Sugar et al, Author at Sugar et al

Raspberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

20|06|2013

If someone ever asked me what I miss most about summer, my answer would be the daylight and BERRIES! With the evenings getting colder and darkness setting in by mid afternoon, I am almost ready to retreat into a hibernating mode. While Summer is nowhere near and little that I can do about daylight, there is technology and there are Berries. If not fresh, then frozen!

As much as I love the colourful little jewels of deliciousness, I have always shied away from freezing them or buying frozen pre-packs. There is definitely a freshness that seasonal berries would contribute but I realised there is a lot that can be done with frozen ones. Looking at the prices of fresh raspberries at this time of the year, I finally convinced myself to get a frozen pack. And since then, I have been reading up on how to freeze berries during season.

Buying fruits in bulk during season and preserving them is not only a great way of saving money but allows you to enjoy your favourite fruits all year-long. Honestly, with whatever I have read, it is a simple process with no fancy equipment.

Pretty pleased with the way my cupcakes turned out I made 2 more desserts and I thought they looked spectacular and tasted just as good. I can’t wait to post them all. The cupcakes by themselves were great but I wanted to turn it into a raspberry celebration so I made a white chocolate ganache frosting and drizzled some home-made raspberry sauce. So, there you go..my raspberry celebration cupcakes!

Sorbets, mousse, smoothies, jams, sauces, fillings for cookies and cupcakes there is so much that can be done with frozen berries. There is a lot of information available on the net on freezing fruits too. The forthcoming summer, I am looking forward to freezing and stocking up my berries and using them in every possible way. How about you?

I also wanted to give you a little heads up on some progress I have made with the software part on my blog. I have finally manged to import my Tastespotting, Foodgawker badges. Also, subscriptions are available through Feedburner now. For existing subscribers, I have already moved it manually. Let me know if you are facing any issues. My Recipe Index page is updated too. I cannot tell you how relieved I am at the moment. Now, all I need is to bite into my little red cupcakes.

And Celebrate…

Raspberry Celebration Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Frosting
The recipe can be totally adapted to use fresh raspberries

Raspberry Cupcakes (cupcakes adapted from Coles recipes)
Serves 10

100 g Butter, at room temperature, chopped
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 Eggs
1 cup Self-raising Flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)
1/3 cup Milk
1 cup Frozen Raspberries, thawed

Preheat oven to 170°C or 150°C fan forced and line 10 medium muffin tins with paper cases. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in half the flour, then all the milk, then remaining flour, until just combined. Fold through raspberries. Spoon into prepared cases. Bake for 20 mins, or until the cakes are springy to a light touch. Leave in tin for 5 mins, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool.

To serve, pipe swirls with white chocolate frosting (recipe below) or spoon frosting over cupcakes. drizzle with raspberry sauce (recipe below)

White Chocolate Ganache Frosting

200 g white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup thickened cream
100 g butter, chopped

Place white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every minute, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Add butter and stir until it melts and the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

Raspberry Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup

250 g frozen Raspberries
2 tbsp Castor sugar
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Place frozen Raspberries and sugar into a large non-stick frying pan. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or it takes a thick syrupy consistency. Using a metal spoon, crush Raspberries until pureed.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (If you do not like the seeds, strain the mixture once pureed)

Whole Orange Almond Mini Cakes with Orange Syrup

13|06|2013

I am very excited about this one. Not only because it is sweet post but it uses one of my cannot-do-without fruits. And in its best form ever – WHOLE! Yes, skin, pulp..everything. No seeds though. If that has already excited you, I have not even come to the more interesting facts. There is no butter, no flour in the cake. So gluten-free, reduced fat, healthy, however you like to call it. For me, not having to zest an orange for an orange cake is brilliant enough so with pleasure I call it a whole orange cake.

The cake is known to be a classic Passover dessert drawing inspiration from Morocco, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. And trust me when I say, the flavour is to die for!

During my childhood, the appearance of oranges marked the onset of winter. One funny memory that I have is dozing off in the school bus on my way home and waking up to the smell of citrus. Almost everybody was biting into an orange. Back then fruits were strictly seasonal. With the way technology has evolved in the present day much of our produce is omnipresent. And we have so many options to choose from. So coming back to the cakes, while all varieties of oranges can be used, Navel being seedless would be the safest bet. If you are using any other variety make sure the seeds are left out. Or the resulting flavour could be bitter.

While the cake is extremely simple to put together with just 5 ingredients, I would like to share a few tips that help in the process. After boiling the orange in water let it cool down in the liquid. That way the boiling time (the boiling time mentioned was 2 hours in the recipe, I boil it for 40-45 mins) can be reduced and the fruit is still softened. In case you do not have seedless oranges at hand, before pureeing make sure you take the seeds out by cutting it open. Grease the cake pan well and dust it with a generous amount of sugar so you get a nice caramelisation on the outside of the cakes. I use a mini bundt pan to get individual portions, you can double the recipe and bake a 8 inch cake instead.

The cake is intensely orangey in flavour, moist and beautifully fragrant. The original recipe did not call for a syrup. But the syrup does give it a touch of sophistication. Serve it warm with some ice cream or whipped cream on the side and you are sure have guests raving about your dessert. Don’t believe me, give it a shot!

Whole Orange Almond Mini Cakes with Orange Syrup (adapted with variation from SBS.com)
Serves 8
1 Orange (I used Navel Orange)
125 g castor sugar plus extra for dusting (a little more than 1/2 cup)
125 g almond meal/ground almonds (about 2/3 cup)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder

Wash the orange and cook in boiling water for 40 mins. Allow the orange to cool in the water before pureeing. This can be done ahead of time. Once cooled, puree the orange in a food processor or using a hand blender.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Butter a mini bundt pan/muffin tin/ramekins and dust it with a little castor sugar. Place the eggs and castor sugar in a mixing bowl and beat well. Stir in the orange puree followed by the almond meal and baking powder. Pour into the bundt pan and dust the top with more castor sugar. Bake for 35-45 mins until the top is golden brown. Drizzle with orange syrup before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Orange Syrup

Juice of 2 Oranges (when short of time, you can use store-bought juice but the sugar will need adjusting as per sweetness)
2 tbsp castor sugar

Bring the ingredients to a boil and let the mixture reduce slowly till it thickens to a syrupy consistency.

Award Time! One more Liebster.

13|06|2013

Another Liebster award! What can I say! I am honored, overwhelmed and delighted. Though I really really wonder how much I deserve this recognition for the long gaps that follow my posts, the networking that I miss out on to maintain my presence in the blog-o-sphere, the technical aspects that have been screaming for attention for a while now. Despite my best intentions, there are times when putting a post together requires that last ounce of energy that has already been drained out of my system. Having said that, blogging to me is addictive, it is therapeutic. And I love everything about it.

My 3rd Liebster nomination is from the lovely Nilu of Kitchen Serenity. We started blogging around the same time but I have to admit that I can never keep up the pace and discipline with which she posts. Her blog is a treasure chest of recipes…appetisers, curries, beverages, desserts, lunchbox recipes and if I have to key it all in, it might as well make a whole post. She says ‘we seldom eat out’. I say ‘Lady if I was your neighbour, I would never eat out too’. Nilu is also one of the friendliest and familiar names in the blog-o-sphere, welcoming one and all with her warm words and comments. Nilu, I am so glad that we connected over this wonderful world of FOOD! And a big thank you.

I am not going into all the details of the award or myself as I have done it already during my earlier awards. Here are Nilu’s questions and my answers.

What is your favorite quote and why?

Oh I seriously love quotes. I don’t use them too often but they go into a favourite folder of mine and are read over and over again. I love quotes that make me stop and think, actually the inspirational ones. A recent one I remember ‘Persuasion is an art of getting people to do something they wouldn’t do if you didn’t ask’- Aristotle

And of course, all quotes by Julia Child ‘The only time to eat diet food is when you’re waiting for the steak to cook’. ‘If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.’

2. What is your most favorite place on Earth?

Home is where the heart is. India. I also immensely like the place I live in today…Sydney. And the place of my dreams Paris! Maybe it’ll be a tie!

3. What is your favorite social media?

Facebook is my favourite media. it gives me the opportunity to stay connected with family and friends. Being miles away from so many of my close ones, I rely a lot on picture uploads to be a constant part of their lives and experiences.

4. If you could learn one new language, what would it be?

French.

5. Mountain or beach. Which one is your favourite?

Mountains. Ironically, I live in the land of beautiful beaches and harbours.

6. When was the last time you wrote a whole paragraph using a pencil/pen?

I can remember scribbling with a pen here and there. But a whole paragraph…cannot even remember!

7. What is the one thing you can’t live without?

Talking:-)

8. Your favourite song?

It all depends on the mood. Generally, I like Bryan Adams, Sonu Nigam numbers.

9. What inspires you to blog?

Think, I had this question last time too. Everything and anything. Nature, people, food, books, fellow bloggers…I draw inspiration from everything around me.

10. Has any book inspired you, and why?

Clearly, there are books that inspire me even today to cook or create. My food heroes, Raymond Blanc and Michael Roux Jr…I love love love them. When you read about extraordinary people…what made them..their struggles, thier lessons it gives you the motivation to pursue your dreams.

It’s a shame, that I have never blogged about their recipes despite making them a hundred times over. I am making a mental note as I write…maybe soon!

11. If you could move anywhere in the world, where would it be?

That’s a tough one. I would love to travel to Paris and spend a few weeks in the famous Patisseries of France but definitely not move there. Sydney, I think is the perfect place for me…at least for the moment.

Grilled Pumpkin, Red Onion, Feta and Pine Nut Salad

6|06|2013

Perhaps its the cold winter air. Perhaps its the beautiful leaves desperately clinging on to half barren trees. Perhaps its the familiar aromas of childhood that greet me on the way. Perhaps its the multitude of women racing past, freshly painted lips & high-heeled shoes that take me back to my days at work. Or perhaps its my new-found happiness, in a vibrant store. I love my long walk home.

After dropping my kids at the Care each time, I choose to walk. The road is a long one and I would be lying if I say that it doesn’t wear me out. But the prospect of building up little experiences on the way are far too exciting to overlook. The magic of this journey lies in its contrasting visuals. Starts on a busy street filled with shops, restaurants & cafes and ends up through winding lanes that are buried under mounds of dry fallen leaves. You can almost hear the universe whispering in your ears ‘Slow down’. Between the two different worlds lies a restaurant. Too early for it to open at that time of the morning but the smell of cardamom & ginger hangs heavy in the air. I am instantly transported to my place of birth.

But the highlight of the walk is a grocery store that specialises in fruits and vegetables. As soon as I step into the store, I am mesmerised by the colourful array of fresh produce. I hop from one to the next filling up my basket, my head brimming with ideas. We are already quite lucky to have access to great local produce anywhere in this country, but this market particularly takes my breath away for its wide selection of local & gourmet fruits & vegetables. The other day, I spotted herb pots and I could have clapped my hands loudly as the thought of growing my own rosemary and thyme struck me. And what do you think…I bought them all! So I have a little herb garden to take care of now. My aromatic little garden!

I am not a huge fan of pumpkin but I am beginning to like it lately. Pumpkin desserts were always welcome. Sugar has the power to transform everything..literally. What do you think? I know you have been missing Sugar on my site for a while now…as much as I have. Someone wrote to me recently. ‘Where are the DESSERTS?’. Do bear with me. Sugar is very much present in my life & coming back on the blog. With a vengeance!

Grilling gives pumpkin a nice flavour & look. This salad has Middle Eastern flavours and is vegetarian. For those unfamiliar with Tahini, it is a paste made out of ground sesame seeds, used extensively in Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine. It is available in most supermarkets these days. Non-vegetarians can add your favourite meat..grilled chicken, shrimps or prosciutto. I love both Feta and Pine nuts so they go into all my Middle Eastern dishes.

So that is my long walk home, shortened by the personal connection I make with the world, sharpened by the all the beauty I take in, enlivened by the little bag I bring back with joyful anticipation of what I might achieve today…on the other side…

Of the long road home..

Grilled Pumpkin, Red Onion and Feta Salad with a Tahini Dressing

1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled and thinly sliced
2 red onion, cut into thin wedges
A handful of baby spinach and rocket leaves
3 tablespoons of Feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Tahini Dressing

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Tahini
1 teaspoon castor sugar
salt and pepper.

Brush the pumpkin slices with olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat a grilling pan (or a non sick frying pan) over medium heat. Place the pumpkin on the pan and grill for 1-2 mins on each side (the time will depend on the thickness of the slices) till tender (but not too soft to handle). Transfer to a plate. Grill the red onions in the same way till soft. Remove from heat.

Place the pumpkin, onions and leafy greens in a large serving bowl. Add the crumbled Feta and pine nuts. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together except salt and pepper. Season to taste.