Sugar et al

Because Life is a blend of flavours...

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Jelly

23|12|2017

I thought I wouldn’t be able to get a post out of me before the start of the next year, but it’s Christmas and if this is not the time to indulge then there never will be one. In Australia, Christmas is synonymous with summer. So instead of spices, pies and puddings, it’s more about light, cold,  make ahead desserts. I’m a big fan of Panna Cotta at this time because they are not only super easy and portioned for guests in any kind of fancy glass you can find but they’re very versatile and can be flavoured in a variety of ways.

Instead of pairing with fresh fruits, like I would normally do, I made a quick cranberry jelly using cranberry juice and topped them with Ferrero Rocher Chocolates. The tart cranberry jelly is just perfect with the white chocolate in the Panna Cotta. And because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t hurt to dress things up a little bit some bright red ribbons that look amazing around the serving glasses. Overall it’s an absolutely delightful treat to enjoy with friends and family.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. In case you’re not on Instagram, I’ve moved houses last week and am beyond excited to celebrate Christmas in my new home that we’ve build with a lot of love and patience for the last couple of years. Finally a space to call my own!

 

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Cranberry Jelly
Serves 3

For the cranberry jelly
3/4 cup cranberry juice (store bought)
1/2 tsp powdered gelatine

For the White Chocolate Panna Cotta
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
300 ml thickened cream
100 g white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tbsp castor sugar (or more if you like it sweeter)
11/2 tsp powdered gelatine
Ferrero Rocher chocolates, shaved dark chocolate or fresh berries, to serve

To make the jelly layer, place the juice and gelatine in a small saucepan. Leave aside for 5 mins for the gelatine to bloom. Warm gently on low heat till gelatine completely dissolves (do not boil). Keep stirring to check (approx 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and divide uniformly between serving glasses. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until set.

To make the Panna Cotta layer, place the 1/2 cup milk, cream, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and cook till chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth (Do not boil.) Remove from heat.Place the 2 tbsp milk and gelatine together in a a small bowl and allow the gelatine to bloom (about 1-2 mins). Pour this gelatine mixture into the saucepan with the milk-cream mixture and mix till blended.

Cool to room temperature and pour on top of the jelly layer. Place in the refrigerator to set (about 4-5 hours). Serve with chocolates or fresh berries.

 

 

 

 

Coffee Lovers Cake

30|10|2017

Coffee is definitely the solution to all my morning woes. Cake is probably the solution to ALL my woes. At least many of them! So I figured out that the best way to deal with life and its woes is to make a coffee cake. Not just any cake but a very rich, intensely coffee-ish cake. This Mocha Mud cake has been topped with Coffee Buttercream and drizzled with Mocha sauce. If you are crazy for coffee, this is your cake.

It’s Halloween tomorrow and I am just not guilty for making a creepy looking something. But everyone seems to be enjoying it and coming up with both scary and cute creations. I cannot make a single spooky treat to save my life and since I was feeling quite left out, I thought this cake was somewhat more apt to share at this time than my floral creations. Tall, dark, handsome:-) Now tell me is it freaking you out? No? Great! That was not my intention anyway. But the taste will. It is so freaking good!

 

Mocha Mud cake
Makes a 6 inch round cake

250g butter, chopped
200 g good-quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
11/4 cup freshly brewed strong coffee (or 1 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved 11/4 cup warm water)
11/4 cup castor sugar (or more depending on the strength of the coffee you are using)
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour

Coffee Buttercream
125 g unsalted butter, softened
1.5 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp strongly brewed coffee (or 1tsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water and cooled)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp milk (if consistency is not smooth)

Mocha Sauce

100 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) pouring cream
1 tsp instant coffee powder

Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20 cm round cake pan with baking paper.

Place butter, chocolate and coffee in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl. Add sugar and egg, and use a wire balloon whisk to whisk until well combined. Sift flours over chocolate mixture and stir with the whisk until well combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1  1/4 hours or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake (cover with non-stick baking paper halfway through cooking if it browns too quickly). Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled completely, pipe or spread coffee buttercream on the top of the cake. Drizzle with mocha sauce. Sprinkle with cocoa nibs (if using).

To make the coffee buttercream, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, little at a time, beating after each addition until combined.
Add the coffee mixture, vanilla essence and beat till combined. If consistency of the buttercream is too thick, add milk to soften it.

To make the Mocha sauce, place the dark chocolate, thickened cream and coffee in a medium saucepan over low heat.
Use a metal spoon to stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool before use.

 

Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake

21|10|2017

I think everyone should have a mug cake recipe that they pull out during those intense craving moments when they just want a small portioned dessert without the wait. Of course, in their favourite mug. That makes it even more personal and comforting, right? My mug so only I can eat. I actually had several mug cake recipes printed and filed neatly in a folder many years ago when I could barely call myself a baker. It was such a life changing discovery at the time. Making cakes without an oven, that too in 5 minutes. Everyone thought I was a genius and no one even cared that most of these ‘cakes’ were nothing in taste or texture like a cake.

I was doing a spring clean the other day and found those folders. The next thing I knew was that I was looking for mugs to give them a go again. Alas! They were not the kind of stuff I would enjoy today. I had to make a few adjustments, try and make something in the same mug that I would microwave and chose to make an eggless version. That is because, it is safer to undercook them than an overcooked mug cake that feels like rubber. And the last thing one would want to do is use another bowl to mix the batter. It’s all about the convenience, if I am not wrong.

This mug cake is easy, fudgy and quite tasty. A dollop of fresh cream or a scoop of ice cream nicely completes it especially when it’s warm and goeey from the microwave.

Chocolate Microwave Mug Cake
Serves 1

2 tbsp self-raising flour
21/2 tbsp brown sugar (or 2 tbsp castor sugar)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp chocolate chips
fresh berries, to serve
icing sugar, to dust
ice cream, to serve (optional)

Add the first 3 ingredients to a microwave safe large mug and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients (preferably in the order listed) and mix well. Microwave on medium for 1 minute, then in short bursts of 10 seconds until the batter has firmed up but is till fudgy. Mine took around a minute and 20 seconds.

Serve with berries and a dusting of icing sugar and a side of freshly whipped cream or ice cream.

Mango And Coconut Cake

15|10|2017

It is mango season in Australia so it’s safe to say that it’s the best time of the year to shop for fresh produce. Bright yellow juicy mangoes that make the aisles at the markets bright and fragrant with their heady sweet aroma. It’s an indication that Summer and the gorgeous sunny days are not far away. It makes me want to celebrate! If you follow me on Instagram, you would already know how crazy I am about this fruit. I grew up eating mangoes from my Dad’s orchard and I have really fond memories of the seasons in India when every dish would be turned into a mango something, sweet or savoury. Chutneys, lassi, pickle, curries and desserts. There were times when the abundance would become a problem for my Mum, who wouldn’t know what to do with them. After gifting them to every acquaintance she could remember, they would be stored in every corner of the house. Even under the bed. Oh the aroma! They certainly made my dreams a bit more sweeter.

So when the first mangoes appear at Harris Farm Markets, my favourite place to shop for fresh fruits and veggies, it makes me want to jump with joy. I didn’t have a mango cake on my blog so this year I thought I must create one. This cake tastes purely of mango with a bit of texture from the coconut. I’ve used heaps of fresh mango puree to flavour it because that’s what we are looking for in the cake. Natural mango flavour that gets blended in to the batter. The cake does not need a frosting. A dusting of icing sugar is enough or just serve with fresh mango slices and fresh basil. It’s soft, moist and delightful on it’s own. Just ready to go with a cup of coffee or tea.

Please note that the mangoes I used were quite sweet and flavourful. If the ones you have are not as sweet or you are using canned or frozen ones, you may need to add a bit more sugar. The texture of the mangoes would determine how much milk you would need in the recipe. If your mangoes are really juicy, 1/2 cup milk should be fine (as mentioned in the recipe). If you find the batter too thick, lighten it up with a bit more milk (approx 3/4 cup).
While pureeing the mangoes, I find it best to not have a smooth puree but one that has a bit of juice and bits of mangoes in it. That adds a lovely bite to the cake.

Mango And Coconut Cake
Makes a round 6 inch cake that would serve 6-8 people

125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh mango puree (squeezed out of 2 large, ripe mangoes)
1 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup milk (more if your batter is too thick)
Thinly sliced mangoes, to serve
Fresh basil, to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 6 inch round cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar together in a large bowl and beat till light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mango puree and mix slowly. At this stage the batter look curdled. This is fine.

Fold in the flour and coconut alternating with the milk until just combined (do not over mix). Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides by running a blunt knife around the edges. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar when ready to serve or top with fresh mango slices and fresh basil.