SMILE BISCUITS (Just Bakes)

This is my mother’s recipe, given by her Chinese neighbour, probably, the first thing she made after she bought her round baking oven in the mid 60's. As a child, I used to love the smell that wafted in the air when she baked this. She had a particular mould for this. I had never been able to identify “that” flavouring & she didn’t remember the recipe either.  After so many years my sister, Faby, found the original recipe from my mother’s old recipe book.  It’s rose essence which made all the difference. The measurements were listed in “glass & tin”, which I converted to cup size. Try this, if you love baking, very simple & the flavour..... AWESOME!

INGREDIENTS:

 Unsalted butter: 200 g

Clarified butter/ghee: 25 g

Sugar: ¾ cup (measure in a 200 ml cup)

Plain flour/maida: ¾ cup

Whole wheat flour/atta: ¾ cup

Rose essence: 1 tsp

Baking powder: a pinch

 METHOD:

Sieve both flours with baking powder & keep aside.

Powder sugar & cream together with butter & ghee till light & fluffy.

Add flour & essence.

Bring all the ingredients to form a dough.

Roll into small balls & place them a little apart on a baking tray.

Bake at 170⁰ C for 15 minutes or till it browns slightly on the sides.

Cool & store. 

Fudge Tarts (Just Bakes)

Tarts cases are made with short crust pastry & the filling can be anything, sweet or savoury. Here, I have filled the tarts with a caramel fudge. The simplest filling for a sweet tart is Jam.

INGREDIENTS:

For tart case:

Plain flour: 250 g

Butter: 115 g

Sugar: 1 tsps

Baking powder: ½ tsp

Salt: a pinch

Cold water: to knead (about 2 tbsps) 

For the fudge:

Condensed milk: 200 g

Butter: 2 tbsps

Sugar: 2tbsps

Nuts & raisins: 2 tbsps each

METHOD:

 Grease & prepare tart tins or use paper cups.

Sieve flour with salt & baking powder.

Rub butter lightly into flour with finger tips till they resemble bread crumbs.

Add sugar (preferably powdered)

Add enough cold water to form dough with minimum handling.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out on a floured board & cut into small rounds to fit the tart tin.

Line tin with the tarts & prick base with a fork (so that it doesn’t rise while baking)

Bake in a hot oven at 205⁰C for 15 minutes.

Remove from tin & cool. Store in an air tight tin till required.

 Fugde filling:

Make a caramel with butter & sugar. Pour condensed milk & stir till thick.

Add nuts & raisins.

Cool well & fill each tart case with a tablespoon of the fudge.

Oats cookies (Just Bakes)

INGREDIENTS:

Oats: 75 G

Butter: 125 g

Honey: 50 g

Dessicated coconut: 50 g

Castor sugar: 100 g

Plain flour: 100 g

Bi carb of soda: 1 tsp

METHOD:

Mix dry ingredients, except sugar, in a bowl.

Melt honey, sugar & butter in a sauce pan

Cool.

Add the syrup to the dry ingredients in the bowl & mix well.

Form into small balls & place on a baking tray with a gap between each.

Flatten them a little.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 170⁰ C for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool well before serving.

Note: Do not add hot syrup to the dry ingredients, the biscuit may not spread while baking & may become tough.

ORANGE CAKE WITH A DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE.(Just Bakes)

This is an eggless cake, very easy to prepare. The dark chocolate ganache gives it a rich royal taste.Use regular milk chocolate if you like it sweeter. 

INGREDIENTS:

Orange juice: 150 ml

Orange rind: 1 tsp

Plain flour: 225 g

Sugar: 150 g powdered

Curd: 250 g

Oil: ½ cup (measured in a 200 ml cup)

Vanilla essence/orange essence: 1/ 2 tsp

Baking powder: 1 ¼ tsp

Baking soda: ½ tsp

METHOD:

Pre heat oven to 180⁰C & grease & dust an 8” cake tin.

Sieve flour with baking powder & baking soda & keep aside.

Whisk curd, sugar, oil, orange juice, rind & essence.

Fold in flour & pour into prepared tin & bake at 180⁰ C for 40 minutes or till a tooth inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool cake in the tin for 5 minutes & then on a wire rack.

For the ganache:

Fresh cream: 150 ml

Dark chocolate: 150 g grated

Butter: 1 tbsp

Heat cream & butter, pour it over grated chocolate.

Stir well till all the chocolate dissolves.

Cool it & pour over the cake.

Let it drip down on its own.  

Place a tray, under the wire rack with the cake, to collect the dripping.
Chill cake before serving.

Pineapple upside down cake (Just Bakes)

INGREDIENTS:

Pineapple: 6 slices remove stem in centre

Butter: 150 g unsalted

Sugar: 150 g + 5 tbsps

Maida/plain flour: 150 g

Eggs: 3

Vanilla essence/pineapple: 1 tsp

Milk: 2 tbsps if required

Baking powder: 1 ½ tsp

Salt: a pinch

Cherry: 3

METHOD: 

Grease a 10” cake tin.Pre- heat oven to 180⁰C.

If using fresh pineapples, stew them (cook in half a cup of water & 2 tbsps sugar.)  

Cool & line the cake tin with it. Place a halved cherry (cut side up) in the centre of the pineapple slices.  

Burn 3 tbsps sugar in a pan till golden brown & add 2 tbsps water to make a caramel syrup. Cool & pour over arranged pineapple slices. Now, cake tin is ready.

In a bowl, cream butter & sugar till fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time & whisk again.

Fold in sieved flour & baking powder.

Add a pinch of salt & essence.

If the batter is too thick, mix in 2 tbsps of milk.

Pour batter over the pineapple very carefully, taking care not to upset the arrangement.

Bake for 45 minutes or till top is brown. 

Let it sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then, unmould when still hot.

Fruit Cake (Just Bakes)

 This is a very easy fruit cake that doesn’t require soaking fruits in alcohol & caramel syrup for colour.

 

INGREDIENTS: 

Butter: 3/4 cup

Self raising flour: 2 3/4 cup

Eggs: 2

Sugar: 1 1/2cups

Dry fruits: 2 cups

Cherries: 1 cup

Ginger candy: 1/4cup

Candied peel: 1/4cup

Cashew nuts: 1/2 cup

Orange juice: 1 cup

Jam: 3 tbsps (any flavour)

Nutmeg powder: 1 tsp

 METHOD:

 Pre-heat oven to160⁰ C.

 Line an 8” tin with butter paper.
Chop fruits, peels & nuts into small pieces.

 Combine dry fruits, nuts, sugar, butter, jam and orange juice in a sauce-pan.

Add nutmeg powder and bring to a boil.

Simmer on low flame for 5 mins, stir in between. 

Cool to room temperature.

Stir in beaten eggs & fold in sieved flour.

 Pour into prepared tins and bake at 160⁰ C for 45 mins.

Remove from oven, cool in tin for 5 mins & then on rack.

 

NOTE:

If using plain flour, add 11/2 tsp of baking powder & sieve.

All measurements are with 200 ml measuring cup.

 

 

 

 

Nankhatai (Just Bakes)

Nankatais are very simple cardamom flavoured cookies. I got this recipe from the baking class for home makers at the Food Craft Institute, Kalamasseri.

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour: 150g

Margarine/vanaspati/ghee: 115g

Powdered sugar: 100g

Cardamom powder: half teaspoon

Baking powder: a pinch

Salt: a pinch

 METHOD:

 Grease & dust a baking tin with flour.

Cream fat with powdered sugar till sugar is fully dissolved, (I used ghee).

Add flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom powder.

Mix well & form a soft dough (without using much pressure).

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll small balls & place on baking tray 1”apart.

Bake at 160⁰C for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take off oven & let it cool well before storing.

Raisins Bun

 

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour: 250 g

Dry yeast: 1 tsp (I used instant dry yeast)

Sugar: 4 tbsps

Egg: 1

Butter: 1 tbsp

Vanilla essence: 1/2tsp

Salt: a pinch

Raisins: 50 g 

METHOD: 

Sift flour into a large bowl.

Dissolve 1 tbsp sugar & a pinch of salt in half a cup of water.

Sprinkle this on the flour in the bowl & rub it in well.

Now, add the yeast, beaten egg & essence.

Using water or milk, make a soft pliable dough.

(The longer you knead softer the buns.)

Last, add butter to this dough, knead till well incorporated.

Leave to prove for about 30 minutes,( it should double in size.) 

Mix the remaining 3 tbsps sugar with the raisins & keep aside. 

Pre heat your oven to 180⁰C. Grease a flat tray.

After the dough has doubled, remove onto a flat surface & beat out the air. 

Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.

Sprinkle the raisins & sugar all over & roll (like you do the Swiss roll).

Cut into 1inch pieces.

Place it on the greased tray 2” apart.

Cover with a damp & let it sit for 10 minutes before putting it into the oven.

Bake at 180⁰C for 15 minutes.

Take it off the oven & coat with a sugar glaze while hot.

Cool & serve.

For sugar glaze 

Sugar: 3 tbsps
Water: 3 tbsps
Heat water & sugar till you get a thick syrup. Use this to glaze the buns.

"Nano Rolls" (Just Bakes)

INGREDIENTS:

Cocktail sausages: 10

Pepper powder: 1/2tsp

Plain flour: 250 g

Yeast: 1/2tsp

Milk: 1/4cup

Butter: 2 tsps

Egg: 1

Sugar: 1tsp

Salt: ½ tsp

METHOD:

Cook sausages in a little oil, sprinkle pepper powder, keep aside to cool.

Add yeast & sugar to milk, keep aside to ferment for 10 minutes.

Mix flour with salt, now add yeast. Add water as required till you get a soft pliable dough.

Rub in butter.

Knead for a while, cover & keep to prove for half an hour (it will double in size).   

Beat out air from the dough & make 10 balls.

Roll each ball into long cylindrical pieces & twist it over a sausage to cover it.

Place on a greased baking tray, brush with beaten egg & bake at 200⁰C for 15 minutes or till brown on top.

Curry Puffs (Just Bakes)

Curry puffs (fried) used to be a favourite tea time snack before bakeries sprung up in our neighbourhood. Now, since fried foods are on the list of NO-NO’s, I baked it. The only fat that goes into this is 2 tsps butter. 

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour: 250 g

Butter: 2 tsps

Salt: a pinch

For the filling:

Minced beef /mutton/chicken: 150 g

Onion: 1 chopped fine

Green chilli: 2 chopped fine

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Curry powder/garam masala powder: ½ tsp

Curry leaves: a few

Pepper powder: 1/2tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Oil: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

In a bowl, mix flour with butter & salt till it resembles crumbs.

Add cold water and make a stiff dough. Rest the dough for a while.

To make the filling, heat oil in a frying pan, add the onion, green chilli, ginger-garlic paste & curry leaves.

Now, add minced meat & sauté till it dries up well.

Pour a little water, cover & cook till done. (you can add cubed potatoes & green peas, if you like.)

Add the powders, salt & leave to cool.

Divide the dough into 12 parts. Roll out into small puris, fill with a tablespoon of the prepared meat, fold over & seal the ends well & place on a baking tray.

Bake at 160⁰ C for 20 minutes. Brush the puffs with beaten egg yolk for a rich golden brown colour.

Alternately, deep fry the puffs.

Chocolate Brownie (Just Bakes)

A chocolaty-nutty treat indeed! Try this.

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INGREDIENTS:

Dark chocolate: 200g

Walnuts: 100 g chopped

Plain flour: 200 g

Baking powder: a pinch

Sugar: 100 g

Butter: 100 g

Eggs: 4

Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

METHOD:

Double boil butter & dark chocolate till creamy. Cool the mix.

Whisk eggs & sugar, add essence.

Mix the chopped nuts with flour & fold into egg-sugar mixture.

Add melted chocolate.

Pour into a greased baking tray & bake at 180⁰C for 35 minutes.

 Let it rest in the tray for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.

Cut into pieces and watch it disappear!

Spiced Gobi (Just Bakes)Maami's corner

INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower: 1 whole

Onion: 3 chopped fine

Capsicum: 2 chopped fine

Cheese: 3 tbsps grated

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsps

Green chilli: 2

Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp

Tomato: 3 chopped

Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp

Red chilli power: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1/2tsp

Garam masala powder: 1/2tsp

Lime juice: 1 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsps

Salt to taste

METHOD:

 Clean the cauliflower & keep it whole.

Boil water in a big pan, add salt & turmeric powder, drop the flower, stem side down & cook for 1o minutes.(There should be enough water to immerse the whole flower.)

Drain it & place on a oven proof dish.

Heat oil in a frying pan, sauté onions, ginger-garlic paste, capsicum, chopped chilli & coriander leaves.

Now, add the chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala & chopped tomatoes.

Sauté till soft & add salt. Take off fire & add lime juice.

Stuff the masala in between the florets & over it.

Sprinkle grated cheese & bake at 180⁰C for 25 minutes.

It can be served with Rotis/Pulao.  

Baked fish (Just bakes)

INGREDIENTS:

Fish: 500 g boneless

Onion: 3 sliced

Capsicum: 2

Marinade:

Curd : 1 cup

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Pepper powder: 1/2tsp

Cumin powder: 1/2tsp

Ginger- garlic paste: 1 tsp

Lime juice: 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Marinate fish with the ingredients in marinade for 1 hour.

Layer a baking dish with sliced onions & capsicum.

Place fish over this & bake at 180⁰C for 40 minutes.

You can sprinkle some grated cheese over it, if you like, before baking.

Serve with garlic bread.

Cheese biscuits (Just Bakes)

This new section is for only baked items, like the name suggests. It will contain both sweet & savoury, veg & non veg recipes.
Here's the first one.

INGREDIENTS:

Plain flour: 200 g

Butter: 50 g

 Cheese: 100 g

Pepper powder: 3/4tsp

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 180⁰C.

Rub butter into flour till it resembles crumbs.

Add cheese & pepper powder, sprinkle a tablespoon of cold water & form a dough.

Do not over knead.

Rest dough for 20 minutes in a refrigerator, then roll into small balls, press centre with your finger, place on baking tray.

Bake at 180⁰ C for 15 minutes or till golden brown.

Let it cool well before storing.