ArtOfBaking – Page 2 – The Secret Ingredient

American Cuisine

Apple Cider Spiced Doughnuts Recipe | Spiced Apple Cider Donuts with Orange Glaze

By anshu October 13, 2016

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I have been meaning to make these baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Orange Glaze for more than three years ever since I saw this recipe on Laura in the Kitchen. There were so many impediments on the way. First I did not have the doughnut mould, which I got from US. Then I made Apple Cider from scratch which was a huge huge achievement for me. For those who do not know there is a difference between Apple Cider and Apple Cider Vinegar. Then I learnt to make fresh apple butter and even pumpkin pie spice. And by the time I arranged all this.. the season of fresh oranges disappeared 🙁 I did not give up and next year I did everything and baked these beauties just perfect for the fall season. All I can say it was worth all the effort.. where there is a will there is a way.

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The doughnuts were extremely delicious and aromatic. The recipe uses no oil in the batter, only a little for brushing the pan. The orange glaze on top is the best part of these Doughnuts, they simply melt in your mouth. You must try them for this fall.

Directions:
1. In a bowl add Brown sugar, white granulated sugar and Vanilla essence.

2. Add eggs, melted butter and apple butter. You can easily make your apple butter at home. Try this recipe.

3. Add Apple Cider and whisk everything together till the sugar has dissolved and everything is evenly mixed.

4. In another bowl add the All Purpose flour, Baking Powder and Baking Soda.

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5. Add salt and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Of Course you can easily make it at home. Follow this recipe . Give all the dry ingredients a gentle stir and combine.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix till everything is moistened. Do not over mix.

7. Preheat your oven for 10 minutes on 180 degree C (Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions) . Grease a donut baking pan with oil and pour the batter in a piping bag for ease.

8. Fill the doughnut mould with the batter. Ensure you just fill 3/4 of it.

9. Bake it in a preheated oven for ten minutes or until cooked through. Take them out of the oven and let them come to room temperature. Remove them on a wire mesh and place the wire mesh on a sheet of parchment paper.

10. In the meanwhile for the orange glaze add icing sugar to the bowl and add orange zest to it.

11. Add Pumpkin Pie Spice and Apple Cider Vinegar. Add Cider spoon by spoon to get that syrupy consistency. It should not be very thick or thin.

12. Mix well and check the consistency.

13. Once the glaze is ready and doughnuts are at room temperature. Dip the doughnuts in the glaze and place them on the wired mesh and let the extra drip off. Indulge and enjoy the deliciousness of yummy Doughnuts.

Other Things you can try with Apple are: Apple & Cinnamon Pan Cakes, Apple Crisp, Apple Raisins Streusel Bread, Apple Lapsi, Apple Spiced Butter.

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Baking

Peter Reinhart’s Potato Rosemary Bread | Potato Boule with Roasted Garlic and Rosemary | Potato Rosemary & Garlic Bread with Biga

By anshu August 1, 2016

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I have spent enough time in doing regular yeast breads. It was high time I started experimenting and coming out of my comfort zone. I mustered the courage to make my own Sourdough starter and guess what after a lot of effort finally my starter is ready and I am soon gonna bake a sourdough bread with it. But in the meanwhile I came across this monthly challenge in my bread baking group. We were asked to make Peter Reinhart’s Potato Rosemary Bread. It was to be made with biga. Now many of you must be wondering what is biga? Its a pre ferment technique used in baking breads which imparts it a slight sour taste.

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Interestingly, biga techniques were developed after the advent of baker’s yeast as bakers in Italy moved away from the use of sourdough and needed to recover some of the flavor that was given up in this move (Ref.Wikipedia). I was intrigued to try this recipe for my favourite Rosemary and Garlic flavours were involved. How can I ever give it a pass. The bread was delightful. It had an amazing texture and taste. Do try this fabulous recipe.

Directions:

1. For biga add All purpose Flour, Instant Yeast and lukewarm water in a bowl

2. Mix everything together and bring it to the counter to knead it into a soft paliable dough. The dough should not be sticky so adjust the water accordingly. Make a ball of dough and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap or lint free towel and let it rise till it doubles up. The weather plays an important role in the time required for proofing it. The hotter the environment the earlier it rises.

3. After it has risen degas it with your hands and place it back into the same bowl. Cover and put it in the refrigerator overnight for fermentation. You need to use this biga within 3 days or else freeze this to be used later.

4. Take the biga out of the refrigerator and let it rest for an hour at room temperature before using it. Divide it into small pieces.

5. In a bowl add All purpose flour, salt and pepper.

6. Also add instant yeast, rosemary and biga.

7. Add Olive oil, mashed potato and lukewarm water.

8. Mix together to bring it together. Take it to the counter and knead well for 10 minutes till it becomes soft and paliable.

9. In a pan add some oil and saute them chopped garlic till its roasted well. You can even roast it in your oven.

10. Roll the dough and spread the garlic all over and form a ball again. Place it in a greased bowl and cover it. Let it rise till double in size.

11. Remove it from the bowl and place it on the counter. Divide the dough into two and shape them into boule following the technique by Peter Reinhart. Place them in a basket lined with a kitchen towel and dusted with dry flour.

12. Brush it lightly with olive oil and cover loosely with a towel and let it rise to double.

13. Once it has doubled in size. Invert the basket on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. I liked to score it on top. If you wish you can do the same or ignore.

14. Bake it in a preheated oven on 200 degree Celsius for 40 minutes or until done. If the bread looks too soft turn off the oven and let the loaf sit in the warm oven for another 5 to 10 minutes to firm up a bit. Slice it when completely cool.

Other bread recipes you can try : Vegetarian homemade Pizza, Russian Bublici, Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, Chinese Black Sesame Steamed Buns, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Beetroot Bread with Garlic and Thyme, Honey Oats Bread, Domino’s Garlic Breadsticks, Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread and Focaccia Bread with Fresh Cherries, Rosemary and Sea Salt.

BigaBread_Featured4 [whohit]BigaPotatoRosemary[/whohit]

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Dinner

Punjabi Pethey Ki Sabzi | Spicy Yellow Pumpkin in Indian Spices | Kaddu ki Masaledar Sabzi

By anshu July 6, 2016

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Everyone has his/her own comfort food. After eating it all you can think about is love, deliciousness and indulgence. It may not be fancy schmancy but the simplicity of that dish connects you to the higher self. My Soul food is my mother’s Pethey ki Sabzi or Punjabi style Pumpkin. This recipe makes this humble vegetable the most desired one.

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Back when I was a little girl I never liked any of these vegetables . By ‘these’ I mean any of these from the gourd and squashes family. As I grew up and was married away I realised that this is the kind of food I have grown on and is an integral part of my life. I started longing for pethey ki sabzi, bharwan karela, bharwan tinda, kaddhi chawal and more. This ignited the spark in me to learn these recipes from my mommy. I am glad my mommy taught me all of these and I can play the role of perfect mommy for my sonny boy. For me growing on these dishes is a sign of perfect childhood 😉

Directions:
1. You will need a round pumpkin with green skin and yellow inside. remove the seeds and membranes and peel off its skin. Chop it into very small pieces. Set aside.

2. Also chop finely some onions, ginger root, green chilies and tomatoes.

3. In a pressure pan add ghee or clarified butter.* As it melts add cumin seeds till it crackles.

4. Add crushed coriander seeds, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. Toss them in ghee.

5. Add chopped ginger along with green chilies. Saute them for a few minutes and then add onions to saute.

6. When the onions have caremalized add chopped pumpkin. Add salt and combine.

7. Also add, turmeric, red chilli powder and sambhar masala. Yes you read that right. Sambhar masala makes a huge change in taste which you wouldnt like to skip. Coat the spices with pumpkin.

8. Add chopped tomatoes and mix.Close the lid and cook the pumpkin on high flame for one whistle or till when the pressure has reached its maximum. Turn the flame on low and let it cook for another 15 minutes.After that turn the flame off and let it cook in the steam. Do not open the lid.

9. After the steam has escaped you will see there will be water in the base of pan. Again turn the flame on let the water evaporate. Slightly mash the pumpkin with the back of spoon.

10. Add Freshly chopped coriander.

11. Also add garam masala and a little sugar to balance the flavours.

12. Serve hot with Roti or puris. Do not forget to team your meal with raw red onion slices.

Other Punjabi dishes you can try are:Aloo Methi Punjabi Style, Bharwan Tinda, Stuffed Karela, Kadhi Chawal, Touri Vadi. Punjabi Dal Makhani, Punjabi Style Dum Aloo

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[whohit]PetheyKiSabzi[/whohit]

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American Cuisine

Apple Crisp | Gluten Free Baked Apples with Oats | Flourless Apple Crumble

By anshu July 2, 2016

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American Independence day falls on 4th of July and is a national Holiday. Americans love to celebrate this day with pomp and show. They love to host barbeque parties and often enjoy the day in picnics with friends and family. With 4th of July just in a couple of days I wanted to make something American. And when I got a chance to visit a hotel resort right in the middle of an Apple Orchard I knew what I had to bake with those gorgeous fresh apples hanging on the trees. I am doing a food consult for them and this was an ideal recipe to be brought on the menu.

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Apple Crisp is what they call it in America and Canada and its known as Apple Crumble in Britain. But as they say what’s in a name and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The cinnamony taste of baked apples along with the crispiness of Oats makes it an incredible dessert specially if you have to feed a crowd. You can make it like a casserole dish and serve the entire battalion with pride. This recipe is ideal for people with gluten allergies as it is flourless and must more healthier than other recipes around.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit (Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions).Wash, peel and core the apples. Cut them into slices.

2. Put the apples in a bowl and add lemon juice and little vanilla essence and toss them to coat evenly.

3. Place apple slices in a baking tray in one single layer.

4. In a bowl add quick cooking oats, brown sugar and cinnamon powder.

5. Add butter at room temperature but still not melted. Mix this together with your fingers to make a crumbly mixture.

6. Spread this crumbly mixture on top of the Apple layer and pop it in the preheated oven or 45 minutes or until the topping looks crunchy and the apples have turned tender.

7. Take the baking tray out of the oven and let it come down to room temperature. Serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped cream. You can make this in advance and warm it up little before serving.

Other desserts you can make for festivities are: Peach Cobbler , Basbousa , Brigadeiros , Coconut Macaroons , Coconut Milk Mango Pudding , Mascarpone Cherry Compote Cheesecake Glasses , Tapioca Milk Pudding , Tapioca Coconut Milk Pudding with Strawberry Preserve, Mango Tart.

AppleCrisp_Featured2 [whohit]AppleCrisp[/whohit]

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Baking

Subway Copycat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Eggless Oatmeal & Whole Wheat Cookies

By anshu May 25, 2016

My husband and me are Subway Lovers. That is our favourite Sandwich place in the whole wide world. Every place I have been outside India I have had sandwiches from Subway. If we have subway in our city we tend to eat three to four times in a week there. At the end of every meal I grab an Oatmeal Cookie for myself and eat it greedily. They are soo very addictive. I guess that is one reason for me to make a frequent visit there.

The other day I was craving for the Subway Oatmeal Cookie (we dont have a subway in hills bohooo :'( ) So I decided to hunt on the web for a recipe which is as close to Subway’s Oatmeal Cookies. After a few hit and trials and trying a few recipes, I think I hit a jackpot. This recipe from Aarthi’s blog was almost near to what I was looking for. I tweaked it a little to make it just PERFECT. You have to try it but dont blame me later that I dint warn you for they are soo addictive.

Directions:

1. In a bowl add Flax Meal (Learn how to make Flax meal or Flax seed powder at home) and 3 tablespoon water. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes till it becomes gelatinous. You can always replace flax meal with an egg if you are okay with it.

2. In a bowl add Butter (at room temperature) and caster Sugar. Whisk them together until creamy.

3. Add the gelatinous flax meal and combine.

4. Add Cinnamon Powder, Quick Cooking Oatmeal and baking soda.

5. Also add Whole wheat Flour or atta and Raisins. Combine everything into a dough.

6. Line a baking sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicon Mat. I use Silicon Mat because it can be used again and again and nothing sticks on it. You can order your own silicone cookie mat from our online store, The Gourmet Shop. Scoop out the cookie dough with an ice cream scooper or you can even use a normal spoon and place them on the tray. Ensure to keep 2 inch space between them, as they will spread on baking.

7. Press each cookie ball with your palm and put them for baking in a preheated oven for 17-18 minutes on 180 degree Celsius (Learn more about Oven Temperatures and Conversions) until you see them slightly golden.

8. Take them out of the oven and let them sit on wire rack for ten minutes before indulging. They will crisp up as they come to room temperature.

9. Put them in an airtight cannister and they will stay good for more than a week, if only you can resist not eating them. Enjoy them with a cup of hot coffee or a glass of milk. You know for sure they are better than subway 🙂

Other Cookies you can try here are: Besan & Corn Flakes Cookies, White Chocolate Chip Cookies , Ragi & Whole Wheat Biscuits, Coconut Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Melomakarona: Greek Traditional Christmas Cookies and Italian Almond Biscotti.

[whohit]OatmealRaisinCookie[/whohit]

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Air Fryer Recipes

Baked Broccoli Cheese Patties | Healthy Broccoli Croquettes

By anshu April 21, 2016

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Its been a while that I have fried anything in my wok. I either air fry stuff or bake them to perfection. I guess eliminating fried food from my life has helped me lose weight and I actually feel good about it. Some time back I had posted Baked Paneer and Corn Kebabs, they were immensely loved by you all and also by my family. So the other day I had Broccoli florets and I wasn’t in a mood for Cream of Broccoli Soup. I decided to make baked croquettes with Broccoli with an addition on egg and bread crumbs. What I thought would turn out an average dish came out an amazing recipe.

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We tugged it under a burger bun and smeared some Parsley Pistachio Pesto over it and enjoyed our lunch in comfort. It was the best broccoli recipe I have ever made. If you have Broccoli Naah! people in your family, surprise them with this amazing dish.

Directions:

1. Take one head Broccoli and cut it into florets. Wash well under running water.

2. In a large pot add some water and bring it to a boil. Add salt to it.

3. In a wire mesh submerge Broccoli florets in water for seven to nine minutes or until they are blanched al dente. Don’t let them go mush.

4. Drain the broccoli and place them on a kitchen towel and squeeze out all the water. Give broccoli a coarse chop under the knife and set aside.

5. Chop Onions and Garlic and set aside.

6. In a pan add little oil and add chopped onions and garlic. Oh I had some chopped red and yellow bell pepper I added them too for colour. But its optional. Saute them until they are slightly cooked.

7. In a bowl mix Broccoli, eggs, onions and garlic, grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

8. Add salt and pepper to the mix and combine.

9. Line a tray with Parchment Paper and preheat the oven* to 200 degree Celsius.(Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions). Take a little dough in your hands and shape them into patties.

10. Place them on baking sheet and brush them with oil.

11. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for another 15 minutes or until browned and crispy.

12. Tug them inside a burger bun and top it with Parsley Pistachio Pesto and enjoy hot. You can also line the burger with veggies and cheese.

Other Broccoli dishes you can try are: Healthy Broccoli Pasta, Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon & Cream of Broccoli Soup with Chives

Other Croquettes and Kebabs you can try here are: Baked Paneer Corn Kababs, Tapioca Croquette, Veg Shami Kabab, Airfried Yogurt & Cottage Cheese Kebabs for Fasting.

BroccoliPatties_Featured2 [whohit]BroccoliCroquettes[/whohit]

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Baking

Mango Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream | Mango Tart with Creamy Custard

By anshu April 18, 2016

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The summers are here and so are mangoes which brings a big smile on my face 🙂 I was looking to make some mango dessert. Last year I had made Coconut Milk Mango Pudding and it was a hit. But when this season I spotted Mangoes in market I had my mind started thinking what crazy thing I can do with the King of Fruits. The plan got a shape as I reached home and after an hour it was executed to perfection. Yes yes I am giving modesty a little break for a while 😉

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I barely clicked the pictures hurriedly as it was getting dark and after half an hour there were no traces of the tart as my husband ate the entire tart for dinner and you are asking me to be modest 😉 You must must try this. Oh I also made another similar thing with Mangos and Vanilla and this time it was in the form of a Cake. It was for a client and it was one of the best cakes i have done till date.

Directions:

1. For the pie crust, in a bowl add All Purpose Flour, Salt and Castor Sugar. Combine together.

2. Add cold butter cubes and mix with your finger tips or fork till you get a coarse mixture.

3. Keep kneading till everything comes together in a dough mass. No adding water please. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes so that it becomes easy to roll.

4. Grease your pie pan with oil or butter.

4. Place a sheet of Parchment Paper on your kitchen counter and roll the dough on top of it with rolling pin. Parchment paper helps you to lift the rolled dough easily. If the pastry sheet tears, put it back in the refrigerator for a little more time.

5. Place the rolled sheet on the greased pie sheet carefully and set it with your fingers. Remove the extra trimmings. If you see a little portion of pastry has teared you can patch it up with a small piece of trimming. Extra trimmings can be used to make smaller tartlets. Place the pie pan in freezer for 15 minutes, till then preheat the oven on 210 degree Celsius (Learn about Oven Temperatures and Conversions)

6. Prick the pie pan with fork all over. Bake it in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes on 210 degree C till you see it has golden colour. Set aside to cool. Once its cold, gently remove it from the pie mould and set aside.

7. For the custard dressing, whisk together eggs and caster sugar. If you are looking for eggless Custard check notes below.

8. Sieve in Corn Cornflour and All purpose Flour and whisk well.

9. Add milk in a saucepan and put it on stove. Add Vanilla Essence*. When the milk just starts to boil that is when you notice some bubbles on the sides, turn the flame off.

10. At this stage add the whisked eggs mixture little by little to the milk. Make sure you keep whisking continuously or else the eggs will get cooked and the mixture will curdle.

11. Put the saucepan back on flame on medium slow and bring it to a simmer. Keep whisking for another 30 seconds till it starts to thicken.

12. Immediately transfer the custard in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Make sure the cling wrap touches the cream. This will prevent a skin formation on the cream. Let the custard come to room temperature and then place it in refrigerator to cool down.

13. After 15-20 minutes of cooling down whisk it again to remove any lump.

14. Spread the custard on the prepared pie crust. Even it with spatula.

15. Now for the top mango garnish, peel the skin and cut it into half, removing the seed. Then further cut halves into thin slices.

16. Arrange the mango slices on top, starting in the outside circle and then taking it inwards to mimic flower petals.

17. If you like you can add pomegranate seeds for the centre of the flower. Serve as it is or cover with cling wrap to serve later.

Other Fruit based bakes you can try here are: Apple Raisins Streusel Bread, Blueberry Bars, Coconut Chocolate Cookies, Persimmon Rum Cake, Eggless Orange Cake with Candied Orange Peel Filling, Papaya Chocolate Muffins, Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake, Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Bread with Melon Seeds . Cherry Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia Bread, Italian Focaccia Bread with Strawberries.

MangoTart_Featured1 [whohit]MangoTart[/whohit]

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Baking

Gingerbread Man Cookies | Festive Gingerbread Man Cookies with Molasses

By anshu December 11, 2015

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Few days from now and it will be Christmas!! And I will be home with my parents. I may have been raised Hindu but having studied in a Christian School makes me yearn for Christmas and fun & frolic associated with it. I remember as a little kid I would decorate a potted plant in my house 😛 Now that I am a mommy, the spirit of Christmas hasn’t died in me, rather it is coming out in the form of baking and cooking delicious food which makes the festivity more joyous.

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A little while back I had posted Melomakarona : Greek Christmas Cookies and since then the vicious circle of baking is on. The next on my list if to bake my Rum Cake for Christmas. I smell the rum soaked dry fruits everyday and greedily imagine when the cake will be baked. Well looks like I will do that in a day or two, cant wait beyond this 😛 Nevertheless here are my authentic ginger bread man cookies which are made with molasses syrup. It has a distinct spiced flavour to it which makes you warm and feel good about the weather around. Not to mention, its so much fun to decorate them using royal icing. You need a little practice and patience to decorate them perfectly. Clearly I lack both 😉 My kiddo had fun baking these cookies with me. He ate the entire first batch by dunking them in his glass of milk. Definitely, he is mumma’s boy <3

Directions:
1. In a bowl add All Purpose Flour.

2. Add to it ginger powder, ground cinnamon and cloves powder.

3. Add baking soda and salt. Mix all the dry ingredients well and set aside.

5. In another bowl add butter at room temperature and add brown sugar to it. I used light brown sugar as it was the only thing I had on hand. Add molasses and give everything a good whip until creamy and soft. I used my electric whisk but you can always do it manually.

6. Add an egg to it whisk again. Now its time to add your dry ingredients little by little till everything comes together in the form of a dough.

7. Divide the dough into two or four balls and wrap them in a cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until the dough is set.

8. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius (Learn more about Oven temperature and Conversion).Take one ball of dough and let it sit on counter till it is workable. Dust your counter well with dry flour and roll it into a 1/8 inch circle. Cut it into gingerbread man shape using a cutter. If you think your cutter gets sticky you can dip it into flour and continue to cut the shapes. You can buy gingerbread man cookie cutter from our online store The Gourmet Shop

9. Place them on a baking sheet lined with Oddy Uniwrap Parchment paper. Bake them for 10 minutes in a center rack until they turn a little brown.

10. Cool them completely and decorate them with Royal Icing and candies. Learn to make Royal Icing easily at home.

11. You can dunk them in milk or enjoy them as it is. Its a treat for kids and you can even gift it to your loved ones to melt their heart this season.

Other Cookies you can try here are:Melomakarona : Greek Traditional Christmas Cookies, Ragi & Whole Wheat Biscuits, White Chocolate Chip Cookies, Italian Almond Biscotti, Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Coconut Chocolate Cookies.

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Baking

μελομακάρονα | Melomakarona | Greek Traditional Christmas Cookies

By anshu November 28, 2015

Its November end and Thanksgiving is over. I can feel the chill in the air and my nose turns red when I take my daily walk in the hills. I have soaked the dry fruits in Rum for the Christmas Cake, which officially means that Christmas has begun. Hurray!! now who can stop me from baking delicious cakes and cookies.

Incidentally, this months Spatula Force Theme Challenge was Greek Cuisine hosted by my Friend and Food Blogger Bhawna Pandey from Salt and Pepper . This motivated me to try the Greek Traditional Christmas Cookies Melomakarona. They are delicious, melt in mouth, egg shaped cookies with goodness of Olive Oil and Honey. They are Spiced with Cloves, Cinnamon and Orange Zest. Doesn’t that sound very festive and christmasy?

The baked cookies are dipped in Sugar Honey Spiced Syrup and finally glazed with Honey and chopped Walnuts. Ohh!! The taste is absolutely mindblowing and scintillating. You must try these to believe me 🙂 I loved to photograph these cookies and creating a little Christmas like ambience. Thanks to my friend Lily for the beautiful platter she gifted me on her visit. Doesn’t that look amazing!

Directions:

1. Wash and dry a firm Orange and take out its zest, only the orange part using a microplane or zester.

2. In a saucepan add some water and add to it lemon zest and orange juice.

3. Add sugar to the saucepan along with cinnamon and Cloves.

4. Bring the syrup to a boil and then simmer for two minutes. Turn the heat off and add honey and mix well till it is dissolved. Keep aside.

5. In a mixing bowl add Vegetable Oil, Olive oil and Orange juice.

6. Add to bowl baking soda and whisk together with the juice and oils. Let the soda react with the juice.

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7. Add ground Cloves and Cinnamon and combine

8. Add caster sugar or icing sugar to the oil juice mixture and mix well along with orange zest. Add semolina and combine using a whisk.

9. Now add All purpose flour little by little and combine to make a smooth dough. Do not over work the dough.

10. Divide the dough into walnut size elliptical or oval shape balls and press them against a grater to get the pattern. Other wise you can use a fork to make pattern of your choice.

11. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat, with amble space between each cookie* and bake for 25-30 minutes on 200 degree Celsius in middle rack. Keep an eye after 25 minutes, for it shouldn’t get over baked.

12. Immediately as they come out of the oven dip them in the syrup we prepared before for 20 seconds. You can use slotted spoon to take them out.

13. Let them drain and rest on a wire wrack. When they cool down drizzle them with Honey and sprinkle on top some coarsely ground walnuts.

14. You are ready to dig into them and make this Christmas more special and Joyous.

Other Cookies you can try on The Secret Ingredient are: White Chocolate Chip Cookies , Ragi & Whole Wheat Biscuits, Coconut Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Italian Almond Biscotti.

If you are looking for Delicious Cakes and Sweet Breads: Apple Raisins Streusel Bread , Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake, Eggless Almond Vanilla Cake, Eggless Orange Cake with Candied Orange Peel Filling, Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze, Persimmon Rum Cake, Pumpkin Cake Rolls , Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake, Wacky Vegan Chocolate Cake , Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Bread with Melon Seeds.

Other Greek Cuisines from my fellow Bloggers participating in this challenge are: Spanakopita Triangles or Greek Spinach Pie by Binjal Pandya from Binjal’s Veg Kitchen, Baklava by Pooja Khanna from 2Bliss Of Baking.

[whohit]Melomakarona[/whohit]

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Baking

Stuffed Mushroom Cheesy Crack Bread | Cheesy Mushroom Pull Apart Bread

By anshu November 6, 2015

I needn’t say more about my obsession with mushrooms and breads. Clearly it is getting out of control. At least twice a week I want something mushroomy something bready in my meals. After doing the Mushroom Spinach Stuffed Braided Bread I bring you this Cheesy Mushroom pull apart bread. This was not planned but on my search I found this recipe which was like Love at First Sight. I happily baked a bread in the evening and stuffed it with Mushrooms and Cheese. Ohh man! It was pure indulgence. I served the bread with my mommy special Tomato Soup. I happily skipped my dinner for the sheer love of this bread.

This is more like a idea than a recipe to make something incredible with bread specially for Super Ball or Cricket Matches or may be catching up a flick late night on recliners with comfy cushions. I am just saying! Or be like me. You don’t need a reason to eat Mushrooms and bread..do you?

Directions:

1. Take a loaf of french bread or any bread other than sandwich loaf. I have used the same recipe as White Sandwich bread for this but simply placed it on a baking tray without using a pan for second proof and baked it. You can also use Sourdough bread for this. Using a bread knife cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through all the way. You will notice cavity between the bread pieces. Place it on a Baking sheet lined with Aluminium foil. Set aside. Preheat the oven for 10 minutes on 180 degree Celcius.

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2. In a pan melt some butter.

3. Add finely chopped mushrooms and saute them them till they release their water. Let the water evaporate.

4. Add Thyme, I used dried. Add salt and combine. Set aside.

5. Finely chop some onions and add them to a microwavable bowl. Add butter to the onions. Microwave for 2 minutes or until the butter melts. Set aside.

6. Cut strips of cheese. I have used Mozzarella because that is what is easily available here. You can use Provolone if you lay your hands on it. Insert Cheese sticks or strips inside the cuts or cavity both horizontally and vertically.

7. Top up the cheese laden cavity with sauteed mushrooms.

8. Drizzle the bread with the onion butter all over. Sprinkle the top with some poppy seeds and garnish with fresh Coriander leaves.

9. Now cover the bread with the aluminium foil and bake it in the preheated oven on 180 degree Celsius (Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions) for 15 minutes and uncovered for another 10 minutes or until you see the cheese melting.

10. Serve hot and relish each bite.

Other recipes with bread you can try are: Cheesy Garlic Bread, Stuffed Mushroom and Spinach Braided Bread.

More Bread recipes you can try on The Secret Ingredient: White Sandwich Bread, Russian Bublici, Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, Chinese Black Sesame Steamed Buns, Cherry Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Sea Salt, Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Beetroot Bread with Garlic and Thyme, Honey Oats Bread, Domino’s Garlic Breadsticks, No Knead Light Wheat Bread.

[whohit]MushroomCrackBread[/whohit]

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