Banana bread by Shalini

I usually bake Banana bread at home and I have tasted Starbucks Banana bread though not a big fan of it.This is the recipe I follow

http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/BananaBread.html

But since Banana bread is high caloried,I tried to make a twist in the recipe by adding healthier ingredients like Wheat flour,Canola oil,Egg whites and Agave Nectar(Natural Sweetner).The outcome was fantastic though cannot be compared to the recipe above

Here is the recipe

11/2 cups-wheat flour
11/4 tsp-Baking pwdr
1/2 tsp-Baking Soda
1tsp-Pure Vanilla Extract
2 slightly beaten-Egg whites
1 cup-mashed Banana(may be 2-3 large ripen banana-just eyeballed it-didnt measure it)
1/2 cup-Agave nectar
1/4 cup-Canola oil
Salt-1/4 tsp
Walnuts-toasted and chopped-I used 1 fistful and chopped them.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Mix flour,baking pwdr,baking soda,salt.Keep aside

In a bowl,mash the bananas,add vanilla extract,add egg whites,agave,Canola oil.whisk them well.add the dry ing in 3 batches and fold it until the flour mixes well.dont over mix.add 1/2 the nuts to the batter.If you want more nuts in the bread,add all the nuts or else add the rest on the top of the batter like a garnish before baking.Grease the loaf pan with oil/butter.Add the batter to the loaf pan and bake for abt 45-50mins until a fork/tooth pick comes out clean

Thought of sharing this with you all after seeing your post

Eggless Triple Chocolate Mocha cake with dark Chocolate Ganache by Shubha Ravikoti

Eggless Triple Chocolate Mocha cake

with dark Chocolate Ganache by Shubha Ravikoti

Ingredients r divided in 3 parts

part 1 - Eggless Chocolate cake

APF - 1 1/2 cups

baking soda - 1 tsp

salt - 1/2 tsp

Unsweetened cocoa powder - 1/2 cup

Vinegar - 1 tbsp

water - 1cup

Vanilla essence - 1 1/2 tsp

oil - 1/3 cup

Sugar 3/4 cup

These measures will make one 8-9 " chocolate cake...:)

Preheat the oven at 350 F for 15 minutes.

Method : sift together all the dry ingerients (except sugar) 2 times atleast and keep aside. Sifted the dry flour with soda, salt n cocoa helps to remove clumps and also mix then ingredients well.

In a big bowl mix all the wet ingredients along with sugar. Wisk well so that the sugar dissolves and keep aside. Now grease a cake pan with some butter and dust some AP flour in it. U can even line ur dish with a parchment sheet. (i use a product called cake release from wilton... its works like a miracle when it comes to panning out ur cakes..:) u can get it in micheals)

Now keep ur hand blender or spatula ready and slowly add the flour little by little into the wet mixture. Keep mixing. Once all the dry is incorporated in wet, beat again so that no lumps r seen and the batter looks smooth. if u follow the measures exact the consistency will be perfect (please use the measuring cups u get in baking sections for exact measure..)

Pour this into the greased pan and put in the preheated oven for 25 minutes at 350 F.

keep checking ur cake for doneness. Mine was done in 22 minutes sharp (i made to cakes simultaneously. Do the toothpick test when u feel ur cake has risen. and remove out of the oven... over cooking the cake will make its sides (rims) hard like cookie...u want it to be soft.... so keep checking often to avoid this :)

Yummy chocolate cake is ready for icing and deco :D . de pan and cool ur cake on a cake rack or tissue sheets..:)

**tips - u can use dark chcolate cocoa powder if u like..:)

always cool ur cake completely before icing.

U can bake this cake 2 days in advance

I also made a coffee sugar and water syrup to pour on my cake to make it moist and avoid drying out...:) Just boil water and sugar to a boiling point for 5 minutes.. cool, add coffee and keep aside. Pour it on ur cooled cake... so make it a bit moist..:) helps to hld the icing well... as i added coffee i thought of making a light coffee icing too... u can always skip it if u dont want ...:)

Part 2 : Chocolate coffee buttercream icing.

Ingredients : for covering one 9 inch cake (double for a layer cake)

Unsalted Butter : 1/2 cup

Solid vegetable shortening - 1/2 cup

unsweetened cocoa - 1/2 cup

Confectioner's sugar - 2 1/2 to 4 cups

Milk - 3 to 4 tbsp (optional)

instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp

Method : Beat together the butter and shortening to a smooth paste..:) now sift the powdered sugar well for any debris and add it slowly to the butter mix beating alternatively. Once the sugar is mixed well, add the cocoa and beat again... u will have a thick mix of icing ready... add coffee powder now if u desire..:D

If u want to decorate ur cake with icing... u can keep aside some bit of this thick icing for decorating..:) For icing the cake... add milk to the icing and beat well..:) all milk one tbsp at a time... and stop at a point when the mixture looks smooth and spreadable..:)

prepare ur cake and crumb coat it.. cool it and then do the final icing (u can find videos for how to do this in youtube)

Measurement:

1 being making the cake 2 being the icing,3 being the ganache.

ganache recipe....

boil i ltr heavy whip cream.get it to a rolling boil and then add the boiling milk to one cup of dark chocolate chips/chunks or milk chocolate..(anything that u desire. keep it aside for 5 minutes then mix well using a wisk. once its smooth and completely to room temp... u can add 1 tspcorm syrup to give the ganache a shine. this s anyways optional. now pour the ganache on ur iced cake,eithr completely covering it even from sides or giving it a dripping effect.

before doing this.... place ur cake on a turn table and place parchment sheets or foil/plastic over below ur cake, covering the card board base. that way after ur cake is cool n completely decorated u can just remove the shets n reveal a neat edge on the base of the cake.

u can use the cake measurements as it is. it will givew u 1 9" cake :) n icing worth covering 1 9 inch cake

chocolate ganache recipe

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tsp corn syrup (optional)

boil WC to a rolling boil. add this the chocolate chips. let it sit for 5 minutes. them mix well with wisk till chocolate melt n become smooth and a bit thick in consistency. add corn syrup to give the chocolate n shine. ganache is ready.

u can make this even with colorful candy melts u get in micheal.... for a colorful ganace :)

Simple Cake by Malathi

Simple cake recipe

1. In a bowl put butter and sugar and beat them nicely...once it becomes like a paste
2. add 2 eggs and beat them together..
3. next add one spoon of vannila essense and beat them all..
4. add milk to it and mix well.
5. add all purpose flour and beat them nicely..side by side add milk to it as required.
6. once it becomes a fine paste ...may be something like a idli batter kind (or littler thicker than that)...
pour it in a cake tray of ur choice and keep it in a 360 degree pre-heated oven
thats it..
keep watching it..once u get the cake smell...open and c...if u put a small stick..it shud come out easily..that means its done..

Egg curry / Egg kozhambu by Malathi

Egg curry / Egg kozhambu

@Sudha..
Ingredients :
1. One big onion
2. Garlic - 5,6 pods
3. Ginger - one small piece
4. Garam masala - 1 tsp
5. Corriander+jeera powder - 1 rsp
6. Salt - as per taste
7. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
9. Curry leaves - 1 string
10. Curry leaves - 2 strings
11. Oil - 1 tsp
12. Mustard - 1 tsp.
13. Tomatoes - 3 medium
14. Eggs - 4/5

Preparation :
---------------
1. First Hard boil the egg, peel it and cut it into two (either lengthwise /widthwise which ever you like).
2. In one tsp oil, first put mustard, once it splutters, put curry leaves, the slit ginger, garlic(just cut it into two..overa slit pannina smell varum),
3. Once above is cooked, put the lengthwise cut big onions, once it turns brown put the tomatoes...
5. Once the tomato becomes mushy..add salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, chilli powder, corriander+Jeera powder. Add water to your required consistency.
6. Once its all cooked 3/4th.....add the cut eggs and cover the eggs with the liquid.
7. Leave it for 5 mins. then add corriander leaves and leave another two mins. switch off stove.

Egg kozhambu method
--------------------------
In the above method...instead of step 5 adding various powder, do the following :
In 1 spoon oil, fry channa dhal, 1/2 big onion, corriander seeds, jeera, few red chilies, curry leaves, 1/2 cup grated coconut....cool it then grind it to fine paste and add to the above egg curry...cook it for 5 mins. and switch off stove.

Combo method :
-------------------
Do as per first method & add the second method gravy to it.

Egg Puff by Rajee

Egg Puff: Measurement for 6 puffs

1. Pastry Sheet – 3/4th of 1/2 sheet (pepperidge farm sheet)
2. Egg – 3 (Boil and slit lengthwise)
3. Cumin seeds – very few
4. Onion – 1
5. Tomato – 1/4
6. Amchur powder – ¼ tsp
7. Garam masala – ½ tsp
8. Coriander powder – ¾ tsp
9. Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp
10. Cilantro – few
11. Salt
12. Oil
13. Egg wash – 1tbsp water + 1 egg

Heat oil and saute ingredients 3 to 11... filling ready... Roll the pastry sheets to very thin sheets... place egg and a spoon of filling in a sheet... fold it...Apply egg wash or butter on top...

Bake at 400 F for 25mins...

Spinach Egg Curry/kootu by Anu

Spinach Egg Curry/kootu

Inspired from Ramya Bala's beaten Egg curry...

1.
Chopped Spinach - 1 cup
Egg - 1 no.
Onion (medium size) - 1
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 3 pods
slivered Ginger - very few
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
tamarind paste - 1 tsp

2.
mustard - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
red chillies - 3 no.

3.
turmeric powder - a pinch
hing - a pinch
coriander powdr - 1 tsp
sambar powder - 1/2 tsp

Method :

heat oil in a pan..
add mustard .. let it splutter..
then add urad dal, cumin seeds,red chillies..saute til urad dal turns brown..
add finely chopd onion, garlic, slivered ginger..saute till onion bcomes translucent..
add chopped tomato n salt..n close d lid...
when tomato bcomes mushy, add spinach n mix well..then..
add tamarind paste, turmeric,coriander,sambar powders n hing too...add salt if reqd. mix n cover it again in med-low..
when bubbles appear on top..jus break d egg n add in d mixture..dont Stir..
now close d lid n let d egg gets cooked..once d egg s done cooking, jus mix..
garnish wd coriander leaves..n serve...:D

Basic cake by Lakshmi

Basic cake recipe

Cake base :

to make a sponge cake :

6 eggs
vanilla essence - 1tsp
sugar - 1 cup (confectioner sugar )
All purpose flour - 1 cup
baking powder - 1/2 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
butter - 4 Tbsp
method :
Pre heat the oven to 300. celsius
1. fisrt separate the eggs whites and yolk
2. in a bowl ,whip the egg whites with hand mixer( machine) to speed five until the whites stand stiff
3. in another bowl, whip the yolk with sugar , vanilla essence , melted butter with whisk.
4. in other bowl add the salt , flour , baking power and mix well
5. now add the whipped whites to the yolk mixture and slowly mix , next add the flour mixture slowly to it and now mix altogether slowly until all are coted well .
6. now spread in a greased cak tray ( use two tray )
7. place it in oven and bake for 20 to 30 mins or until its done ( since evrybody oven differes )
8 . check with tooth pick stick poke the center of the cake when it comes out clear the cake is done .
9 . take them out allow to cool for 2 mins and take the cake out of tray and place them in cooling rack .

ICING:
1.soft butter - 1/2 cup
2.sugar - 3 cups (confectioner sugar)
3. vanilla essence
4.milk - 3 tsp
5. if you like can add any melted chocolates ( melt 6 oz choclate in microwave for 1 mins )


MIx all one by one and finally whip them with hand mixer for 3 to 4 mins (speed 5 )

Using spatula and flatter frost cake with icing ... ice th cak elayer by layer . ( can google it how to icing)

thats it decorate with decorator ... as wish !!!!

egg less cake base :

1.Mix the evaporated milk ( 1 tin) melted butter and flour can mix with hand mixer too ..
2.now add the sugar , salt , vanilla essence . to it and mix again
3. for frothing add the coke or any soda you prefer ( 1 and half can )
4. mix slowly and now pour it in greased tray and place in oven and bake for 20 to 30 mins or until its done

WALNUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE by Lakshmi

WALNUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 4 0z
sugar - 5 oz
butter - 6 oz
semi dark chocolate- 6 oz
vanilla essence - 1tsp
baking powder - 1tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
walnut chopped - 5 0z
egg - 2
Method:
1.preheat the oven @ 180 degree for 15 mins
2.first melt the butter and choclote in a bowl in microwave for 1 min and allow to cool and mix well with whisk
3.In another bowl mix rest of the ingredients and now pour the chocolate mixture to flour mixture and mix well with whisk
4. pour them in a greased cake tray and keep it in oven and bake for 30 to 40 mins or till it done ..
5. Allow to cool and cut in to pieces / tip just sprinkel icing sugar on top for final touch .

Egg Masala by Sophia

Egg Masala:

Boil 4 eggs. Peel the skin and break it into halves vertically.
1 Onion - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
1 Green chilli
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Heat oil in pan, fry Onions,green chilli, then the tomatoes, add the spices and little water, it will boil and make a gravy, add the eggs, keep in simmer and fry for sometimes, till the masala mixes well.

This is a simple method, another method is to grind the onions separately and tomato separately and add those in the same order mentioned above...add a little ginger garlic paste after adding the onions and fry till raw smell goes off then fry the tomatoes.
U can add the egg whole if u want, but poke with a knife in the egg on all sides, to make small incisions for the gravy to get in.