SharePlum cake is integral part of any Christmas celebration.My husband and myself decided to bake this scrumptious cake for our wedding anniversary.This delicious and moist cake goes really well with a hot cup of tea.
Ingredients:

• Raisins – 1 cup
• Chopped Dates – 1 cup
• Candied fruits– 1/2 cup
• Lemon/Orange peel-1/2cup
• Chopped Cashewnuts – 2 cups
• Orange juice – 1 cup
• Maida – 4 cups
• Baking powder – 3 tsp
• Butter – 4cups
• Sugar – 4 cups
• Sugar – 1 cup (to make caramel syrup)
• Eggs – 12
• Garam masala/all spice powder-3tsp
• Salt – /2tsp
• Vanilla essence – 4 tsp

Soak all the dry fruits in orange juice for atleast one day.
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
Place 1 cup of sugar in the saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water.Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil.When a dark brown colored caramel forms,remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup of water to the caramel for it may splash.
Stir the contents well to dissolve the caramel. Keep this aside.
Sift flour and baking powder, a couple of times and keep ready.
In a large container, whisk butter first and then add 4 cups of sugar and whisk again, until it is creamy.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Pour in the caramel syrup, the spice powder, salt and vanilla extract and mix everything together.
When they are well mixed, add the candied fruits and nuts and mix again.
Spoon this into a greased baking tray
Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degree F.
Check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 10 – 15 mins and check again.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool.

ShareWe are back from the Umrah trip.We returned a week ago,but I immediately ran down with fever and a bad throat.
Both my husband and I wanted to take the umrah trip while we were still young.I didn't think it would be fair on myself and Allah to wait until it was either too late or my body wouldn't allow me to complete all the rituals. And also we wanted to get familiar with the rituals to perform Hajj insha allah with ease.
Also, the journey would allow me to be spiritually closer to the Almighty, rid my sins, bless my marriage and help me start a new chapter in my life.
I had the idea of the Umrah instilled in my head for about a year. I was waiting for my husband and the right time to take this journey and it came. All the highest praise and thanks belong to Almighty Allah. Honestly, as I write this blog, I still can't believe I took this amazing journey. Alhamdulillah.

Finally I made up my mind to get back to my blog with the PINEAPPLE PASTRY I made for my husband’s birthday yesterday. He just loved it!
Pastries are usually made with fat-free sponge cakes where all the sponginess comes from the eggs.
For the cake:

• All-purpose flour-1 1/2 cups
• Confectioner’s sugar (Powdered Sugar)-1 1/2 Cups
• Eggs-6
• Baking powder-2tsp
• Pineapple Extract-1tsp

 For the Filling and Frosting:

• Heavy Whipping Cream-1cup
• Powdered sugar-1cup
• Canned pineapple-1tin
• Cherries

Preheat oven to 300F.
You can either use two 9-inch round baking pans or a large baking tray and cut the cake into half. Grease the baking tray with butter and dust with flour.
Since this cake has no fat in it, the chances of it sticking to the pan are more if pans are not prepared well. Tap pans gently on the kitchen counter to ensure the flour spreads and covers the pan. Remove the excess flour.
Separate the white from the yolks. Beat each separately adding pineapple extract and little sugar at a time. The whites should form stiff peaks
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert cakes onto cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

ShareMasala Puri is one of the most popular fast food dish across India.I had always believed that the distinct taste of any street food cannot be achieved at home.This recipe proved me wrong.It tasted much better than the ones on the cart.I guess it was due to the fresh ingredients.Even the sev for the garnish was freshly made.Will post the recipe soon.

Ingredients for the masala:

• Green peas/white peas(dry or fresh)cooked with salt-2cups
• Moong(green gram) cooked with salt-1/4cup
• Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
• Cumin seeds(jeera)-1/2tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste-1tsp
• Chopped onions-1/2cup
• Peppercorns-6
• Green chillies-4 or to taste
• Bayleaf-1
• Cinnamon stick-1"
• Cloves-2
• Tamarind-big grape size
• Mint leaves-1 string
• Corriander leaves-1/2cup
• Rice flour-1tbsp
• Corriander powder-1tsp
• Oil
• Salt-to taste

Heat a tbsp oil in skillet.Add mustard,jeera and saute.Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw flavour goes away.Add chopped onions and saute till transparent.Cool.
Pour this into a big pot.Add enough water to get a thin gravy.
Add salt,dhania powder,rice flour and bring to a boil.Let it boil fo 5mins on low flame.

To serve:
Crush the Paapdis and place it on the serving plate.
Layer 2tbsp of peas over it.
Now pour in 1cup of the masala.
Garnish with chopped onions,tomatoes and grated carrot and chopped corriander leaves.
Sprinkle a generous amount of sev.
Serve immediately as the papdi gets soggy fast.
Enjoyyy!
 

ShareI have been wanting to try out the eggpuffs ever since Adukala vishesham posted the recipe.

So yesterday I made them.I bought the puff pastries which were already cut into perfect squares.So It was really easy to make.

ShareI have not been baking for a while now, thanks to my experiments in the kitchen which let it my oven in a bad shape.Now at last I have got it repaired and hopefully will bake more often now.
I kick started my baking sessions with the basic vanilla cupcake.They turned out so soft and just would melt in the mouth.Here is the recipe which is so easy that any one can make it and not go wrong.


Ingredients:

• All purpose flour(maida)-2 1/4cup
• Sugar-1 1/3rd cup
• Baking powder-3tsp
• Salt-1/2tsp
• Shortening or butter-1/2cup
• Milk-1cup
• Vanilla essence-1tsp
• Eggs-2large
• Whipped cream/pineapple pieces to decorate(optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven for 10minutes at 175°C
Line the cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.

Fill the cupcake liners  to almost 2/3rd with the batter.
Bake for 20mins.Check after 15mins by piercing a toothpick into the cake.If it comes out clean,your cake is cooked.