Matka kulfi

Finally made the long desired relishing dessert, matka kulfi. It was so rich in taste and had a smooth creamy texture.
Used almonds and pistachios but did not add cashews,you can also add cashews to this. Saffron adds exotic colour and flavour to the kulfi.

If you wish to make fruit flavoured kulfi then you can add fruit pulps to this before freezing. Mango kulfi and chocolate kulfi are my other favourites.

This is a good dessert after a meal and  healthy one for kids. You can use kulfi moulds instead of the small mud pots.

Here is the recipe for the yummy matka kulfi with step by step instructions and pictures.

Ingredients:

Full fat milk- 1/2 litre
Sugar-1/4 cup
Saffron-a pinch
To grind:
Almonds-few
Pistachios-few
Cardamom seeds-10
Pepper corns-4
Sugar-2 tsp

Method:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.
• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.
• Now add the saffron milk and the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.
• Switch off once done. Let it cool.
• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.
• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.
• Serve chilled.

Step by step instructions:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.

• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.Now add the saffron milk.

•  add the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.

• Switch off once done. Let it cool.

• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.

• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.

• Serve chilled.

Eggless wheat and nut cake

This is my third cake recipe and iam so much satisfied by the output of this eggless wheat cake where I  used jaggery instead of sugar. It was so spongy and tasty and really quick to make too.

This surely tastes a bit different from the cakes baked using sugar and maida but still a more healthy one.

Preheat the oven before you start preparing the cake mixture. Don't let the mixture sit for a long time before putting it in the oven. The original recipe suggested to bake for 40 minutes but mine was done in 25 minutes. It's always better to check in between to see if the cake is done instead of waiting longer until the suggested timing.

I use an otg and there is always difference in baking time between an otg and microwave.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour- 1 cup
• Jaggery-1 cup ( increase or decrease as per your taste) 
• Baking soda-1tsp
• Salt-1pinch
• Milk-1/4 cup
• Melted butter-1/3 cup
• Vanilla essence-2 tsp
• Lemon juice- 1tbsp
• Mixed nuts and raisins-2tbsp
• Chocolate chips- 1 tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

• In a wide bowl sieve  the wheat flour,salt and baking soda and keep aside
• In another bowl mix the butter and jaggery together until it blends well 
• add the lemon juice and vanilla essence and mix again
• Add the butter mixture to the flour and mix to form a thick cake batter by adding little milk at a time.
• Now mix in the nuts and raisins.
• Transfer the batter to a greased baking tray and level it.
• Sprinkle the Choco chips.
• Bake it for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Once done allow it to cool completely and run a grease knife through the sides of the tray and turn it upside down to remove the cake from the tray.
• Cut it into slices and enjoy!

Chocolate cake

 My son loves chocolate cakes and this weekend ,I baked a delicious chocolate cake at home. My son enjoyed helping me in mixing and pouring. I have used wheat flour and brown sugar for a healthier option.

 I tried icing the cake with melted chocolate,butter and icing sugar and it turned out perfect. If you prepare excess of this mixture, you can store in fridge for few days. You can have the cake plain or choose to do the frosting.

  It takes around 15 minutes for preparing the cake batter and 20 to 30 minutes for baking.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour- 1 cup
• Cocoa powder- 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar-1 cup
• Baking soda-1tsp
• Salt-1pinch
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Oil-1/3 cup
• Vanilla essence-2 tsp
• Lemon juice- 1tbsp

For the chocolate frosting:

• Melted chocolate- 3 tbsp
• Butter-1/4 cup ( cold and soft butter)
• Icing sugar-2 tbsp
• Vanilla essence- few drops

Method:

• Pre heat the oven at 170 C for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a wide bowl sieve the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.
• In another bowl mix the sugar,oil,milk,lemon juice and vanilla essence until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Pour the sugar mixture to the flour mixture and mix well without lumps. Adjust the quantity of milk until you get a batter of thick pouring consistency.
• Grease a cake tin with butter. Pour the batter and place it in pre heated oven.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Check frequently by pricking the centre of the cake with a tooth pick.
• When the tooth pick comes out clean,the cake is ready.
• Switch off oven and remove the tray.
• Cool it completely.
• Run a knife on the sides of the cake and turn the tin upside down and remove the cake.
• Chocolate cake is ready.

Frosting the cake:

• In a bowl place the cooking chocolate and melt using double boiler method.
• Allow the chocolate to cool down.
• Add butter and icing sugar to the melted chocolate and mix well.
• Apply on the cake and spread all over to coat the cake evenly on top and sides.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes and cut into pieces.

No bake strawberry cheesecake

I do not use an oven in my kitchen and so I have not tried baking yet. But I have tried making no bake cakes before ,using a pressure cooker.
This time, wanted to try a cheese cake for my son's birthday. He loves strawberries and so I did a strawberry cheesecake and that turned out too good. I used gelatin for setting it up and refrigerated for nearly 5 hours. You can refrigerate it and then take ot out 20 minutes before serving.
 I'm also planning to do a mango cheese cake shortly. Here is the step by step instructions with pictures in how you can make this yummy and easy strawberry cheese cake.

 Ingredients : 

• Digestive biscuits-20
• Cream cheese-8 oz
• Powdered sugar-250 gms
• Whipping cream-100 ml
• Strawberry pulp-200 ml
• Gelatin-1 spoon
• Butter-100 gms

Step by step instructions : 

Bottom layer:

• Powder the digestive biscuits and add melted butter to it until you get a wet sand texture.
• Layer the biscuit on a spring foam cake tin and press it tightly and evenly.
• Refrigerate this for 20 to 30 minutes.

Top layer:

• In a wide bowl take 8 Oz of cream cheese.
• Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and beat well.
• In another bowl add the whipping cream and beat until it forms stiff peaks.
• Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese and sugar mixture and mix it up thoroughly.
• Add the strawberries in a blender along with some sugar and blend it to a smooth paste.
• Add a spoon of gelatin to Warm milk or water and mix until it dissolves completely.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the strawberry paste and mix well.
• Add the strawberry mixture to the cream mixture and mix throughly. 
• Pour this on top of the biscuit layer and spread it out evenly.

Setting up the cake

• Refrigerate this for 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove the spring foam tin from the fridge and open the side lock gently and lift the ring. 
• Now add some sliced fresh strawberries to the top of the cheese cake and enjoy!

Ingredients : 

• Digestive biscuits-20
• Cream cheese-8 oz
• Powdered sugar-1 cup
• Whipping cream-1/2 cup
• Strawberry pulp-1/2 cup
• Gelatin-1 spoon

Step by step instructions : 

Bottom layer:

• Powder the digestive biscuits and add butter to it until you get a wet sand texture.
• Layer the biscuit on a spring foam cake tin and press it tightly and evenly.
• Refrigerate this for 20 to 30 minutes. 

Top layer:

• In a wide bowl take 8 Oz of cream cheese.
• Add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and beat well.
• In another bowl add the whipping cream and beat until it forms stiff peaks.
• Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese and sugar mixture and mix it up thoroughly.
• Add the strawberries in a blender along with some sugar and blend it to a smooth paste.
• Add a spoon of gelatin to Warm milk or water and mix until it dissolves completely.
• Add the gelatin mixture to the strawberry paste and mix well.
• Add the strawberry mixture to the cream mixture and mix throughly. 
• Pour this on top of the biscuit layer and spread it out evenly. 

Setting up the cake

• Refrigerate this for 4 to 6 hours.
• Remove the spring foam tin from the fridge and open the side lock gently and lift the ring. 
• Now add some sliced fresh strawberries to the top of the cheese cake and enjoy!

Banana ice cream

Here is a creamy and yummiest banana ice cream that is very easy to prepare with just 3 ingredients. Making ice cream has never been this simple.
Use, well ripe bananas to make this ice cream. I added a tablespoon of powdered sugar as i did not have condensed milk. it's totally optional. If the bananas ate too sweet you can skip adding sugar or condensed milk. I have mixed in some choco chips and that's optional too.
Here i have added step by step instructions with pictures.

Step by step instructions :
1. Pour the whipping cream and condensed milk (or powdered sugar) into a wide bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks.

2. Take the bananas in a blender and make a smooth puree.

3. Add the puree to the cream and mix throughly.

4. Optional: Mix in some choco chips.

5. Transfer to an air tight container and freeze for 2 hours.

6. Scoop it into serving bowls and garnish with nuts and honey.

Ingredients :

• Whipping cream -2 cups
• Condensed milk or powdered sugar- as needed
• Ripe Bananas-2 medium size

Preparation : 
1. Pour the whipping cream and condensed milk (or powdered sugar) into a wide bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks.
2. Take the bananas in a blender and make a smooth puree.
3. Add the puree to the cream and mix throughly.
4. Optional: Mix in some choco chips.
5. Transfer to an air tight container and freeze for 2 hours.
6. Scoop it into serving bowls and garnish with nuts and honey.

Note:I added a tablespoon of powdered sugar , as I did not have condensed milk,but it's totally optional. If the bananas are too sweet you can skip adding sugar or condensed milk.