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.

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.

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.

Cinnamon Apple cake

This Cinnamon-Apple cake was a big hit in our Sunday School class and this can be served as a dessert or a breakfast coffee cake.  The cream cheese in the batter gives the cake lots of moisture.  The cake was delicious, moist and flavorful.  The original recipe is from myrecipes.com. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter - 1/2 cup (softened)
Sugar - 1 3/4 cup
Cream cheese - 6 ounces (softened)
Eggs - 2
All purpose Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Ground cinnamon - 2 tsp + 1 tsp
Apples - 2 big (peeled and chopped)
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla - 1 tbsp

 

Method

Preheat the oven  to 350°.  Beat butter, cream cheese and 1 1/2 cup of sugar in a vessel until well blended (~5 minutes).  Add eggs one at a time and beating well after adding eggs.  Combine Flour, baking powder and salt and add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until well blended.

Combine 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of cinnamon and set aside.  Combine 2 tbsps of cinnamon and chopped apples and stir the apples into the batter.  Add vanilla and pour the batter in a greased cake pan and sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on the top.

Bake the cake for an hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Cool the cake completely.  Enjoy!

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!

Rava Kesari

Rava kesari is a common sweet in South India.  It is a simple, easy to make and a delicious sweet.  The amount of sugar can be adjusted according to your taste.  You can add fried cashews to the Kesari.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Semolina (Rava) - 1 cup

Sugar - 11/2 - 2 cups.

Raisins

Cardamom - 3

Butter - 3 tbsp

Yellow color powder

Method

Add butter in a pan and when the butter melts, add the raisin.  When the raisin becomes plump, add the semolina and fry the semolina until it becomes pink in color.  Add 3 cups of water and the yellow color and let the semolina cook well in the water. 

When the semolina is cooked, add the sugar and stir well.  The sugar makes the mixture little watery.  Keep stirring until the semolina starts leaving the sides of the pan.  Garnish the kesari with crushed cardamom.

You can pour the mixture in a pan and cut them into pieces for serving. Enjoy!

Mango bread

This was a very moist and quite delicious bread.  It is an easy recipe and the bread tastes so good.  A wonderful summertime snack.  The original recipe is from allrecipes.com.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

All purpose Flour/Maida - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/4 cup
Mangoes - 2 1/2 cups
Vegetable Oil - 3/4 cup
Eggs - 2
Cinnamon powder - 2 tsp
Baking soda - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Raisins - 1/4 cup

 Method  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat oil, eggs and sugar until smooth. Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and keep stirring just until combined. Add mangoes, raisins and lemon juice and mix gently.

Pour into 2 greased 8 x 4 loaf or a 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 F for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

Bread pudding

This is one of the easiest recipes for a delicious bread pudding.  The pudding turns out perfectly moist, a beautiful golden color and you wont believe how much it raises when you bake it!  It's great for breakfast or dessert. The original recipe is from www.food.com.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Bread (French or Italian) - 1 lb
Sugar - 2 cups
Eggs - 8
Milk - 5 cups
Vanilla - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 tsp

Method

Slice the bread into 1 inch sizes and leave them on a tray for a day.
 

In a separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar till the egg yolks are broken.  Add milk, vanilla and cinnamon to the egg mixture and beat it well.

Now, add the bread pieces to the custard mixture and soak the bread for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan and pour the bread mixture along with the custard into the pan. Sprinkle some raisins on the top and bake it in the oven at 350 F for 11/2 hours.

The pudding is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Banana Bread

This banana bread is moist, dense and delicious with loads of banana flavor. The original recipe is from allrecipes.com.  I have made some modifications.  The addition of walnuts/pecans makes the crust crunchier.  Enjoy!

 
Ingredients

Butter (softened) - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Eggs - 2
Bananas - 3
All purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 cups
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Cinnamon -1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tbsp
Walnuts/Pecans (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, then bananas. Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and keep stirring just until combined. Sprinkle some Walnuts/Pecans on the top.

Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about an hour (or till toothpick comes out clean). Remove from pan and let it cool.

Enjoy!