One-bowl Mocha Bundt Cake #internationalbundtday

There was a time when I used to hoard cake pans.In whatever shapes and sizes it fancied me during that time.Later on I realized,whenever I was up to baking something,I turned to the same set of pans.The 'bundt pan' is definitely one of them.I've always wanted a bundt pan and during the times it wasn't available here,I bookmarked a bunch of recipes for those times when I owned a bundt for myself.

I got my bundt pans through a giveaway and haven't looked back since.Though I rarely use the bigger pan(12 cup bundt),the smaller one(6 cup)gets used at least once in a fortnight.I love the pan for the beautiful shape it lends to the cake without much effort from us,excluding the greasing and flouring of the pan.

Few times,I've had disasters where the cake stuck to the pan or refused to come out despite greasing.Over a period of time,I've learnt a few tips and tricks which ensure the cake comes out of the pan in one single piece each and every single time. 

• Grease and flour your pan well.Use a pastry brush or a tissue and cover every nook and cranny of your pan with melted butter or shortening.Add flour to the pan and tap well so that every part is coated with flour.Discard the excess flour and make sure no chunks of flour remain.
• After baking,place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool in the tin for 30-40 minutes.Use a knife to loosen the edges and center of the pan.
• Invert the cake pan onto a wire rack and let the cake cool further before slicing.

November 15th is National(International)Bundt Day and I've posted my bundts for the event in the last few years.Mary,the Food Librarian is the one who's been hosting the event.If ever you feel stuck for bundt recipes,hers is the blog to check out,with over 100+ bundt cake recipes.

I didn't want to miss posting a bundt for the event,so decided on trying this simple one-bowl mocha cake.I'm always on the look out for simple(and small!)cakes for pairing with coffee and tea and this one is perfect for that.Though it tastes great on its own,I drizzled the top with some ganache and chocolate chips.

One-bowl Mocha Bundt Cake

Ingredients

Brown Sugar - 1 cup

Butter - 60 gms,at room temperature

Egg - 1

Milk - 1/3 cup

All purpose flour - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Instant coffee powder - 1 tsp

Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Method

 
Preheat oven to 170C.Grease and flour a 6 cup bundt tin.

 
In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients and beat well for 3-4 minutes 
 
or until the batter is smooth and no chunks of sugar and flour remain.

 
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the tin,on a wire rack for 30 minutes.Loosen the edges and center and invert the cake on to the wire rack and let it cool further.

Drizzle some chocolate ganache or chocolate syrup on top,slice and serve.

Recipe source - Australian Family Circle-Favourite Cake Recipes

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Punjabi Chole Masala {for Bhatura,Puri & Roti}

I have mentioned before how I am addicted to watching cookery videos.I never get bored watching the same videos again and again and was almost thinking to myself that I was a lone person when it came to things like these.I was pleasantly surprised to discover our friends' son,who is only 5 years old,watching 'Show me the curry' and 'Howdini' videos!

When our friends come over and he gets bored,he asks for the laptop to watch his favorite train videos.One day he wanted to watch ice-cream videos and somehow we ended up at SMTC's Mango Ice-cream video.He demanded that we make it for him and then hopped on to this Chole video.Then he was pushed aside and me and my friend sat watching it and were delighted to see the recipe,a simple one with few ingredients and looking like just how a 'real' Chole is supposed to be.

She tried it the very next day and was over the top with the results,it turned out just like how it was in the video and she has made it a couple of times ever since,every time telling me to try it myself.I don't know why I waited this long to try.It indeed is a keeper recipe.

I don't know how an authentic chole tastes,but this one is just like how it is served in restaurants with piping hot Bhatura.Dark brown chickpeas in a slightly tangy and thickish gravy goes perfectly well with roti or phulka as well.As H&A mentioned,it is a wonderful base for making some Aloo Tikki Chaat as well,hmmm.

Chole Masala

Ingredients

White chickpeas - 2 cups
Water - around 8-10 cups
Cardamom - 2 whole
Cinnamon stick - 1' piece
Bay leaf - 1
Tea bags - 2
Salt to taste

For the gravy

Oil - 2 tbsp
Hing/Asafetida - 1/8 tsp
Crushed tomatoes - 3-4 medium sized tomatoes pulsed in a mixie
Chole masala - 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Dry Mango/amchoor powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the garnish

Coriander leaves
Onion rings and Green chilly chopped

Method

Soak the chickpeas in enough water overnight or at least 6 hours.I discard the water used for soaking and use fresh water after rinsing the pulses.However,SMTC recipe says to cook the pulses in the water in which it was soaked.Use whichever method is convenient.
 
In a pressure cooker,add the soaked channa,enough water to cook it along with the bayleaf,cardamom,cinnamon and tea bags.Add salt to taste.
Cook at high pressure for 3-4 whistles and then simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
 
Open the cooker and drain the channa keeping the water aside,which would be used later in the gravy.Discard the tea bags.
 
In a thick bottomed kadai add oil and hing.Immediately add the crushed tomatoes and stir.Cover with a lid and cook the tomatoes for about 5-7 minutes or until oil starts appearing on the sides and the puree gets thick.
 
Mix in the dry spice powders - chole masala,red chilly powder,chaat masala,amchoor powder and stir well.
 
Now add the drained chole and mix well.Keep adding the reserved water little by little.Cover and cook.Repeat the process till all of the water is used up.Do not skimp on this step and be patient as the water is absorbed in low heat.This is what gives a rich,concentrated flavour to the dish.
 
Switch off the flame when the gravy is a bit thickish.The channa will keep absorbing it as it cools down.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and sliced green chilly and onions.

Off this goes to Siri who is hosting My legume love affair this month,an event conceptualized by Susan and taken forward by Lisa.

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Christmas Fruit Cake | Christmas Baking

Last week saw me cleaning up my pantry with a vengeance.Whatever leftover nuts and dried fruits got soaked into a bottle filled with rum and my fridge is stocked with slabs of butter and a huge number of eggs:)

Yes,I am one among those minority folks who start baking for Christmas very late.I keep postponing the chopping-fruits-soaking part to the last possible time.But once I start,then there's no stopping.I have kept aside batches of soaked fruits delegating them for Xmas,New Year,for keeping,for giving away and so on.Light Fruit Cake was a great start and I am taking it forward with this delicious Fruit Cake from Saee's Myjhola.

Nothing beats the thrill of cutting a slice of homemade cake and even better if you are sharing it with someone.Fruit Cakes get a lot of bad press due to their characteristic chock-a-block fruits in every bite and a strong smell of alcohol.Maybe because I love dry fruits or maybe because I grew up eating Plum Cakes,as they are called in Kerala,I love a good Fruit Cake!

Saee's recipe is a very simple one.It is just like a regular butter cake with fruits and nuts soaked in rum incorporated into the batter and voila,it immediately gets transformed into a rich fruit cake,so very Christmas-ssy!

Christmas Fruit Cake
Recipe slightly adapted from Saee's My Jhola

Ingredients

For soaking

Dry Fruits - 1 cup,chopped(I used raisins,currants,figs,dates)
Nuts - 1/2 cup(I used cashews,almonds and walnuts)
Candied peel/Tutti Fruity - 1/4 cup
Cinnamon powder - a pinch
Dark Rum - 3/4 cup

For the cake

Flour - 100 gms
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder - a pinch
Dry ginger powder - a pinch
Homemade garam masala - a pinch
Salt - a pinch
Butter - 100 gms
Light brown sugar - 100 gms
Eggs - 2
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Method

For soaking 
 
In a clean dry bowl,mix together the dry fruits,nuts,tutty fruity,cinnamon powder and dark rum using a wooden spoon.Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.You can even do this days in advance,the more it soaks,the more flavor it brings to the cake.

For the cake  

 
Sift/stir together flour,baking powder,cinnamon powder,dry ginger powder,garam masala and salt.Reserve.
 
Beat together butter and sugar till fluffy.Mix in the eggs beating well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
  
Pour the soaked fruits along with any juice into the creamed butter-sugar mix and stir well.
Mix in the sifted flour mix and beat together till you get a thickish batter.
 
Pour into a greased/lined 8' round tin and bake at a 180C preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
Remove the cake from the tin and let it cool completely on a wire rack.Cover with a foil and rest the cake for a day or two before slicing.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

 
Notes

• You can mix and match any fruits and nuts of your choice.I have soaked a batch with only glaze cherries and tutti fruity,it is all about what you like to have in your fruit cake.
• I added less rum than mentioned and for the same reason,did not drain the soaked fruits before adding to the cake batter.

Are you done with your Christmas preparations yet?

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Coffee Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

I like the ease at which I bake cakes these days.Must be practice,no kidding!!Earlier,though I loved to bake the initial procedure of measuring,sifting,baking and cleaning up after that was something I did not look forward to.But now it happens in a flow.I zero in on a recipe,take out my bowls and beater and in less than 10 minutes I've got everything ready and the cake inside the oven.

 
I had decided to bake for the (Inter)National Bundt day two days back.Home alone on Sunday,I thought I had all the time in the world till when at roughly around 2,I realized I hadn't baked the cake yet.Since the recipe was already chosen,I just had to whip it up and the cake got done in less than an hour and I was pleased with myself:)

The recipe is a small variation from the super-reliable recipes of Deeba,Lime Buttermilk Pound cake.The Chocolate version as well as the Mango version were super hits and I knew this one would be one too.I had made this sometime back for a coffee-loving friends birthday.Love the combination of coffee and chocolate,just like this one.
 
Coffee Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Recipe source - Deeba


Ingredients


Plain flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter, room temperature - 1/2 cup
Vanilla or plain sugar - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Buttermilk {or substitute recipe below}- 100 ml
Pure vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Instant Coffee powder - 1 tsp(I used Bru)
Warm water - 1 tsp
Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp(optional)


To make buttermilk substitute at home:

Take 100ml milk at room temp; add 1 tsp white vinegar. Let it stand 5-10 minutes. When it curdles, it's ready.


Method


Preheat oven to 170C.
Grease and flour a 6 cup Bundt pan well.(make sure you grease the crevices well for easier release of the cake from the pan)

Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Reserve.

Mix together instant coffee and warm water.Keep aside.

Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and coffee mixture.

With beater on low add the flour and buttermilk alternately in three lots.

Mix chocolate chips with a tsp flour and fold it into the batter.Mix in the cinnamon.

Bake for 50-60 minutes till golden brown on top, and the tester comes out clean.

You could top it with powdered sugar or a glaze.I had some leftover ganache in the fridge and swirled it on top with some silver dragees.Wait for the cake to cool down completely before cutting to get neat slices.
Have you baked a Bundt for (Inter)National bundt day yet?If you do,send it to Mary-The Food Librarian who will be sending a cute I Like Big Bundts button to everyone who participates.

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Chocolate Caramel Tarts

Remember these Jam tarts I baked a while back,well the Sweet Punch team has chosen it to be our challenge for the month.Though I had initially decided that I'd bake it once again for the punch,the food blogger in me poked her head and asked me to bake something else.I mean,Jam tart is already on the blog,so why not bake something else!

I looked around for different fillings and was confused which one to choose.We are not really fond of pastry and such and the only one we liked were these Jam tarts.I knew I had to tread in carefully to make it like-able.I'd thought of making Butterscotch filling from scratch but then had a better idea.

Leftover ganache from the fridge+leftover dulce de leche+fresh pastry for the tart=delicious chocolate caramel tarts.As simple as that!
Chocolate Caramel Tarts
Recipe source for the Tart - Thankam Philip book of Baking

Ingredients[Makes 12 tarts]
[I halved the recipe]

Flour-115g
Butter-60g [chilled]
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Water-4-5 drops

 
For the filling

Dulce de leche - 1/4 cup
Chocolate Ganache - 1/2 cup

Method
Mix flour and baking powder together.

Add the butter and rub it with your fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs.

Now add water little by little and form a dough[do not knead,just mix slightly with your fingertips].

Divide the dough into 12 parts.Flatten each ball using a rolling pin and line the tart moulds.

Bake at 180 degress for 15 mins or till done.

De-mould when cool.

With the help of a spoon,smear dulce de leche over the tarts(more like a layer),pipe swirls of chocolate ganache on top and decorate with sprinkles,silver dragees,chocolate curls or cocoa powder.You could also leave it plain,either way it tastes delicious.

Notes

• I refrigerated the tart dough for about 20 minutes before rolling it since it was quite hot and humid in the kitchen.This makes it easier to roll the dough.
• Make sure you do not knead the dough,it just needs a little help to come together,if you work the dough too much the tart would turn out hard.
• The combination of caramel and chocolate is worth trying out,I feared it would be too sweet for our choice,but it was just perfect.
• You could fill the tart with anything of your choice,it could be whipped cream and fruits or some nutella or even jam and marmalade,choice is yours!!

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Announcing Kerala Kitchen

It's been a while since I last posted.Blame it on my visit to my hometown which always makes me oblivious to the net-world.I had grand plans of posting one Onam special dish a day and all such daydreams which obviously didn't see the light of the day(or the blog!).I didn't want to delay announcing the event further because it is the festive season and many of you would be busy preparing traditional Kerala dishes,what with Onam being just a few days away.

So prepare a traditional(or contemporary!)Kerala dish and send it to The Kerala Kitchen.I have decided on a monthly challenge too.Prepare any kind of Payasam and send it to us along with your other entries.Here are the rules--

• Here at the Kerala Kitchen, we like to keep things simple, so there are no strict rules as such, and anyone can join in all the fun! It doesn't matter if you have never tried Kerala cuisine and want to learn all about it, or if you are a Pachakarani who would like to share your vast knowledge with some enthu newbies :) You are not restricted from sending your entries to any other contests, in fact we actively encourage you to participate in as many as you can!
• Simply cook a dish (or as many as you like)  that is inspired by Kerala. Be it a traditional Malayali dish like Idiyappam or Kappa and Meen curry, or your unique take on it, even a dish that features a flavour or ingredient that reminds you of Kerala but may not be typical Malayali fare (like coconut macarons maybe?) and post it on your blog anytime before or on the 30th of this month.
• Post the recipe on your blog and add your links to the comment box of this post. If you don't have a blog, simply email your entry and photograph to divyakudua@gmail.com.
• In your post please include a link to this event announcement post as well as this blog
       http://thekeralakitchen.blogspot.com


Here are some Kerala recipes for a kickstart!!Happy cooking!!Looking forward to seeing your festive entries!!

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Cauliflower Varuval~Deep Fried Cauliflower Fritters

Bajo and Phodi are an inevitable part of a festival lunch menu in our households.Baje/bajo are made using vegetables dipped in a spicy batter made with chickpea flour,red chilly powder,hing and salt and then deep fried.Generally vegetables like cauliflower,capsicum,potatoes,sweet potato,raw banana and the likes are used while phodis are generally smeared with red chilly powder and salt and shallow fried on a tawa.


I have always made only similar kinds of fries with cauliflower,so when I saw a different recipe for the same on Prabha's blog,I was intrigued.More so,the name sounded so interesting.Varuval's are mostly non-vegetarian,at least those that I have come across.So decided to try this one out.

Cauliflower Varuval


Ingredients

Cauliflower - 1/2 of a medium one - about 2 cups of florets,cleaned and wiped dry
Oil to deep fry
Curry leaves to garnish


For the Marinade
Curd - 2 tbsp
Cornflour - 1/2 cup
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste


Method


Mix together the ingredients listed under marinade,it should be of thick consistency.Mix in the cauliflower florets and toss well.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes-1 hour.
Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying and drop the cauliflower florets about 4-5 at a time.Cook until the florets turn brown and crispy.
Drain to an absorbent paper towel.
Garnish with fried curry leaves.


Notes

• Make sure the batter is not watery.Add water while mixing only if necessary,if the batter is thin the cauliflower will become oily after deep frying.
• Add only 4-5 florets at a time,crowding the florets will cause it to stick and not cook well.

Blog-hop Wednesdays is an event started by Radhika,wherein we are assigned a blog every alternate Wednesday and we are supposed to cook from that blog and blog about it.What a great way to get to know each others blogs and bring variety to the dining table!

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