"Outrageous"-ly decadent - Chocolate & walnut brownies

Quite often said and blindly followed (by yours truly i.e.) is the crude saying - "Whatever you do on the first day of a year..most likely you would be doing it for the rest of it ". Sounds chancy ehh? Yeah most likely it doesn’t have any ground in reality..but well when things are in your control there’s hardly any harm in trying to set the right tone to begin a brand new year. So writing this post in this “new” part of the year, assures me that this is going to be an auspicious hint that I will continue to write my posts even though I foresee a very busy future..Amen!! 

So my first post of 2013 is dedicated to this 2 x 2 chocolate-y square filled with nuts and yes, of course some more chocolate. It’s rich, decadent and mind my words- absolutely irresistible! And with the amounts I have eaten it seems I might have to do some serious damage control (read: some real exercise). Although it might already be implied by my numerous posts, this recipe further confirms the fact that yes I love-love-love desserts with any combination of chocolate and nuts ;)

Its evolution from my mind to the plate goes back a year and follows the usual trend of being inspired by a recipe on TV by one of my favorite chefs – Ina Garten. I got intensely drawn to this recipe owing to its simplicity and decadency, with the only glitch being the ingredients being in large proportions. So I thought, what better dessert for the holiday season to give as gifts when everyone is in a mood to celebrate and enjoy. Ever since I first baked these a year back, I cannot deny that these are the BEST brownies I had ever tasted.It literally blew my mind.Well that might sound vain but all thanks to Ina Garten for this amazing recipe. Now I wonder hard as to, why don’t all brownies have this moistness, flavorful chocolaty goodness..instead of being crumbly, dry and flour-y and I am NOT exaggerating when I say that its very very hard to resist a second bite or even the tenth if you go for even one.

While I really don’t claim to be a guru in baking, I still find that following some simple basic rules seem to go a long way for any novice like me. I can swear by how simple and effective these are always when everything else seems difficult. So here are these tiny nuggets of useful information.

-   Always preheat the oven (5-10 mins). This is quite possibly the most important thing since the first 5 mins are very critical to any recipe. I usually turn it on as I start prepping up the ingredients.

-   Use room temperature ingredients unless stated otherwise. This gives an even temperature for all ingredients to mix in.

-   Use parchment paper. This is the best way to make sure that your baked good does not stick to the pan/sheet pan etc. Butter and flour the parchment paper like you would generally any pan.

-   Measure the ingredients accurately. For measuring flour, fluff up the flour and then measure it else it will be densely packed.

-   When melting chocolate, make sure the bowl is completely dry otherwise the chocolate freezes (becomes a unglazed mass) when it should be smooth and glazed.

Outrageously chocolate-y brownies

(Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe)

Over-the-top decadent and chocolate-y brownies interspersed with walnuts and more chocolate chips, is sure to leave you speechless with just a bite. Adapted from Ina Garten's All star dessert recipe, very aptly named "Outrageous brownies".

Ingredients (Makes around 40 nos. 2” squares)

·    1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter

·    1 lb + 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

·    6 ounces Semi sweet Baker’s chocolate

·    6 extra-large eggs

·    3 T Nescafe (instant coffee granules)

·    2 T Pure bourbon vanilla extract

·    2 C Sugar

·    1 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

·    1 T baking powder

·    1 tsp salt

·    3 C chopped walnuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350oF. Then spread out the walnuts on a sheet pan and roast for ~ 5 mins till fragrant. Take out and let it cool.

2. Prepare a double boiler (see notes) for melting the butter, 1 lb of chocolate chips and baker’s chocolate. Stir in between. Once it has melted, take it off the stove and let it cool (~ 10 mins)

3. In a separate bowl, stir in the eggs, sugar, vanilla and the coffee powder.

4. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, mix it in with the egg mixture and let it cool to room temperature.

5. Now, in another bowl, sift together 1 C flour, baking powder and salt. Then fold it into the chocolate mixture.

6. Toss the cooled walnuts and remaining chocolate chips with 1/4th C of flour and fold it into the batter.

7. Line the baking sheet (12 x 18 x 1-inch) with parchment paper and butter and flour the sheet.

8. Pour the chocolate batter into the sheet and place it in the oven.

9. Bake for ~35 minutes and take it out from the oven. Let it cool before cutting it out into squares. Imp: Do not overbake!

Some useful notes: 

- Preparing the double boiler: Place a sauce pan half filled with water over the stove, bring it to a boil and then let it simmer over low flame. Place another bowl over it with the chocolate and butter and let it melt from the steam. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl on top.

- The walnuts and chocolate chips are tossed with flour so that they don’t sink to the bottom of the batter. A little trick does wonders you see.

- Ina Garten specifies that it’s essential to rap the sheet on the baking rack to make sure that you take out the air from that forms between the sheet and the brownie.

The picture below recorded my first try at these brownies :)

With all the notes in hand and my experience to fall back on, I hope these impress you as much as it has everyone who has had a bite. Frankly, I can no longer enjoy any brownie without wondering about these – such is its power. So as I prepped to bake these for a second year, I could not help but wonder, that how a chance trial had actually set out to become a holiday tradition I hope to maintain. With the amount of love and care I have added in this time, I hope it tastes all the more wonderful for my family back home :)

May all of you have an adventurous, wonderful and a wonderful new year!
Happy New year friends!
J

I am submitting this post to:
- "Kid's delight: Dessert" hosted by Veena and Srivalli.
- "Bake fest" hosted by Sumee and Vardhini.
- "Let's cook/bake for Valentine" hosted by Simply sensational food.
- "Bake Fest" hosted by Vardhini from Cook's Joy.
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.

The joyous treat - Besan Sooji / Besan Rava ladoo

Time surely has some mighty wings..coz it always flies by in a blink. At times, it’s so hard to believe that it’s been almost 2 years since I first tried my hand at besan ladoo and out of sheer enthusiasm posted it on Facebook. It was just a very naïve beginning to something I had no idea would turn out to be such a game (life?) changer. The legacy of posting pictures of any dish I was successful-at-my-first-try continued until the beginning of this year when it turned out to be a little more serious than that. This blog came into existence and it’s been a whole different journey since. I had always wished food to take a more sincere place in my life and besan ladoo seems to have been just a very auspicious start :)

My history with this recipe dates back to 2010 when my Ma was preparing this for Diwali and it piqued my interest so much that I had to try making it. Memories connect back to those days when my grandma would prepare these ladoos for us kids to gorge on with my sister being the most ardent fan of these delights. So being well aware of the emotional attachment of besan ladoo and Diwali, I took on the challenge.My first try at besan ladoo had turned out good but well not without its own share of mistakes – it had too much ghee. So this time around I made sure that the amount of ghee (even though it might not look a lot) was controlled, so that everyone feels comfortable gorging on these scrumptious snack/ sweet. To add a bit of crunchiness to the otherwise smooth textured ladoos, I added in the rava (sooji/semolina) along with some ghee roasted cashews and raisins.This time around I was very satisfied to have balanced both my adventurous and the health conscious self by balancing out the ghee.A big step ahead to start with :)

Besan Sooji ladoo / Besan Rava ladoo

This festive sweet typifies the perfect blend of the nuttiness of chick pea flour along with the crunch from coarse wheat semolina (sooji/rava), roasted till fragrant in ghee. Cashews and raisins add to the richness of this otherwise effortless treat.It forms quite a pair with the salty Chivda as Diwali faraal.

Ingredients: (Makes 20 ladoos using 1 T scoop)

2 C Besan/Chickpeas Flour

¾ C Sugar (I used cane sugar)

¼ C Rava / Sooji/ Wheat Semolina coarse

½ C Ghee 

¼ tsp Cardamom powder

2 T Roasted Cashews (Optional)

1 T Raisins (Optional)

Method:

1.  Dry roast both the besan and sooji separately on a low flame for about 10 minutes. The besan becomes fragrant while the sooji should be very evenly “light browned”. Keep stirring for an even roast.

2.  In a separate pan, add in 1 T of ghee and fry the raisins and the cashews till - the raisins plump up and the cashews are slightly browned. Keep aside.

3.  Add the rest of the ghee to a wide pan over low flame, and add in the roasted besan and sooji to it. Mix well to smoothen out any lumps.

4.  Roast the ghee-besan–sooji mixture till its fragrant and the mixture has a light brown tinge to it.

5.  Turn off the heat and then add in the sugar, cardamom powder, cashews and raisins. Stir to mix.

6.  Let the mixture cool till its tolerable to make ladoos. I used a 1 T scoop to measure out the ladoos and rolled them out by hand.

Some handy notes:

1. I used granulated cane sugar instead of the powdered one. It just adds in more  to the crunch. Opt out of it, if you like your ladoos smoother.

2. Roasting and continous stirring over a low flame is the key. The mixture can burn very easily, so make sure to stir and be around the stove.

3. These ladoos stays very well for about 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator and is a great source of protein (from the chick pea flour) and energy (from ghee and sugar). A great snack when eaten of course in moderation.

I served these Besan- rava ladoos along with the home made Chivda to all my friends who had come over for Diwali. It was just very touching to be able to reach out to everyone I had wanted to while I was preparing these treats. An honest and heartfelt intention rarely goes unnoticed :). Here's hoping these treats made all those who tasted these as much happy as I was while making them. This Diwali became just too special and here's wishing for an even better Thanksgiving :)

Have a great Thanksgiving folks!

Love and good wishes,

J

I am sending this entry to:
- "Lets celebrate-Indian sweets" hosted by UK Rasoi
- "My Diwali basket" hosted by Thou shalt cook
- "Diwali food fest" hosted by Anu
- "Bon Vivant #10: Festive feast" hosted by Sumee.
- "Diwali Dishes" hosted by Cook's Joy

Unassumingly festive ~Kaju Badam Barfi~

Driven by intense conversations regarding “Barfi” (the Ranbir Kapoor one people!), I couldn’t help but think about the real and the first connotation the word “barfi” has had for me since childhood. In fact, it has also been the only thing I have been thinking for quite a while. Sounds strange??..well might be..but I just couldn’t help but think about the real barfi when that’s the word all over and I am very sure most of you must have lingered on the same too ;)

So with my injury healing quite fairly and with the upcoming Ganesh Utsav, I had been burning to make something new and exciting. It had been a while since I had done something rousing in the kitchen and should I say, I was dying to do so. But to be very frank, I had never thought of making Barfi EVER until last weekend and this was the first time I had even dared to look up recipes to help me make it. No matter how rich and delicious it might taste, this humble sweet had an awful impression of being cumbersome to make. Now since my Ma hadn’t tried it either, I turned to the usual help - our very own Google. As I scoured the internet for a recipe, the first recipe to pop up was that of talented Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. Each Sunday I was as excited to watch him at noon as much I was to watch Disney World at 9. Completely contrasting and confusing right? Well it seemed so to me too when I thought about it and it wasn’t until recently that I did.

This recipe is adapted from his version of the classic but there were certain steps  I decided to modify for ease and add in my own signature. The first change was to add in toasted almonds and little did I know that I was in for a pleasant surprise. Adding the toasted almonds gives a toasty undertone to the barfi and adds in a layer of additional jazz. The second change was the time I boiled the syrup. I wanted to boil the syrup till it was just ready and THEN add the nut mixture so that it too got a chance to simmer in the syrup. This way the mixture as well as the syrup got a chance to cook unlike other ones where it tastes raw. My first try was more of an experiment since I was yet to figure out the making and workings of the recipe. The end product turned out to be good regardless of the many follies I committed. Now equipped with the workings, I tried it again with my own twist and now I have a basic recipe for life. 

Kaju Badam Barfi/ Kaju Badam Katli

The inherent rich creaminess of cashews along with the toasty undertone of roasted almonds provides a pleasant twist to the usual candied cashew diamonds (aka barfi). Surprisingly simple and easy to prepare, this unassuming and dainty sweet is sure to wow your guests this festive season.

Ingredients: 

Adapted from this recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

(Makes 10-15 depending on the size)

½ C sugar
½ C water
¼ C Peeled & toasted almonds 
¾ C Raw Cashewnuts

¼ tsp rose water (Optional)

Roasted cashew halves for garnish (Optional)

Method:

1. Grind the cashews and the toasted almonds to a fine powder and keep aside.

2. In a non-stick pan over medium heat, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Boil the syrup over medium heat for ~ 5 mins till it gets viscous (one string consistency). 

3. Lower the heat and add in the cashew and almond powder while stirring consistently to avoid lumps. Add in the rose water and stir while simmering the mixture for ~ 7 mins till the mixture starts leaving the sides. Take off the stove while the mixture looks slightly runny. Don’t worry since the mixture soaks in the extra water while resting.

4. Let it cool till it’s touchable. Knead well till the dough is shiny and leaves oil. 

5. Roll out the dough into a thin layer and cut in the shape of diamonds. Garnish with toasted cashews to add the authentic hint.

Notes:

1. To check for one string consistency, add a drop of the syrup onto a thin layer of water, it will appear as a viscous drop when ready.

2. To test if the mixture is cooked, wet your fingers and roll the dough in between your fingers. If it rolls into a ball, it’s done.

3. If the dough is runny still, cook it over the stove for a few mins till you achieve the required consistency.

4. If the dough hardens, use some milk to knead it.

5. Knead the mixture while it’s still warm. The dough seems less pliable, when it cools down completely. In between if it becomes difficult to roll, warm it briefly in the microwave and roll.

6. After rolling out the dough, use a piece of wax paper to smoothen out the surface of the barfi for a shinier and smoother finish.

7. To avoid wastage, roll out the left over sides while rolling out the barfi and roll again.

8. It stays fresh upto 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator and upto 1 week at room temperature.

While my second try at this sweet delight was a success, I am sure to try out different versions of this. I have been rattling my brains to think of new variations to this age old loved sweet and will sure update when I try any.

Here’s wishing you all a happy Ganesh Chaturthi! 

Have a great rest of the week,
J

P.s: I am submitting this recipe to:
- "Kid's delight" hosted by Valli.
- "Show me your dessert" hosted by Pari
- "Celebrate Navratri and Diwali" hosted by Nayna and Jagruti Dhanecha.
- "Diwali Bash" hosted by Vardhini
- "Kid's delight: Healthy Makeovers" hosted by Rasi
- "Lets celebrate-Indian sweets" hosted by UK Rasoi
- "Diwali food fest" hosted by Anu
- "Bon Vivant #10: Festive feast" hosted by Sumee.
- "Diwali Bash-2013" hosted by Vardhini from Cook's joy
- 

Sinfully Indulgent - Ras Malai

The ecstasy of being able to whip up a dessert knows no bounds especially when it’s something that’s always been intriguing and delightful-both exactly at the same time. By now, all of you might have guessed that I am endowed with one big sweet tooth.I admit to this felony but well it’s a win-win situation for all of us over here. I get to decipher a fascinating dessert and eat it (!!!) while you get the recipe (and the secrets as well)! Works very very well ! 

To ease you into this, Ras malai is best described as light, spongy, cheese dumplings soaked in creamy,thick, sweetened and flavored milk. It tastes very similar to Tres Leche but well no real comparison, just an idea for those who like to imagine the taste before they try the recipe. Milk-based sweets are quite popular in the eastern state of Odissa. Ras Malai is one among the numerous such desserts that actually seems to me, as the love-child of rosugulla (sweetened cheese dumpling) and rabdi (thickened and flavored milk). This recipe came up during one of the several conversations with my ma, while going through recipes that would be interesting and challenging for me to try. She shared this classic recipe and I jumped straight into experimenting with it.

I used the traditional approach for making the “chenna” or the cheese at home and went from there. Nothing better than home-made ingredients for dishes that invoke a jumble of emotions. So without further delay, here it is:

 Ras Malai

Ingredients:

Step 1: The cheese

2 lts whole  milk

2 whole lemons

Step 2: For Malai

1 lt whole milk

½ cup condensed milk

Sugar to taste

½ tsp rose water

Pinch of saffron

2 cardamom pods crushed.

Method:

Step 1: For the “chenna” or cheese

1.Bring the milk to a boil. When it starts boiling, add lemon juice. The cheese separates out almost immediately leaving behind a light green liquid.

Tip: This remaining liquid is very nutritious and I used it in my dal for dinner.

2.Reduce the heat and wait for 2 mins till larger lumps form.

3.Then pour the mixture through a cheese cloth.

Tip: Run the cheese under cold water to wash out the lemony taste and to stop cooking it any further since this recipe asks for very soft cheese.

4. Squeeze out water and let it sit and set aside.

This is a basic process for preparing cheese which can be used for various other purposes too.

Step 2: For the “chenna” or cheese dumplings

1. Process the chenna in a food processor (about 1-2 mins) to make a smooth paste.

Tip: This step ensures that the dumplings don’t crack while cooking.

2. Make round smooth balls according to the size you need.

Tip: Smoothen out the balls when rolling them and if flattening it out, ensure that its even on all sides.

3. Pour 5 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar into the pressure cooker and add in the cheese balls.

Tip: Sugar ensures that the density of the syrup is apt so that the balls don’t break apart.

4. Place the pressure cooker on the stove and wait for the first whistle.

5. Turn off the stove after the first whistle,wait for exactly 5 minutes and then place it under running water to release any steam.

6. At this stage, the balls should have almost become about 1 ½ times their original size.

7. Remove the cheese sponges using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Step 3: For the malai

1. Reduce the milk to half its quantity over low heat. Keep stirring continuously.

2. Then add condensed milk, and sugar according to taste

3. When done, add rose water, crushed cardamom and saffron.

Now squeeze out any syrup from the dumplings and let it soak in this milk mixture for about 20 minutes before serving.

This has been one of my few challenging ventures but I realized that all it really takes is the desire to keep trying till you get it right. Now, put on your apron and delve into this decadent world of surprises well equipped with the trade secrets that I just passed onto you! 

Happy cooking!

P.S: This recipe is a submission for #IndianFoodPalooza for March 2012. Wish me luck! and also for "Showcase - Desserts" by Divya and to - Prathibha for "EP Series-Herbs and spices"-Basil and Cardamom.- "Lets celebrate-Indian sweets" hosted by UK Rasoi

Of Gulab Jamuns and new beginnings

The advent of spring and the end of the winter season in India is heralded by the festival of colors, Holi. In my years of having lived here in the US I have longed and missed the bonhomie that trademarks this spring festival. Uncle, aunts, distant cousins and relatives come together to mark the beginning of spring and gorge on the delicious spread of the scrumptious dishes which would be incomplete without a wide range of sweets and snacks. I have missed all of that these years until this time when a group of friends came up with the idea of a potluck lunch that would then be followed by applying “tikkas”(What happened later is completely another story in itself! ).

While thinking of something to contribute, Gulab Jamun popped straight at me. Now, here goes the story! Gulab Jamuns have always always been one of my most favorite-“est” of desserts. A few months back one of my friends suggested to try making Gulab Jamuns. I was supremely excited to even know that it could be “prepared” at home. I wrote down the recipe, bought the ingredients but never quite got down to making it UNTIL that fine day.To tell you the truth, I was afraid of messing up the recipe and that had kept me from giving it a shot. It had never quite happened before but since there were emotional repercussions of failing at making my favorite dessert that kept bogging me down. Well, as the feeling of festivity lit up the heart and took the mind away from its rigmarole, I finally gave it a shot. All went well and my happiness knew no bounds as I bit into the soft, warm, brown balls of goodness and yumminess dripping with cardamom and rose water infused sugary syrup. I literally squealed in delight and danced about in joy at my victory. The gist is - it’s a very simple recipe that requires a lot of love and patience to get it right. Here’s my earnest attempt to make it easy and comprehensible to anyone looking to have fun and a great time making these for friends, family or just even from themselves.

Gulab Jamuns

Gulab Jamuns are the Indian version of donuts, fried to perfection and dipped in cardamom rose water flavored sugary syrup. It’s one of the few very well known desserts, unanimously loved, adored and savored in every part of the Indian subcontinent.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup nonfat/whole milk powder

· 1/4 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour, maida)

· 3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter

· 1/4 cup Reduced whole milk at room temperature.

· Pinch/1/8^th teaspoon of baking soda

· 1 1/2 cup sugar

· 1 1/2 cup water

· 4 coarsely grounded cardamom seeds

· Oil for deep-frying

· 2 teaspoon of rose water / 2-3 strands of Saffron (Optional)

Syrup:

For the syrup, in a wide mouthed pan, boil water along with sugar and crushed cardamom seeds. Bring it to boil, let it boil for a minute and then turn off the stove. Set aside. Add rose water and let it sit. At this stage, the saffron strands can be added, it would impart a orange-ish hue to the syrup.

Gulab Jamuns:

1. Bring 1 ½ cups of whole milk to boil and keep stirring till the milk is reduced to half. Keep aside to cool.

Tip: Reducing the milk to a thicker consistency sort of makes up for the absence of “khoya” which is originally used. Regular room temperature whole milk would also work well, it would only have a different flavor.

2. In a mixing bowl, sieve in milk powder, flour and baking soda.Sieving ensures that all the three powders mix well and that there’s no lump.

Tip: Too much baking soda will cause the gulab jamuns to get too soft or they will break apart when frying.

3. Mix in the butter into the mixture. The mixture would now be grainy and coarse.

4. Then add in the room temperature reduced milk to the mixture. The dough should be soft and moist.

Tip: While rolling the dough balls, apply butter to both your hands. Notice that when the balls are kept on the plate, they deform on the side its placed indicating the dough is soft. In between frying, if the dough seems drier, it’s okay to add room temperature whole milk to make it moist.

5. Heat up the oil in a wok. The balls should be able to swim in the oil which is atleast 1 ½ inch of oil.

Tip: To test if the oil is at the right temperature, place a small piece of dough into the oil; it should take a minute to rise. If dough rises faster, oil is too hot; if dough just sits without rising, oil is not hot enough.

6. Place the Gulab Jamuns in the frying pan. Remember, gulab jamuns will expand to double the volume, so give them enough space. It should take about 7-10 minutes to fry the gulab jamuns depending upon their size. While frying keep rolling the gulab jamuns around so they are evenly browned. Fry until the gulab jamuns become dark brown.

Tip: If the gulab jamuns are fried on high heat, they don't cook thoroughly to the center.

7. Let the gulab jamuns cool off for a few minutes before placing them in the hot syrup.

Tip: When I add in the fried dough to the syrup, I placed the syrup vessel on very low heat so that eventually we get the syrupy consistency. If not, the syrup becomes very watery.

8. The gulab jamuns should sit in the hot syrup for at least 20 minutes prior to serving.Gulab jamuns can be kept at room temperature for about a week and up to one month when refrigerated. They can also be frozen for months.

9. Variations: Place a black cardamom (Badi elaichi) seed/ raisin at the center of the dough. It adds to the flavor.

It might sound daunting at first , but I promise that once you make them, the joy and elation would much surpass the fear of failure just like it did for me. Its been an enjoyable experience making these and hope you have had much of a great time going through this recipe and making these as well . Looking forward to your comments and inputs to this entry.

Much Love,

J

P.s: I am sending this recipe for 
- "Showcase - Desserts" by Divya.
- "Let's Party - "Desserts" by Reshmi and Surabhi.
- Prathibha for "EP Series-Herbs and spices"-Basil and Cardamom
- "Diwali Bash" by Vardhini
- "Lets celebrate-Indian sweets" hosted by UK Rasoi