CHRISTMAS PUDDING: GUEST POST BY BRIDGET WHITE- KUMAR

 

CHRISTMAS PUDDING: GUEST POST BY BRIDGET WHITE- KUMAR 

We are in the festive season with Christmas being around the corner! ! I was delighted when my friend, Bridget, the famous Cookery Book Author and Food Consultant kindly accepted my invitation to contribute a Guest Post for my blog. She is no stranger to this blog having contributed a Guest Post for Chocolate Yule Log Cake some years ago. 

Please do check out her blog Anglo-Indian Recipes and Anglo-Indian Food. She also has an active and popular Facebook Page. 

She has graciously shared her recipe for Christmas Pudding which I present below. 

You can check out her YouTube too.  

Christmas is a mixture of both religious and secular traditions in India and more especially in my hometown Kolar Gold Fields or KGF in the olden days.  It’s a time of celebration, of family and friends, of feasting and socializing. Christmas is a fascinating mix of traditions that combines pre-Christian rituals with modern traditions. Every family has its own customs and traditions while celebrating Christmas. Some of these customs and traditions are universal in nature while others may be a result of inculcating local practices and customs. Christmas is therefore the season for traditions, preserving old ones and creating new ones. One such tradition was making the steamed Christmas Pudding or Plum Pudding every year. 

Each family had their own traditional recipe for making the Christmas Pudding, which was sometimes handed down from generation to generation. The dry fruits and nuts that went into it were chopped finely well in advance and soaked in Rum and were normally made 3 or 4 weeks earlier before Christmas.

For me, Christmas is always associated with the smells, sounds and sights of the season. All of them awaken nostalgia in me for my home town Kolar Gold Fields and I relive the magical memories of Christmas of my childhood -- The smell of the decorated Pine Christmas tree in the sitting room, the enticing aroma of Christmas Cakes and puddings being baked, the Kal Kals and Rose Cookies being fried, the sight of all the Christmas decorations and Buntings everywhere and the soothing sound of Christmas Carols being played and sung in every home are my favourite childhood memories and are all part of the wonder of Christmas.

The Christmas Pudding is invariably made on Stir-up Sunday i.e. the last Sunday before the start of Advent or 4 weeks before Christmas, to give it time to mature. The Pudding is served after dinner on Christmas Day. In the olden days making the Christmas Pudding was a family event where every member of the family would give the Christmas Pudding a stir and make a wish. A coin, a ring or a thimble were sometimes added to the pudding mixture and the person who got it in his/her piece of the pudding on Christmas day was supposed to be lucky. The finger ring would foretell a wedding to the person who got it.

I’m sharing a simple and easy family recipe for a steamed Christmas Pudding that anyone could easily make in a very little while.

Ingredients 

50 grams breadcrumbs (do not use panko crumbs)

50 grams flour

100 grams butter melted 

50 grams sugar (powdered in the mixie)

2 teaspoons Nescafe powder

2 tablespoons of either treacle syrup or caramel syrup or date syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg beaten well

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

100 grams chopped black raisins, black currants, cherries etc.

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 or 3 tablespoons milk as required 

Method

Mix the dry ingredients together then add all the other ingredients and mix well

Grease a suitable bowl, that would fit in your steamer, with butter or oil then transfer the pudding mixture to it. Cover with foil.

Now place a perforated steamer plate or stand in a steamer or suitable pot.

Add one cup of water

Place the bowl with the pudding batter on the stand 

Cook on medium to Low heat for 45 minutes to one hour. 

Open and check if the pudding is cooked by inserting a toothpick. 

Remove the bowl from the Steamer and let it cool. 

Once cool, run a knife around the edge and turn over on a plate. 

Your steamed Christmas Pudding is ready. 

If desired, make a few small holes and pour a few tablespoons of rum over it

You could make the pudding in advance and leave it in the fridge. Just before serving microwave for a minute or two and serve warm

EGGLESS CHOCO BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE - GUEST POST BY MANJU G. RAO

 EGGLESS CHOCO BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE - GUEST POST BY MANJU G. RAO

Christmas is fast approaching and cake lovers the world over look forward to enjoying the festive season with cakes of different kinds.

A couple of years ago, we had a Guest Post for Plum Cake ( Christmas Fruit Cake) in this blog by my friend, Manju G. Rao. Manju is an accomplished baker and runs a bakery of her own. She has developed her passion for baking to a home business called "The Cakery by Manju". 

This time we have a guest post for Christmas by Manju where she shares her recipe for her delicious Eggless Choco Butterscotch Cake. I am sure you will enjoy making it to add to the Christmas gaiety for your family and friends!! 

Thanks for this Guest Post, Manju.... and over to you!!!! 

 From : Manju G. Rao, The Bakery By Manju" 

Let me start by wishing all of you - wherever you are in the world- A Very Merry Christmas !!!

I am delighted to present my recipe for Eggless Choco Butterscotch Cake, a melt in the mouth cake, which is liked by kids and elders alike. It's a perfect fusion of chocolate and butterscotch. There are 4 steps in this recipe:- 

1. Baking a chocolate sponge
2. Whipping the cream
3. Making the praline
4. Preparing the butterscotch sauce

It's a slightly lengthy process- but believe me, it is fully worth it! 

For Chocolate Sponge:-

• Maida, (All Purpose Flour),  1 and 1/4 cup
• Cocoa Powder, 1/4 cup
• Sugar Powder, 1 cup
• Curd, 1/2 cup
• Salt, a pinch
• Baking Powder, 1 tsp
• Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp
• Sunflower Oil, 1/2 cup
• Milk, 1/2 cup 

In a bowl add curd and sugar powder, mix well then add oil and again whisk until the mixture combines well. Next add the dry ingredients ( maida, baking soda and baking powder should be sifted well 2-3 times). Mix gently, add 1/2 cup milk to get a proper ribbon consistency.

Pour this mix into a well greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes at 160 degrees Celsius temperature. Take 1 and 1/2 cup of non-dairy whipping cream ( any brand like Tropolite or Fiona), beat it well using an electric blender until a stiff peak is formed. Refrigerate until it is time to use it. 

For Butterscotch Praline:-

In a thick bottomed pan, add 1/4 cup sugar, caramelise it in a low flame. When sugar gets caramelised add 1/2 tsp of butter, switch off the gas, add 3 tbsp of cashew bits, mix well and quickly pour into a greased plate. Let it cool, then crush it into small bits using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside. 

For Butterscotch Sauce:-

Take a thick bottomed pan, add 1/4 cup sugar, let it caramelise on slow flame 

When sugar turns brownish, mix it well and add 1 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup whipping cream ( at room temperature) , add 1 tsp butterscotch essence too to enhance the flavour. Mix well and switch off the gas when the sauce turns a little thick

To wet the cake layers take 1 tbsp of butterscotch sauce, add 3 tbsp of water, mix well and keep aside.

Now to assemble the cake:- Cut the cake into 3 layers, place a cake board on the turn table, place the first cake layer, wet the layer fully with 1 tbsp of syrup, spread the whipping cream on the layer, then spread butterscotch sauce and praline on the layer.

Then place the second layer and repeat the process.

After placing the third layer, wet the cake and spread cream fully, and slowly cover the whole cake with cream until you get a decent finishing.

You can decorate the cake with chocolate ganache or butterscotch sauce or both if you wish. 

Tips:-

• It's always better to use a piping bag to spread the cream. It makes the work easy
• Be very careful while caramelising the sugar. Keep a proper distance during the process as it gets too hot!
• For pouring consistency chocolate ganache, take 1/2 cup grated compound chocolate, pour 1/4 cup hot whipping cream and 1/2 tsp butter, mix well and sieve using a strainer. Pour the mild hot ganache on the chilled cake
• Refrigerate the cake for at least 4-5 hours for it to set properly before serving.

This is what my Eggless Choco Butterscotch Cake looks like!! 

PLUM CAKE ( CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE) - GUEST POST BY MANJU G.RAO

PLUM CAKE (CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE) GUEST POST BY MANJU G.RAO

The festive season is here and naturally we associate Christmas with cakes and other goodies!

Today, I am delighted to share a Guest Post for Plum Cake ( Christmas Fruit Cake) 🎂 🍰 sent in by my friend, Manju G Rao.

Here's her recipe and picture.  She has started taking orders and delivers within her home town, Kanhangad, in Kerala, India. We wish her all success in her new venture,

This cake looks too yummy! 

For all of you who are celebrating Chritsmas, we wish you a Very Merry Christmas! 

Ingredients:-

• All Purpose Flour (Maida) ---3/4 cup
• Eggs               ---2
• Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp 
• Sunflower Oil__1/4 cup
• Sugar Powder-- 1/4cup ( add 4-5 cloves while powdering)
• Baking Powder--1 tsp 
• Baking Soda-    --1/2 tsp
• Salt                    -- a pinch
• Seedless Black Raisins--1/2 cup
• Golden Raisins.          ---1/4 cup
• Tutti Frutti, Cherries, Cashew bits--1/4 cup altogether
• Orange Peel Candies or Orange Zest--1 tsp 
• Caramalized Sugar, 1/2 cup

 Procedure:-

To caramelize the sugar:  In a thick bottom pan, heat half cup sugar, when it changes the colour to golden brown, add one cup hot water( this process should be done with care as it's too hot) bring to a boil, then add all the dry fruits mentioned above except cashew bits, cook for 5 minutes until the caramel becomes slightly thick. Keep this for 2 hours until it cools( or can store this in refrigerator and can use whenever needed.)

Take a clean bowl without any water content ,break two eggs in it

Add vanilla essence, and powdered sugar

Beat with a hand beater until fluffy ( 2-3 minutes) or can use a mixie jar for this

Then add oil, mix gently,  add APF (Maida)  little by little, mix softly without any lumps

(Important: Maida should be seieved well with baking powder and baking soda before mixing with egg batter) 

Next add the caramel with dry fruits, mix well, 

Finally add cashew bits, pour into a greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes at 170 degree.

EGGLESS RED VELVET CAKE/MUFFINS: GUEST POST BY SANDHYA KINI MAYENKAR

EGGLESS RED VELVET CAKE/MUFFINS : GUEST POST BY SANDHYA KINI MAYENKAR

As we are in the festive season, let me wish you, my readers, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I am grateful to my friend, Sandhya Kini Mayenkar for so readily agreeing to contribute a guest post to my blog despite the busy Christmas season when she does what she loves- teach people to bake cakes in sunny Goa. Do check out her Facebook Page: Skm Kitchen D'lites. 

She says, "All these cake pics are of the same recipe, done in 3 different ways

For heart shaped plain red velvet I just sieved icing sugar on a decoration template over the cake."

Many thanks, Sandhya for your recipe and pictures.

Ingredients:

• Maida, 1 and 1/2 cups
• Thick Yogurt, 1 cup OR Warm Milk + white vinegar, 1 tsp*
• Granulated Sugar, 3/4 cup
• Baking Soda, 1/2 tsp
• Baking Powder, 1 and 1/4 tsp
• Refined Oil/Melted Unsalted Butter, 1/2 cup
• Vanilla Essence, 1 tsp
• Salt, 1/2 tsp
• Cocoa Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Red Colour, a pinch, or as required

*Please note warm milk + vinegar is equivalent to yogurt so you can use either.

Method:

Sieve all the dry ingredients (maida, baking powder, baking soda, salt, colour, and cocoa) three times and keep aside

Cream the sugar and curds till all the sugar is dissolved

Add the oil and vanilla essence and mix well

Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture

Pour into cake tin or muffin moulds and bake in a pre heated oven to 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes

Cool completely before you do any icings

Usually topped with cream cheese frostings

For Cream Cheese Frostings:  1 cup unsalted cream cheese combined with 1 cup heavy whipped cream. Colour and essence as per choice.
Combine well and pipe on your cake with the required decorations.

With the same batter, we can also make these yummy, beautiful muffins!

EXPRESSO CHOCO-CHIP BUNDT CAKE: GUEST POST BY SAIGEETHA PAI

EXPRESSO CHOCO-CHIP BUNDT CAKE: GUEST POST BY SAIGEETHA PAI

Cooking is all about variety. It's about the joy you get in cooking a great dish and sharing it with family and friends. To develop a larger collection of diverse recipes, I encourage family and friends on occasion to guest post in this blog. I believe this enhances the value of the blog considerably.

Today's guest post is from my friend, Saigeetha S. Pai, who is an accomplished cook and blogger. You will find a lot of interesting recipes in her well-maintained blog, "Geeth's Dawath" which she rightly describes as a "multi-cuisine kitchen." 

Today she presents a very attractive and delicious Bundt cake which she has adapted from Divya Kudua’s Easycooking

Link: http://www.divyascookbook.com/2013/06/espresso-choco-chip-bundt-cake.html

Ingredients:

• Instant coffee powder-1 tsp
• Vanilla extract-1 tsp
• Hot water-1/2 tsp
• All purpose flour-1 ½ cups
• Cocoa powder-1/4 cup
• Salt-a fat pinch
• Baking powder-a fat pinch
• Choco chips or dark chocolate pieces-1 cup
• Butter-1/2 cup
• Granulated sugar-1 cup
• Brown sugar-1/3 cup
• Eggs-3
• Curds-1/2 cup

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180 degree C and grease the bundt pan well.

Stir  together coffee powder,hot water and vanilla extract  in  a small bowl and keep it aside.

Sieve all purpose flour,cocoa powder,salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Take one more small bowl and add a tbsp of sieved flour in the choco chips,mix it  and keep it aside.

Cream the butter for a minute and add sugar in 3 lots.

Add brown sugar and beat for 2 more minutes.

Add eggs one at a time beating for 45 seconds each after each addition.

Mix in the coffee mixture and beat again.

Scrape the sides and mix well.

Fold in the sifted flour and curds alternatively in 3 additions of the flour and 2 additions of the curds.

Switch to a spatula and fold in the choco chips.

Pour the batter in a prepared pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean when inserted after the given baking time.

Cool the cake in the pan on a cooking rack for 10 -15 minutes.

Loosen the edges with a knife and remove the cake from the tin and let it cool for 20 – 25 minutes.

Pour ganache and let it set for 10 minutes.

Chocolate ganache

Ingredients:

• Dark chocolate-200g
• Fresh cream-200 ml
• Butter-2 tbsp

Method:

In a thick bottomed pan heat the fresh cream until bubbles start appearing on the sides.

Mix in the chopped chocolates and mix it well.

Switch off the flame and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Whisk well until all lumps disappear and ganache becomes smooth and creamy.

Mix in the butter and let it cool down completely and come down to room temperature.

Use it as required.

 
 Thank you, Saigeetha