WW22 : Merry Xmas
22 Wednesday Dec 2010
Posted Uncategorized, Wordless Wednesday
in22 Wednesday Dec 2010
Posted Uncategorized, Wordless Wednesday
in14 Sunday Nov 2010
Posted Friday Feast, Uncategorized
inTags
baked, baking, brownie, cake, cheese, cheese cake, chocolate, dessert, Friday Feast, marble cake, recipe
I love marble cakes…. There is something about the pattern which takes my heart away… And hence when I saw this at nupur’s blog it was an instant love. and what is not there to love… there is a bake cheese cake, there is a brownie and they are marbled together… totak win situatio. So I had bookmarked this dish and waiting for something to happen so that I can bake it and than came Diwali when I decided to make the giveaway basket myself… It was one of the most treasured items of the basket for me… the texture brilliant and the brownie and the cheesecake perfectly complimenting each other. We loved this one and I am sure will make it again
For the cheesecake
For the brownie
How I made it
Serve hot and wait for it to get over in a jiffy… its abs yummmm
Mandy I know this leave with depressed but darling much love passed your away, I hoping that this will motivate you to buy a oven and we can see Baking Buddies back in action
and this is off to a event hosted at Nupur’s blog… off to Blog Bites : The Holiday Buffet
03 Saturday Jul 2010
Posted This and that
inTags
Ok most of you by now know that I am taking a step towards the biggest item in my bucket list, the most important item in this years resolutions and naa I am not talking about weight here š
I am taking about giving a shot at opening something I can call my own, being my own boss š To start with I am going to start something small and something near my passion and something I am good at… no points for guessing its food š
So I am planning to start something on the lines of party catering, birthday party snacks and desserts, cocktail bites…. u get the hang of what I am saying…
So what I need your help here is suggestions for the name of such a bussiness… I have something running in my mind but I want more options…
I am going to collect some of what u say and than probably put up the top 3 for voting and if the one that you have mentioned gets selected in top 3, I bake a cake for you that’s a promise… and if you are not in Bangalore, I will try and make something which will survive the courier and send it accross…
So come on be innovative and come up with ideas…. there is no limit to the number of entries you can have…. go ahead and fill the comment space š
PS: did u check out Shruti’s giveaway post… please go and tell her u came from here š
12 Friday Mar 2010
Posted Friday Feast
inTags
apple, baking, cake, Friday Feast, maida, raisin, recpie, whole wheat
Baking was off from quite sometime in our household because of the neck but now from sometime Ojas wants the baked goodies with a vengeance… as if he wants to make up for the missed time š
I baked honey raisin cake from Tara’s blog in a loaf tin and we had it all for breakfast… ojas with jam, N with honey and me as it is š
And as soon as that got over, he started the story yet again “mumma make cake” sigh… So I made Apple Raisin cake… I love fruit cakes… they are moist, soft and u dont need to put in too much sugar…
All of us really enjoyed this cake (yeah I am so guilty of eating everything under the sun since the workout has stopped due to the neck, gosh… someone please stop me)
Ingredients
Method
I was surprised at how the apple peel turned green after baking… does it happen with everyone or did it happen with me only
Recipe Adapted from Aayi’s Recipe. Check the original too, I have replaced the maida with half maida and half atta, reduced the oil and put some milk. Also reduced the amount of sugar which worked very well as my apples were really sweet. Thanks Shilpa for the brilliant recipe
05 Friday Mar 2010
Posted Friday Feast
inEveryone here knows how much I love baking and everyone here knows how calorie rich baking is and that I am trying to desperately lose some weight… As a result I am always always on the lookout for some healthy baking recipes. So when I stumbled upon this Savory Semolina Cake recipe I knew I had to try it out and I am so glad I did….
It was so nice, a little nutty and crispy from the outside and soft from inside… the taste was like a mix of dhokla and upma… both things the things that I really like…. It was just yum and its fully guilt free
Ingredients
Method
So come have a slice with me š
10 Thursday Dec 2009
Isn’t there is this rule that you if you bake a fancy cake for your son you go straight to mommy heaven š well then I have secured my place there he he
I made a train cake for Ojas this timeā¦Ā and here I present it to uā¦.
Last time when I asked you guys for some icing recipes in my mind I was wanting to make a car cake but when I searched the internet for some pictures and TMM sent me this link, I got really scared of the shaping involved. This being the first time I was going to try anything so elaborate I was just not getting confidence on looking at those cakes
Then I remembered that she had made a lovely train cake for the munchkinās first birthday and I told her I might just pick up her idea and generous soul that she is smiled and said go ahead š thanks avantiĀ (its a different story that my cake is not half as pretty looking as herās but I am happy with mine too š )
So with that lead and the icing recpies you lovely guys had sent me⦠I started out to bake the cake for Ojasā¦.
The bogies and the engine are actually all baked in rectangular break tinās or tea cake moulds. I bake in total of 5 such cakes and assembled them together.
The engine is Chocolate Temptation (for those of you who asked I have updated the post with the rec) in which I have layered half of the second cake on top of the first to give it the engine look.Ā There is a ginger bread man sitting as the driver of the bogie on the side and the chimney is half cut ice cream cone filled with gummy bears and on top of that I put the 2 year candle
The three bogies are plain pound cakes with this butter cream icing (which I modified to replace shortening with white butter as the shortening was not really available anywhere near my house and later when A sent me her frosting recipe I realized its the same :D) flavored with Green Apple essence and green color
On the first bogie I put some chocolate rolls as logs, the next one I lined up with gems and wrote Happy Birthday, the next one had Ojas written on itā¦
The last one the guard box is the left over half of the chocolate part of what I put over the engine⦠again there is a ginger bread man sitting there as a guard and the icing is the same as above but an orange flavor.
All the bogies and the engine are joined together with chocolate wafers and the wheels are the coin chocolates.
I would be kidding if I say that oh it was very easy there was a lot of effort that went into it, I baked all the cakes and made the icing ready on Sunday evening and then put together the cake on Sunday afternoon but the end result gave me an amazing amount of satisfaction and ofcourse the place in mommy heaven š may be next time I will really be brave enough to try the car cake.
02 Wednesday Dec 2009
Posted Abc Wednesday
inT is for temptation… chocolate temptation
Need I say anything else š and that makes this post eligible for a Wordless Wednesday too š
PS: thank u all for sending in those icing recipes, i am having a ball trying all those out š blogsphere does rock
Edited to add : recipe on popular demand
Ingredients
Cake
To Soak
Chocolate Cream Filling
Topping
Method
Recipe Source : originally Nita Mehta’s bakes and cakes, sent to me by gracious Uma
28 Saturday Nov 2009
Posted Friday Feast
inTags
baking, bundt cake, bundt tin, cake, Friday Feast, marble cake, recipe
I have been wanting to getĀ a Bundt Tin like forever in my life… But when I would go to a shop and ask for it half of the people would look at me with a face which is a mix of shock, ignorance and disgust sigh, some will be polite to ask what it is and then I would have to have the task to explain them how does it look while they give me a what are u talking about look…….. and the few very few who will know what it is just wont have it… and inspite of this I would insist that they take down my name and number and call me back when they get it…
So imagine my state when last week I got a call from a store saying that they have got it… I couldn’t believe my luck, really couldn’t š and without wasting any time rushed for the shop zest someone take away soon to be mine Bundt Tin š
And day before yesterday I baked my first bundt cake… there is something ceremonious about them isnt it š I baked a simple marble cake… I personally thought the marble didnt come out very well inspite of the fact that I have made the marble cake with this recipe like umpteen number of times but the softness and the texture of the cake was brilliant… I will have to master the art of getting the marble right in the Bundt…
Anyways here is the recipe…
Ingredients
Method
how about some tea and cake š
7th is ojas’s second birthday and this time I am thinking of being brave and making the cake for the party myself, only problem is that I am not too good with the icings… if any of u have a fool proof icing recipe, pls send to me… pretty urgent please as I want to give it one trail run before deciding on whether to order or make at home
18 Tuesday Aug 2009
Posted personal
inTags
bengali food, birthday, cake, cocktails, damro, drunk, friends, oh calcutta, rain, surprise party, wine
33 is a strange age to be, 3 times eleven… two 3’s…. none of the numbers is intersting isnt it? Naaah… I think 30’s rock… I mean seriously… When I entered 30 I was a paranoidĀ oh my god I am becoming old but I think its a brilliant age to be in… I am having total fun since I have turned 30 š
So all you guys out there afraid of the 30’s dont shy away… be happy š 30’s indeed rock!!!
For me birthdays have always been a big thing… the celebrations and the planning starts well in advance and usually we make a trip somewhere outside Bangalore considering its always a holiday its not so difficult too but this time when the swine flu scare on we were in the town and nothing was planned… infact no shopping was done too sigh!!! and for a change I wasnt even cribbing about this…
Then suddenly on thursday N said that I will put leave tommorow and we will go shopping for your birthday and now when a man proposes shopping only a women out of her mind will deny š
So the lifestyle store was raided with an Espirit sun glasses, two pairs of footwear, a lot of junk and silver jewelery and yet another handbag… clothes, shoes and handbags never fail to attract me actually all form of shopping doesnt šĀ and this when he had decided that for sometime we will gift each other house furniture on birthdays and anniversary considering its almost 4 years since we have moved into the house and still doing with the old furniture…
After raiding lifestyle we went around the town looking for good furniture and zeroed in on a Sofa cum bed that we had shortlisted about a week ago for our lounge… We were actually very very impressed with Damro, the stuff and the service both were very impressive…
After brilliant retail therapy and a biggggg hole in the pockets we caught an evening show of Kaminey and my word its a brilliant movie… fimply fuperb for those who have feen it and for those who havent (Prats I know I know) its a speaking problem that Shahid has in the movie. Its not a movie in the class of Maqbool and Blue Umberlla but a brilliant watch and I think Shahid has finally arrived with this, he is showing his acting genes and is ol la la yummiliocus specially in Charlie avatar. Read the Great Bong’s Review here, he has said exactly what I want to so better š
We came back home at around 11 pm and N started pretending that he has lot of office work to catch up, I knew he is upto something š U know ur spouses well after 5.5 yrs plus we have always celebrated birthdays at 12…Ā and at 12, he raised a toast with wine and we drank and drank and drank…. and then the rains god decided to shower us with a kind of rain that I had almost forgotten and those who know me, know my love for rains… so at 1 am inthe night happily drunk on wine I went and got drenched in rain… it was really heavenly…
Woke up to a tea in the bed and kiss on the cheek by Ojas saying happy…. that moment I could have died happily… Can I get better in life? At that particular time I realised that probably the only thing that really matter in life is love… truly nothing else matters… u can deal with absolutely anything if you have people around to you shower you with love… touch wood… Thank You god for your blessings and all my friends and family
And then I made sooji halwa for me birthdays have always been associated with sooji halwa,Ā since as long as I can remember we would get up on birthdays to the aroma of rawa… and have it first thing in the morning earlier it used to be made by badi mummy (the yummiest halwa I have ever eaten) and then mom. This year though I made it myself and it turned out pretty good too… Mom I miss you…
I also made some yummy baked omellete for breakfast… ya u guessed right after dieting for 4 weeks food was the focus point
And just after I had finished the breakfast I saw Indy’s lovely alert…thank u indy… muah….
And then I started sulking a little because NĀ had not talked about any other plans for the day… no cake and when I asked him about the cake he said come on we are grown ups, cake is for Ojas now not for us…
Anyhow I started getting ready thinking atleastĀ I can do this much š and then suddenly N vanished somewhere… I asked everyone and no one seemed to know…I sit down on my laptop and and then suddenly the bell rings and no one opens the door… I got slightly agitated specially because the maid and the mil were both sitting there… nonetheless I walked up and opened and I could see was flowers and ballons and cake and all I could hear is the happy birthday and the surprise shrieks š
Really I dont think I have words to describe how I felt… happy yes very very but a little strange…. It took me a while to digest the whole thing and that it had been very well planned, the food ordered, the drinks planned, everyone collected outside our colony gate and N went and fetched them so that the security doesnt call home… yes yes so much thought š and everyone in the house, my friends knew about it and the only person who didnt know was me… Thank you guys u really made my day…
One thing is sure surprise parties are fun and make you feel totally blessed and loved…
the ballons for the baby š
Crafty dear sorry in all this excitement I forgot to take a picture of only the cake but here is one with Ojas put in as a bonus… now u cant crib š
As if it was not enough there was another surprise lined up… the boys in my life decided to pamper me with a appointment booked at my parlor… wow!!! I was amazed…
Thanks V for the effort you put in there š Cheers !!! I couldnt go the same day but went the next day and indulged in 4 hours of pure bliss š
The day was well spent with Chinese food, beer and loads of chit chat… and in the evening after everyone left and I was still trying to count my blessing and letting the whole thing sink in… There came a lovely bouquet of roses all the way from Sharjah, UAE… Goofy you are a darling thanks a ton!!! Immediately followed by the call from Pixie to shower some of her angelic dust upon me… And at this time I actually cried… Love is a very strong and overwhelming feeling…
The evening me and N decided to have a quiet dinner and went to Oh! Calcutta and I was blown away by the place. We ordered thier Complete Platter and the food was amazing… Actually much more than food I think we enjoyed the service and the cocktails… I had a vodka with aam panna, a combination I had tried for the first time and loved it… N had vodka with tender coconut water something which is my favorite anyways…. the server was serving with the love of a dotting mom, suggesting what dip will go with each starter, keeping each piece with so much love and affection, I only wish I could give food to Ojas with half that love but then he has to be ready to pounce on the food like us too š
All in all I think this will surely go down as one of the best birthdays I have ever had…. Thank God and all my friends for this!!!
PS: If u have reached till here thanks for reading, didnt meant this post to be as long as it turned out to be but I think its still nowhere compared to Indy’s and oflate Swaram’s post… gee where do I go to save my life… cant even run from my own blog š