EGGLESS BROWNIE

Warm, soft, dense brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with hot chocolate sauce…… This classic combination never loses its charm.

 My friends were going to be home for our much awaited sleepover. We were meeting after years and this was going to be real fun. I had planned the snacks, drinks, main dishes but was stuck with the big question. What will be the dessert? Mainly because one of friend, Siddhee was a pure vegetarian.

This recipe is an example of the famous proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention”. I made some additions and deletions to my 'brownie with egg recipe' and came up with this easy to make eggless brownie recipe. My kids found the eggless brownie more softer and tastier.

I have tried to keep the measurements simple to remember. Ensure that the butter and yoghurt (curd) are at room temperature. It is essential to use thick or greek yoghurt for the soft texture.

Brownie is served in square pieces. Therefore it is a good idea to bake in a square or rectangle shape tin. For the given recipe we require a 9 inches square tin.

Recipe for Eggless brownie

Ingredients for Eggless brownie

• ½ cup maida or all-pupose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 100 gms butter
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup greek yoghurt

How to make

Cream butter, white and brown sugar until well blended. Beat until pale in colour.

Add greek yoghurt, beat again to get a smooth consistency. Do not over beat.

Sift in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Fold in until well combined.

Grease a 9 inches for square baking tray and line with butter paper.

Transfer the batter to the tin. Even the surface with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree celsius for 30 minutes.

APPLE PIE

Apple pie has been there since a long long time and it needs no introduction. This is a basic apple pie recipe with my own little improvisation. It requires firm apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon for filling. For the crust we need ice cold butter, all-purpose flour, salt, sugar and water.

We will be using the apple marinade, fluid to make an apple pie sauce.

While making the pastry remember that the pastry dough should always be chilled and avoid getting it to room temperature or more. The given recipe makes two pastry sheets for the pie. We need a 9 inches pie dish. I have used a lose flan aluminium pie dish. A ceramic pie or oven proof dish also works fine.

I have thinly sliced the apples. If you wish you can go for smaller pieces (not very thick). Some recipes have nutmeg in them. Personally, I feel apple and cinnamon need no other spices.

Recipe for Apple pie 

Ingredients for Apple pie

For crust

• 2 ½ cups maida or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup or 225gms unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup ice cold water (keep ¼ cup more water in reserve which may be required)

For filling

• 6 apples (peeled and thinly sliced)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maida or all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
• 1 tsp sugar (for sprinkling)

How to make

In a mixing bowl take the flour, salt, sugar and butter.

Mix lightly with your finger tips.

Rub the mixture between the palms to form a coarse texture.

Add ¼ cup of ice cold water and mix well with fingers. Pinch some flour to check if it holds well.

If required add 2 tablespoons of water and bring together the dough (add 2 more tablespoons of water if required).

Divide the dough in two equal portions, wrap them in cling film. Keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Put the sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Toss so that the sugar and cinnamon coats well on the apple slices.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of maida or all-purpose flour.

Keep aside for 10 minutes. Apple marinade juices will get collected at the bottom of the bowl.

Now remove one pastry dough from refrigerator and roll into a circle of 12 inches diameter. Roll it on the cling film only so that it is easy to handle the rolled pastry sheet.

Roll the dough to a size, an inch larger than the pie dish.

Gently transfer the pastry sheet to the pie dish. Trim off the extra dough.

Now spread in the apple cinnamon filling. Strain the apple pieces well while doing so. The juices will make the pastry soggy.

Roll the other sheet into a circle of 12 inches. Cover the pie.

Tuck in the extra pastry as shown in the picture.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle sugar over it.

Make incisions which will help the steam to escape.

Sprinkle some sugar over the pie. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes at 200 degree Celsius.

Simmer the marinade juices on low heat until it thickens. Stir continuously. Apple cinnamon sauce is ready to be drizzled on the apple pie.

Serve the apple pie with vanilla ice cream and apple cinnamon sauce.

MOIST CARROT CAKE

Try this recipe to get a moist, cinnamony carrot cake. This is a classic cake, enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee. It can also be served as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Amongst the many carrot recipes, carrot cake is one such recipe I never miss to make during winters. This is my favourite recipe for carrot cake as it has whole wheat flour in it and also it is an easy to make recipe.

The cinnamon and walnuts go very well with carrots. A piece of warm carrot cake with a hot mug of coffee is what makes my winters more enjoyable!

Recipe for Moist carrot cake

Ingredients for Moist carrot cake

• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• 3 cups carrot (grated)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup walnuts (roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

How to make

In a mixing bowl combine oil, eggs, brown and white sugar. Beat till well combined.

Sieve in all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Fold in the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Now fold in grated carrots and walnuts with a light hand.

Take a round cake tin with 10 inches diameter. Grease and line the cake tin with butter paper.

Transfer the cake batter to cake tin.

Bake at 180 deg Celsius for an hour.

Let the cake rest in cake tin for 10 minutes before demoulding.

Dust some powdered cinnamon and sugar. Serve warm or cold.

ORANGE BUTTER CUPCAKES

This is a super easy recipe for orange butter cupcakes. Soft and buttery from the inside, these tasty treats are loved by all.

Mention of oranges brings back memories of winter afternoons,  post lunch, where making orange and carrot juice use to become a family affair. Peeling, cutting and then putting oranges and carrots through the juicer, all the jobs were equally shared. This was an outdoor activity after which the session continued with the shelling of peanuts and having it with jaggery and lots of chit chatting.
Winters are all about enjoying hearty food and some quality time with dear ones.

Orange cupcakes made from real orange juice are always on the list of things to do in winters. Orange juice and orange zest impart a fresh orangy flavour to these delicious cupcakes. The vanilla essence compliments the orange flavour very well.

Recipe for Orange butter cupcakes

Ingredients for Orange butter cupcakes

• 1 cup maida or all purpose flour
• 100gms butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp orange rind
• A pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)

How to make

In a mixing bowl beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla essence till light and fluffy.

Add one egg at a time and beat till well combined.

Sieve in the maida and baking powder. Mix well.

Finally, add orange juice and rind. Mix with a spatula.

Put the batter in 12 cupcake liners or cupcake moulds.

Bake at 180 deg Celsius for 20 minutes.