Cheesecake - A No Fuss Wonder

Lately, I have been less into blogging for some or the other reasons. Nothing specific. These days I am somewhat into a wandering state. Although I am not moving but my mind is. Lots of thoughts are coming and going. At one time I want to write a story, then at another I want to start a new blog and some other random musings. But there are so many thoughts that I have become a little uncomfortable. I need to organize them. After much of contemplation, finally I have decided on making a notebook and jotting down all my thoughts and may be I will have to start another blog for my ramblings which are not at all related to food. Probably then I will be able to reach a sense of stability.

Other than thinking, I baked a wonderful cheese cake. There was no reason of celebration. But then Food is itself a reason to celebrate. Whenever we are cooking something delicious for our family, then that counts as a celebration. The Cheese cake on Thanksgiving came out to be perfect with all the flavors of my superb learning experience from other food blogs on baking. With not much fuss, I just used a simple recipe ofcourse a synthesis of all the cheese cake recipes I read.

Cheesecake is such a delicious dessert, a wonderful way to end the dinner. After having it you will be smiling with pleasure. I made a plain one but you can use any of the fruits, nuts, raisins or chocolate to make different flavors for the topping. Morever if you don't want to bake then you can set it also. But that takes few hours to set before serving.

Ingredients

For Base

2 cup biscuits crushed (around 8-10 biscuits)
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

For Cake
1 cup cream cheese, softened
2-3 tbsp sugar free
2 eggs
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp cream
1 tbsp coffee

Method

* First mix butter and crushed biscuits properly for making the base of the cheesecake and refrigerate.
* In a bowl mix well all the other ingredients.
* Place the biscuit mix in a baking pan.
* Pour the cheese mixture over the base.
* Bake the cheesecake at 325 degree F for about half an hour.
* Serve warm otherwise you can chill it for few hours, if you want to have it cold.

Thanksgiving Day, Cranberry Relish & New A Look

After a new domain, I almost disappeared for a week. Worked hard to get a new look for my blog. Finally I have been able to come up with something. Although I consider it a beta version somewhat. Need a lot of advices and lot more changes so that I am finally satisfied with it. So dear friends a request to all of you. Please give me the feedback on this new one and help me improve it.

Thanksgiving is just in a few days. So here is an easy recipe to make. No preparations required. Ideally you should serve it warm. What you can do is make it a day before and when required, just warm it in the microwave. The recipe is so delicious and so easy to make. Its just that you will have to get the cranberries.

Ingredients

2 cup frozen cranberries
2 cup sugar or any other sweetener
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Method

* In a pan combine cranberries, sugar and cinnamon powder. Mix well.
* Add the mixture into a baking dish. Cover the dish with a foil.
* Preheat the oven to around 300 degrees(F).
* Place the dish in the oven and bake for almost an hour.
* After an hour, take it out and let it cool.
* Serve it warm.

Gulab Jamuns - Reason To Celebrate

News !! Reasons to rejoice and celebrate. I have got myself my own domain. In one more day all will be set, further changes will follow like new design and other new interesting things which will make my foodie friends enjoy my blog even more.

So to celebrate, I ended up making Gulab Jamuns. This was my second attempt and the results were even better. May be my happiness got into those sweet balls !! My first attempt was on Diwali, which by luck also came out to be pretty good.

When Srivalli announced the new ICC in October, reading the name of the dish gave me fritters. I wondered if yet again I will be able to fulfill the challenge or not. Frankly speaking I have been always little skeptical in making Gulab Jamuns. Giving the round shape then facing the frying disasters really frightens me. Although when it comes to having gulab jamuns then I can gorge lots n lots of them. I have seen my mom making them but mom is mom and I am a daughter. Nothing can be compared to the perfection of a mother. But thanks to Srivalli, finally I have been able to shed away my fears and make such delicious soft and gooey syrapy sweet balls ie. Gulab jamuns. Next time whem my mom will come, I will definitely make for her.

Ingredients
For gulab jamuns

2 cup khoya
1 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
Oil for frying

For sugar syrup

2-3 cup sugar
a few saffron strands (not necessary)
2-3 cup water

Method

For making sugar syrup

* In a thick bottom pan, heat water. Dissolve sugar and bring it to boil.
* Let it simmer for few minutes till one string consistency is achieved. From time to time remove the scum from top.
* Add the saffron strands.

For making balls

* In a large bowl, add flour, khoya and cardomom powder. Mix well using hands.
* Knead into a firm dough using a liitle oil. Do not use water.
* Make small firm round balls from the dough.
* Keep the balls in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. This will prevent them from cracking while frying.
* In a wok heat oil and deep fry these balls on slow flame till golden in color.
* Soak the balls in the sugar syrup for about half an hour.
* Serve them hot

Lemon Prune Tart - A Sinful Dessert

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person."- Albert Einstein

I took a lot of inspiration from this quote reading Leo Babauta's blog and this is the reason for my delayed tart. I know you all must be wondering what kind of tart I am making that I disappeared for so many days. But in true terms I made the tart twice to achieve the perfect flavor and color and then after so many clicks the perfect shot, which I liked. I know I have a long way to go after all mastering anything takes time and depends on how often and how much you do it. Still I really envy food bloggers who have such professional food pics with food worth dying for.

The first tart I made using dried prunes, it came out to be a little sweeter. So the next time when I made prune tart again, I added lemon to it which reduced both its sweetness and the golden color. Making the prune tart is very easy. Its just that it takes a longer time to make. But all good things are priceless. When you will have the first bite, you will just feel wonderful. The flavor and aroma is almost sinful, filling your senses.

Ingredients

For the pastry

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg
pinch of cardamom powder

For the filling

10-12 dried pitted prunes
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup golden syrup
2 eggs
1 lemon juice

Method

* Put flour, sugar, butter and an egg together in a bowl and mix properly with hands.
* When everything is properly mixed, using a little water form a firm dough.
* Keep the dough in refrigerator for half an hour.
* After half an hour, remove the dough and roll out in the form of a large round flat thin pastry.
* In a preheated oven at 180 degree, bake the pastry for 10 minutes.
* Meanwhile start making the filling. On a low flame, heat butter and golden syrup in a pan.
* Remove the syrup after few minutes. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add to the syrup along with lemon juice. If you want, you can add cardamom powder to the filling too.
* Remove the pastry from the oven and let it cool.
* Arrange the prunes on the pastry, followed by pouring the filling evenly over them.
* At 160 degrees, bake the tart for around 30 minutes.
* Serve warm with mango sauce.

Food Ingredients Dictionary - Golden Syrup

Thanksgiving is in a few days. A time to thank everyone dear to our hearts. And what could be a better way other than serving a delicious Thanksgiving lunch or dinner with choicest of dishes. So in my ever going quest to learn something new and serve my family all of my culinary experiments, I am in the process of making a Prune Tart this time. Tomorrow I would post the recipe. Tart has been done. Filling would be made in the evening followed by the perfect click and posting. Not wasting any more time, I would come straight to point. I am going to introduce a superb sweetener, Golden syrup to all my foodie friends which I have used in this tart.

Generally referred to as pale or light treacle, Golden syrup is a thick, amber-colored form of inverted sugar syrup looking just like honey. Golden syrup has an interesting story about its discovery. Way back in 1883, a Scottish businessman Abram Lyle was refining sugarcane in his factory, when he found a byproduct golden in color with very sweet taste. He took that home and used it as a spread and for making desserts. Due to the golden color, it came to be known as Golden Syrup. He first sold it to Lyle's employees and other locals. In 2006 Guinness World Records listed it as the Britain's oldest brand.

Golden syrup is made from the juice of sugar canes, which is evaporated to produce the flavor and texture of the syrup. For vegans who do not eat honey, it is a great substitute for making desserts. Comprising primarily of sucrose, glucose and fructose, golden syrup is easy to be stored without worrying about the low temperatures in winters. In UK it is a popular ingredient for making tarts or as a topping for pancakes. One thing that has to be taken care of is to use it in lesser amounts. It is sweeter than sugar.