Butterscotch and Dryfruit Tart

Perfect for parties, these come with a crusty exterior and rich creamy filling inside. When i had this tart from a local bakery during our drive to Kerala from Bangalore,  i promised myself that i will surely try to make these delicious tarts at home. 

My search on google was not fruitful so i knew that I had to follow the ratatouille way. So after some experiments i was able to bake the perfect crust. When my husband called me up around 11.30 AM saying that they were having a "Potluck lunch" that afternoon, I decided that it was the perfect occasion to try Butterscotch and dry fruit tart. 

Ingredients :

For the Crust : 

Refined Flour : 250g

Castor Sugar : 50g

Milk Powder : 3tbsp

Salt : 1/4tsp

Cold Butter : 100g, Cut into cubes

Egg White  : 1, slightly beaten

Vanilla Essence : 1/2tsp

For the Filling :

Cashew : 50g

Raisins : 25g

Almonds : 50g

Apricots : 25g, chopped

Fig : 25g, Chopped

Walnuts : 25g

Milk : 1Cup

Cornflour : 2tbsp

Sugar : 1/4Cup

Condensed Milk : 1/4Cup

Butter : 2tsp

Cold Water

Method : 

1. Sift the flour, salt and milk powder and keep aside.

2. Combine butter and sugar with your finger tips.and add this to the sifted flour (from step1). 

3. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

4. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little cold  water and pulse again.Wrap the dough with a butter paper and refrigerate for 20min.

5. Make lemon sized balls from the dough and with your fingertips, and press the dough neatly up the sides of the individual tart moulds. Now place these moulds in the freezer for about 10 minutes, this will help to prevent the tart from puffing up during baking.

6. Now keep the tart moulds in a preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 160 degrees. 

7. Once they are fully baked, remove them from oven and cool them on a wire rack. When completely cooled, remove the tarts from the pan.

Method of making the butterscotch filling :

1.  Melt butter in a pan  and sauté all dry fruits for 3 minutes. Keep aside

2. In the same pan, add sugar and stir continuously till it melts.

3. When it turns golden in color add the milk and cornflour mixture and combine well . Stir continuously and let it become thick.

4. Now add condensed milk and dryfruits (Stir continuously for 3 minutes) Remove the filling from flame and let it to cool.

5. Transfer the filling to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.

6. Using two small portions fill the tart shells with butterscotch . 

Kozhukkatta / Sarkkara kozhukkattai / Modakam

Kozhukattai is one of the most popular breakfast recipes of Kerala, it is also known as Modakam. As kids we used to call them cannon balls :)
 

Ingredients :

Rice Flour : 1 1/2Cup

Grated Jaggery : 1Cup

Water : 1 3/4Cup

Ghee : 1tsp

Cardamom Powder : 1/2tsp

Shredded Coconut : 1/2Cup

Salt : 1pinch

Method :

1. Make "Sarkkarappavu" by melting jaggery with enough water. Melt jaggery on a medium flame for 15minutes. Filter this when it becomes cool. Heat it again on a low flame to make it thick.

2. Heat ghee in a pan and add shredded coconuts, jaggery liquid (from step1), and cardamom powder and mix well. 

3. Allow water to boil in a heavy bottom vessel and add salt and rice flour (tip: stir continuesly to avoid lumps).

4. When water is absorbed completely transfer it to another bowl and wrap with a white cloth (optional)

5. Allow the dough to cool and then knead it well with your hands.

6. Rub ghee / gingelly oil in your hand and make fine balls from the dough.

7. After flattening the ball in your hands put 1tbsp of coconut-jaggery mixture (sarkkarappavu) and gently fold the sides inwards so that it becomes a ball again. Continue to make kozhukkattai from the remaining dough and jaggery-coconut mixture.

8. In a steamer / appa chembu cook for 15-20minutes. Serve hot as a breakfast / Tea time snack / sweet.

Chocolate Walnut Muffins

These rich, dark chocolatey muffins studded with walnuts and topped with creamy vanilla butter frosting and dusted with grated dark chocolate.

Ingredients : 

Unsalted Butter : 170g

Plain Chocolate : 140g

Castor Sugar : 200g

Dark Brown Sugar : 55g

Eggs : 4

Vanilla Essence : 1tsp

Almond Essence : 1tsp

Plain Flour : 110g

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : 1tbsp

Walnuts Chopped : 115g

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 Cup muffin pan or use paper cases.

2. Melt the butter with the chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set  over a pan of hot water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

3. Stir both the sugars into the  chocolate mixture. Mix in the eggs, 1at a time, then add the vanilla and almond essences.

4. Sift over the flour and cocoa.

5. Fold in and stir in the walnuts. 

6. Fill the prepared cups almost to the top and bake until a skewer inserted in the centre barely comes out clean, 10-15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Recipe Courtesy :  "Baking" by Martha Day.Sending it to Shabitha's event Virtual Party - Chocolaty Dreams.