* If you have only one size of a pan or a small Oven, then bake in batches. Just make sure to grease and line the pan for every individual Cake. I personally baked three 8 inch Cakes.

Cooking

Chocolate Cake -

1. Sift the All purpose Flour, Corn Flour, Baking powder, Cocoa powder and salt. This forms the dry ingredients and keep it aside.

2. Preheat the Oven to 325 Degree Fahrenheit and grease [preferably with butter] and line [with parchment paper] three 8 inch baking pans.

3. Into a large bowl, add the Sugar, Vanilla extract and Butter. Cream them using a hand-mixer to form a smooth, pale and consistent mixture for about 4-5 mins.

4. Add the Eggs one at a time and whip for 2 mins for each addition.

5. Add the Milk and Coffee powder into the beaten Eggs and Butter mixture. Whip for 2 mins. This forms the wet ingredients.

6. Add the sifted Flour mixture [dry ingredients] into the wet ingredients and fold well using a whisk or spatula to form a consistent batter.

7. Pour the batter into the greased and lined baking pans and bake in the preheated Oven for about 20-30 mins. Check with a skewer to confirm whether the Cake is done. Remove the pans and invert the Cakes onto a cooling sheet. Let it cool down completely.

Cherries -

1. Wash and drain the Cherries. Pat them dry using Kitchen towels. Remove the pits using a Cherry Pitter or knife. Then roughly chop them.

2. In a saucepan, add the chopped Cherries, Sugar and brandy. Place the pan on stove on medium heat and cook for about 10 mins. Stir occasionally. The Cherries would release juices and become slightly tender. Remove at this stage as we do not want the Cherries to become too mushy. Let it cool down to room temperature and refrigerate them preferably overnight or for at least 3-4 hours.

3. The juices released from the Cherries form a syrup. This can be used to moisten the Cake while layering.

Whipped Cream -

1. In a large bowl, add the Whipping Cream, Sugar and Vanilla extract. Whip the Cream using a hand-mixer or whisk to incorporate air until it holds stiff peaks.

Chocolate Ganache -

1. In a small pan, add the Chocolate and milk and melt them over a Double Boiler [Never melt Chocolate on the direct heat of the Stove]. Keep stirring to form a consistent mixture.

2. Let it cool down to room temperature.

For Assembling -

1. Place one layer of the Cake onto the Cake platter, then add evenly a few spoons of the syrup released from the Cherries to moisten the Cake. Then using a spatula, spread an even layer of the Whipped Cream and then add the Cherries. Repeat for the remaining layers.

2. Once all the layers are completed, cover the Cakes on the sides and top with the Whipped Cream using a spatula.

3. Pour the Chocolate Ganache on the edge of the topmost layer and let it drip down naturally.

4. Pipe the remaining Cream with a tip of your Choice onto the top layer of the Cake. Sprinkle grated Chocolate onto the piped Cream [Optional].

5. Chill the Cake for at least an hour and then slice and serve.

We liked it cold and definitely a winner as a Birthday treat.

Last heard - Nom Nom Nom!

PS: Photographing with a stuffed face is sure fun. 

Mini Whole Wheat Chocolate Crepe Basket with Mandarin and Strawberry

 

These Crepe baskets are fun to make and are low fat versions, which pairs well with fruits and you can add on dollops of Ice Cream as well [we need to make up for the lost calories].

I have adapted the Crepe basket idea from the lovely Desserts book - "Desserts - All around the year" by Martha Day. It has a lot of interesting recipes and ideas. There is something for everybody in it. I adapted the recipe with a "Low Fat" take on it and enjoyed them guilt-free!

Ingredients -

For Crepe Basket -

* Wheat Flour - 1 + 1/4 cups [Sifted twice]

* Milk - 1 cup [I used 2% Milk or Low Fat]

* Sugar - 1/4 cup [Increase to 1/2 cup, if you like it sweeter]

* Egg whites - 2 nos

* Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp [sifted]

* Grape juice - 1/2 cup [I used Welch's 100% Grape juice]

* Salt - a pinch

* Oil - 2 tbsp [For greasing]

For Fruits -

* Strawberry - 2 cups [hulled and cut into 4]

* Mandarin - 1 cup [sliced small]

* Sugar - 1 tbsp

* Mandarin / Orange juice - 3 tbsp

Cooking -

For Crepe Basket -

1. Sift twice the Wheat flour, Cocoa powder and salt into a large bowl.

2. Separate the Egg whites and add the whites into the sifted Flour mixture. Into it add the Milk, Sugar and Grape juice and mix well using a whisk and remove all lumps.

3. Grease a non-stick pan and let it get warm on medium-heat on a Stove. Once it gets warm enough, pour the Crepe mixture using a ladle or scoop and form a 4-5 inch circle. Give it 1-2 mins and reverse the Crepe to cook the other side as well.

4. Once done, remove the Crepe and let it rest on an Aluminium foil. Grease the pan and do the same to form similar Crepe for the rest of the mixture and let it rest separately on the foil.

5. After finishing the Crepe mixture, grease the reverse / bottom side of the Cupcake pan and place the Crepe on each mold separately. Place the Cupcake pan into a preheated Oven at 350 Degree Fahrenheit for about 10-15 mins. The Crepe's lose their moisture and starts holding the shape of the mold.

6. Remove from the Oven and let it rest for a few minutes, then carefully unmold them.

Note 

* If you like your Crepe soft and not crisp, you can forego Step 5 and 6.

For Fruits -

1. Mix the hulled and sliced Strawberries and sliced Mandarin in a bowl with the Sugar and Orange juice.

2. Refrigerate the Fruits for 30 mins and serve them cold over the Crepe Basket. They are best served fresh.

The Crepe basket making is a fun activity for the kids.

Dulce De Leche Mousse

 

Today I worked hard and whipped the Mousse for tea-time. And the only whim I catered to was altering the Chocolate option and adding Dulce De Leche instead. Some habits seldom change especially being the impulsive kind.

Ingredients

* Dulce De Leche - 200 gms

* Milk - 1/2 cup

* Egg - 5 nos

* Corn Flour - 3 tbsp [sifted]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

* Brandy - 1 tbsp [Optional]

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 400 ml [Cold]

Note 

* Dulce De Leche is commercially available in many countries. If not, after preparing Dulce De Leche at home, make sure to cool it down to room temperature with 1/2 cup of Milk mentioned in the ingredients list and then add it into the Eggs to prevent curdling. 

Cooking 

1. Separate the Eggs and add the Egg yolks into a pan / bowl.

2. Add the Dulce De Leche, Milk, sifted Corn flour, Vanilla Extract and Brandy into the Egg yolks. Whisk well.

3. Place the mixture on a Double-boiler and keep whisking continuously until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a light Custard.

4. Remove the pan from the Double-boiler and let it cool down to room temperature.

5. In a large bowl, add the Whipping Cream and whip the Cream using a hand-held mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

6. Fold the Whipped Cream into the cooled Dulce De Leche mixture carefully. Make sure not to deflate the Whipped Cream.

7. Once mixed, pour the mixture into serving bowls / glass.

8. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

The Mousse is best served chilled, and I drizzled some Nutella for drama.

We enjoyed this with the changing weather and it would definitely make it to the list of our summer treats.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken Tenders and Mixed Herb Salad

 

We always presumed Salads to be boring and never fancied them much until a misplaced order at one of the Mediterranean restaurants we visited a while ago. We had taken a To-Go of Shawarma rolls and many hours later, we opened to find the salad version of it instead. But for once, we were delighted to find a misplaced order. The Salad surprised us with it's simplicity and subtle flavors. The Greens complimented the Protein and we were pretty full for a long time and in a very pleasant way, I must add. So our new found love is Salad with a protein of our choice and I try to keep the flavors simple.

At our local Farmer's Market, we get a bag of Organic Mixed Herbs for 2 dollars and it goes a long way for the two of us. Also there are no hassles involved in having this meal - simple and yet not compromising on flavors. Add whatever you fancy and your meal is ready!

Ingredients

For Roasted Rosemary Chicken Tenders -

* Chicken Tenders - 1 pound

* Carrot - 1 cup [cube size]

* Potato - 1 + 1/2 cup [cube size, I used with skin]

* Rosemary - 2-3 sprigs

* Garlic - 8-10 pods [Check the Notes section]

* Lime juice - 2 tbsp

* Lime wedges - 2 nos [small slices, Optional]

* Pepper - 1 tsp [Add according to your interest]

* Salt - For Taste

* Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp [For searing]

For Mixed Herb Salad -

* Herb Salad Mix - 150 gm [I used Organic Herb Salad mix]

* Red Onion - 5 tbsp [Finely sliced]

* Coriander - 1 bunch [Roughly chopped]

* Cherry Tomato - 1 cup [cut into half]

* Blackberries - 1/2 cup

* Balsamic Vinegar - 1 tbsp

* Lime juice - 1 tsp

* Pepper - 1/2 tsp

* Salt - For taste

* Feta / Mozzarella Cheese - 1/2 cup [Optional, while serving]

Note

* If peeling Garlic is a humongous task [like me], just peel 2 pods and chop and add with the marinade. Chop off the head of the rest of the Garlic pod's and remove the outer loose layers and add to the Chicken while being placed in the Oven [Step 5]. They squeeze off easily once roasted. 

* If you prefer your Chicken soft, toss first your Vegetables like Carrot, Potato and fry them until it is half cooked and then add the Chicken Tenders and cook until it is of your preference. In this method, you can forego the Oven stage. I personally like to roast the Chicken, like the one's made in a Tandoor and hence give it the additional time in the Oven.

* Salads are best consumed fresh, hence make portions accordingly.

Cooking

For Roasted Rosemary Chicken -

1. Wash the Chicken Tenders thoroughly and drain them well. Wash the Carrot and Potato and chop them into cube size and keep aside.

2. Into a large bowl, add the washed and drained Chicken Tenders, Potato, Carrot, Rosemary, chopped Garlic, Lime juice, Pepper, Lime wedges and salt. Mix well and marinate them for at least 30 mins.

3. Place a large Steel Pan or Cast Iron pan on a stove and let it get hot on medium-heat.

4. Add the Olive or Vegetable Oil and let it get really hot enough for searing the Chicken. Once it is really hot, add the marinated Chicken Tenders one-by-one and give 2-3 mins to each side until it attains golden brown color. Using tongs, reverse the Chicken and let it sear on the other side as well.

Step 5. Toss the remaining Potato, Carrot and the remaining marinade into the pan. Make sure to distribute the components evenly and not to overcrowd them.  Place the pan into a preheated Oven at 350 Degree Fahrenheit for about 30-40 mins. In between using tongs reverse the Chicken so that both the sides are evenly browned.

6. Once cooked to your preference, remove the pan from the Oven and let it rest.

For Mixed Herb Salad -

1. Slice the Onion finely and slice the Cherry Tomato into halves.

2. Wash and drain the mixed Herb Mix, Coriander and Berries.

3. In a large salad bowl, add the Herb Mix, Coriander, Berries, finely sliced Onion, halved Tomatoes, Balsamic Vinegar, Pepper, Lime and Salt. Give the salad mix a toss to mix well.

For Assembling -

1. In a serving bowl / plate, place the salad and the roasted Chicken, Carrots and Potato. Top it with some Feta or Mozzarella Cheese.

We liked ours a tad warm with the Fresh greens and a wedge of Lime for Lunch. And I gave the Cheese a miss since I liked it simple.

Panna Cotta with roasted Blackberries - Low Fat version

 

I made this Panna Cotta using Low Fat Milk [2%] and left over Cream. This is our usual Go-To Dessert when I have to use any Cream that is left over and I pair it up with Fruits. The recipe for Panna cotta is adopted from David Lebovitz.

Ingredients -

For Panna cotta -

* Milk - 4 cups [I used 2 % Low Fat Milk]

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup

* Sugar - 1/2 cup [Increase / Decrease according to your interest]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

* Gelatin - 4 + 1/2 tsp 

For Roasted Blackberries -

* Blackberries - 200 gms [Washed and Drained]

* Sugar - 4-5 tbsp [Increase / Decrease according to the sweetness of the Berries]

* Orange juice - 3 tbsp

* Balsamic Vinegar - 1 tbsp

* Red Wine / Brandy - 1 tbsp [Optional]

Note -

* If you do not like to bite into the seeds of the Blackberry, you can instead make a compote and extract the sauce alone. I went for the whole fruit to accompany the Panna cotta.

* You can substitute the Blackberry for other Berries such as Strawberry, Raspberry etc.

Cooking -

For Panna cotta -

1. In a small ramekin or bowl, mix a few tablespoons of milk and Gelatin to form uniform consistency.

2. Meanwhile, boil the Milk, Sugar, Vanilla Extract and Cream in a sauce pan on a Stove. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat and add the Gelatin mixture and mix well. Remove the sauce pan from Stove and let it rest for a few minutes.

3. Strain and pour the mixture into the serving bowls or glasses. Once it cools down to room temperature, refrigerate them for about 5-6 hrs until it sets and firms up.

For Roasted Blackberries -

1. In a Oven-safe bowl, add the washed and drained Berries, Sugar, Orange juice, Balsamic Vinegar and Red Wine or Brandy; And mix well.

2. Cover the bowl with an Aluminium foil and place the bowl into a preheated Oven at 325 Degree Fahrenheit for 30-40 mins. The Berries become soft and change to a more reddish color.

3. Remove the bowl from the Oven and let it cool down to room temperature. These can be refrigerated up to a week or frozen for a month.

For Assembling -

1. Serve a few spoons of the cold roasted Berries and sauce on to the cold and set Panna Cotta. They are best served cold.

I have made these many times when I have some Cream left over and a Full Cream Panna Cotta is more creamier and tastier than the low fat version. But then it is a trade-off am willing to make when I come to think of the workout I have to do to burn up the calories.

Zuppa Toscana Soup - Olive Garden style!

 

I got a bunch of Kale and Potatoes over the weekend at the Farmer's Market. Thanks to many like-minded folks who have enjoyed this Tuscan soup and have shared the recipes for the same. I personally adapted the recipe from All Recipes.

Ingredients -

* Italian Sausage Rolls - 1 pound [finely chopped]

* Large Onion - 1 cup [finely chopped]

* Garlic - 3 tsp [finely chopped]

* Red Chili flakes - 1 tsp 

* Pepper - 1 tsp [Add according to your interest]

* Potato - 1 + 1/2 cup [cut into small bite-size pieces, I used with skin]

* Kale leaves - 2 cup [roughly chopped, without the stem]

* Water - 5-6 cups

* Cream - 1 cup

* Salt - For taste

Cooking -

1. Heat a large pan over medium-heat on Stove and add the finely chopped Italian Sausage Rolls, Onion, Red Chili flakes, Pepper and Garlic. Saute for 10-15 mins until it changes color and the Onion becomes translucent.

2. Add the chopped Potatoes, salt for taste and water. Mix well. Cover and let it cook on medium-heat for 20-25 mins or until the Potatoes become soft to touch.

3. Add the roughly chopped Kale leaves and cook for 5-7 mins, until the Kale gets cooked.

4. Finally add the Cream and mix well. After a minute, remove the pan from the Stove and let it rest.

And if you have ever grown up on Mutton soup in India, you would enjoy this unapologetic fat-laden soup. It is good for people who are trying to gain weight in a healthy way. And my hubby enjoys this with his bite of Cheese.

This is a keeper and with a good sprinkle of grated Parmesan Cheese - you cannot stop with one bowl.

Raspberry Cheesecake Icecream

 

Turning some lovely Raspberries into some Cheesecake Ice Cream in lazy-style [No cooking and no Eggs].

Ingredients 

For Raspberry Sauce

* Raspberry - 3 cups

* Brandy - 1 tbsp [Optional]

* Sugar - 1/4 cup

For Ice Cream

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 350 ml [cold]

* Cream Cheese - 200 gms [At room temperature]

* Sugar - 3/4 cup

* Raspberry sauce - 1 cup [At room temperature]

* Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Note

* The Cream Cheese is preferred to be at room temperature as it would help in incorporating with other ingredients.

* The Sugar and Raspberry Sauce component can be increased or reduced as per your interest. I kept some sauce aside to add while serving.

* Personally, I used Organic Raspberries, heavy Whipping Cream [more than 30% fat] and Cream Cheese.

Cooking

For Raspberry Sauce

1. In a saucepan, add the washed and drained Raspberries, Sugar and Brandy. Keep the saucepan on medium heat on a Stove and keep whisking. Smash the raspberries while mixing to form a thick sauce.

2. After 7-10 mins, the Raspberries would have become soft and form a thick sauce. Remove the saucepan from heat and separate the sauce from the seeds using a fine sieve. 

3. Let the sauce cool down to room temperature. This can be made ahead and frozen for future use.

For Ice Cream

1. In a large bowl, add the Cream Cheese, Whipping Cream, Sugar, Vanilla extract and Raspberry sauce. Using a whisk, mix slowly initially in order to mix all the ingredients.

2. Whisk for about 4-5 mins until the mixture is mixed well and the Cream gets whipped to form a fluffy texture [If using a hand-held mixer, the time taken to whip would be lesser].

3. Cover the bowl and freeze for about 3-4 hours.

4. Make sure to remove the bowl from the freezer at least 20-30 mins ahead in case it is too hard to be scooped.

Usually when nobody is watching or NOT, I eat messy; So, I slopped some onto a platter before it even set properly [impatient me], sprinkled [read threw] some Raspberries and splattered [yes you read it right] some sauce and gobbled them up.

Mini Pina Colada Trifle

 

We loved this dessert served at The Wynn in Las Vegas and it brought back all our buffet memories.

Ingredients

For Cake

* All Purpose Flour - 1/2 cup

* Corn Starch - 1/2 cup

* Baking powder - 1 tsp

* Salt - a pinch

* Eggs - 4 nos [At room temperature]

* Sugar - 3/4 cup

* Butter - 1/4 cup [melted]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

For Cream layer

* Heavy Whipping Cream - 200 ml

* Cream Cheese - 4 tbsp [At room temperature]

* Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp

* Sugar - 1/2 cup [increase/decrease as per your interest]

For Fruit layer

* Pineapple [chopped] - 3 cups

* Unsweetened dessicated Coconut Flakes - 4-5 tbsp

Cooking

For Cake

1. Sift All Purpose Flour, Corn Starch, Salt and Baking powder onto a dry bowl. Keep aside.

2. Line a Cupcake pan with Cupcake baking cups.

3. In a large bowl, add the Eggs, Sugar, Vanilla Extract and beat with a hand-mixer for about 10-15 mins or until pale in color and fluffy in texture.

4. Add the melted Butter [lukewarm temperature] slowly into the beaten Egg mixture. Keep whisking. This constitutes the wet mixture.

5. Add the sifted Flour mixture into the wet mixture. Whisk gently until all the ingredients are incorporated thoroughly. Do not over-beat at this stage.

6. Pour the Cake mixture into the lined Cupcake pan and place in a preheated Oven at 325 Degree Fahrenheit for 20-25 mins.

7. Check the center of the Cupcake to check if it is done with a skewer. If it returns clean without wet dough, it is done.

8. Remove the Cupcake pan from the Oven and let it cool down to room temperature.

9. Once cooled, slice them roughly into bite-size pieces for layering. Keep aside.

For Cream layer

1. In a large bowl, add the Cream Cheese, Sugar and Vanilla extract. Mix well with a whisk.

2. Add the cold Whipping Cream into the Cream Cheese mixture. Using a hand-mixer, whisk for 7-10 mins or until the Cream holds stiff peaks.

3. If needed, transfer the Cream mixture into a piping bag with a tip of your choice.

For Assembly

*  Add the sliced Cake and pineapple pieces. Layer with the Cream and top with the Coconut flakes.

Repeat for another layer as per the serving bowl or glasses used.

Note

* Unsweetened dessicated Coconut is different from the sweetened variety.

* The bowl and whisk used for whisking Cream should be cold in order to aid in the whipping of the Cream.

* The melted Butter should be lukewarm and the Eggs should be at room temperature in order to avoid curdling.

*  I used Cupcake pans since I was slicing them to add as layer. Any other pans can also be used as per personal preference. But do note to adjust baking time accordingly.