Marias Menu

Happy valentines day to you all !!

I think chocolate has a special importance on valentines day menu, so here goes valentines special chocolate walnut bars.

Chocolates & nuts are one of my favorite combination and this one is no exception.

Here goes the recipe:

1. Walnuts - 55gm
2. Caster sugar - 60 gm
3. Plain flour, sifted - 110gm
4. Cold unsalted butter - 85gm,cut into pieces

For the topping

1. Unslated butter - 30 gm
   Water - 85ml
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 30gm
3. Caster sugar - 100gm
4. Vanila essence - 1 tsp
5. Eggs - 2
6. Icing sugar - for dusting

Preheat the oven at 350 F/180 C. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8 inch(20cm) square baking tin. Grind the walnuts with a few tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor or blender. In a bowl, combine the ground walnuts, remaining sugar and flour. With your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Alternatively, process all the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Pat the walnut mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin in an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the topping, melt the butter with the water. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla and salt and let cool for 5 min. Whisk in the eggs until blended. Pour the topping over the crust when baked. Return to the oven and bake until set, about 20 min. Set the tin on a rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar (optional). Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe source: Simple Home Baking by Carole Clements

I was introduced to carrot cake by my friend, Divya. When we were staying in hostel, she used to bring this delicious carrot cake made by her mom. Those days, since most of my concentration was on eating and not about the behind the scenes part of cake making, I didnt bother about the recipe and all

Now coming to the present scenario, after I started baking, I always wanted to try out carrot cake and I even bookmarked a recipe in one of my favorite cooking books, “Everyday Cookery, Baking series”. But again, Divya told me she got a wonderful recipe for carrot cake from one of her aunts and told me its a must try and here I am :)  and I am repeating her words to you guys, IT’S a MUST TRY!!

Recipe for the carrot cake:

1. Grated Carrots - 3 cups
2. Plain Flour - 2 cups
3. Sugar - 2 cups
4. Baking Powder - 1 tsp
   Baking Soda - 1 tsp
5. Oil - 1/2 cup
   Ghee - 1/2 cup
6. Eggs - 4
7. Nutmeg - 1 tsp
   Cinnamon - 1 tsp
8. Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
9. Caramel syrup - 2 tbsp

For preparing caramel, heat 5 tbsp sugar. Once it turns brown, add 1/4 cup water and let it simmer till it becomes a thick syrup. Remove from gas and let it cool. Please note that the caramel syrup is completely cooled well before adding to the cake mix.

Preheat the oven at 180 degree, 10 minutes before baking. Sift together plain flour, baking powder and baking soda and keep it aside. Beat the eggs well. Add sugar to the beaten eggs and beat again. Add the sifted powders little by little and keep on beating until the whole lot is added to the egg, sugar mixture. Add oil and ghee and mix thoroughly. Slowly add grated carrots and spice powders and fold into the cake mix. Make sure that there are no lumps. Finally add the caramel syrup (ensure that it is completely cooled) and vanilla essence and combine well. Pour the cake mix into the prepared cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes.

This pudding was made to celebrate a small milestone that I achieved in blogging. This is my 100th cooking post! ~WoW~ When I started blogging… I never thought I’d be able to maintain it for more than a few months. But MariasMenu.com is now more than a year old and am still blogging. I’d like to say a “BIG THANK YOU” to my husband (who inspired me to start this), my family & friends (and blogging friends) and ESPECIALLY my main motivator… YOU, my readers, for your unending support and encouragement.

Speeches apart… now let’s start cooking

This is a simple & easy to make pudding. The base is mostly bread pudding and the topping is meringue. You can stop with the base if you like it that way. So here is the recipe for the Queen of Puddings.

1.  Fresh white bread crumbs - 75gm, 3 pieces approx
   Granulated sugar - 25gm
2. Full cream milk - 450 ml
   Butter - 25 gm
   Grated rind of 1 lemon
3. Eggs - 2 medium, separated
4. vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
5. Seedless raspberry jam - 2 tbsp
6. Caster sugar - 50 gm

Preheat the oven to 170 degree/325 F. Oil a 900 ml/ 1 1/1 pint baking dish. and reserve. Mix the breadcrumbs and sugar together in a bowl. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat gently with the butter and lemon rind until the butter has melted. Add the vanilla essence & stir well. Allow the mixture to cool a little, then pour over the breadcrumbs. Stir well and leave to saok for 30 minutes.Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled breadcrumb mixture and pour into the prepared dish. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until firm and set. Remove from the oven. ( If you don’t want topping, you can stop at this stage. Once the pudding is cooled, keep in fridge and serve cold)

Allow to cool slightly, then spread the jam over the pudding. whisk the egg whites until stiff and standing in peaks. Gently fold in the caster sugar with a metal spoon. Pile the meringue over the top of the pudding. Return the dish to the oven for a further 20 -25 minutes, or until the meringue is crisp and just slightly colored. Serve hot or cold.

Happy Cooking! 

Notes: Be careful to use baking dish of the correct size to get the right thickness for the base.
Recipe source: Everyday Cookery, Baking