Carrot halwa

Ingredients :

Grated carrot : 500 gms

Sugar : 200 gms

Cardamom powder : 1/8 teaspoon

Milk : 1/4 cup

Ghee : 1/4 cup

Milk powder : 100 gms

Salt : tiny pinch 

For garnishing :

2 tea spoon ghee

2 spoon chopped almonds

2 spoon chopped cashews

2 spoon raisins

Heat ghee in a low heat add in almonds fry for 30 seconds add in cashews fry for 30 seconds switch off the flame and add in raisins and mix everything.

Method to make carrot halwa :

* In a 2 ltr pressure cooker add in milk and ghee.

* Add half of the grated carrots.

* Add a tiny pinch of salt and cardamom powder.

* Add milk powder to remaining grated carrot,mix it nicely and add it to pressure cooker.

* Add sugar.

* DO NOT MIX ANYTHING !!

* Close the cooker lid and cook in medium flame for 18 minutes.

(Don't count whistles , go by time and fragrance)

* Switch off and release pressure cooker pressure immediately.

* Add in garnishing, mix everything well and serve.

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Fruit custard

 

Custard recipe :

In a small bowl mix 1 table spoon of cornstarch with 2 table spoon of milk and keep it ready.

Add 3 cups of milk into a saucepan, once milk is boiled lower the flame, add in 1/2 cup sugar ,  1/2 teaspoon fresh grounded vanilla powder (flavor of your choice) and cornstarch milk. Continuously stir and cook the mixture to avoid lumps in custard.

Cook this until custard is thick pouring consistency.(note: it thickens once it's cooled down )

Switch off and let it cool down completely.

Fruit custard recipe :

In a big vessel, add in 1/2 cup of chopped oranges, 1 cup chopped Bananas,1 cup chopped apples,1/2 cup chopped kiwis, 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds,1/2 cup chopped grapes, 1/4 cup chopped dates, 1/4 cup chopped cashews.

Add in custard,1 cup cold milk, 1 table spoon honey.

Mix everything and garnish with chopped pistachios and chopped dried apricots !

Serve chilled :)

Notes: 

Citrus fruit is must in fruit custard as it balance the taste.

Use fresh fruits.

You can use your favourite fruits.

Dharwad peda ..

 

Ingredients & method :

Unsweetened milk powder : 1/2 cup

Ghee : 1 tablespoon

Boora sugar : 1/4 cup

Cold milk : 1 tablespoon

For garnish/rolling :

Boora sugar : 2 tablespoons ( Adding recipe below)

Powder sugar : 1 tablespoon

Method : 

Take a pressure cooker, add in 1/2 cup of water.

Take a thin steel vessel (make sure it's dry), add in milk powder  then add ghee. Do not mix it !

Close the cooker lid and cook in a medium flame for 10 minutes and in low flame for 3 minutes. 

Switch off the stove, use spatula to release pressure.

Take out the streel vessel from pressure cooker, allow it to cool down for 5 minutes.

Now transfer the milk powder mixture to small mixer jar , and pulse it for 10 seconds.

Transfer it to a bowl, add in boora sugar, 1 tablespoon cold milk, mix well make pedas and roll them in boora sugar + powder sugar.

Boora sugar recipe :

Take a nonstick pan, add in 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 cup sugar.

Cook it for around 6-8 minutes in medium flame. Stir the mixture every minute or so, switch off the flame once you notice sugar crystals in sides!

Now add in 1 teaspoon ghee and continuously stir/mix it until you get a fine powdered sugar! Make sure to break lumps in this stage itself.

You can store it in a air tight container :)

Orange pastry ..

Ingredients for pastry :

Orange buttercream frosting : 2 cups
Orange loaf cake : 1
Orange slices for garnish ( optional)

Method to arrange pastry :

Slice/cut orange loaf cake into 2 parts.
Apply buttercream frosting in between the cake slices and above the cake slice, garnish with fresh orange slice, ready to serve !!

Ingredients for orange buttercream frosting :

Unsalted butter : 100 gm ( butter needs to be at room temperature)
Powdered sugar : 1/2 cup ( increase if you like more sweet frosting )
Corn starch: 1/2 tablespoon
Fresh orange zest : 1 teaspoon
Fresh orange juice : 1 tablespoon
Salt : one small pinch

Method :

Beat the butter for 1 minute , add in sugar and cornstarch, beat it for 1 minute, add half quantity of orange juice and salt and beat again for 1 minute, then add remaining orange juice and beat for 1 minute lastly add in zest and beat for 30 seconds.

This is mildly sweet frosting, so if you want increase sugar powder.
I use a hand blender for beating/making frosting.

Orange cake loaf recipe :

This recipe I learned from my best friend Vani, and it's a super simple recipe with delicious flavour!!

Ingredients for orange cake loaf :

Self raising flour(check notes for alternative) : 1 and half cups
Sugar : 1/3 cup
Oil : 1/2 cup
Hot milk : 1/2 cup
Curd : 1/4 cup
Fresh orange juice : 1/4 cup
Fresh orange zest : 1 tablespoon
Salt : one pinch

Method :

Sieve the flour for 2 times and keep it ready.
Grease the baking tin with butter and flour.
Preheat the oven at 160 degree.

Take a big bowl, add in curd,salt and sugar beat it until sugar dissolves.

Add in orange juice,orange zest and oil and mix until everything mixes properly.

Add 1/4 cup flour at a time to the above mixture and mix gently.

Once everything mixed, add in 2 tablespoons of hot milk(make sure to use hot milk) at a time and mix gently.

Pour the batter to baking tin and tap the tin for 4-5 times and bake at 160 degree for 10 Minutes and reduce the temperature to 120 degree and bake until cake is well cooked!

My cake took around 35 minutes for baking, each and every oven temperature differs so keep an eye on cake after 25 minutes.

Take the cake out from oven and allow it to cool down for 10 minutes and invert it, keep it in a cooling rack until it cools down completely, then cut and serve as it is or make orange pastry!

Notes :

Self raising flour :
If you don't have self raising flour, you can use 1 and half cups of plain flour / maida, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, mix these three ingredients together and sieve it for 2 times, in this way everything mixes properly.

Make sure to tap the tin after you pour batter, in this way there will be no air bubbles inside the cake.

Please make sure to use hot milk.

Orange zest = grated orange peel.

Use a toothpick to check whether cake is baked or not.

Each and every oven temperature differs,so bake accordingly.

Use the exact measurement.

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Semisweet nuts chocolate ..

Ingredients and method :

Unsalted butter : 1/2 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder : 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar : 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon ( take a normal sugar and powder it in mixi)
Instant coffee powder : 1/4 teaspoon
Salt : one small pinch
Honey : 1 tablespoon
Roasted nuts : 1 tablespoon ( in a pan add chopped nuts (I used almonds and cashews), one drop of butter, one small pinch of salt, roast them in a low flame until crisp and allow it to cool down)

***

Use a plate or pan ( I used a cake tin, lined it with butter paper) line it with butter paper and keep it ready.

Use a double boiler method(check notes below), add 1 cup water to the bigger vessel and switch on the stove.

In the cooking/inner vessel add in butter and and let it melt, then add cocoa powder,sugar,salt and instant coffee powder. Mix everything well and make sure no lumps are formed.

Mix for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.

Switch off the stove and take out the vessel and keep it in fridge for 30 minutes.

Take out the chocolate mixture add in roasted nuts and 1 tablespoon honey, mix it well and transfer the chocolate batter to tray and keep it in freezer for 45 minutes.

Take out the tray and cut/mark the chocolate and keep it back in freezer for another 2 hours.

Homemade chocolate is ready to serve!!


Notes :

 * Double boiler method :
Take a bigger vessel add 1 cup water and keep another vessel (2 size smaller than the bigger vessel) inner vessel gets heat from the boiling water below.

* Don't skip any ingredients.

* You can increase the sugar if you like more sweeter chocolate.

* Honey gives shiny texture to chocolate.

* Use your choice of nuts.

* Follow the recipe.

Dates burfi.. (No sugar | No jaggery burfi)..

Ingredients :

1 cup chopped deseeded dates
1/4 cup ghee plus 1/4 spoon for greasing the tray/plate
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped almonds
1 tablespoon chopped cashews
1/2 cup warm water for soaking dates

Method :

Take a bowl and add in cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and mix it well and keep it ready.

Take a small pan and heat 1 teaspoon ghee and roast dry nuts until it becomes crisp.

Take a dry plate and add 1/4 spoon of ghee and grease the plate along with its sides too.

Soak dates in warm water for 30 minutes.

Transfer dates and soaked water into a mixer jar and blend it to a smooth paste.

Add 1 spoon ghee into a big kadai then add in the dates paste saute for 5 minutes.

Again add 1 teaspoon ghee and continue sauteing for 5 minutes.

And once again add 1 teaspoon ghee and saute the mixture until it looks glossy texture and looks like one big ball.

Take a cornstarch slurry bowl and quick stir it once and add it to the burfi mixture and continue sauteing for 5 more minutes.

Finally add in ghee roasted dry nuts and remaining ghee to the burfi mixture and saute for 4 more minutes.

Transfer burfi mixture into a greased plate and use a spatula to level the burfi.

Keep it aside for 45 minutes, cut burfi into desired shape and serve !!

Milk powder and pistachios burfi ..

Ingredients :

Unsweetned Milk powder : 200gm
Sugar : 1 cup
Water : 1/4 cup
Crushed pistachios : 1 tablespoon
Ghee : 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon for greasing the tray

Method : 

In a 2 litre pressure cooker, add in sugar + water. Mix it once, close the lid with weight.

On 900 (induction stove heat setting) , 6 whistles, release the pressure immediately add in milk powder,ghee mix it very quickly and pour it to greased tray.

Level the burfi and sprinkle pistachios.

Mark the burfis into desired shapes.
Let it sit for 10 minutes then serve!

This sugar syrup is from opos version, and opos is a new technique in cooking which is introduced by Ramakrishna sir.

Jackfruit burfi..

Ingredients :

Fresh ripe jackfruit puree(blend one cup jackfruit flesh without adding water) : 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut : 2 cup
Sugar : 1/2 cup ( increase incase jackfruit is not sweet )
Salt : 1/8 tea spoon
Ghee : 1/4 cup + 1/2 teaspoon to grease the tray

Method :

* In a kadai add jackfruit puree, sugar and salt. Saute for 5 minutes in medium flame.

* Add coconut and ghee , continuously stirr till the ghee seperates and the mixture starts to look a honeycomb texture. ( This step will take around 12-15 minutes in medium flame)

* Transfer the mixture to greased tray and set aside for 10 minutes then mark the burfi into desired shape. Let it cool completely / keep in refrigerator for 45 minutes to set the burfi.

Eggless whole wheat gulab jamun cake!

Wish you all a Merry Christmas and Very happy new year 2017!

This Gulab jamun cake is a delicious mild sweetened cake and you can enjoy as dessert or a tea time snack!

And i used whole wheat flour, And  no eggs or no all purpose flour (Maida)..

This cake is very easy to prepare just follow the method and use the right measurements! (This is the basic you need to follow while baking)

And feel free to get back to me if you have any doubts in the recipe!

I adopted this recipe from one of the baking group and adjusted accordingly.

Here is a recipe:

Ingredients :

MTR Gulab jamun mix : 3/4 cup
Whole wheat flour : 3/4 cup (I used stone ground wheat flour)
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Milk : 1 cup (boiled and cooled milk it should be at room temperature)
Vegetable oil : 1/4 cup (Any flavorless or odor less oil)
Baking powder : 1/2 tea spoon
Baking soda : 1/4 tea spoon
Cardamom pods : 8

Method :

* Preheat the oven at 180 degree.

* Grease and dust the cake pan (I used loaf tin).

* In a small mixer jar (it should be dry) add sugar and seeds of cardamom(peel the skin and use the seeds) and make a powder.
(Using fresh seed gives more aroma and it enhances the taste)

* To the same jar add in gulab jamun mix and grind the powder for 30 seconds.
(Eventhough its already in powdered form but it ensures no lumps were found in jamun mix)

* Take a big bowl and sieve together the whole wheat flour,baking powder and baking soda for 3 to 4 times.
(3-4 times sieving gives cake a good texture)

* Now add in the sugar mixture,jamun powder to whole wheat flour, take a dry spoon and mix it nicely for 2 minutes.

* Add in the oil and mix properly.

* Gradually add milk and fold the batter gently and make sure there were no lumps found!

* Immediately pour the cake batter into cake tin and tap the tin on work place for 2 times and put it in the oven.
(tapping the tin: it ensures no air bubbles in the batter while transferring from bowl to cake tin)

* Bake at 180 for 35 to 40 minutes. 
(Temperature in every oven is different so keep checking after 30 minutes by pricking the center of the cake using tooth prick! )

* My Cake was beautifully baked at 39 minutes! But i wanted golden crust so baked till 43 minutes!!

Eggless Carrot Cake !!

Ingredients :

Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1/2 tin
Unsalted Butter - 50 grams + 1/4 tea spoon for greasing
All purpose flour - 100 grams + 1 tea spoon for greasing cake tin + 2 table spoon to coat carrots
Baking Powder- 1/2 tea spoon
Soda Bicarbonate - 1/2 tea spoon
Cardamom powder - 1 tea spoon
2 cups- Grated carrots
Milk - 2 table spoon

Method :

* Grate Carrots and add in 2 table spoon of flour and mix it well.

* Preheat the oven to 180 C.

* Grease the baking dish with butter and all purpose flour.

* In a seperate bowl sieve together the all purpose flour,baking soda and baking powder.

* In a big bowl microwave butter for 20 seconds,take it out and add in condensed milk and mix it well.

* Now add 2 table spoon of flour mixture at a time to condensed milk and butter mixture and mix it well,repeat the same until all flour is mixed into this mixture.

* Add in carrots,cardamom powder and milk,mix this with batter.

* Transfer the batter into greased baking dish and bake at 180C for 12 mins or until cake is done.
(Use toothpick to check if cake done or not,if the toothpick comes out clean cake is ready,or else bake again for 2 more minutes)

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For frosting i used this recipe : Carrot Mousse!!

1 Minute Coffee Mug Cake | 1 minute egg less cake ..

This video demonstrates an easy and fast way to prepare eggless coffee mug cake with minimal ingredients and without any special/high end appliances.

Mysore Pak | A Royal Sweet from Mysore | Gram Flour Fudge | ಮೈಸೂರ್ ಪಾಕ ..

The following recipe makes around 20 medium sized pieces.
Recipe source : My mother

Ing :

Gram Flour : 1 and half cups
Powdered Sugar : 1 and half cups
Ghee (clarified butter) : 1 and half cups + 2 table spoon for roasting gram flour and 1/2 tea spoon for greasing
Cold water : 1/2 cup

Method :

* Heat 2  table spoon of ghee in a non stick pan and add in gram flour. Roast this continuously in a low flame until you get a good aroma from gram flour. Switch off the flame and transfer the flour into Metal sifter.

* Sift the flour to remove any lumps and divide the flour into 3 batches.

* Grease the steel plate with 1/2 tea spoon of ghee.

* Heat a  large non-stick pan in a medium flame and add in sugar and water to it.

* In the mean time heat ghee in a non stick pan at medium-low flame.(Do not switch off the flame until you completely finished adding ghee into gram flour-sugar mixture)

* Sugar will start to dissolve and it becomes bubbling sugar syrup. Make sure to stir it continuously until it forms one string consistency. ( (In a small bowl keep some cold water to check the sugar syrup consistency)put a drop of sugar syrup to the bowl with cold water and check if the sugar syrup will immediately turns into small crystal balls. if yes then it is done. or else keep stir it for another 30 seconds or a minute or until you reach this stage)

* Once the sugar syrup is ready, slowly start adding sifted gram flour in batches. As soon as one batch of gram flour is mixed with sugar syrup add in the next batch until all the gram flour is mixed well without any lumps.

* Keep stir the mixture for 2 minutes.

* Now comes the hardest stage of adding ghee mixture in batches. With a help of a ladle, add half a cup of hot ghee into the gram flour and sugar mixture. (The minute you add ghee to the gram flour-sugar mixture, it will start to froth up and make sure that you keep stirring the gram flour-sugar mixture in other hand)

* As soon as the ghee mixture gets mixed well with the gram flour-sugar mixture(which will take 10 to 15 seconds), add another half cup of ghee into this gram flour-sugar mixture.(And again gram flour-sugar mixture will froth up and it continue to absorb the ghee and become slightly thick.)

* Repeat this process until all the ghee added into gram flour-sugar mixture.

* Once all the ingredients are added, continuously stir it for 1 minute.

* Now yellow color of gram flour-sugar and ghee mixture will change color  and become thicker.  And also this mixture will start to leave the sides and bottom of the pan.

*  Keep stir the mixture for 45 seconds or 1 minute and switch off the flame and IMMEDIATELY transfer this mixture to already greased steel plate.

* Let the mixture to cool down for 3 to 4 minutes and cut them into desired shapes.

* Let the Mysore Pak to cool down completely before taking them from steel plate. Store them in a air tight container.

Some TIPS :

* Use a same cup to measure ingredients.
* Keep everything ready before you start preparing Mysore Pak.
* Be very careful while adding hot ghee into gram flour - sugar mixture.
* Follow the steps. :)

Some more information about Mysore Pak :

Mysore Pak was first prepared in the kitchen of the Mysore Maharaja.

Kakasura Madappa who was the cook at the Mysore Palace kitchen sweets department simply tried a combination of gram flour, ghee(clarified butter) and sugar.
When the King asked for dish name,Madappa simply named it as a ‘Mysore Pak’,a delicacy from the Mysore Palace.
Then Mysore Pak attained the position of a Royal Sweet.

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Parceling Mysore Pak to Anu,Soumya&Recipe Junction.

Banana Suttavvu / Banana Paddu ..

The recipe is for 2 people.

Equipment required : Aebleskiver pan

Preparation Time :

Soaking rice : 2 hours
Grinding : 1 to 2 minutes (approximately)
Fermentation : 4 to 5 hours or overnight
Cooking : 4 minutes for each batch

Ing :

Idly rice : 1/2 cup
Ripe banana(chopped) : 1 cup
Cardamom powder : 1/4 tea spoon
Jaggery : 1/8 cup (Adjust accordingly,if you like sweet add extra 2 table spoon)
Salt : A pinch

Cold water for grinding : 1/4 cup

Clarified butter / Ghee : 2 table spoon

Method :

* Wash and soak idly rice for 2 hours.

* Drain rice and add it into a mixer jar/blender jar, add in banana and grind it using water until the mixture looks like idly batter (semolina texture).

* Transfer the batter into bowl,add in cardamom powder,jaggery and salt. Mix well and keep batter in a warm place for fermentation. (keep in microwave oven without turning it ON)

* On a low flame heat the Aebleskiver pan. Sprinkle drop of ghee in every holes of the pan.

* Pour a batter(make sure to mix it well) in all the holes and cover the pan with a lid. cook for 2 minutes then turn paddu into other side and cook it without lid.

* Serve with chutney or simply with ghee or unsalted butter ..

Rustic Peach Galette ..

Ing :

Ing for Crust :

All purpose flour : 1 cup (extra for rolling)
Unsalted butter : 1/4 cup (at room temp.)
Salt : A pinch
Powdered sugar : 1 tea spoon
Ice cold water : 1/8 cup (as needed to make dough)

Ing for Filling :

Sliced peaches : 1 cup
Powdered sugar : 1/4 cup
Cloves powder : 1/4 tea spoon (You can either use cinnamon powder)
Corn starch : 1 tea spoon
All purpose flour : 1 tea spoon
Dry ginger powder : 1/4 tea spoon

For Crust Brushing :
Powdered sugar : 1 table spoon
Unsalted melted butter : 2 table spoon
Cloves powder : A pinch

Method :

Method to make Crust :

* In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter into flour and mix until mixture has a crumbly consistency.

* Now add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with a wooden spoon(must) until dough just holds together. DO NOT OVERWORK ON DOUGH.

* Wrap dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for atleast 10 minutes.

Method to make Filling :

* In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, flour,ginger powder and clove powder. Add in peaches and toss mixture until peaches are coated very well.

Method to make Brushing :

* Mix all the listed ingridients together and keep it ready to use.

Method to Assemble :

* Pre heat the oven to 180 C.

* Remove the dough from the refrigerator and using roling pin roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness circular shape. (Roll like chapathi)

* Pour the filling in center and assemble it giving 1 to 1.5 inch border space.

* Fold the 1 inch border of dough over the edges of the peaches and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

* Brush the Galette with brushing mixture.

* Bake Peach Galette for 25 to 30 minutes in a pre heated oven or until crust is lightly browned.

7 Cup Sweet | Sweet prepared using 7 cup of Ingredients ..

Ing :

Gram flour : 1 cup
Melted ghee / clarified unsalted butter : 1 cup
Granulated sugar : 3 cups
Shredded coconut : 1/4 cup
Grated Carrot : 3/4 cup
Milk : 1 cup

Method :

* In a low flame fry gram flour with 1 tea spoon of ghee for 2 minutes.

* Transfer the fried gram flour to a tray and start frying the carrots with 1 tea spoon of ghee in a same non stick pan for 2 minutes.

* Grease the steel(must) tray with ghee and keep it next to work station.

* Sieve the fried gram flour for 2 times, make sure that there is no lumps found in the flour.

* Take a nonstick deep skillet pan and pour in all the ingredients. Then mix everything with the help of spatula.

* In a medium flame start cooking the mixture and keep stirring.
(If you dont stirr the mixture continously it will stick to bottom of the skillet) 

* At around 16 to 18 minutes of time mixture starts to leave the skillet and it looks like honeycomb and also the color changes to a brown shade.
At this time stirr the mixture for 5 to 10 seconds and immediately transfer it into greased tray.
(This is very very important step,if you take off the mixture before it will be like halwa, or if you delayed it will become little harder)

* Allow it to rest for just 2 minutes, using sharp knife make mark on it.
(make your desired shape mark exact after 2 minutes,if you delayed its hard to get good shapes of 7 cup sweet)

* Again allow sweet to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

* You can store the sweet in a air tight container once they completely cooled down.

Some notes :

* If you dont like carrot then use full 1 cup of shredded coconut.

* Carrot enhances the sweet by its color and its texture.

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Sending this recipe to
Swathi's traditional indian sweets event & 27 Coupons

Dates Cake ( Eggless ) | ಖರ್ಜೂರದ ಕೇಕ್ ..

 
 Ing :

Seedless dates : 18
All purpose flour : 1 Cup
Sugar : 3/4 Cup
Vegetable oil : 1/2 Cup
Milk : 3/4 Cup
Baking powder : 1/2 Table spoon

Method :

* Heat milk and dates for few minutes or microwave them for 2 minutes so that dates becomes soft and it will be helpful while in grinding. Let it cool for 5 minutes.

* Add sugar into blender and blend it for 30 seconds then add in the dates along with milk and grind them to a smooth paste.

* Take a big bowl and add vegetable oil and paste of dates(Dates+Sugar+Milk) mix well for 2 to 3 minutes using a fork.

* Sieve all purpose flour and baking soda  together for 2 times.

* Grease the baking dish with butter and dust it with all purpose flour.

* Add the all purpose flour one table spoon at a time to dates mixture and mix it very gently.Make sure that there will be no lumps in cake batter.

* Preheat the oven at 350 F for 10 minutes.

* Pour the cake batter into greased baking dish. Tap the baking tray very gently for few times so that there will be no air bubbles.

* Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

* After 15 minutes reduce the oven heat to 300 F and again bake it for 15 minutes or till a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Pictoral Steps :

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Palmier - Heart Shaped Cookies ..

 

Ing :

Puff pastry sheet : 1 ( Thawed according to package direction )
Powdered sugar : 4 table spoon
Cardamom powder : 1/4 tea spoon

Method :

* Preheat oven to 400°F.

* In a bowl combine cardamom powder and sugar, mix it well and keep it ready to use.

* Dust the rolling board with sugar and cardamom powder mixture.

* Spread the sugar and cardamom powder mixture on top of the puff pastry sheet and roll it out into a 10-inch square with a rolling pin.

* Fold in two opposite sides of the pastry sheet square so that the sides meet in the center. Fold in same sides of the pastry again. Fold one half of the pastry over the other.
* Cut pastry crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.

* Dip cut sides of each piece in sugar and cardamom mixture and arrange them in a ungreased baking sheet.

* Bake palmiers at 400°F for 10 minutes or until golden on bottom. Turn over and bake  for 5 to 7 minutes more or until golden on bottom, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

* Once palmiers cools completely store them in a air tight container.

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I'm going to link this recipe to wonderful blog events hosted by,
Swathi , Deepali , Ghar ka Khana , Simply Food , Cooks Joy , Cook eat burrrp , Swathi Iyer

 

Strawberry Napoleons ..





Ing :

Puff pastry : 1/2 sheet ( thawed according to package directions )
Fresh strawberries : 1 cup
Powdered sugar : 1/2 cup + 1 table spoon
Fresh vanilla powder/extract : 1/8 tea spoon
Milk : 1 cup
Semisweet chocolate chips : 4 pieces
Unsalted butter : 1 table spoon
Custard powder/Pudding mix : 2 table spoon ( I used Mango custard powder )

Method :

* Preheat oven to 400° F.

* Unfold thawed puff pastry on cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut pastry sheet into 4 square pieces.

* Place them on baking sheet coated with melted butter.

* Bake about 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove puffs from pan and allow them to cool completely on wire rack.

* In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, 1 table spoon sugar and vanilla extract mix gently and set aside.

* In a non stick pan, whisk milk,sugar and pudding mix for a minute.

* Switch on the flame and stirr the mixture continously till you get dosa batter consistancy(approximately 3 to 4 minutes).

* Transfer the custard mix to a air tight container, cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

* In a microwave, melt chocolate chips along with 1/4 tea spoon of butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Transfer chocolate syrup to a small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Cut a tiny corner from bag and keep it ready to use.

* To assemble the napoleon, split puff pastry squares horizontally for a total of 8 squares. Set aside 2 for top layer. Place 2 of the puff pastry pieces on individual serving plates.

* Spread about 1 table spoon of custard mixture over each pastry square. Top with a spoonful of strawberries and another piece of puff pastry. Spread again custard mixture over pastry pieces. Top with remaining strawberries and reserved pastry tops.

* Squeeze  melted chocolate syrup and little amount of custard mix over napoleons. And serve it immediately.

Peanut Peda / Peanut Laddoo ..

Ing :

Peanuts : 1/2 cup
Whole milk : 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar : 1/2 cup
Salt : A pinch
Fresh Vanilla Powder / Vanilla essence : 1/4 tea spoon
Ghee : 1/4 tea spoon

Method :

* Dry roast the peanuts in microwave/Pan for 2 minutes, remove the skin and chop it.

* In a mixer / blender make a fine paste of peanuts using little amount of milk.

* Take a non stick pan, add in the milk and sugar. Once sugar dissolves completely with milk add a fine paste of peanuts and mix it well in a low flame.

* Add vanilla essence and a pinch of salt (make sure it is just a PINCH).

* Keep stirr the mixture until it starts to leave the pan ( Halwa Consistancy ) approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

* Switch off the flame and allow mixture to cool down for 8 to 10 minutes.

* Grease your palm with ghee and make Peda's, decorate with peanuts.

                                                                   *****
* I'm sending this nutritious peanuts laddo/peda to Swathi Iyer's Hearth Soul Blog Hop and also to Elsa Cooks.

Apple Turnovers ..

Ing :

Powdered sugar : 1/4 cup
All purpose flour : 2 table spoon
Cinnamon powder : 1/4 tea spoon
Chopped peeled apple : 1 cup
Puff pastry : 1/2 package

For topping :

Unsalted butter(melted) : 2 table spoon
Powdered sugar : 2 table spoon
Cinnamon powder : A pinch

Method :

* In a large bowl, combine the sugar, all purpose flour and cinnamon powder. Add chopped apples and toss to coat.

* On a lightly floured surface, roll out each pastry sheet into a square shape. Cut each into four squares.

* Spoon 1/4 cup apple mixture into the center of each square,fold diagonally in half and press edges to seal. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

* In small bowl, combine butter, sugar and cinnamon; brush over pastry.

Bake at 400°F for12-16 minutes or until golden brown.