Vegetarian Archives - Sugar et al

Pistachio Nankhatai Biscuits (Eggless)

24|10|2024

If you haven’t heard of Nankhatai biscuits before this, they are shortbread biscuits popular in India. The fact that they require only a few ingredients, are eggless and flavoured with spices and/or nuts makes them irrestible.

The chickpea flour and semolina add to the bite and melt in your mouth texture of the Nankhatai biscuits but you are free to use plain flour instead. To keep them authentic, I’ve used ghee but unsalted butter is a great substitute. Giving in to the craziness of pistachio and pistachio based treats, I got my hands on some pistachio paste that I knew instantly I wanted to use in these biscuits. I used this one but i’ve heard that the same brand is cheaper at Costco. If you want to make your own, the Internet is flooded with recipes of pistachio paste.

The unique taste of pistachios paired with a hint of rose and cardamom not only makes them perfect for those who celebrate Diwali but with the upcomng holidays, they would make lovely edible gifts or the most beautiful treats to share with friends and family.

If you love pistachio recipes, you will love these Mini pistachio cakes

Pistachio Nankhatai Biscuits
Makes 18-20 biscuits

1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour/besan (or use plain flour)
1/4 cup semolina
1/2 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/2 cup ghee (or unsalted butter)
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoon milk (more if needed)
1/2 cup pistachio paste (home made or store bought)
Extra pistachio paste, to top
Dried rose petals, for garnish

Method : Place the plain flour, chickpea flour, semolina nd cardamom in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the ghee and sugar until the mixture is smooth.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add milk and pistachio paste and mix well to bring the dough together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper.
Roll out uniform sized balls, place them on the tray I cm apart. Slightly flatten them with your hands and top them with the extra pistachio paste (about a tsp), if using.

Place tray in the oven and bake for 20 mins or until the base of each biscuit starts to brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool. Decorate with rose petals. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Chocolate and Rhubarb Tartlets

25|03|2022

Aren’t we really lucky that we have rhubarb all year round in Australia? It is one of my favourite things to add to desserts. Not only does it complement both dark and white chocolate equally well, like in these rhubarb tartlets, it adds a punch to any cake or crumble. Rhubarb compote is the best thing you can have in your fridge. Use it as a topping on yoghurt or porridge or as a filling in a tart. It’s so versatile.

These chocolate and rhubarb tartlets are heavenly to taste. I love making tart shells in this way as they are crunchier and look impressive. The shells can be stored in the freezer before baking and taken out just when you need a sweet treat.

If you love rhubarb based desserts, you’d love this layered Rhubarb Cake with Pomegranate and Rosemary Buttercream

Chocolate and Rhubarb Tartlets
Tart shells
Makes 8

200 g plain flour
90 g icing sugar
30 g almond flour
30g cocoal powder (unsweetened)
salt, a pinch
110g unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
1 egg (approx 50 g)

Rhubarb Compote
1 and 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1/3 cup castor sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp orange juice

Chocolate ganche filling
1/2 cup thickened cream
150 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
25 g unsalted butter

To make the tart shells : Place dry ingredients in a bowl. Rub butter into the mixture with your hands until it resembles coarse sand like texture. Add the egg and knead until dough just comes together.

Roll the dough between two sillicon mats into 2 mm thickness. Place the dough with the mats into the freezer for 15 mins. Using pastry rings, cut out circles for the tart base. Then cut out strips for the side and gently press them into the side of thae tart rings.
Freeze them for 1 hour, trim the top before baking.
Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Bake for 15-18 mins. Remove rings and bake for a further 5 mins. Allow tart cases to cool completely before filling.

To make the rhubarb compote : Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until soft (but the rhubarb hasn’t completely broken down).
Remove from heat. Allow to cool. Store in the fridge until needed.

To make the chocolate ganche filling: Warm the cream in a medium saucepan over low heat until about to boil (do not boil). Remove from heat, add the chocolate. Leave aside whilst stirring intermittently until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Add the butter, mix.

To assemble, place 2 tbsp of rhubarb compote in each tat shell. Top with chocolate ganache. Place in refrigerator to set. Decorate with edible flowers, chocolate flowers or shaved chocolate.

Eggless Strawberry Cake with Rosewater

10|02|2022

Valentine’s day is around the corner so I got myself a heart shaped pan, something I have had in mind for years. I had a few recipes in mind that I wanted to give a go, with and without chocolate. This eggless strawberry cake with rosewater is super easy to make. The texture and taste are divine.

The cherrry on the cake though is that it requires no eggs or involves no softening of butter. One can add any berry, nut or flavouring and it always turns out superb. This is my base recipe to a lot of cakes.

For the frosting, you could go with simple vanilla or use rose again. Or you could use cardamom which is absolutely magical too. The cream cheese frosting is what makes the cake so irresistible.

If you like baking eggless cakes, you definitely want to try this Eggless Vanilla Cake
Rosewater lovers would love this Rosewater and Coconut cake

Eggless Strawberry Cake with Rosewater
Serves 8-10

1 and 1/2 cups self raising flour
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup greek yoghurt
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp rosewater
1 cup strawberries, roughly chopped
strawberries, for decoration
dried rose buds and petals, for decoration

Cream Cheese Frosting
60 g unsalted butter, room temperature
120 g cream cheese, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

To make the cake Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan forced ovens). Grease the base and sides of a 7 inch heart shaped cake pan and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl place the flour, sugar and baking soda and stir together to mix. In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients, yoghurt, milk, oil and rosewater. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold in gently (do not over-mix). Slowly fold in the strawberries.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through (a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean). Remove from oven. Leave aside for 5 minutes. Gently loosen the sides with a blunt knife by running it around the sides. Turn the cake over onto a cooling rack.

Once cool, pipe or spread cream cheese frosting. Decorate with fresh strawberries and dried rose petals.

To make the cream cheese frosting,

Combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl and beat using a stand or an electric mixer unlit smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar in small batches until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract. Store in the fridge until needed.

Eggless Oreo Chocolate Cupcakes

9|06|2020

Who does not love an Oreo cookie? I have to admit though, I love the treats made with Oreo cookies even more. Especially when they are crumbed and mixed into baked goods.
These cupcakes not only include a double dose of Oreo cookies because there is a cookie inserted in the middle of the cupcake before baking as well as in the buttercream, they also are eggless. So more people can enjoy them!

These Oreo cupcakes are easy to put together and are ready in no time. The buttercream is honestly so good that you have to hold yourself back from licking it off the bowl.

Eggless Oreo Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 10-12 cupcakes

For the chocolate cupcakes
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 cup castor sugar
4 tbsp powdered cocoa
75 g unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10-12 Oreo cookies.

Oreo buttercream
250 g unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp milk (more if needed)
5-6 Oreo cookies
Extra Oreo cookies for decorating

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan forced oven). Line a muffin tray with paper liners.
In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Spoon into muffin liners until 1/2 filled. Inser an Oreo cookie in the centre of the cupcake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through (a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean).

Remove from oven and tranfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. once cooled, pipe or spread with Oreo buttercream. Top with Oreo cookies (full or half).

To make the Oreo buttercream, place the Oreos in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until very pale. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well after each addition. Add the milk and beat to combine. Add the Oreo crumbs and beat until well combined.