GINGER BREAD HOUSE

Happy Christmas Blogger Friends :)

With help of 'Wilton Ginger bread house kit', me and my daughter made this beautiful Ginger bread house. It was a real fun for my kid to assemble and decorate this ginger bread house with pre-baked ginger biscuits.

ROCKY ROAD SQUARES

A Simple Dessert with rich chocolate and marshmallows. I made 3 batches of this yesterday for my husband's colleagues. Its a great snack for kids and an easy picnic dessert.

How to make the best Rocky Road Squares ?

Cooking Time : 5 minutes

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Makes : 24 Squares

Ingredients :

Butter : 113 g / 4 oz / 1/2 Cup, at room temperature 

Good quality dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids) : 113 g / 4 oz / 3/4 Cup, broken into pieces* 

Good Quality Semi sweet Chocolate : 113 g / 4 oz / 3/4 Cup, broken into pieces*

Almonds / pecans / walnuts : 85g / 3oz / 1/2 Cup, unsalted, Roasted
Honey : 3tbsp

Rich Tea biscuits : 125g, (i used homemade Chocolate chip cookies)

Marshmallows : 100g, (13 large maeshmallows)

Icing sugar / Powdered Sugar for dusting : 1tsp

Notes : 

1. Instead of chocolate bar , You can use Chocolate chips that are used for melting. 

2. I used Mini marshmallows for this recipe. If you have large marshmallows, cut each into 6 pieces and use as mentioned.

Method :

1. Crush together almonds and biscuits. Best way is to transfer Almonds and biscuits into a zip-lock bag / freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. It can be of any size, shape or crumbs. (If you are using a mixer grinder, make sure that you are not making fine powder of it) 

2. In a heavy bottom vessel, add butter, chocolate and honey. Heat in the slowest flame and stir continuously. (Make sure, it is a heavy bottom vessel, else chocolate mixture will stick to the bottom and burn). When the chocolate is completely melted, combine the mixture well and scoop out 1/4 cup of this melted mixture and keep aside.

3. Fold the Almond and biscuit mixture into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, and then add the marshmallows. Stir well for a minute and turn off the flame.

4. Tip into a foil tray (24cm square) or a rectangle pan covered with foil and level it with a spatula. Add the chocolate mixture we kept aside on top of this and level again. Refrigerate for 4hours or overnight. 

5. Cut into 24 Squares and dust with icing sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Classic Vanilla Cupcakes - Christmas Special

The best and easy recipe for Vanilla cupcakes with butter cream frosting

How to make Vanilla Muffin?

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 18 minutes

Yield : 28 mini muffins or 14 standard muffins

Ingredients :

Unsalted Butter : one stick / 113 g, At Room temperature*

Sugar : 115 g

All Purpose Flour (maida) : 150 g

Eggs : 2, At room Temperature*

Baking Powder : 1 1/2 tsp

Vanilla Extract : 1 tsp

Salt : 1/8 tsp (a pinch)

Milk : 2 tbsp, at room temperature*

Note : Ingredients that are marked with ' * ', should be at room temperature. Otherwise Top side of muffins turns to sticky when it cools down.

Method :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until blended. Add the egg one by one and continue beating until the mixture is creamy.

4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Combine well with a wooden spatula. 

5. Now add Vanilla extract and milk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Do not Over mix the batter)

6. Scoop the batter into muffin cups almost 3/4th of it and bake for 14 minutes for mini muffins and 17 minutes for standard muffins. Always check a few minutes before the stated baking time. (Do not over bake as it makes the muffin dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Recipe for Butter cream Frosting :

Unsalted Butter : 80 gm or 1/3 cup

Icing Sugar : 1 1/2 Cup, sifted

Milk : 1 1/2  tbsp

Vanilla extract : 3/4 tsp

Method :

Using an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Gradually beat the Icing sugar on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract. Add the milk and beat on high speed for 3 minutes until frosting is light and smooth. 

CHETTINADU KUZHI PANIYARAM

If you are bored of regular idli and dosa, you should definitely try this Chettinadu Kuzhi Paniyaram with the same Iddli/Dosa batter. Paniyaram can be served as a Breakfast or as evening snack. It goes well with Tomato Chutney / Coconut Chutney.

How to make the Best Chettinadu Kuzhi Paniyaram?
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3 Adults

Ingredients :

Iddli /Dosa Batter : 2Cups
Onion : 1/2, finely chopped
Green Chilly : 1, finely chopped
Mustard Seeds : 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves : 1spring, finely chopped
Halved urad dal/split black gram/uzhunnu parippu  : 1/2tsp
Hing/asafoetida Powder/kaayam : a pinch
Shredded coconut : 1/2tbsp (optional)
Oil : 2-3tbsp(i used coconut oil)

Note :
You can add 2tbsp grated carrots along with shredded coconut to make the paniyaram more healthy.

Method :

1. Heat 1/2tbsp oil in a thadka pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urad daal followed by onion and green chillies. When onion turns to translucent, add shredded coconut and saute well. Add salt, curry leaves and asafoetida powder. Turn off the flame and add this to thick iddli/Dosa batter. Mix well and adjust the salt.

2. Heat a paniyaram pan / unniyappam pan and add 3-4drops of oil into each moulds. (non-stick pan works the best). Now Pour the 1tbsp of batter into each moulds and cover the pan with a lid. When it starts to turn slight brown on the edges, turn them with a pair of forks and cook uncovered. You can insert a toothpick in the mddle of paniyaram to check whether its done. Now transfer it to a kitchen towel.

3. Serve hot with coconut chutney / Tomato chutney.

Recipe for the best Tomato Chutney : 

Preparation Time : 15minutes

Serves : 3

Ingredients :

Onion : 1, chopped

Tomato : 3, chopped

Chilly powder : 3/4tsp

Turmeric powder : 1/4tsp

Coriander leaves : 2tbsp, finely chopped

Salt

Mustard Seeds : 1/4tsp

Curry leaves : 1spring

Oil : 1tsp + 1tsp

Method :

Heat 1tsp oil in a pan and saute onion till translucent. Now add turmeric powder and chilly powder. Saute well till you get a nice aroma and then add tomatoes. Mix well and cover with a tight lid. Cook till tomatoes are soft. Add salt and coriander leaves and combine well. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool. Grind it to a smooth paste by adding enough water to make a thick tomato chutney. Now heat remaining oil in a tadka pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves and turn off the flame. Add tadka to the tomato chutney and enjoy with chettinad kuzhi paniyaram.