Ingredients for chocolate cupcakes:
Unsweetened cocoa pwd ( Hershey's cocoa)- 50 gms -( available in khan market),
Boiling hot water- 240 ml,
All purpose flour or maida-175gms( sieved),
Baking pwd- 2tsp,
Butter - 113 gms,
White powdered sugar- 200 gms,
Vanilla essence- 2 tsp,
Egg- 2.
Topping-
Chocolate fudge frosting,
Butter cream frosting,
Gems,
Marshmallow( white )- 1 large piece( available in khan market).
Method:
Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C
Stir together boiling water and cocoa pwd in a bowl or jar till smooth.
Leave it to cool to room temperature.
In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking pwd.
In a bowl of your mixer ,beat the butter ans sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time beating until smooth ( few minutes ).
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Beat in the vanilla essence.
Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated.
Then add the cocoa mixture and mix gently with a wooden spoon.
Transfer to a wire whisk and mix gently till smooth.
Fill each cup 2/3 with the batter and bake for 16 to 20 minutes.
Insert toothpick to check ,it should come out clean.
Take out from oven and leave it to cool completely on wire rack.
Makes 16 chocolate cupcakes.
Chocolate fudge frosting:
Coarsely chopped chocolate- 120 gms,
Butter - 150 gms ( room temperature),
Icing sugar- 160 gms,
vanilla essence- 1 and 1/2 tsp.
Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water .
As the chocolate melts remove from heat.
In a bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy ( 1 minute ).
Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy ( 2 minutes ).
Beat in the vanilla essence.
Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy( 2 to 3 minutes).
(If soft put in the fridge )
Butter cream frosting:
Icing sugar- 230 gms,
Butter- 100 gms ( room temperature),
Vanilla essence-1/4 tsp.
Milk or light cream - 1 tbsp.
Cream the butter until smooth.
Add the vanilla essence.
With the mixer on low speed gradually beat in the the sugar .
Scrape down the sides and add the milk and beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy( 3 to 4 minutes)
Mummy cupcakes.
when the cupcakes are completely cool ,put them in the fridge for half hour.( since the weather is warm ,it helps in decorating the cupcakes with the frosting.
Take a piping bag fitted with a wide flat nozzle size 11 .
Fill the bag with butter cream frosting according to the requirement.
Fill another piping bag with butter cream frosting with size 3 nozzle.
Take out the chocolate cupcakes from the fridge and place them on a tray.
With the nozzle 3 size, make big dots on the cupcake to place the gems for mummy's eyes.
Pipe some cream for the nose.
With the piping bag fitted with nozzle 11 size make long strips covering the top of the eyes and likewise make long strips covering the face.
Make few horizonal strips too.
Put in the fridge to set.
Skeleton cupcakes:
Take one marshmallow and cut into small square pieces for the skeleton's head.
Since black gel was not available i have used chocolate fudge to make eyes and mouth using nozzle size 1.
To make the skeleton, pipe in the butter cream frosting with nozzle size 3 .
Using a knife coat the cupcake with chocolate fudge frosting.
Stick the marshmallow head on top.
Make eyes and mouth on the marshmallow with chocolate filled nozzle size1.
Using butter cream frosting with nozzle size 3 make skeleton on the cupcakes.
Skeleton cupcakes are ready.
Put them in the fridge or you can enjoy them right away.
Ingredients:
All purpose flour or maida- 130 gms or 1 cup,
Icing sugar- 35 gms or 1/3 cup ( sifted),
Cold butter - 113 gms or 1/2 cup( cut into small cubes ),
Filling:
Cream cheese- 8 ounce or 227 gms( room temperature ),
Powdered white sugar - 50 gms or 1/4 cup,
Egg -1 ,
Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp,
Topping:
Powdered white sugar- 50 gms or 1/4 cup,
Ground cinnamon- 1/2 tsp,
Green apples - 4 large or 5 medium size, peeled,cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices,
Sliced almonds- 1/2 cup or 50 gms.
Pre heat oven to 450 F or 230 C
Crust:
In the bowl of your mixer place the flour and sugar
Run the mixer for few seconds.( If you have a food processor use that or use mixer or it can be done by hand)
Add the cold butter and run the blade till the dough begins to come together (crumbly) or the butter is slightly soft.
Remove the mixer and mix the dough with your hand so that all the butter is mixed in the dough.
Grease a 9 inch springform pan or a 9 inch pan with butter.
Transfer the dough into the bottom of the springform pan.
Using your finger tip press the dough one inch up sides of the pan.
Rest of the dough,evenly fill the bottom of the pan.
Cover with a cling film or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge,while we make the filling.
Filling:
Put cream cheese in a mixie bowl and run for few seconds to make the cream cheese smooth.
Add the sugar and mix well.
Add the egg and vanilla essence and process until smooth.
Remove the crust from the fridge and pour in the cream cheese filling.
Return the pan to the fridge while we prepare the topping.
Topping:
Put the sliced apples in a large bowl.
Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon powder on the sliced apples.
Take out the pan from the fridge and spoon the apples over the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with almonds.
Place the springform pan on a large baking tray to catch any dripping.
Bake at 450F or 230 C For 10 minutes.
Reduce heat 400 C or 205 C and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is brown,and apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife and the filling is almost set.
Remove from oven and place on wire rack for 15 minutes.
Run the knife around the edges of the crust so that the crust does not break when the pan is removed.
Unlock the springform and remove the tart to cool on wire rack.
Serve at room temperature.
Left overs can covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for few days.
Serves 8 to 10 people.
This is a Hyderabadi dish!
Ingredients:
Chicken- 1 kg( parboiled)
Kashmiri red chilli pwd- 1 and 1/2 tsp,
Garam masala pwd -2 tsp,
Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp,
Green chilli crushed or split- 3,
Coriander leaves chopped-1 small bunch,
Mint leaves chopped- 1/2 bunch ,
Onion sliced - 4 ( sliced and then fried),
Tomato- 2- pureed,
Curd- 1 and 1/2 cup( beaten),
Dry coconut- 1/2 cup,
Cashew nuts- 10,
Poppy seeds- 1tbsp,
Chironji- 1 tsp,
Ghee -2 tbsp,
Oil or ghee - 2 tbsp to fry the sliced onions,
Water - 1/2 cup,
Salt to taste.
( 2 onions which is shown in the above picture is not required in this recipe)
Method:
Put chicken in cooker with 1/2 cup of water ,add 1/2 tsp of salt and put on high pressure ( 1 whisle).close gas.
Take out the chicken from the broth and keep aside in a bowl.Keep the broth.
Heat a pan and dry roast dry coconut,cashew nuts ,poppy seeds and chironji seeds- you can dry roast them separately or together.
Take out and keep aside.
In the same kadahi put 2 tbsp of ghee or oil and fry the onions to brown.Take out in a bowl.
Take out and dry grind the roasted nuts and then add the fried onions and make a coarse paste.
Put the kadhai on the counter and put tomato puree,nut- onion paste,ginger garlic paste,red chilli pwd, garam masala,green chilli split or crushed,coriander leaves,mint leaves, beaten curd and ghee.
Stir and mix.
Put the kadhai on high heat.
Stir and cook for 5 minutes.( put a lid on top, as the gravy will start to splurt all around -stir in between)
After 5 minutes,add the par boiled chicken.
Mix and add salt.( there is already some salt in the chicken when it was boiling)
Pour the broth and as it starts to boil,lower the heat.
Check the seasoning.You can adjust if you like to add more of red chiili or garam masala.
( The original recipe is spicy)
Let it cook for 15 to20 minutes in simmer.
Check the tenderness of the chicken and the consistency.
This recipe has a very thick gravy and has oil in the sides, so you can dry it if you like it.
I have not dried it, as I wanted a little gravy.
As the dish cools the gravy will thicken more.
Enjoy this chicken dish with rice or roti.
