4 Steps to Making Tiramisu with Homemade Cheese!

This is my version of the classic Italian dessert, made with ingredients that are easily available in the Indian supermarket.

Don’t you feel disappointed when the Chef on TV shows us how to make those amazing desserts, cause you can’t actually make them? Take Tiramisu for example, in India, mascarpone cheese or Lady fingers (Savioardini Biscuits) are not easily available. Even if you do manage to find mascarpone cheese in one corner of the city, it is expensive. This is simple version of Tiramisu made with homemade cheese and other readily available ingredients.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Amul Cream 300 ml (approximately 1 ½ Amul Cream 200ml Tetrapack)

Eggs 3, separated

Sugar 1 ½ + ½ tablespoon

Cheese Spread 2 tablespoons

Whipping Cream ¾ cup (Use heavy cream with a tablespoon of powdered sugar and vanilla essence, if whipping cream in unavailable)

Chocolate Muffins 6nos. (Use 200g chocolate slices)

Coffee 1 ½ tablespoons

Brandy 2 tablespoons (Optional)

Cocoa powder 1 tablespoon

Method:

Step 1

Making the Cheese

You need:

Amul Cream 300ml

Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon

Muslin Cloth (MalMal)

Heat 300ml Amul cream in a pan and add one tablespoon lemon juice to it. Stir, cook the cream for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and put the cream onto a muslin cloth. Hang the curdled cream in the muslin cloth and let it stand for 30 minutes. This cheese will be used to make the Tiramisu.

Step 2

Making the Sabayon

You Need:

Egg yolks 3

Sugar 1 ½ tablespoons

Wide Bowl full of warm water

In an empty steel bowl add in the egg yolks and the sugar. Keep the steel bowl over the bowl full of warm water and whisk the mixture till is thick, dropping consistency. The mixture should coat a wooden spoon.

Step 3

Incorporating, cheese, Egg whites and Cream

You need:

Homemade Cheese

Cheese Spread 2 tablespoons

Egg White 3

Whipping Cream ¾ cup

Add in the homemade cheese and the cheese spread into the sabayon (egg mixture) and whisk for 2 minutes. Once the mixture is smooth, shiny and lump free, keep it aside.

Note: Cheese spread helps you get that smooth, shiny texture and the right consistency for tiramisu. In small quantities, it does not disturb the taste of the dessert.

Add in the egg whites into an empty steel bowl and whisk while holding over warm water until it starts forming soft peaks.

Fold the eggs gently into the cheese mixture, mixing by ling the sides and folding in, so that you don’t lose the volume.

Whip up the cream to medium peak and fold it into the mixture. Mix by ling the spatula along the sides and then folding it in.

Note: Whipping cream (non dairy) available in supermarkets has a long shelf life. You can use a small account and freeze it for several months upto 1 year.

Step 4

Assembling the Tiramisu

You Need:

Chocolate Cake cut into Thick slices (to present in glasses) or fingers (to present in a bowl)

Coffee mixed with ½ tablespoon sugar and brandy (or few drops of water)

Tiramisu Mixture

Cocoa Powder with a pinch of coffee

Line the glass with a thick slice of chocolate cake.

Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the coffee mixture on it. Add in one big round spoonful of tiramisu mixture.

Make 3 layers like that. The top layer should be a spoonful of tiramisu mixture. Even it on top with wet fingers.

Put some cocoa powder with a pinch of coffee in a sieve, sprinkle lightly on the top layer.

Serve Cold.

BASIC Cake Recipe

Everyone’s making cakes. Birthdays, Wedding Anniversary, Christmas, New years Eve, the indulging season is here again. Recently, many people have asked me how you go about making a Basic Cake. Well, there are two methods. The first Basic Cake recipe does not require an electric hand-mixer. The second Basic cake recipe involving a creaming method may require an electric hand-mixer (although in my days in the catering college, we struggled while creaming the fat with our palms!). To check whether the cake is cooked, insert a fork in the centre, if the fork comes out clean, the cake is cooked. While mixing the cake ingredients, be sure to mix in one direction, either clockwise or anti clockwise direction, to make the cake light and fluffy.

1st Basic (Sponge) Cake Recipe

Ingredients

Eggs 3

Vanilla Essence or Nutmeg ¼ tspn

Sugar 90g

Flour 90g

 Baking Powder (sieved with the flour) ¼ tspn

Butter, melted 60g

Method:

• Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.
• Beat the eggs with an egg beater. Slowly incorporate the sugar and beat the eggs and the sugar together, until it foams up. Add in vanilla essence. Do not over-beat, once the foam has formed, lightly beat for 1 minute.
• Sieve the flour and baking powder together. Incorporate the flour and melting butter part by part.
• Add in a part of the flour from the side, fold it into the egg mixture from the side, with the help of a flat spoon or spatula. Be sure not to over mix, to keep the mixture light and fluffy.
• Incorporate one part of butter in a similar manner. Slowly, add in all the flour and all the butter into the egg mixture.

Mix it along the sides, so as to avoid over mixing.

• Grease a cake mould with fat on all sides and dust it with flour, to avoid the cake from sticking onto the mould OR Line the cake mould with butter paper on all sides.
• Turn the cake batter into the mould, tap it on the bottom to even it on top.
• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.

Cool it for ten minutes.

You may loosen the sides with the knife before turning the mould onto a plate.

2nd Basic Cake Recipe (Creaming Method)

Ingredients

Butter 80g (Soften)

Sugar 115 g

2 eggs

Vanilla Essence / Nutmeg ¼ tspn

Flour 115g

Baking Powder ¼ tspn

Method:

• Preheat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.
• The butter should be kept at room temperature for sometime and should be soft before use, not melted.

With the help of a hand mixer, cream the butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

Add in the sugar, part by part and cream with the hand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.

• Beat the eggs with vanilla essence and add them into the sugar and butter mixture. Mix it well.
• Sieve the flour and baking powder together. Add in the flour into the mixture. Do not mix.
• Fold in the flour into the mixture with a spatula by running it along the sides. Once the flour is incorporated, you can add in raisins or chopped almonds if you like, and fold again.

Mix it along the sides, so as to avoid over mixing.

• Grease a cake mould with fat on all sides and dust it with flour, to avoid the cake from sticking onto the mould OR Line the cake mould with butter paper on all sides.

Turn the cake batter into the mould, tap it on the bottom to even it on top.

• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 180 degree Celsius.

Cool it for ten minutes.

You may loosen the sides with the knife before turning the mould onto a plate.

Variation: For Chocolate Cake, reduce flour by 20gms and add in 20gms of cocoa powder in its place.

For Simple Icing:

Ingredients

Butter 30g

Icing Sugar 70g

Vanilla Essence few drops

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add in softened butter and with the hand mixer, cream it until light and fluffy.

Add in the sugar and vanilla essence and cream it until light and fluffy.

Spread it evenly for icing on the cake.

Eggless Pumpkin Pie

Let’s just say, that I did not overstuff the blender while making this lovely pie, and let’s just say that my sister’s books, her favourite bag were not ruined, and then we can call this the perfect Thanksgiving story. After all that’s what Thanksgiving is for, giving thanks that she hasn’t planned her revenge yet. This is an eggless, Pumpkin pie. It’s as delicious as the traditional thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

For the base/ Simple Eggless Pumpkin Pie Crust

Refined Flour 180g

Powdered Sugar 60g

Baking Powder a pinch

Butter 50g (Vegans can use nut-based margarine)

Cold Water a few drops

For the Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin 350g

Tofu 100g

Powdered Sugar 60g

Cinnamon ½ inch piece

Milk to blend

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190 degree Celsius.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and sugar together. Rub the butter into the flour mixture. Bring the mixture together into dough, sprinkle a few drops of chilled water and bind the mixture. Chill it for twenty minutes in the refrigerator.

Divide the mixture into equal halves. Roll out one half into a round the size of the base of the pie mould. Use the other half to line the sides of the pie mould. Prick the base with a fork. Bake the crust for twelve to fifteen minutes, until the inside of the pie crust is cooked.

To make the filling, boil cut pieces of pumpkin in water. Once the pumpkin is cooked and squishy, peel them. In the blender, add in pumpkin, sugar, tofu, cinnamon and blend it into a smooth mixture. Add a little milk if the mixture is too thick to blend properly.

Fill the pie crust with pumpkin mixture completely. Bake for forty to fifty minutes, till the pie sets. Allow it to cool for thirty minutes before serving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Moist Dark Chocolate Mousse with Orange and Vodka: Irresistible

I call this a seduction recipe. It can seduce anyone, your man or your woman, your boss or your colleagues. It is the perfect bribe. I mean don’t get me wrong, chocolate mousse is a great bribe in itself but this just adds that extra X factor that will seal the deal for you. So go ahead because winning has never been simpler.

Layered Dark Chocolate and Orange Vodka Mousse – Serves 2

Ingredients:

Dark Cooking Chocolate    2 cups, chopped

Butter      1 tablespoon

Gelatine      1 ½ teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoon (soaked separately in 3 teaspoons of water each)

Whipped Cream     1 cup

Egg, separated            2

Water    2 tablespoon

Orange, peeled            6 to 8 segments, de-skinned, cut into half

Orange marmalade    1 ½  tablespoon

Vodka     2 tablespoon

Method:

For the Dark Chocolate Mousse

In a pan, add Dark cooking chocolate + Butter. Melt this mixture with a tablespoon of milk in the microwave OR

In another wider and deeper pan, add water 1 ½ inch high and allow it to come to a boil.

Place the pan with the chocolate and butter over the boiling water and allow the chocolate and butter to melt in the double boiler.

Once, the chocolate is warm, take the pan off the heat and add in 1 ½ teaspoon of soaked gelatine (that is half the quantity that was soaked in water) in the melted chocolate. Allow the gelatine to melt, mix well.

Allow this mixture to set in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.

Just before layering the mousse, add in ½ cup whipped cream and fold it in the chocolate mousse.

For the Orange Layer

Soak the de-skinned, cut up segments of orange in Vodka for about an hour.

Separate the eggs. Take two egg yolks in a heavy bottom pan, add in 2 tablespoon full of water and stir.

Now, place this pan on a double boiler or very low heat. Whisk the mixture. Do not allow the pan to become too hot. As soon as you see fumes coming out, take the pan of the heat and whisk vigorously. Allow it cool a little and then cook it again. This egg mixture should become thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Take the pan off the heat. Add in the remaining half of soaked gelatine and allow it to melt and mix well. Now, add in the soaked oranges along with the vodka, grate a little of the orange side of the peel in the mixture (orange zest), soften the marmalade and add it in the mixture. Whisk the mixture well, so the marmalade does not form lumps.

Allow this mixture to set for thirty minutes in the refrigerator.

Beat the egg whites to form soft peaks. Remove the mixture, whisk it and then incorporate the beaten egg whites by gently folding them into the mixture. Do not over mix or the mousse will loose its volume.

Fold in the remaining half cup of whipped cream in the orange mousse.

For the Layering

Add a spoon full of the orange mousse in a dessert glass so the layer visible on the side is thick. Set it for twenty minutes.(if the mixture is thick enough you can set it for ten minutes so that the next layer does not sink)

Alternate it with a spoonful of chocolate mousse and set it for twenty minutes.

Similarly, add on two more alternating layers of orange and chocolate mousse. Set it for ten minutes before garnishing it.

While setting the mousse, if you tilt the glass to one side in the refrigerator, you can form diagonal layers of mousse in the glass.

For the Garnish

Orange Mousse on top: with Chocolate Buttons and Orange Wedge on the side.

Chocolate Mousse on top: with a layer of melted chocolate and a curly peel of orange on it.

No Need for Bigger Jeans Mousse; Layered Eggless Mango Mousse

I love eating something special every single day of my life. I look forward to my dessert; it is like rewarding yourself at the end of a perfect day, cheering you up when the day hasn’t been so perfect. I even love to begin my day with something sweet, a little sweetness in the morning to wish you a great day! Obviously, I don’t like to buy a bigger pair of jeans, so, to prevent that I made this. It is fruit and broken wheat get rid of the whipped cream to garnish and it can be served as breakfast.

Layered Eggless Mango Mousse - Serves 2

Ingredients

Mango, large         3 nos.

Gelatin powder    2 teaspoon soaked in 4 teaspoon water

Hung Curd     1 cup

Broken wheat  (Dalia)   ¼ cup

Cardomom Powder     ½ teaspoon

Powdered Sugar   1 tablespoon  (Alternative for the healthy version, use Sugar free)

Whipped Cream   4 tablespoon +  for garnish  (Alternative: use beaten egg whites or hung curd instead for the healthy version)

Method:

For the Mango Mousse Layer

Peel and cut mango into thick slices. Keep aside a few slices for garnish.

Grind the mango into a pulp. The pulp will have the fruit fibres and will not be a smooth, mousse like consistency. Strain the pulp to remove the fibres and make the pulp smooth. Do not use a fine mesh strainer.

Soak the gelatine in a glass or metal bowl. To melt the gelatine place this bowl in a vessel filled with some hot water. Once the gelatine melts, add it into the mango pulp and blend it in, mix well.

Allow the mixture to set, in the refrigerator for thirty to forty minutes.

1. Once the mousse is partially set, add in four tablespoons of whipped cream for EGGLESS MANGO MOUSSE. Fold in the cream gently for volume, do not over mix.

OR

2. Alternatively, you can also skip the cream and instead use two egg whites with ½ teaspoon on vanilla essence, beaten to form soft peak, to add volume to the mango mousse.

OR

3. For EGGLESS, MANGO Mousse you can use 4 tablespoon of hung curd and blend it together. The version with the hung curd will add flavour, bulk and volume but it is not as light as mango mousse with whipped cream or egg white.

The Mango Mousse Mixture for the layered mousse is ready.

For the Second Layer

Cook the ½ cup broken wheat in ½ cup water. Bring it to a boil, the broken wheat swells up. Allow the water to get absorbed. Once the broken wheat is cooked and tender, strain it and drain out the excess water. Place the cooked broken wheat in the centre of a muslin cloth, hold the cloth by the ends and squeeze all the excess moisture out of the cooked broken wheat. Be sure to remove all the extra moisture and dry the broken wheat completely.

Flavour the Hung Curd with Cardamom powder and blend in the powdered sugar properly into the hung curd.

Add in the dry, cooked broken wheat to the flavoured, sweet hung curd. Fold it in and do not over mix.

For the Layering

In a small glass with a broad mouth and one that is shallow enough to fit a dessert spoon, add in one layer of the mango mousse with the help of a spoon or a piping bag. Make sure the layer is thick and visible from the sides. Allow it to set in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.

On top of it, add in a layer of the broken wheat and hung curd mixture. Allow this to set for thirty minutes in the refrigerator.

Add in another layer of mango mousse. Allow it to set again.

Add in the last layer of hung curd and allow it to set.

You can interchange the layers by starting with the layer of hung curd.

Top it up with whipped cream OR a dollop of smooth sweetened hung curd and chopped mangoes.

Variation: If you are in the mood to indulge, get rid of the hung curd and broken wheat use Condensed Milk with cardamom or Rabdi in place of the hung curd.

Is It Done Yet? Not Just For Kids

Do you remember all the delicious treats your mom made for you when you were a little child? Birthday cakes shaped like dolls and your favourite cartoon characters, Pizzas with faces made with tomato sauce. Don’t you still wish sometimes that you were a little child and eat those fun delicious cakes and cookies? Try these cookies, simple and delicious Very Happy Puppy Cookies. I made them at home last week and they made everyone happy. They turned my father and sister into a greedy child. They were both fighting for the last piece and guess who got it? Someone named foodie and a someone named tryingstein.

So try them and see how they make everyone happy.

You will need

All Purpose Flour(Maida)   200g

Powdered Sugar                    50g

Butter (Softened)                125g

Cold Water                           a sprinkle

Dark Chocolate                       60g

Butter Paper                         1 sheet

To make the Very Happy Puppy

Crescent Shaped Chocolate Cereal / Choco Flakes          60g

Chocolate Buttons (Dark or Milk will do)                           30g

This recipe will make 12 Very Happy Puppies.

Preheat the Oven at 160 degree Celsius.

First measure all the ingredients. Cut the dark chocolate in small pieces. Sieve together the all purpose flour and powdered sugar and keep it aside. Then take softened butter in a bowl, add in the all purpose flour(maida) and powdered sugar mixture to the softened butter. Rub the butter into the flour and make cookie dough. If required, add a sprinkle to cold water to bring the dough together. Do not knead this dough. Now divide it into twelve equal portions. Make the rounds with dough and press in pieces of dark chocolate in the centre of the round and seal it up while rounding. Grease a baking tray or line it with butter paper. Set the chocolate stuffed cookie rounds on a greased tray. Use the Choco Flakes as ears on both the sides of the cookie rounds. Make a nose with chocolate button placed right in the middle of the round puppy face. Now, break little pieces of Choco flakes to make the little eyes of the Very Happy Puppy.

Tip: If you don’t have chocolate buttons you can also use the chocolate cereal to form a triangular nose for the very happy puppy.

Now place the greased cookie tray in the pre-heated oven and bake the cookies for 20 minutes at 160 degree Celsius. Do check them once after fifteen minutes, just to see if they are already done. They will lose the ‘wet’ look if they are done. They look a slight golden shade of off-white.

I hope you enjoy it!