ChocoFlan

ChocoFlan  is a Mexical traditional dessert that became popular because of the double layer -Half chocolate cake and half flan. This is a delicious dessert that you can make it on your own.  

Ingredients

For the cake

Butter (room temperature) - 10 tbsp.

Sugar - 1 cup.

Egg - 1 

All-purpose Flour - 1 3/4 cups

Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

Baking soda - 3/4 tsp

Cocoa powder - 1/3 cup

Buttermilk - 1 1/4 cup

For the Flan

Evaporated milk - 1 (12 oz) can.

Sweetened condensed milk - 1 (14 oz) can.

Cream cheese (room temperature) - 4 oz

Eggs - 3

Vanilla extract - 1 tbsp

For Garnish

Cajeta or Caramel sauce - 1/4 cup

Chopped pecans - 1/4 cup

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a bundt pan with butter and coat the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup Cajeta or Caramel sauce. Place the bundt pan in a large roasting pan (The roasting pan will serve as a water bath during baking).

Making the cake - Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Combine the egg.  Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and cocoa powder and add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture.  Add 1/2 of the buttermilk to the egg mixture. Repeat until the flour is well incorporated.

Making the Flan - In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. Blend the mixture on high for 30 seconds.

Pour the cake batter into the greased bundt pan and slowly pour the flan mixture over the cake batter. The batters may appear to mix when you pour them into the pan but they completely separate while baking - with the flan ending up at the bottom. 

Cover the pan with foil and add about 1-inch of hot water to the roasting pan.

Slide the roasting pan with the bundt pan into the oven and bake for an hour until the surface of the cake is firm to touch or an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.  

When the cake is done, remove from the water bath and let it cool completely for an hour.  

When the cake is cool, flip the bundt pan over a platter and scrape any Cajeta from the pan and garnish with chopped pecans.

Super crumb coffee cake

A soft, tender, easy-to-make coffee cake heavy on the crumbs! The original recipe is from Sallys Baking addiction. Enjoy!

Ingredients

All-purpose flour (maida) - 2 cups.
Sugar - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Butter - 10 tbsp (1 1/4 stick)
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Buttermilk - 3/4 cup
Brown sugar - 2/3 cup
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 tsp

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x9 square pan with butter.

Cut the butter into small pieces and combine the butter with the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Whisk the mixture using a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumble. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture.

Mix the baking powder and baking soda with the remaining flour mixture.  Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla and beat it with a beater. Beat until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and looks like frosting.  Pour the batter into the greased pan.  Add the cinnamon and brown sugar to the reserved flour mixture.  Sprinkle the crumbs over the batter and press lightly so they stick.  

Bake the cake until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (50 minutes). Allow the cake to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Cinnamon-swirl chocolate chip bread

This bread swirled with cinnamon sugar, topped with more cinnamon sugar tastes like cake and the texture is soft, moist and dense.  The original recipe is from Sallys Baking Addiction. Enjoy!

Ingredients

All-purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 cups

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Egg - 1 large

Brown sugar - 3/4 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Buttermilk - 1 cup

Vegetable oil - 1/3 cup

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Chocolate chips - 2/3 cup

Cinnamon Sugar

Sugar - 1/3 cup

Cinnamon - 1 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Making the cinnamon swirl by combining cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar and set it aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and set it aside.  In another bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar and sugar until combined.  Make sure there are no lumps.  Add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla and slowly add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the wet ingredients.  Gently mix until they are combined with no lumps.

Pour half of the batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle evenly 3/4 of cinnamon sugar mixture and pour the remaining batter on the top. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar on the top and yo can sprinkle some chocolate chips.

Bake the bread until a toothpick poked in the center of the bread comes out clean (50 minutes).  Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!

Blondies

Blondies are indulgent desserts that are hard to resist.  The brown sugar gives the blondies their distinctive molasses flavor and they are rich, chewy and extremely delicious. Since brown sugar is the critical flavor, I used a combination of light and dark brown sugars.  This original recipe is from Bobby Flay. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter - 1 1/2 stick
All-purpose Flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 cups
Light Brown sugar - 1 cup
Dark Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Chocolate chips (milk) - 1 cup
Toasted Almonds (optional) - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9x9 baking pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set them aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add both the brown sugars and whisk until the sugar is melted.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool. Add the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.  Add the flour mixture and whisk until just incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate chips and the almonds.  Transfer the mixture to the buttered pan.

Bake until the top cracks slightly and is firm to touch and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (about 30 minutes).  Remove the bars and let it cool completely and cut them into 2-inch squares.

Easy Cream cheese pound cake (box recipe)

The original recipe is from Duncan Hines website. It is a keeper of a cake recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix

Cream cheese- 8 oz

Eggs - 4

Canola oil - 1/2 cup

Hot water - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Butter - 2 tbsp

Vanilla - 1 tbsp

Method

Heat oven to 325ºF.
Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, butter, oil and vanilla in a large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each until blended. Gradually beat in flour and hot water on low speed until blended.  

Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan.

Bake for about an hour at 350, until it is light brown and starts to pull away from the sides.

Enjoy!

Mango Pound cake

It's summer and mangoes are abundant. If you like mangoes, then you will definitely like this cake.  It's hard to believe that finely chopped mangoes can give a homemade pound cake this much flavor. The cake was delicious!

Ingredients

All-purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Baking powder - 11/2 tsp
PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese - 8 oz 
Butter - 3/4 cup (11/2 stick) 
Sugar - 2 cups
Eggs - 4 
Vanilla - 1 tbsp 
Mangoes - 2

Method
 

Heat oven to 325ºF.

Beat cream cheese, butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each until blended. Gradually beat in flour and baking powder on low speed until blended.
 
Pour 1/3 of the cake batter into 12-cup tube pan sprayed with cooking spray. Toss mangoes with remaining flour; stir into remaining cake batter. Pour over batter in pan.

Bake for an 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan for 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan with knife. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove pan. 

Enjoy!

Easy sour cream pound cake

This is an easy and quick recipe for a super moist delicious pound cake.You can use fresh or frozen strawberries for the cake topping. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Cake Mix - 1
Sour cream - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2/3 cup
Eggs - 4
Vanilla - 2 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease a Bundt pan and set aside. Combine the cake mix, sour cream, sugar and oil in a large bowl and mix gently using a mixer at medium speed.

Add eggs one at a time until mixed thoroughly.  Add the vanilla essence and pour the batter into the bundt pan.

Bake at 350 deg for 45-50 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting the cake. Enjoy!

Pineapple Raisin cake

This cake is moist and full of flavor and keeps very well. This cake is a good choice if you want to bake a cake a day ahead. It actually improves with 24 hours of standing.  The original recipe is from www.grouprecipes.com

Ingredients

Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks) at room temperature.
Sugar - 2 cups
Eggs - 4
All-purpose Flour - 3 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Raisins - 1 cup
Canned Pineapple - 8 slices

Syrup
Pineapple Juice - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 350.F  Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.  Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Mix until batter is smooth. Stir in raisins.

Cut pineapple into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the batter. Turn into a well-buttered and floured ring mold.  Bake at 350 F for 45 to50 minutes or until cake test done in the center.

Meanwhile, heat juice from pineapple and sugar to boiling.  Remove cake from oven and immediately pour pineapple syrup over cake.  Allow to stand 5 minutes; then turn out onto cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Ras Malai

Ras Malai is a very popular Indian dessert made with Milk. The name Ras Malai comes from two parts in Hindi: Ras, which means Juice/Juicy, and Malai, which means cream. It is rich in texture and flavor and it can be made easily at home. It is served cold.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: (for making rasagollas)

Milk (Vitamin D) - ½ gallon
Lemon Juice - ½ cup
Sugar - 1 cup
cardomom - 2 or 3

 

Ingredients: (for making malai)

Milk (2%) - ½ gallon
Pistashios - ½ cup
Almonds slivered - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 2 cups
cardomom - 2 or 3

Method: for making rasgollas

Bring ½ gallon milk (Vitamin D) to a boil.  While boiling milk add ½ cup of lemon juice.  Turn stove off.  Milk should separate into whey and curd.  Pour into a cheese cloth leaving only the paneer/curd.  Leave the cheese cloth tied over night or at least for two hours until all the water drains out completely.

Once the water is drained out the paneer will be dry, then knead well.  Knead until a soft dough forms. (The dough should be soft, not sticky).  Form balls from the paneer (approximately 25 to 30 balls).

Bring One cup sugar and 3 cups water to a boil in a pressure cooker and add the cardomom pods.  Place the balls in the syrup.  Then pressure cook the balls (with weight) on high heat.  Wait for two or three whistles and turn heat off.  Then add a little bit of rose water to the rasagolla syrup for flavoring.

The Rasagollas are ready set aside.  Now for the malai:

Bring to boil ½ gallon 2% milk and wait until the milk reduces a little, then add 2 cups of sugar, pistachios, almonds and cardomom..  Boil on sim and let the milk reduce further.  Once the milk has reduced to 3/4 the quantity then take the rasagollas already prepared and squeeze the sugar syrup out of the balls (The syrup can be squeezed out of the balls using two spoons.  Place the ball on one spoon and use another spoon to squeeze the syrup out) and add to the boiling malai (milk mixture).  Leave the balls in the boiling mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.  Then remove from heat and set aside.  After the mixture cools to room temperature, place in the fridge and cool overnight.  The Ras Malai is ready to serve.

Coconut Burfi (Fudge)

Coconut Burfi is a popular sweet in India made with coconut and sugar.  I came across this recipe for Coconut Burfi in Saffron Hut and liked the Burfi.  The Burfis are soft, moist and chewy.  If you like coconut, then you will like this sweet.  It reminded me of the chocolate Almond Joy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Whipping cream - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Ground Cardamom - 1 tsp

 Method 

Grease a 8x8 pan and set it aside. 

Combine all the ingredients (except Cardamom) in a sauce pan (preferably non-stick) and cook over medium heat.  Keep stirring the mixture until the burfi is thick and starts to leave the pan (40-45 minutes).  Add the crushed cardamom and transfer the burfi to the greased pan.  Let it cool and you can cut it into diamond or square shaped Burfis.

 Enjoy!

7 cup Burfi

Thank you Renuka akka for the recipe.  This is the one of the easiest recipes for Burfi.  It is called 7 cup Burfi as there are 7 cups of ingredients used in the recipe.  The Burfi tastes like Mysore pak with some coconut in it.  The Burfi is soft and melts in your mouth.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients

Chickpea Flour (Besan) - 1 cup
Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1cup
Coconut (shredded) - 1 cup
Sugar - 3 cups
Milk - 1 cup

Method

Grease a 9x9 pan with butter and set it aside.  Sieve the Chickpea Flour. Combine all the ingredients in a Non-stick pan and cook on medium heat.  Keep on stirring frequently.

Keep stirring until the mixture is thickened and leave the sides of the pan (~ 30 minutes).  Remove the mixture from heat and transfer the mixture to the greased pan

 
Allow the Burfi to cool and you can cut them in diamond or square shape.  Enjoy!