Fondant Work - Game Of Thrones Themed Cake

Recipe #35 Classic Baked Cheesecake

Servings- 12

Ingredients

Base
-1 cup multigrain biscuits crumbs
-1 tbsp powdered sugar
-3 tbsp cold butter (unsalted)

Filling
-226 grams/1 pack of cream cheese (I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
-1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-2 tbsp vanilla essence
-3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

-In a bowl, mix sugar and biscuit crumbs, cut the butter into small pieces and using your fingers, rub the butter with the biscuits crumb until butter well incorporated

-Grease a 7 inch spring base pan, pour in the crumbs mix and press it evenly and bake it in a preheated oven at 180 deg c for 10 mins. Cool it 

-In a large bowl, using an electric beater, beat in sugar and cream cheese until well incorporated, add vanilla essence and lemon juice. Add eggs, beat on a low speed. Pour the filling in the cool biscuit pan

-Bake it at 180 deg c for 45-5 minutes or until the centre is almost set

-Cool it for 10 mins

- Carefully remove it from the springform pan and place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving

-Serve it as it is or with any berry coulis

-Happy Baking

Recipe #34 Churros with Chocolate Sauce

Yield - 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Churros
-1/4 cup superfine sugar (Caster sugar)
-1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
-2/3 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tblsp olive oil
-1 cup freshly boiled water
-2 cups of vegetable oil for frying

Chocolate sauce
-113 grams dark chocolate
-28 grams milk chocolate
-1 tbsp golden syrup/honey
-2/3 cup cream

Method

Churros

-Mix sugar and powered cinnamon together in a deep dish, this will be used to coat the churros when serving

-Put flour into a bowl and stir baking powder, then beat in the olive oil and 1 cup of freshly boiled water. Keep mixing until you have a warm sticky dough and let it rest for about 10 mins or until the oil heats up for frying

-Heat oil for frying in a medium sized pan, the oil should come about a third of the way up the sides of the pan. To check whether the oil is ready to fry, put a small piece of bread in the oil and if it turns golden brown in 30 seconds then the oil is ready to start the frying

-Load up the dough in a piping bag with a 8mm large star nozzle. Squeeze short lengths, approx 1 1/2 to 2 inches of the dough into the hot oil, snipping them off with a pair of scissors as you go. Cook about 3 to 4 at a time and fry them until rich golden brown

-Fish them out with tongs onto a kitchen towel

-Rest for 5-10 minutes and then coat with the sugar mix

-The churros can stay upto 1 hour

Chocolate Sauce

-Chop dark and milk chocolate together in a medium sized heat pan

-Boil the cream and remove from heat, add golden syrup in to the milk pan

-Pour the hot cream on the chocolate, let it stand for 1 minute and then using a spatula mix the chocolate until well incorporated and smooth

-Serve churros with chocolate sauce

-Happy Baking!!

Deconstructed Mango Cheesecake

When I was making a cake for my mother's birthday, I had cream cheese left. So, what do I do with the excess cream, I don't want to waste it, so then I chuck in some alphonso puree, some icing sugar and beat it with a spoon rigorously until its smooth and light and put it in a piping bag and keep it in the fridge to chill

For the biscuit base, I take 7 biscuits - multigrain, crush it in a a disposable bag using a rolling pin, crush it to a breadcrumb texture, add unsalted butter and caster sugar and place it on a greased pan,  bake it in a preheated oven at 180 deg c for 10 mins

Place the cooled biscuit crumb in the glass and keep it in the fridge for 5 minutes, take out the cream cheese till then

Once 5 minutes are over, add the mango cream cheese in the glass and decorate it with mint leaves

I do not have the exact measurements for this recipe, it was all very intuitive!! . hopefully this will help

Happy baking!!

Recipe #33 Chocolate Panna Cotta

Makes - 10 small cups

Ingredients

-2 tsp unflavoured gelatin
-1 cup milk
-1 and 3/4th cups of cream
-2 tblsp sugar (any type)
-1/4 tsp salt
-170 gems of dark chocolate (chopped)

Method

-In a small bowl, sprinkle powdered gelatine over 1/4 cup milk and let it stand until gelatine has softened, about 5 minutes
-In a saucepan, combine the remaining 3/4th cup of milk and 1 and 3/4th cup of cream with salt and sugar. Bring it to a simmer over low heat. remove milk from the heat (don't let it boil), whisk the milk in the softened gelatine until dissolved
- Melt chocolate over a double boiler
-Once the chocolate is completely melted, mix it with the hot milk mixture until creamy
-Pour it in buttered moulds if you want to serve it without the moulds and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours and gently remove it from the mould and serve chilled
-If you want to serve it with the moulds, just pour the batter in the moulds and serve chilled

Happy Baking!!

Recipe #32 Caramel Sauce

Makes  - 100ml

Ingredients

-100 gms granulated sugar
-30 gms butter (unsalted - room temperature)
-60 ml single cream (I used Amul cream)

Method

-Put sugar in a medium sized flat pan. Spread the sugar evenly on the pan and cook it on medium heat, stirring the pan at regular intervals to avoid burning
-Once the sugar starts to melt, gently move the sugar about the pan (do not use a spoon or a spatula)
-Continue until the colour of the sugar turns golden brown, stretch it to the point where its colour is like honey
-Now add butter and mix it well with the sugar using a spatula
-Turn off the heat and add cream into the pan and mix it with a spatula
-Pour the sauce in a bowl or a jar and keep it in the refrigerator
-It can easily be used for a week (I'm sugar it won't last so long at your home, cause its super yummy)
-Inorder to make salted caramel sauce, add salt according to your liking!

Happy Baking!!

Recipe #31 Mango Jam

Easy to prepare recipe , which can be used for varied fruits as well!!

Ingredients

- 3 medium sized mangoes 

- 1 1/4 cup of water

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 1 tsp lemon zest

- Pinch of ginger powder

- 2 tblsp lemon juice

Method

- Peel the mangoes and cut them into cubes 

- Boil the water with brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and ginger powder

- Add the mango cubes when the boiling mixture starts to thicken

- Mash the cubes while cooking,when it starts boiling, switch to low heat

- Cook until it reaches the jam consistency

- Can it in an airtight container and refrigerate it

- You can preserve it for a year, if you store it in a refrigerator

Happy Baking!!

Substitutes- "This For That"

Found this really cool substitutes for ingredients picture online!!

Recipe #30 White Chocolate Mousse

I discovered this recipe when my white chocolate truffle recipe failed miserably. At 12 in the night, I needed a plan B as to what was I going to gift to my professor!!.. I wanted to give a farewell gift to the professor.. And then.. I thought why not make a mousse out of it .. Cause my batter was neither too thin nor too thick.

Many recipes in this world are discovered by chance... so just 1 piece of advice, keep baking and keeping discovering new recipes, cause its the best thing in this world..to see someone smile!!


Makes: 3 portions

Ingredients
-150 grams of white cooking chocolate (chooped)
-50 grams of amul cream
-1 tblsp of cocoa powder

(Always remember - White chocolate and cream are in the proportion of 3:1, for ganache,cream, mousse, anything!)



Method

-In a heat resistant pan, take chopped white chocolate and cream and melt it over a double boiler. White chocolate takes time to melt, so be patient. Stirring it occasionally with a spatula
-After the chocolate has melted 80%, remove it from the heat and let it melt in the residue heat of the cream
-At this point, the mixture will look yellowish, to make it look white and shinier, use an electric beater and beat it for a minute
-To this add cocoa powder and mix gradually until well incorporated
-Keep the pan in the freezer and remove it and stir it well until smooth, repeat this process until it becomes of a pipeable consistency
-Using a star nozzel, pipe the mousse into moulds or cups and let it sit in the fridge and serve!!
-Garnish it with desiccated coconut

Recipe #29 No bake Vanilla Cheesecake

Finally a compliment for my cheesecake from my brother!!.. It's a huge relief for me.. Here's this super easy recipe I found on the internet and tweaked it wherever needed

Prep Time : 25 minutes                                                                  Total Time : 3 hours and 30 minute

Ingredients

-20 digestive biscuits
-11 tblsp salted butter (melted)
-2 tblsp castor sugar
-400 gms cream cheese (room temperature)
-1 & 1/4 cups condensed milk
-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
-1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence


Method

-Put the digestive biscuits in a large plastic bag, and crush them using a rolling pin until the texture becomes like breadcrumbs

-Pour the crumbs into a medium sized bowl and add melted butter and sugar to it. Mix well using a spatula

-Press the crumb mixture into a 9 inch springform pan (a loose bottom mould), spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inch up the sides (do this step properly cause this cheesecake when it is chilled in the refrigerator, it still has a soft consistency so the crumbs will give it structure), press flat with your fingers. Chill the crust in the refrigerator until the cheesecake batter is ready

-Meanwhile, make the filling- Using an electric beater- beat cream cheese in a large bowl at a medium speed until soft and fluffy. Add condensed milk to it and beat it well until well incorporated. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla essence

-Pour the filling into the biscuit base pan, smoothen the top with a spatula. Cover the top with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 4 hours. Eat it as it is or pour some fruit coulis and enjoy it with your friends and family!!

Happy Baking!!

Recipe #28 Butterscotch Chocolates

Makes : 15 

Ingredients 

-100gms dark chocolate (chopped)

-40 gms butterscotch (ground)

-chocolate mould 

Method 

-Using a double boiler (use a pot , fill it with water- half the pot, put it to boil, take a larger bowl over it),add the chocolate ,melt it slowly and use a spatula to mix it gently 

-Let the chocolate melt a little, add ground butterscotch and mix vigorously and remove all the lumps

-Once mixed well, transfer it to the mould and refrigerate it for 15 minutes and chocolates are ready to serve!!

-Happy baking ! 

Recipe #27 Chocolate Balls

This Christmas season gift your loved ones these easy to make chocolate balls! Very less prep work (mis en place) needed and a really pretty one bowl dessert!

Time taken: 40 minutes (Including mis en place)

Makes- 25

Ingredients

-120 grms biscuits (I used multigrain biscuits, you can use any biscuits of your choice)- powdered
- 55 grms Powdered sugar
- 12 grms cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 12 ml of corn syrup
- 60 ml liquid (Water+instant coffee+ 1 tsp powdered sugar- cook it and cool it/ rum/rum+water)
-140 grms almonds- crushed
- 55 grams powdered sugar + 2 tblsp cocoa powder (For coating)

Method

-In a bowl, add the biscuits, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, corn syrup, liquid, almonds and mix these ingredients  with a spatula until well incorporated. The mixture will taste and look like a chocolate fudge
-Now make small balls out of the mixture
-Now in a plate, take sugar and cocoa powder mix and roll the chocolate balls in it and dust out the excess
-Serve as it is!!


Happy Baking!

Recipe #26 Almond Rocks

Almond rocks can be a great form of gifting option this festive season. It is easy to make, it uses only 2 ingredients and very less preparation time!!

Ingredients

• 100 gms Dark chocolate (Cooking- I use Morde chocolate)
• 10 Almonds (whole)
• 1/2 litre water

Picture source : 1600 × 1087 - thedaintydomestress.com

Method

- Take a flat pan, dry roast the almonds until the skin of the almonds change colour and become golden brown. Use a spoon to continuously sauté it on the pan

-Boil 1/2 litre of water and using the double boiling technique, keep a larger pan (with chopped chocolate in it) on the boiling water pan

-Let the chocolate melt completely, stirring it at regular intervals

-Leave the melted chocolate for a minute and then dip 1 almond at a time in the melted chocolate. Using a spoon, coat the chocolate properly and remove the excess chocolate. Keep a thick layer of chocolate coat on the roasted almonds.

-Transfer each of the dipped almonds on a silver foil paper and keep it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes 

-Pack these amazing almonds in individual silver foils or just eat it !!

-Happy Baking!!

Recipe #25 Coffee Creme Brûlée

     

 Crème Brûlée is Custard, which is topped with caster sugar, using a blow torch (check out the second post) you melt (Brûlée which means burnt) the caster sugar giving the custard a contrasting texture of creaminess and crunch.

        You will need very little prep work (mis en place). It’s a classic dessert to be served at dinner parties, I’m sure your friends and family will just say, “That’s so yummy!!”

Serves: 3

Ingredients 

·      ½ cup granulated sugar

·      ½ cup powdered sugar

·      3 tsp caster sugar (for the Brûlée)

·      5 whole eggs

·      1/4tsp salt

·      3 cups milk

·      1 and ½ tsp coffee essence

·      1 cup boiling water

       

Method

-Grease 3 ramekin moulds

-In a small pan over medium heat, melt ½ cup granulated sugar slowly by stirring slightly so that it does not catch on the bottom of the pan. Let the sugar turn into a light gold colour syrup (caramel). Now pour it in the ramekins and keep it aside 

-Preheat the oven at 300 deg c

-In a large bowl, beat the eggs, salt and ½ cup of powdered sugar with an electric beater, beat it until it turns lemon colour

-Gradually beat in the milk and coffee essence at a very slow speed of the beater

-Pour this mixture in the cups, leaving 3cm on the top

-Take a big oven proof deep pan, pour in the boiling water (This helps in cooking the custard evenly), place the ramekin moulds and bake at 180 deg c for ½ an hour or until the top turns golden brown and when you insert a toothpick in the custard, it comes out clean. 

-Cool it to room temperature or if you want to serve it cold then put in the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator 5 minutes before serving. 

-Now for Brûlée, do this at the last minute when you are ready to serve it, you can do the Brûlée in front of the guests as well to create a little theatrical effect!! Sprinkle 1 tsp of caster sugar on each ramekin and the blow torch should be on a slow speed, slightly melt the sugar evenly to give it a golden colour

and serve it to your guests!!

-If you do not have a blow torch, then 5 minutes before serving, using your fingers, gently loosen the custard and put a serving plate on top of the mould and invert it, the caramel sauce will ooze out on the top of the custard making it caramel custard!!

Happy Baking!!

Recipe #24 Baked Mango Cheesecake

 Cooking Time- 50 to 60 minutes

Preparation Time- 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

·      125 gms digestive biscuits (crushed)

·      50 gms of unsalted butter (melted- room temperature)

·      80 gms Castor sugar (Powdered Sugar)

·      250 gms Cream Cheese (Room Temperature- I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

·      ½ cup mango pulp (1 alphonso mango)

·      ½ cup diced 1-centimeter cubes mango (1 alphonso mango)

Method

-Preheat the oven at 180 deg c. Take the crushed biscuits in a bowl, add melted butter and mix it with a spoon.

-Take a spring bottom tin and grease the pan with butter. Add the biscuit mixture to the pan and press it gently and evenly with the back of a spoon. Keep the tin in the refrigerator until the cheesecake batter is ready to be poured

Break all the 3 eggs in a bowl, using an electric beater beat the eggs and gradually one spoon at a time add sugar. Beat the mixture until its fluffy and lemony in colour

-Take cream cheese in another bowl, add he mango pulp and mix it with electric beater until well incorporated

-Add eggs to the cream cheese mix and fold (cut and fold method) until well incorporated

-Now take diced mango pieces and mix it with the cream cheese mixture.

-Pour the mixture in the biscuit tin till now kept in the fridge and bake it for 40 mins or until its set. To check whether it’s cooked, insert a toothpick in the centre of the baked cheesecake

- Refrigerate the cooked cheesecake for 1 hour before removing it from the tin.

-Using a hot knife, loosen the edges of the cake and demould it and decorate it with either mango jelly or with mango pieces

Happy Baking!

Recipe #23 Lemon Tart

Serves: 8

Ingredients

For the Tart

120 grams flour

40 grams powdered sugar

60 grams of cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 tblsp of cold water

For Lemon Curd

10 tblsp of Lemon Juice

4 large eggs

320 grams castor sugar

220 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 tblsp cornstarch

Few drops of lemon extract

Few drops of yellow liquid food colour

Method

For Tart

-Sift the flour and sugar, mix and add to a bowl. Add cold butter and with your fingertips crumb the mixture. It should come to a breadcrumb-like consistency

-Now gradually add water little at a time to combine the mixture in dough like consistency. Knead it until it does not stick to the bowl. Flatten the dough and wrap it with cling film. Refrigerate for 15 mins

-After 15 mins, place the dough on a floured surface and using a rolling pin, start rolling from the centre. Rotate the disc slightly after every rolling to avoid the edges from cracking. Roll the dough to a 1/8’ thickness (2 coins width)

-Take a pie dish or individual tart shells and cut circles 2 inch wider than the mould and place it in the dish/ shells

-Refrigerate the mould for 15 mins

-Preheat the oven at 180deg c

-Now, remove the tart shells/ pie dish and using a fork poke the bottom as well as the sides to avoid fluffing during baking process

-Bake at 180deg c for 20 mins or until the tarts become golden brown

-After 20 mins, remove it from the oven and let it cool on the racks

For Lemon Curd

- In a saucepan, add whole eggs and whisk lightly with a whisker. Add castor sugar, butter into it.

- In a small cup, take the lemon juice and add corn starch to it and mix it well till there are no lumps in it and pour this mix into the egg saucepan

- Place the saucepan on medium heat and whisk continuously for 7 to 9 until all the ingredients melt and get incorporated. Whisk until the mixture gets thickened. Once thickened, lower the heat and whisk for 1 minute. (Don’t let the mixture come to a boil. If by chance the mixture shows cooked egg bits then just strain the mixture in a sieve while its hot)

- Now add the yellow food colour and lemon extract and whisk

- Pour the lemon curd into the cooked tart moulds and refrigerate it for 2 hours before serving

Happy Baking!

Recipe #22 Éclairs

Éclairs are basically choux pastry, which is piped in long strips and glazed with different types of icing like chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, etc.

Choux pastries are hollow pastries which when baked; the air has to escape from the pastry, it doesn’t get the space to escape, hence it puffs up the pastry making it hollow!

Makes: 8

Ingredients

For Choux Pastry

·      65 ml water

·      65 ml of milk (gives moisture to the recipe)

·      55 gms of unsalted butter (room temperature)

·      4 gms sugar (any form)

·      100 gms All-purpose flour (Maida)

·      4 whole eggs (room temperature)

·      Pinch of salt

For Chocolate Icing

·      200 gms whipped cream

·      50 grms of melted chocolate

For Glaze Icing

·      200 gms Icing Sugar

·      25 gms cocoa powder

·      1-2 tblsp boiling water

Topping

·      Chopped hazelnuts

Method

Choux pastry

- In a heavy bottomed pan, put water, milk, butter and sugar. At medium heat, keep stirring until the butter melts and then bring the mixture to a boil.

-Add sifted all-purpose flour to the heavy bottomed pan and stir it with a wooden spoon. Let the mixture cook and keep stirring at small intervals. The mixture is ready when it does not stick to the bottom of the pan

-Preheat the oven a

-Now using an electric hand mixer beat the mixture until it is completely cool and gradually add 4 eggs, 1 at a time and beating in intervals until 1 egg is well incorporated, do not overbeat

-Pour the mixture in the piping bag and pipe long vertical eclairs on well greased oven proof tray and if you want equal sizes of the eclairs, then make start and end dots to help you pipe the mixture well. The mixture shouldn’t be very loose; it should be thick like a cake batter

-Bake at 180deg c for 30 to 35 mins until golden brown and feel hollow when you tap at the bottom, it feels very hollow. Let them cool on the wire rack

For Chocolate Icing

-Mix Whipped cream and melted dark chocolate with a spatula until well incorporated

Assembly

-Make 2 incisions in every choux pastry with a knife to add the filling. Using a round nozzle fill in the chocolate icing

Glaze Icing

-Add cocoa powder and sifted icing sugar in a bowl. Add boiling water a little at a time; add a little more water if the icing is too dry. It should be spreadable and not watery

-Dip the top of the choux pastry immediately into the glaze and if the icing dries out in the bowl, then add a little more boiling water and then use it

-Garnish it with chopped hazelnuts immediately when the icing is wet or plain glaze will be perfect

Happy Baking!