Eggless Green Tea mousse with Pistachio and Strawberry Verrines

Hi everybody, hope you are all doing good, This will be a quick recipe, with no beautiful clicks as I have been postponing to post anything in my blog for a very good reason, but I have to do two posts today, as today is the deadline of two events which I eventually participate, I have been trying a few things with these two combinations and totally enjoyed it.. , Thanks Kalyani for this beautiful combo, even though I did not make it a healthy one, This was the only recipe I could make it quick and post, well, no further ramblings I will get to the recipe..
This month Kalyani choose two ingredients Green Tea and Pistachios.. for Magic Mingle

GREEN TEA MOUSSE WITH PISTACHIO AND STRAWBERRY VERRINES

GREEN TEA MOUSSE
140 gms  Whipping cream
70 gms white chocolate
1 tbsp Green Tea Leaves
1 tbsp Dolce de Leche
1 tsp Agar powder
2 tbsp of warm water

CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
140 grms Strawberry Puree
140 grms Sugar
1 tsp Agar
3 tbsp Warm water

Whipping cream as required
Pistachio Nuts as required

METHOD
TO MAKE GREEN TEA MOUSSE
In a thick bowl heat cream and tea Leaves until boiling set aside for 30 minutes, strain the tea leaves from cream then whip to soft peak melt chocolate and mix into tea infused cream and set aside.

TO MAKE CREAM-LESS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
Soak Agar powder in  warm water beat keep it aside for few minutes then beat again , Puree strawberry and sugar together heat them in a bowl, add this to the puree and boil for few minutes keep it aside.

Beat whipping cream until soft peaks are formed. chop pistachios and keep aside.

ASSEMBLE

In a glass bowl or any thing you wish to arrange, layer whipping cream, add chopped pistachios, then layer them with Strawberry mousse then layer it with Green tea Mousse then layer it with Whipping cream and pistachios again then top it with Green tea mousse and top it with pistachios again, leave it in the refrigerate an hour or two and serve it cold.
Recipe source from these two blogs with minimal changes from here and matchachocolate.com
It was very sweet said my kids, hope you like it...

Eggless Hot Cross Buns for Easter ( Tangzhong Method )

The wind moving around 70 to 80 miles per hour, has broken my fence off , Sun is playing Hide and seek and the rain pouring down from past two days and the biting cold has driven me mad, It is only here you can see different seasons in one day.  People always talk about weather, even though the weather is not  good, some things make me very happy like  when I have to bake breads, I am not a dessert person, I don't really enjoy baking any kind of desserts but definitely love baking breads, I love trying out new variations, methods, types and from different cuisines and of course around the world, but I need somebody to eat them too.., The problem for me is my kids love eating breads only in their lunch box, otherwise they don't mind eating pizzas. I baked two different breads immediately, when Swathi announced this month's challenge.
I have used Tangzhong method of baking bread previously, and I also have made a separate post on how to make Tangzhong here.  So, I will not be explaining how to do it.
This month swathi of Zesty south Indian Kitchen challenged us to bake Breads using Tangzhong method, for this months Baking Partners Group as I have numerous breads with this method, I chose to bake Hot Cross Buns as we are nearing Easter, Here in Easter you can see these Buns in all Shops, people enjoy this all through Easter and is a favourite for every one, My kids love them and I bake them time to time, as I can use lot of Raisins in them :).. Toast it with some Jam and Mmmm..., super delicious...

HOT CROSS BUNS 
Recipe Source: Christine's Recipes
Tangzhong method minimal changes

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BREAD
350grm Bread flour
35 grms sugar
5 g salt
7 g milk powder
125 ml milk
120 grm Tanzhong ( water Roux )
6 g yeast
30 g butter
100 g Raisins
1/2 tsp mixed spice

FLOUR PASTE:
4 tbsp of plain flour
2 to 2 and 1/2 tbsp of water

TANGZHONG METHOD:
1/3 cup or 50 grms of Bajri flour
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk

Check out the Tangzhong method in this post, I used Bajri flour, funnily it took a bit long time to get that 65 degree and was a bit liquidy than the usual way I make.  I was a bit worried but my bread turned out beautifully no complaints.

METHOD:
Make the Tangzhong and keep aside for it to cool down.
In a large bowl take yeast and warm water and leave it for few minutes, you will notice bubbles forming, this is to make sure the yeast is still active.
Now to this add all the other Ingredients listed above except for Raisins and knead it into a soft dough, It might be a bit sticky but kneading it well enough with the help of little flour by just dipping your hand in it now and then makes into a pliable dough.
Oil a bowl and leave it for its first rise around 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, once it is double in size punch it down and spread the dough on the kitchen table and spread Raisins on it and slowly knead it into the dough.

Preheat the oven to 190 degree / 375 dF / Gas Mark 6
Make 6 rolls and leave it for a second rise on a baking parchment, for further an hour.
Make flour paste, add water little by little to the plain flour and make it into a semi thick paste, fill this into a piping bag and make a cross over the Buns.
Give them all a milk wash and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes according to your oven.

Lo!, your Hot cross buns...
                                                            Hot Cross Buns
                                                            Hot Cross Buns
                                                            One a penny two a penny
                                                             Hot cross Buns.....

Who want Hot Cross Buns... ?, At last I could post this recipe.., I keep postponing to post all my  recipes even though I cook or bake them, Good God! I have posted them before Easter.....
Here are few more of my posts with this method.., I have a few more which I have not been able to post till..

Tangzhong (water Roux) for  Bread Baking
Paneer and Mint flavoured Garlic Rolls
Eggless Chocolate Coronets
Pear, Nuts and Dried fruits in Swirl rolls

c you soon with an other recipe...
This is also yeast spotted !! :)

Eggless Mixed Fruit Tart with a surprise filling..

Hi everybody, Hope you are doing well, Here is a quick post for you which I made quickly to join the blogger's buzz team, I was unable to search for my step-wise-photos, for time constraint  please stay tuned in and I will update this post soon.  But here is a quick recap of how I made it.. Hope they will accept my entry as I am a day late :).

EGGLESS MIXED FRUIT TART

FOR THE PASTRY CASE:
1 cup Plain flour
65 gms butter
1/8th tsp salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 + 1 tbsp water

FOR THE FILLING :
1/2 cup Plain Flour
3 tbsp of melted butter
1/2 + 3 tbsp sugar
1/8th tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tbsp Yogurt
2 tbsp Soya Custard**
1 tbsp Hot water
1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence
A pinch of Yellow food colouring (optional )

FRUITS FOR DECORATING
125gms Blue Berries
1/2 cup Rasberries
2 Fresh Apricots
1/4 cup of Melon
1/4 cup of Persimmon
6 Large Strawberries
1 Kiwi
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp water

METHOD:
TO MAKE THE PASTRY
First of all Mix everything under Pastry except water they will be like crumbles now start adding water until it is well combined to make it into a dough not too soft or not too stiff. cover it with a cling film and allow it to chill in the fridge.

TO MAKE THE FRUIT DECORATION
Meanwhile In a large sauce pan take 2 tbsp of Honey and water to this add 1/4 cup of sugar and start warming it up keep stirring until all the sugar dissolves now add the Blue berries and cook carefully until they are soft but doesn't loose their shape when 1/2 way through add chopped Apricots ( I added Apricots as they were tart, if they are quite sweet you can just use it as it is).
After few minutes switch off the stove and drain them out through a strainer and keep aside.  To this sauce add Raspberries, shake them a bit so all of them get coated, now leave them in the pan.

TO MAKE THE FILLING
Meanwhile take little Tart tins apply butter all over  and keep aside until need. Now Take out the dough from the fridge make little balls and roll out  little disc shapes, Take these little rounds and carefully place them on the tart tins and press all over the sides, with the help of a fork prick the bottom of the tarts, don't make holes just give a prick all over.
Top all the 6 Tarts with Baking parchment and add Baked bean balls on top of it and bake these Tarts for 15 minutes on Gas Mark 3 / 170 degrees
once done take out these Tarts on to a wiring rack to cool down, after 5 minutes, remove the baked beans and the baking parchment and allow it to cool down a bit.
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3
Meanwhile when it is cooling down In a bowl take Plain flour, to this add Bicarbonate of soda and Baking powder, a pinch of salt mix well and keep aside. In another bowl take melted butter, sugar, soya custar, yogurt and mix well together, add a tbsp of Hot water and mix well.
Scoop this above cake mixture in a spoon and spread them evenly on all the tarts, Put them back in the oven and allow them to cook for an other 20 minutes,
Beautiful cake forms on top of the tarts, once done, switch off the Gas and take them out leave them on a cooling rack.after 5 minutes remove them all from the tart tins.

ASSEMBLING THE MIXED FRUIT TART
Slice of the top portion the cake nicely, and remove the top portion, take the cooked Blueberries, Raspberries, Apricots and arrange them on the tart shell as you desire.
Now either serve them just as it is otherwise with the help of tea strainer, sprinkle some Icing sugar on top of it and serve them.

These little Individual tarts were not only beautiful to look but also tasted very nice.
The sweet tart and cake inside the tart and the sweet fruit filling was divine..

Sending this to Blogger's Buzz, I am joining them and so looking forward to it...

Dal Dahi Vada Chat

 Hi everybody, Hope you are all doing well, today I am here with a new recipe and also new way to shop, to all my Indian readers and bloggers, Shopping is what we all love to do, everybody like to shop, and each of us have different tastes and interest right ? If you ask me anywhere I go or if I go through online I always keep looking at kitchen things and Ingredients, vegetables and fruits from different cuisines and around the world.  what are your interests in shopping, Check out this website Cuponation for hundreds of bargains on online shopping with loads of coupons to enjoy shopping Immensely. Jabong and Myntra are two sites in this website.  Linking this recipe to Bharathy's first event, check out her blog and Enjoy shopping.
This recipe is not something new as I said earlier, A new wine in an old bottle, A slight twist to our authentic Urad Dal vada recipe, A twist which our customers loved, so  has come to e-book, as my judges, critics showed a thumbs up sign, It all started with something I promised my kids I would prepare it when they came back from college, Now, what was it , It is something everybody loves , Gobi Manchurian, my kids love it as everybody who has tasted it do, It is a fusion of Indo-chinese cooking, but,  decided to make something else, ( Just like I twist my reicpes!!).   When Kalyani announced this month's Magic mingle - Urad dal and Lemon, I have been thinking, and I came up with this, I was a bit worried to post, as one of the posts I made with Haldiram's samosa and turned it into a chat, one of the readers thought that it was ridiculous to make chat like that, Personally I feel their is no such specific recipe that you have to make chat only with these, right ?.  In Bangalore we have so many chat center's and you would be surprised to know the different kind of chats people make, eat and enjoy.  Thinking in that line I thought why not when you like Vada, Dahi in your chat why not turn it into a chat., to make slightly healthier I added some more Dals to it, But, it totally your choice to make it the way you want to give it a twist.., I will give you some variations in the end.
Coming to my recipe.. what and how I made it. read through...

URAD DAL VADA CHAT

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE VADAS
1 Cup Urad Dal
2 tbsp Channa dal
1 tbsp Moong dal
2 tbsp cup Horse Gram / Kollu
1 tbsp Poha / Avalakki /thick flattened Rice flakes
1/4 cup +2 tbsp water
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 capsicum / Pepper
3 to 4 Green chillies
1 tsp coarsely crushed Pepper
1'' Fresh Ginger
salt as required ( 1 and 1/2 tsp)
A pinch of Asafoetida
A pinch of Baking soda

FOR THE CHAT
2 Carrots finely grated
2 Onions chopped fine
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp Lemon juice
2 to 4 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Chat masala powder

FOR GARNISHING
Fine Sev and spiced Mixture ( I have used murmura mixture) as required
Sweet Chutney
Green Chutney

FOR DAHI MASALA
1 Cup of fresh thick Yogurt / Dahi / soy yogurt
1/w tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Chat masala
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Chilli powder ( as required)

METHOD:

FOR MAKING VADAS
Soak Urad dal, channa dal, moong dal and Horse gram for 3 hours.  Wash and soak poha saperately.
Chop Capsicum / green pepper, Green chillies, curry leaves and crushed Black Pepper.
Grind all the soaked Ingredients above with ginger and poha in it. use very little water, by sprinkling or tbsp water now and then, and grinding it into a smooth paste,
Important point: Do not add too much water, this will make the batter obsorb more oil and vadas will be very oily and kind of losses its texture, Once it is completely grinded well, you will notice that batter when picked will not stick to your hands, it will fluffy.

Once the batter is ready add all the other Ingredients mix well and fry them in hot oil, make small round balls with a small hole in the middle and fry them. Heat the oil, hold your palm on top of the oil ( not very close ), when you feel the heat that means your oil is hot, keep the flame to medium add a drop of the batter to check if it is hot, within a few seconds if the batter springs on to the top that means your oil is perfect. Now fry the batter as vadas, once they are golden red in colour, take them out of the oil and drain them on a kitchen paper.

METHOD TO MAKE THE CHAT
Grate carrots, chop onion, and all the other Ingredients under chat mix well and keep aside, do not add salt.
Once the vadas are ready add salt and lemon juice to the chat otherwise it will start giving out water, so add it in the end mix well just before serving.

METHOD TO MAKE DAHI MASALA
Take 1 or 2 cups of Plain Yogurt / Dahi in a bowl to this add little salt ( not too much as vada, chat mixture all have salt in it ), then add required quantity to chat masala, chilli powder, sugar accordingly as required to the quantity of Yogurt you are using. Above I have give for the quantity of one cup mix well and use.

ASSEMBLING DAL DAHI VADA CHAT
Cut the vadas horizontally into half, place them on a plate, sprinkle the chat mixture on top of it, then add the sev or some spicy mixture on top of it, add sweet chutney, green chutney as required to the Dal vada, you can enjoy the chat as it is or you can add Dahi Masala to it and enjoy the chat.

We all loved the chat with Dahi / Yogurt Masala, it was very tasty.  So, I decided to call this Dal Dahi Vada Chat.
This was my chat as I just ate one (a little bit one was mine!!) , cut the vadas horizontally into half, sprinkle the chat on top of it as shown in the pictures, then pour Dahi Masala on top of it. Enjoy...

This Chat goes to Magic Mingle of Kalyani's this month she gave us Urad dal and Lemon juice., tune in I have some more recipes on this combo..

VARIATION: You can just make this with only Urad dal,  You can omit capsicum/peppers from this above recipe, Make it VEGAN by not using Yogurt in this recipe or you can use soy yogurt.

Eggless & Vegan Danish Cream Cake - Drommekage fra Brovst

I think this is the month of Dutch specialties  Yes, I will be posting an other one, which I baked but I haven't posted.  Already this post is 1 day late, This is a very delicious cake I baked,  so say our customers (@home!!), and they recommend my cake to our friends as well, My kids have been praising me so much, they just loved the coconut in it.., If your coconut maniac like me you will just love this, I myself couldn't resist eating it.

As always I have changed the recipe to Baking it Eggless and also made it vegan.  I was a bit scared how it turns out.., to my astonishment, it was a total success.

Before going on to my cake recipe, I have to tell you that this might be not your choice of cake, as I have used a different flour, you might not want to try it out, If you don't like you can just stick on with All purpose flour / Maida flour / plain flour.  The cake was a bit chewy but so so soft couldn't believe it.

This is how I made it..

EGGLESS AND VEGAN DANISH CREAM CAKE - DROMMEKAGE FRA BROVST
Recipe source : Diana's Desserts

INGREDIENTS:

125 gms Self Raising flour

100 gms Barley Flour*

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup oil / coconut oil / soya spread

200 ml Coconut milk ( I used ready made )
1/4 soya custard milk ( or use just 1/4 cup warm water)

1 tbsp Apple cider Vinegar

300 grms coconut Palm sugar

1 tsp Vanilla essence

FOR THE TOPPING 
100 grms dessicated coconut
225 grms of brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered oats
1 tbsp coconut oil

METHOD:
Preheat Gas Mark 4 / 180 C**
Grease a baking 8 - 9'' square or round tin with parchment paper and keep it ready.
Take all the dry Ingredients in a large bowl both the flours, baking powder and baking soda, sieve them all well together and keep aside.
.In an other bowl take coconut milk, vanilla essence, oil, Apple cider and coconut sugar, beat them all until well combined.
Immediately start adding the dry Ingredients in little quantities, until all of them is incorporated completely.
Pour this batter into the tin and bake for 20 - 25 minutes ***, until well baked or a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Meanwhile when it is baking make the topping and keep it ready.
Once the cake is ready remove it from the oven, leave the oven to 200 degree / Gas mark 5.
Spread the topping on top of the baked cake, put it back into the oven and bake it for an other 10 minutes, Remove it from the oven cut it into squares and serve it.

This total is not exactly a Danish cream cake, I have changed to my liking as this was a  challenge, we have made it Eggless according to the challenge.  To make it more healthier I have used Barley flour.  If you want the real Danish cream cake, check the link above and make this wonderful cake.  You will definitely love it.

VARIATION AND NOTES:
*I have used Barley flour for healthy baking you can just substitute with plain flour which might have a superb  texture and won't
** I baked this in Gas mark 3, as always I say my oven gets too hot and burns loads of my baking!!
*** As I baked it in lower Gas mark, I had to bake it for around 30-35 minutes.

VERDICT:
The cake was bit chewy, but very delicious, If you love coconut, this is the cake for you, My kids really loved it so much, I had never seen my children eating dessert immediately after food, they ate promptly and recommended to my friends too...
something new and something you should know...
I have used coconut palm sugar, which is not too sweet, it  was quite expensive, I started searching about this product and I have come to know much about it, I will do a post about this soon.., After that you can decide do you want to use it or not, I thought I could recommend it  to people with diabetes, even though it has low GI Index, it is high in fructose, as Googling I found out that sugar is sugar, and use it less is good.  This has a Caramalized taste, It is not too sweet, so your cake will not be too sweet, you can substitute ordinary sugar, brown sugar, caster sugar etc.., It is golden brown in colour and is unprocessed.

Sending this also to Anu's Healthy Recipe Substitution event
and Bake fest #16 of Vardhini's hosted by surabhi of My cook book