Lemony cupcakes with buttercream frosting

INGREDIENTS (makes 15-20 medium sized cupcakes)

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 stick butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE FROSTING

6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

4 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp of pink colored granulated sugar(1tbsp sugar mixed with a drop of pink color)

PROCEDURE

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1. Preheat oven at 180-190 degree Celsius and line the cupcake pan with paper liners.

2. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.

3. Add the eggs little by little and whisk until creamy.

4. Now add lemon juice,vanilla extract,lemon zest,milk and whisk until a uniform consistency is obtained.

5. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.

6. Incorporate the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients slowly and mix together until it forms a fairly thick batter.

7. Pour cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 full.

8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Set them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

FOR THE FROSTING

1. Beat butter in a bowl until fluffy using an electric mixer.

2. Incorporate all the other ingredients while beating at high speed until light and fluffy.

3. Refrigerate for about 20-30 minutes before frosting.

4. Load the frosting into a piping bag and get creative.

Frost your cupcakes and sprinkle granulated sugar.

Chewy Chocolate chip cookies

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 15 cookies 3" in diameter

1 cup All purpose flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 large Egg
1/2 cup White sugar
1/4 cup Brown cane sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Softened unsalted butter
1 cup Chocolate chips

PROCEDURE

1. In bowl mix butter and sugars until well blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

2. Mix baking powder, flour and salt in a separate bowl.

3. Add the dry ingredients mixture little by little to the butter mixture and mix well with a electric mixer.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips.

5. On a cookie sheet drop dollops of the batter 2" apart.

6. Bake at 180 degree C for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.


Cool on a wire rack and relish..

Strawberry Bavarois and awards

INGREDIENTS

75 grams Store bought strawberry bavarois sachet
100 ml Hot water
200 ml Milk at room temperature


PROCEDURE

1. Empty the sachet in 100 ml hot water. Once all the contents dissolve pour in the milk.

2. Pour it into a mold of your choice and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Enjoy it with some freshly sliced strawberries and strawberry sauce.


AWARDS


I would like to thank Chitra for passing on these lovely awards.

Kalakand (Indian sweet)

INGREDIENTS

1 liter Milk (I used 3.8%)
50 ml Fresh cream (I used 36%)
3 tsp Lemon juice
400 grams Condensed milk sweetened
2-3 tsp Cane Sugar
Few Pistachios broken into small pieces

PROCEDURE

1. Boil milk and cream together.Once boiled add the lemon juice or whey water allowing it to curdle.
Turn off the flame.

2. Strain this cheese on a seive allowing the water to drain completely. Keep aside.

3. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a heavy bottomed vessel and boil it.
Add the strained cheese to this once the condensed milk starts to froth. Add cane sugar if required.

4. Now allow it to cook for atleast 30- 45 minutes stirring continuously till it reaches a moisture free lumpy consistency.

5. Remove from flame and set in a open flat tray. Allow to cool. Run the knife to cut it into squares.

Embellish with pistachios and relish the sweet treat.

Qubani ka meetha (Apricot dessert)

INGREDIENTS

200 grams Dried apricots
60 grams Sugar
Water


PROCEDURE

1. Wash and soak dried apricots in water over night.

2. Boil water in a sauce pan and cook the apricots until soft. Once soft turn off heat and allow to cool.

3. Roughly mash it in a blender with little water.

4. Cook the pureed apricots with sugar till you obtain a thick sauce.
You may add brown color and apricot nuts if you desire.

Refrigerate it and serve chilled with vanilla ice-cream or fresh cream.

Fried Sooji Halwa

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup Sooji
1 cup Water
1/4 th Cup Sugar
2 tbsp Ghee
Oil for frying

PROCEDURE

1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee and fry sooji till it turns light brown.

2. Boil water add fried sooji to it.

3. Once cooked add sugar. Stir well to avoid lump formation.

4. Add ghee mix well. Allow the sooji halwa to cool.

5. Moisten your hands with water and shape the sooji halwa into small rounds,
heat oil in a wok once its piping hot fry these rounds on both sides until brown.

Rasgulla

INGREDIENTS

Makes about 20 Rasgullas

1 liter Milk(I used 3.5% milk)
100 ml Fresh cream(I used 36% cream)
1 tbsp Lemon juice or whey water
2 tsp All purpose flour (Maida)
1 1/2 cup Sugar
4 cups Water

PROCEDURE

1. Boil milk and cream together.Once boiled turn off the flame and add the lemon juice or whey water allowing it to curdle.
[Whey water is nothing but water reserved when straining paneer(cheese),it is said that whey water yields more paneer(cheese)]

2. Strain this cheese in a cheese cloth hang it for about 3-4 hours allowing the water to drain completely.

3. Now knead this cheese to make a smooth dough, add maida knead well.

4. Make small balls make sure there are no cracks and keep aside. (remember once these are cooked they swell upto 4 times in size)

5. Boil water and add sugar once the sugar dissolves add these cheese balls turn the flame to high with lid partially covered, allow it to cook for about 15-20 minutes.
You may also cook the rasgullas in a pressure cooker along with the syrup. Once u hear the first whistle turn off the flame and open the lid before the steam escapes completely.

6. The rasgullas float once they are cooked another method to check is to press the rasgullas if it springs back and retains its original shape,it is cooked.

Cool and chill before serving.


This is my entry to Preety's Kitchen CFK-MILK PRODUCTS
http://preetyskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/01/announcing-cooking-for-kids-event-milk.html

Chakara Pongal

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Rice
1/2 Cup Dry roasted Moong dal [Yellow split bean]
3 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 Cup Water
1 tsp Cardamom powder (optional)
1 pinch Pepper powder (optional)
Dry fruits sauteed in Ghee or Unsalted butter
1 tbsp Ghee


PROCEDURE

1. Pressure cook rice and moong dal with 3 cups milk and 1 cup water to obtain a soft consistency.

2. Heat sugar,once it melts add the pressure cooked soft mass. Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes.

3. Add ghee and pepper powder(optional) mix well.

4. Remove from flame, add the sauteed dried fruits and sprinkle cardamom powder(optional).

Tastes better when served warm.