Blog - Sugar et al

Roasted Beet Salad with Egg and Honey Balsamic Dressing

29|05|2013

Roasted beet salad with eggs, leafy greens and a delicious honey balsamic dressing. Healthy, nutritious and easy to make.

Another break, another comeback and a wonderful sense of belonging. Again! Like coming back home. Wish I could show you how much I love my time with the blog. Though sometimes it requires a mammoth effort to stay connected than other times. The long and short of it is that life is finally a bit settled and I am finding my rhythm again. My boys have found a wonderful second home at the day care and I am looking forward to spending more time with my happy little space on the internet.

The last few weeks involved a myriad of discoveries…around the neighbourhood, within the house..zones in my balcony that offer good lighting, new friendships and some reflective exercises on the changes that have come about with time. The funny thing is that it takes some ‘getting used to’ not having the children around and savoring activities that I craved for not so long ago. I am fascinated by the way motherhood has changed everything I do, even the way I look at alone time.

Most people I know out there associate salads with health and nutrition. I do too. But along with that, I also associate salads with colours, textures and an important aspect of a meal. If it is an accompaniment to a main meal, it needs to compliment the flavours of the dish. If eaten on their own, there needs to be a protein element to it that compensates for the nutritonal value of a main meal.

Eggs are a critical part of my pantry. That is pretty obvious to all my blog readers by now for its inevitable appearance in desserts. But, what is lesser known is my affinity to use it in salads. They can easily transform a leafy salad into a filling dish. And the colour..oh so brilliant! Maybe that’s why I choose it over any other protein. The dressing is a simple honey balsamic dressing which goes very well with beetroot. You can use baby spinach, rocket, swiss chard, lettuce, mint..basically any leafy green that is available. Serve it with some crusty bread and you have a wholesome meal ready for you.

Roasted Beetroot and Egg Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Serves 2

2 large beetroot
2 hardboiled eggs, peeled, quartered
A handful of mixed salad leaves (spinach, rocket, swiss chard, lettuce)
Cracked pepper to sprinkle

Honey Balsamic Dressing

2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat oven to 200 degree C. Trim beetroot stems. Wash beetroot and pat dry. Wrap in a foil and place in a roasting dish. Roast for 45 mins or until tender (skin peels away when rubbed). Set aside until cooled.

Make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Keep aside.

Wearing rubber gloves, peel each beetroot and cut into quarters. Arrange the beetroot and egg quarters in a bowl along with the salad leaves. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with cracked pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Celebrating Mommy! Corn and Chive Pikelets with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream

9|05|2013

The sweetest message I have ever read. ‘I BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT…Because I’VE BEEN LOVING MY MOTHER SINCE THE TIME I OPENED MY EYES…’

I don’t really follow ‘day-s’. Birthdays are an exception of course. But I would still call myself a person who can go lengths to make someone smile. Just that it would never be restricted to time or occasion. I am certain all of us are like that.

Until a few years ago, I couldn’t relate to all the hype about Mother’s day. Though I have probably participated every year since I was a little girl by bringing little gifts for my Mommy or cooking something special for her, I have to admit that I did it without much thought or understanding of the significance of Mother’s day. I would only think about what gifts she would like or what would make her happy. After my twins came, I looked at motherhood with a whole new perspective. Mothers don’t really expect anything..rather nothing!

Having said that, being a Mom is the most rewarding role in itself, however thankless or sacrificing it is. Ask any Mommy out there! And making a surprise brunch or a meal can be a small gesture in acknowledging all that she does selflessly day after day. Daddy-s too, I think can lead by example and involve younger kids in putting something together to show how much she is appreciated. You always have the option of taking her out for lunch but isn’t it worth spending a little time and doing it at home?

Keeping that in mind, I am posting a recipe that is quick and easy but looks great. Pikelets are nothing but baby pancakes. I often make the batter a day in advance and shallow fry the pikelets when needed. Canned creamed corn is readily available in Australian supermarkets but if you do not have access to it, its easy to make your own and store. Vegetarians can substitute smoked salmon for grilled shaved pumpkin or sweet potato. It looks fantastic and tastes just as good. You can use a grilling pan (or a normal frying pan) sprayed with a little olive oil and cook for 2-3 mins on each side.

In my house, though the kids are too young to understand celebrations, I have received notes every year on their behalf leaving me teary eyed (of course, Daddy at work).Last year, the boy’s daycare got their hand and feet impressions in different colours on a card with a sweet message. When I went to pick them up, they came running to me with the cards in their hands shouting ‘Appy appy day’. It was touching!

A Mother’s love is UNCONDITIONAL. You realise that far more when she is not around. Can you tell me in the current world how many things are unconditional?

To all the Mommy’s out there, you are amazing…you are beautiful…what you have accomplished, NOONE else can. Your kids love you and so do I. Happy Mother’s day!

Corn and Chive Pikelets with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream (pikelets adapted with variation from Taste.com)
serves 4-5

1 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup creamed corn (store-bought or home made- recipe below)
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
1/2 cup grated cheese (I use cheddar)
Olive oil for frying
8-10 thinly sliced Smoked Salmon
Sour cream
Fresh Dill for garnish
Extra Virgin Olive oil and cracked pepper (optional)

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

Whisk milk, egg, corn together in another bowl. Add to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in chives and cheese.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Using 2 tablespoons of batter at a time, cook pikelets in batches till bubbles appear on the surface (2-3 minutes). Turn over the other side and cook till golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 20 pikelets.

To serve, place 3-4 pikelets on a plate. Top with 2 slices of smoked salmon. Add a dollop of sour cream and garnish with dill leaves. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of cracked pepper.

Creamed Corn

2 cups frozen whole corn kernels
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Place butter in a large skillet over medium heat to melt. Add the frozen corn and stir, cooking over medium heat until the corn is mostly thawed. Add in the heavy cream, sugar, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring constantly to prevent cream from scorching (10-15 mins) until corn is cooked through and sauce is thick.

A Place called Home! Passion Fruit Mousse with Strawberry Meringue Crumble.

6|05|2013

A very warm welcome to Sugar et al’s brand new home. This partly explains my absence from my favourite blog-o-sphere for a while. Partly because along with my website, I moved too. Not that I had planned it this way…just a fantastic coincidence.

9 weeks, 18 posts, a few hundred requests and a brilliant techie later, I finally decided to give my blog a little makeover. Yes, the much awaited SUBSCRIBE button is here…at last! Now my friends there is no escaping the mush, the mash and the mousse (does it rhyme…who cares!) Get ready with a spoon and a box of tissues to follow me on my new journey.

My heart is full of affection and gratitude for all the people who have been with me all this while. You made me realise that relationships can form anywhere, anytime…across nations, despite boundaries, without ‘subscribe’ buttons. I take this opportunity to thank my friends who came to check on me every now and then…Mary, Julia, Nazneen, Pavithra, Evelyne, Gloria, Tia, Nilu, Deepti, Soni, Uru, Dhanish, Rita, Nava and livened up my blog with lovely comments. A few days back Pavithra did a beautiful post called ‘A lesson in Unity’. I believe in that more than ever today.. And Nazneen, I am so touched that you wrote to me out of concern.

And for my silent readers, I know you are there and I am grateful. I love you for the time and patience you shower on me each day.

I also need to thank Adrian, an extremely enthusiastic techie for helping me to make the blog look like one. Despite his super busy schedule he kept coming up with plenty of ideas and suggestions of navigation options, designs etc (half of which wouldn’t even register in my non-techie brains). Thank you Adrian..you are a genius!

This blog is incomplete without food. And since I have grown up with a belief that good things and celebrations start with sweet, I am sharing another favorite with you. The passion fruit mousse takes less than 5 minutes to put together if you have the passion fruit curd pre made like I do (home-made or store-bought). The strawberry meringue crumble is unique and looks very beautiful. This recipe like few others was born out of a refrigerator clearance exercise that I had to undertake recently. The recipe can be substituted with lemon mousse using lemon curd if passionfruit is not available.

I moved houses 2 days back and still in the process of getting settled. A totally new locality, neighbourhood, supermarkets…it is like starting all over again. While I said a goodbye to my previous suburb with a heavy heart for all the warmth, convenience and memories (I hope to write about that too) that it had to offer, I am very excited to explore the new one. Little by little, I am trying to make it my home. It always intrigues me how a few walls, a floor and a roof can house so many dreams..stand witness to a million stories that take place everyday…where people grow older…each time you turn that key in, you let yourself into a world which is so familiar, so comfortable…the sights, the smells, the feel..that you want to come back to it over and over again. A place called HOME..

I am taking in the warm rays of the sun falling out of a big window as I write to you. I saw the sun rise, right before my eyes today. It feels good to be HOME!

Passionfruit Mousse with Strawberry Meringue Crumble

Passionfruit Mousse (Serves 4)

3/4 cup Passionfruit Curd, cold (recipe below)
1 cup whipping cream/heavy cream
Sugar (optional/to taste..I did not add any)

Whip the cream to soft peaks using a stand mixer/hand mixer or simply by hand with a whisk. To understand the various stages of whipping here’s a handy link. Gradually incorporate the passionfruit curd 2 tablespoons at a time and mix slowly till all the yellow streaks disappear and the mixture looks uniform. Pour into serving glasses and chill for about 3 hours to firm up.

Note: If you are in a hurry and want to serve it right away, you can do so by whipping the cream to stiff peaks and mixing it with the curd. The only difference is that the mixture is a little fluffy to handle and therefore hard to put into serving glasses unless piped. If you don’t mind that, there is no difference in the taste otherwise.

Strawberry Meringue Crumble

7-8 strawberries chopped into cubes
10-12 meringue kisses, crumbled (home-made (recipe below) or store-bought)
A handful of roasted macadamia nuts, chopped (or any other nut of your choice)

Mix every thing together just before serving to retain the colour and texture.

Passionfruit Curd (Makes about a large cup)

4 egg yolks
125 g unsalted butter, chilled
3/4 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup fresh or canned passion fruit pulp

Combine the egg yolks, butter, sugar and passionfruit pulp in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly till the mixture thickens to a consistency of mayonnaise. Cover and cool to room temperature and then chill for an hour.

Meringue kisses

This recipe from Joy of Baking has always worked for me. Once the meringue is ready, play around with different nozzles and pipe them in whatever shape and size you want. For this recipe, shape really does not matter so if you are not comfortable with piping, spoon the meringue into mounds on the baking paper.

Walnut Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Minted Mushy Peas and Roasted Tomatoes.

19|04|2013

As Autumn settles in deep into the homes and lives of Sydneysiders, ‘Change’ is prevalent in the air. From temperatures..to clothing..to food. Gone are the days when winter wear was dull and not-so stylish. Adding layers to your clothing is like adding another element to your personality. Last week at a shopping centre I tried out a blazer in 5 different colours (there were 15 shades available). No points for guessing which shade I settled for. If you are reading my posts regularly, the answer lies there in.

At a nearby Asian restaurant, Laksa seems to be the dish of choice.

As part of embracing this change, we are having to make certain modifications in our routine too. Like making time in the morning or noon to visit the park..rescheduling my foodie photo shoots to afternoon and all other activities accordingly.

Some big changes are also taking place in our lives at the moment. But before I get into that let me go back 3 posts complete a story that I left unfinished. My Nature centric post on Autumn.

Nut picking was totally new to me. Unlike fruit picking and berry picking which is pretty common around Australia, I had no idea how Chestnuts and Walnuts are grown or harvested. Hence it caught my interest and I made sure we paid a visit when they were in season.

Chestnuts need gloves to pick up the spiky shells which have fallen to the ground and break them open to get the chestnuts. Walnuts are just picked up from the ground. The walk along the chestnut trees could actually be pretty dangerous with the spiky sharp outer covering sticking out of the ground. One needs to watch their step especially with kids.

The Chestnuts that we picked up went into a dessert. Handling that was mammoth task by itself…maybe I will blog about it someday. With the walnuts I decided to go the Savoury way.

Lamb cutlets make for a quick and easy dinner when you are in a hurry as the cooking time is really short. There is no end to the variety of marinades that can be used on them. Entree or Mains (with some accompaniments), they can be served in any way you like. Again, you can crust them with a nut of your choice (pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts and so on). Though I experiment with marinades more often, I prefer the texture that a crust has to offer and reserve that for special occasions.

Walnut Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Minted Mushy Peas and Roasted Tomatoes. (Minted Mushy Peas adapted from Jamie Oliver)
Serves 2

8 Lamb cutlets, french trimmed
1/2 cup of walnuts, coarsely (not finely) ground
1/2 cup of dry multigrain breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to season.
21/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp butter
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 springs truss baby roma tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

To make the peas, add butter to a pan along with the peas and mint. Put a lid on top and simmer for 10 mins.Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. You can mush up the peas in a food processor or by hand till they are stodgy and thick.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Heat olive oil in a shallow frying pan. Combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning in a plate. Whisk the egg lightly in a shallow bowl. Dip the cutlets in egg and then coat in the walnut mixture. In batches brown the lamb cutlets 2 mins on each side.
Place them in a roasting tray with the tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast for 5 mins until lamb is medium rare and the tomatoes soften. Rest for 5 mins while you reheat the mash
To serve: Place 3-4 heaped tablespoons of mushy peas on the plate. Top with lamb cutlets and roasted tomatoes. Mix balsamic vinegar with pan juices and drizzle over.

Mirrors for life. And Crepes with Caramelised Oranges and Spiced Orange Syrup.

16|04|2013

“There were once two sisters
who were not afraid of the dark
because the dark was full of the other’s voice
across the room
because even when the night was thick
and starless
they walked home together from the river
seeing who could last the longest
without turning on her flashlight,
not afraid
because sometimes in the pitch of the night
they’d lie on their backs
in the middle of the path
and look up until the stars came back
and when they did,
they’d reach their arms to touch them
and they did.”
-The Sky Is Everywhere

April is a month when I run high on emotions. Two birthdays that are very special to me. Today is my Sister’s birthday and I long to be with her…talk away into the night…giggle ourselves to tears..till someone in the family exclaims aloud ‘but what are you laughing at?’ Just thinking about the annoyed-puzzled expression of my Dad makes me smile.

A Sister is a world of fun. She is the hand that will catch you every time you fall…the nose that can sniff whatever you have been up to, the eyes that are always lusting after your clothes (size never matters)..the ears that can pick up all the words you don’t say…your defender, your significant other in crime, your secret keeper…and in my case, the stern doctor. ‘So the name is Sugar et al…when did you go for your last health checkup?’

My sister loves Crepes. I have never understood why..I mean its the same ingredients (eggs, flour, butter, sugar) that can translate into something more fancy..like a cake or pudding. But she would always insist on Crepes. The last time I saw her (close to a year), she convinced me to make them right before she departed to catch her flight. And she kept running around the house with a plate of crepes, stuffing them into her mouth as she filled up her suitcases with last minute items.

This is a no alcohol version of the Crepe Suzette. Had T been here, I would have loved to add a tumbler of Cointreau into it but at present the audience are 3 year olds who could definitely do without it. I have also added a twist by including spices in the syrup.

Happy Birthday Dear Sister! You are the knowledge I carry that I can never be alone, my ‘voice in the dark’. In you, I see my childhood…the ‘stars’ I reached for and the ones I will reach for..and my retirement (when we will discuss grandchildren)…

You are my Mirror for Life!

Crepes with Caramelised Oranges and Spiced Orange Syrup

Serves 5

For the Crepes

1 cup plain flour

11/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 tbsp butter, melted

For the Syrup

1/4 cup sugar (or as per sweetness, reduce the quantity)

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp powdered ginger

3-4 star anise

2 sticks cinnamon

2 tbsp orange liquor (optional)

For the Caramelised Oranges

2 Navel Oranges peeled and sliced into circles

3-4 tsp castor sugar

Whipped cream to serve

Chopped Toasted Pistachios to serve(optional)

Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a separate bowl. Add the egg-milk mixture and the melted butter into the flour and whisk together. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the syrup by adding all the ingredients into a saucepan. Heat over medium heat till the sugar dissolves and the mixture is reduced to a thick consistency(10-12 mins). Keep warm.

Make the crepes. Heat a non stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup batter and swirl the pan to evenly spread out the batter. Cook till the edges start to turn brown (longer if you want them crispy). Turn over the other side and cook for another 30 seconds till golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Sprinkle sugar over the orange circles. Caramelise with a blow torch. (Alternatively, if a blow torch is not available heat 1/2 tsp butter and 2 tsp sugar in a pan. When the sugar starts to caramelise, add the oranges and cook for 30 secs till brown..turn over and cook the other side. Remove from heat and keep aside.

To serve: Fold the crepes into triangles and place 2-3 on a plate. Pour the warm spiced orange syrup over the crepes. Add a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with chopped pistachios.

Liebster Awards. Two in a row!

12|04|2013

Yay! My first blogging awards..the Liebster. Two in a row! On one side, I was even not familiar with award and goodness me, they came in a pair (Did I tell you that my life revolves around pairs..so I am truely madly deeply in love with the number 2).
For the first one I was nominated by Dhanish from My Sri Lankan Recipes and within a few hours the second one by Gloria from Simply Gloria. It has been 6 weeks only since I stepped into the blog-o-sphere and hence I am overwhelmed at receiving any kind of recognition.

My sincere thank you to Dhanish and Gloria for being so thoughtful in passing it onto me. I am absolutely delighted. Recognition…fame..awards can come to you any stage in life but the ‘first’-s are etched in your memory forever.

A little bit about the awesome twosome:

Dhanish is a great cook and My Sri Lankan Recipes is filled with mouthwatering recipes and pictures. From classic Sri Lankan dishes to quick and easy meals, her blog has variety in the true sense of the word. Not to mention the little step by step tutorials. It cannot get easier than this. My personal favourite- her Simple Chocolate Cake (appearance wise by no means it looks simple…it is gorgeous)

Gloria is the Supermum! Crafts and cooking and everything in between. Need to give your furniture a makeover..head over to Simply Gloria. She also happens to be my ‘sugar twin’ and there are heaps of yummy desserts in her blog. Please do not forget to check out her Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad (I prefer to call it Rainbow salad). Seriously, if there was an award for the best looking Pasta salad I’d give it to her.

About the award
The Liebster award is given to encourage up and coming blogs, less than 200 followers to continue blogging. Liebster is a Deutsche word meaning ‘dear’ or ‘beloved’. So basically here, it means your favourite blog award.
Rules of the award

Acknowledge the nominating blogger
Write 11 random facts about yourself
Answer the 11 questions posed to you by the nominating blogger
List down 11 bloggers (with 200 or less followers) who you feel deserve to be recognised (you cannot nominate the person who nominated you).
Post 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate
Inform all the bloggers you nominated that they have been nominated.

Random facts about me

I am known to be extremely talkative. I can have a conversation with myself and lately I am mastering the art of having a monologue with an imaginative audience. So much for blogging..huh!
I can read and write in Deutsche. Even though the award is new to me, the name is all too familiar.
I do not give up..whatever the situation. So when the chocolate fondant/lava cake does not ooze out ‘lava’, I prefer to call it the ‘Soft centred chocolate pudding’!
I have a thing for colours. And then there are seasons. Right now its ‘purple season’ for me- from dinnerware to ear rings (eggplants too).
I often go shopping to buy ‘that one important thing’ and come back with several more (7 years of Banking has had no impact on me)
Rains make me happy. Rainbows happier!
I still enjoy reading Enid Blyton books. The ‘Wishing Chair’ is my favourite.
I am a cleanliness fanatic. (And the lone woman in a house of 4…how does that sound?)
I am super tech savvy (how I wish I could say that!!). Its the other way round…codes, software and such things freak me out.
I love love love deep fried food. (And desserts…what a combo!)
I am through and through a Libran. All that is written about balance and harmony is true…I can vouch for that!

Answers to Dhanish’s questions

What made you start blogging?
I started the blog as a place to share my combined love for baking/cooking, photography and writing. It was on my mind for a couple of years but I decided to wait till my boys were ready to go to preschool so I could have some spare time. My family and friends were ‘waiting’ for the blog to go live.

What is your favourite movie of all time?
I have so many but if I had to pick one it would be Million Dollar Baby.

Who is your role model?
I think a Mother plays the most important role in shaping up an individual’s personality. I have realised it more so since I became one. My role model could only be my mother. Even today, I fall back on her for everything under the sun.

If you could have 3 wishes, what would they be?
If I was granted 3 wishes right at this time, I would want to see my family in India, eat biriyani and make Summer come back (Its Autumn in Sydney and I am not enjoying the shorter days)

What is the favourite thing to do in your spare time?
Honestly, since the last 3 years, I do not remember having spare time. But yes, when I can make some time for myself I love to experiment with desserts..muti-elemental ones with many layers or elements and fancy garnishes. It is a sort of therapy for me.

What excites you the most?
Nothing like great food accompanied by great conversation.

What is the first item on your wish list?
A trip to Paris! I could spend a day or two at some of the famous Patisserie’s in Paris.

What is something you regret?
I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. Therefore, no regrets so far!

What is your favourite dessert?
That one is really difficult. I eat, sleep and breathe desserts so picking up one is impossible. But I am more inclined towards cold and custard based ones- like Mousse..Creme Brulees..Ice creams.

Three favourite ingredients?
Butter, garlic and herbs. (Sugar is not even considered an ingredient..its my life)

What is your favourite cookbook?
Again, so many favourites but I would go with Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets. I look for cookbooks with stories and backgrounds..not just recipes.

Answers to Gloria’s questions

Why did you start blogging?
Answered above.

If your blog was a soundtrack what would your title song be?
Sugar et al in many ways is my dream come true and I so so love this little blog of mine. So the title song would be ‘Reaching for Heaven’ from Ice Princess.

Who inspires you?
I draw inspiration from everything I see around me…nature…food…people..books and so on.

How would you describe yourself in one word?
Determined

Who would you like to play in the movie of your life?
Superman maybe. I could do with some super powers at the moment.

What are you most passionate about?
In general I am passionate about everything I do but if I have to pick one it would be cooking/baking!

What is the one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime?
When I was working a couple of years back, I had the opportunity of being engaged with a bit of Community Service. One among them involved the recruitment and hand holding of the visually impaired. It included tremendous hard work, patience, endless approvals and numerous challenges. In a multinational banking scenario where customer data is at the top of everything, the risk is significant. I had to undergo training myself.There are times when I would break down but then the courage and strength of the people involved kept me going. Finally they came aboard and completed their first assignment. I couldn’t stop the tears flowing from my eyes…that was the proudest moment of my life. They set an example to the world. Till today I admire their determination and talent. And that has left a deep desire in me to go out there and do something for the differently abled. I am too too tied up at the moment but someday I hope to accomplish this. At least for the time being, I would love to write a post on the time I spent with them.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
People texting on their mobile phones while having a conversation with me.

What is the farthest you have ever travelled?
From Bangalore (India) to Sydney. In miles and in essence, the biggest move of my life!

What is your favourite hobby?
Cooking/baking and photography.

What is your proudest moment?
I have mentioned that above

My 11 questions to the nominated bloggers

What do you enjoy the most about blogging?
Sweet or Savory?
Your favourite kitchen tool?
Your most prized possesion?
Your biggest ‘purchase’ regret?
Your favourite memory?
If you were told that you could live for one more day only, what would you like to do?
Your dream holiday spot?
If you were a season, which one best describes you?
Something you carry with you all the time?
Your ideal 3 course menu?

And the esteemed Liebster award goes to (I honestly have no idea how many followers each of them have or if they have received it before…I am nominating them because I like visiting their blogs and would love to pass it on to them (Sorry if i made a mistake!)
I highly recommend that you visit these blogs!

Pavithra from Potpourri
Sona from Quick Picks
Bhawna from Simply Delicious
Li from Words & Cake
Rashida from Inherited Recipes
T2M from techie2mom (sorry, I do not have your name. Nevertheless I love your blog)

Thats my list for now. Congratulations guys!
Please do link back to me when you post. Cant wait to read your answers!

I also take this opportunity to thank all my readers and supporters. I couldn’t be more grateful. See you soon!

White chocolate and Macadamia Caramel Cookies.

8|04|2013

Caramel cookies with the addition of macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips. Eggless, delicious, nutty, crunchy with a chewy center.

Among the many things that I baked during the Easter weekend, cookies were a surplus in my house. There were people around to eat and there was more time in my hands than I normally have. Cookie baking I always find is the most convenient. The ingredients are mostly there at home, shelf life is not a major concern, everything is mixed together in a single bowl and therefore less washing up and once you get a hang of things, results are more or less consistent.

caramel cookies with white chocolate and macadamia

I made these cookies before Easter and photographed them along with the Melting Moments. More than half the job was done. But along came a few more desserts and I almost forgot about these. I realise as I write that I have a huge backlog of posts.

Fridays are mostly ‘cookie days’ for me. I love to bake two or three varieties all at once. On weekends, I enjoy bringing a platter on the table with tea or coffee. That way everybody has a choice and it’s exciting. Who doesn’t like options?

These cookies have 3 of my favourite things in the world- caramel, white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Almost sounds like dessert! They taste fancy too. There is no egg in the recipe and therefore a rich buttery base. But that doesn’t stop me from indulging because these caramel cookies are too too good. Even if you do not make them often its worth making it for special occasions or as a little gift for someone. I have made quite a few flavour variations over time of this recipe. Do check out the variations at the end of the post.

When speaking about cookies, I cannot help but mention this to you. If you are familiar with ‘Sesame Street’, I have not one but two little ‘cookie monster’-s at home.

‘Me want cookies!’ ‘Me eat cookies’

‘C is for cookie and cookie is for me’- Cookie Monster

Now, that is some reason to bake!! What say…?

White Chocolate Macadamia Caramel Cookies

Yields 24

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (about 100g) brown sugar

1 tbsp treacle or golden syrup (I used treacle)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk (more if the mixture is too dry to bring it together)

2 cups (300g) self raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup macadamia nuts (or any nut of your choice), coarsely chopped. (This time I had blitzed the macadamia nuts in the food processor in a hurry..resulted in finer crumbs and more crunchy cookies. Both ways it works fine.)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Using an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add the treacle, vanilla and milk and beat until combined.

Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.. Add the white chocolate chips and macadamias and stir to combine.

Roll a heaped tablespoon of mixture into a ball and place on a lined tray. Use the palm of your hands to gently press the mixture. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven. Allow cookie to cool on the trays.

Variations

You can experiment with any nut of your choice. I have tried hazelnuts, cashew nuts, almonds and peanuts.

Dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips work equally well.

Add 1/2 tsp orange zest for a tangy orange flavour.

Autumn! And a Persimmon Creme Brulee.

4|04|2013

Of dry leaf piles, of cracklings underfoot, of receding daylight, of longer nights, of cooler winds, of Fall, of harvest, of mellowness, of Shelly, of Keats, of red, of gold, of maple, of figs, of chestnuts, of pumkins, of sparseness, of loss, of change, of seasons, of bright endings to make for new beginnings.

Does that remind you…Of Autumn?

I almost thought I could write poetry when I recently connected with Mother Nature. In fact, the more I explore in and around Sydney, the deeper I fall in love with the place. I often think if its time I should have a travel blog to record my experiences. But then everything I see inspires me to create with food…somehow its all related. Isn’t it? Beauty inspires art and art inspires beauty!

Our visit to Mount Wilson and Mount Irvine during the Easter weekend was one which I will always remember. The 3 hour drive from Sydney was so scenic with rapidly changing landscapes and beautiful views that at one point I wondered if we would be able to make it to our destination, for the number of times we pulled over to take pictures. The trees were a riot of colors, a spectrum of shades. Crimson,fiery reds,browns, yellows, gold. And the ground was covered with the fallen leaves as if setting the road ablaze. Occasionally a puffing wind came by and made them dance around and fall back to the ground.

We stopped at the Cathedral of Ferns, a large picnic spot which we was crowded as expected considering the season and the long weekend. We had lunch (prepacked) on a rustic wooden table under a bright red tree. I could eat there all my life.

After an hour or so when I thought I had enough pictures to record every little detail of the journey we drove on to the next intended spot …the Kookootonga Nut farms. This my friends, I shall write about in my next post. There’s too much to share . And then when you bring back ‘PYO’ , you make something out of it which deserves a post by itself.

Persimmons were unfamiliar to me until recently. But now I can never have enough of them. I generally add them to salad or eat them by themselves but this time the temptation to add them to dessert was too all too powerful.

Mousse was the first thought that came to my mind. And then my eyes fell on my favourite little gadget sitting in one corner of the kitchen -the blowtorch. So, Creme Brule it is! I have to admit however, things didn’t go how I planned the first time around. The pureed version of the fruit resulted in a curdled custard. For a person who has made creme brulee over a hundred times, this was the first of such a disaster. I made a second batch and this time I placed small pieces of fruit in the ramekins instead of adding Persimmon puree to the custard. The second time it was great!

Persimmon Creme Brulee
Serves 4

13/4 cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus 3 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1 Persimmon chopped into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.
Divide the chopped Persimmons between 4 ramekins/oven proof serving bowls and place them on the base of the ramekin.
Pour the cream in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, lightly whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Pour 2 tsps of the cream into the egg yolk mixture to temper the yolks and then the remaining cream, whisking gently but constantly (do not whisk too hard or it will result in a frothy texture). Add the vanilla extract and stir.
Strain the egg-cream mixture equally into the ramekins and place them on a rimmed baking tray.
Pour boiling water carefully in the tray so that it comes up to 2/3rd the level of the custard in the ramekin. Transfer the tray into the centre of the oven.
Bake till the edges of the custard are set but the centre is still jiggly. This could take anywhere between 30-45 mins depending on the bakeware. To check for doneness, insert a pair of tongs into the oven and give the ramekins a genle shake. (The custard should not brown or rise).
Once done, carefully remove the tray from the oven and take out the ramekins using a slotted spoon. Let them cool to room temparature on a wire rack and then refrigerate to cool completely. (They can be stored upto 3 days in the refrigerator)
Just before serving, sprinkle with the remaining castor sugar and caramelise the top with a blowtorch, moving it back and forth till a crust forms ( more the sugar, thicker will be the crust). Allow the sugar to cool and harden. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon, Passion Fruit and Saffron Buttercream.

1|04|2013

I hope you all had a fun Easter weekend. Mine has been one long eventful holiday. I have only been home to catch my beauty sleep and spent the rest of the time exploring a few gorgeous places around Sydney. Before I begin to tell you all about my adventures (in the next few posts), I wanted to give you a little peek into a some Easter baking I did for a friend. What better gift than something that you make at home! What better than a box of cupcakes with pretty pastel shades of frosting!

Sometimes the most unusual things inspire me to create my desserts. The other day I saw a little girl playing at the park wearing a pretty frock with frills and ruffles in shades of yellow. I exchanged a smile with her mother who caught me staring at the outfit. Little would she have imagined that pretty dresses could sometimes turn into a major baking inspiration.

I decided to play with white-yellow shades and almost instantly the buttercream flavours were there in my head. Lemon, Passion fruit and Saffron. And vanilla is always safe on the cupcake. When I think yellow I cannot help but think of Saffron. In India where I have grown up, saffron is a part of most desserts. It adds its special flavour, smell and colour to anything it is added to. It was however the first time I added it to buttercream.

Luckily I had a tin of Passion fruit puree at home so that one was pretty easy too. Though I would prefer fresh fruits anytime over canned ones, my cupboards are well stocked with tins and cans for situations like this one when dessert ideas strike. And that is without a doubt…often!

For the lemon flavour I used an essence instead of zest to reduce work. Soon I was standing with 3 bowls of buttercream in front of me. I carefully added a few drops of yellow food colouring to two of the bowls depending on the desired shade. The food colouring was necessary though saffron and passion fruit had tinted the buttercream slightly.

I bought this flowery purple box to carry the cupcakes. And I thought they looked very pretty..don’t they?

So what is your food inspiration?

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon, Passion fruit and Saffron Buttercream
Yields 12

Vanilla Cupcakes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11/2 cups all purpose flour
11/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 177 degrees C and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk in three additions. scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 15-20 mins or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with icing.

Lemon, Passion Fruit and Saffron Buttercream

2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp lemon essence
2 tsp passion fruit puree, strained
a pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tsp warm milk

In an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Divide the frosting between 3 bowls. In the first one add the lemon essence and beat on high speed till frosting is light and fluffy. If it is too stiff, add a tsp of milk. Fill up a piping bag with the frosting and pipe swirls on 1/3 of the total number of cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.
In the second bowl, add the strained passion fruit puree and beat till light and fluffy. Add milk or sugar depending on the consistency of the frosting. Add a few drops of yellow food colouring to achieve the desired shade of yellow.(I wanted a light yellow shade and added about 4 drops of colour). Fill up a piping bag with the frosting and pipe swirls of Passion fruit frosting on 1/3 of the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.
For the third bowl, strain the saffron milk into the frosting. While straining bruise the saffron with a small spoon so as to extract maximum colour and flavour. Beat the frosting on high speed till light and fluffy. Adjust food colour as desired. Fill up a piping bag with the saffron frosting and pipe swirls onto the remaining cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.

Strawberry Melting Moments. Not a moment too soon!

27|03|2013

I am so looking forward to the weekend. 4 days off…a much needed break. We have been longing for some family time. And it has been long due. First it was the boy’s health, one following the other and then my husband travelling on work. Now all we want is to slow down and huddle together in a few peaceful corners of the world and do nothing of substance.

I have a few things planned but most of it is going to be driven by how adventurous we feel every morning. If we are not too late to catch the Autumnal red gold trees , I may be able to get a few scenic pictures for you. A few guests who I love having over are also on the agenda. And plenty of food, of course. I hope to keep my pantry well stocked with sweet treats.

My little men love Melting moments. And I love watching them grab the cookies hard that crumble under the slightest pressure. It melts my heart to see them despair over the broken cookies. These are a joy to make too. They are egg less and ready in minutes. With or without frosting they always taste great!

The Easter bunnies are on their way, their baskets loaded with treasure. I am basking in the excitement of letting them uncover.

Bounty is in the air! Not a moment too soon.

Strawberry Melting Moments (adapted with variation from Taste.com)

Yields 10

125g unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup flour
2 tbsp custard powder
icing sugar to serve

For filling
60g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp strawberry essence
3/4 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
2 drops pink food colouring

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Using a electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift flour and custard powder over butter mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined and a soft dough forms.
Using 1 heaped tbsp of dough per ball, make balls. Place on prepared trays leaving room for spreading. Using a fork dipped in flour, lightly flatten each biscuit until 1 cm thick.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden. Cool on tray for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile make strawberry filling: Using a whisk, beat butter in a bowl till light and creamy. Add strawberry essence. Whisk to combine. Add icing sugar. Whisk until well combined. Tint the frosting with food colour.
Spread or pipe the filling on the flat side of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Serve dusted with icing sugar.