Eggless Tiramisu Cake

For the last bake of the year and to ring in the spirit of this holiday season , I've chosen to bake a Tiramisu cake. Unlike classic Tiramisu , which is soft to the touch and gooey , this cake is an interpretation of Tiramisu with all the flavors intact. The kahlua and amaretto add such warm notes to the flavor of both the cake and the frosting. As a coffee lover , it was only fair that the finale paid some tribute to my all time favorite - filter coffee. I have used traditionally brewed filter coffee decoction in place of espresso just to give the cake some added punch. 

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge (makes 2 8” sponge cakes)

All-purpose flour - 2 2/3 cups
Granulated Sugar - 1 cup
Baking Soda - 2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Yogurt - 1 cup
Oil - 1 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

For the mascarpone cream mixture

Mascarpone cheese - 2 packages
Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup
Amaretto - 5 tbsp
Kahlua - 2 tbsp
Confectioner’s sugar - 1tbsp

For the coffee soak

Brewed espresso or instant coffee - 1 cup
Kahlua - 1/8 cup

PREPARATION

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and grease the baking pans.
2. In a mixing bowl , add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
3. To this , add the yogurt , oil , 1.5 cups of milk and vanilla essence and
    whisk to a smooth mixture that is free from lumps. 
4. Pour into the baking pans and bake at 350F for 35 minutes.
5. Cool the cakes for atleast an hour to make sure that they can take in the coffee soak

To prepare the mascarpone mixture

1. Allow the mascarpone to warm down to room temperature so that it is smooth.
2. In a stand mixer , beat the heavy whipping cream and caster sugar until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold the mascarpone cheese , kahlua and amaretto into the whipped cream until a smooth mixture is obtained.

Assembling the cake 

1. Place the bottom layer of the cake on a cake base and soak it in one half of the coffee soak. 
2. Pipe an even layer of the cream mixture on top of this layer and spread to remove inconsistencies.
3. Dust a layer of unsweetened cocoa powder on top of the cream.
4. Place the top layer of cake on this and soak it in the remaining coffee syrup.
5. Use the remainder of the mascarpone mixture to coat the cake. 
6. Finish with a layer of unsweetened cocoa powder

Eggless Rasmalai Cake

The last time I made Rasmalai cake was by soaking the entire cake in rasmalai liquid. More or less like a Tres Leches with an Indian twist. But this made the cake extremely soggy and heavy and almost impossible to set in layers or frost. After juggling around with the proportions for an eggless vanilla cake , I decided to substitute the milk for the batter with rasmalai kheer to see if I could infuse maximum possible flavor into the cake without soaking it in too much liquid. Here is the result – an absolutely soft rasmalai sponge that holds its shape , easy to frost and tastes exactly like rasmalai. Hope you enjoy trying this one out !!

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge (makes 2 8” sponge cakes)

All-purpose flour - 2 2/3 cups

Granulated Sugar - 1 cup

Baking Soda - 2 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Rasmalai Liquid - 1 1/2 cups

Yogurt - 1 cup

Oil - 1 cup

Almond slivers - a handful

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

For the Rasmalai Liquid

Milk - 6 cups

Sugar - 2/3 cup

Saffron - few pinches 

Hot water - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

For the frosting

Heavy whipping cream - 1 cup

Saffron - few pinches

Hot water - 2 tbsp

Rose water - 1 tsp

Cardamom powder - few pinches

PREPARATION

To prepare the rasmalai liquid

1. In a saucepan , boil 6 cups of milk and wait until it reduces to 3 cups. 

2. In the meantime , dissolve the saffron in hot water and allow it to rest. During the

    resting period, the color and flavor from the saffron will be infused in the water.

3. To the reduced milk , add the cardamom powder , sugar and boil on a low flame for 5
    to 10 minutes till it starts giving a pale pink appearance. 

4. Add the saffron mixed water to this and set aside to completely cool down

To prepare the cake

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and grease the baking pans.

2. In a mixing bowl , add all the dry ingredients and mix together.

3. To this , add the yogurt , oil , 1.5 cups of the rasmalai liquid and vanilla essence and

    whisk to a smooth mixture that is free from lumps. 

4. Pour into the baking pans and bake at 350F for 35 minutes. 

5. Cool the cake down completely before adding more syrup and frosting.

To make the frosting

1. Soak saffron in hot water and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. 

2. In a stand mixer , add the heavy cream , saffron water , rose water and cardamom

    powder.

3. Blend on high until stiff peaks form.

Assembly

1. On a cake base , apply some cream and place the first layer of cake. 

2. Poke holes on the cake using a fork.

3. Pour 3/4 cup of the rasmalai liquid onto the bottom layer and wait till it has been

    absorbed (5-7 minutes).

4. Pipe a layer of the cream on top and spread evenly. 

5. Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream. 

6. Repeat the process of poking holes and pouring in the remaining rasmalai liquid on

    the top layer. 

7. Complete frosting the sides of the cake and the top.

8. Leave the cake to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Finishing touches : decorate the cake with finely chopped pistachios.

Mango Kulfi Panna Cotta

The mango season is on and I was instantly taken back to the mango kulfi cake that I baked last year. The memory of that cake was impossible to let go of so this time around , I decided to do a no-bake classic by incorporating the incredible flavors of mango , cardamom and saffron. Never count calories with mangoes though - this is one hell of a sinful dessert.

INGREDIENTS

Mangoes - 4 to 5 big

Saffron - 3 pinches

Cardamom powder - 2 tsp

Milk - 2 cups

Pistachios - 10-15

Agar agar - 1/2 tsp

PREPARATION

1. To prepare mango puree , dice the mangoes into 1 inch cubes , steam for 5-7 minutes and blend them until the liquid is without chunks. Pass this liquid through different sieves until you get a lump-free puree. Add one pinch of saffron into the mango pulp.

2. Split the mango puree into two parts and the agar into three parts. Dissolve one part of agar in 4tbsp of hot water and combine with one part mango puree.

3. Once this hits room temperature , pour the mango puree into serving cups and refrigerate until set.

4. In the meantime , boil milk with pistachios and allow to reduce to 2/3rd of initial quantity. To this , add cardamom powder and one pinch saffron. Strain the milk and set aside.

5. Combine the second part of agar with 4tbsp hot water. Once the agar dissolves , combine with the milk. Allow this to come down to room temperature.

6. Pour the milk mixture on top of the mango layer and refrigerate until set.

7. Incorporate the final part of agar into the remaining mango puree and pour the mixture on top of the already set layer of milk and refrigerate for 2 hours.

8. Garnish with the final pinch of saffron and pistachios. 

Veggie Casserole

After a five week vacation in India filled with binge eating (How can I ever say no to the best South Indian food I can ever hope to get ?) , I realized that I had to start watching what I ate. As someone who is unwilling to compromise on the taste of a meal , I decided to start exploring low-cal versions of popular foods. The first one in the series is a baked veggie casserole that yields less than 120 cal per serving but tastes just as amazing as a traditional casserole would. 

INGREDIENTS

Baby Spinach - 3 handfuls roughly chopped

Corn (steamed) - 1/4 cup

Mushrooms (diced) - 1/2 cup

Onions (sliced) - 1 medium

Bell peppers (assorted and sliced) - 1 cup

Olives - 2 tbsp

Scallions (chopped) - 1/4 cup

Whole wheat pasta - 1 cup

Vegetable stock - 1/4 cup

Skim Milk - 1/4 cup

All-purpose flour - 1/4 tbsp

Olive oil - 2 tsp

Mixed herbs (Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary and Sage) - 1tsp

Garlic powder - 1tsp

Salt (as required)

PREPARATION

1. Boil the pasta until it loses some stiffness. Do not boil it all the way to an al dente consistency.

2. In a frying pan , add 1/2 tsp oil and saute the spinach and corn until well cooked. Set aside. In the same pan , saute the mushrooms with 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and set aside.

3.Add 1/2 tsp of oil and saute Onions , Bell Peppers and Scallions until they are completely cooked. Combine the pasta with this mixture.

4. Add the olives to the mixture of cooked onions and bell peppers and set aside.

5. Add 1 tsp olive oil and roast 1/4 tbsp of flour. To this , add 1/4 cup of vegetable stock and the skim milk. Add the mixed herbs and 1/2 tsp garlic powder and bring to a boil. Add salt as required and remove from heat.

6. In a glass baking dish , add a layer of one half of the pasta. Spread the spinach and corn mixture over this and then spread the sautéed mushrooms. Top it off with the remaining pasta. Garnish with one tbsp of skim cheese.

7. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and bake for 10 minutes or until the sauce starts to bubble. 

Orange and Saffron cake

It has been raining here for weeks and the gloom paved way for a desperate craving for some tropical flavored goodness. After some soul searching , orange and saffron made the cut. This cake is a luscious tea-cake that contains no traces of oil or butter whatsoever. Healthy eating ftw :D Adding the zest was the scariest part because if the rinds are cut deep , the orange begins to render a very bitter flavor. The frosting is a light mascarpone cream frosting flavored with the juice of blood oranges.

INGREDIENTS

Oranges (large) 4-5

Orange zest - 2tbsp

Saffron - 1tsp

Applesauce - 1/2cup

Sifted cake flour - 2 1/4 cups

Powdered sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 cups

Egg yolks - 6

Egg whites - 7

Baking powder - 1tbsp

Salt - 1tsp

Vanilla bean paste - 1tsp

Cream of tartar - 1/2tsp

For the Frosting

Mascarpone cheese - 1/2cup

Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup

Heavy whipping cream - 1/2 cup

Saffron - two pinches

Orange zest - 1tsp

Blood orange juice - 4tbsp

PREPARATION

1. Grease a 10 inch pan and pre-heat the oven at 325F.

2. In a mixing bowl , add the flour , baking powder , saffron , powdered sugar and mix well. Make a well at the center , add the egg yolks , applesauce , vanilla bean paste , salt and combine until it forms a smooth batter.

3. In another bowl , beat the egg whites until foamy. To this , add the cream of tartar and sugar . Continue whipping until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter by adding them in thirds.

4. Pour the batter onto the greased pan and bake at the lower third of the oven for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. Let the cake cool completely (1 1/2 hours)

6. To prepare the frosting , first whip the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. To this , add the mascarpone cheese , saffron , orange zest and blood orange juice and whisk until a smooth mixture is obtained.

7. Frost the cake and top with orange zest. Refrigerate for atleast an hour before serving. 

Apple Cobbler

INGREDIENTS

Apples (sliced) - 7 to 8

Brown Sugar - 2 1/4 cups

Salt - a pinch

Butter (melted) - 1/2 cup

Flour - 2 cups

Baking Powder - 2 teaspoons

Eggs - 2

Milk - 1/4 cup

Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon

PREPARATION

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

2. Add the sliced apples to the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Combine 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the apples.

3. In a mixing bowl , combine the remaining sugar , cinnamon , salt , flour , eggs and milk. Fold until it forms a coarse, thick batter.

4. Pour the batter on top of the sugar and apples. Now pour 1/2 a cup of melted butter evenly on the top.

5. Bake in the lowest rack of the oven for 45 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.

6. Serve warm with a scoop of ice-cream.

Japanese Chiffon Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

Cream Cheese - 8oz

Milk - 1/2 cup

Egg yolks - 5

Egg white - 6

Cream of tartar - 1/4tsp

Sugar - 2/3 cup

Unsalted Butter - 1/4 cup

Lemon Juice - 1tbsp

All-purpose flour - 4tbsp

Corn Starch - 2tbsp

Vanilla extract - 1tsp

PREPARATION

1. Line an 8 inch pan with parchment paper and grease with butter. Line the paper such that it is atleast 2 inches above the brim of the pan.

2. In a mixing bowl , mix the cream cheese and milk until well combined. To this , add  vanilla extract , flour and corn starch and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. To this , add 1/4 cup sugar and mix well.

3. Beat the egg yolks on slow speed for a minute. Add this to the cream cheese mixture and fold to form a smooth batter.

4. Fill a large pan (that can fit in the 8inch pan) with water upto 1/4th level. Place it on the lowest rack on the oven and pre-heat at 315F.

5. In a mixing bowl , beat the eggwhites until foamy. To this , add 1/4 cup sugar and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks are formed. To this , add the remaining sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes.

6. Fold the eggwhites into the cheesecake batter.

7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 315F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Insert a toothpick to ensure that the cake is bakes through.

8. Allow the cake to bake for 5 more minutes in order to brown the top. Now let it cool for an hour or two. At this stage , the top might shrink just a little.

9. Garnish with fresh fruit of your choice and some icing sugar.

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake

It had been quite a while since I'd tried a no-bake cheesecake. Ferrero Rocher happens to be my favorite chocolate and it was time to draw some inspiration from it. This no-bake cheesecake uses an oreo hazelnut crust for the crunch and incorporates Nutella (a lot of it !!!) into the cheesecake batter. The cheesecake is then topped off with some decadent dark chocolate ganache. Just to add to the ferrero rocher overload , I decided to use the chocolates for the garnish.

YIELD
15-20 serving slices
One 10inch cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
For the base
Oreos (crushed into a coarse powder) – 2cups
Hazelnuts (ground to a fine powder) - 1/4 cup
Butter – ¼ cup

For the cheesecake
Cream Cheese – 700g or a little more than 2 8oz packs
Nutella – 1 ½ cups
Vanilla extract – 1tsp
Hazelnut extract – 1tbsp
Cocoa powder – ½ cup
Agar agar/Gelatin – 1tsp
Water – ¼ cup
Whipping cream – 1 cup
Sugar – 2tbsp

For the ganache
Dark chocolate chips – 1 cup
Heavy whipping cream – ¼ cup

PREPARATION

1. Grease and line a 10 inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2. Combine the crushed oreos , hazelnuts and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Spread the mixture on the bottom of the pan and even it out with the top of a spoon. Refrigerate and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

3. In a mixing bowl , add the cream cheese , vanilla extract , Nutella , hazelnut extract and cocoa powder. Beat together until it forms a smooth uniform mixture. Set aside.

4. In another bowl , whip the cream and sugar together until soft peaks are formed. Gradually fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until well combined.

5. Bloom gelatin in cold water for 5 minutes. Warm the mixture up in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the gelatin dissolves. Add the gelatin to the cream cheese and whipped cream mixture.

6. Pour this mixture on top of the base and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

7. To prepare the ganache , combine the chocolate chips with the whipped cream in a double boiler. Stir until the chocolate melts in the cream to form a smooth mixture. Pour the ganache on top of the cheesecake and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.