Chocolate Tartlets with Almond flakes

   

Chocolate Tart

The name may give an impression of  "difficult recipe"  but believe me...its one of the easiest baking recipes
especially in today's time when you can buy Pastry ;-)
I have used a Shop bought pastry so I admit little bit of cheating is there..but hey ho.. some trade off between time and tedious recipes is allowed isn't it :-)

Let's get started then... as they say in Great British Bake off... get set Bake!

Ingredients :

500gm Shortcrust pastry ( I used fresh version of Jus-Roll  Shortcrust Pastry )
250gm double cream
250gm Dark chocolate
( I used Sainsbury's dark chocolate bar which was 50% dark having sugar in it already )
Almond Flakes for garnishing

Tools or Requirements : 10cm Tartlet tin  or  one Big 24cm Pie dish
                                            Baking paper cut into squares much bigger than size of pie dish
                                            Ceramic beans for blind baking

Makes : 12-14
Procedure:

1. As per the packet instructions, freeze the Pastry pack on the day of shopping and then remove and keep it into Fridge overnight before use and/or when you are going to prepare immediately, keep at room temperature for 45 minutes before use.
2. Preheat the Oven at 200 DEG C
3. Meanwhile, grease the Tartlet tins with butter.
4. Take a chunk of Pastry and roll out to line one large pie dish or small Tartlet tin.
5. Using your hands lift the pastry up and allow the pastry to drop into the edge of dish.
6. Go around and push it in to the sides make sure it is absolutely pushed to the side ( into the ridges of pie dish )
7. Line the baking paper into each Tartlet tin or one big pie dish. Push it gently so that it is placed on the pastry properly.
8. Fill with baking beans and bake for 12-14 minutes in oven.
9. Remove the baking beans and paper and bake for another 8-10 min until the base turns golden brownish. Do not bake it until very brown which makes the base easy to break.
10. meanwhile heat the Cream and chocolate together in a pan over medium heat and stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and thick.
11. If the base is baked, remove from oven and keep it aside to cool down properly.
12. Once cooled, pour the chocolate mixture into the tart shell and arrange Almond flakes the way you like.
13. Chill in the Fridge for 60 minutes or until set.
14. You can also add any cake decorative stuff you get in baking section. :-)

Enjoy the dessert...and do let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks..

Mediterranean Potato Mash

Potato Mash

SO EASY!!!!!!!   and you  would love it with Nachos ;-)

Ingredients:

1 large Baking potato chopped into small chunks
1-2 Tsp Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Ground pepper
1/2 Tsp Lemon juice

Procedure:

1. Boil the potato chunks in boiling water for 12-14 minutes. ( On medium flame )
2. Drain water and transfer the chunks into Mortar and pestle.
3. Grind it well to have a creamy paste. 
4. Add Olive oil and keep grinding until you find a lump less smooth creamy textured mash.
5. Add salt,pepper,Lemon juice.
6. Ready to eat.
7. Optional:You can add garlic paste to the mash or garnish with chopped Chives as well.

Πουρέ πατάτας,Pâte de pomme de terre,Pappa di patata,Patata chafa,

มันฝรั่งบด,

Shreekhand

Shreekhand

Shreekhand Puri

Needless to introduce a famous Dessert from India...

This is an easy version of Shreekhand and quite tasty too.
This will turn a dry ..hot.. sunny day into a sweet.. cool.. day ...
Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

500gm Greek style Yoghurt or a Natural set Yoghurt
100 gm Castor sugar ( or to your taste )
pinch of Nutmeg powder
couple of Cardamom ground into powder
few strands of Saffron

Accessories:
Muslin cloth ( usually comes in a large square shape )
Long and thick Thread for hanging

Procedure:

1. Pour the yoghurt into a double layered Muslin cloth in the center and lift all the four corners and tie them together tightly.
2. Tie this bundle onto a Kitchen Tap and leave it hanging overnight or while you leave home for work in the morning. In short for around 8 hours.
3. You can leave a container below this to collect the whey water and reuse it or just let it go. ( I use it while kneading a Chapati dough  sometimes ).
4. After 8 hours, give a gentle press on the bundle to remove remaining water for the last time and untie the bundle.
5. Scrap and remove all the yoghurt and shift into a bowl.
6. Add Sugar and give a nice mix.
7. Add cardamon powder,Nutmeg powder and Saffron.
8. Mix well, taste if all OK and ready to serve.

See how Easy!!

Serve with hot Poori ...

Have a sweet Sunday lunch :-)

श्रीखंड ,Dessert de yaourt,Joghurtnachtisch,Dessert di yogurt,Postre de yogur,ของหวานโยเกิร์ต,ヨーグルトデザート,Γιαούρτι επιδόρπιο

Groundnut-Almond chikki

Chikki

Indian version of Flapjack  :-)

Quick to prepare and Healthy too..

Makes : Approximately 10-12

Ingredients:  

1/2  cup coarse Groundnut powder *
1/3 cup Sugar ( you can use jaggery instead of Sugar too )
1.5 Table spoon Ghee ( तूप )
1 Table spoon Almond powder ( Just grind few Almonds )

I would suggest to use a non stick pan for this recipe.

Procedure:

1. Pour ghee in a pan. Once it melts, add sugar. (Keep the flame on low-medium so that no fear of burning the ingredients.)
2. Keep stirring the mixture well.
3. Approximately after 5 - 5.30 minutes you will see the texture of sugar will change and the whole mixture will get a mercury type consistency.
4. Add the groundnut and almond powder in it. Stir gently.
5. Mix well, let the whole mixture come together well. Stir for around 30 seconds and switch off the heat.
6. Pour the mixture on a greased plate or an aluminium foil. ( I used ghee and applied it on a foil )
7. Spread well by patting it with greased spatula or the wooden spoon you used to stir in the mixture. (This should be done as fast as possible since as the mixture starts to cool down it will not be possible to mold them into any shape.)
8. Use knife or a pizza cutter and roll into the mixture and create square shapes into it.
9. Just after 30-60 seconds you will see the Chikkis get stiff.
10. Keep it aside to cool down fully for approximately 10 min.
11. Ready to eat!!  

Chikkis

* : I roasted Groundnuts in Microwave for around 2 minutes and then powdered it in a food 
     processor.

Labels:

Arachides,Erdnüsse,arachidi,アメリカホドイモ〔ピーナッツ〕,
Kadalekai Chikki

Caramelized Sweet-Potato Slices

A very very easy to prepare and less time consuming dish...give it a try

Caramelized Sweet Potato

Preparation Time : 5 Minutes

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium big Sweet Potato ( I bought the Purplish colored one ) sliced into thin wafer thin slices.
2. 1/2 cup Jaggery or to your taste
3. 2 TSP Ghee or purified butter
4. couple of pinches of Cardamom powder

Procedure:

1. In a heavy base pan pour Ghee and let it melt.
2. Once melted add the slices to it.
3. Give a gentle stir 2-3 times and cover the pan with lid on slow flame for 3-4 min.
4. Open the lid and give a stir and close again for another 4-5 min and cook on the slow flame only.
5. See if the slices are cooked, add jaggery to to the pan.
6. Slowly the jaggery will melt and you need to keep stirring so that it wont burn.
7. Cover with lid again and cook for 3-4 min or until slices are well cooked.
8. When cooked,switch off the hob and add cardamom powder and mix well.
9. Serve hot.

Do not cook on high flame to avoid slices getting burnt or Jaggery getting burnt.

Labels: Sweet Potato,patate douce,Süßkartoffel,patata dolce,batata,रताळ्याच्या गोड फोडी,

              मीठे आलू.            

Tomato Chaat

Feel like eating Chaat but dont want to take the lengthy path?
This could be the answer to your Chaat need yet ready within just few minutes.


Ingredients:


2 Tomatoes sliced into thin slices
Puffed rice ( Churmure / Muri )
Sev
Chaat powder
Red chili powder
Haldiram's Chana daal
Black salt ( optional but  a healthy salt option )
Coriander leaves finely chopped
Sweet Tamerind Sauce ( what we use in Pani puri or Bhel Puri )


Procedure:

1. Place the slices in a dish in one row.
2. Pour some Tamerind sauce
3. Put some Sev, Muri ( Puffed rice ), Chana Daal
4. Sprinkle red chili powder,chaat masala, black salt. Couple of pinches each.
5. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

it's READY!

In this way you get to enjoy the Chaat and a healthy Tomatoes get eaten as well :-)

Enjoy!!

Health Benefits of Tomatoes:
( Courtesy whfoods )
Widely known for their outstanding Antioxidants,good for heart health,help lower the total cholestrol.



Label: Tomato Street Food,la nourriture de rue de tomate,
             Tomaten straßenspeise,トマト通り食物,
              alimento de calle de tomate,cibo di strada di pomodoro
              Tomaatstraatvoedsel #tomato #chaat #streetfood #indianstreetfood