Sweet Buns

Last week I was feeling sick and didn't feel like eating anything heavy for my dinner. So decided to eat something light like bread or bun and go to sleep. But when it was too late by the time I took my decision. It was like half past 10 and all the shops were closed L! Damn!! The next morning I decided to bake a few for myself so that I could eat it any time I wanted.

Ingredients:

Flour/maida – 480 gms

Caster sugar – 4 tbsp (add more if you like it sweeter)

Milk powder – 3 tbsp

Dry yeast – 2 tsp

Butter – 40 gms

Egg – 1 (lightly beaten)

Salt – ½ tsp

Water – 150 ml (lukewarm)

Egg yolk – for glazing

Choc chips – for decorating (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Sift flour, milk powder and salt. Add sugar and yeast. Mix well until they are combined. Make a well in the centre and add egg & butter. Again mix well.

Now gradually add water to form soft dough. Add more lukewarm water if required. Knead for 20mins until soft and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with cling wrap and allow it to double in volume.

Once risen punch the dough down and knead it again for another 10mins.

Beat egg yolk in a bowl and keep separate.

Roll and shape the buns and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle choc chips (if adding) and bake the buns for 20-30 mins. Glaze the top with egg yolk mixture.

Tips:

• You can dissolve the yeast in some lukewarm water than adding it directly into the flour.
• Make sure you add lukewarm water and not hot water. Hot water kills the yeast and won’t allow the dough to rise.
• Adding a lilttle bit of milk to your egg yolk mixture will give the buns a nice golden color.
• If you have a oven that has separate temperature settings for top and bottom rack, first turn on the bottom heat on and halfway turn on the top heat as well. This makes even cooking.
• You can even add some tutty fruity into the flour to make tutty fruity buns!

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Veggie Semolina

Tired of feeding your baby the same old stuff over and over again? Well here’s something new that you must try out. I’m sure your lil one will love it coz mine does!

Ingredients:

Semolina – 1 ½ tbsp

Milk – ½ cup

Mashed veggies – ¼ cup (I used carrots, peas, corn, potatoes)

Salt – to taste

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Chili powder – a pinch

Hing – a pinch

Cumin powder – a pinch

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method:

Cook the semolina in milk. Add more milk if too thick.

In a pan add ghee. To it add hing, turmeric, chilli and cumin. Add the mashed veggies. Stir and remove from heat.

Add this mixture to the semolina. Add salt to taste.

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Cake Decoration

For all those who want to surprise your valentine with a lovely baked cake, here’s quick version of mine to do it.

I have used my basic chocolate cake recipe as the base. Poured chocolate fondant and buttercream icing for decoration.

For poured chocolate fondant:-

Ingredients:

Powdered sugar – 2 cups

Water – 50ml

Cocoa powder – 3 tbsp

Corn syrup – ½ tbsp

Veg oil – 1 tbsp

Almond extract – ¼ tsp

Notes:

Instead of corn syrup you can use either glucose syrup or sugar syrup. Take 2 tbsp of sugar and melt it using as little water as possible to make it a thick syrup.

Instead of almond extract you can use vanilla essence.

Method:

In a bowl mix powdered sugar and water until it forms a thick paste.

Add corn syrup – mix – add cocoa powder – mix – add oil – mix – lastly add almond – mix

At this stage the fondant will be thick. Microwave this for 1min and 35sec. the fondant will be glossy, dark and of pourable consistency.

Now pour this mixture into a piping bag and pour it onto your cake. Make sure you do this procedure while the fondant is still warm coz the mixture will set once it cools down!

For buttercream icing:-

Ingredients: 

Veg shortening/dalda – ½ cup

Butter – ½ cup

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Icing sugar – 4 cups

Milk – 2-3 tbsp

Method:

Cream shortening and butter until creamy.

Add vanilla and beat again.

Now add 1 cup sugar at a time until they are incorporated well. It might seem hard to beat as you keep adding sugar hence make sure you add the next cup only after they have combined well!

Once all the sugar has been used up, slowly add milk 1tbsp at a time and beat well. Add more or less milk according to your desired consistency. If you want your icing to be runny you might want to add upto 5tbsp. but if you want it to be thick then 3tbsp would do fine.

Have fun decorating!!

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Basic chocolate cake

Who can say no to a chocolate cake? Yes….that’s right…no one!!!! Everyone’s loves a piece of moist rich chocolate cake. Well here’s a quick and simple recipe for making the most never fail chocolate cake. The best part is you don’t use any butter!!

Ingredients:

Flaour/maida – 1 ¾ cups

Cocoa powder – ¾ cup (make sure you use a branded one as this plays an important role in your final product)

Baking powder – 1 ½ tsp

Vanilla essence – 2 tsp

Hot black coffee – 1 cup (add 2 tsp of instant coffee powder to 1 cup of boiling water)

Baking soda – 1 ½ tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 2 cups

Oil – ½ cup

Eggs – 2

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease your cake pan.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt a couple of times until they are well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat together sugar and eggs with a hand mixer. Gradually add in milk, oil and vanilla essence.

Now slowly fold in the flour mixture. Once they are combined add the coffee and mix well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

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Strawberry Muffins

If you read my previous posts you will know my love for muffins. With strawberry in the season I keep looking for varieties of recipes where I can use them in every possible way. This is a very simple and quick way of making strawberry muffins. I’m sure you’ll love them!

Ingredients:
Flour/maida – 1 ½ cups
Strawberry – 1 cup chopped
Sugar – ½ cup
Salt – ½ tsp
Baking powder – 2 tsp
Egg – 1
Milk - ¾ cup
Veg oil – ¼ cup
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 200C.
Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt atleast twice. Then add sugar and strawberries. Reserve some strawberries to top on the muffins while baking.

 

In another bowl whisk together egg, oil, milk, vanilla essence. Now pour this mixture into the flour mixture and gently fold until they combine well.

Scoop into your muffin liners/tray. Bake for 12-15mins or until they bounce back when you touch them.

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