Tuesday 29 January 2013

7 layer rainbow cake with mascarpone-whipped cream frosting

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We completed 7 years of marital bliss (if you can call it that anymore) last Saturday. I was, as usual, in a foul mood and then the husband surprises me with a gift, making me feel bad for not getting him anything in return. So to show my gratitude, I baked him a 7 layer rainbow cake to celebrate 7 colourful years of our lives. Actually I'm bull shitting, I baked the cake because I had to submit it to a magazine, and I just timed it right :)

However, it was a good idea since Ro had no clue what was underneath the white exterior. I'd made the cake and frosted it all on Friday (more so because sat was supposedly a sunny day and I could take pics) but no I dint tell Ro that and made him believe it was an anniv cake. All the while he kept asking me if it was a 3 layer cake and how we were gonna cut it and I went with the flow. Came 26th and I cut into it (after saying a prayer because you have no clue what its gonna look like) and voila...a beautiful 7 layer cake with all the colours of the rainbow (well, almost). Showed it to Ro and the first thing that came out of his mouth was something I cant mention here, but if you are on my friends list on FB, some of you'd know what I'm talking about :) :) I have cousins and friends who cant keep their mouths shut!!!!

Anyhoo, the cake tasted fab and although it was all pretty and such, I shall not be doing something like this again (well, unless I'm being paid to do it). I did it all in a day and it was a bit too much. If I'd split it over 2 or even 3 days, it would have made matters easier but of course I suck at planning and organizing, which is why I had to hurry and do this all one day before the big day. I also got disposable aluminium foil flan containers which made it sooo much more easier since I could do all the 7 cakes at one go in my oven. But obviously, the photographer in me didn't agree, and so while the first 3 were in the oven I set about taking pics of the remaining 4. You really don't need disposable containers, I'm just lazy to clean and reuse cake pans, and hence chose this method.
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Talking about the cake, you can pretty much adapt it to whichever cake you want  (no not chocolate) and I stuck to a basic vanilla cake to not complicate matters. A lemon, coconut or orange flavoured one would work just fine. I did some major research before the expedition and all the recipes I came across had omitted the indigo shade and had only 6 layers. That meant, the cake batter measurement had to be reworked and recalculated to accommodate 7 layers. It was all too much work and so what I did was, took a normal vanilla cake recipe and made it into a 7 layer- 6 inch size cake. The trick to get even layers is to weigh the batter. I did some crazy calculations and decided my batter would be 215 odd grams per pan. I went wrong somewhere and ended up with more batter for the red layer (as you may have noticed). But by then, all you want to do is get the damn cakes baked and left aside to cool. So don't fret too much about the cake size..if you can manage to get an approximate weight into each, that's good enough.

I also wanted to keep the frosting fuss free and most importantly, butter free. I hate how much butter the butter cream and meringue frosting's take and my heart belongs to the cream frostings (not any better, I know!). So I stuck to a whipped cream frosting with some mascarpone thrown in and it was a great decision. I even got a lighter mascarpone version to justify the amount of stuff that went into the cake. Anyways, we loved the cake- its moist and does its job of being a vanilla flavoured cake beautifully. I would definitely be using this cake recipe in future experiments.

Without further rambling, here's the recipe for the gigantic rainbow cake

Moist vanilla cake (Recipe adapted from here- makes a 7 layer, 6 inch cake or 3 layer, 8 inch cake)
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Butter- 1 cup, at room temperature
Granulated sugar- 2 cups
Eggs- 4 medium, at room temperature
Self-raising flour- 3 cups (*refer notes)
Whole milk- 1 cup
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Gel colours- all the 7 colours (I used a brand called Sugar Flair)
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Cream the butter till nice and fluffy, using the paddle attachment of your mixer or using a hand mixer.
Add sugar and continue to cream for about 4 minutes, till the mix is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Throw in the flour, alternating between the milk, starting and ending with flour. Beat on low till the mix is well combined and no traces of flour is obvious.
Finally, add the vanilla extract and give one final mix
Get 7 bowls ready. Weigh the batter and transfer them into the bowls. (should be approximately of same weight)
Also preheat the oven to 175C.
Add the colours to the individual bowls. A little goes a long way when it comes to gel colours, so add bit by bit, mix and see if its the colour you are looking for. What you see is what you get as the final product.
Transfer the batter into cake pans (greased and lined if not using aluminium foil containers) and gently tap them on the counter a couple of times to pop the air bubbles.
If your oven cant take more than 2 at a time, that's perfectly fine. Just keep the other pans ready and you can bake them in batches.
Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake should slightly spring back when touched.
Transfer to a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes remove from container and leave aside to cool completely, after which you can wrap them in cling film and store in the refrigerator for a day or two till ready to frost.

Notes: *I didn't have self raising flour so I made my own by mixing 11/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt for every one cup of plain flour. So for the recipe, I sifted together 3 cups of plain flour with 3 3/4 tsps of baking powder and 3/4th tsp salt.
Butter flavouring was called for in the recipe. I have no clue what that is, so didn't use.
If the cakes have domed, slice off the dome using a serrated knife, only after they have cooled completely.

Mascarpone-whipped cream frosting
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Mascarpone cheese- 250 gms, chilled (I used a lighter version)
Double cream- 2 cups, chilled (whipping cream as it is known elsewhere)
Powdered sugar- 3 tbsp (increase or reduce as preferred. I kept it at 3 tbsp since the cake was sweet enough)
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Using the paddle attachment of your free standing mixer (or hand mixer if that's what you have), beat the mascarpone cheese till smooth and fluffy, for about a minute.
Add the vanilla extract and sugar and continue mixing for another minute.
Change to the whisk attachment and start whipping, while gradually adding the double cream.
Keep whipping till you get stiff peaks and is of pipable consistency. Do this on high speed but keep a close watch as you don't want to over whip and cause the cream to separate.
Add more cream if you think its too loose. 
You can also replace the mascarpone cheese with cream cheese and you'd get an even better frosting.

Assembling
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Place the first layer on a serving plate- the violet layer in this case- and spread about 3 to 4 tbsp of frosting over it, using an off-set spatula. I chose to keep the frosting thin because I didn't want too much white separating the colours. 
Top with indigo layer and repeat the process till you reach orange. 
Once you have spread the frosting on the orange layer, turn the red cake upside down (top facing down) and place it on top of the orange cake. That way you have a smooth top to finish off.
Do a crumb coat by covering the cake with a thin coat of frosting, just to seal in all the crumbs, then do a generous coat of frosting and smoothen it out as much as possible.
Refrigerate till ready to use, and about 15 to 20 minutes before serving bring it to room temperature.

Notes: As you can see I did a rubbish job of frosting it. By the time the crumb coat was over, I was beyond exhaustion. I just wanted to finish it and go sleep or something. So like I mentioned before spread the entire process over a couple of days and you wont have a cake frosted like that
The whipped cream frosting does not hold well when its warm. Its starts melting, so keep in the refrigerator till ready to use.
That also means, the cake holds good only for about 4 to 5 days max. Store in the refrigerator at any cost
The frosting also starts to crack, I think because of temperature variations. I panicked, but don't worry, just whip up some more double cream and fill the cracks.

Thursday 24 January 2013

Coconut milk pulao

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We had some friends staying over last weekend and it was a hell of a lot of fun. On Monday, after a day out shopping, we got back home exhausted. With the plan of ordering food from outside, we sat down and relaxed with a cup of tea for more gossip sessions. At around 5pm this sudden enthusiasm to cook came over me (and let me warn you, that's not something that happens often, or let me say ever). So I got up and said I was gonna make dinner.

This friend of mine said she would help and we got around to chopping and peeling. Pulao and a beef curry was on the cards and we started prepping. Half way through, the conversation went on to Thai and jasmine rice and coconut milk and my friend said she makes a pulao with coconut milk. She was explaining the procedure and it sounded too good to pass. Turned the whole thing around and decided to make that pilaf instead. 

It was so easy to make and absolutely delish. The whole credit for this dish goes to her and it would be one of those rice preps that will make its way through to my table more often. As I have said before, making rice in the microwave is a revelation to me and again its proved satisfactory. The recipe is quite versatile and you can add whatever veggies you please- it was my first time using potato in a pilaf but it was worth it, its a pretty nice addition. It serves 4 generously and I paired it with a side of beef and spinach curry, pickle and raita.
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Rice- 1 1/2 cups (washed and soaked for at least 15 minutes)
Water- 3 cups
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Onion- 1 small, finely chopped
Green chilli- 1, finely chopped
Garlic paste- 1 tsp
Carrots- 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Beans- 1/2 cup, finely chopped
Potato- 1/4 cup, cut into small cubes
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Thick coconut milk- 1/3rd cup 
Salt- to taste
Lemon juice- 1/2 tbsp
Coriander leaves- to garnish (optional)
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Melt the ghee in a frying pan and add sauté the onions and chilli till glossy, about 3 to 4 minutes. No need to brown it.
Add the garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears.
In goes the diced carrots, beans and potato. Add salt and turmeric powder, stir well, close the pan with a lid and let it cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Make sure it doesn't char.
Open the lid and add the coconut milk, making sure the veggies are all coated well. Continue cooking with the lid open for a few more minutes, till the veggies are cooked.
Drain the rice and add it to the coconut milk mix. Stir continuously for about 2 to 3 minutes, coating the rice with the mix.
Meanwhile, boil 3 cups of water in the kettle.
Transfer the rice mix to a microwave safe bowl, add the boiling water, lemon juice and more salt and place in the microwave, uncovered.
Cook on high (mine was a 750 wts) for 20 minutes.
Once time is up, take the bowl out to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not, put it back into the microwave and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
Leave the bowl covered for about 10 minutes (this is completely optional) and then fluff well using a fork. The grains would all be separate if cooked perfectly.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm
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Notes: Do different versions with frozen peas, corn kernels, mushrooms and so on to make it more interesting.
The coconut milk taste is very distinct, think it out with water if you are not a big fan and reduce the water used accordingly. For example if using 1/2 cup think coconut milk, then use only 2 3/4 cups of boiling water. 
You can also stir in the coconut milk along with the boiling water and add to the rice so the rice gets cooked in the coconut milk. Shall try that method next time and update with results.

Thursday 17 January 2013

No-yeast naan and keema {quick dinner idea}

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Trying to figure out what to make for dinner these days has become a major chore. I mean sometimes I know what exactly I want to have and then I get all enthusiastic to source ingredients and make it happen. But on most other days I'm just lost. I'm bored with chapati and usual curries, bored with macaroni bakes, bored with dosa/ idli and bored with soup and bread. I ask Ro what he wants for dinner and he says two words all the time, Chinese or Mediterranean. Unfortunately I'm rubbish at both these and so the only option is to eat out. Which is what Ro means by Chinese and Mediterranean, but that's not an option always isn't it?

Anyways, on one of those days I was breaking my head over what to make, I did my usual scouting of blogs to get some inspiration and landed on this beautiful blog that had pretty pictures and some interesting recipes. The yohurt naan caught my eye and the fact that it didn't need any yeast and rising time and such made it even more attractive. I have always wanted to make naan at home, and have bookmarked quite a few recipes from experts out there. But that, I kept for another time and decided to try this no yeast naan the very day I found the recipe. It was so so easy to make and came out really well. In fact, I think I like this option better than the real deal, not just because it tastes fab, more so because it was all done in under half an hour. 
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The first time I made it, I paired it with some Andhra egg curry, which was good, but not great. Yesterday I paired it with some kheema and it was fab. I'm not a big fan of minced beef/lamb, so I very rarely use them at home. This preparation was a pleasant change from the usual and so I enjoyed it. I am gonna use the left over mince meat in a stuffed bun, following this recipe. Both the recipes- naan and keema- are from the same blog and I'm so glad I chanced upon it on my frantic search for inspiration. 

On a completely different note, if you haven't entered my giveaway, do so soon, you only have 2 more weeks. And as I had mentioned before, we are having a bloggers meet in London on the 23rd of feb. Its a whole day event with lots of fun master classes, food and great company. We have been lucky enough to get some fabulous sponsors and it would be really great if you can make it to the event. Check out our event blog for details on how to register, sponsor updates and competitions.

No-yeast naan (recipe adapted from here, makes 10)
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Plain flour- 300 gms (3 cups)
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1 tsp
Sugar- 1 /2 tsp
Yoghurt- 60ml (approx. 2 tbsp)
Water- 140 ml
Oil- 2 tbsp
Butter- to brush on the naan
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Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
Make a well in the centre and add the yoghurt and water.
Knead well, either using the dough hook of your mixer or using your hands, till the dough comes together.
Add the oil and continue kneading until you get a pliable dough. Don't over work it though.
Divide the dough equally into 10 and roll each into a ball.
Meanwhile, put a tawa on high heat and dust your counter with flour.
Roll out each of the dough balls into a round or oval- naan shape. My rolling skills are pathetic, which I'm sure you can see. But roll it out in whichever shape and size you prefer. 
Place the rolled out dough on to the tawa and wait till it puff up or you see bubbles appearing on top.
At this point flip it and cook for about a minute or so, and the naan is slightly charred.
Transfer to a plate and generously brush with butter.
Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top and serve warm.

Notes: Feel free to halve the recipe. have done it and it works fine.
I am sure you can improvise using garlic, cumin, herbs and spices etc etc. Incorporate it into the dough or sprinkle on top on you brush with butter.
To keep the naan warm, wrap in aluminium foil till ready to serve.

Beef keema with peas and potatoes
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Beef mince/ Lamb mince- 500 gms
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Cardamom- 3 pods
Cinnamon stick- 1, 2 inch piece
Bay leaves- 2
Onions- 2 medium, finely sliced
Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp
Meat masala- 1 tsp
Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
Pepper- 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp to add at the end
Yoghurt- 1 tbsp
Tomato- 1 small, finely chopped
Potatoes- 1 medium, peeled and diced into small cubes
Mint leaves- 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Coriander leaves- 3 tbsp + enough to garnish
Green peas- 1/4 cup (I used frozen green peas)
Salt- to taste
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Heat oil in a pan cooker and throw in cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves and wait for it to sizzle.
Throw in the onions and sauté till they turn a golden brown in colour.
Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell disappears.
Turn the heat to high and add the minced beef.
Break the meat using the spoon and cook, stirring well, until all the meat is browned.
Reduce heat to medium and add all the masalas, making sure you mix it well into the beef.
Mix in the yoghurt and tomato followed by mint leaves, coriander leaves and potatoes.
Add a bit of bit of water and enough salt, mix well and cover and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or till the meat and potatoes have cooked through.
Open lid at intervals and give a good mix. 
Also, add more water if its too dry or if there is loads of water, evaporate it on high heat.
Mix in the green peas, and also check for salt. Add if required.
Finally, sprinkle the remaining garam masala, give one final mix and transfer to a serving bowl.
Just before serving, garnish with coriander leaves.
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Notes: Freeze the remaining in an air tight container and use to stuff buns, Sloppy Joe's, and keema dosa.
Feel free to use the same recipe with lamb.
You can also double the recipe.
You can do the entire cooking in a pressure cooker as well.
I like my kheema without any gravy, like a semi dry consistency. If you'd like more gravy, add water accordingly.

Sunday 13 January 2013

Sponsored video: Tropical Sun's Free Vending Machine

With snow expected in most parts of the country this week, we are all getting ready to braze the minus degree temperatures and the ghastly winds. As much as I love snow, the feeling soon dies by day two when it turns to slush and walking on ice becomes a feat. With the gloom over our heads, the least we can do is enjoy this video by Tropical Sun, with the hope of better things to come. The sun, the sand, the sea..ah summer, you are so so far away aren't you?

Anyway, to not let the weather dampen your spirits, take a look at this interesting video set in the Caribbean. The team at Tropical Sun (aptly called Ray) have introduced a live wending machine which lets you choose free samples from their range of products and loads of free discount coupons which can be redeemed at various retailers. Some meat seasoning, jerk seasoning, Barbecue sauce etc. can certainly do wonders to lift your spirits I'm sure.

Watch the video to see how the 'Rays' get the vending machine stocked up. It sure is fun!


Click on the link to view the free vending machine and claim some of those goodies.
I could just spend my day watching the live web cam with a Pina Colada in my hands and pretend I was on the beach..sigh! :)

This is a sponsored post

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Jalapeño popper dip

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I had major plans of starting off the new year on a sweet note, but 2 cake baking disasters back to back left me disinterested in the same. I am pretty sure I've lost my cake baking mojo and poor Ro is bearing the brunt of it, along with eating the severely dry mocha cupcakes I baked (and couldn't get myself to dump).

Instead I thought I'll blog one of my recent favourites, the jalapeno popper dip. I love Jalapeno poppers, but unlike the US, its very difficult to get your hands on some fresh Jalapenos and even if you do its ridiculously expensive. But when I do have this craving for poppers I head on over to Borough market and pick some up, but of late I have been using the pickled jalapenos for my cooking requirements. It cant be used to make poppers, but I do generously use them in my Mexican dishes as well as dips and such. 
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Penn State Snacks had sent me their Christmas (pretzel) range to review a while back and their challenge was to incorporate it into a recipe. They sent me 3 different flavours, each good it its own way. The sour cream and chive was deemed my favourite and I can very proudly say I myself finished off 3/4th of the pack. Their popular salted giant stars were perfect for Christmas entertaining and I served it with a sweet apricot chutney at one of my Christmas parties. The kids enjoyed it and that does say a lot about the flavour doesn't it :). Their brand new flavour- Maple bacon pretzel knots were used in this jalapeño popper dip and I must say it was a pleasant discovery. Instead of using bread crumbs to sprinkle on top of the dip, I crushed the maple bacon pretzels and used that instead. The subtle sweetness of the maple was a good addition to the creaminess of the cheese and heat from jalapenos. I still have half a pack of pretzels left and I may use it up to coat some chicken drumsticks and bake them. 

The jalapeño dip was served as a starter along with some carrots and cucumber sticks and tortilla chips at a party we had at home and everyone loved it. I wouldn't claim this dip to be healthy in any way, but serving it with some chopped veggies kinda makes it a wee bit acceptable. Oh well, who am I kidding, its an uber cheesy dip- hot and spicy- and I don't think anyone would say no to it. So go on, give it a try and see what I'm talking about.

Recipe adapted from here (serves 8, as a starter)
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Cream cheese- 225 gms, at room temperature (I used Philadelphia cream cheese)
Mayonnaise- 1/2 cup
Cheddar cheese- 1/2 cup (coarsely grated)
Parmigiano Reggiano- 1/4 cup (coarsely grated)
Pickled jalapeños- 90 to 100 gms, drained and roughly chopped
Maple bacon pretzels- 3 tbsp (crushed *)
Parmigiano Reggiano- 2 tbsp (finely grated)
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In a mixing bowl mix together the cream cheese, mayo, cheddar and parmiggiano reggiano until well combined.
Add the chopped jalapeños and continue mixing till you get a smooth-ish mix. 
Transfer this mix into a baking dish and smoothen out the top as much as possible. Keep aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175C.
*Transfer the pretzels into a zip lock bag and using a rolling pin crush them as finely as possible. Alternatively, transfer them into a spice grinder and grind till fine. 
Mix the Parmigiano cheese into the pretzel mix and sprinkle over the cheese mix, as evenly as possible. Tap the bowl on the kitchen counter to evenly distribute it,
Place on a baking tray and chuck into the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or till the cheese starts bubbling from the sides and the crushed mix on top becomes a light golden colour.
Serve right out of the oven.
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Notes: Replace the maple bacon pretzels with equal amount of bread crumbs. I have tried it both ways and cant pick a favourite. Love both equally. You can also use any other crisp/ chips in its place as well.
I dont like too fine a crumb so I left a few chunks here and there.
Feel free to halve the recipe and bake it for only about 12 to 15 minutes.
Use more jalapeños if you want it spicier. Add one fresh one along with the pickled ones for some extra kick. The heat was just perfect for us.
Add flavourings like garlic powder, thyme etc. to give it more oomph.

With thanks to Penn State Snacks for sending me a sample pack of pretzels