Saturday 29 June 2013

Mississippi mud bars

For Tia.
she loved the chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow topping!

So now bars for her!

The  thin layer of cake with roasted marshmallows and walnuts makes the bar crisp and crunchy!

Ingredients:
Melted butter- 1/2 slab ( 50 gms ) margarine + 1/2  slab ( 50 gms ) salted butter ( if margarine is not available you can use butter ),
Sugar - 1 cup,
Unsweetened cocoa pwd- 1/4 cup,
Egg -2 ( lightly beaten ),
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp,
All purpose flour or maida - 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup ( sifted ),
Walnuts ( roasted )- 1 cup ( chopped ),
Marshmallows - 1 pkt - 150 gms.


Ingredients for chocolate frosting:
Icing sugar - 225 gms,
Milk - 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp,
Butter ( melted )- 4 tbsp,
Cocoa pwd - 2 and 1/2 tbsp.


Note : Since mini marshmallows were not available,I have used big ones and then cut them into small sizes with kitchen scissors.
Method :

Grease your jelly roll pan or tray with butter- sides and bottom (  tray size approx 13x8 - medium size )
Pre heat oven to 350 F or 180 C
Whisk together melted butter and sugar in a bowl.


Add sifted cocoa pwd,lightly beaten egg,1/2 tsp of vanilla essence.
Whisk together so that it is evenly mixed.
Remove the wire whisk and add the flour and chopped roasted walnuts.
With a spatula,fold in the flour and walnuts lightly.
On a greased tray ,pour the batter and with a spoon or knife evenly spread it.
Since it is tray the thickness of the cake will be thin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and evenly spread the marshmallows on the top of the cake.
Bake for another 5 to 7 minutes to lightly roast the marshmallows.
Once the marshmallows are lightly roasted ,remove from oven.
Drizzle the chocolate frosting over the marshmallows as you take out the tray.
Leave it to cool completely on wire rack.
Once cool,keep in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up for cutting.
Run a knife around the edges and make 5 vertical and 3 horizontal cuts.
Insert a flat broad knife under the cake and take out one square and then it will be easy to take out the rest.
Enjoy the bars fresh and the rest can be kept in the fridge.

Chocolate frosting:
Beat the icing sugar,melted butter,cocoa pwd and milk  together with a beater for 3 to 4 minutes to make it smooth and shinny.
You can add more milk and butter if the batter is stiff.
Sweetness of the sugar is up to you.
Just taste it and adjust according to your liking.
Makes 20 bars.

Saturday 15 June 2013

Cocoa brownies


This recipe is from Joy of Baking.com!
These brownies are pure chocolate squares with very little flour used!

Ingredients:
Butter ( salted ) - 10 tbsp or 140 gms,
White granulated sugar- 1 and 1/4 ( 250 gms ),
Unsweetened cocoa pwd- 3/4 cup or 75 gms,
Vanila essence- 1tsp,
Eggs-2,
All purpose flour- 1/2 cup or 65 gms,
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp,
Yogurt - 2 tbsp,
Light cream- 2 tbsp 
( I have filled 1/4 measuring cup with 2 tbsp of yogurt and 2 tbsp of cream )
If sour cream is available use 1/4 cup instead of yogurt and cream.
Semi sweet chocolate chips- 1/2 cup or 85 gms.




Method:
Take a 8 inch square pan and line it with aluminium foil and it should be hanging 2 inches over the sides so that you can lift the brownies from the pan.

Grease the sides of the foil and  the bottom with butter.
Pre heat oven to 325 F or 165 C
Microwave the butter in a cup or medium size bowl for a minute to melt it.
Pour the melted butter in a bowl.
Stir in the sugar ( I always grind my sugar since they are big crystals).
Stir with a wire whisk for few seconds.
Add the sifted cocoa powder.
Mix and then add the vanilla essence.


Add the eggs one at a time and beat till the batter is nice and shinny ( 30 to 40 second )

In another bowl sift the flour and baking soda.
Remove the wire whisk and  lightly fold in the flour mixture to the cocoa batter.
Once the flour is mixed,pour the yogurt cream mixture and the chocolate chips.
 Mix and the pour the batter into the pan.
With a knife smooth the top.


Give a light tap and bake for 30 minutes or a tooth pick inserted in the center,comes out with moist crumbs.
If you over bake it ,the brownies will be hard.
Start checking a few minutes before the full baking time.

Take out from oven and leave it to cool to room temperature.
 Cover and put in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
Lift the foil from the pan.
Place it on a cutting board and remove the sides and then with a knife cut into 16 squares.
Enjoy and keep the rest in the fridge.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Mango muffins

This recipe is from Caribbean Pot!
There are only few recipes using ripe chunk mangoes for baking!

You have to pick firm ripe mangoes,so that they do not turn into pulp during baking.

Ingredients:
Ripe,firm mango-1 - peeled and chopped,
 Fresh pineapple - 1/2 cup - chopped- ( optional ),
All purpose flour- 2 cups,
Granulated ( powdered ) sugar- 1/2 cup - ( it depends on the sweetness of mango and pineapple,
Baking pwd- 1 tbsp,
Salt -1/4 tsp,
Milk -1 cup,
Canola or any flavourless oil - 1/4 cup,
Egg -2,
Vanilla essence- 1tsp.





Method:
Spray or line paper liners on your muffin pan.
Pre heat oven to 190 C.
Sieve flour through wire mesh.
Add baking pwd and salt.
You can make this batter without using the blender.
Use a wire whisk to beat the eggs.
I have used the blender to beat eggs.
Beat for a minute to make it light and fluffy.
Add the sugar and beat for 30 seconds.
Add vanilla and oil.
Beat for a second.
Add flour in three stages and milk in two.
Start with flour  and end with flour.
Just beat for a second in between the mixing.
Remove the blender and using a flat spatulla, lightly fold in the ripe mangoes and pineapple.
Using a icecream scooper pour the batter, filling 2/3 of each cup.
Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Check after 20 minutes.
If you like a brown crust bake for 25 minutes.
Take out and leave it for 5 minutes on wire rack to cool.
Using a fork or knife take out the muffins and cool on wire rack.
You can make the muffins without using a paper liner,just grease the cups.

These muffins are not very sweet and you can dust with icing sugar on top if the mangoes or pineapple chunks are not very sweet.

Using fresh fruits in baking gives the muffins a soft  texture and fruity taste.
Makes -15 muffins.
Keep in the fridge and consume quickly as the filling has fresh fruits in it!




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