Cashew Nut and Almond Kulfi/Qulfi/Khulfi

Cashew Nut and Almond Kulfi/Qulfi/Khulfi 

Today let have some Kulfi or Qulfi or Khulfi.

So what is Kulfi?

I will like to think of Kulfi as extremely popular frozen dairy dessert, the traditional Indian Subcontinent ice cream. 

Unlike the Western ice cream a Kulfi is never whipped so it is denser and creamier. In fact the creamier the better it takes a longer time to melt.

A Kulfi comes in the traditional flavours of cream (malai), rose, mango, cardamom (elaichi), saffron (kesar or zafran), and pistachio. There are newer additions like apple, strawberry etc.

Kulfi is likely to have originated in the Mughal Empire, which ruled India in the 16th to 18th centuries. It was prepared in royal kitchens using ice brought in from the Himalayas. This is documented in the Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed record of the Mughal emperor Akbar's administration. Small wonder then that it is popular throughout places such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma (Myanmar), and the Middle East.

Here I have tried to follow the traditional method of making a Kulfi but used condensed milk to speed up the thickening.

The lengthy process of heating the milk and sugar give the Kulfi a distinctive flavour.  

Had it not been the fact that it’s very hot this year and I am running out of the kitchen at the smallest possible pretext I would have made this Kulfi once again, just for pictures in the Kulfi mould. Well maybe next year…this time I am content with my matkas.

Cashew Nut and Almond Kulfi

Cashew Nut and Almond Kulfi/Qulfi/Khulfi 

Makes 8 medium kulfis

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of high fat milk, with cream
• ½ cup cream
• 2 tblspn sugar (if needed)
• ½ tin condensed milk
• 3 tblspn corn flour
• 10 almonds, coarsely chopped
• 15 cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
• A few strands of saffron

Method:

• Mix the corn flour in ½ cup of milk and set aside.
• Boil the remaining milk with the sugar.
• Simmer stirring constantly using a slotted spoon till the milk is reduced to half.
• Add the milkmaid and the cream, saffron. Stir and boil for a minute or two.
• Now add the corn flour mixture and bring to boil till the mixture thickens.
• Remove from the flame and let it cool completely.
• Run in the whipper section of the mixer or use the hand mixer with the beaters. Whip well. (Not necessary but I find this way the cream is well distributed).
• In the last round add the almonds and the cashew nuts.
• Transfer to kulfi moulds cover and freeze vertically.
• Once firm the kulfi can be served.
• To serve the kulfi dip the moulds in water then run a knife around the edges. Transfer to a plate.
• Serve.

What else do we have?

Well come back tomorrow to see that…

Meanwhile today you can check my other friends 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 53

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Puddings!!

After 3 days of puddings today I thought I will see what puddings are… I know I am closing the stable door after the horse but...

Puddings according to Wikipedia,” are believed to come from the French boudin, originally from the Latin botellus, meaning "small sausage", referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings.”

Puddings are made in savoury and sweet. But in UK and commonwealth countries it’s a usually a dessert.

This time around I have looked at some sweet puddings, later I think some savoury puddings need to be explored!

Anyway this is the only pudding that was not bookmarked. I stumbled into it and fell in love with it. I had to,"Fire up my Oven for it" And the girls they loved in fact Apeksha, my elder one has asked me to make it for her birthday!

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Recipe Source: Taste.com

Ingredients:

• Melted butter, to grease
• 150g /1 cup maida
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g / ½ cup caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 125ml / ½ cup milk
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Ice cream, to serve

Chocolate sauce:

• 155g / ¾ cup, firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 375ml /1 ½ cups boiling water

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Brush a 1.5L /6-cup capacity ovenproof dish with melted butter to lightly grease.
• Combine the flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre.
• Combine the milk, butter and egg in a large jug. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
• Pour into the prepared dish and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.

To make the chocolate sauce:

• Mix well the sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl.
• Sprinkle over the pudding mixture in the dish.
• Gently pour the boiling water over the cocoa mixture.
• Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a cake-like top forms and a skewer inserted halfway into the centre comes out clean.
• Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Serve with thickened cream, if desired.

Here is what is left 

Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding

Come back on Monday for another bake…

Day 4

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Malva Pudding

Malva Pudding

“What are you making? “

“Alpineliebi pudding again? “

This question in a hopeful voice, by my” I don’t like sweets” daughter made me realise that this pudding is yummy and is acceptable yet again at home. Not an easy feature with her!

If you are wondering what on earth I am talking about then let me tell you from the beginning.

I have been looking for reasons to” Fire my Oven this April” for as a part of the Blogging Marathon we are having a mega marathon this time we have chosen baking.

It all began when my rakhi brother Umesh went on a trip to Ladakh. He brought me apricot jam; naturally I was on a look out for a dish to be made with it. I had zeroed down on this amazing African pudding called “Malva Pudding”!

I chose to make it when we had guests. They like the pudding; they had to say that they were guest after all! but my mentally diabetic husband and “I don’t like sweets” daughters like it so much that it was over by the time I came back home from work the next day.

So there was none for Umesh! Anyway since it need only one tablespoon of jam I can make it again for him!

Malva Pudding

Malva Pudding

Recipe Source: Here

Ingredients:

SERVINGS 4-6

The pudding:

• 180 g sugar 
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tblspn apricot jam
• 150 g maida or all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½   tsp salt
• 1tblspn butter, heaped melted
• 1tsp vinegar
• 1⁄3 cup milk

For the sauce:

• 200 ml fresh cream
• 100 g butter 
• 90 g sugar 
• 90 ml hot water 
• 2tsps vanilla essence

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a pan, cover and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg Celsius.
• Grease an oven dish. I used an 8 x 8 inch Borosil dish.
• Sieve the flour, soda and salt.
• Whip the sugar and eggs with electric beaters until thick and lemon coloured.
• Add the jam and mix through.
• Add the melted butter and vinegar to the wet mixture.
• Add the flour mix with the milk to the egg mixture. Beat well.
• Pour into an oven-proof dish and bake until pudding is brown and well-risen -- depending on your oven and oven dish this will be between 30 - 45 minutes. (Mine was done in 24 minutes this time).

For the sauce:

• Melt together the ingredients for the sauce, and stir well.
• Pour it over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven.
• Leave to stand awhile before serving. Serve warm. Because it's rich it does not really need enhancement, but if you want, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Notes:

• The sides were wet and gooey but the centers were drier. Next time plan to poke with the skewer in the centers so that the sauce spreads easily in the center too. 

Do come back again tomorrow for the next yummy dish...

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

No Bake Cheese Cake

No Bake Cheese Cake

Okay I made the mascarpone  cheese !!

What  do I make from it?

When I made the mascarpone the option was to make tiramisu but I did not have the time to make the lady fingers that are used to make it. Okay you can make tiramisu with cake but then I wanted something different.

So the next stop was cheesecake. Pradnya’s cheesecake was an option, okay a delicious option; to hell with people who are commenting on me and my size I am going to have my cheese cake.

So I went to buy the digestive biscuits brought everything else but the biscuits. Around this time I had this “pink velvet cake” that was masquerading as a red velvet cake that needed to be finished.  So I was seriously thinking of a trifle. But Pradnya’s no bake cheese cake kept calling me back.

So I made a mix of both.

You can actually make this in a big bowl but I made it in glasses … portion control you see….I have to control how much others eat. J

No Bake Cheese Cake

Recipe Source: here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1 tsp sour curd (hung curd) 
• 1 cup whipped cream
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• I pound cake
• 1 packet of jelly of your choice set

Method:

• In the glass add the cake crumbled.
• In a bowl, beat the mascarpone with sour curd. Your cream cheese is ready.
•  In another large bowl, whip the cream and icing sugar to form stiff peaks.
• Add the cream cheese and fold it in.
• Add the vanilla essence and mix again.
• Pour this mixture on the cake base and let it refrigerate for an hour.
• Just before serving add the cut jelly pieces.

Linking to Varadha’s and Srivalli's Kid's Delight.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#49

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

"Republic Day Wishes to all of you!"

When we were doing the international marathon “Around the World” I was fascinated by the delicious spreads there in Thailand!!

I wanted to try these delicious dishes that I had bookmarked! I made just one of ramekin of this yummy dessert and wished I made more. If not today later again….

I wish I had not scaled down the recipe and made only one ramekin.

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Recipe Source: Here

Total Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• ½ tblspn all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp vanilla essence 
• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut (optional)
• 5 tblspn brown sugar
• ½ cup coconut milk
• Icing sugar, for garnish
• Fresh fruit, cut into chunks or slices to serve
• Butter, for greasing dish

Method:

• Grease one baking dish or 3 individual ramekins with butter.
• Preheat oven to 260°C.
• Beat eggs and sugar well till it thickens.
• Add essence and coconut milk. Beat again.
• Mix in grated coconut. Mix well.
• Pour into baking dish. Place dish in a baking tray filled halfway with hot water.
• Bake for 35 minutes or till the top is brown and a tester comes out clean.
• Chill and serve in a plate or in the ramekins.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve with any fruit.

Thai Coconut Pudding/ Custard

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#48

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Chocolate and Nut Fudge

Chocolate and Nut Fudge

Chocolate and nuts and condensed milk this is an amazing combination. My younger one who does not want milk because she claims Mamma adds nuts in them( grinds and adds nuts mind you , as if I have the time to do that)  went gaga over this slices.

DrØmmekage fra Brovst or Danish Dream Cake

Yummy Danish Dream Cake

If you are a regular reader of my space then you must be aware that I am a member of egg-less baking group.  The group is the brainchild of Gayatri and we try out making baking recipes from with eggs to egg-less.

 Recently Gayatri had asked members to give suggestions for different cakes and we have been trying new cakes. Most of them I will not even dream of. Have you thought of making molten lava cake, cauldron cakes all egg-less?

Apple Pie

Wish you all A Very Happy Sanktanti or Pongal! Hope you have made delicious Pongal or Gulpolis and til ladoos.

There seems to be a lethargy on my part I am finding it difficulty in surfing the net.So there are hardly any comments from me or visits for that matter! Kindly excuse me  yet again!!

 I am tired and seem to have some kind of health problems (read lack excercise and have become fat) which needs me to exercise so most of my evening are spent cycling. If in case you get some invites from Facebook for Farmville etc then please feel free to ignore them. My daughter plays it under my name.

Coming to blogging

For Baking Partners #6 Sawati's brainchild we were to try tarts and pies.The girls wanted Apple Pie ! So Apple Pie it was!  Swati had provided us with the recipes but since these days I am not upto the mark in my cooking I just tried making the pie from the Joy of Baking site which I had already tried it out to make Quiche here. 

Now these pictures are taken in the night. I will set better pictures when I make it again. 

So there are 2 reasons for me to make the pie again plus the girls want me to make a "jali' of the dough.Three  reasons enough!

Ingredients:

·      2 ½ cups (350g) Maida or all purpose flour

·      2 tbsp (30 grms) white granulated sugar

·      1 pinch of salt

·      1 cup (226 grms chilled butter cut in 1 inch pieces

·      ¼ to ½ cup( 60-120 ml) ice water

 Apple filling

·      1.1 kg peeled, cored and sliced to ¼ inch thickness

·      ¼ cup (50grms) white granulated sugar

·      ¼ cup (55grms) brown sugar

·      1 tblsp lemon juice

·      ½ tsp cinnamon

·      2 tblsp 928grms) butter

·      1 ½ tblsp corn flour

Method:

·      Mix well the sugar, salt and flour till well combined.

·      Add the butter and rub till the mixture resembles crumbs.

·      Pour ¼ cup water and mix well. Add more water if needed. Do not knead for long.

·      Make a ball of the dough. Then make 2 pieces one big and one small. Flatten and refrigerate for 1 hour.

·      After 1 hour remove the bigger ball on a lightly floured surface and roll out in a disc to a 12 inch circle.

·      Dust the flour and transfer to the pie dish. Since the recipe called for an 8 inch pie tray and mine is 7 inch tray I had some excess dough. Which I used in these small muffin moulds. Cover with plastic and refrigerate.

·      Roll out the smaller ball to a disc dust and cover with a plastic. Refrigerate.

Pie fillingMethod:

·                     Mix well the sliced apples with sugar, ground cinnamon lime juice. 

             Let it sit at room temperature for about 3 hours.

·       Strain the juice of the apples with a strainer in a bowl.

·       Let the apples drain 15-30 minutes or till there is ½ cup of juices.

·       Transfer the liquid to a greased micro safe bowl add the 2 tbsp of butter and boil for 5 to 10 minutes till the liquid reduces to 1/3 cup.

·       Meanwhile remove the crusts and let it sit for at least 10 minutes on the counter.

·       To the drained apples add the corn flour and mix well. Then mix the syrup on the apples and combine well.

·       Pour the apples and the syrup in the crust and pat the apples and arrange them in the dish.

·       Moisten the edges of the pie crust with a little water then place the top crust. Tuck the excess under the bottom crust.

·       Make slits with a sharp knife from the centre to edge about 5 cms on the top crust. Cover and refrigerate.

·       Preheat oven to 220ºC for about 45 to 55 minutes or till the knife when inserted in the slits feel tender and not mushy.

·       Serve about 3-4 hours later.

Linking to

 Baking Partners #6

Bake Fest hosted by Sumee

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like myFacebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Ragi Cupcakes BM#24

After I made these strawberries once they disappeared encouraged I made them again. Only to be told they are too sweet. Unwilling to bin them I made these muffins.  

The basic recipe is what I learnt at Vandana’s I have only replaced the maida with ragi.

Ingredients:

·        100 grms ragi flour

·         100 grms amul butter

·         1 cup strawberries & chocolate puree

·         100 grams sugar( you can use upto 125 grms but then I found these sweet enough)

·         2 eggs

·        About 40 grams chopped walnuts (optional)

·         ½ tsp vanilla essence

·         ½ tsp baking powder

Method:

1.      Melt butter in aluminium container carefully. Cool it.

2.      Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixer and keep aside.

3.      Sift the ragi with baking powder.

4.      Pre heat the oven to 150°C for 5-10 minutes.

5.      Add the sifted ragi to the butter. Mix.

6.      Add the eggs and sugar mix.

7.      Add the vanilla essence and mix.

8.      Finally add the pureed strawberries and nuts (if using) I did not. Reserve a few for garnishing.

9.      Pour the batter in the prepared tin and bake at 150°C in a prepared tin bake for 1 hour or 1 hour 10 minutes till the knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Notes:

1.      After 10 15 minutes remove the batter and add nuts on top.

Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#24 
Sending this to Kids delight, valli's page, WTML, Makar Sankranti, New U, Makar Sankranti, 

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Face Book page. I will be happy if you can follow me on Twitter too! 

Chocolate filled Canapes for BM #24

Treacle tart this was one of the desserts I was make for the HP themed party. Making treacle tart for 30 people in not my cup of tea( I still have to read the recipe shhh!), so we made canapes with chocolate.

Again the pics are by the kids I think!

For Canapés you will need

·        200 grms Cream (I used Amul Cream)

·        330 grms Dark Chocolate (chopped fine)

·        20 grms butter

·        Canapes cases( I made 40 )

·        Cherries and sprinkles

Method:

·   Chop the chocolate to small pieces

·   Heat the cream so that it just bubbles. Remove off the flame

·   Add the chocolate and mix well.

·   Add the butter.

·   Beat well.

·   Arrange the canapes cases on the serving tray.

·   Spoon the chocolate in the cases.

·   Decorate with cherries and sprinkles.

·   Cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator till needed.

Must confess that my neighbour's daughter Stacey did these alone with Akanksha helping her. I just made the chocolate and gave her.

Thanks Stacey!

Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#24
Sending this to Kids delight, valli's page, WTML, Makar Sankranti,

 Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Face Book page. I will be happy if you can follow me on Twitter too!