Christmas Fruit Cake

Christmas Fruit Cake 

Chritmas fruit cake is delicious, moist, super soft, aromatic cake. I'm sure while baking this cake...the flavours will definitely invite your neighbour's to knock the door.

This is an eggfree, butter milk cake with dried fruits and nuts soaked in tea decoration.

Soaking dried fruits 

http://swadishtkitchen.blogspot.com/2021/12/soaked-dried-fruits-for-christmas-fruit.html

Ingredients:

Dried fruits - 120 gms (mix of berries, raisins, appricot, glaze cherries, dried gooseberry, black raisins, tutti frutti.

Nuts - 30 gms (cashew, almond, walnuts)

Whole wheat flour - 1+1/4 cup (140 gms)

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Buttermilk - 1/4 cup

Oil  - 1/3 cup

Brown sugar - 120 gms

Tea decoration - 1/2 cup

Orange zest - 1/4 tsp

Lemon zest - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Spices - cinnamon, cardamom, clove, mace ( yo can add while making tea decoration / as. Powder while mixing the batter.

Method

1 cup = 120 gms (flour)

# Sieve whole wheat flour and baking powder for 3-4 times.

# Soak dried fruits and nuts in tea decoration for over night / 2-3 hrs. 

Pl. check the method by clicking the link.

# Put the soaked dried fruits and nuts in siever for 1-2 hrs.

# Mix oil and brown sugar. Add butter milk, soaked dried fruits and nuts, lemon zest, orange zest, vannila essence.

# Preheat microwave convection oven at 150'c.

# Mix sieved flour in two batches.

#Grease baking tin with oil/ butter.

# Pour the cake batter.

#Bake at 150'c for 1 hr / until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

# Demold after 5-10 minutes.

Allow it to cool down completely on a wire rack.

Slice the Cake and enjoy with family and friends.

Do try and provide your comments.

Thank you!

Soaked dried fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake

Soaked Dried fruits for Christmas Fruit Cake

Dried fruits soaked in tea decoration for 24 hrs.

Delicious, rich, soft, moist, super aromatic Christmas Fruit Cake. For Christmas Cake dried fruits plays one of an important ingredient. I've already shared an eggfree Christmas cake with dried fruits soaked in orange juice. 

You can soak dried fruits in fresh orange juice/ store bought orange/ grapes juice. 

http://swadishtkitchen.blogspot.com/2017/12/eggless-christmas-cake-whole-wheat-flour.html

Today I'm sharing a tea infused / tea decoction in which dried fruits and nuts are soaked. This gives a wonderful flavour to the Christmas Fruit Cake.

Dried fruits and nuts:

You can choose any mix of dried fruits which you prefer / easily / affordable. Such as:

Raisins, black raisins, sultanas, blue berries, cranberries, prunes, glazed cherries, dates, dried apricots, candid fruits such as gooseberries/ amla, tutti-fruty.

I have added 1/4 cup of each dried fruits and nuts.

Chopped nuts:

Walnuts, cashew, almond, pistachio.

Spices:

Cinnamon, clove, mace, cardamom

Chopped nuts and dried fruits:

Chop dried fruits to small / 1cm in size.

To make tea decoration:

Boil 500 ml of water/ 2 cups, add 3-4 tsp of tea powder/ leaves, whole cinnamon 2 inch, 3-4 cloves, less than 1/4 tsp of grated mace, 3 cardamom. Boil until it becomes a thick decoction. It takes approximately 10-12 minutes. Strain the decoction and allow it to cool down completely.

Container to soak dried fruits:

Always use sterilised glass containers to soak dried fruits and nuts.

Soaking:

Add the chopped dried fruits and nuts to the tea decoration, give a good mix cover it with a lid and allow it to soak well. You can soak  minimum of 2-3 hrs. Or overnight is fine. 

If you wish to soak for couple of days / for a week then store it in refrigerator. 

The dried fruits will be pulpy, oozy, boozy.

You can add nuts while soaking / can add while preparing the batter as it gives a nice crunch. I always add half the quantity while soaking and add some while mixing the batter.

Do try this method of soaking dried fruits and nuts for Christmas Fruit Cake and provide your comments.

Notes:

Always strain the soaked dried fruits and nuts and add to the cake batter. If you feel the batter is very thick, can add a tablespoon of soaked liquid. If you add soaked dried fruits will liquid in cake batter it may become runny / cake can be soggy in texture.

Khara Buns / Masala Buns

Khara Buns / Masala Buns

Spicy, soft, aromatic, tasty buns which are perfect snacks served with a cup of coffee/ tea. These are made with whole wheat flour and semolina. 

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 200 gms/ 1+3/4 cup

Semolina - 160 gms / 1 cup

Jaggery powder / sugar- 1.5 tablespoons

Instant active yeast - 1 tsp

Milk powder - 1.5 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds/ jeera - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Finely chopped onion - 1 medium size

Finely chopped ginger - 1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - few

Butter / ghee - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Water - 3/4 - 1 cup

Method:

# Mix semolina, whole wheat flour, milk powder, jaggery powder, yeast.

# Add 3/4 cup water mix well with spatula.

# Cover with a lid and allow it to proof for 1 hr. As we have added Semolina it will be difficult to knead a dough.

# Once it doubles in size. Punch down, remove excess air, add oil and start kneading the dough.

If the dough is very sticky add some flour and knead. 

# Add salt, onion, turmeric powder,chillies, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, ginger and knead well. It takes 15 minutes approximately to get a soft texture.

# Grease baking tin with oil.

# Shape the dough to marble size balls and arrange them in baking tin.

# Cover and allow it to proof for 20-25 minutes.

# Preheat microwave convection mode @ 190'c.

# Once it doubles in size, brush some milk and bake @ 190'c for 20-22 minutes.

# Once baked apply butter / ghee. 

# Give a 5 minutes of resting time, demold on wire rack and allow it to cool down completely.

Enjoy with hot tea / coffee.

Please do try and provide your comments.

Thank you!

Marble Bread

Marble Bread

Marble Bread made with whole wheat flour. This looks complicated but this is very easy to make.

Notes:

* All ingredients should be in room temperature.

* 1 cup = 125 gms

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - 180gms / 1.5 cups

Semolina - 100 gms

Jaggery powder - 1.5 tsp

Instant active dry yeast - 1.5 tspMilk powder - 2 tablespoons

Cocoa powder - 1.5 tsp

Salt - 1tsp

Oil - 2 tablespoons

Water - 120 ml approx / as it is required.

Method:

# Mix whole wheat flour, semolina, milk powder, yeast, jaggery powder, salt. 

# Make a well in the centre add 3/4 cup water and knead a dough. Initially it will be dry... you can sprinkle water and knead a dough. It takes 15-17 minutes to get a soft elastic dough. Add 1 tsp of oil after 10 minutes of kneading. When dough becomes slightly sticky add a tsp of oil. 

# Divide the dough in two equal parts.

# Add cocoa powder to one part of dough and knead for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle water and knead a dough. 

# Apply oil in both dough and cover it with a lid, allow it to proof for 1 hr. (As long as it takes to double in size)

# After it doubles in size punch down and remove excess air.

# Knead both dough separately for 2-3 minutes.

# Grease you baking tin with oil / butter.

# Sprinkle some wheat flour / oil in a plate / working surface. Take the cocoa dough make a rectangular shape....you can use a rolling pin or your hands to shape them.

# Same way make a rectangular shape of the other dough.

# Wet your hands and smear the plain dough then place the cocoa bread dough and press well as shown in the figure.

# Roll tightly and make a log shape. Pinch the edges well.

# Place the log in greased baking tin.

# Cover it with a lid and allow it to proof. For 20-25 minutes / it should touch the rim of baking tin.

Preheat oven / microwave convection oven @ 190'c.

# Give a milk wash and bake @ 190'c for 30 minutes.

# Once baked leave it for 5-7 minutes.

# Demold and allow it to cool down completely on wire rack.

# Slice the bread after 2-3 hrs.

Try this recipe and pour your comments.

Thank you!

Angaya Podi

Angaya Podi / Powder

Angaya podi is one of the most important dish which is served to a mother during Post delivery. This medicinal podi which is served with steamed rice, hot ghee/ gingerly oil. This is a best medicine for those who are suffering from digestion.

I'm sharing my mother-in-laws version of preparing this delicious Angaya Podi / powder.

Ingredients:

Sundakkai / Turkey berries - 2 tablespoons

Manathakkali Vathal/ black night shade berries - 2 tablespoons

Vepam poo / dry neem flower - 1 tablespoon

Pepper corns - 1 tablespoon

Jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

Dhania / Corriader seeds - 1 tablespoon

Toor dal - 1.5 tablespoons

Salt - 1 tsp / as per your taste

Asafatedia - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - handful

Method:

# Dry roast all the ingredients one after another...on medium flame. You will get a nice aroma when you dry roast the ingredients one after another.

# Allow it to cool down completely.

# Make a fine powder and store in an airtight container.

Notes:

Donot roast all ingredients together...they may not roast well / may burn.

Do try and provide your comments.

Thank you!

Brownies

Brownies

Brownies are dense, rich, fudgy, chewy, chocolatee in taste and texture. When you bake for longer time it becomes more like a cake. The perfect texture depends upon the baking time.

Today I'm sharing a healthy brownies made with whole wheat flour and palm jaggery. You can substitute with normal jaggery / brown sugar / cane sugar.

Notes:

1 cup = 120 gms (flour)

1 cup = 200 gms ( jaggery / sweetner

Baking tin - 8' rectangular shape

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat flour - 180 gms / 1.5 cups

Palm jaggery - 100 gms / 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Cocoa powder - 2.5 tablespoons

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Chocolate - 150 gms

Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

Melted butter/ melted ghee - 120 ml

Peanut butter - 2 tablespoons

Milk - 2-3 tablespoons

Method:

# Sift whole wheat flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt for 4-5 times.

# Add 1/4 cup of water to palm jaggery and melt. Fillter the palm jaggery syrup to remove impurities.

# In a wide bowl add melted ghee, palm jaggery syrup chopped chocolate, vannila essence. Switch on the stove and mix together until you get a sauce consistency. 

# Allow it to rest for 5 minutes / until it becomes warm.

# Grease you baking tin with oil / butter/ use butter paper.

# Preheat microwave convection oven @ 170'c.

# Add sifted flour to the chocolate sauce / wet ingredients in two batches.

# It will be very thick in consistency add 2-3 tablespoons of warm milk and mix well.

# The batter should be thicker than pouring consistency. Pour the brownie batter in the greased baking tin.

# Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and spread it with a spoon. You can add some chopped walnuts / chocolate chips.

# Bake @ 170'c for 20-23 minutes. Check by inserting a knife / toothpick...it should slightly stick. 

# Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes. Demold on wire rack and let it cool down completely.

Cut the Brownies and serve with tea/ coffee / milk.

Please do try and provide your comments.

Thank U!

Badusha/ Balushahi

Badusha / Balushahi ( Airfried Version)

Badusha / Balushahi are crispy, flaky from outside and soft, juicy from inside. This is a very popular sweet recipe which is made in India for festivals like Diwali, Dusshera, Holi etc. 

I'm sure we all try to make healthy, simple, easy recipes for festivals...this is made with whole wheat flour and jaggery syrup which is Airfried. The same recipe can also be deep fried / baked.

With this measurement you will get 15-17 badusha's.

Notes:

* You can bake these badusha's @ same temperature as mentioned below.

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat flour - 1 cup / 130 gms

Ghee / melted butter - 1/2 cup

Curd - 2 tablespoons

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Jaggery - 3/4 - 1 cup

Chilled Water - 1/2- 3/4 cup (125 ml)

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

# Cream ghee, curd and baking soda.

# Add whole wheat flour mix well. Sprinkle chilled water make a dough. Donot knead just bring together.

# Cover the dough, let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

# Boil jaggery and water. Filter it to remove impurities. 

# Boil for 5-7 minutes, add cardamom. You need 1 string consistency. Switch off.

# Preheat Airfrier@140'c for 5-7 minutes.

# Make lemon size balls and press gently in the centre.

# Arrange them in Airfrier and fry @ 140'c for 20 minutes.

# Once badusha's are fried soak them in warm jaggery syrup for just 10 minutes.

# After 10 minutes arrange them in a plate and allow it to rest for 1-2 hrs.

Serve Badusha's and provide your comments.

Thank U!