Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Today, I finally got some time to catch up on blogs and the first two posts I happened to check were Tanvi's Saffron Rice Pilaf with Chicken Balls and Kulsum's Molten Chococlate Lava Cake.
Both recipes were like love at first sight. It was exactly when I was thinking about what to make for the Valentine's day that I found these two recipes.

We generally tend to eat out on special occasions like Valentine's day. But this year I decided to make some good food at home. With busy schedules, eating out has become a norm these days, so special occasions call for good home made food.

So after looking at the above mentioned recipes from Tanvi and Kulsum, Valentine's day menu was decided.
Saffron rice with chicken balls, I was confident that I can not go wrong, but the molten chocolate cake I wanted to try it out before Valentine's day. I don't take any risk with baking. Usually when I experiment any recipe from other blogs, I end up modifying it according to our tastes and available ingredients. But, when it comes to baking I follow the instructions to the dot.  I do not have lot of experience with baking and the few times I experimented, I failed miserably.

I followed the recipe exactly, and since I was just testing it I used half the quantities mentioned in the original recipe. I reduced the amount of sugar as the chocolate already had some sugar in it.

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate: 130 gms( I used Ghirardelli 70% extra bitter sweet bar)
Butter: 5 1/2 tbsp
Powdered Sugar: 1 cup
Warm water: 1/2 cup
Instant coffee: 2 tsp
All purpose flour: 2/3 cup
Eggs: 2
Egg yolks: 2
pinch of salt

Procedure:
Mix the instant coffee powder in warm water and set it aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave.
Now add the powdered sugar , mix  and let it cool.
Whip the eggs, yolks and the coffee. Then add the flour and the salt.

Butter the ramekins and preheat the oven too 400 F. place the ramekins in the top rack of the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove the ramekin from the oven run a knife around the edge and invert it on the serving plate. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Note: The bake time might differ based on the size of the ramekins. The first one I baked for 12 minutes and got the runny chocolate inside, but when I tried the second one, I ended up baking it for 14 minutes and the inside got baked. It was semi solid.

If you want to make the batter ahead, prepare it and refrigerate. Before baking, heat the batter in the microwave for not more than 30 secs or you can leave it out until it comes to the room temperature.

Wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day

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Tres Leches Cake - 3 milk cake

My friend "S" told me about this Tres Leches Cake some time back and then she sent me pics of the cake she made. I have never heard of this cake before and the gorgeous pics she sent made me drool. When she told me Tres Leches means 3 milks and this cake contains the three milks whole milk, evaporated milk and the condensed milk, I had to try it immediately being a milk fan.

I generally like anything made with milk. I am not a sweet person, but tend to like the ones made with milk products.

The first time I tried this cake, it was a big flop. I did not beat the eggs properly and the cake turned out to be hard and not at all fluffy. It did not soak the milk syrup. I still liked the taste of it:)

So decided to try it again and this time its a success! I followed the recipe from this site.
She has beautiful step by step instructions with pictures. I followed the recipe exactly with only one modification.

The cake was awesome and juicy!

Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour: 1 cup + 2 tbsp
• Baking powder: 1-1/2 tsp
• salt: 1/4 tsp
• Eggs: 5 separated
• Sugar: 1 cup divided
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Whole Milk: 1/3 cup(for cake) and 1/2 cup(for syrup)
• Evaporated Milk: 1 can
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: 1 can
• Heavy Whipping Cream: 1/4 cup
• Store bought whipped cream fro topping.
• Canned cherries( for topping)

Procedure:

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a large dish.
2. Separate the egg yolks in to a mixing bowl and beat  them with 3/4 cup sugar until the yolks turn pale yellow.
3. Stir in milk and vanilla to the yolk mixture.
4. Pour egg yolks mixture to the flour mixture and stir gently until combined.
5. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. withe mixer on, pour the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry ( This step I did not get stiff peaks after i added the sugar. But the cake was good and fluffy)
6. Fold the egg white mixture into the flour batter until combined.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. Grease a baking pan and pour the cake batter and bake for 35-40 minutes until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
9. While the cake is baking prepare the milk syrup combining Condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and the 1/2 cup whole milk.(The actual recipe did not have the 1/2 cup whole milk or syrup. The syrup was too sweet for me so I added 1/2 cup milk) You can actually omit this and if you feel the cake is too sweet, you can just pour some milk on top in the end.
10. Once the cake is baked, cool on a wire rack and pour the milk syrup over the cake.
11. Cool it in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.
12. Add some whipped cream and cherries on top before serving.
13. You can use any fruit as topping.

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Fruit Cake

First of all wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year!

This is a simple and an easy to make cake from my MIL.

We baked this for the new years' eve.

Do you make new year resolutions? I don't usually make any...but this year I want to try to eat healthy. Not really a resolution...but I just want to try! So keep checking for some healthy recipes...

Another thing I have in my mind is "Go Green" :) yes....save the planet! Well...the best place to start with is the kitchen. I want to use less paper( use cloth napkins in kitchen instead of paper towels) and use reusable bags for shopping.

Coming to the cake recipe....my MIL gave me this recipe that she used to make for my hubby n his sis when they were kids.  My mom too used to make this cake for us when we were kids.



Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 1  1/4 cup

Sugar: 1 cup

Butter: 1  1/4 sticks

Tuity fruity ( I got these from the Indian store)

Baking Powder: 1tsp

Eggs: 3

Vanilla essence: 1tbsp

Dry fruits( I used Almonds and Cashews)

Procedure:

Grind the sugar into fine powder.

Beat sugar, eggs and butter for 10 minutes and then add the all purpose flour and the baking powder. Beat until the flour is mixed well.

Add vanilla essence and beat for 5 minutes. Add Tuity fruity, almonds and cashwes and mix well.

Coat the baking pan with cooking oil spray and pour the cake mix.

Pre heat the oven at 450 degrees for 5 mins and then  place the baking pan with the cake mix and bake for 30-40 mins.

Check with a tooth pick or a fork to make sure the cake is baked well and the tooth pick comes out dry.

Let the cake cool and then cut into pieces.

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