Anju's Kitchen Treasures: Cookies and Pastries

Showing posts with label Cookies and Pastries. Show all posts

PINEAPPLE PASTRY

7:19 AM - Posted by Anjum - 14 comments

We 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

The yolks should be pale and thick. Fold the beaten yolks into whites. Sift flour and baking powder thrice and fold into the egg mixture.

The main purpose of folding is to allow more air into the mixture and to avoid flattening the frothy eggs.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes till cake is done or a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert cakes onto cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

Chill the beater blades and the bowl in which you will use to whip the cream. Whip cream while slowly adding sugar till cream is thick and stiff. Do not overbeat, it turns to butter!

Place one cake over a cake pedestal or plate, poke holes with a fork in a few places on the cake.

Spoon the syrupof the pineapple all over the cake in a till cake is moist (but not soggy). Spread an even layer of the cream, and place pineapple chunks. Place the other cake on top of this and repeat the moistening procedure.

Spread an even thick layer of cream on top. To finish decorate with remaining pineapple chunks and cherries.

Sunshine Cookies - pure, delish self-indulgence!

10:32 AM - Posted by Anjum - 16 comments

ShareThis is the quickest and the tastiest cookie recipe I have ever made.I made these while my guests were waiting for their cup of tea.That would give an idea how fast these are ready to relish.
I would not put these under the "Healthy" category,but these are perfect for once a while sinful indulgence:-)

Ingredients:

All purpose flour(maida)-2cups
Baking powder-1/2tsp
Melted Ghee-1/2cup
Refined oil-1/2cup or as required
Semolina(sooji)-1tbsp for the crunchy texture(optional)
Sugar powder-3/4th cup
Vanilla essence-1tsp
Salt-1/2tsp
Finely chopped and roasted cashewnuts-1/2cup
Cashews slices into two for garnish
Egg-1,for egg wash(optional)

Finely chop cashews and roast in a tsp of ghee.Set aside
Grind sugar to a fine powder adding 2 cardamoms.
Mix maida and baking powder together.
Mix sugar,ghee,salt and vanilla essence.Let it sit for 15mins.
Now add the maida mixture to this slowly.Mixing all the while.
Add the refined oil just enough to get a smooth,moist and crumbly dough.
Add the fried cashews.

Remember,dont make the dough hard as this would result in hard cookies.

Make cookies out of the batter to desired shapes and sizes.I used a flower shaped cookie cutter.
Garnish with sliced cashews.
Arrange cookies on baking tray and give them an egg wash.(beat an egg with a tsp of water and brush the mixture onto the cookies)This gives the cookies a lustrous finish.
Preheat oven to 180°C.Bake for 15-20mins.

Cool and Enjoyy.

Honey Kissed Oatmeal & Rasin cookies-Best Healthy Cookies ever

9:02 AM - Posted by Anjum - 15 comments

ShareWe can't resist big, soft, fudgy cookies, like those found in glass jars on bake-shop counters,can we?
If you thought you had to banish cookies from your diet....think again. Baking with more healthful ingredients can be deliciously rewarding.

These healthy cookie recipes use sweeteners judiciously, have no hydrogenated fat, contain all-natural ingredients and as much whole-grain flour as possible. So fill up your cookie jar with these healthy, delicious cookies.

Ingredients:

Quick cooking oats-3cups
Eggs-2
Cinnamon powder-1tsp
Whole wheat flour-1cup
Rasins-1cup
Salt-1/2tsp
Baking powder-1tsp
Low fat butter(unsalted)-1/2cup
Canola/corn oil-1/2cup
Honey-1cup or to taste
Brown sugar-1/2cup(can be replaced with artificial sweetner)

Break eggs.Whip them with salt,sugar,honey,oil and butter till creamy.

Add oats,cinnamon powder& wheat flour.Mix well.

Add baking powder and rasins.Mix.

Refrigerate the mixture for 15mins.

Scoop out lemon sized balls and gently pat them to make cookies of desired shapes.

Arrange them on the baking dray,spacing them well apart.

Preheat the oven to 175°C

Bake the cookies for 10-15minutes till the cookies turn golden brown.

Beware of curious neighbours....as the whole house gets fiiled with the awesome aroma of the best cookies ever!!!

These cookies have an appealing cracked top and a chewy middle,make snack time enjoyable for everybody.

So...Grab a bite.......

Egg puffs

11:50 AM - Posted by Anjum - 12 comments

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

http://adukalavishesham.blogspot.com/2010/02/egg-puffs.html

My husband loves egg puffs and used to have them very often back in India and here we hardly get to eat good egg puffs.

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

I sprinkled sesame seeds on the puffs after the egg wash to add to the final touch:-)

The puffs were out of the world and so fluffy,soft and crisp at the same time.Thanx!!!

Vanilla Cupcakes!

2:31 PM - Posted by Anjum - 8 comments

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.

Mix the flour,baking powder,sugar,salt,milk and shortening and essence in a large bowl.Mix on low using an electric beater for 2mins.You can also use a manual beater,but the cake gets more fluffy using the electric beater.

Add the eggs and beat on high speed for 2mins.

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.