Strawberry & almond cheesecake sponge

There was a time when I always made a cake for Sunday afternoon coffee and I used to take them to my inlaws home and the cake would be finished in a flash as we were always with some 7 for coffee and then If by chance there was some left over she would keep the rest for the next day for them.

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that she passed away last year and now for sunday coffee we have gone down from 7 people to just 4 ( ok mostly 3 as Shyama is only there for coffee ifshe come home for weekend)

And mostly we end up buying cake if it is just 3 of us as Hans would be saying to me why you want to do all the work making a cake as we are just 3.
So ususally we end up buying tarts/ cakes these days from the bakers .
And i was fed up paying too much for the small cakes plus they are too sweet etc... and I go on grumbling about it, so I ended up making this cake for one sunday.
And I kept the rest in my FIL's fridge saying he can have a slice for next day and also to give for Niece when she come there.
The cake is really good and moist. And as strawberry season is still going on there it was a good way to use the delicious strawberries.
Mu cheese went to the bottom so next time when i make this cake i will add more than half of the cake batter and then add the cheese mix.

Recipe Copied from BBC Good Good

Ingredients.

• 175g butter, really soft, plus extra for greasing
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 75g full-fat natural yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g strawberries, hulled and sliced
• handful flaked, toasted almonds

For the cheesecake blobs

• 200g full-fat cream cheese
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 23cm cake tin with baking parchment. Mix the ingredients for the cheesecake blobs together in a bowl until just combined – be careful not to overmix or it will become runny. Set aside.
• Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, yogurt, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a large bowl, and beat together until smooth using an electric hand whisk.
• Scrape half the cake mixture into the tin, then scatter with half the strawberries. Use the back of a teaspoon to create dips in the surface of the cake and dollop in spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture – saving about half for the top. Cover with the remaining cake mixture, being careful not to disturb the cheesecake and strawberries below. Scatter with the remaining strawberries and spoon on the remaining cheesecake mixture, using the same method as before.
• Scatter with almonds and bake for 50 mins-1 hr or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins in the tin before turning out. Delicious served warm or cold

Citrus & Marzipan Bakewell tart

I love buying cooking books and food magazines. I have so many cooking books and magazines that he pile is getting too much.
There are times when I clean up mymagazine bunch and then I throw the ones I really don't use.
Most of the time I order the books online unless if the book is written by a Belgian Authour then I buy from the shop  as it is in Dutch.
And each time I order a book online Hans  remark, didn't I hear some one saying I am not going to buy any more new cooking books.

So while I was in the Bookstore near to my home, I was looking at the magazine section and saw the BBC Good Food Magazine, and I looked through the recipes in i and this Bakewell tart caught my attention and I was like ohhhhhhhhh I want to make this tart.
But I said to myself I have too much magazine as I have get monthly two food magazine in my post.
So didn't buy but the whole day I was thnking about this tart that I went next day to the book store and bought the magazine.
Only after buying the magazine I found out they had the recipe in their site as when i looked for it i just typed Lemon Bakewell tart and didn't find in search :-(

Well I must say I am so happy I got the magazine as these tarts are so good.
They are bit on the sweet side but I think the tanginess from the curd makes it up :-)

Tip :

I made myown short crust pastry and used individual tart tins, in the recipe they asked for a long one tart tin.
Original recipe didn't ask for the addition of 1/4 tsp of baking powder, that is my addition.
 

Citrus & Marzipan Bakewell Tart. ( Recipe from BBC Goodfood Magazine )

375g pack sweet shortcrust pastry ( I didn't buy from the store I made at home)

jar of lemon curd

280g icing sugar

juice 1 lemon

For the sponge

• 100g very soft butter
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 50g ground almonds
• 50g self-raising flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 1/4 tsp baking piwder ( oriinal recipe didn't ask, but I added)
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 25g chopped candied peel
• zest 1 lemon
• zest ½ orange
• 50g block marzipan

Method (Read the Tip above)

1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to line a 12 x 35cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press any overhanging pastry back over the outside of the tin (you can trim after baking). Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 30 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
2. Bake the pastry for 15 mins until just cooked but not coloured. Lower the heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Make the sponge mixture by beating the butter, sugar, ground almonds, flour, almond extract and eggs together with an electric whisk until well mixed. Tip in the candied peel and zests, then coarsely grate in the marzipan – the best way to do this is to keep dipping the end of the block in flour to stop it getting sticky, and stir into the mix every now and then to stop it all clumping back together. Give everything a good stir.
3. Spoon 3 tbsp of the lemon curd into a disposable piping bag or a small food bag. Spread the rest of the lemon curd over the base of the tart, then spoon over the sponge mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and firm. Cool completely in the tin.
4. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in enough of the lemon juice to get a smooth, thick but still runny icing. Spread all over the top of the tart and wiggle the tin to help it smooth. Snip off the tip of the bag of reserved lemon curd. Pipe lines horizontally across the length of the tin, then use the end of a cocktail stick or skewer to drag lines down the length of the tin to ‘feather’ the lemon curd into the icing. Will keep well for up to 5 days in the tin covered with cling film, or sliced in an airtight container.

 

Chestnut , Whisky and Chocolate yule log or bûche de Noël

 

Wishing all my readers a Very Happy New year.
I do hope you all had a good Christmas Celebration and New Years Celebration.

We celebrated both with a bang eeven though 2013 was not such a good year for us, we all decided at home that we should celebrate christmas and also had a good party on New years eve in my FIL's home.
I know I am a bit late in posting the cake, but as usual during this period I rarley have time to write a post.
Now I do love a traditional Christmas cake soaked with rum etc... but other than me no one like a cake like that.

So I opted for make a christmas yule log or bûche de Noël .
The recipe I took from a french food magazine, Ok I don't know french other thanfew words except I can understand most of the food names as here in the shops we have labeling in dutch and french plus I keep on buying all these french food magzines so ofcourse i understand now the ingrdient list just I have to ask Hans to translate the recipe how to make them :-)

I do have step by step picture how to make the cake. I will add them when I have a bit time to edit the pictures.

Ingridients:

250 gm chestnut cream
75 gm flour
100 gm sugar
25 gm cacao powder + 2 tbsp for sprinkling
4 to 5 tbsp whisky for sprinkling on to your cake
3 tbsp whisky for adding into the chestnut cream
250 gm heavy cream
3 tbsp of cream extra for adding the soaked gelatine.
4 eggs yolk and whites seperated
40 gm soft unslated butter
2 1/2 gelatine leafs
Few table spoon of grated dark chocolate for decoration
Preheat the oven to 220°c.
Whisk the egg whites and keep it aside.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar till it is pale and fluffy ( till you see the ribbon stage when you lift the whisk)
Add the sieved flour and cacao powder and fold in.
Then fold in the whisked egg whites carfully making sure you don't sestroy to much of the air bubbles.
Pour the mix into a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

When it is baked cover it immidietly with a tea towel and remove from the baking tray to a rack.
Remove the baking paper carefully and cool for 5 minutes
Sprinkle on a clean kitchen towel some sugar and when the cake is baked dump the cake to the tea towel and remove the baking tray, leave it to cool for few minutes and then pull of the baking paper. ( it doesn't matter if it stick and you have to pull a bit as it will get covered up when you spread the cream mix and roll )
In the mean time make the chestnut cream mix.
Soak the gelatine leaves in plenty of cold water for 5 minutes.  Squeeze out the excess water and add the gelatine into the hot cream ( 3 tbsp of extra cream, heat this up in a small bowl in the MW)
Leave it to cool slightly this mix.
In a another bowl whisk the chestnut cream,whisky and butter into a creamy mix.
Whisk the 250 ml of heavy cream together with the gelatine mix ( pour the gelatine mix slowly while you whipp the heavy cream)
Fold the heavy cream into the chestnut mix .
When the cake is cool ( it might take some 10 to 15 minutes for the cake to cool) sprinkle the whisky on the cake.
And spread the chestnut cream mix evenly and roll it up.
And spread the rest of the cream mix on the top and all the sides .
Sprinkls the grated chocolate.
Leave in the fridge for atleast 3 hours before you slice and serve it.
 

Cranberry And Marzipan Cake

 

I think this is the first year I have not done any christmas baking or even soaked the fruits for a traditional cake.
The reason for the cake is that the only person who really love christmas cake in my home is just me. The rest will eat a slice only because I took all that effort to make it.
They all prefer the christmas cake ( roll)  with butter cream etc...

And anyway this cake was not made because it is christams season, I made this last month as I had left over cranberries and I was looking for a cake recipe in the baking books I have and found in one of my new addition of baking book which is from The Great British Bake Off Every day I love the show and every year I am glued to the screen when they show each week.

 



Ingridients:

150 gm cranberries ( thawed if frozen) I used fresh
100 gm unsalted butter softened
60 gm sugar ( I added 30 gm)
200 gm Marzipan grated
3 medium eggs at room temperature
120 gm ground almonds
120 gm plain flour ( plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling on the cranberries)
2 teaspoon baking powder
25 gm flaked almonds
Icing suagar for dusting ( i didn't do)

1.  Heat your oven to 180°c /350°F / gas 4.
Chop the cranberries fairly coarsley . Set aside untill needed.

2. Put the soft butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat with a hand held electric mixer untill light and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the grated marzipan beat trhoughlty untill very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides from time to time.

3. Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a fork untill broken up, then gradually add to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as before. Gently stir in the ground almonds with a spoon.

4. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold with a sppon. As soon as the flour as been incorporated, carfully fold in the cranberris ( before that mix the extra 2 tbsp flour to the cranberries this is a trick i do when making cakes with fruits)
Avoid over mixing at this point stop as soon as the cranberries look evenly distributed in the cake mixture.

5. Scrape the mixture into a prepared cake tin ( 20 cm round pan) spread evenly.
Scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
Place in the heated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes untill risen and golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
If you think the cake is getting too brown you can loosley cover the cake with a aliminium foil andother trick i always use making cakes.

6. Set the tin on a wire rack. Run a round blades knife around the cake to loosen it from the tin, then carfully unclip the tin side and leave the cake to cool completley.
Once cold , wrap in  greasproof paper or foil and stone in a air tight container overnight.
The flavours are better if you eat the cake next day that is why the recip say to do the above thing.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

Apple Tart / Tarte aux Pommes

 

I had got into a new routine and was back into my regular blogging and then crash it went.
Father in law broke his foot so it has been really busy, going with him to the hospital, and then going to his place twice a day to check on him plus spedning more time there as he is sitting in this home all alone as he cannot go out and he will have to wear the cast for 4 weeks.
He does hopp around in his living and to the bedroom etc...

But now it is only 2 more weeks to the next trip to the hospital and he is already feeling better well his foot his better no pain etc...so that is a plus point.
So fingers crossed as it is not nice for him to just be inside day after day inside.
He did go to a concert from Hans which was in our town.

Today morning while we were having our breakfast I was just sitting and smiling and Hans asked what are you smiling and then I told him what happend yesterday in his fathers place.
Aparently someone had been ringing my FIL's doorbell after midnight or so.

And my fil thinks it is some one he mush have locked up ( as he was in police) when he was working.
So now he found out a trick, before he goes to sleep he takes the phone from the doorbell off.
But he wanted to try it, he told me Finla when you go down ( I was going to the next door shop to get something for him) ring the bell and I will answer you and then i will not keep the phone on the hook I will just leave it hanging and you ring again and I will see if it make noise.

So I did what he asked when I went down rang him once he answered and I waited few seconds and rang again and I went off to the shop to buy the stuff he wanted and came back to his place.

While I enterd his living room I saw him sitting on the chair next to the door phone and eating grapes from the fruit basket, I asked him Dad what are you doing well he said Finla I was waiting for you to ring again and I just bursted out , I said I rang you second time and ofcourse you dodn't hear anything if you don't keep the door phone back in the hook.

He has been sitting there as he thought I didn't ring the bell second time.
Each time when I think about the incident it makes me  smile and I thought I will share this with you all :-)

This apple tart recipe is from Delicious Magazine and it is so easy to make, especially as one is using shop made puff pastry.

 

Ingredients

500g block all-butter puff pastry
Flour for dusting
6-8 cox’s orange pippin apples (see tips), peeled, cored, halved and cut into 2mm slices (about 650g) (I used Jognagold)
20g unsalted butter
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
3 tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp apricot jam
Vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche to serve

For the almond cream

60g unsalted butter, softened
75g icing sugar ( I used only 50 gm )
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 drops of pure almond extract
1 medium free-range egg
100g ground almonds
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp dark rum

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. For the almond cream, in a small bowl whisk the 60g butter with the icing sugar, vanilla and almond extract for 2-3 minutes until the butter turns pale, then add the remaining ingredients. Whisk well and set aside.
2. 2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 32cm round (to the thickness of a £1 coin), then place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Using the back of a small knife, draw a line 1cm in from the edge of the pastry all the way round to give the tart a border.
3. 3. Prick inside the marked circle all over with a fork, then spread over the almond cream.
4. 4. Starting from the outside, arrange the apple slices over the almond cream, overlapping them tightly so that only about 1cm of the previous slice is visible. Make a complete circle then start another circle, overlapping the previous one. Repeat this operation until the tart is complete.
5. 5. In a small frying pan, melt the 20g butter with the rosemary until foaming, then add the sugar. Stir, then remove from the heat and brush the mixture over the apples. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are well coloured around the edges. With a spatula, lift the tart carefully and check the bottom is cooked and crisp.
6. 6. Heat the jam very gently in a small saucepan with a tiny splash of water. Sieve it (if you want a very smooth glaze), then brush over the tart. Serve with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche or simply as it is.

 

PASTEL de TRES LECHES or THREE MILK CAKE (Daring Bakers September 2013)

This Daring Bakers post should have been up last week but I had no time as I was busy plus I went with two other blog friends to Paris for 3 days ( that post will come soon with Delicious pics) .

And I thought I will share the September DB .

I have heard about this cake and my sis is such a great fan of this cake as shemakes it always for potluck partyto take with her as she makes delicious desserts and cakes, but even though she has said it is such a yumm cake I never tried.

But then Now that the DB challenge for septmeber was this I thought now is the chance for foing them.

I made them in cup cake form and I added so much less suagar than the original recipe.

For the cake recipe I just added 3 tablespoon of sugar .

And as I made in cupcake I didn't cut into two slice the cake I just soaked eachcupcake int he syrup and topped with a fruit.

Inma of la Galletika was our Sept. 2013 Daring Bakers’ hostess and WOW did she bring us something decadent and delicious! Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake, creamy yet airy, super moist but not soggy.. just plain delish!

Classic Three Milks Cake:

Servings: 12

Ingredients for the vanilla sponge cake

5 large eggs (separated)

½ cup (120 ml) (4 oz) (125 gm) sugar

2 teaspoons (10 ml) of vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) (5 oz) (140gm) all-purpose (plain) flour (sifted)

For three milks syrup

1 can (14 oz) (400 gm) sweetened condensed milk

1 can (12 oz) (340 gm) evaporated milk

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream (about 35% fat) or 1 cup of half & half or 1 cup milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons (10 ml) rum (or other flavoring)

Topping and filling

2 cups (500 ml) of whipping cream (about 30% fat)

½ cup (120 ml) (4 oz) (125 gm) sugar

Canned or fresh fruit (to fill and decorate the cake)

Directions For the Sponge Cake:

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Prepare a square 9”x9” (23cmx23 cm) pan or 9” (23 cm) round cake pan
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
3. Beat the egg whites on medium speed, 3 - 5 minutes.
4. When soft peaks form slowly add the sugar in small batches.
5. Whip until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. Set aside.
6. In a medium bowl beat egg yolks at medium-high speed for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the egg yolks become pale colored, creamy and puffy. Stir in vanilla.
7. Pour the egg yolks over the egg whites, gently fold until just combined trying not to lose any volume from the mixture.
8. Fold in the flour little by little in the form of rain. Mix until just combined (over-beating will result in a denser, flatter cake).
9. Pour the batter into the prepared 9”x9” (23cmx23 cm) square cake pan or 9” (23 cm) round cake pan.
10. Bake in the preheated moderate oven for 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean
11. Let it cool
12. Once cool, split the cake in half, flip the top of the cake and place it on a base. Poke using a fork holes all over the cake to better absorb the three milk soaking liquid.

Three milks syrup

1. In a saucepan add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and cinnamon stick, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove it and let it cool.
2. Once it is cool, add the rum or any other flavoring you are using

Gradually brush all the milk soaking liquid into all sides of the cake (including the cut surfaces) until all absorbed. Best to rest the cake in the fridge overnight to complete the soaTopping
Whip the cream, when soft peaks form add the sugar little by little, continue whipping until stiff peaks form about 2 mins. king process.

Raspberry Chocolate and Almond Cake

It has been a wonderful long weekend as Ananda some of you may know her from the blog A pinch of Love came to our place for weekend and it was so much fun to have her at home and cooking and also we made macarons, she wanted to learn how to make them so we maked them together but as we were so busy we didn't had time to fill them.
We drank cocktails, ate so much food that in that even one evening we were all so STUFFED that we just were like no moreeeeeeeeeee eating like this :-)
We went for shopping for baking stuff, then went for prop shopping in a second hand shop and then went to one of my favourite shop for buying new props, and Ananda went wild there as she found so many things she loved.

The day before she came I had made this cake as it was a religious holiday here and as usual we go to my FIL's place for afternoon coffee and recently I have restarted baking cakes to take that side as we were getting fed up by the cakes from the bakers.
Before I used to take the whole cake but now from 7 to 8 ppl for the coffee time it has reduced to just 4 so now a days I just take half the cake and keep the other half here .

In the recipe it is written serve with whipped cream but I din't had any cream so didn't do it thought Hans was going one saying that it would have been so good to have the cream as he loves whipped cream.

Recipe is from last months Delicious Magazine.

150 gm Unsalted butter, softend to room temperatur
150 gm sugar ( I used only 90 gm)
2 large eggs
150 gm Self rasising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder ( in the recipe they didn't use it but I added) add to the flour
50 ml whole milk
150 gm almond powder
135 gm dark chcolate chip ( used chocolate chunks)
150 gm fresh or frozen raspberries ( I used 170 gm and frozen one, take them our just before you want to fold into the cake)
25 gm flakes almonds
Icing sugar to duseµDouble cream to serve

1. Preaheat the oven to 180°c / fan 160°c. Grease and line a 20 cm cake tin.
   In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar untill pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well adding a spoon of flour after each addition. Beat in the milk to combine.
2. Fold in the remaining flour, the ground almonds, chocolate chips and raspberries. Spoon into the cake tin, then sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
3. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes untill a skewer pushed into the center comes out clean ( although chocolate might stick to it), coool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completley. Dust with the icing sugar and serve with cream.

Tip: After 40 minutes if the cake is getting too brown I cover the top of the cake loosley with a foil and then bake for the rest of the time.

 

Advocaat Easter Budnt Cakes

If you live in Holland or in Belgium you will know aobut Advocaat it is a creamy liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy. It has a smooth, custard-like flavor and is similar to eggnog.

The typical alcohol content is generally somewhere between 14% and 20% ABV.

 

Its contents may be a blend of egg yolks, aromatic spirits, sugar or honey, brandy, vanilla and sometimes cream (or evaporated milk).

Thick advocaat is sold almost exclusively on the Dutch and Belgian market, though in lesser quantities it can also be found Southern German, Austrian and Tyrolean markets.

It is often eaten with a little spoon, while a more liquid version is sold as an export.

 

Thick advocaat contains egg white, and is used as a waffle topping and as an ingredient for several kinds of desserts such as ice cream, custards and pastries. It is also served as an apéritif or digestif in a wide glass with whipped cream and cocoa powder sprinkled on top.

During the winter months I always have a bottle in my fridge, as when ever my in laws came for afternoon coffee I used to serve them after the coffee a drink and mostly for mother in law it will be port or a glass of sherry and sometimes it will be Advocaat, but mostly for father in law it will be advocaat as he loves sweet things.

 

Ofcourse I have never bee a huge fan of Advocaat as in my mind it is too eggy and everybody here will disagree to me saying that eggy taste is just in my mind :-)

 

And while I was thinking what cake to make for yesterday ( sunday coffee) this recipe just came to my attention and I thought why not make use if the bottle of advocaat I have in the fridge and anyway as Easter is comming up , I thought it will be a good idea to decorate with the chocolate eggs and then I will have a cake for Easter in my blog, isn't that clever or not :-)

The cake was really good moist , fluffy and soft.

Ofcourse you must serve with generous dollops of Mascarpone cheese mixed with Advocaat and if you don't have mascarpone at home you can whipp up some double cream and then mox with the advocaat.

I used 2 middle size budnt pand and then really small budnt pan and then made a small round cake with the below mix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingridients:

4 eggs Large

200 gm powder sugar ( I used 130 gm)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

200 ml oil

200 ml Advocaat

125 gm flour

8 gm baking powder

100 gm corn flour / Corn Startch

Powder sugar for sprinkling

Colored chocolate eggs ( I used M&M)

200 gm Mascarpone Cheese ( if you don't have you can use whipping cream see above for tip)

Couple of table spoon of Advocaat

Few table spoon of butter and flour for coating the pans.

Preheat the oven 175°c ( if you have hot air ovan like me then it is 160°c).

Butter the pans and flour.

Add the eggs into a bowl together with the powder sugar and beat with a electric mix ( i used hand held) frothy/ribbony texture this will take couple of minutes.

Sieve the flour,corn startch and baking powder and keep in a bowl.

When the egg sugar mis is frothy/ribbony texture add the vanilla extrac, then add the oil and give it a good stir with the spoon, then add the Advocaat and stir till everything is mixed well.

Add the flour mix and fold everything till all the flour is mixed well into the batter.

Pour the mix into the prepared pans.

My middle budnt tool 20 to 22 minutes to bake, small ones took 12 to 14 minutes.

When you insert a cake tester and if it comes out clean then you know the cake is done.

Remove from the oven let it cool for couple of minutes and then take the cake sout from the pan and let i completley cool.

Sprinkle the cakes with powder sugar.

Serve with macarpone cheese mixed with advocaat.

 

Nutty,Chocolaty,Swril Sour Cream Budnt Cake

I am glad I have loads of pictures of recipes and baking in my computer as I have not been baking anything latley.
I do have to say I have made this budnt cake couple of times and each time I make them every body here love it.
Ofcourse it is a good recipe as it is from Dorie Greenspan book From mu Home to yours and each recvipe I have made from that book always come perfect .

 





Makes 12 Serving:




For the Swril
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, finley chopped or 1/3 cup if mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup plump , moist raisins or dried currants
2 1/2 tsp of ground cinamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt

For the cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup sugar ( I only added less than 1 cup)
Grates zest of 1 orange
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
Confectioner's sugar for dusting optional

Getting ready:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F.
Butter a 9 to 10 inch ( 12 cups) budnt pan, dust the interior with flour and tap out the excess.
To make the Swril
Put all the ingridients in a bowl and stir to mix.

To make the cake:
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a another large bowl, rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers untill the sugar is moist and aromatic.
Add the butter . With the paddle or whisk attachment ir with a hand mixer, neat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes ine.
beat in the vanilla.
Rduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the sour cream.
Still working on low add the dry ingridient and mix only until they disapear into the batter.

Give the batter a last stir or two with a rubber spatula, then schoop about one third of the batter into the budnt pan.
Evenly sprinkle on half of the swril ùixture, then spoon in the rest of the batter.
Make a shallow indentation with the back of the spoon in the center of the ring of batter and fill it with the remaining swril mixture, then cover th emixture lightly with the batter on the sides of the indentation - the batter probably won't cover the mixture completley and that is fine.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Tranfer the pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes before unmolding it into the rack to cool to room temperature.
Just before serving , dust the cake with confectioner's sugar, if desired.



 

 

Lime Cranberry Pound Cake

The weather is getting colder day by day , last night I could hear that the heating system was automatically (when we go for sleep we regulate the degrees and if the living get colder then it goes on) going on as it must have been so cold in the night.

Not that I can complain as I am tucked comfortably in the warm bed.

But I am a light sleeper and when the heating systme goes on it make a kind of noise.

Any way Hans had to go for a rehersal so we got up early, well early to our standard and if i write them time here you all will say that is early for you my god by the time Finla you are awake half of my work is done :-) )

So was just awake and I was walking to the kitchen when I heard the phone rings and It is my sis in India, and

I tell Hello and

sis say Guess what I am making ,

Me You are baking your christmas cake

Sis , No I am making Kalkus ( it is a sweet made with flour, egg, and fried and then coated with sugar syrup etc...then she says after this I am aslo going to make Diamond cuts, yet another sweet which is made in kerala during the holidays.

I ofcourse so Jealous wish i could make all these things , I want to, but I can't as no body is going to eat them and I will be the one ending up eating all this sweet things.

Now this conversation has nothing to do with this recipe which I am posting but I just wanted to give how my daily life, is, one sis rings me to say what she is making, then the other sis and I when we talk to each other what do we talk about baking, dishes we are making, or what we are going to make :-)

One of the first baking website love even before I started my blog is Joy of Baking, I know if you love baking you won't be a stranger to this site.

I think the whole word knows about it as it is so good, I have made so many bakes from there and it always comes out perfect.

And this Lemon Cranberry Pound Cake was no different too.

I have made this cake so many times but I have never blogged about it, and this time too I was not planning to blog hence no step by step picture, but then as it was looking so christmasy I thought why not.

I don't have a pciture of slices as I made this for last sunday and as usual on sundays I take my bakes to my in laws place for afternoon coffee. And every time I take my bakes there there is always a slice or two cut because I do that for taking pics for the blog, but this time I thoguht I will take it in one piece :-)

It is such a easy cake to make and really moist and so delicious.

I did some  variation which I have noted in different color

Do check the original post as there is lots of tips for making this cake.



Ingridients.

For the cranberries:

 1/3 cup (80 ml) Lemon juice ( I used Lime)
2 tbsp brandy ( Used 4 tbsp )
1 cup ( 115 gm dried cranberries) ( I used 160 gm)

In the recipe it was written to add above indridients in a pan and boil etc, but what I did was put all the above ingridients in a glass bowl , and whacked in the MW for 2 to 3  minute and then drained it and let it cool down, keep the drained liquid

Do this step first before you start with your cake mix.

 Pound Cake:

3 1/2 cup ( 455 gms ) all purpouse flour
1/2 tsp ( 2 gms) baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup ( 227 gms ) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups ( 600 gm ) granulated white sugar ( I used only 300 gm as my family don't like the cake to be sweet plus I added more sugar for making the thick frosting)6 large eggs
2 tbsp lemon zest ( I used Lime)
1/2 tbsp of pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 gms) sour cream or youghurt ( I used sour cream)

 Lime frosting optional ( I did)

I am writting down what frosting I did as the original one had a lighter frosting and no liqueur

200 to 250 gm of powdered or  icing sugar
Few table spoon egg white ( if you don't like to use fresh eggs you can use egg white powder, i use the egg white as then the icing gets hard)
Few tbsp of Orange ligueur ( I used Manadrin Napoleon)

 For Pound Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter and flour (or spray with a vegetable oil and flour spray) a 10 inch (25 cm) bundt pan. If using a dark colored pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

 In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add lime zest, vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With mixer on low, add 1/3 of flour mixture, alternating with the sour cream, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating just until batter is smooth. (You will have three additions of flour and two of the sour cream.) Stir in the drained cranberries.

Pour batter into bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 60 - 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool 5 minutes and then lightly brush the top of the cake with half of the reserved cranberry liquid. After 10 more minutes loosen sides of pan with a sharp knife and invert onto a wire rack. Immediately brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cranberry liquid.

Cool the cake completely before frosting

Frosting:

 In a bowl, combine the sifted confectioners sugar, table spoons of egg whites ( add first 2 tbsp of egg white and then if you want more add more) with the orange liqueur .
I wanted to have a real thick frosting than in the recipe.

Spoon the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing the icing to drip down the sides.

I also decorated with some extra cranberries on top too.
Let the icing dry before covering and storing.

This cake can be frozen. However, if freezing, do not cover with the lemon frosting

 

Cardamom and Coffee Marble Cake

Looks like I have been busy, I should not complain I don't have time, lazy etc..... if I really put my mind into it I know I can do a post, but I do have to say after Hans comming back from Delhi, I have been busy, there was a wedding to go as my nephew got married , then there was a concert Hans and Shyama were playing together, they both also played for the nephew's wedding and then there was all the parties here at home.

We never need a reason for partying, the day of the wedding after the Mass , in laws , niece and her boy friend came to our place before we left for the evening function, so then opend up wine and had a good time, then when Hans and Shyama had a concert, in laws, niece, and aunties came home for after concert party, which means I prepared snadwiches and we opend up few bottles of red wine :-).

I made this cake last week Wednesday when I asked my in laws for coffee and Wanted to Show the dresses Hans brought back from Delhi.

We all loved the cake, and loved the cardamom taste in it, there was coffee too in the cake but I think the cardamom taste over powered to have coffee taste.

I served with coffee and also everybody butterd the slices of cake before they ate which gave it a extra pluse undulgence and taste :-)

The recipe is from one of my favourtie Baking books, Baking From my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan. I do have to admit what ever I have made from her book always comes out perfect and delicious. A book one should have if you love baking.



2 cups plus 2 tbsp of all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature.

1 cup sugar ( I only added 1/2 cup as we don't like our cake too sweet)

4 Large eggs

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp cardamom powder

2 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder mixed with 1 tablespoon of hot water

Center the rack in thr oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter an 8 1/2 - x-4 1/2 - x-2 1/2 inch loaf pan, dust yhr inside with the flour and tap out the excesss.

Whisk together the flour , baking powder and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferbly fitted with a paddl attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on a medium speed untill smooth about 3 minutes.

Add the sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time , beating well after each addition.

Don't be concerened  if the batter curdles and stays curdled - it will be fine.

Beat the vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternatley add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2  ( begin and end with the dry ingridients), mixing only untill each addition is oncorporated.

At this poin you are ready to divide the batter, add in on hald of the batter cardamom powder and in the pther half the coffee.

Sppon the batter out in long a alternative rows.

Bake the cake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or untill a thin knife inserted deep into the center come out clean.

If the cake is looking as it is getting too brown during its bake, cover it loosley with a foil.

Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest for about 15 minutes before unfolding, then cool the cake to room temperature.