Christmas

Dragon Fruit Mousse Cake – Celebrating Sixteenth Birthday !

October 13, 2023 by Bhawana

It was a memorable week for my family, my niece turned 16 yesterday. When we chatted few days back, she asked me to bake a cake and send a video to her. Sweetheart, I am dedicating this cake post to you. Wishing you a very happy birthday and a great year ahead. Make us proud and stay happy and blessed! We all love you and always there for you.
Sixteen is really a special number. I remember my 16th birthday and more specifically remember what I wore on that day. Friends, cake, gifts, good food, lot of talking and fun makes the day memorable and beautiful. What else we want on a birthday right! Birthdays were so much fun at that age. I used to count the no of calls and cards I get on my birthdays, and single digit less can put me in depression, coz it shows I was loosing love, concern and attention. There was an honesty in friends and their messages. The amount of time they gave due to the carefree life at that time was precious. The card used to be full of colorful, hand written, funny and sometimes heartfelt messages. One of my very good friend never missed my birhday, she used to come every year either I am celebrating or not. And i still remember my other friend, who didn’t sleep all night and made a huge card for me. There are other friends too, I am not in touch with…but I really wanted to tell them, I still remember you all and thank you very much for your honest love, concern and making my birthdays really special and memorable. Thank you very much.

Gosh! It feels like I am already celebrating friendship day on this platform. I do believe, not to wait for any special occasion to vent out your feelings regarding someone or something. So, just share what I felt this very moment. But Yayy! Mother’s day is this weekend and I already had a post in the draft to celebrate this occasion. We will talk about this beautiful relationship and my experiences in the coming post.

Either you are celebrating or not but the presence of a cake itself gives a sense of jollity all around. If my metabolism started to work the way I wanted, I can and I will eat cake before and after every meal. I love to bake but the only issue is I just can’t abandon my creation at the mercy of others palate. I have a penchant for Mousse cakes these days. The moist creamy cake with a mirror glaze on top and covered with garnishes of fresh fruits, macaroons or edible flowers.

Freeze dried fruit powders are very popular and in demand these days. I tried dragon fruit powder for this cake. It gave very nice color and taste to the frosting and glaze. We can use these powders for smoothies, in baking and frosting. I will try to use the same powder in other recipes and will share soon.

One very important thing required to make a good mousse cake is a cake molds. If you don’t have one, use acetate strips to support frosting while refrigeration. It is a very simple cake as no tedious decoration is needed to looks beautiful. I used strawberry cake in this recipe and its optional. You can use any sponge cake, eggless or with eggs, in any shapes and sizes. If you are looking for good sponge cake recipe please let me know or google can help you as per your requirement. Use Agar Agar for the vegetarian option for gelatin.
Happy Mother’s Day in advance. Enjoy the best relationship gifted to a women by a supreme power.

Dragon Fruit Mousse Cake

Recipe Type: Cake / Dessert

Cuisine: International

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

Sponge Cake (I cut small circles of strawberry cake for mini individual cake)
1/2 cup Sugar Syrup with Orange blossom water
2 packets unflavored Gelatin Powder
1/4 cup. Water
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 tbsp. dried Dragon Fruit Powder
1 tbsp. Orange Blossom Water
1 pack Strawberry flavored Jello
1 tbsp. dried Dragon Fruit Powder
Water as needed.
Silvered Pistachios and fruits for garnishing

Instructions

For the Mousse- Mix cream and sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
Take water in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top.
Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds, until clear and dissolved.
Add dragon fruit powder, gelatin mixture and orange blossom water in the cream.
Fold it gently to retain volume.
For the Mirror Glaze- Prepare jello according to the instructions on the pack., Add dried dragon fruit powder while mixing jello in hot water. Add ice cold water to cool the jello faster.
Cut the cake rounds in halves.
Place the first half cake in the mousse mold. Sprinkle tbsp. of sugar syrup all over it.
Pour a layer of mousse over it.
Now place the second half of the cake and pour a thick layer of mousse again..
Likewise make all the mini mousse cake and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Now pour the glaze on top and further refrigerate to set overnight or until glaze is all set.
For serving, run the knife along the sides of the cake and remove the cake from the mold.
Garnish the sides of the cake with silvered pistachios.
Decorate the top with your favorite fruits.
Serve and enjoy!

Saffron Caramel Drip Cake with Peach Topping

September 8, 2023 by Bhawana

Hello, friends. Happy Spring!
Weather has been really crazy this year. We already had a glimpse of spring weather in February. February was really mild, with no snow storm and the highest temperature was in 70’s. I remember the day with the highest in 70’s because it was so good outside in February that we wanted to fire the grill and enjoy the sunshine. But later that week we were again home arrest due to snow storm, wind and cold.

Spring rain, an epitome of romance but since last week this glistening rain that drenched the heart with love ruining my schedules, car, clothes and most important my shoes. (I hate rain boots!) Traffic, closed bridges, mess everywhere makes me more vulnerable to depression and the only saving grace that’s brings back my sanity is my “Ginger Tea”. Keeping my tea time in mind I wanted to bake a coffee cake that goes well with my tea and compliment the season too. While browsing Vikas Khanna’s book during my “me time” his apple saffron cake tickled my fancy and pushed me to wear the apron. The recipe was eggless and that makes it just perfect during sacred navratris week.

Thanks to my pantry, all the ingredients were available but I tweaked the recipe with a peach to make it more cordial to the season. The hustle and bustle in the kitchen while baking is so gratifying and the aroma enveloping the kitchen makes it a worth while! The yogurt and apple cider vinegar in cake to replace eggs did their job really well. The saffron caramel was the star of the evening and we are still relishing it with apple and bananas.

This cake is dedicated to celebrate arrival of spring and love for peaches. The day amidst rain, mess and chaos was so rewarding in the evening with a cup of steaming ginger tea and piece of delicious cake. Even the rain outside was so calming and blissful now, when the family is around, playing board games with this delicious treat.
Thank you Vikas Khanna

Saffron Caramel Drip Cake with Peach Topping

Recipe Type: Baking/Cake

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

For Caramel-
1 tsp. Saffron
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
Peach Slices as needed
Cake-
1 1/2 cup All- Purpose Flour
3 tbsp. Cocoa Powder, unsweetened
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange
5 tbsp. Oil
1 cup Plain Yogurt
1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions

Crush saffron with sugar in mortar and pestle until well combined.
Mix butter and saffron sugar until smooth.
Cook the mixture in a heavy-bottom pan on medium heat.
Cook it for 3-4 minutes and add peach when sugar begins to caramelize.
Cook the peaches on low heat until soft.
Now add cream and gently mix it.
Keep it aside to cool down.
Preheat oven at 350° F.
Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and orange zest.
Now add oil, yogurt and vinegar. Mix it well until smooth with no lumps.
Pour the batter in a greased baking pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool the pan and carefully inverted the cake on serving plate.
Arrange the pear slices on the cake and drip the caramel on edges of the cake.
Serve with steaming coffee or tea.

Tiramisu Cake With Eggless Mascarpone Filling And Whipped Cream Frosting

July 7, 2023 by Bhawana

Wow, January of 2017 has already disappeared in the past. It’s February and its a birthday month of, “love of my life”, my son. Its been 10 years since God has blessed us with this beautiful gift. These 10 years has been full of love, happiness, hugs, kisses and baking. Yes! baking, cooking and blogging, coincidently I started my blog in the very same year he was born. When people fuss about cooking and cleaning with the new born baby , I don’t know from where I get the strength and courage to start a food blog. After so many years if I try to look back how I managed to cook and blog with no help and a new born baby, everything seems to be foggy and fuzzy. But the pleasure of being a creator gives me an immense satisfaction and happiness all through this journey.

Motherhood teaches you a lot. It really enhance your capability to love another person beyond measure to a extent that your life revolves around that small bundle of joy. Now that my son is entering in to double digits, its a big milestone for me. I am very proud looking at his transitional phase from a boy to a teenager but cannot hide my nervousness too. I am so used to of hearing mom all the time that I started missing that sound when he is not around. Though I am not ready to push him to live and learn by himself but still now a days I keep on telling him, you are 10, be independent, why you need mom for everything? That’s my duty to teach him how to fly…fly all alone!

Good parents give their children Roots and Wings.
Roots to know where home is,
Wings to fly away and exercise what’s been taught them.
Dr. Jonas Salk

I have no doubt in saying that my son is a huge fan of my baking. His confidence sometimes makes me feel guilty about the fact that I am not a trained baker. I am so embarrassed when he declares to the world that his mom bakes the best cakes. He likes whipped cream frosting better than butter cream frosting. I always try to customize my baking according to his taste. We don’t wait for occasions to bake a cake, all what it needs is any free time of the day in the kitchen, with lots of love and laughter.

He has always been my little helper, my taster, my admirer and a big motivator in the kitchen. Whenever I finish making cream frosting, he is always there to lick a bowl and a whisker. This is a ritual and even I make sure to make frosting when he is around. Now that he is growing up, I sometimes fear of losing these moments with him.

Dear Son,
I love you and will always there for you.
A very very Happy Birthday to you.
Big hug and lots of kisses!

Tiramisu Cake With Eggless Mascarpone And Whipped Cream Frosting

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

Vanilla sponge Cake
For the coffee syrup–
2 tbsp. Instant Coffee Powder
1/2 cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar
Espresso extract–
2 tbsp. Instant Coffee Powder
3 tbsp. Hot Water
For the filling and frosting–
8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions

For the espresso extract, whisk together espresso powder and hot water.
Set aside or use espresso from coffee machine.
For the coffee syrup, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract. Set aside.
For the filling, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbsp. coffee syrup just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
For the frosting, beat the cream, 1/2 cup powderedsugar and 2 tablespoons Espresso extract until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of filling mixture in it.
To assemble the cake, place one plain cake layer on a serving plate.
Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake.
Pour coffee syrup over cake, then spread half of the filling mixture.
Place another cake layer; poke holes in cake.
Pour coffee syrup over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling.
Spread sides and top of cake with frosting.
Decorate the cake according to the taste.
Refrigerate before serving.

Irani Café – Mawa Cake

November 29, 2022 by Bhawana

Long time no see! It has become a custom for me to start my blog with this expression these days. How are you guys doing? Officially its summer, long bright days are making me happy and more productive. Afternoons are really warm and sunny, compelling me to stay indoors and spending more time in exploring other blogs or browsing idly for some instant entertainment. I really like such lazy afternoons, sitting with my feet up on my favorite spot of the couch with laptop and relishing my penchant for hot cuppa of ginger tea. That’s the most creative and entertaining time of the day for me. I really like spending time with myself in the age when you hardly get any moment alone with all these what’s up, facebook, snapchat, twitter and what not…. Its not that I am against technology, I like it and using it to the best but spending some time with or for myself like old school are still in my priority.

While enjoying my own company last week, one afternoon I stumbled upon this video on you tube. Its about an old man going to a Irani bakery and bought a Mawa cake for himself. He ordered a cup of tea with it. While serving his tea a small boy broke the cup and spilled the tea. Another server came and try to hit the boy for his mistake but that old man blamed himself to save that small boy. While eating mawa cake a big piece fell on the floor by the old man. He tried hard but couldn’t reach it. He was disappointed and was really sad. But all of a sudden he realized there is another box of mawa cake on table. The owner of the café who was impressed by his kindness treated him with another box.

The moral of the story was “Believe in the magic of kindness”. The story was really simple but it touched the heart really deep. The name of the story was Mawa Cake. After watching the video I had this irrefutable urge to bake and eat a mawa cake. Very next morning I obliged my craving and baked the Mawa Cake.

How I wish, if I can share my mawa cake with the same old man. May Kindness rules and make this world more humanly and full of love.
Amen

Mawa Cake With A Middle Eastern Touch

Recipe Type: Baking / Cake

Cuisine: Parsi

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 1/2 cups Castor Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
3 Eggs
1 cup Khoya, grated
1 1/2 tsp. Orange Blossom Water
1 tsp. Rose water
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6-7 Green Cardamom, powdered
1/2 cup Milk with 1/2 tsp. of crushed Saffron
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
Sliced Pistachios for garnishing

Instructions

Pre heat oven at 375F. Grease and line the bottom of the cake pan.
Mix cake flour, salt, cardamom powder and baking powder.
Whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add khoya and whisk again while adding eggs one at a time.
Add orange blossom water, rose water and milk. Mix it well.
Now add dry mixture tbsp. at a time. Mix it well until all combined.
Do not overmix.
Finally add almonds and mix it.
Pour it in a prepared tin.
Garnish with pistachios and saffron thread.
Bake it for around an hour until skewer inserted in a cake comes out clean.
Cool it for 10 minutes.
Serve with tea or coffee.

Melon Agua Fresca – Welcome Spring!

August 29, 2022 by Bhawana

Spring is here but I can’t stop thinking about summer now! Why the inner-self is not satisfied with what we have? Thinking aloud….may be the weather right now. Its sunny but strong winds killing all the charm of a spring. Cherry blossom is in full bloom, but will not get any chance to admire the real beauty in its peak bloom. Rain and strong winds knocking off the fragile petals without any admiration. Longing for nice long walks amidst full bloom trees and sunny crisp weather in spring. Well, its not too late. I should stop rambling, be thankful and talk about more positive things.

Farmer’s Market are already stacked with Spring-y fruits and vegetables. I think, I should go and spend some time browsing around little stalls loaded with freshly picked fruits, vegetables, flowers and delicacies. I like the friendly festive atmosphere of a farmer’s market along with fresh seasonal produce and freshly made delicacies. Sometimes strolling around stalls gives you an option to explore and experiment with new seasonal produce.

There is one more thing I like in spring other than nice warm afternoons and flowers. That is light bubbly refreshing drinks. Agua Fresca is a light fruit drink with sugar and lemon juice. It’s a Spanish word means “fresh waters”. After soups, warm teas and coffee the transition in to refreshing drinks are so welcoming and of course very Spring-y. Cheers!

Melon Agua Fresca – Welcome Spring!

Recipe Type: Drinks

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

2 cups Water Melon, cubed
2 cups Cantaloupe, cubed
3 tsp. Lemon Juice
2 tsp. Sugar or as needed
1 1/2 cup Sparkling Water
(I used Jasmine Sparkling water for added flavor)
Ice Cubes
Melon balls and Mint for garnishing

Instructions

Blend everything together on high speed until smooth.
Strain the juice if its needed.
Serve chilled over ice, garnished with mint and melon balls.
Enjoy the weather with this refreshing drink.
Cheers !!

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup – Celebrating Fall

March 7, 2022 by Bhawana

Summer said goodbye and officially it’s fall. Cool misty mornings, little less sunlight and small days are really depressing. But thank God Halloween is almost there, it’s time to take out decorations from the basement and get busy in welcoming festivities that brings happiness. Last week I went out with a friend for a quick visit to a small cute farmer’s market in the downtown. From stalls of seasonal flowers, baked goods, vegetables and fruits, a cute round green and orange acorn squash caught my eye and instantly warm creamy soup was in my mind.

Next day seasonal flu puts me down and this cute small thing keeps on waiting for me in the refrigerator. I am still fighting with the cold and bad throat but cannot fight with the craving for warm bowl of creamy soup.

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

Author: Bhawana

Ingredients

2 Acorn Squash, halved and seeded
I Shallot, diced
1 carrot, cubed
I green Apple, cubed
4 cloves of garlic
Few fresh Sage
1/2 tsp. Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 pinch of Cinnamon Powder
Pinch of Nutmeg Powder
2 cups Vegetable Stock
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 tbsp Coconut Milk
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
Season squash with salt and peeper.
Put garlic (in a foil pouch) and squash into a baking dish with the cut side down.
Bake until the flesh of the squash is soft, about 30-40 minutes.
Let it cool until squash can be handled. Scoop flesh into a bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Cook garlic, shallot, carrot, and apple until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add squash, cumin powder, cayenne powder, cinnamon and nutmeg powder. Mix it well.
Now pour vegetable stock into the pot.
Add fresh sage leaves and simmer it for 20 minutes.
Puree the mixture with a stick blender.
Stir coconut milk and season with salt and pepper.
Cook more for 2 minutes. Serve with garnish of your choice.

Baklava – Nutty Sweet Multilayer Pastry

October 1, 2021 by Bhawana

I have a Cooking Bucket List, Yes! It is long and I wanted to make each item in the list in my lifetime. When I accomplish any recipe in the list as per my satisfaction, its a proud moment for me and very motivating for my tiny cooking repertoire. Well, in a time of “no sugar-no oil” healthy food (pun intended if you find one) fulfilling cooking bucket list is a big dream. Putting check sign on any particular dish gives me immense pleasure and few extra pounds on my waist.
I wanted to share one of that happy day for me with you guys and my trophy for the day is Baklava- Nuts Filled Flaky Multilayered Pastry sweetened with rose flavored Sugar Syrup.

Baklava is a Middle-Eastern dessert, famous all around world for its flaky, nutty, sweet and rich taste. Home made baklava tastes so good, its fresh, pastry is more flaky and crunchy and sweetness according to taste. It was in my list for really long, i have no idea why i didn’t try it before…its really easy and delicious.

Baklava

Author: Bhawana

Nutty Sweet Multilayer Pastry

Ingredients

1 box Phyllo Pastry Dough
1 cup Walnuts
1 cup Almonds
1 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup crushed Pistachios for garnishing
Sugar Syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
(I used 1/2 tsp. Rose Water and 1 tsp. of Orange Blossom Water for extra flavor)