VEGETARIAN RED HOT VELVET CUPCAKES

We just celebrated my sons birthday with family members last week. He wanted to have a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. So I googled up Ina Garten's carrot cake recipe, made a few tweaks as usual, and the cake turned out really moist and delicious. I will have to post that recipe as well. Now he wants to celebrate his birthday with his tuition mates and tuition teachers. Since his tuition teachers are vegetarians and since my son is an ardernt Arsenal fan like his dad, I decided to bake a vegetarian red velvet cake to compliment the Arsenal logo cup cake edible image that I bought. I took the red velvet cake recipe from "Baked" and simply replaced the eggs with sour cream. My son tried out one of the cupcakes and said it was delicious, just like the red velvet cake that I had made sometime back using the original recipe from 'Baked' with eggs. One of my small triumphs. I can give a pat on my back, I guess.

Yields 24 cup cakes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp cochineal red food coloring (see note below)
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 cup evaporated milk)

125g butter, unsalted butter, softened
1 2/3 cups sugar
½ cup sour cream (I used Pauls Sour  Light Cream)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp rose essence
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour or cake flour
½ tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:
250g cream cheese at room temperature

125g butter, salted at room temperature

125g -200g icing sugar, sifted (depends on the consistency that you want, more icing sugar gives a stiffer frosting)

1 tsp vanilla essence

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth.
4. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
5. Add in the sour cream and beat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir the buttermilk, rose and vanilla essences into the cooled cocoa mixture.
7. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together into another medium bowl.
8. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the butter and sour cream mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
9. Stir the mixture well with a spatula to ensure, everything is well mixed.
10. Pour batter into cupcakes until half full only.
11. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
12. Cool before frosting cupcakes.

FROSTING

1. Beat the cream cheese until it is well mixed and there are no lumps.
2. Add in the butter and beat for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn the mixture to low and add in the icing sugar a little at a time.
4. Add in vanilla essence and beat until frosting is light and creamy.

Sharkarpara

This is yet another one of my Deepavali favourites. We used to get this sweet from our Punjabi friends for Deepavali. This is also my mum's favorite. I made some using the recipe below and gave some to her and she thought the paras were store-bought.

Ingredients:

500g all purpose flour
100g shortening (I used 50g unsalted butter and 50g vegetable shortenening)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

enough water to make a medium firm dough.

For the syrup:

300g sugar
100g water

Method:

1.   Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
2.   Rub shortening into the flour.
3.    Add in water a little at a time until you have a firm smooth dough.
4.   Wrap dough in cling wrap and let is rest for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
5.   Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thickness and cut  paras into 1 cm squares.
6.   Heat oil drop in paras into medium low flame and fry until the paras are light brown.
7.   Drain on paper towels and let it cool to room temperature.
8.   Once the paras are at room temperature, prepare the syrup for the sugar coating.
9.   Heat sugar and water in a wok and keep stirring the syrup until it it reaches soft ball stage.
      Syrup dropped into a bowl of cold wateer should be able to hold it shape and form a soft
      ball.
10. At this stage drop in the paras into the sugar syrup and stir quickly until all the paras are
       well coated with syrup. Turn off the fire and transfer the paras to a tray to cool.
11. Break the paras up and store in an air tight container.

Note:
Need to fry the paras in medium to low heat so that the paras get cooked inside.

Red Hot Velvet Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream

This red velvet cake is from the authors of the "Baked" cookbook,  Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. They are also co-owners of the famed " Baked" cake shop in NYC. 

I tried out this recipe once with the cinnamon frosting. While the cake turned out great (really moist and delicious) and the cinnamon frosting did give a twist to this red velvet cake, I still like the classic cream cheese frosting to a accompany the red velvet cake. I need to replace this picture with my own soon. My daughter's 16th birthday is coming up soon, I think I will make this cake again however make some tweaks to the cinnamon frosting. Will have to see how that tiurns out. 

Photo Credit Tina Rupp

Recipe courtesy of Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

YIELDS
One 8-inch cake

INGREDIENTS
Red Hot Velvet Cake Layers:
1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red gel food coloring (see note below)
1/4 cup boiling water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Cinnamon Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Decoration:
Red Hots (cinnamon imperials) candies

PREPARATIONRed Hot Velvet Cake Layers:1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir the buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Sift the flour and salt together into another medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the egg mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir until the baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz. Add to the batter and stir until just combined.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
Cinnamon Frosting:1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, then beat again until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the proper consistency.
Assemble the cake: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups of the frosting on top. Top with the next layer, trim and frost the top, then add the third layer. Put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with the Red Hots and refrigerate again for 15 minutes.

Note: Resist the urge to add extra food coloring to this recipe to achieve a redder cake. Subtlety is a virtue here. The purpose is not to turn the cake or the tongues of the cake eaters a radioactive color. The red in this recipe should be sly, smoky, bricklike, and restrained.

Coconut Candy

Since Deepavali is almost just around the corner, I am planning to put all my favourite Deepavali recipes on my site. One of them is the coconut candy recipe. I have been using teh following recipe from Aunty Yochana for the past couple of years and it is definitely a no-fail coconut candy recipe. One of my husband's favourites but my kids dont seem to like it much. I have just copied and pasted Aunty Yochana's recipe here since I just followed her recipe and did not make any tweaks of my own to this recipe. I will replace her photos with mine once I make the candies for Deepavali. Thanks Aunty Yochana for sharing this recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
350 gm. grated white coconut
500 gm. coarse sugar
170 gm. evaporated milk
50 gm. Butter
1 tsp. vanilla essence
a few drops of pink food colouring or any colour of your choice

Directions

 

1.  Place all the ingrediens (except butter)together into a heavy saucepan and stir continously

     over heat until sugar dissolves.
2.  Add in butter and continue stirring until mixture thickens.
3.  Pour thickend mixture into a greased 9" square tray and press till the surface is even. Leave

     to set and cool.4.  When slightly cool, cut into squares. When completely cooled to room temperature, store in

     airtight containers.

*note: Do not wait until completely cooled then cut into squares, the candy will break into pieces.

Masala Tea

When I was holiday in Sri Lanka with my family, we visited the Labookellie tea estate on the way to Nuwara Eliya. It was simply of the best tea that I had ever tasted. The best part was the tea was mixed with condensed milk( just the way I like it) and not with fresh milk like the ones you get in India. Although the tea tasted great, I did not buy any tea while I was at the estate. I'm more of a coffee drinker than tea. My brother however bought a few boxes of the Labookellie Mackwoods tea as gifts for his friends. After returning from Sri Lanka, both my husband and I started craving for the Mackwoods tea. I was too embarassed to ask my brother for some of the tea that he had bought so I tried to order some Mackwoods tea online. I was not too successful and finally gave up. A few weeks later my brother and sister in-law came for a visit and brought two boxes of the Mackwoods tea that they bought in Sri Lanka! Now was God answering my prayers or what.....

I still have my 2 boxes of Mackwoods and would normally make some tea when my husband or I have a craving for chaya. Lately after our holidays in Kerala, my husband and I have started to crave for tea and snacks for our chaya time during weekends. My favourite is the Masala tea. I googled up for some recipes and this is my version of Masala tea and it tastes exceptional made with Mackwoods tea.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Mackwoods tea or any type of black tea will do as well

1 cups water
1/2 cup milk
sugar to taste

For the masala
1/2 inch fresh ginger, you can use dried ginger
2-3 cardomoms
1/2" cinnamon
1 star anise
2-3 cloves
1/4 - 1/2 tsp ground pepper, for some heat


Directions

1. Bring water to a boil, add in the masala ingredients and boil for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in tea and boil for another 3 minutes
3. Lastly add in milk. When you see little bubbles appearing in the tea, turn off the fire. Dont let the tea boil again.
4. Strain, add sugar to taste and enjoy!

Somas Urundai

My late aunt ( we called her kannu attai) used to make this sweet. My mum got the recipe from her and used it to make this for us for tea. I dont think I have come across this sweet or recipe anywhere else. I wonder where my aunt got this recipe or maybe it was her own creation. Nevertheless it is an all time favourite for me.

Ingredients

1 cup rava/sooji
3/4 cups sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup scraped coconut
water

Directions

1. Dry roast coconut in low flame until it is aromatic and turns light brown. Keep aside.
2. Dry roast rava/sooji until it very lighly browned.
3. With the flame at low, add in the sugar, roasted coconut and salt and stir well for 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle some water to bind the rava mixture. Sprinkle water a little at a time. Rava mixture should be like breadcrumbs. If too much water is added, the rava mixture will turn into a ball or become like kesari.
5. Let the rava mixture cool and then form into lime sized balls.
6. Deep fry in medium hot oil until rava urundai turns golden brown. Rava urundai will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Mmmm....divine....
7. Enjoy with a hot cup of masala tea.

Rolled Pineapple Tarts

Pineapple tarts is one of my all-time favourite cookies. It's a must for Deepavali and I make it every year. My sis, mum and hubby love it but not my kids. However last Sunday I bought a bottle of jam tarts from a friend. To my surprise my second son started eating the tarts and could not put the bottle down. He was a bit upset that I just bought a bottle. I told him I will make some for him since I always like to cook and bake for my family. So I googled a couple of recipes and made this one up. I like the pastry to be a bit firm, not hard and not the melt-in-your mounth type. The jam should also be a little soft so that both the pastry and the jam complement each other. I will bake this later and let us see if this recipe turns out the way I want the rolled tarts to be.

Ingredients

250g butter, at room temperature
50g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 egg yolks

100g custard powder ( I am planning to use 50g of corn flour and 50g of custard powder)
375g all purpose flour
2 tbps milk powder or condensed milk

egg yolk for glazing (I normally use the whites and add a drop of egg yellow colouring and a drop of vanilla essence- works the same in my opinion) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C
2, Sift all pupose flour, corn flour, custard powder and milk powder.
3. In a bowl beat butter and icing sugar together for a 1-2 minutes
4. Beat in the egg yolks, essence and condensed milk (if using this instead of the milk powder)
5. Fold in the flour and mix until you get a soft dough.
6. Pipe the dough out using the jam tarts mould.
7. Place a jam on one edge of the pastry and roll the dough over. Cut the pastry where at the
    point the pastry covers the jam. You can also overlap the pastry a bit.
7. Glaze with egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes.
8. Cool and store in an airtight container.