Thursday, 20 December 2012

butter cookies

                                      butter cookies

butter 8 oz

sugar 6 oz

flour 2 1/4 cups

vanilla essence 1 tsp

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

beat the butter and sugar along with the salt and vanilla essence until smooth and creamy, then add the egg yolk and scrape the mixture from the sides and beat till well combined. now sieve in the flour and work the mixture into a dough. need the dough well for afew minutes. now on a floured surface roll the dough into a log and wrap in cling film and refridgerate for atleast 2 hours.

slice cookies and place onto a baking tray leaving atleast 1 to 11/2 inch between each cookie.

preheat oven to 220 C and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes till jsut golden brown on the edges. cool on a wire rack. bake with caution this buttery cookies are heavenly

chicken manchurian

                                        chicken manchurian



chicken boneless 250 gms cut into cubes

spring onion 2

green chillies 3 deseeded

egg 1 beaten

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

rice vinegar 1 tbsp

soy sauce 1/2 tbsp

corn flour 5-6 tbsp

oil to fry

for the sauce

chilli sauce 3 tbsp

tomato ketchup 5 tbsps

soy sauce 1 tsp

vinegar 1/2 tsp

ginger 1 inch stick chopped fine

garlic 3 cloves finely chopped

chicken stock 2 cups

salt

black pepper to taste

sugar 1/4 tsp

cornflour 1 tbsp mixed in water

marinate the chicken pieces in salt, pepper, vinegar and soysauce for atleast 30 minutes in the refridgerator. heat oil in a wok enought o deep fry the chicken. add the beaten egg and cornflour to the chicken and coat well. fry the the pieces of chicken, droppin 1 cube of the chicken at a time in the hot oil till golden brown. drain on a kitchen towel.

remove all oil from wok leaving just 1 tsp, place it back on the fire and add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute then add the green chillies and fry for a minute then add the 2 cups of chicken stock and cook for 3-4 minutes now add the ketchup, chilli garlic, soy sauce and vinegar and stir well to combine season to taste and add the slurry of cornflour stirring constantly to thicken gravy. then add the chicken pieces and chopped green onion and cook for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through,

garnish with corriander leaves.

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blue berry crumble cupcakes

                                     blue berry crumble cupcakes



125 gms butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup blueberries canned or fresh

caster sugar for dusting

for the topping

granulated sugar 1/4 cup

brown sugar 1/3 cup

cinnamon 1/2 tsp

butter melted 1/2 cup

flour 1 1/3 cup

preheat oven to 180 C, prepare a baking tray with cupcake cups.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl with an electric beater for 4 to 5 minutes, until light.add the eggs 1 at a time and continue beating after every addition then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. fold in the flour mixture to the batter until combined. then fold in the blue berries. spoon the mixture into the cup cake cups. sprinkle the topping on top and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes till skewer inserted comes out clean. cool in baking pan for 10 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. dust with caste sugar once cooled.

to make the topping combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

carrot cupcakes

                                            carrot cupcakes

225 gm carrots, peeled and trimmed

handful of raisans

zest of 1 orange

2 eggs

100 gms caster sugar

50 gms dark brown sugar

120 gm butter softened at room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

pinch of nutmeg powder

140 gms flour

1 tsp bicarb of soda

pinch of salt

preheat oven to 160 C (fan) or then 180 C and place paper cups in a couple of cupcake trays.

finely grate the carrot and drain off any liquid.combine the raisans and grated carrot in a bowl and using a wooden spoon push it to one side.

sift the flour and mix in a bowl with bi carb of soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon powder.

in another bowl beat the butter and sugars both brown and caster until creamy about 2 -3 minutes. add in one egg at a time into the mixture and continue beating. add the vanilla essence and orange zest.

gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until well combined. now pour this batter into the bowl with grated carrots and using a wooden spoon mix them together until well combined.

carefully spoon the mixture in the prepared trays only 2/3rd full and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. allow them to cool in the tray for 10 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack. finish with orange cream cheese icing.

lemon and blueberry cake

                                            lemon and blueberry cake


2 ¾ cup of flour

1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

¼ teaspoon of baking soda

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ¾ cup of sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 cup of buttermilk

½ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups of blueberries tossed in 1 tablespoon of flour

1/2 blueberries for garnish

Glaze:

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

7 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of maple syrup (or corn syrup)

Lemon zest for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 12 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Add sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in flour in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat for 2 minutes on medium-high. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan. Turn out and cool completely.

For the glaze, in a small bowl, mix together confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, limoncello and syrup until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the cake and let it roll down the sides.

brownie cupcakes by shireen

                                             brownie cupcakes

butter 4 oz

cooking chocolate 4 oz

3 eggs

brown sugar 1/2 cup

sugar 1/2 cup

cocoa powder 1 tbsp

vanilla essence 1 tsp

flour 1/2 cup

bi carb of soda 1/2 tsp

salt 1/4 tsp

melt butter and cooking chocolate over a water bath until smooth. Add the brown and white sugar mix well and leave aside to cool.

in a bowl beat the eggs along with the vanilla essence, now pour in the chocolate mixture and mix well to combine. then add the flour, cocoa powder and bi carb of soda, mixing well to combine. pour mixture into paper cups and bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 10 minutes. cool in the tray for 10 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack.



The Sauce prepared for the cupcakes is a Ginache. And here the recipe
Ginache:

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup of chopped chocolate semi sweet

...1 tbsp butter

Warm cream in a saucepan and into it add chopped chocolate and butter and keep whisking and turn off the flame and keep whisking it till chocolate melts. Keep aside and top on the baked and cooled cupcakes.

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          Brownie Cup Cakes

Ingredients

Eggs 2

Plain flour 2 ounce

Walnut chopped ½ cup

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Plain chocolate 3 ½ ounce

Butter 4 ½ ounce

Brown sugar 5 ½ ounce

Ingredients for topping

Whipped cream 4 ounces

Chocolate chopped 4 ounces

Liquid glucose 1 tbsp

White chocolate grated for decoration

Method

Pre heat oven to 190 degree C, melt 3 ½ ounce chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water, add the 4 ½ ounce butter into the chocolate and mix well till chocolate melted, in another bowl beat 2 eggs and 5 ½ ounces sugar till foamy, fold the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture then fold in the 2 ounce flour with chopped ½ cup walnuts, divide mixture between the paper cases, bake for 20 minutes on 180 degree C, remove and cool, spread the topping over the cup cake, decorate with walnuts halves and dust with icing sugar.

Method for topping

Bring the 4 ounces cream to boil in a sauce pan, remove the pan from heat, stir in 1 tbsp liquid glucose, also add 4 ounces chopped chocolate, mix until the chocolate melts, and allow it to cool enough to coat the cup cakes.

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chocolate loaf cake

                                                      chocolate loaf cake

225 gm butter

275 gm dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

125 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, melted

250 gm plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease and line a loaf tin. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well.Next fold in the melted and cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but do not overbeat.Gently add the flour, to which you've added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with 120 ml of boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter.

Pour into the lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170C/gas mark 3 and cook for another 15 minutes. The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer won't come out completely clean.Place the loaf tin on a rack and leave to get completely cold before turning it out