Agar Agar Chocolate Pudding

I cannot resist the packets of agar agar gracing the shelves in the super market.  After a long debate I have with myself end up in my shopping bag.

 Now you may wonder what magical pull does this weed have on me. Basically after making the eggless quiche I know it can be used as a filling in savoury bases too.  

Now at home I keep postponing making something out of them so they grace my kitchen shelf for some time.  

The other day I finally bit the bullet and made this beautiful pudding. Something my younger daughter appreciated so much that she had to be reminded that it needs to be shared with others.

Eggless Quiche

 In continuation with Gayatri’s challenge for the Eggless baking group I am posting my Quiche recipe.

I have already written about the making of the base here now here is the filling and the finished quiche.

Let me warn you that even though I have never eaten Quiche before and I loved it.

  But then I am not a difficult person to please especially when it comes to food. :)

My younger daughter had promised me she will not, sorry “N-O-T” bold and underlined at that” eating quiche with all that palak/spinach and tofu yuck, “is now pestering me for the last slice that has escaped her mouth.

My husband and most importantly my FIL, yes My Father-in-Law loved it and ate it happily every time it was offered.

Mocha Mousse Cake

This is one dish that I enjoyed making.

 Why? My daughters helped me, one of the few rare times when they came in willingly and helped me happily. This was my best Valentine gift from them both. Thanks Kiddos! I love you “gais” (in case you want to misunderstand I am talking about the cow)J.

This one is a Tarla Dalal recipe something that I had bookmarked long long ago. Need I say more?

Reposting For Event~~ Strawberry Custard/Mousse

Strawberry Custard/ Mousse

Strawberry Custard/ Mousse

I have been meaning to send this mousse/custard to Pari’s event but postponement seems to have become the way of life right now.

 So today, I promised myself in the evening I will post this entry. I just have to post it is fully drafted. Imagine my dismay when I was to stay at work for some extra time! And my horror when what I have been thinking as a complete post ready is nothing but cryptic scribbles that took me ages to understand!!

I know I will say never again and continue the same method. So I will not say never again...

 Sounds crazy!

Ingredients:

1 cup curd, chilled  

5 grms agar agar

½ cup water

2 cups fresh strawberry

3 tblspn sugar

1 ½ cups milk, chilled

½ cup whipped cream, chilled

1 tblspn powdered sugar

Method:

1.       Hang the curd in a muslin cloth or in a fine strainer for the whey to drain out.

2.       Cut agar agar in small bits and soak in water till soft. Then heat on low flame stirring till the agar agar dissolves.

3.        Mix sugar and strawberries. Mash.

4.       Add milk blend.

5.       Whip the cream with sugar and curd carefully.  Mix with the milk and strawberry   carefully.

6.       Mix the agar agar and set in fried in individual 4 glasses or in a bowl.

7.       Serve chilled.

Sendig to Pari’s event  at 

and to Priya Mitharwal of Mharo Rajasthan Recipes.

Egg-less Crème Brulee

Egg less Creme Brulee

Over the years I have collected many cookbooks and have used a few, very few. So my resolve was to try at least a few of the recipes that I have read about. So with Valentine down the corner I decided to make something sweet.


The moment I say I am making something sweet my family starts distracting me. The idea is to get me out of the mood and they generally succeed. This time however they did not know what I was up to so I made this easy recipe from Tarla Dalal’s “Cooking and More” that my Dad had gifted me. And they loved it.


Crème Brulee that I had read about you need to steam the custard and eggs here you need not. As I do not have ramekins I did not set them in individual. This had me serving the caramel in the form of a biscuit.


Ingredients:
3 cups milk
1 tblspn vanilla custard powder (as I did not have custard powder I used corn flour and 1 drop of yellow food colouring)
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
5 grms agar agar cut into small pieces
¼ cup nuts (I used some almonds and cashew nuts)
½ cup sugar


Method:


1. Soak the agar agar in ¾ cup of cold water for a minimum of 5 minutes. Cook on low flame till it dissolves and keep aside.
2. Mix the corn flour with ½ cup cold milk and keep aside.
3. Heat the remaining milk on low flame with 3 tblspn sugar, when it starts boiling add the corn flour mixture and continue cooking till you get a smooth sauce.
4. Add the agar agar to the custard and boil again for 2 minutes. Strain the mixture and d cool slightly.
5. Add the nuts and mix well. You can at this stage add to individual serving bowls and refrigerate till firm. I used one bowl only to refrigerate.
6. Just before serving heat the ½ cup sugar with 1/3 cup water stir till sugar dissolves. Then let it heat on low flame till the colour of the syrup is light brown and is caramelized.
7. Pour over the set custard serve immediately.


I am sending this to http://www.brendascanadiankitchen.com/p/cookbook-sundays_01.html