Upside-Down Caramelized Pineapple Cake

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup - Unsalted Butter (cut into small pieces)
3/4 Cup - Light Brown sugar
1 - Medium pineapple
Few candied cherries (optional)
1 1/2 Cups - All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp - Baking Powder
2 Pinch - Salt
1/2 Cup - Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
1 Cup - White Sugar
1 Tsp - Vanilla extract
2 - Large Eggs, separated
1/2 Cup - Milk
1/4 tsp - Cream of Tartar

Procedure:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with a non stick cooking spray.
2) Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and heat them until bubbles just start to appear around the outside edges of the mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pan. Evenly arrange the fresh pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture. (Garnish with cherries if opted).
3) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4) Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well in between. Add the flour mixture little at a time, alternately with the milk, ending with the dry ingredients.
5) In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until it is firm. With a large spatula gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
6) Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven for 45 - 55 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the pineapple) will come out clean).
7) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto your serving plate. Serve with your favorite ice cream.

Banana Bread or Cake

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cup - All Purpose Flour
1 Cup - Granulated Sugar
1 Stick - Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
4 - Ripe Bananas
1/2 Tsp - Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp - Baking Powder
1 Tsp - Baking Soda
1 Tsp - Salt
2 - Eggs
2 Tbsp - Whole Milk
1/2 Tsp - Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup - Chopped Nuts (Optional)

Procedure:
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2) Grease a 9’ by 5’ loaf pan.
3) Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla and mix to combine.
4) Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix together until just combined. Add milk while mixing in the dry ingredients.
5) Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
6) When ready, let it cool for about 20 minutes.
7) Slice them and enjoy with your favorite spread or frosting.

Madeleine

Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks - Unsalted Butter
3/4 cups - All Purpose Flour
4 - Large Eggs
a pinch - Salt
2/3 cups - Sugar
1 Tbsp - Orange Zest
1 tsp - Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp - Baking Powder
1/4 tsp - Baking Soda (Optional)
Non-Stick spray to grease the Madeleine Pan
Powdered sugar for dusting

Procedure:
1) Preheat the oven for 350 degrees.
2) Grease the pan with non-stick spray.
3) Melt the butter to ghee (by heating them in med-low for about 10 mins) and strain it on a paper towel over a mesh strainer. Leave them aside to cool.
4) Whisk the eggs along with the salt on high speed for about 3 mins till it doubles/triples in quantity.
5) Add sugar and whisk continuously in high speed for about 2 mins till the mixture becomes thick.
6) Fold in Orange zest and Vanilla extract with a spatula.
7) Stir in the all purpose flour & baking powder (& baking soda) until they are mixed completely.
8) Spoon the molds 2/3rd full and bake them for about 7 - 10 mins. Edges should be golden brown in color. Poke with a toothpick and be sure it comes out clean.
9) Remove them immediately from the pan and cool them in a rack and dust them with powdered sugar.

Delicious & Moist Molten Lava Cake!

Serves - 6

Ingredients:
For Truffle:
2oz - Ghirardelli semi sweet Chocolate (Baking)
1/4 cup - Whipping Cream
For Cake:
4oz - Ghirardelli semi sweet Chocolate (Baking)
1/4 cup - All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup - Sugar
2 - Eggs
2 - Egg Yolks
1 stick - Butter

Procedure:
To Prepare Truffle:
1) Heat whipping cream in sauce pan, pour it on semisweet chocolate and stir them till the chocolate melts completely.
2) Pour in a bowl and freeze them for 15 min to set.
3) Once solidified divide them into 6 truffle balls
For the Cake:
1) Preheat oven to 400(C) degree. Grease 6 medium sized cupcake molds.
1) In a bowl add sugar & eggs together and beat them till the sugar dissolves completely. (The mixture almost doubles up and color changes to pale yellow)
2) In a double boiler melt butter and semisweet chocolate. Add this to egg & sugar mixture and turn well with a spatula.
3) Add all purpose flour to this mixture and turn it with a spatula till the flour is evenly mixed.
4) Divide the batter evenly in the cupcake molds. Insert the truffles in center and see to that the truffle is covered with the batter on top.
5) Put them in the oven for 10 to 12 mins. Check if the top layer is cooked. Server them warm with Vanilla Ice Cream.

Eggless Mango Cupcake

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups - All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp - Baking Powder

1 Tsp - Baking Soda

11/2 Tsp - Cardamom Powder

1/3 Cup - Room Temperature Butter (soft)

1 Can (14 oz/1 1/4 Cup) - Condensed Milk (Sweetened)

1 Cup - Sweetened Mango Pulp

Procedure:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

2) Grease or add liners to the mini cupcake pans.

3) Sift all the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder).

4) Whisk the butter in a bowl along with condensed milk and mango pulp. To this add and mix the dry ingredients just until everything incorporate well. (Do not overmix).

5) Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan and put them in the oven for about 7 to 10 minutes. Insert a toothpick and it has to come out clean.

6) Cool them in a cooling rack and decorate them with your favorite frosting.

Note: 

1) This makes about 44 mini cupcakes.

2) The same batter can be used in 8 inch or 9 inch cake pan, but it has to be baked for about 25 to 40 mins.

Dates Ladoo

           Healthy snacks, inspired by my Sister-in-Law.

Ingredients:

1 Cup - Almonds
1 Cup - Pistachios
1/2 Cup - Cashews
3 1/2 Cup - Dates

Procedure:
1) Chop all the nuts in a food processor
2) Add dates to the chopped nuts and process them in a food processor for about 2 to 3 minutes, till everything binds together.
3) Now ball them to your favorite size.
Note: Raisins, dried figs can also be added along with dates for sweetness. Can also substitute your favorite nuts like pecans, walnuts....

Warm Homemade Baklava

Ingredients:
For Pastry:
1 pack - Philo Dough
1 Cup - Sweet Cream Butter melted
1 1/2 Cups - Nuts of your choice (Finely Chopped)
1/8 Cup - Sugar
1/8 Tsp - Cloves Powder
1/8 Tsp - Cinnamon Powder

For Syrup:
1 1/2 Cup - Sugar
1 Cup - water
1/2 Cup - Honey
2 Tbsp - Lemon juice
1 Tbsp - Rose Water
ground pistachio to decorate

Procedure:
For Syrup:
1) Add water, sugar, lemon juice, rose water in a pan and boil them to form a syrup.
2) Add the honey mix them well and simmer the stove for 2 minutes.
 (should be of maple syrup consistency)

For Baklava:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring the philo dough to room temperature. Grease 13x9 inch pan with butter.
2) Mix nuts, cloves, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
3) Place one layer of philo dough. Brush them with the melted butter. Add 3 or 4 more layers of philo dough, brushing each layer with the melted butter.
4) Add the nuts mixture and repeat 4 more layers on top as mentioned in step (3). Cut the pastry into any shape, most commonly squares or diamond shape.
5) Place in oven and cook for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.
6) Drizzle the warm syrup on the pastry (Pastry shouldn't be too hot or cold. It should be warm). Syrup should be just enough to soak the baklava pieces. Cool completely before serving. Top each piece with ground pistachio.

(Note:
* Any pan can be used. Just make sure you cut or fold the philo dough to the size of the pan you use.

* For making cylindrical shaped baklava, brush two layers of philo dough, add the nut mixture along the length of the sheet and tightly roll them. Cut them into pieces and bake)

Mango Cheesecake (Eggless)

Mango Cheesecake (Eggless, Bakeless)

Ingredients:
Base
200 Gms - Digestive Biscuits(crumbed)
6 Tbsp - Butter(melted)
2 Tsp - Hot Water

Cheesecake Filling
1 Tbsp - Gelatine
1/4 Cup, 2 Tbsp - Water
340 Gms - Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened at room temperature)
1/2 Cup - Sugar
1 Tsp - vanilla essence (optional)
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 Cup - Mango Pulp
1/2 Cup - Small chunks of Mango
200 ML - Whipping Cream

Glaze Topping
3/2 Cup - Mango Pulp
1/4 Cup, 2 Tbsp - Water
1 Tbsp - Gelatine

Procedure:
Base
1) Pulse the biscuits to get fine crumbs.
2) Mix the melted butter and hot water to the crumbs.
3) Press into base of 9x9 springform tin.
4) Set them in freezer for 15 min or in refrigerator for 30 min.

Cheesecake Filling
1) Dissolve the gelatine in 2 Tbsp water till it is soft. Boil the rest 1/4 cup water, switch off the stove, dissolve the softened gelatine into the hot water and stir well.
2) Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
3) Gradually add the sugar, dissolved gelatine, vanilla essence, lemon juice and mango pulp. Blend well.
4) Beat the whipping cream until just stiff.
5) Fold in cream and mango chunks into cheese mixture.
6) Pour into prepared crumb crust. Refrigerate until firm (4-5 hrs in refrigerator, 1-11/2 hrs in freezer).

Glaze Topping
1) Dissolve the gelatine in 2 Tbsp water till it is soft. Boil the rest 1/4 cup water, switch off the stove, dissolve the softened gelatine into the hot water and stir well.
2) Add the dissolved gelatine into the mango pulp and mix well.
3) Pour on top of the cheese filling and let in set in the refrigerator for at least 5 hrs.

Note:
1) Best with fresh mangoes. Make sure the pulp for glaze is smooth.
2) It is better if it is kept in refrigerator to set.
3) Make sure the cheese filling is set completely before pouring the glaze topping.
4) Before removing side of springform, loosen the sides with knife, make sure it is loosened till the bottom crust.

Unniyappam

Unniyappam

Ingredients:
2 Cups - Raw Rice
3 -4  - Ripe Bananas
2 Cup - Jaggery (more or less as to taste)
1/2 Tsp - Sesame Seeds
1/2 Cup - Milk
1/2 Cup - Coconut bits/Grated Coconut
3-4 - Cardamom
1 Pinch - Salt
1/8 Tsp - Baking Soda
Coconut Oil or Ghee for frying
Water as required

Procedure:
1) Soak rice in water for about 3-4 hours.
2) Melt jaggery with 1/2 cup of hot water. Strain to take out any impurities and cool the syrup.
3) Drain the water from the rice and grind the rice to a smooth batter using the jaggery syrup and milk. If the batter is thick then add enough water to get dosa batter consistency.
4) Add chopped bananas, cardamon seeds to the batter and grind everything together  to a smooth nice batter.
5) Fry the coconut bits/grated cocnut in 2 tsp of ghee till it become light brown in colour and now add sesame, fry. Add this to the batter and mix well.
6)  Keep this batter for 1-2 hour  in a tight container. In the meantime if the batter has thicken up add milk to make it again to a dosa batter consistency. Add baking soda and mix well.
7) Place the pancake puffs pan/Unniyappam pan on the stove and pour equal amounts of ghee and coconut oil (about a tbsp of each) into each molds . Each molds should be half full.
8) When oil is hot reduce the flame to medium and pour half ladlefuls of batter into each rounds (the molds should be 3/4th full with batter).
9) Allow the appams to cook and rise. Once cooked, the sides will detach from the pan. Now turn the unniyappam to cook on the other side to a golden color. Once they are cooked on both sides remove them from pan using tongs.
10) Drain well on paper towels and repeat the same process to make the rest of the appams.
Cool them to room temperature. Serve and Enjoy!

Note: Even if you have a nonstick pan, it tastes good with the mentioned amount of ghee & oil.

Javvarisi Paal Kozhukattai

Javvarisi Paal Kozhukattai

Ingredients:
1 Cup - Nylon Javvarisi/Sabudana
3 Cup - Milk
1 Cup - Coconut
2 Cup - Sugar
1 Dash - Saffron
1/4 - 1/3 Cup - Ghee
2 Tbsp - Broken Cashews

Procedure:
1) Heat 3 Tbsp ghee in a pan. When the ghee is hot add javvarisi and fry them till they almost doubles in size and becomes transparent.
2) Add a cup of water in pressure cooker. Add milk, javvarisi, saffron in a vessel, place the vessel inside the pressure cooker . Allow them for 3-4 whistle or 15-20 mins.
3) Add sugar and coconut as soon as opening the pressure cooker.
4) Fry some cashews with remaining ghee and add it to the Paal Kozhukattai.
Note: Too good when served hot.

Shahi Tukda

Shahi Tukda

Ingredients:
15 - 20 Slices - Bread
Ghee/Oil - For Frying
1 Can - Condensed Milk
2 Cup - Milk 
2 Tbsp - Chopped Pistachios
A Pinch - Saffron

Procedure:
1) Remove the edges and cut the bread into half. Deep fry or Shallow fry or Pan fry them.
2) Add condensed milk, milk, saffron, pistachios in a pan and boil them and keep stirring occasionally.
3) When the syrup (mixture) becomes thick reduce the flame, add the fried bread slice to the syrup for a minute and remove them before the bread becomes soggy.
4) Arrange the soaked bread slices in a plate. Allow the syrup to cool completely and pour them on top of the bread slices.

Strawberry Tiramisu (Kids Friendly)

Strawberry Tiramisu (Kids Friendly)

Ingredients:
1/2 lb - Mascarpone Cheese (room temperature)
3/4 Cup - Heavy Cream
1/3 Cup - Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp of Vanilla
1/2 lb - Fresh Strawberries
30 Savoiardi (ladyfingers)
Some strawberries for topping

Procedure:
1) In a bowl whip the heavy cream until stiff and refrigerate it for about 15-30 mins. Meanwhile do the following.
2) Grind strawberries to smooth smoothie.
3) Fold together the mascarpone, vanilla and sugar, fold in half of the whipped cream into mascarpone mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream.
3) To assemble, Dip each ladyfinger into the strawberry smoothie and lay in the bottom of your pan. Pour over half of the mascarpone and cream mixture, spread evenly over ladyfingers.
4) Arrange another layer of soaked ladyfingers on top of the layers and spread over the remaining filling. Cut the strawberries into small pieces and top it up with favorite design.
5) Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours before serving.

Espresso PannaCotta

Espresso PannaCotta

Ingrediants:
1 cup - Heavy Cream
1/3 cup - Espresso Coffee
1/2 cup - Sugar
1tsp - Vanilla Essence
1pkt - Gelatin

Procedure:
1) Add Gelatin in 3 tbsp of cold water and soak them till the Gelatin gets soft.
2) In a saucepan add all other ingredients (whipping cream, sugar, espresso, vanilla essence) and bring them to boil.
3) When about to boil add gelatin stir till it dissolves.
4) Pour them in cups and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs to set.
5) Before serving dip the bottom of cup in hot water and turn upside down in a plate and serve them with Espresso Chocolate Sauce.

Vanilla PannaCotta in Orange Sauce

Vannila PannaCotta in Orange Sauce

Ingrediants:
1 cup - Heavy Cream
1/4 cup - Sugar
1tsp - Vanilla Essence
1pkt - Gelatin

Procedure:
1) Add Gelatin in 3 tbsp of cold water and soak them till the Gelatin gets soft.
2) In a saucepan add all other ingredients (whipping cream, sugar, vanilla essence) and bring them to boil.
3) When about to boil add gelatin stir till it dissolves.
4) Pour them in cups and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs to set.
5) Before serving dip the bottom of cup in hot water and turn upside down in a plate and serve them with Orange Juice Sauce.

Instant Peda

Instant 5min Peda

Ingredients:
1 Can - Condensed Milk
2 Cup - Milk Powder
1 Stick - unsalted Butter

Procedure:
1) Bring butter to room temperature.
2) Add all three ingredients in microwavable bowl. Microwave them in high for 2 mins.
3) Fold them with a spatula. Microwave for another 3 mins, folding them in between every 1 min.
4) Now the Peda is ready. Allow them to cool a little bit, cut them to pieces or make small balls or use any molds to get your favorite shapes.

Triple Chocolate Mousse (Eggless)

Triple Chocolate Mousse (Eggless)

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup - White Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup - Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup - Milk Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Cup & 3Tbsp - Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tsp - Gelatin
3 Tbsp - Butter
1 1/2 Tsp - Vanilla Essence
Berries to Decorate

Procedure:
1) Whip the whipping cream till it is stiff. Separate them into three equal portions and refrigerate them.
2) Soak 1 tsp of gelatin in 1 - 11/2 tbsp of cold water.
3) Place 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips, 1 Tbsp of butter in a microwavable bowl and microwave them for a minute. Stir them until the chips are melted. Add the vanilla essence and mix them well.
4) Boil 1 tbsp of whipping cream in stove, once about to boil remove them from stove or microwave, add gelatin and stir till it's completely dissolved. Mix them well into the chocolate mixture.
5) Now add one portion of whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and mix them well. pour them into the serving bowls
6) Set them in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
7) Repeat the steps from 2 to 6 with milk chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Once they are set, refrigerate them till being served.
8) Decorate them with your favorite berries, before serving.

Note: This recipe makes about 15 servings.