Palmiers / Elephant Ears

 

Puff Pastry  Sheet - 1 ( I used Pepperidge Farm puff  pastry sheet)

Sugar - 3/4 cup or as required

 

Thaw the puff pastry sheet for about 45 minutes.

 

Sprinkle half of the sugar evenly on a clean work surface, Place the puff pastry sheet on top, and sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly.

 

Roll out the dough gently into a 17 x 13 rectangle, about 1/8 inch, continually coating both sides with sugar and being careful not to press too hard around the edges. Trim the outermost edges with a sharp knife.

 

 

 

With your fingers, roll up one side as tightly as possible into a cylinder, being  careful not to stretch out the dough and stopping when you reach the middle. Repeat on the opposite side until you have two tight cylinders that meet in the middle . Wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, cut dough crosswise into 3/8 inch thick slices. Place slices on ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart, and flatten firmly with with the palm of your hand. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

 

 

Bake for 5 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 F. Using an offset spatula, flip the palmiers over, bake until pastry is golden brown and well-caramelized, about 10  - 12 minutes more. Using the spatula, immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, shiny side up. Keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

 

 

 

Recipe Source - Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Tomato Fish

Ingredients

1. Tilapia or any other fish fillet - 2

2. Corn flour - 2 tbsp

3. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

4. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

5. Salt - As required

For the sauce

6. Butter - 1 tbsp

7. Onion - 1 small, roughly chopped

8. Tomato - 2 small, roughly chopped

9. Garlic - 5 - 6

10. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

11. Bay leaf - 1

12. Tomato ketchup - 1 tsp

13. Worcestershire sauce - 1 tsp

14. Soy sauce -1 tsp

15. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

16. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Clean and wash the fish fillets. Make fine gashes on the fish. Mix corn flour, pepper powder, chilly powder and salt  and sprinkle on the fish fillets.

2. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish. Cover and cook the fish pieces. When the fish pieces are 3/4th done, transfer them to a baking dish.

 

To prepare sauce

1. Put onion, tomato, garlic, bay leaf, fennel seeds, salt and 1/2 cup water in a pressure cooker. Cook for 1 whistle. Cool down. Remove the bay leaf. Blend to a puree in a mixer.

 

2. Heat butter in a pan. Add the puree and cook till it thickens. It takes about 15 - 20 minutes at medium heat. Add the sauces and pepper powder. Check for salt. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar if this sauce tastes sour. Spread the sauce on the fish fillets. Cover the fish completely. Sprinkle grated cheese and bake / grill on a hot oven till cheese melts. Serve hot.

 

 

 

Recipe Source - Favorite Non Vegetarian Dishes by Anu Kshetrapal

Tandoori Chicken with Green Chutney

 

 

Tandoori chicken is one of the most popular dishes in Indian cuisine. Chicken is marinated with yoghurt and some spices and is cooked at a very high-temperature in a Tandoor or clay oven. It is  is mostly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world. Here I have used Vah chef’s recipe with some modifications and the method is from Food for 7 stages of life. You can find Radhika’s recipe and method here. I used to bake it at around 400 - 450 F before but this method calls for baking it at 500 - 550 F. Baking at a higher temperature makes the chicken slightly crispy but juicy inside, which makes it much tastier. Green chutney is an excellent combination with tandoori chicken, you can find its recipe below. You will never have cravings for the restauranty tandoori chicken if you taste this one. Prepare and enjoy!!

 

Ingredients

1. Chicken Drumsticks - 6
2. Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Red chilly powder - 2 - 3 tsp
5. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
7. Kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp
8. Lemon juice - 2 tsp
9. Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Gram masala powder - 3/4 tsp
11. Curd - 4 tbsp
12. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients under marinade except the chicken drumsticks. Keep aside.

2. Wash the chicken drumsticks. Do not remove their skin. Pat dry with a paper towel. Make 2 - 3 deep slits on the fleshy part of the chicken so that the marinade can penetrate inside the flesh. Rub the marinade all over the chicken drumsticks one by one. Remember to rub the marinade inside the slits.  Put them in the refrigerator for at least 8 hrs or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to its maximum setting. The maximum temperature that I can set in my oven is 500 F so I baked them at that temperature. Line a cookie pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with oil. Arrange the chicken drumsticks on the foil.  Brush the chicken with oil or pour little oil on them ( this step is optional). Place the tray in the center rack of the oven. Bake it for about 12 - 15 minutes. Take out the tray carefully using your oven mitts. Turn them over and  brush/pour a little oil on the chicken pieces (this is optional). Return the tray to the oven. Bake for another 10 - 12 minutes. Take out the tray when the drumsticks are done. Be careful not to burn the chicken pieces. (The juices that surrounds the chicken would be burnt and the skin of the chicken pieces might be stuck to the foil when you take it out.) Slowly take out the drumsticks after 2 minutes using a metal spatula. Enjoy with spicy green chutney.

Green chutney

1. Cilantro - 1 small bunch

2. Mint leaves - 1/4 cup

3. Garlic - 1 clove

4. Ginger - 1/4 inch

5. Green chillies - 2 small , seeded

6. Yoghurt -  2 - 3 tbsp

7. Lemon juice - 2 tsp or to taste

8. Salt - To taste

Wash the cilantro and mint leaves. Drain well. Blend everything together in a mixer until you get a smooth paste. Adjust the salt and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

 

Cashew Cardamom Coconut Cookies

 

Ingredients ( Yield - About 3 dozen little cookies)

1. Butter - 2 sticks or 1 cup, softened
2. Powdered sugar - 1 cup
3. Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
4. All purpose flour - 2 1/4 cup
5. Ground cardamom -  1 tsp
6. Finely chopped cashews - 1/2 cup
7. Shredded coconut - 1/3 cup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla extract. Blend. Now add the all purpose flour and cardamom. Mix everything until you have a dough. Now add in the cashews and mix until evenly distributed. (I also mixed 2 tbsp shredded coconut with the dough as I love its flavor but that's completely optional).

2. Place the shredded coconut in a shallow dish. Roll small spoonfuls of dough into balls. Now roll the balls in the coconut to coat them. Place the balls on a greased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 20 - 25 minutes until the coconut is toasted. Use oven mitts to remove the cookies from the oven. Let the cookies cool for a couple of minutes in the pan, and then use a metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

Tips:

If you like coconuty flavor in cookies, you can mix about 2 tbsp shredded coconut with the dough.

Recipe Source - The Year of the Cookie By Rose Dunnington

Brownies

 

 

These simple brownies are quick, easy to prepare and extremely delicious. I have prepared it many number of times and every time they have turned out great. I tried it from here. I followed the recipe exactly, except that I halved it. I guarantee that you will never go wrong with this recipe!!

Ingredients

 

1. All purpose flour - 1 cup
2. Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup ( I used Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder)
3. White granulated sugar - 1 cup
4. Butter or margarine - 1/2 cup or 1 stick melted (You can melt it on stovetop( at low heat for about 1 - 1.5 minutes stirring continuously ) or microwave (takes less than 25 - 30 seconds) or double broiler method or at room temperature (takes at least 1 hour ). Allow it to cool slightly before using.
5. Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
6. Egg - 1
7. Nuts, raisins, chocolate chunks - Optional

 

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

 

2. Cream butter and sugar. You can either use a hand mixer or a spoon/fork. I used a hand mixer for this step.

 

 

 

3. Now switch to a spoon/spatula and add vanilla extract, egg and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.

 

4. Stir in the cocoa powder and all purpose flour and mix until smooth until there are no lumps. If you are planning to add chocolate chunks, nuts etc, add them now.

 

 

5. Spread in a greased 8 inch pan using a spatula or with your fingers. Bake for 18 - 20 mts at 350 F. Cool completely and cut to  16 squares. Enjoy!!

 

 

Caramel Custard - Two Versions and Our 150th Post!!

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali!!

 

We are extremely happy and excited to share our 150^th post today. Thank You dear friends for your support and encouragement!! To tell the truth, I didn’t even notice it until yesterday so I do not have anything really exciting to share with you all. But I do have these really simple and super yummy caramel custard recipes. The first one is the basic caramel custard recipe. The second version with a chocolatey-coffee twist is for all those people who are put off by the eggy flavor and smell of the basic custard. The addition of cocoa powder and coffee makes it much tastier and flavorful than the traditional recipe. It has already been tested by few of my friends who absolutely loved it. It’s really worth a try friends!!

 

1. CARAMEL CUSTARD

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Milk (whole milk or 2 % ) - 1.5 cup ( I used 2 %)
2. Eggs - 2
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp
4. Vanilla extract - 1.5 tsp

Method

1. Heat a saucepan at medium heat. Add 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp water. Shake the pan slightly, but do not stir, until all the sugar has melted, for about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir the sugar as it begins to bubble and  slowly  change color. Remove from heat when it turns to a golden brown color. Pour the caramel into 3 ramekins or in deep oven-safe bowls, tilt  to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom of the ramekins. The caramel will harden in a few seconds. Keep aside.

 

2. Whisk egg and sugar in a sauce pan or any bowl. Then add vanilla essence and milk. Whisk well. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and pour into ramekins, over the caramel syrup. Place the ramekins in a cake pan or any oven-proof pan which is partially filled with warm water.

3. Bake at 350 F for 40 - 45 minutes or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard. Cool down to room temperature. Keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 hrs or until serving. To unmould, run a knife along the sides of the ramekins. Place a plate or any serving dish upside down over the ramekin. Now holding tightly, invert the dish and ramekin together. Now lift the ramekin slowly. If it does not come out, you can shake the ramekin gently to loosen the custard. Caramel syrup will run down on the sides of the custard, forming a yummy sauce. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

2.  CHOCOLATE-COFFEE CUSTARD

 

Ingredients

1. Milk (whole milk or 2 % ) - 1.5 cup ( I used 2 % milk)
2. Eggs - 2
3. Sugar - 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp
4. Vanilla extract - 1.5 tsp
5. Strong Coffee - 2 tbsp (Mix 1.5 tbsp instant coffee powder with 2 tbsp hot water. Keep aside to cool.)
6. Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp

Method

 

1. Heat a saucepan at medium heat. Add 3 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp water. Shake the pan slightly, but do not stir, until all the sugar has melted, for about 8 - 10 minutes. Stir the sugar as it begins to bubble and  slowly turn to a golden brown color.  Remove from heat. Pour the caramel into 3 ramekins or in deep oven safe bowls, tilt  to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom of the ramekins. The caramel will harden in a few seconds. Keep aside.

 

2. Whisk egg and sugar in a sauce pan or bowl. Then add vanilla essence and milk. Whisk well. Add 2 tbsp strong coffee and 1 tbsp cocoa powder. Whisk well again. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and pour into ramekins, over the caramel syrup. Place the ramekins in a cake pan or any oven-proof pan partially filled with warm water.

 

3. Bake at 350 F for 40 - 45 minutes or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard. Cool down to room temperature. Keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 hrs or until serving. To unmould, run a knife along the sides of the ramekins. Place a plate or any serving dish upside down over the ramekin. Now holding tightly, invert the dish and ramekin together. Now lift the ramekin slowly. If it does not come out, you can shake the ramekin gently to loosen the custard. Caramel syrup will run down on the sides of the custard, forming a yummy sauce. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

Roasted Asparagus

 

 

 

Ingredients

1. Asparagus spears -  15 - 20
2. Pepper powder - 1/2 - 3/4 tsp
3. Garlic - 1 -2 cloves minced
4. Olive oil - 2 tsp
5. Lemon juice - To taste
6. Salt - To taste ( I used garlic salt)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Wash the asparagus and trim off their hard woody ends. Pat with a paper towel. Spread them on an aluminium foil in a baking sheet. Rub them with olive oil, pepper powder, garlic and  salt.

3. Bake at 425 F for 12 - 14 mts turning them over in between, until lightly browned and tender. Adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle a little lemon juice and serve.

 

Iranian Barbari

  Iranian barbari is a type of Persian bread in Iran. They have a crusty finish while remaining soft inside and can be made in a variety of sizes. You can sprinkle some sesame seeds or caraway seeds before baking. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients - Makes 6 breads

1. Unbleached white bread flour - 8 oz / 225 g
2. Fresh yeast - 1/2 oz  / 15 g ( I used 1 envelope ( 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast)
3. Salt - 1 tsp
4. Luke warm water - 150 ml
5. Oil, for brushing

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre.

2. Mix the yeast with the luke warm water. Pour it into the centre of the flour, sprinkle a little flour over and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. Mix to a dough, then turn out into a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with an oiled clear film and leave to rise for 45 - 60 minutes, or until doubled.

 

4. Knock back the dough and turn out to a floured surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each one to about 4 x 2 inch ( 10 x 5 cm) and about 1/2 in ( 1 cm) thick. Space well apart on the baking sheets, and make four slashes in the tops.

5.  Cover the breads with lightly oiled clear film and leave to rise, in a warm place, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C / Gas 6. Brush the breads with oil and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until pale golden. Serve warm.

 

 

 

 

Recipe Source - Baking by Martha Day