Brigadeiro

The brigadeiro is a traditional Brazilian dessert, created by a confectioner from Rio de Janeiro, Heloisa Nabuco de Oliveira. It is made of condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate sprinkles covering the outside layer. It is a popular confection throughout the country, especially for festive events.

What attracted me towards these beauties is nothing but their beauty itself! They look so elegant and at the same time cute too. What strikes my mind is that these can be made as a treat for kids. Roll them in golden sprinkles and make them look classy and gift them to loved ones by placing them in fancy cupcake holders and boxing them beautifully. Perfect for gifting during festivals. I made them as gift boxes during the Diwali season- a Brazilian touch to our Indian festival. Everyone loved them!

Ingredients

1 tin condensed milk (396 grams)

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

And that's it! So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start making these delicious Brazilian Chocolate Truffles!

Method

• In a pan add one tin (396gms) of condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder. Mix everything well.
• Now cook this on medium-low heat, stirring continuously.
• Cook until the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan and turns thick. (Please have a look at the video to understand the right consistency.)
• In the meantime, grease a plate with butter and keep it ready.
• Transfer the mixture from the pan to the greased plate and spread it. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
• Grease your palms with a little butter. Scoop out small portions of the mixture and roll them into balls between your palms.
• Now roll these balls over sprinkles/chopped nuts/chocolate shaves/desiccated coconut or anything of your choice. You can keep them plain as well.
• Place them in small cupcake holders and present these elegant cute sweet treats for your loved ones.  Now isn't that really simple!

Instant Malai Kulfi

 

Kulfi is nothing but an ice-cream with a Hindustani touch or an Indian touch. The creamy taste of the normal ice cream along with the infusion of cardamom and saffron makes it the Indian frozen dessert. A very simple recipe that anyone can make when you crave to have a frozen dessert.

 

Ingredients

2 cups full fat milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

3/4 cup milk powder

1-2 tsp sugar

a few saffron strands

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

 

Method

• Whisk together the milk, condensed milk, milk powder and sugar in a sauce pan.
• Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest and add the saffron and cardamom. Whisk well.
• Simmer this for about 10-12 minutes, whisking continuously until the the mixture turns slightly thick and creamy.
• Remove from heat and allow this to cool(whisk at regular intervals until it cools to room temperature).
• Pour this mixture into popsicle molds or even small kulfi cups/matkas. Freeze until set.

 
*To remove the frozen kulfis from the popsicle mold, dip each popsicle in a glass of slightly warm water and pull it out gently. 

*I got six kulfis with this measurement. The number will vary depending on your popsicle mold size.

Easy Nutella Icecream

Never attempted to make icecreams at home, as I used to have a feel that its a herculean  task and the taste never would reache anywhere near to the store bought one, until I made this one! An utterly delicious creamy nutella icecream, that can made by kids too. Yes, my younger one is the one who makes this icecream at home, whenever we crave to eat it. It's that simple and tasty! You can whip it up in just five minutes and then freeze!

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup nutella

1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter(room temperature)

Roasted and crushed  nuts(optional)

chocolate syrup(optional)

Method

• Into a bowl add the melted butter, nutella, vanilla extract and condensed milk. Mix everything well and keep aside.
• In another large bowl, add the whipping cream(should be really cold) and whip with a hand mixer until you get soft peaks.(You can beat with a whisk if you don't have a hand mixer)
• Now slowly add in the nutella condensed milk mixture and flod everything well, slowly, until everything is mixed well.
• Transfer into a freezer safe container and freeze for 6 to 8 hours or until set.
• Scoop out delicious and creamy  nutella ice cream into serving bowls .Drizzle some chocolate syrup and sprinkle chopped/ crushed nuts on top and serve.

Quick Shahi Tukda

Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali in advance!!!

Shahi Tukda or is it Shahi Tukray? Well, I am still confused about that! Having done some research about this royal dessert, the information that I came across was that this rich dessert prepared by frying small pieces of bread in ghee, dipped in saffron infused sugar syrup and topped with rich rabdi(thickened or reduced creamy milk) and garnished with dry fruits, has its roots from the early Mughal period. Literally, the word Shahi means royal and tukda means piece or bite. So basically put together it means that if you are having shahi tukda then you are having a royal piece or royal bite.!

Preparation of this royal delicacy is not that difficult except for the part where you have to prepare the rabdi. Rabdi preparation does require a little bit of patience and it does take up some of your time as the milk has to reduce and condense to impart the creamy flavor which is the key ingredient of this delicacy that has elevated it to the royal level.  Well, as in my quest to find easy solutions to such complex situations I came across this recipe where you can prepare this whole dish in..maybe less than 15-20 minutes. Yes, the rabdi process is quickened over here by adding a secret ingredient..no not just condensed milk!! Please go through the recipe and watch the video to find out how to present this royal Mughal dessert on your dining table as an exquisite dessert after dinner or to highlight your festival season with a royal touch.

Watch how to make this by clicking here

Ingredients
For the quick rabdi

• 1 1/2 cup full-fat milk
• 1/4 cup condensed milk
• 1 bread slice
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder

For the fried bread

• 2 slices of bread
• 3 Tbsp ghee

For the sugar syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• few strands of saffron

few almonds slices for garnish

Method of making the quick rabdi

• Remove the crust of the fresh slice of bread and cut it into pieces.
• Grind these pieces in a food processor to get fresh bread crumbs. Keep it aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed wide pan bring the milk to a boil. Scrape the sides of the pan as the milk boils.
• Add the condensed milk and mix well.
• Add the bread crumbs and cook stirring continuously until the milk thickens. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the pan and mix it with the thickening milk.
• Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Rabdi is ready.
• Refrigerate the rabdi until ready to serve with the bread.

Method of making the fried bread

• Remove the crust of the bread slices and cut each slice into four triangles.
• Heat ghee in a pan. Fry the bread pieces until golden brown on both sides and keep aside.

Method of making the sugar syrup

• Mix sugar and water in a broad pan and cook on high heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Simmer for a few minutes to get a syrup consistency.
• Add the saffron strands and mix.

Serving the shahi tukda

• Soak the fried bread pieces in the sugar syrup(while the syrup is still warm) for 5-10 minutes(the soaking time depends on how crisp or soft you want the bread slices to be. The more time you soak softer they will be. For those who prefer crisp bread , soak for lesser time)
• Arrange the soaked bread slices on the serving plate and pour the prepared rabdi on top of the bread pieces.
• Garnish by sprinkling some sliced almonds. Serve!

Ghee Mysore Pak

Ingredients

1 cup gram flour/besan

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cup ghee

Method

•  In a pan roast the gram flour on a medium low heat until turns aromatic. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
• Sift the roasted gram flour into a bowl.(Sifting the gram flour ensures a smooth textured mysore pak)
• Heat the ghee until it is totally melted. Add one cup of the melted ghee to the sifted gram flour and using a whisk mix well until smooth without any lumps.
• In a wide pan add the sugar and measured water. Bring this to a boil stirring continously until the sugar is dissolved completely. Continue cooking until the sugar syrup reaches a one string consistency(when you take a drop between your fingers you should be able to get a single string of the syrup between your fingers). 
• Once the sugar syrup reaches this consistency add the gram flour and ghee mixture to the sugar syrup stirring continously.
• Cook this mixture on a medium low heat stirring continously until the ghee is absorbed by the gram flour.
• As the ghee gets abosrbed by the gram flour, add the remaining half cup ghee little by little (approximately 2 Tbsp at a time) to the mixture. 
• When the ghee is absorbed and the whole mixture starts leaving from the sides of the pan, pour it into a greased pan or mould. Level the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.
• Keep this aside and let it cool. Once cooled cut into rectangles or squares and serve.

Besan Ladoo

A versatile Indian sweet is what ladoo is known to be. With a variation of the ingredients there are so many types of this sweet that is a quintessential part of most of the Indian festivals. Motichoor ladoo and besan ladoo are my personal favourites. The former one requires a bit more more longer procedure of making the boondis and all whereas the latter one is a very easy one. Sharing with you the besan ladoo recipe.

Ingredients

 2 cups besan/ gram flour

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup ghee

4-5 cardamoms crushed

raisins, chopped nuts(optional)

Method

• Dry roast the besan in a wide pan on a low flame for about 12 minutes. Keep stirring continuously to ensure even roasting of the besan,taking care not to burn the powder.
•  Meanwhile melt the ghee and keep aside.
• Once the besan is roasted, add the melted ghee and mix well. Cook stirring continuously for about 5-6 minutes. The mixture will start giving out a nutty aroma and will start releasing the ghee.

• Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar. Mix very well, avoid lumps. 
• Add the crushed cardamom  and raisins, nuts etc.(I did not add nuts or raisins). Keep this aside to come down to room temperature.
• Once cooled, make medium sized balls with the mixture by rolling between your palms.
• Garnish with chopped nuts and serve or store in an air tight container.

Recipe adapted from here

Gaajar ka Halwa

 A VERY HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL

A sky full of fireworks

A house full of diyas

A heart full of enjoyment 

and

A mouth full of sweets

Yes, this is what this beautiful festival is all about!
Made a very simple version of the most famous Indian sweet - Gaajar ka Halwa/ Carrot Halwa for this Diwali.

Recipe courtesy: Our dear Tasneem😍

Ingredients

2 carrots grated fine

1 Tbsp ghee

3-4 Tbsp sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

a few nuts of your choice(preferably roasted in ghee)

 Method

• Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pan. Add the grated carrots and sugar and saute well for around ten minutes on a medium low flame.
• Add the milk and saute for another half an hour until  the milk gets dried up and the ghee layer starts to show up from the sides.
• Add the condensed milk and saute for another ten minutes.
• Remove from heat,add the nuts and serve.

I personally love to have this gajar ka halwa with a scoop of vanilla icecream. Try it.. its really yumm..!

Sweet Wheat Dosa

 Ingredients

2 cups wheat flour
1 ripe banana, mashed well
1/2 cup rice flour
1 1/2 cup jaggery(powdered /grated)
2 Tbsp coconut grated
2 pinch cardamom powder
1 pinch baking soda
a small pinch of salt
ghee for drizzling

Method

• Dissolve the jaggery by adding it to 2 cups hot water. Mix well and sieve to remove any impurities in the jaggery. Allow this to come to room temperature.
• Mix the jaggery water with the remaining ingredients i.e. banana, coconut, wheat flour, rice flour, salt, baking soda and cardamom powder. Mix well to form a batter(dosa batter consistency) by adding water as required. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes.
• Heat a griddle or dosa tawa and make small thick pancakes or small dosas. Drizzle ghee on the sides and top of the dosa as it gets cooked. Cook on a medium flame. Flip and cook both sides until it becomes golden brown in color on both the sides. Serve as it is.
• Sweet wheat dosas are ready which can be had as such without any accompaniments. A good snack for tea time as well as something which can be sent to school as tiffin for kids.

Recipe adapted from here

Carrot Kheer

Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali...

Ingredients
250 gms carrots
2-3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp ghee
2 cups milk
4-5 Tbsp condensed milk
2 cardomoms, crushed to a powder
few raisins
few cashewnuts

Method

• Peel and chop the carrots into big chunks.
• Add the chopped carrots to a pressure cooker, add a little water (approx.1/4 cup). Close and cook on a medium flame until the cooker gives off one whistle. Allow the pressure to subside , then open the cooker and transfer the carrots to a blender.
• Blend the cooked carrots into a puree.
• Heat 2 Tbsp ghee in a non stick kadai. Pour the blended carrot into the hot ghee and keep stirring until the water is absorbed from the carrots and the ghee starts to leave from the sides.
• Now pour the milk, sugar and condensed milk. Keep stirring until  the mix starts to turn thick.
• Switch off the flame.
• Fry the raisins(until they puff up) and the cashenuts(until they turn golden brown) in the remaining ghee. Add to the prepared carrot payasam.
• Sprinkle the cardamon powder. Mix and serve hot or cold.

*Adjust the amount of sugar and condensed milk as per your taste. You can even skip adding sugar and add only the condensed milk too for a more creamy flavour.

Frosted Lemonade

This is something you must try on a hot summer day. Unbelievably refreshing....
Ingredients
juice of 4 small lemons
4 Tbsp sugar
few ice cubes
2 scoops of vanilla icecream

Method

• In blender, blend the lemon juice, sugar and ice cubes well until the ice is crushed well and  the mixture turns frosty white.
• Now add the vanilla ice cream and blend again well.
• Pour into serving glasses and serve immediately.
• Relish frosted lemonade on hot summer days to leave you energized
  

Modhak

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi 

Ingredients

1 cup rice Flour 

1 1/4 cupwater 

1 cup grated coconut

3/4 cup jaggery(crushed or powdered)

1-2 tsp ghee

a pinch of cardamom powder

salt to taste

Method

• In a pan heat the jaggery. Once the jaggery starts to melt add the shredded coconut and cardamom powder.
• Mix well.Cook until the mixture is almost dry. Remove from heat and keep aside.
• In a saucepan boil the water with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp ghee.
• To the boiling water gradually add the rice flour, whisking it well to avoid lumps.
• Mix well. Remove from  heat and allow to cool slightly or until it reaches to a temperature that you can knead.(should be warm while kneading, don't alllow it to cool completely as it might get dry)
• Once the mix is warm enough so that you can knead, knead well into a soft dough. 
• Grease your hands with a little ghee or water and make small balls of the dough. 
• Flatten each ball between your palms into small rounds.
• Now place a small amount of the coconut jaggery mixture in the middle of the round. Gather the sides of the round together and  seal it on the top by pressing slightly.
• Steam these modhaks either in a steamer or idli cooker for 20 minutes.
• Serve at room temperature.

Aam Ras

Ingredients
2 ripe Alphonoso mangoes
2 Tbsp sugar
1- 2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk(optional)
few saffron strands

Method

• Peel and chop the mangoes.
• Blend in a blender the mangoes along with sugar, milk and condensed milk.
• Serve chilled garnished with saffron strands along with puris.

* Add sugar according to the sweetness of the mangoes. Moreover you can skip adding sugar while using condensed milk.Adjust the milk as per the consistency you like.

Winter Melon Payasam

Winter Melon/Ashgourd or kumbalam is a vegetable that is known by  many names. The health benefits of this vegetable is also something that has been known since ages. In North India a sweet called 'petha' is usually made from this vegetable whereas in South India this is mostly known only as a vegetable to go into the regular dals and other curries. Here I have experimented a payasam something like our 'palada' with this vegetable. Believe me, no one could guess that it was ashgourd payasam. So for your next get together or celebrations try out this dessert.

Ingredients

1 cupWinter Melon/ Ashgourd/ Kumbalam; chopped into very small squares(like the size of ada pieces in palada)

3 cups milk

1/2 tin condensed milk

1 tsp ghee

a pinch of cardamom powder

few cashewnuts and raisins(optional)

Method

• Wash the chopped ash-gourd well and drain the water completely.
• Heat ghee in a wide nonstick pan and add the chopped ash-gourd to it. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed and it is somewhat dry.
• Add the milk and mix well. Allow the milk to boil . Once the milk boils lower the flame and cook until the ash-gourd gets cooked and the milk reduces in quantity slightly.(this will take approximately 15 minutes)
• Add the condensed milk and mix well. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the payasam attains a thick consistency.
• Switch off the flame, add the cardamom powder and mix well.
• Fry the cashewnuts(until golden brown) and raisins(until it puffs up) in 1 tsp of ghee and add it to the payasam before serving for an enhanced taste. (Here I did not add the cashewnuts and raisins as my kids are not so fond of these in their payasam.)

Baked Banana Pudding

If you are not in a mood of a very sweet pudding, but you really crave to have something to satisfy your sweet tooth then this one is just for you. No addition of sugar, this pudding goes for the natural sweetness of bananas and dates. Yes I have drizzled a little bit of sweetened condensed milk on top but that's totally up to you, either you can increase its amount for more sweetness or you can totally omit it too. And must admit, this pudding is really easy to prepare, just blend everything together and bake! Droolsss  marks its third anniversary today with this dessert. 

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

4 ripe dates-pitted

1 cup full fat coconut milk

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

a pinch of salt

4-5 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Method

• Preheat oven to 175 degree Celsius.
• Blend all the ingredients except condensed milk until smooth.
• Pour the batter into a glass baking tray or you can even divide the batter into 4- 5 ramekins.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pudding turns golden brown on top.
• Drizzle the condensed milk on top of the pudding.
• Chill and serve.

Pazha Pradhaman

How about some pazha pradhaman for this Onam?

Ingredients
1kg very ripe banana(nenthra pazham)
500gm jaggery(heat the jaggery in 1 cup water until melted, Sieve and keep aside)
4-5 cups light coconut milk(dissolve 3tbsp coconut milk powder in 4-5 cups of water)
1 1/2 cup thick coconut milk(dissolve 3-4 tbsp coconut milk powder in 1 1/2 cup water)
5 Tbsp ghee
2 tsp coconut pieces(cut into small squares)

Method

• Cut the bananas into 3-4 pieces and steam them in a steamer until cooked well.
• Once cooled,remove the skin of the bananas and deseed the  bananas(split open each piece of banana and remove the black seed layer).
• Mash the bananas well in a blender into a paste.
• Heat 4 Tbsp ghee in a pan and saute the banana paste in the ghee for some time, approximately 5-6 minutes.
• Now add the melted jaggery and allow it boil and thicken.
• Then add the light coconut milk and let it cook in the coconut milk for about 7-8 minutes, or until a thick consistency is attained.
• Now pour the thick coconut milk and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes and then switch off the flame.
• Heat 1 Tbsp ghee in a pan. Fry the coconut pieces in the ghee until golden brown and pour it over the prepared banana pradhaman. Delicious pazha pradhaman is ready to be served.

* You can pressure cook the bananas instead of cooking them in a steamer.
* Along with the coconut pieces some like to add fried cashewnuts and raisins too. You can add that too if you prefer to. As I do not prefer cashews and raisins in pradhaman I have not added here.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

150 grams mini marshmallows

50 grams soft butter

250 grams good dark chocolate,chopped

60 ml hot water

280 ml whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

                          

Method

• Melt the marshmallows,butter,chocolate and hot water in a saucepan on medium flame.Stir in between.
• Once the mixture is melted completely, turn off the flame and keep  aside.
• Meanwhile,whip the whipping cream and vanilla extract until thick with the help of an electric beater.
• Fold the whipping cream into the cooling chocolate mixture until smooth.
• Pour into glasses or ramekins and refrigerate for few hours.

Recipe source:Nigella Lawson

Strawberry Mousse

Ingredients
1 cup strawberries,chopped
8 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon unflavoured gelatin
A pinch of salt
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

 Method

•  In a bowl  add strawberries and 1 tablespoon sugar and toss gently.
• Process in a food processor until smooth.
• Pour 2 tablespoon water in a large bowl,sprinkle with gelatin and let it stand for 5 minutes.

• Place a saucepan on medium heat and add 6 tablespoon sugar,remaining water and salt .
• Stir well until sugar dissolves and bring to a  boil and cook for about 4 minutes and turn off the flame.
• Add egg whites to gelatin mixture and beat with a hand mixer on high speed until foamy.
• Gradually add 1 tablespoon sugar,beat at high speed until soft peaks form.
• Gradually pour hot sugar syrup into egg white mixture,beating first at medium speed and then at high speed until stiff peaks form.

• Add vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl add cream and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Fold 1/4 of egg white mixture into whipped cream then fold the remaining.
• Fold in the strawberry mixture.
• Spoon the mousse into desert glasses and chill for 2 hours or until set.