Quick Jammy Hearts | Easy Recipes With Bread | Step Wise

 

Hi all!!

Today being children’s day, I am sharing an easy recipe to treat your children. This gets ready in less than half an hour and is an extremely fuss free preparation. The centre of the heart is filled with sweet Jam and hence I call it Jammy hearts.

My kid who is in his teens now and still loves to celebrate the Children’s Day, gobbled up all of these and did not complaint of a Jam filled centre. Yes, my son doesn’t like Sweet Jam and I was more than happy to see him eat the Jam this way.

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Baked Double Decker Cheese Rings | 500th Post | Easy Starter Recipe | Step Wise

Hi all!

Can’t believe that I finally reached the milestone of 500th post. It has taken me five long years to reach here. Yeah, slow and steady wins the race . I know, I could have been  faster than this but there were months when blogging took a back seat.

I wanted this post to be special, so I cooked and tried so many dishes keeping the 500th post in mind and it took me a month long to decide, which one would make it to the 500th mark. After baking these beauties, all my doubts vanished immediately, as I knew for sure that no one could deny a piece of it.

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Mushroom & Onions Focaccia

 

Hi!

The Focaccia frequents my kitchen quite regularly as these are enriched breads which are easy to make. One can try making them with various toppings and variations. This one is the third focaccia recipe that I’m posting here. I’ve previously posted Rosemary-Onion Focaccia and Focaccia Caprese.

I was baking another batch of Focaccia Caprese when I decided to make this combination too. I wasn’t too sure how mushroom would taste on it but decided to give it a go and I was contented with the outcome. Focaccia is a very forgiving bread and one normally can’t mess it up. The combination worked and the addition of sea salt gave a nice coarse crunch and saltiness to the topping. I would recommend you not to skip the coarse sea salt. S’s verdict was that the focaccia tastes awesome because of the sea salt.

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Baked Savoury Gujiya With Corn Stuffing| भुट्टे के दानों की बेक्ड गुजिया

 
Hi All!!

My city is turning hot and humid and my days are most busy with parents around, son’s upcoming exams and regular chores at home and amidst all this chaos I’m gearing up for the first ever IFBMeet at Bangalore. I’m both nervous and excited. There’s excitement to meet the faces behind the well known food blogs and to stay together with a few blogger friends but there’s equal amount of nervousness which I really can’t understand why, I would call it as the fear for the unknown..

The few of the sponsors of the IFBmeet have encouraged bloggers to participate in contests, challenging to cook and create recipes  based on a core ingredient. Freedom Tree has thrown a challenge to the participants of IFBMeet to bake a savoury dish  which has fresh corn as one of the main ingredient. They are giving out a bake ware hamper to a winner. Browsing through their site I realised, there’s so much I would like to pickup as I’m always on a look out for props..

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Persian Bread Komaj | We Knead To Bake #18 | Stepwise

 

 

Hi All!

This bread is a part of We Knead To Bake challenge thrown every month by Aparna. Though I baked this bread more than a week back but amidst son’s assessments I could not get enough time to write the detailed post.

Komaj is a sweet and savoury Persian bread with a filling of chopped dates and served with tea. The bread is spiced with turmeric and cumin and it’s the turmeric that gives the yellow colour to the bread. I was looking forward to see how turmeric, cumin and dates work together.

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Petit Pains Au Lait- French Milk Bread/ Roll | Step Wise

Hi All!

Days are very hot these days and kitchen is the most hated place! I know I know, you would say how can a food blogger speak like that? Believe me friends, the heat and humidity takes away all the enthusiasm and the only thing I want to do is sip cold water and eat very light food. I’m just back from my vacation and after all the fun and relaxing, I hate to get back to the regular grind.  The school would reopen in two more days and then the most hectic schedule would start.

Probably it’s the change of climate that after coming back, both I and S are under the weather. As I said, the temperature here is quite high and more than that the humidity is killing. The sweating enervates me completely. Moreover, the heat causes dryness in my eyes leading to severe headaches, so I have to ensure that I keep washing my eyes, drink loads of water and also put eye drops at regular intervals.

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A Peep Into ‘Around The World with Tadka Girls’ | Cookbook Review along With Recipes To Share | Winners Of ‘Only’ Event

Hi All!

I’m back with yet another cookbook review and this time it’s very special as it’s a book written by two popular bloggers Ruchira and Ranjini from the popular blog Tadka Pasta.

I was initially approached by Ruchira Ramanujam  in last December for their book launch here in Westin but unfortunately I could not attend it as I was travelling. She approached me again about a month back asking whether I would be interested in reviewing the book and I was ecstatic to give a nod. I found the name of the book very interesting  and after reading the book realised that it was absolutely apt.

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Focaccia Caprese | We Knead To Bake | Baking Bread| Vegan | Winner Of December’s ONLY Event

Hello All!

Here comes the first post of 2014 and I’m amused at myself that I’m starting off with a bread. I have posted an Onion-Rosemary Focaccia earlier and is one of my favourite posts from my blog. I have recently joined a group called ‘We Knead To Bake’, created by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.  When I was thrown to this first challenge of baking Caprese Focaccia by her, I was overwhelmed. My only worry was how to avoid the APF since I’ve been trying to cut down on the it’s use. I initially thought that I would make a whole wheat Focaccia but then I knew it won’t be as soft and spongy so I kept postponing it. The pictures of the bakes posted by others in the group were too tempting and they lured me to finally  bend my rule and I decided to bake this bread only to land up watching smiling faces of the family.

I’ve provided step wise instructions on making this bread here and hence I’m only repeating the important steps in this post but I do want to discuss more about this rustic Italian bread  the name of which has been derived from ‘Panis Focacius’ which means a flat bread baked on the hearth.

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Paul Hollywood’s White Bread & The Lesson’s Learnt | Vegan Recipe | Dairy Free | Step Wise

Hi all!

I’m back to a baking spree and I do not regret it at all!!!!! As a matter of fact I’m loving it, the entire experience of proofing the yeast and baking the bread is so captivating and I’m so much in love with my breads that I can’t stop admiring them. I’m like a self obsessed kid who just can’t stop praising herself..and for all this I must thanks Sharanya SL, who is reader of my blog and had requested me to post a tutorial on making a white bread.

With all the candor, I must confess that I have baked many breads till now but never  baked a whole white bread only for the simple reason that I’m not very fond of the processed flour. But a request is a request and I respected that and took it as an opportunity to learn new.

I’ve many books on bread baking in my collection and the recent addition to that is Paul Hollywood’s 100 Great Breads. I had read a mixed bag of reviews for this book and decided to buy it simply for the person behind it..Paul Hollywood, who is a baker’s son who went on to work as a baker for many leading hotels. He has also judged many TV shows. This particular book was awarded the ‘top bread and pastry book of the year’ for 2005 by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

 

When I started reading the book, I thought that’s it quite simple to understand and also realized that this man does not rely on big tools and machine and depends more on hand kneading, I thought suits me fine. It was only when  I started using the recipe in terms of ingredients and measures that I realized the problem of this book..the weighs & measures!!  The biggest difficulty was that the yeast measure was given in ounces and grams rather than spoons and he also insisted on using fresh yeast like most of all the famous bakers. Fortunately I had got hold of fresh yeast recently and I was more than willing to use it. But measuring fresh yeast in ounces was the trickiest part.. but somehow I sailed through the hurdle..

I tried to stick with the weighs & measures in the book but then I realized that the measure of salt was also high, so I decided to adjust it as per my understanding and expertise..

I decided to use my old OTG and not the microwave for baking.The bread turned out fine and rose well too, but it rose  much more than expected and the bread got stuck into the top heating rods of the oven. Fortunately, I was alert and I moved the bread to the bottom shelf but by then it already  had got a light burn mark  .. The book said that the bread would get ready in 35mins but mine was ready in 20mins, a pat on the top produced a hollow sound, indicating that it was done. I’m still to come across such tips in the book.. When I cut the bread and I looked at the cut slice, the word WOW came out instantly  and after eating the first bite I was a happy to see that it was light, moist and soft but I was also disappointed that the bread was very mildly yeasty, which also explained the bread hitting the top of the oven.. So, it confirmed that the yeast required should have been less and the measure probably is incorrect in the book, which even I had felt earlier, but since I was using the fresh yeast for the very first time, I did not take any chances. Due to which  my bread was not absolutely white..lessons learnt.

Preparation Time: 15mins | Rising Time: 2hrs | Baking Time: 20-35mins | Serves: 4 | Makes- 1loaf  | Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients

500g/ 1lb/ 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

1tsp salt

60ml/ 2fl ounce olive oil

15g/ 1/2oz yeast ( I thought less would be better)

270ml/ 9fl ounces water ( I used only about 200ml)

Method

Sift the flour, add the yeast, oil and spread the salt over the flour, avoiding direct contact with the yeast.

Warm the water slightly and knead the dough using that. The quantity of water required will vary from flour to flour. Knead the flour for about 10mins, till it’s shows a gloss on the top.

Shaping The Bread

Grease it lightly and leave it to rise for an hour, till it doubles in volume.

Punch down the dough and knead lightly.

 

Dust the kitchen platform floor with some flour and spread the dough.

Fold the dough slightly from the left and right side of the dough.

From the top fold the dough and start rolling it towards the bottom. Roll completely and shape.

Place the shaped dough in a greased bread tin.

Let the dough rise for about 40-45mins, till it doubles in volume.

Dust the dough on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 230C for 20-35mins till done. A baked bread sounds hollow when tapped on top.

Remove on a cooling rack. Slice and serve.

Sending it to my event ‘Only’- Cooking From Cookbooks guest hosted by Gauri.

Paav Bhaaji…No, No Bhaaji In The Paav | Quick Bite | Step Wise Method

 

Hi All!!

I’m sure many would relate to me when I say that the kid’s exam is your own exam..though my kid is grown up and quite independent in many ways but during his assessments he needs me the most. I do not indulge myself in teaching him word to word but I’m always there to solve his difficulties and also to boost up his morale, so I get tied up at home..last few days saw me doing that only..After finishing morning chores, I would sit and make a test paper for him to solve once he is back from school and then stay with him till he finishes studies. Amongst all this I was also helping a friend to look out for a house. Today is the day when I’m breathing in a relaxed manner, now that the tests are over and the friend also has has got an extension in her lease, phew!!

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Eggless Carrot-Orange Muffins

Hello All!!

Finally I feel energized and good spirited. It’s been a few days that it is just the two of us at home since S is out of the country. We are spending a lot of time with each other talking, watching TV and movies, going to mall and cooking.. I’m into one pot meals which are wholesome, nutritious and saves my time too..

Since it’s holiday time, the kid is more hungry than usual, I guess free times makes you feel like nibbling something every now and then. But this is where being a mom I need to monitor and keep a control as my kid is naturally inclined towards junk, he is more than happy eating wafers, namkeen mixture and more..But, the control freak mother that I’m, everything is given in small portions and then to add to his pampering I’m indulging more into baking.

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Vegan Nan Khatai

 

Hi All!!

I’m happy typing this post as I feel in some way that I have started reaching easily to my readers which for some reason was not happening earlier. It is not that I’ve not replied to mails or queries but somehow the demand of a recipe had never happened that easily earlier on this blog. I’m glad that I’ve been able to keep my promise and hopefully will continue doing that..

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Vegan Choco Banana Cake

Hi! Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and husband offered to take me out for dinner. I was not  up to it but still went ahead. But before going out, I quickly baked this cake in the evening. This is a hassle free cake and takes a few minutes of mixing and then a quarter hour of baking and it’s ready to serve. My kid had it as an evening snack and also took it in his snack box to the school today and guess what? He did not even get a bite of it..but my kid was not unhappy as he knew there was more cake at home and also that he was also offered Maggi and Kraft’s Macaroni in exchange.The greedy fellow happily exchanged his cake for those items...

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Rosemary-Onion Focaccia (Frame By Frame)

Hi all!!

In almost all my recent posts I’ve spoken about my health and I’m definitely going to avoid that topic right now.. but I must thank all my friends who inquired about me and sent me their wishes, it means a lot.

I’m overwhelmed by the response I got to my previous post on the Effect of Estrogen On Osteoporosis, it is a well read post and I’m glad I posted that, makes me believe, I should write more of such posts.

Last few days, while I was sick and tired sitting and resting on my bed, I also did  a lot of reading…Yes, you guessed it right, I read a lot of recipes..I flipped over again all the past editions of Good Food Magazine and bookmarked many recipes to try. I do not know how much my cooking has improved over the years but I must confess  after reading so many  cookbooks my vocabulary in terms of food and food related products is improving day by day..

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Bundt Garlic- Parmesan Pull Apart Bread With Tomato-Parsley Sauce, Step Wise & The New Winner Of ‘Only’ Mangoes

Hi!
There are certain recipes that captures one’s attention the first time one reads it and then one gets desperate to try it. One such recipe that instantly clicked in my heart and brain was the Bundt Garlic and Parmesan Pull Apart Bread made by Pastry Affair.

I believe that when one read’s a recipe, one eats it first through one’s eyes, then imagine the flavors mentally and when finally, one tries it in their kitchen the virtual image turns into a physical reality. I truly followed the sequence this time. I was awed by the picture and technique and imagined the flavors and I was so desperate to try it that creating the  physical reality also happened very fast.

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Chocolate Scone

Hi Every one!

Finally I baked in this heat and humidity but then again I did not make anything elaborate but it was interesting and inviting, as I baked the scones. Scone, pronounced Scon as in ‘ON’. is traditionally a British small, rich, biscuit like pastry or quick bread, made by using baking powder as a leavening agent, sometimes baked on a griddle.

Traditionally they were made the size of a medium plate but these days, in the modern kitchen small sized scones are baked. These are served warm, slit in horizontally and layered with butter. These make an ideal breakfast item along with milk or tea.

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Eggless & Whole Wheat Garlic Cheese Italian Flat Bread..Step by Step

Hi All!

I know, I know, you might say this looks like a pizza but it isn’t..

Recently, the kid insisted to buy this version of bread from a famous bakery here. He loved the flavor of the bread and insisted that I should also make this. Now, being a mother, I had to tweak the recipe and make it more healthy, hence, I opted for a whole wheat version.

I decided to make a round shape flat bread only for simplifying my work (the reason it looks more like a pizza), one is free to make a square, rectangle, oval or any shape of their choice. The bread is a little dense because of the use of whole wheat but there’s no compromise on the taste.

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Pesto & Olive Soda Bread

Hi All!

I have always had a penchant for making breads and baking as I always say is therapeutic. It was one such day when I was feeling lost for no reason and I knew it was time to bake but bake fast. Somehow, I did not have the patience of waiting for the yeast to proof and rise, though the temperature here would have really helped that.

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Baked Couscous and Cottage Cheese Rolls

 

Wishing all my readers and friends a Very Happy New Year. I pray the God almighty to help all fulfil their dreams and wishes. I also hope and pray that the year brings in more peace and harmony through out the world.

I’ve just returned back after visiting my parents and the temperature and weather change is trying to show it’s effect on my body and I’m trying hard to push it. I know I’ve not been able to acknowledge a few entries sent for ‘Only’ Cakes and Cookies, have patience, I’ll make it to your blogs in a day or two. I could not do it as my dad’s computer was not functioning properly.

I am overwhelmed by the response my first cookbook review received. Do understand the word ‘response’ should not be identified with the number of comments, in those terms my blog is amongst the back benchers, LOL,… ‘response’ clearly means the page views the post received and the many mails I received congratulating me on my effort. I’m motivated to make more attempts in this field. I also want to thank all my blogger friends and others who stopped by to leave a note for me for the review post, I’m touched and your encouragement means a lot to me.

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Healthy Cheese Bread Sticks

Hi all.

I know it’s been a while that I posted here. I intended to post a few interesting preparations but a conscious health decision prevented me to do so. I am following a strict diet regime these days and indulging more into food surely is not going to help me on that. I will surely post in detail about the diet plan I am following in case I get positive results but for the time being this space is going to see more of health food.

As we all know that soups and salads are an important and unavoidable part of a diet plan. Even I’m indulging myself more into that. To go along with the wholesome, warm bowl of soup I made these bread sticks which are not only healthy but tasty too. These surely give a great crunch to the soup but are filling too. They make an extremely welcome snack, my kid is in love with it.

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