Victoria Sponge Cake

I love reading about cakes and of course baking them .I have read so many of the cake books and every book has the Victoria Sponge Cake recipe at the top of its index. It is a British Classic. Queen Victoria used to love this jam filled cake and have it regularly with her afternoon tea.

Today on Mother’s Day, I dedicate this recipe to my Mum who taught me so many things in life including how to bake a cake. Love u Mum!

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter
• 65g caster sugar(Usually the books say 100g caster sugar, but I feel 65g is enough)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g self raising flour
• 3-4 tbsp strawberry / raspberry jam


Cake tins: Two 18cm sandwich tins

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160c.Line the tins with baking paper.
• Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric hand beater/whisk. Let the mix become smooth and pale.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well till the whole mix becomes quite full of bubbles. If the mix begins to curdle then add 1-2 tsp of flour.
• Add the essence.
• Mix the baking powder and fold in the flour in the egg mix using a wooden spoon or a spatula.
• Divide the batter into the two tins and spread evenly to level the tops. Bake for 25-30 mins at 180c(Fan oven) until pale golden and springy to touch.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning them out on a wire rack .Peel the baking paper and allow them to cool completely.
• When completely cooled, place one cake upside down and spread the jam on it. Place the second cake on it and dust lightly with icing sugar.
• Enjoy with a cuppa tea/coffee.

The Very Best Chocolate Fudge Cake

As the name suggests ,yes this is the very best chocolate fudge cake. I have taken this recipe from the book 100 cakes and bakes by Mary Berry. Those who love chocolate cake like anything (just like I do)this is the best one. Take my word….
Without further delay here’s the recipe:

Cake tins required: 2 deep 20cm(8inch)sandwich tins.

Ingredients

• 50g sifted cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp boiling water
• 3 large eggs
• 50 ml milk
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 rounded tsp baking powder
• 100g butter
• 275g caster sugar

For icing:

• 150g plain chocolate
• 150ml pouring double cream


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/Fan 160c/Gas 4.Grease the tins and line the tins with baking paper.
2. Blend the cocoa powder and boiling water in a vessel. To this add the butter and sugar. Mix well.
3. Then add the eggs. Beat well. Add a tsp of vanilla essence at this step, in case you don’t like the smell of eggs.
4. Then add the baking powder and self raising flour. Fold it well with the egg mix.
5. Add milk to the batter and mix well till the whole thing becomes smooth and thickish.
6. Divide the batter between two tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with finger.
7. Leave to cool in the tins for sometime and then remove and cool on a wire rack.
8. For the icing, break the chocolate pieces and gently heat with cream in a heatproof over a pan of simmering water for about 10 mins or till the chocolate has completely melted. Mix well.
9. Cool it completely till the point where its about to set.
10. Apply a light layer of jam to the cakes before spreading the icing on top of both the cakes so that the crumbs don’t come in the way of icing.
11. Sandwich the cakes together and use a palette knife to smooth the icing on top.
12. Keep in a cool place until ready to serve.

(Since I don’t have 20cm sandwich tins, I have baked the cake in one 24cm spring form tin and then cut it horizontally into two.)



This picture is taken immediately after the icing is done.The topmost picture was taken a day later.ie after 15 hrs or so.

Dabeli

Ingredients:
• 4 pav/2 baps
• 2 medium onions,finely chopped
• 1 medium tomato chopped plus 2 tsp tomato puree(I have used shop one)
• 11/2 tsp dabeli masala powder
(I have used Fudco dabeli masala powder,which is quite mild;so I have added ½ tsp of MDH Kitchen King masala)
• 2 tbspn oil
• 2 large potatoes boiled and mashed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts(you can use masala peanuts too)
• ¼ cup pomegranate kernels
• ½ cup sliced grapes
• 1 cup sev
• ½ cup tamarind chutney
• ½ cup red chilli –garlic chutney
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Sugar
• ½ cup chopped coriander

Method:
• Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions.
• Once the onions have become transparent , add the tomatoes and the puree and mix well.
• To the above mix add the dabeli masala .
• Once the mix starts to appear dry,add the potatoes .
• Mix well and then add the salt, sugar and lemon juice.
• Mix well and cook till the whole mixture becomes quite dry.
• Spread the mixture on a plate. Sprinkle the peanuts,pomegranate,sliced grapes ,half of the sev and some coriander.



• Slit the pav/baps horizontally w/o cutting through. On one side spread the red chutney and tamarind chutney on the other side of the open pav/baps. Stuff the decorated potato in between the two chutneys.
• Close the pav/baps and to the open sides of the pav/baps apply lightly red/tamarind chutney and roll those sides in sev(so that it gets on the pav stuffing well)
• Place the stuffed pav/baps on the hot tawa. Press lightly and toast on both sides till it gets heated through and becomes slightly crisp.
• Serve hot.
(I have taken the topmost picture of dabeli before applying chutney to the open sides of pav and toasting it)

Red Chilli – Garlic Chutney
Ingredients
• 5-6 red dry chillies (soaked in hot water for ½ an hour)
• 6-7 garlic cloves,peeled
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Method

Grind all the above ingredients to fine paste. Add water if required.

Egg Biryani

My husband and me love biryani like anything. Usually, on a lazy weekend , biryani and cucumber raita is the menu on the table. I usually prepare vegetable biryani but this time I have tried my hands on egg biryani and trust me,this biryani was the best one I have prepared till date. I must admit that I have done a lot of R&D before I tired out this recipe.Actually,I never found a recipe for egg biryani which will satisfy me instantly…I mean which will get me up and make me do it.But this one did and so …..here’ the outcome! But I have made some changes in the basic recipe and I must admit it.

I have taken the basic recipe of http://myspicykitchen.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/egg-dum-biryani/ and my friend Suvarna Joshi’ recipe.Thank you so much darlings!

Ingredients:

Rice

 3 cups uncooked rice
 1 inch stick of cinnamon
 2 black cardamom (badi elachi)
 3-4 cloves

Vegetables

 ½ cup peas(frozen/fresh)
 ½ cup cut beans
 ½ cup roughly cubed carrot
 2 large onions (chopped/sliced)
 3-4 tbspn chopped coriander
 2-3 tspn of ginger –garlic paste

Others
 Eggs – 5 (boiled and cut into four slices, length –wise)
 Biryani masala (ready made-I have used (3/4 tspn) Shaan Sindhi Biryani
masala and added 1/4 tspn of Everest biryani masala too)
 A pinch of food colour (usually yellow or orange is used. Since,I had orange
at home,have used it.)
 1-1/2 tbpn oil
 Fried onions(These are available in the market or you can deep fry some
sliced onions till they are caramalised and keep them aside)
 Dry fruits like raisins and cashewnut.


Steps:

Rice :
In a vessel, add 6 cups of water (2 cups for every one cup rice) and add rice and other ingredients stated along with rice. Once done , spread it on a plate for cooling down.

Take a pinch of food colour and mix with 1 tspn of water. Add this to ¼ of the cooked rice.


Vegetables and Egg:

 Heat oil in a kadai/wok.
 Add the onions and ginger-garlic paste.
 When onions are nearly done, add the veggies. Add some water ,say 3/4 cup .
 Add biryani masala and mix well. Let the veggies get crunchy cooked.
 Now add 1 tbspn of yoghurt and mix well.
 Add the sliced boiled egg.
 Cook for 1-2 mins till the eggs are well coated with the masala.
(The whole mixture needn’t be dry. In case very little water is there,then that’s fine.)

Final Step:

 In a oven proof vessel ,spread a layer of veggies and egg mix.
 Above this, spread the white rice layer.
 Sprinkle some fried onion and dry fruits.
 Put a layer of veggies and egg .
 Spread some coloured rice and then some white rice.
 Again fried onion and dry fruits.

Keep on repeating till veggie mix is over. Let the white rice layer be the top one.

Sprinkle onion and dry fruits.

Cover the vessel with the lid or cover it firmly with a aluminium foil.

Bake at 180c (or in a moderate oven) for 12-15 mins.

Serve hot. Sprinkle some freshly chopped coriander just before serving.

Enjoy with some cool cucumber raita or yoghurt.