Sugar et al, Author at Sugar et al

White Chocolate And Blueberry Rice Pudding

7|02|2015

I was told that rice pudding was the very first food I tasted when I started on solids as a baby. Which is totally acceptable since a) it is sweet and b) it has rice. Both of which I am extremely fond of. Starting with rice pudding is a ritual at home and making it on special occasions and birthdays is a tradition that my mother keeps up even today. Therefore, this pudding spells absolute comfort for me.

There are so many versions of this pudding. The Indian version known as kheer or payesh that I have grown up eating is a simple mixture of whole milk, sugar and rice simmered together along with cardamom pods for flavour. Saffron, almonds or palm sugar is also occasionally added in for variety. I am pretty contented and convinced about the one that my mother makes that I have never attempted to replicate it. Instead I have my own versions of the rice pudding , mainly different flavour combinations that I have experimented with and served to my family. Thankfully both my boys seem to enjoy rice pudding so this is my go-to dessert for a cosy weekend afternoon.

Since this is such a versatile sweet treat, I have never run out of ideas of the flavours that can go alongside the milk-rice base. This time around, I was also keen on giving it some colour. Blueberries and white chocolate complement each other well and purple is among my favorite shades. So this was an easy one. I was really happy with the outcome. Both, the way it tasted and looked. It has the silky, creamy melt-in-your mouth feel with the right amount of sweetness from the white chocolate. It is not overly sweet as the blueberries do a great job of cutting through the sweetness. This is a pudding that is cooked on the stove-top so it will need a little bit of stirring and supervision as we do not want the rice to stick or burn at the bottom of the pan. Also, if you think the milk is drying up too quickly in the mixture, feel free to add more till you get the desired consistency. This is one dessert that is more about the taste, texture and consistency that you are looking for rather than precise measurements.

Do you recollect (or know) what was the very first food you tasted? Is that something you like to eat today as well?

White Chocolate And Blueberry Rice Pudding
Serves 5

2 cups whole milk
1 cup pouring cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp castor sugar
2/3 cup medium grain (or long grain) rice
150 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
extra blueberries, to serve
shaved white chocolate/coconut flakes, to serve

Combine milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and rice in the saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until rice is tender. add the white chocolate and blueberries and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the blueberries have melted completely and tinted the pudding. Continue to add more milk if the mixture sticks to the bottom or becomes dry.

Divide among serving bowls. Top with fresh blueberries and shaved white chocolate or sweetened coconut flakes.

Red Velvet Cake with Raspberries And Cream

4|02|2015

I pass a florist near my home every day, to and back from anywhere I travel. I look at the pretty flowers, wishing in my mind I could touch them. I so love colours and my eyes survey the bouquets that have amazing arrangements and beautiful contrasts. I look at the happy people buying flowers, wondering where/or with whom those flowers would end up. I think people who buy flowers are happiest kind of people. Then, I walk away.

Today was different I stopped and bought flowers. For myself. And I feel happy just looking at them. I am one of those people who believe that as much as it is nice to show your love for those who matter, it is equally important to love yourself. Not in an narcissistic sort of way, but looking for those little things that make you who you are are celebrating them. Once in a while doing things that make you and only you happy and making that ‘ride’ called life worth all the roller-coaster action. Taking a teeny bit of time off the daily grind just for yourself to look back at those things that always made you giggle. Or even a quick chat with a bestie to relive some of the best memories you have together. Reading a new book, buying yourself a new dress, picking up flowers, eating chocolate or just baking a cake. In the fast paced, ever-so-demanding environment that we live in, this is hard. But not impossible. I can vouch for that.

This last one week, has been such a whirlwind of activities. I was anxious about the boys starting school while also thinking how I could utilize all the time. Time? Where is time? What was I even thinking? What about the drop-offs, pick-ups, lunchboxes, uniforms…blah blah blah? I don’t mean to complain but this week has been quite hard on us. I don’t know whether two of them going together makes it harder or easier. I will cope. Or else I will buy more flowers. And I will make cakes. Cakes are the best. They make everyone happy…the baker and the people around. Valentine’s day is not far and I have quite a few treats in mind.

This is a simple layer cake that comes together without much effort. To make time for love, you need to keep things simple, right? So, this is about making a simple batter and baking it in two pans for the layers. Whip up some fresh cream…add some fresh raspberries (or strawberries) and a dusting of icing sugar. That’s all! The cake is really light, moist and sponge-like so you need to be a bit careful with the layers..they start to break if not handled carefully. Please do remember to grease the pans well as the layers tend to stick to the sides of pan. Biting into the cake, is sheer pleasure as it just melts in your mouth.

Now tell me dear friends, do you sometimes do things for yourself? If so, what is the best thing you ever did?

Red Velvet Cake with Raspberries And Cream
Serves 6-8

180 g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (try to use regular cocoa, not dutch processed)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/4 cup red liquid food coloring
400 ml heavy/whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks with 1/3 cup castor sugar and stored in the refrigerator till needed
Fresh raspberries (or strawberries), to decorate
Icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C ( 160 degrees C for fan-forced). Grease and line the bases of two 18 cm round cake pans with baking paper.

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cocoa powder and buttermilk, in batches, until well combined. Add the vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and food colouring and stir to combine.

Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared pans. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely

Place one of the cakes on a serving platter/cake stand. Spread half the whipped cream mixture over the top. Sprinkle with half the raspberries. Sandwich with remaining cake. Spread with remaining cream mixture. Decorate with remaining raspberries. Dust with icing sugar.

Saffron Baked Custard With Cardamom Crumble

31|01|2015

‘A pinch goes a long way’ said my grandmother when she saw me examining the tiny box with curiosity. I was always in awe of that little box that contained unruly deep red threads of the most exotic spice I knew of. Saffron is beautiful…as much as it is powerful. The ‘prima donna’ of the spice family. Its flavor is unique and the color and aroma it adds to a dish is exclusive. It is not an ingredient that you would use everyday but once you use it, you would be enamored by its presence. Every year there would be someone from our family or extended family visiting the Jammu-Kashmir (northern) region of India on a pilgrimage and my mother would make a deal with them. ‘Kashmiri red chillies, cardamom, nutmeg, mace and 2 boxes of saffron’.The 2 boxes were enough for a year’s worth of sweet treats. Obviously she returned the favor when it was her turn. Which meant plentiful spice shopping in the freezing cold, winding by-lanes on the hills. Competition was fierce and shop owners stood outside their shops calling out to prospective customers. We would return with bags full of spice like everybody else and the buses or trains leaving from this region always smelled like a giant nutmeg to me.

Saffron is an integral part of Indian desserts much like cardamom, almond and pistachio. These are flavors of my childhood. The smell of these are deeply embedded in my system. Combining them with baked goods I make today, thrills me to the core. The fantastic fusion of taste, texture and appeal. The best of both delicious worlds.

A baked custard is an easy and tasty way to use saffron. Because the threads need a medium (more specifically, moisture) to perform to their full potential, milk or cream are ideal partners. I toyed around with the idea of a Creme Brulee initially but that didn’t make sense as the entire point was to show off the vibrant, yellow that makes this spice so gorgeous. If you know me by now, I love my desserts to have crunch and contrasting textures. So, instead of a burnt sugar crust I decided to pair it with a cardamom infused crumble, a little fresh cream and tart strawberries. If you could take a bite, you would know that this is a match made in Heaven. Truly magical. It teases your taste buds with different sensations and leaves you craving for more. The aroma makes me go crazy with nostalgia.

You may already know, Saffron is expensive. Those power-packed threads are actually the stigma of a flower and are harvested by hand. Saffron is used in a lot of sweet and savoury food. So if you get hold of some, you can try out many different ways of using them. A tiny bit is enough to do all the magic. A pinch goes a long way.

Saffron Baked Custard with Cardamom Crumble
Serves 4-5

1/2 cup milk
saffron, a pinch
11/2 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp. castor sugar (more if you require it sweeter)
Cardamom crumble, to serve (recipe below)
Strawberries or any fruit of your choice to serve
Whipped Cream, to serve (optional)

Soak the saffron in milk for 30 minutes to infuse. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C ( 140 degrees for fan-forced ovens) .Combine cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until hot (do not allow to boil). Remove saucepan from heat.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and spices in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Pour the warm cream mixture over the egg yolk mixture, little at a time whisking constantly until smooth. Take care not to add the entire cream to the eggs together as it can overcook the eggs resulting in scrambled eggs. Strain the liquid into a pouring jug pressing the residue in the strainer with the back of spoon to ensure maximum extraction of flavor and color from the saffron.

Divide the custard into five lightly-greased, ramekins or ovenproof cups. Place in a deep baking tray. Pour boiling water into baking tray until halfway up sides of ramekins.

Bake custards, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until just set (while the centres are slightly jiggly when shaken). Remove from the oven and take the ramekins out of the water bath. Leave to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with fruit, crumble and whipped cream.

Cardamom Crumble

1/2 cup plain flour
50 g butter, chilled and chopped into cubes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp powdered green cardamom (made by running the seeds inside 5-6 cardamom pods through a food processor, also readily available in most Indian supermarkets)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the mixture until the mixture contains large and small crumbs. Spread the mixture in a thin layer onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crumble is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool down completely before use.

Lemon, Coconut and Strawberry Cake

27|01|2015

Over the long weekend we ticked off the final items on the twin’s school to-do checklist. School is now less than a week away. I am not ready. They however,seem to be ready which is a relief. Where has time flown away? I wish I could hold on to the next few days and make them last a bit longer. Or tuck away the sound of their laughter and endless innocent conversations in a safe place to be treasured forever.

We were blessed with great weather yesterday after a sizzling 38 degrees C on Sunday. Since we didn’t go out anywhere, just sitting together over a small barbecue lunch while watching the rain made perfect sense. Deep inside,I knew such occasions wouldn’t come by as easily and frequently as our lives begin to embrace routines in a bigger sense in future. We had this cake for dessert. I haven’t baked a lot this month and have been mainly creating frozen recipes so it was a refreshing change to be able to switch on the oven and do things that are more therapeutic for me.

What I like about this cake is that it combines simple, every day flavors and turns them into something totally delicious and refreshing. The cake batter has been infused with lemon zest for a citrus flavor and mixed with desiccated coconut for texture. Sandwiched between the layers are strawberry jam and lemon Swiss meringue buttercream. Then it is frosted with more buttercream, covered in flaked coconut, topped with fresh strawberries and drizzled with strawberry sauce (made by diluting the jam itself) The cake is moist and soft with a crunch from the coconut and the flavours nicely balance each other out. As you can see, I have put a thin layer of frosting in between the cake layers because I don’t give the boys a lot of richly frosted cake. But you will have enough buttercream left with this recipe to apply a thicker layer if you choose to.

Lemon, Coconut and Strawberry Cake
Serves 10-12

375 g butter, softened
2 tbsp lemon zest
11/2 cup castor sugar
4 x-extra large eggs (or 5 eggs)
3 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
11/2 cup coconut milk (can use regular milk)
1/2 cup strawberry jam+ 3 tbsp to make strawberry sauce
lemon Swiss meringue buttercream (recipe below)
1 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened)
Fresh strawberries to decorate

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C ( 160 degrees C for fan-forced). Grease and line the base of three 7 inch round cake pan with baking paper.
Place butter, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add half the flour and coconut. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour, coconut and milk.

Divide the mixture between the prepared pan. Bake for 45- 55 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Once cakes have cooled completely, frost the cake. Place one layer onto a cake plate or stand. Spread 1/2 the strawberry jam all over the base. Dollop or pipe some of buttercream on top of the strawberry jam. Sandwich with another cake layer. Repeat.

Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Press the flaked coconut onto the sides with your palm. Sprinkle the top with more flaked coconut. Decorate with fresh strawberries and drizzle with strawberry sauce (made by mixing 3 tbsp strawberry jam with 1 tbsp warm water).

Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
300 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Clean the bowl of your electric mixer with a paper towel to remove any traces of grease. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly but gently till the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are warm to touch. Remove from heat.
Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, whip the egg whites till they are smooth, glossy and form stiff peaks. By this time the bowl should have cooled down and feel neutral to touch. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, add in the butter, slowly (2 cubes at a time) and mix until a smooth consistency is reached. Add in the lemon juice and zest and mix till well blended.