Basbousa / Namoura | A Middle Eastern Delicacy

This months Home Baker's challenge was held by Nupur of UK Rasoi and she selected a variety of Arabian delicacies. When I went through the recipes, I was instantly hooked to the Basbousa. In fact I have been hooked with this sweet for quite some time. I have never tried it but something about this dessert felt so rich and heavenly. I am not sure whether it is the use of dessicated coconut or the combination of almond extract and rosewater but something about this dessert seemed to touch the right spot. And just as I believed this dish is heavenly in every bite. It is best served slightly warm so feel free to zap it into the microwave for few seconds.

~*What U need*~ Fine semolina - 1/2 + 1/8 cup All purpose flour - 1/4 cup Shredded coconut - 3/4 cup(I used homemade, check notes) Milk - 1/2 cup Sugar - 6 tbsp Egg - 1/2 of an egg Almond extract - 1/2 tsp Baking powder - 1/2 tsp Butter - 4 tbsp Blanched almonds - 16 For the sugar syrup: Water - 1/2 cup Sugar - 1/2 cup Lemon juice - 1 tbsp Rose water - 1/2 tbsp How I Made it: First prepare the sugar syrup. This is because the syrup should be completely cool when pouring onto the cake. Bring the water, sugar & lemon juice to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 6 mins. Add the rosewater and simmer for another 3-4 mins. Transfer the syrup into a measuring jug and let it cool down. Lets make the cake. Mix together the semolina, flour, coconut, sugar & baking powder. Melt the butter, add the milk, egg and almond extract and mix till combined. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well. Prepare the pan with butter. Transfer the mixture into the baking pan. Place the blanched almonds on the top. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 mins. With a buttered knife cut into pieces. Bake for another 20 mins. Once baked, retrace the cuts made with a knife. Pour the syrup over the warm Basbousa. ** My notes: ** To blanch almonds, soak the almonds in warm water for 10 mins and then peel the skin. Pat dry the almonds and use as needed. ** To make fresh dessicated coconut at home, dry roast freshly grated coconut in very low heat for 6-8 mins or till there is no water remaining when touched. Allow to cool and then blend in a coffee grinder with 1 tbsp of sugar till fine.

Serve warm!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

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Cheesecake sourcream Cupcakes | HBC #10

I first thought that I would skip this month's challenge. But the cheesecake cupcakes looked so cute to be left out. This month's HBC challenge was set by Siri of the brave cook and it was quite an adventurous collection from whoopie pies to macarons to layered neapoliton cakes to this cheesecakes. The huss and I are suckers for cheesecakes and we have our fair share from the Cheesecake factory or bakers square every month.

So these cheesecake cupcakes are not exactly the ones from the challenge but improved to accommodate that ingredients which I had in my pantry. The cream cheese had somehow skipped my mind during grocery shopping and all I had was only half a block of cream cheese which was actually the remnants of a dip that I had made. I knew that running to the grocery store was out of question and so I decided to replace the lost amount with some sour cream. I added the zest of an orange cos I love the sweet note that orange gives to anything baked. As for the topping, all I had was some orange jam which I have been saving for the couronne thats been long time in my mind and so I made my own jam. Thanks to the freezing that I did in summer, I still have loads of blueberries, raspberries and cherries on hand.

Adapted from here ~*What U Need*~ Philadelphia cream cheese - 4 oz Light sour cream - 1/3 cup Granulated sugar - 1/4 cup or more Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp Grated orange zest - 1/2 tsp Egg - 1, room temperature Vanilla wafers - 6, I used nila For the raspberry jam: Raspberries - 1/2 cup, I used frozen Sugar - 3 tbsp How I Made it: Preheat oven to 350F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each of 6-cup muffin pan. Place a vanilla wafer, flat-side down, in each muffin cup. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. I used my stand mixer. Add sour cream and beat well. Next in goes the granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Beat till smooth. Add the egg beating well after adding. Add the orange zest and mix well. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely. In a medium saucepan, take the raspberries and sugar and cook till it reaches jam consistency. Cool completely and top each cheesecake with 1/2 tbsp of the jam.

Serve chilled!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

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Spinach Cheddar Muffins | Spinach Cheddar Breakfast Muffins | HBC#5

Its time for the HBC post again. I thought that I would never make it. Thanks to my laziness this time and I don't know why but I was not in the mood for baking. In fact, even cooking has taken a backseat. I haven't made the dosa batter for two weeks, its been uppma for days and yesterday night it was the hubby who made dinner for us. And don't ask about his lunchbox, he's been eating pasta and pizza at the office for weeks together. I just don't know what's on to me. But I know that I am off and not right for some stupid unkown reason.

However, I didn't want to skip the challenge and when I went through the group, I saw many friends putting up these spinach cheddar muffins. Sounded great for breakfast and mustering some self perseverance, rolled up my sleeves and got onto baking these soft yummy muffins. Talking about the challenge, it was Shama of Easy2cook recipes who picked up the recipes for this month's HBC challenge and there were both savory and sweet bakes. I was first hooked to the Honey drizzled semolina cake that she had suggested and I had made up my mind that the cake it was. But then I switched on to the savory bake. The semolina cake, I still am gonna try that some day.

Adapted from here ~*What U Need*~ All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cup Baking powder - 2 tsp Baking soda - 1/2 tsp (I used 1/4 tsp only) Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp Bacon - 2 tbsp, fried in oil Red chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning - 1 tsp Pepper powder - a dash Salt - 1/2 tsp Butter - tbsp (I used 4tbsp butter + 2 tbsp olive oil) Whole Milk - 1 Cup (I used 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 cup buttermilk) Egg - 1 Spinach - 1/2 cup, fresh, chopped Mild cheddar cheese - 1 cup, shredded How I made it: Pre heat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the muffin pan by greasing and flouring it and keep it aside. I greased it with some oil. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients(flour, baking powder, baking soda, & salt) and mix well. In another bowl add the milk+buttermilk mixture, melted butter, oil, egg and mix well. Now add cheddar cheese, followed by seasonings (garlic powder, red chilli flakes, italian seasoning, pepper powder) and combine. Throw in the chopped spinach and mix well. Add this to the dry ingredients and fold gently. Scoop 2 tbsps into the muffin pans and bake for 25-30 mins. The recipe says you get 12 muffins but I got 10 muffins only. :( Cool and remove it from the muffin pan and serve it. ** My Note: ** I have given all the changes that I made in blue. ** I used bacon because my huss loves and the whole lot was finished by him.

Serve for breakfast with some orange juice... We had it with some coriander cashew pesto...

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

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Chocolate Marble Asian Bread (Roux Method) | HBC#4

And its time for the Home Bakers Challenge. We are into the fourth month and I have been keeping up with the challenges every month (can u believe that!!!). Its super exciting, first to see what challenge would be put forth by the group members, then going through the recipe, drilling down on one and finally getting to work on it. This time however I was about to miss it. As you know, I was supposed to travel to the U.S by the end of last month end and I knew that if I did not complete the challenge in India then I would never take the pain to try it here. First I need the right pans, then the time and finally the perseverance to pull me together to get about baking. Also if I had asked the huss for a baking pan as soon as I set my foot here, he would have stared me down.

However I didn't want to miss the challenge cos bread baking is one thing I love. Proving the yeast, the kneading, the shaping, the rising and finally the baking is all therapeutic you know. And so I decided to complete the challenge when I was in India. The bread was so soft with a great crust and makes for a perfect breakfast with a cup of cold milk or hot coffee. As for we, we enjoyed it with good ol' nutella smeared all over the slices.

Shaping the loaf is totally up to you. The braided one looks good though. But if you are not a pro, then go with the simple roll and tucking in the sides just like a normal bread or you could make a wreath too (it would be classy). I made a small braid, a small loaf and a nutella stuffed ring. Whatever shape it might be, the bread is a winner so do give it a shot.

~*What U Need*~ For the water roux: All purpose flour - 1/3 cup Water - 1 cup For the main dough: All purpose flour - 2 1/2 cups Sugar - 2 tbsp Salt - 1/2 tsp Milk powder - 3 tbsp Water - 100 ml + 2tbsp Cocoa powder - 1 1/2 tbsp Active dried Yeast - 1 1/2 tsp Butter - 2 tbsp How I Made it: Water roux: In a small pan, mix all the ingredients of water roux without any lumps, place in low heat and cook until ripples form, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool by covering with a plastic film. Main Dough: Add sugar to lukewarm water, sprinkle yeast and allow to froth. In a large bowl, take flour, milk powder and salt. Add half of the prepared roux, add enough water and knead. It will be sticky. Knead it until it forms a soft dough. Add the butter and knead until the butter incorporates into the dough. Divide the dough in approximately 2/3 and 1/3 portions. Take the small portion and add cocoa powder to it, knead till smooth and elastic adding enough water. Cover the chocolate dough and set aside in a bowl by covering with a plastic/cling film.Knead the bigger portion until the dough is smooth and elastic. Set aside in a bowl by covering the dough with a plastic/cling film. Let both dough proof until the dough doubles to its original size. Roll the chocolate dough into a rectangle shape and the white dough slightly bigger than the chocolate dough. Layer the chocolate rectangle in between the white rectangle. Flatten the rectangle and cut in 2 equal portions. Layer one piece on top of the other and flatten again. Repeat this procedure a couple of times. Cut the flatten dough into 3 equal pieces. Then again cut into 3 equal strips. Gently roll the strips and place 3 together and make a braid. Place the braided bread in the tins. Cover the tins with plastic film and let them rise in a warm place until the dough has almost tripled its original size. I made a challah-kind, one rolled bread and another one a nutella stuffed wreath. Preheat oven at 350 F. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve smeared with nutella!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies | HBC#3

We, the Homebakers strike again. This time with cookies. After pizza and cakes, we were challenged by Viji to make some cookies. Taking into account the very little cookie recipes in my blog, (if you can tell two cookie recipes as little), I was excited at the same time hesitant on seeing the challenge. Cookies were never my strength when it came to baking. The first time I tried it, it went rock hard and the second time I baked it, it came out like a tuile, nothing wrong but I couldn't even peel it out.

Given my cookie baking failures, now you know why I was hesitant with the challenge. And so picking a cookie from the 4 cookie recipes that Viji had given proved to be a task for me. Finally I settled for the pinwheel cookies giving it my own changeover. I adapted only the vanilla dough and added some chocolate chips to it making my version of chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Now why chewy, I used an egg white and that made my cookies soft chewy and totally addictive. You want them to be slightly on the crispier side then flatten the dough with your palm and bake as directed. Very slight changes altered the texture so much. I made one batch on the chewier side and another one on the crispier side. Both were relished by the family.

Munchkins loved them so much and he has been having a half everyday with his evening milk. And ask him for a share, he walks away hiding his piece and all you get is a cold stare. He loves it so much. Now is that reason enough for you to don your apron and start baking these beauties.

~*What U Need*~ Yields - 20 medium sized cookies All purpose flour - 3/4 cup Butter - 1/4 cup Light brown sugar - 1/4 cup Sugar - 1/4 cup Egg white - 1 Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp Salt - a pinch Baking soda - 1/4 tsp Dark Chocolate chips 1/2 cup

How I Made it:
Preheat oven to 160C. Line a cookie sheet with butter paper. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add vanilla, salt and egg white, mix well. Sieve together flour and baking soda and mix this with the batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir till evenly combined. Pinch tablespoons of dough, leaving a small amount of space between each cookie. Bake till golden for around 10-12 mins. Cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight container.

Serve with milk!!!

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

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Mango Chocolate Marble Cake | Eggless Butterless Baking | HBC#2

P.S: Sorry for the dull not-so-good photos... My P&S has given up and all were taken using my mobile...

After trying our hands on pizzas, we the homebakers of the HBC group are here with another easy and yummilicious bake. We were challenged by Sangeetha of Spicy treats to bake a cake combining two exotic ingredients ~ Mango and chocolate. I love mango and I can live on chocolate, so the challenge could not get any better. We were given two recipes ~ one recipe was an eggless and butterless bake while the other was with eggs and butter.

I am never into Eggless and butterless baking except the Vegan Mango Walnut Loaf which I tried last year and then again this no fail eggless vanilla sponge which I tried sometime back for the kid's monthly bake. But other than these I never try eggless n butterless baking... I try butterless baking many a times but eggless, not frequently... I am always into the conception that eggs are so essential for the cake to be soft, spongy and airy. And so I never go for eggless baking.

Moving on to the challenge, just like Sangee, its been my long time wish to combine the two flavors (mango and chocolate) in a cake. It all started with the Mango Chocolate Chunk cake that I tried last summer... The deep mango flavor in a moist crumb speckled with slightly melted dark chocolate chunks was to die for. The challenge was right in time. I went the fat-less way because my oven was just out of service and I wanted to trial-check it with a simple bake. This recipe sounded just right.

Half the bake was given to the kids of some daily laborers living near our house. They loved every bite of the cake and I got kisses and hugs in return... The perfect cost that one can get. Never knew that a warm smile from them would make me so satisfied... The remaining cake was divided again ~ one part for the PILs (parent-in-laws) and the second part for amma and me. Then again I had to set aside a major part for the kid... Whenever amma and me sat down with a slice for our evening tea, he would be there shuttling between the two for his rightful share... Do I need to tell that he enjoyed every bite???

~*What U Need*~ All purpose flour - 1 cup Baking powder - 3/4 tsp Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp Salt - a pinch Sugar - 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp mixed in 2 tbsp warm water Oil - 3 tbsp(Canola oil) Vanilla extract - 1/4 tsp Manga pulp - 1/2 cup Milk + Yogurt - 1/4 cup Buttermilk - 2 tbsp

How I Made it:
Preheat oven to 175C and grease & line your baking tin. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar & oil then to this add mango pulp, milk, yogurt, vanilla, buttermilk and mix well.

Mix the mango-milk mixture to the dry ingredients slowly till combined well.

Now take a small cup, add cocoa powder & 2 tsbp warm water and mix well. Then transfer half of the mango batter to another bowl and add this cocoa paste and combine well. Now both ur mango batter & chocolate batter are ready. Then to the cake tin, add mango n cocoa batter alternatively like a checker board pattern or simply fill with vanilla batter then add remaining cocoa batter in 3 small circles, make swirls as u like.

Tap the pan gently to set the batter evenly and bake it for 50-55 minutes or until done(check by inserting a knife or toothpick which should come out clean).

Serve with love!!!

** My Notes:
** I used fresh mango pulp. But you can use store bought sweetened pulp. In that case reduce the sugar.
** The cake is dense but super moist and flavorful.
** You can fill upto 3/4th of the pan, as this cake does not rise too much.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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