Ragi Idli With Tomato Chutney

Ragi Idli

Ragi Idli with Tomato Chutney

Last week, I prepared Ragi Idli for our morning breakfast and served it with Tomato Pachadi. I cannot emphasis enough the nutritional value of Ragi and it makes sense to include this humble grain (finger millet) in our daily diet. There are many Indian recipes using ragi flour include . In rural India, this poor man’s grain is extensively cultivated and consumed by the rural folks because of its nutritional value (high protein with low glycemic index) and affordability.
Today’s Ragi Idli recipe is a tasty alternative to the traditional South Indian breakfast, Idli. A healthy Indian breakfast that is full of fiber, low carb, filling and tasty. Could you ask for more?

Healthy Indian breakfast dish prepared using Ragi flour

Ragi Idli Recipe

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 15 min

Yield: 5

Main Ingredients: ragi

Ingredients

• Urad dal - 1/2 cup, soak in water for 2 to 3 hours
• Cream of rice - 1 cup (Idli rava)
• Ragi flour - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Cooking soda - pinch

Method

1. Soak urad dal for about 2 to 3 hrs. Soak the idli rava in water separately for an hour before mixing with urad dal batter. After 2 hours drain the water from the urad dal and grind to a smooth paste adding 3/4 cup of water.
2. Squeeze out the water from the cream of rice and add to the ground urad dal batter. Add the ragi flour and mix. Mix well till well combined.
3. Place the mixture in a warm place for 8-10 hours or overnight to let the idli mixture ferment. The fermentation is slow in winter and quick during summer. The key to soft and fluffy idlis is in the fermentation process.
4. After 10 hours you will find that the mixture will be double the original volume. After fermentation, add salt and pinch of soda bi carbonate and mix well. The batter is now ready to make idlis.
5. Grease idli maker plates with some oil and fill with idli batter. Steam covered for about 10-12 minutes and remove each idli carefully with a spatula.
6. Serve with sambar or chutney of your choice.

Tips

• Similar to Rava Idli, you can add tempering to the ragi idli batter. Heat 2 tsps oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add a tsp of urad dal, a tsp of chana dal and allow the dal to turn red. Add a tsp of grated ginger,2 chopped green chilies and few curry leaves. Saute for few seconds and turn off heat. Add to the fermented ragi idli batter and prepare idli.
• To check if the idlis are done, wet finger and touch the surface of the steamed idli. If it does not stick to your finger, the idlis are done.

Bhindi Sambhariya In Gujarati Style

Bhindi Sambhariya  Gujarati Style

We are fortunate to get tender bhindi in our part of the world all through the year. And its a must buy vegetable on each visit to the Rythu Bazaar (Farmer’s Market).
One of the best vegetarian recipe I have had in a long time is a stuffed okra with its origins in Gujarat. Tarla Dalal’s recipe for a Gujarati stuffed bhindi is simply out of the world. I am not exaggerating. Those who hate okra will definitely fall in love with it when they try Bhindi Sambhariya.

Bhindi Sambhariya

Be sure to use tender okra and add enough stuffing in each okra. Its all the in the stuffing. The combination of ingredients that go into the stuffing are extremely flavorful hence do not skimp of the quantity of stuffing used for each okra.

Bhindi with stuffing ready to be stir fried

Bhindi Sambhariya Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 45-50 mts

Serves: 4

Cuisine: Gujarati

Source: Adapted from Tarla Dalal Cookbook

.

Ingredients: 1/4 kg tender okra/bhindi/bendakayalu
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida/inguva
few curry leaves (optional)
For stuffing:
1 1/2 tsps ginger green chili paste
1/2 tbsp roasted coriander pwd
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
pinch garam masala powder
1/2 tbsp white sesame seeds
3-4 tbsps fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsps fresh coconut, grated
2 tsps brown sugar or jaggery or white sugar
2 tbsps coarsely powdered peanuts
1/2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

1 Mix all the ingredients meant for stuffing in a bowl. Keep aside.
2 Wash and pat dry bhindi. Make a slit length wise in each bhindi (as shown in the image above) and stuff 1 1/2 tbsps of stuffing in it. Stuff all the bhindi and keep aside
3 Heat oil in a vessel. Once hot, add asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for few seconds. Add the stuffed okra and spread them around the vessel in a single layer. Add any left over stuffing and cook on low medium flame without lid. Every few minutes turn the okra to allow even cooking on all sides. Slow roasting of the okra can take at least 30 minutes.
4 Turn off heat. Serve with rice or roti.

Bhindi Sambhariya ~ Gujarati Style Stuffed Okra Recipe

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 35 min

Yield: 4

Main Ingredients: bhindi peanuts coconut coriander leaves

Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake

 

Black Forest Cake

Ever since I posted the image for Black forest cake on the facebook page of Sailu’s Kitchen, I have been getting numerous requests to post the recipe for black forest cake. Sorry to have kept you waiting.

Black Forest Gateau

The original name of this popular German dessert is Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte aka Black Forest cherry torte. It is known by different names in different parts of the world. In India, its popular as black forest pastry, in the US, as black forest and in the UK, as black forest gateau. The authentic black forest is a multiple chocolate layer cake which is soaked in Kirschwasser liqueur (a clear liqueur distilled from cherries) and covered with whipped cream and cherry filling.
In India most bakeries that offer black forest on the menu replace the Kirsch liqueur with tinned cherry syrup. The black forest cake that I have eaten and know of has 3 to 4 layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and maraschino cherries between each layer, topped with whipped cream and decorated with cherries and grated chocolate or chocolate shards. Family and friends rave about the black forest cake I make at home. Honestly, it is way better than the store bought cake. If you are planning on preparing sweet recipes for kids for a get together or birthday party, you should consider black forest cake..

Black Forest

I used tinned maraschino cherries and Rich’s whipping cream. I’d suggest you do not skip the brewed coffee which gives a lovely flavor to the cake.

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Prep time: 60 min

Cook time: 45 min

Yield: 8

Main Ingredients: flour cocoa powder cherries whipping cream

Ingredients

• Flour - 2 cups
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
• Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup, unsweetened
• Baking soda - 1 1/2 tsps
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - pinch
• Milk - 1 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Instant coffee powder - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Hot water - 1 cup
• Eggs - 2
• For layering:
• Whipping cream - 2 cups (I used Rich's)
• Tinned cherries - 1 tin
• Chocolate - 1/2 cup, grated or chocolate shards to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Centigrade. Grease and flour two 9" cake pans or three 6" cake pans. I used three 6" cake pans.
2. Add a tbsp of instant coffee powder to the hot water and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and mix well with the dry ingredients.
4. Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla essence and beaten eggs and mix. Finally add the hot coffee mixture and mix. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 40 mts or until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking from 35 mts onwards.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 30 mts before inverting onto a wire rack. Bring to room temperature. If the cake has a dome shape, use a serrated knife and slice the dome off and level the cake till it has a flat top.
7. While the cake is cooling, prepare the whipping cream. Place a very large bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 mts before beating the whipping cream..
8. Place ice cubes in a plate. Place the cold bowl on the ice cubes and pour two cups of whipping cream in the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, approx 5-6 mts. Place the whipped cream in the fridge till you start assembling the cake.
9. Open the tinned cherries and drain the liquid (cherry syrup). Measure 1 cup of syrup and add 3 tbsps powdered sugar and mix. This is to reduce the tartness of the cherry syrup.
10. Pit 1 cup of cherries, chop into small pieces and keep aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of whole cherries for decoration.
11. To assemble the cake:
12. On a turntable, place a cake board that has been lined with shiny silver or gold paper. Invert the cake and place it upside down on top of the cake base so that the cake has a flat top.
13. Drizzle 5 to 6 tbsps of cherry syrup or sugar syrup over the cake layer covering the entire cake. Do not drizzle too much syrup as the cake might get soggy,
14. Using a spatula spread a cup of whipped cream . Leave a gap of 1" along the edge of the cake. It should be a thick layer. Over the layer spread some of the chopped cherries.
15. Place another layer of inverted cake over the first layer and repeat the same process with cherry syrup, whipped cream and chopped cherries.
16. Finally place the inverted cake layer with the flat top and drizzle with cherry syrup all over and spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top and along the sides of the cake.
17. Use a cake comb along the sides and create a comb effect all around the cake. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours at this stage.
18. Place the remaining whipped cream in a piping bag with a star tip and place in fridge. At the time of serving, remove the cake from the fridge and pipe stars along the top edge of the cake and at the base of the cake as shown in the picture above.
19. Place a cherry on top of each piped out star and sprinkle grated chocolate. You can also place chocolate shards along the sides. You can decorate as your fancy.
20. Place the cake in the fridge for at least another hour and serve. If you are rushed for time, you can go ahead and serve the cake.

Tips

• The whipping cream makes 4 cups of whipped cream.
• Instead of cherry syrup, you can use sugar syrup. Mix 3/4 cup of powdered sugar to 1 1/2 cups of water and mix. Chill till use.
• 2 tbsp of rum can be added to the cherry syrup for a touch of alcohol. I have not added any rum to the above recipe.
• The flavor of the cake is best when the cake sits in the fridge for a minimum of 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the whipping cream from freezer the earlier day and place in the fridge. The left over whipping cream can be frozen for a few more weeks. But do not store the cream that has been whipped. Use it as required for cake decoration and discard the left over whipped cream or use it to prepare another dessert.
• The left over cherry syrup can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer up to a few weeks. The left over cherries can be stored in a clean plastic or glass container and kept in the freezer. Discard the can and do not store the left overs in it.
• You can skip the step 17 above and complete the final cake decoration and refrigerate the cake for a few hours and serve.

Black forest cake is a gem among sweet recipes for kids. A German dessert with chocolate cake layers, whipped cream, cherries and garnished with chocolate.

How to Make Chocolate

Chocolate companies invest millions of dollars into tools and machinery to turn bitter cocoa beans into delicious chocolate bars. With a little elbow grease, however, you can turn your kitchen into a miniature chocolate factory. Here's how to do it!

Ingredients

 

Cocoa Bean Method (Advanced)

• Cocoa beans ( 1 lb or ~.5 kg is a good amount to start with)
  • You can also buy cocoa nibs and skip Steps 1 and 2
• Cocoa butter
• Nonfat milk powder
• Sugar
• Lecithin
• 1 vanilla pod (optional)

Proportions are flexible. See Step 5 for more information.

Cocoa Powder Method (Beginner)

• 2 cups (220g) cocoa powder strategy
• 3/4 cup (170g) butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2/3 cup (150ml) milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
• 1 cup (235ml) water

Steps

Cocoa Bean Method

1. 1
   Roast the cocoa beans. Roasting the beans will improve the flavor of the chocolate, in addition to sterilizing them and making cracking easier. Here's what you need to know:
   
   
   
   • Lay the beans in a single layer across a baking sheet. Start off with an 18-minute roast in a preheated oven at 120ºC (250ºF). They'll be ready when they start to crack and when they actually taste like chocolate (but let them cool before tasting!).
   • In general, expose the beans to an initial high temperature then to a lower the temperature gradually. Stop roasting when the beans start to crack (but not burn). You can accomplish this in your oven or by using a store-bought roaster. The temperature and duration will depend on how many beans you're roasting, but try 5 to 35 minutes at temperatures between 120 and 160ºC (250-325ºF).
   • For roasting larger quantities of cocoa beans, you may want to invest in a drum, which is rotated over a gas grill.
   • See the tips and warning below about roasting.
2. 2
   Crack the beans. After roasting, the beans must be cracked into nibs and winnowed, during which the husks (chaff) are removed.
   
   
   
   • For small batches, crack the beans with a hammer and remove the husks (which should be loose after proper roasting) by hand.
   • For larger batches, use a coarse, Corona-type mill or purchase a specialized mill ^[1] to crack the beans into nibs. (In case you were wondering, a meat grinder doesn't work.)
3. 3
   Winnow the nibs. Once you've cracked the beans, get rid of the leftover husks. Stir the beans gently with your hands or a spoon as you blow on them with a hair dryer or small shop vac until the husks are gone.
   
   
   
4. 4
   Grind the nibs into cocoa liquor. You will need equipment strong enough to liquefy the nibs and separate the remaining husks. General food processors, Vita-Mix, coffee grinders (burr and blade), meat grinders (manual and electric) mortar and pestles, and most juicers will not work. You may need to experiment to find equipment that gets the job done.
   
   
   
   • Many home chocolatiers find success with a "Champion Juicer"^[2]. Feed the nibs into the grinder/juicer one handful at a time, being sure to push them in gently (not forcefully) or else the motor may overheat. Cocoa liquor will come through the screen and a mixture of husks and liqueur will find its way through the spout. Feed this mixture through the juicer again until only the husks come through the spout.
5. 5
   Measure out the other ingredients you'll need. Weigh the cocoa liquor in grams using a kitchen scale. You will use this measurement to determine how much of the other ingredients you will add. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can eyeball the proportions, which should be as follows:^[3]
   • Cocoa butter: up to 20 percent as much as there is cocoa liquor
   • Sugar: anywhere from 15-20% (bittersweet) to 75-80% (very sweet milk chocolate) as much as there is cocoa liquor
   • Nonfat milk powder: the same amount as the cocoa liquor, or slightly less.
   • Vanilla (optional): Split the pod and soak it in the cocoa butter for an hour.
6. 6
   Conch and refine the chocolate. By definition, conching affects the characteristic taste, smell and texture of the chocolate, while refining reduces the size of the cocoa solids and sugar crystals. Both processes can be applied at the same time with a powerful wet grinder (success has been reported with a Spectra 10 melanger, also called the "Stone Chocolate Melanger. How you conch and refine the chocolate will depend on what equipment you use, but here are guidelines for the Spectra 10 melanger:
   
   
   
   • Melt the chocolate and the cocoa butter in the oven to about 50ºC (120ºF).
   • Combine with non-fat dry milk powder, sugar, and lecithin.
   • Pour the chocolate mixture in the grinder, periodically pointing a hair dryer at it for 2-3 minutes to keep the chocolate melted during the first hour (until the friction created by grinding keeps the chocolate liquid without additional heat being needed).
   • Continue refining for at least 10 hours and no more than 36 hours, until the chocolate tastes smooth and balanced, but be sure not to over-refine (or it will get gummy).
     • To take a break from refining (for example, at night while you're sleeping, see Warnings), turn off the grinder, put the covered bowl into an oven that's preheated to 65ºC (150ºF) but turned off, and leave it there overnight. It shouldn't solidify but if it does, take the cover off and turn the oven on to about 65 to 80ºC (150-175ºF) until the chocolate melts. (Be careful not to let the bowl itself melt, though.)
7. 7
   Temper the chocolate. This is likely the most difficult part of the process, but it ensures that the chocolate will be shiny and have a "snap" to it, rather than being matte and soft enough to melt in your hands. However, the great thing about tempering is you can redo it as many times as you need to (to get it right) and the chocolate won't be ruined. The most important thing is that you do not let any moisture in the chocolate, or it will be ruined.
   
   
   • Melt the chocolate carefully. You can accomplish this in the oven if you are using larger quantities of chocolate, or you can use a double broiler on the stove. It's your choice, just make sure that the chocolate does not burn (keep stirring). Always melt more than 1.5 pounds (680g) of chocolate, as any less and tempering could prove difficult.
     
     
     
   • When the chocolate is melted to a temperature of around 45 to 50ºC (110 to 120ºF), transfer it to a dry, cool bowl and stir until the chocolate temperature drops to about 38ºC (100ºF). Use a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature. The chocolate in the bowl should remain at the same temperature while you work with chocolate outside of the bowl.
   • Pour about one third of the contents out of the bowl onto a hard, non-porous counter top or other surface (granite or marble works best). Spread the chocolate out with the spatula, and then bring it all back together.
     
     
     
   • Continue doing this until the chocolate is about 30ºC (85ºF), which should take about 10-15 minutes. By the time the chocolate cools down to that point, the chocolate should be a thick, gooey mass.
   • Add some of the 38-degree Celsius (100-degree Fahrenheit) chocolate from the bowl to get the chocolate workable again. Gently work the chocolate around.
     
     
     
   • Return the chocolate back into the bowl with the 38-degree Celsius (100-degree Fahrenheit) chocolate. Stir it gently, and try not to create bubbles.
     
     
     
   • Check the chocolate's temperature. You want it around 32ºC (90ºF), but never over 33ºC (92ºF). Anything higher than this and you may need to temper the chocolate again.
   • Alternatively, you can purchase a tempering machine on the Internet for $300-400 USD.
     
     
     
8. 8
   Mold the chocolate while it is still at about 32ºC (90ºF). Pour the chocolate into the molds, being careful not to spill.
   
   
   
   • Some people find it effective to use a large syringe to place chocolate in the mold, but you may find it easy enough to just pour with a steady hand.
   • When all of the chocolate has been added to the molds, you may either freeze, refrigerate, or let the chocolates harden at room temperature. There's no right way to do it; choose whatever method works best for you. However, you might be influenced by room temperature if you live in a warmer climate, in which case finding a cooler spot for hardening the chocolate will be essential.
9. 9
   Remove the chocolate from the molds after it has hardened. The molded chocolate should have a glossy appearance and should snap cleanly in two.
   
   
   
   • If you are unsatisfied with your chocolate, you may re-temper the chocolate as long as the chocolate remains dry and you haven't burned it.

Cocoa Powder Method

This method "revives" cocoa powder and turns into an easy-to-make chocolate.

1. 1
   Place the water in a pot and heat it. Keep it below boiling.
2. 2
   Combine the cocoa powder and softened butter in a bowl. Cream together until you have a smooth paste. Use a fork, food processor, or even an immersion blender to eliminate lumps.
3. 3
   Add the cocoa powder mix to the hot water and stir. Allow the temperature to rise back up. Again, it should be hot but not boiling.
   • Pour the hot mixture into a bowl.
4. 4
   Sift sugar and powdered sugar together in a separate bowl. Eliminate as many clumps as you can. Stir the sugar mixture into the hot cocoa mix.
   • Add milk. Blend until smooth.
5. 5
   Pour the mixture in thin layers across the bottoms of various containers. Since the chocolate will take the shape of the container, a rectangular casserole dish will work well for a rectangular bar. You can also use candy molds.
6. 6
   Harden overnight in the refrigerator or freezer.

Sweet Chocolate Frosting cake

 

 Sweet Chocolate Frosting cake

 

 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• Salt
• 1 pound 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 1/2 cups creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions

1. Step 1Beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Sift together sugar, cocoa powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; gradually beat into cream cheese mixture. With machine running, pour in melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream. Beat in creme fraiche until well combined. If frosting doesn't seem firm enough, refrigerate for 10 minutes. Beat before using.

       Cream Cheese and Poppy Seed Cakes 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for molds
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for molds
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter twelve 3 1/2-inch brioche molds or a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time. Add vanilla and 1 1/2 teaspoons water; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined, scraping down sides as needed. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each mold.
2. Step 2Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the clean bowl of the electric mixer on low speed until creamy and combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon mixture onto batter in each mold; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

 

Strawberry Torte Roll Cake

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for pan
• 8 extra-large eggs, room temperature, separated
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons sifted baking powder
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for work towel
• 1 quart strawberries, washed, dried, and hulls removed

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line a rimmed 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Step 2In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar together until light in color, about 1 minute; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add cake flour and baking powder; stir until well combined.
3. Step 3In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into flour mixture.
4. Step 4Pour cake batter in prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until cake springs back when touched, about 20 minutes.
5. Step 5Meanwhile, set 6 strawberries aside for garnish. Thinly slice remaining strawberries. Place heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed. Slowly add remaining teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Set half of the whipped cream aside. Gently fold sliced strawberries into remaining half; set aside.
6. Step 6Lay a clean kitchen towel flat on a work surface with one of the short ends facing you. Generously sprinkle dish towel with confectioners' sugar. Flip cake onto towel, remove baking sheet, and peel off parchment paper. Using the dish towel, roll cake away from you; let cool.
7. Step 7Unroll cake. Evenly spread strawberry whipped-cream mixture over surface of the cake and re-roll. Transfer cake to a serving plate and evenly spread top and sides of cake with reserved whipped cream. Cut reserved whole strawberries in half lengthwise and place on top of cake for garnish.

              Chocolate-Rum Swiss Roll

 

Ingredients

• For cake

  • Vegetable-oil cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup sifted unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pan
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 large whole eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled completely

• For filling

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light rum
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

• For finishing

  • Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions

1. Step 1Prepare oven and baking sheet: Heat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in bottom half. Coat a 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out excess.
2. Step 2Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl.
3. Step 3Combine eggs and sugar: Bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over (not in) simmering water, whisk eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
4. Step 4Add dry ingredients: Sift cocoa mixture over egg mixture; using a large rubber spatula, carefully fold. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold to combine.
5. Step 5Bake: Using an offset spatula, spread batter evenly into prepared sheet. Bake cake until golden brown and springy to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, dust a clean kitchen towel with cocoa powder. Run a knife around sides of cake. Invert onto prepared towel, and remove parchment.
6. Step 6Roll into log and cool: While the sheet cake is still warm, gently roll, starting from one short side, into a log, incorporating the kitchen towel. Let the cake cool completely, rolled. (This will give the cake a "shape memory," so it will be easier to roll again with filling.)
7. Step 7Meanwhile, make rum syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add rum, then let cool completely.
8. Step 8Fill cake and reroll: Unroll cake. Brush entire surface generously with cooled rum syrup. Whip cream and remaining tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form; spread over cake leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Roll cake to enclose filling (without towel), starting at a short end. Wrap the towel around rolled cake, securing with clips or clothespins to help retain the shape.

    9.Step 9Chill and serve: Refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours). Dust with cocoa powder, cut into slices with a serrated knife, and serve. 

Classic Cheese cake

• 

  Ingredients

• For Crust

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
  • 12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

• For Filling

  • 2 1/2 pounds bar cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
2. Step 2Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
3. Step 3Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

Fudgy Ice Cream Cake

 

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for serving
• Salt
• 3 pints vanilla ice cream
• 18 graham crackers
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. Step 1Lightly coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray; line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 6-inch overhang on two sides. Freeze pan at least 10 minutes.
2. Step 2In a medium pot, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup cream, butter, granulated sugar, cocoa, and pinch of salt; bring to a boil, whisking, over medium-high. Remove from heat and let fudge sauce cool. Meanwhile, remove 1 pint ice cream from freezer and let soften, about 15 minutes.
3. Step 3Evenly press softened ice cream into pan. Top with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking to fit. Drizzle with 1/4 cup fudge sauce and freeze 15 minutes. Repeat twice, omitting sauce on final layer. Wrap in plastic and freeze until firm, 8 hours (or up to 3 days). Cover and refrigerate remaining fudge sauce.
4. Step 4To serve, invert pan and run under tepid water to loosen cake. Invert onto a platter and remove plastic. Microwave fudge sauce in 30-second increments until pourable. Pour over cake and freeze to solidify, 5 minutes.
5. Step 5In a large bowl, using a mixer, whip 1 1/2 cups cream and confectioners' sugar on high until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Dollop cake with whipped cream and dust with cocoa. Serve immediately.

rahul lakhani's Birthday Cake

Edward Kostyra's Birthday Cake

 

 

Ingredients

• For the Frosting

  • 16 ounces semisweet chocolate, very finely chopped
  • 2 2/3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

• For the Cake

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour, not self-rising
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups milk

• For the Orange Curd

  • 12 large egg yolks
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks), plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Step 1Make the frosting: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Pour over chocolate and let sit, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Gently whisk until combined and smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup.
2. Step 2Let cool to room temperature, then transfer ganache to refrigerator and chill, stirring frequently and scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula, until slightly stiff and cool enough to spread, about 1 hour. If frosting becomes too firm, briefly place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until desired consistency is reached. Frosting should be smooth and spreadable, but not runny.
3. Step 3Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. Step 4In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.
5. Step 5Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
6. Step 6Make the orange curd: Combine yolks, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let mixture come to a vigorous simmer and cook, continually scraping sides of pan, for 2 minutes.
7. Step 7Remove saucepan from heat. Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. If desired, strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until chilled and very firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 1/2 weeks.
8. Step 8Assemble cake: Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes to make level. Split each layer into two, for a total of four. Place bottom layer on a rotating cake stand and with an offset spatula, carefully top with 1/2 cup of orange curd, leaving a 1-inch border. Place the second cake layer on top, spread with another 3/4 cup of the orange curd. Repeat with the third layer; top with the final cake layer. Insert 3 wooden skewers into the top of the cake to secure.
9. Step 9For the crumb coat, spread the entire cake with a thin coat of frosting using an offset spatula. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
10. Step 10Spread the entire cake with remaining frosting, swirling to coat in a decorative fashion. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered with a cake dome. Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

Morden Home Plan

Home plans

A home, they say, is as good as its plan. Keeping in mind the aesthetics, optimising the space available and most important of all making it comfortable to live in are all dependant on the home plan.

When building your home, allow for adequate time for planning as this can save you a lot of time and effort during the construction itself. For your convenience, we have put together certain plan options which you may refer to, while designing your dream home.

plan1   1500.00 Sq.Feet

 plan  2  1400.00 Sq.Feet

 plan 3 1300.00 Sq.Feet

plan 4 1200.00 Sq.Feet

plan 5 1100.00 Sq.Feet

Plan 6   1000.00 Sq.Feet

 Plan 7    900.00 Sq.Feet

 Plan 8

Plan 9  700.00 Sq.Feet

Plan 10 600.00 Sq.Feet

 

Interior Design Ideas, Visualizations from Triple D Designs

We just can't seem to get enough of  Triple D Designs. Entering the detailed virtual worlds of Triple D provides interior design enthusiasts with a plethora of modern inspiration to suit almost any space. To demonstrate the sheer versatility of modern design styles and the extent of their obvious skill the following exercise in experimentation with a grey palette, once condemned to those spaces of a corporate nature and often thought of as boring, lends an unrivaled elegance to living, dining and bedroom spaces alike. This elegant impression is furthered by the incorporation of statement pieces such as the overarching floor lamps (for which Triple D has a particular fondness) and robust, monochrome dining combinations that project an overwhelmingly linear energy.

 

 

 

 

 Both modern and contemporary design philosophies are regularly criticized for a lack of warmth, but a decidedly organic approach to accessorizing and a preference for golden-hued lighting render the previous spaces more inviting than most. In contrast, the space to follow relies on an ambience created by swathes of natural light that spills in unencumbered by heavy window treatments. Though views from the terrace suggest an urban landscape, this visualization would not look amiss in a coastal environment and hints at the marine world through its employment of blue accents and sun-bleached blonde wood flooring, which is complimented by the choice of dining setting and framing of its featured wall hanging. 

5 tips for healthy skin

1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.
For the most complete sun protection:

• Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
• Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
• Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.
If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

3. Treat your skin gently

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

• Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
• Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
• Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
• Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

4. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear — but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin.

5. Manage stress

Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.

How to Make a Website

1. Choose a theme. If you already have a fairly good idea about what your website will focus on, skip this step. If not, here are some things to help you figure that out. First, understand that there are billions of people on the Internet, and a healthy percentage have websites. If you limit yourself to something that hasn't been done, you'll never get started.
   
   
   
   • The best advice from the start would be, "Do what interests you." Take a topic you're familiar with, and focus on it. Your website will reflect all the care you put into it.
   • When you think, "Internet," what is the first thing that comes to your mind? E-commerce? Music? News? Socializing? Blogging? Those are all good places to start. You could create a website that's dedicated to your favorite band, and have a chat area where people can talk about it. If you're a news junkie, or want something less filtered than traditional media, build a website and get publicly available feeds from news providers such as Reuters, BBC, AP, and others. Build your own customized news aggregator (what used to go by the quaint name of "newspaper"), then see and show all the news that's fit to digitize.
   • Create a site about your family, life, friends and times. Granted, the world may not beat a path to your website with that topic, but your friends and family will! You can have a page for you, your spouse, your kids—even crazy old Uncle Ernie and his trained iguana. Or maybe a section that explores your family tree. Instead of sending out that yearly "family update" during the holidays, you can post it on your site.
     
     
     
2. 2
   Make a plan. Building your website is going to take a commitment of time and money, so set a limit on both, and then dig in. The first thing you want to do after you have your idea and are ready to build a website is to plan it out. This doesn't have to be a big, complicated spreadsheet, or a fancy graphic presentation, but at the very least, you will want to know what goes where.
   • Draw a flow chart. For most people, the website starts on the home page. This is the page that everybody sees when they first go to www.yourSite.com. But where do they go from there? If you spend some time thinking about how people might interact with your site, you'll have a much easier time down the line when you are making navigation buttons and links.
     
     
     
3. 3
   Make it happen. When you have the basic idea down and have a plan for how it will be laid out, the next thing you'll want to think about is how you're going to build it. The options seem mind-boggling, and people will try to sell you this, and that, and every other thing that you "absolutely must have" on your site. When you get right down to it, though, there are only a few basic choices to make. Here are the pros and cons:
   • Build it yourself. If you have a website-building application like Adobe Dreamweaver, it is not very difficult to create a website from scratch.
     • Pros: website design software simplifies the process of building sites by letting you drag-and-drop images, text, buttons, movies, and anything else you can think of, all without ever having to dig into HTML. Many web design applications will even let you create sites specifically for your smart phone or pad. If you are building a basic, personal website, this is really a great way to go.
     • Cons: there is a learning curve, and though you don't have to dig into HTML, it's not totally geek-free. If you are in a hurry, this might not be the best solution. Perhaps the biggest con, though, is that if you are not a graphic designer, you could end up with a page that hurts the eyes. To mollify this somewhat, there are a number of free templates in the applications, and on the internet, but be aware of your limitations—if you have any!
   • Use a hosting site.Wordpress is a great option for building websites. Wordpress features almost 200 themes that you can start using immediately. There are some options for customization, and you can manage your site from anywhere that has an Internet connection.
     • Pros: Very easy to use, quick to get started, and lots of options for the beginner (with enough depth for more experienced users).
     • Cons: Some themes are limiting, and not all are free.
       
       
       
   • Learn HTML and build a website from scratch. HTML looks complicated, but it's like listening to Shakespeare—it's hard at first, but once you get the feel of it, it's not that difficult.
     • Pros: You will be able to tweak your website any way you want, and not have to pay anybody else to do it.
     • Cons: Programming is not for everybody. Your brain may be wired for art, or business, not for a new language and syntax that seems totally foreign (but be aware that it's consistently methodical rather than difficult). There is also a learning curve, so as with using a site building application, time considerations play a factor here, too.
   • Extend your knowledge base. If you decide to go the programming route, there are ways to extend your HTML skills, and add more features and more depth to your website. If you are developing a professional website, these tools will help you get that edge that is needed in any business venture.
     •  css which stands for "Cascading Style Sheets". CSS gives more flexibility for styling the HTML, and makes it much easier to make basic changes—fonts, headers, color schemes—in one place, and have those changes ripple through the site.
     •   XHTMLis a web language set by W3C's standards. Almost identical to HTML, it follows a stricter set of rules for marking up information. What this means, for the most part, is minor changes to the way you write code.
     • Look into HTML5. It's the fifth revision of the core HTML standard, and will eventually subsume the current version of HTML (HTML4), and XHTML as well.
     • Learn a client-side scripting language, such as javascript This will increase your ability to add interactive elements to your site, such as charts, maps, etc.
     • Learn a server-side scripting language.PHP ASP with JavaScript or VB Script or Python) can be used to change the way web pages appear to different people, and lets you edit or create forums. They can also help store information about people who visit your site, like their username, settings, and even temporary "shopping carts" for commercial sites.
     • AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a technique of using a browser sided language and a server sided language to make the page get new information from the server without refreshing the page, often greatly reducing user wait time and vastly improving the user's experience but increasing bandwidth usage. For a website that will see a lot of traffic, or an eCommerce site, this is an excellent solution.
   • Hire a professional. If you are not up to designing, or learning languages and protocols—especially for more advanced sites—hiring a professional may be your best option. Before you hire, ask to see a portfolio of their work, and check their references carefully.
4. 4 register your domain name
   If you’re on a budget, there are strategies for buying a cheap domain name. Find a domain name that is easy to remember and easy spell. If you use domains ending with .com, you will end up with more traffic, but most of the easy ones are taken, so be creative!
   • Look to Network Solutions, GoDaddy, or Register.com to research and find the ideal domain name for your website. Wordpress also includes a feature whereby you can use a name that's tagged with their site, for example, mywebsite.wordpress.com. But if the name you choose is also available as a .com, they will notify you when you sign up.
   • You can purchase domain names but it has been "parked" or is for sale online through business sales sites. It's a good idea to get legal and financial advice before purchasing an expensive domain name.
5. 5
   Inspect your website. Before you post your site, check it out. Most web design software has a way to test your site without taking it online. Look for missing tags, broken links, search engine optimization, and website design flaws. These are all factors which may affect your website's traffic and revenues. You may also generate a free full-functioning site map to submit to search engines like Google, in a matter of minutes.

Test Driving Your Website and Going Live

1. 1
   Test drive your website. When you finish your website, do usability testing. You can do this by asking a few friends or family members to try it out. Give them a specific task like "edit your profile" or "buy an alpaca sweater from the bargains page." Sit behind them and watch them navigate—do not help them. You will likely find areas where you need to improve navigation or clarify some instructions.
   • Keep a list of things you notice that seem difficult or non-intuitive for the user.
2. 2
   Post it! choose a web host and upload your website. Your web host may have an FTP feature or you can download your own FTP program like FileZilla or CyberDuck. If you hired a professional to design the website, they should be able to take care of this for you (but it still pays to ask questions so that you understand what is happening).
   • Note that there are ways to host your  own website for free.

Website Considerations

1. 1
   Define your goals. The website you create may be for fun, it may be for profit, or some combination of the two. Knowing your expectations makes it much easier both to design your website, and to track and make sense of the results. Here are some things to consider:
   • Content sites require less investment. But they also face more competition, since anyone can start a content site. To make money from this kind of site, you provide information and generate income from the traffic you receive through advertising, such as through google adsense. In order to optimize ad sense you will have to write your content purposefully and make it interesting so that people come to your site. Use specific keywords directed at people searching for specific terms too; just don't get carried away with this aspect or the content may suffer and readers won't like it.
   • eCommerce sites, which sell products, will need more maintenance and attention. You will need to think about shipping, sales, taxes, SSL, inventory updates, and everything that a person with a brick-and-mortar storefront would have to manage. A system for prompt answering of questions and dealing with complaints is essential when selling products online; many companies also offer phone help, which you can outsource offshore if need be.
     • If the goal is just to add a stream of income, you can also sell other people's products through affiliate progras letting you earn money without investing in product or worrying about shipping.
2. 2
   Know the audience or market you want to reach. Which kinds of people will your website serve?  counduct market research to figure out more about your audience. Things to know or find out include: What do they do? How old are they? What are their other interests? All of this information can help make your website much more useful. However, be careful of assuming that your site is only targeting one group––always watch for trends that show other types of people becoming interested, so that you can cater for their interests too and make the most of new opportunities.
3. 3
   Narrow down your concept. If you're doing this for money, which ideas stand to make the most profit? Which ideas require the most commitment? Which ideas look like they'd be fun to pursue? You will be spending time working on your website, so choose the idea you are most passionate about (that is also profitable and practical for you).
4. 4
   Do keyword research. This is necessary to determine whether people are searching for topics that are relevant to your site and can be useful for learning more about your potential clients. Making a conscious effort to incorporate in-demand keywords into the site can also help you get a better search engine ranking. There are tools available from Google (ex. google.com/trends/ and google.com/insights/search/#), Overture, and third-party software developers that can make the keyword research process easier.
   • Sprinkle the keywords you've chosen throughout your text, but not insofar as it hurts the quality of your content.
   • Creating pages that are optimized for the search engines will help you get your site found which is really more important than design. What good is a site that no one sees?
5. 5
    advertise Now that it's out there, you want people to come, so let them know!
   • Submit your site to major search engines. There are sites that will do this for you, or you can do it your self.
   • Tell your friends. Tweet about it—constantly! Add it to your Facebook status updates, post pictures of it on Flickr, add it to your LinkedIn account—anywhere and everywhere is the key here. The more people coming to your site, the better.
   • Use an e-mail address with your domain. Visit other websites that complement (not compete with) yours, and offer to exchange links or guest blog/write. Post constructively on blogs and forums, and put your URL in your signature.
   • Use article marketing. Creating seo-optimized articles and posting them to other sites is a sometimes a useful way to create back-links to your website. This might help you to boost your website’s search engine ranking but always keep abreast of search engine updates that often impact SEO strategies and can render them less helpful or even downgrade your site's ranking.
6. 6
   Provide quality content and service. Most of all, listen to your readers and customers and learn from what their experience of your website.
   • Take constructive comments seriously. Other band members, fans, and friends may all have easier navigation ideas.
   • Think about your target market or audience: their needs, their frustrations, their circumstances. As much as possible, seek to make their lives easier or more informed.