I made them finally!!!

My Lamingtons---
I finally made that aussie dish :)

 Hope they have come out well!!!

Experiments in the kitchen part 2

Milk Chocolate Cake with Marsh mellows!

Sanjana's Birthday. An opportunity for me to make a cake! and yes i did.! Its simple and easy. The Basic cake taken from a recipe by tarla dalal and the decoration, my way!


Ingredients

1/2 tin (200 grams) condensed milk
140 gms self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
60 ml melted butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bi-carbb together.
2. Mix the flour mixture, condensed milk, melted butter, essence and 75 ml. (2 1/2 fl. Oz. ) water and beat well.
3. Pour the mixture into a greased and dusted 150 mm. (6") diameter tin.
4. Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree c (400 degree f) for 10 minutes. Then reduce the tempreture to 150 degree c (300 degree f) and bake for a further 10 minutes.
5. The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, take out from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.
6. Cool the cake.
7. Now for the decoration: You will need- One cup whipped cream, One cup melted White compound chocolate, Grated Dark compound chocolate.
8. Mix the melted white compound with the cream and fold it till it becomes soft and not so thick. 
9. Added the grated dark compound chocolate to this mixture and put it evenly on the sponge cake.
10. To decorate it add grated chocolate on the sides of the cake, and decorate the cake with marsh mellows. 
11. Refrigerate it for 4 hours minimum.

Experiments in the kitchen part 1

With my new OTG in the kitchen (thanks to mum-dad) im having some cooking experiments in the kitchen. The theory is been taken via net/ cook books/ my inventions etc...

The first baked dish--good old Nankhatais

Ingredients
1 cup refined flour
1/2 cup butter(desi ghee preferred)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
vanilla essence/ cardamom essence (your preference)

I made them :)

Method-
1. Preheat your oven for 10mins at 200 degree. Simultaneously get your materials ready!
2. Mix all the ingredients and for a soft dough. Grease your over plate with ghee.
3. make small balls of the dough and flatten it a little as you place it in the greased oven plate. Make as many such balls. If you already added vanilla essence, good! if not. add the cardamom powder as garnish along with powdered pistachios, it will give a traditional look :)
4. Place your plate in the centre oven and bake it for 15minutes of till the top gets light brown for 180degrees.
5. Let it cool down in the rack it self and remove it when its done. Enjoy it with tea :)

Lamingtons!

Masterchef Australia inspired me to cook and actually start hunting for nice recipes. Lamingtons was one of my favorites on the show. I am yet to make it..but ill make it soon. Here is the most favorite cake of the Aussies:

Ingredients:

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4th teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4th cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Chocolate frosting:

4 cups (1 lb.) (454 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder

3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

2 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut, finely ground

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position.  Butter, or spray with a nonstick cooking spray, the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 cm) square cake pan.  Set aside.
In a large bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter until soft.  Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with flour.  

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.  Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan.  Re-invert.  Once the cake has completely cooled cut it into 16 two-inch (5 cm) squares.  Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or even overnight.  The reason for doing this is that it is much easier (less crumbs) to coat a cold cake with frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:  Place the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and of pouring consistency.

Make a production line; put the 16 squares of cakes on a wire rack that is placed over a

baking sheet (to catch the drips).  Have ready the coconut on a large plate and the chocolate frosting.  Spoon or ladle the chocolate frosting over each square of cake, making sure you cover all sides. (It is best to do a few squares at a time.)  With a small offset spatula or knife transfer the chocolate covered cake to the plate of coconut and roll the cake in the coconut, covering all sides.  Gently transfer the lamington to a clean wire rack to set.  Repeat with the rest of the cake squares.  Once the Lamingtons have set, store in an airtight container for several days.

 
courtesy:

http://www.joyofbaking.com/Lamingtons.html#ixzz16su7i6Ki