.....From My Palate

Baking

Ice-Cream Cone Cupcakes

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I love my son but I don’t know if I feel the same for summer vacations. These days no early mornings, no rushing, no running for the school bus instead calm, quite morning time with my first cup of tea but still a question in my mind do I really like summer vacations? Though I must admit summer vacations gives lot of quality time to spend with your kids but we have 24 hours in a day and lots of other chores to finish. I can handle “I’m bored!”, “I played with all my toys!”, “Now what will I do?” kind of questions but what really bugs me “I’m Hungry, Can I eat something good?”

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This is not the ending, when you are in the kitchen there is always a volunteer for the help. “Can I help in something?” If you say no of course! you are a bad mom but your yes! may not be any help for you. (you know what I mean…) No matter how much you wanted to say no but there are times when yes! is the only option.

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I like doing different activities with my son. In school days he is so busy with his regular routine and after school activities there is hardly any time to connect or spend with each other. Time is already flying, in few years all these activities will be beautifully wrapped in a scrapbook. And our present time will become memories of the past….So I decided lets make some beautiful memories!!

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Besides drawing, painting, unloading dishwasher, reading, playing board and card games and other activities, baking is the thing that we both enjoy. Our today’s recipe is fun and very interesting. Its yummy… delicious and an eye catcher.

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Ice cream cone cupcakes are fun, quick and easy recipe. It looks like a ice-cream but actually its a cupcake baked in an oven and frosted like a ice cream.

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Ice-Cream Cone Cupcakes
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Cake Batter of choice
  • 1 pack flat-bottomed Ice Cream Cones
  • 1 jar frosting of choice
  • Cherries and sprinkles
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Take a muffin pan, and wrap foil tightly over the top.
  3. Use a sharp knife to cut a small X into the foil.
  4. Gently push the ice cream cone into the X.
  5. This will allow the cones to stand up nicely and not fall over.
  6. Transfer batter into a container with a pour spout.
  7. Pour batter into ice cream cones, filling each 2/3 of the way full.
  8. Bake the cupcakes cone for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
  9. Frost and decorate with your choice of toppings.

Orange Pistachios Marble Cake

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What you guys do on sunday morning, when Mr sunshine is taking a break and its raining outside? You don’t have any early commitments?  No deadlines and when other chores can wait??
A lazy Sunday mornings with a cup of ginger tea and a I-Pad to curl up with…after a while, browsing idly here and there, you jump from the couch with a thought, “how about baking a cake”?
How many of you agreeing with this thought?
It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. I read it somewhere and noted down at once as I really concur the opinion

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After browsing lot of fancy recipes, I decided on a simple marble cake. My little helper with a gleam in his eyes, pulled the chair in the middle of the kitchen, sit there ready, with a recipe in his hand. He helps me, reading all the instructions step by step and sometimes in mixing too. He is my major critique and a consumer of my goods.

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Orange Pistachios Marble Cake
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups Maida(All Purpose Flour)
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Thick Yogurt
  • 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1 tsp Zest Of Orange
  • 2 tbsp Pistachios Powder
  • Few Sliced Pistachios
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the cake pan.
  2. Mix Yogurt, sugar and Salt.
  3. In another Bowl mix flour and pistachios powder.
  4. Add baking powder and baking soda, mix it gently, and allow to stand for 3 minutes, until you see bubbles on top.
  5. Add oil, vanilla essence and orange zest in the batter. And mix it well.
  6. Now add flour and milk alternately. Fold the batter very gently.
  7. Divide the batter in to half, mix cocoa powder in one half.
  8. Now pour both the batter alternately in the baking pan.
  9. Top it with little orange zest and pistachios slices.
  10. Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes until the cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  11. Cool down the cake for 10 minutes.
  12. Cut it in to pieces and enjoy with tea or coffee.

Lemon Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Frosting

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lemon cupcakes

I love snow days, sitting cozily on a couch with a hot ginger tea reading or writing for a blog watching small cotton balls falling down. Freshly fallen snow, white all around looks immensely beautiful and so serene. Busy lives take a pause, with no errands outside, no school, no office small family get together without rushing or planning for things. Everything is so peaceful and calm. But not for long….all of a sudden a bleak voice ” mommy, I’m bored,” will break your dream and ‘bang’ fall in to realities.
Bored and hungry, these two words takes you out of this cozy setup into action. To kill the boredom, I made these Lemon Cupcakes with/for my son on this serene beautiful day….
Well, lemon because in this freezing temperature my small Meyer lemon tree giving me surplus sunshine with its bounty of fruits.

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Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
  •  1-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
  •  1/4 tsp Salt
  •  3/4 cup Sugar
  •  1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
  •  3 large Eggs (at room temperature)
  •  1/2 tbsp Lemon Extract
  •  1/2tsp Lemon Zest
  •  1/4 cup Buttermilk (at room temperature)

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF and place liners in a cupcake pan.
  • Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and butter together until creamy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed, then mix in lemon extract.
  • Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to mixture in alternating intervals.
  • Turn speed up to medium, combining all ingredients until well mixed.
  • Spoon mixture into cupcake liners, about half full.
  • Bake for 18-20 min. or until cupcakes spring back to touch.
  • Cool completely before topping with whipped cream frosting.

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Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients

  •  1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1/3 cup Cream Cheese
  • 4tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tsp Lemon Extract
  • Few drops of Yellow Color

Method

  • Pour heavy whipping cream, cream cheese and sugar into a chilled bowl and beat on low for 30–45 sec. or until well mixed.
  •  Add the lemon extract and increase speed to medium-high. Whip until soft peaks form.
  •  Add food coloring and mix thoroughly.
  •  Refrigerate topping until cupcakes have cooled.
  •  Decorate cupcakes.

Rambling of thoughts with Chocolate Eclairs

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My thoughts have no boundaries. Call me dreamy, crazy, thoughtful, contemplative even broody or stupid anything….my brain works overtime… anytime. While sleeping its more fun, my dreams are all about whats in my mind. I can see my thoughts playing real roles in life and that to in colors. Sometimes thoughts brings back all beautiful moments from the past or even makes present colorful and bright thinking about future.
One day while thinking, God knows what.. all I want to eat was Chocolate Eclairs. I remembered how mommy surprised me one evening with my favourite Chocolate Eclairs from my favourite bakery. M was not there and no bakery in the perimeters of my home. The desire was so strong, I googled and Bon Appétit.
First I was really scared with all those fancy names but truth is, if u have a knack for cooking slowly things become easy for u.
I tried and result was very satisfying for me.

CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS
(Courtesy Videojug– Thank u very much)
for the choux pastry
6 ¾ fl oz water
4 1⁄3 oz butter
1 cups (½ pint) flour
5 eggs
a pinch of salt

for the pastry cream
17 fl oz cream
8 ¾ oz sugar

for chocolate topping
5 1⁄3 oz cooking chocolate
2 1⁄8 oz butter

 

Boil the water and butter
Place the small pan on a medium heat. Add the water, spoon in the butter, add the salt and bring to the boil.
Preheat oven Set the oven to 375ºF.
Make choux dough
Once boiling, add the flour to the pan of water and stir well with your wooden spoon until it forms a smooth dough. Then set aside to cool.
Make the pastry cream
Begin by adding the cream and sugar into the large bowl. Whisk it continuously until the cream starts to form stiff peaks. Cover the bowl with cling film and place into the fridge until you need to use it.
When the pastry has cooled down add in one egg and thoroughly combine using your wooden spoon, then continue to add all the eggs one by one until the dough has formed a smooth, elastic appearance.
Transfer dough into piping bag. Cover the baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper and pipe the pastry dough into roughly 3cm wide and 15cm long, log shaped cylinders. (I made smaller) They are now ready to bake.
Place the baking tray into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Make the chocolate sauce
Whilst the pastry is cooking we can melt the chocolate, so place a pan on a low heat and cover with the bowl of chocolate and butter. Allow to melt slowly.
When cooked remove the cooked eclairs from the oven and allow to cool.
When cooled, slice the length of each of the eclairs with a sharp knife and make a slight opening. Then with a spoon fill all the eclairs with the cream.
With a spoon, dribble the melted chocolate length ways over each eclair and leave them to cool. You could even pop them in the fridge.
Serve these mouth-watering eclairs for dessert or as a special treat

Halloween 2009

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Now that our festival season is over but the festivity is still all around. That’s one big advantage of living in US. As we say, goodbye see u next year .. to Diwali, same time look forward excitedly for Halloween night trick or treat, planning for Thanksgiving dinner and shopping, shopping, shopping on black Friday, Christmas eve party and lastly New year eve.

Wow…But today lets talk about Halloween.
Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31 every year in US. Its a spooky, funky, sweet holiday because of all the candies and chocolates and cupcakes and cookies baked for the day.
I made these Cupcakes on Halloween for Maanav and his friends in our block.

These are Carrot cupcakes with whipped cream frosting.

I even tried my hands in Thumbprint Cookies. Thanks to this blog world for sharing wonderful recipes. These are Chocolate thumbprint cookies and Lemon curd thumbprint cookies.
We preferred Lemon curd, they comes out really good.



These cookies are really fun to bake. I’m not sharing the recipe coz this place is full of beautiful recipes if you still need, let me know I’ll be happy to do it.

These cookies are Coconut Macadamias cookies and reallllly delicious. Anyways anything with coconut is really delicious for me. But it tastes like our Indian coconut cookies.

Saving for last, this is my first log cake I baked and decorated. The filling I used was vanilla whipped cream with strawberry and walnut.

Decorating any cakes is always a nice experience, its fun to explore, try new techniques and at last feeling of contentment when your family and friends enjoy eating it.
So this is the story of my Halloween waiting to hear from you guys!!…

Chocolate Cupcakes dedicated to a Friend.

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Hi Sangi,
Thank u very much for all the awards. This post as promised is dedicated to u. I hope things are fine at your end. We (your blogger friends) are waiting for you and your spicy chatpati post.
Come back soon…
Thank U Sangi.

For Considering my blog,

and showering me with all these beautiful awards.

Now the tag time…

What is your current obsession?
Baking

What are you wearing today?
Blue top and denim capris.

What’s for dinner?
No Idea…

What is the last thing you brought?
Grossery

What are you listening to right now?
Moment of bliss, nth.

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Simple, lovable, friendly, creative.. who cooks delicious food thats why known as Simply…Delicious.

If you have a house totally paid for,fully furnished any where in the world,where would you like it to be?
Seaside Penthouse.

What are your must have pieces for summer?
Sunscreen, white cotton clothes, lots of water.

Which language you want to learn?
French.

Who do u want to meet now?
Now….my hubby, nice weather we can go out for a nice drive.

What is your favourite colour?
Green

What do you try to cook when you have cooking blues(when you feel real lazy to cook something)?
Cook stories about the restaurent so that we can go out and eat there.

What are the cosmetics/make-up/perfumes that you can’t live without?
Kajal Pencil

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
Actually all my saaris.

If you had $100 now,what would you spend it on?
Mac cosmetics

Who are your style icons?
None

Describe your personal style?
Can’t say my personal but I appreciate simple yet classy.

What are your favourite movies?
Favourite none but I enjoyed watching many of them.

Give us three styling tips that always work for you?
Nth for sure.

Coffe or tea?
Adrak ki chai

What inspires you?
Success.

Which other blogs you love visiting?
List is long…this place is full of best of the best.

Favourite dessert/sweet?
Gulab Jamun, rasmalai, rasgulla, gajar ka halwa, jalebi………

Favourite season?
In US Spring and Fall

Which is your dream destination?
Comforts of home.

Which is your favourite international cuisine?
Italian

Who is your favourite singer?
Asha Bhonsle

Thank u Sangi for tagging and showering me with all these awards.

Now it’s time for the recipe of the day….

Chocolate Cupcakes with vanilla ButterCream Frosting

Original recipe from Cupcakes Creations

5 oz Butter – softened
5 oz superfine (castor) sugar I used lesser suitable for my palate.
6 oz (175g)self-raising flour
3 eggs
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to moderate 350F.
Line 12 CC pan with paper cases.
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Sift flour and cocoa and fold into butter mixture alternately with milk. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into prepared paper cases. Bake for 20 min or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans.

Vanilla ButterCream Frosting
5 oz butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract (not synthetic vanilla)
1 C icing/confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp milk

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add vanilla and 2 tbsp of milk. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pipped it on cupcakes and decorate them ur way.

Sure thing tastes yummy….if dieting forget about it for few minutes.

Asparagus Crescent Rolls

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My son loves Crescent Rolls and tubes of Pillsbury Quick Crescent Rolls are the necessary item in my refrigerator. Like other kids of his age he is also not so crazy about greens. And now even become hesitant in trying out new things. So one lazy Sunday evening I decided to make his favourite crescent rolls with a little tweak. I added these asparagus with cheese while rolling out crescent shape and served warm to my son with a winner smile on my face.

Ingredients

  • Tube of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  • Asparagus Spears trimmed and washed
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Grated Cheese

Method

  • Pre-Heat oven to 375F.
  • Toss Asparagus with oil, salt and pepper.
  • Unroll the Pillsbury Dough and separate in to triangles.
  • Place seasoned asparagus spears on narrow side of the triangle.
  • Sprinkle cheese and roll up according to the instruction in to Crescent shape.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  •  Serve warm.

June is a month of celebration for us. And it started from 2nd June (yesterday) with my Hubby Dear B’day. We had a nice evening yesterday and personally I had a busy day. I will share my recipes in coming posts for now pictures straight from my party table.

Baked Gobi Manchurian

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Baked Gobi Manchurian

  • 1 medium. Cauliflower clean and broken into big florets
  • 1 small piece of Ginger finely chopped
  • 4 pods of Garlic finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp. Corn flour
  • 2tbsp Shan BBQ Mix

For The Sauce:-

  • 1 small Onion chopped
  •  1 small Green Pepper cut in cubes
  •  2tbsp Oil
  •  2tbsp Tomato Sauce
  •  2tbsp Soy Sauce
  •  Salt To Taste.
  •  1tbsp  Corn Flour
  •  Garlic chopped to taste
  •  Ginger Chopped to taste
  •  Spring onions chopped

Method

  • Boil big pot of water with salt, soak florets in boiling water for 5 minutes.

  • Drain, and pat dry on kitchen towel.
  • Mix the remaining ingredients and make a batter little thick in consistency.(mine was little thin by mistake and took lot more time in baking)
  • Mix florets in a batter, and transfer it in a baking dish

  • Bake it in a very hot oven at 400 F for 15 minutes.
  • Turn and toss the florets in between for even baking

  • This is how it looked after baking.

(Frying give that extra taste and crispness but baking gives guilt free eating)

For the Sauce-

  • Heat oil in a stir fry pan and add ginger, garlic, crushed red chili, fry for 30 seconds.
  • Now add onion ,pepper and tomato sauce.
  • Stir fry for 2 minutes. (use water if needed)
  • Add soy sauce, salt & corn flour mixed with a cup of water.
  • Simmer till thick.
  • Add baked Cauliflower & toss till well coated.
  • Serve hot garnished with spring onion.


OOPSS….CAN’T RESIST………..

This Recipe goes to Dear Hima of SnackORama event Sunday Snacks.

Thanks for making our Sundays special and colourful.

The baked Gobi Manchurian also goes to Dear Divya of Dil se to participate in Diet Food Event.

Thanks For Hosting beautiful events.