Double chocolate brownies with pecans and Simple Lemon Mousse

Double Chocolate Brownies , i got this recipe from foodnetwork.I pretty much followed the same recipe but replaced dark semisweet chocolate chips with extra pecans.I just love pecans , so add these to whereever possible :D.Just made some chocolate ice cream and again added a good amount of pecans.The funny part is Lil one doesn't like pecans.you can see all the pecans leftover in his plate after he finishes..:D.Enough of pecans..right?.Letz get straight to the recipe.
I made these over last week.

Double chocolate brownies with pecans

Ingredients

Butter (unsalted) - 3 sticks plus 2 tbsp
Bittersweet chocolate - 12 ounze
Eggs - 6
Superfine sugar - 1 3/4 cups
Pure vanilla extract - 1tbsp
All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp
Salt - 1tsp
White chocolate morsels - 1/2c
Pecan halves - 1/2c
Confectioner's sugar - 2tsp (for garnishing)
Baking tin (approximately 11 1/4 inches by 9 inches by 2 inches), sides and base lined with baking parchment.

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat.In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the superfine sugar and vanilla extract.Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate morsels and pecans.Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into the prepared tin.Bake for about 25 min.s.You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey.Garnish with confectioner's sugar.






Simple Lemon Mousse

Ingredients

Instant Lemon Pudding - 1 envelope (i used Jello)
Confectioner's sugar - 1/4 c
Heavy cream - 2 and 1/2 c

Method

Beat Lemon pudding mix,heavy cream and sugar using a hand mixer till soft peaks comes.Refrigerate till serving.I served with sliced strawberries.




Tips:I always keep these instant pudding mix at home for unexpected guests.You can substitute heavy cream with milk and sour cream also.

Super moist Chocalate cake with chocalate mousse topping

It was the superbowl and then it was my birthday.Though Bears couldn't make it through(may be next year), i had a blast yesterday.Bake and cooked so many things that i like most.So all recipes are coming your way.First this super moist chocalate cake with chocalate mousse topping.This recipe is adapted from Food network's Sandra lee's Recipe.It was super moist as the title suggested and that's mainly because of the zuchini..yeap..people..used a vegetable in this cake.Was lilltle bit concerned about adding zuchini to this cake, but did it.Well,it's my birthday and i am baking for myself ..right?..so i get to experiment any way i want.But the result was yummy..Tasted heavenly with chocolate mousse made with instant chocalate pudding.Easy to prepare as all other sandra's recipe.I dedicate this Cake to my mom who's birthday is today and from whom i learned my cooking while making her go insane when i am in her kitchen ..:))





Ingredients

For Cake:
Zuchini - 1 large,finely grated (about 2 cups)
Betty Crocker Super Moist chocolate fudge cake mix - 1 package
Ground cinnamon - 2tsp
Egg - 1 large
Egg whites - 2 large
Plain nonfat yogurt - 3/4 cup (i used my homemade yogurt)
Applesauce - 3/4 cup

For Mousse:
Cram cheese - 6 ounze
2% milk - 1/4 cup
Instant chocolate fudge pudding - 1 (3.9-ounce) package (recommended: Jell-O)
Ground cinnamon - 1 tsp
Whipped topping - 1 (8-ounce) package (recommended: Cool Whip Lite)

Note : The original recipe for mousse calls for 1 (12 ounce) package of silken tofu, since i don't like tofu, i replaced it with some milk and cream cheese.Add cream cheese and milk to the pudding mixture as needed to get that mousse consistency.

Garnish: Chocolate sauce, confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder


Method


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat with cooking spray the bottom only of a 9 by 13 inch glass cake pan. (Again, i didn't have this pan for i used two smaller pans)

FOR CAKE: Set grated zucchini in a mesh strainer over a bowl and lightly press with a spatula to release water. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, cinnamon, eggs, egg whites, nonfat yogurt, and applesauce. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Fold in drained grated zucchini. Pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. When cool, invert cake onto a large plate or platter, and cut cake into 12 large squares with a clean, sharp knife.

FOR MOUSSE TOPPING: While cake is baking, combine cream cheese,milk,pudding mix and cinnamon in a bowl. Using an electric mixer beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping with electric mixer on low speed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Tips: While adding home made yogurt to this cake, first beat it with a fork and then measure and pour it.Serve this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream also.

A birthday and the Super bowl....

SEE YA AFTER THE GAME ....GO BEARS....

Cracked Chocolate Cake :))

Happy Halloween...

Emergency chocolate cake

Got the recipe from one of my cook book.This is very easy to make and can be dressed up using little whipped cream or confectioner's sugar on top.I used some home made colored icing to write on top of it.when i saw the cake was cracked, felt little disappointed, but hey..this is halloween..nothing should look perfect right?



Ingredients


All purpose flour - 2 cups
Sugar - 11/4 cup
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
Cocoa powder - 3/4
Water - 1 1/4 cup
Mayonnaise - 1 cup
Vanilla extract - 1tbsp


Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Lightly coat an 8 inch square cake pan with veg.oil spray.I used rect.pan.Whisk flour,sugar,baking soda togeher in a large bowl.In another bowl, whisk the cocoa and water together until smooth.whisk in the mayo and vanilla.Stir the mayo mixture into the flour mixture until combined.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean abt 35-40 mts.

Weekend baking #5 Spiced Banana nut muffins

Going bananas...yeap..got some left over riped bananas from last week..so for this weekend baking also decided to go bananas..i got this yummy Banana nut muffinrecipe by Tyler from Food Network.I added some nutmeg and cinnamon powder to spice it up...


Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg


Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 2 muffin tins.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon,nutmeg and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.
Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I baked one batch of nuffins and baked another rectangular cake(with some almonds on top) with the same batter.

Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken with our own spices, came out just perfect.I have always wanted to roast a whole chciken with indian style,but never had the courage to try until yesterday.This recipe was adapted version of my good friend's cornish hen roast.She roasts the perfect chicken roast using cornish hen and some veggies stuffed inside the bird.As i like chicken little bit fried in oil, my main change from her version was frying the bird little bit before putting it inside the oven.It came out just delicious.As this was my first time , i didn't measured the exact amount of spices i used.I keep adding it till i was satisfied :)).Again the amount of spices depend on the size of the bird also.Though i used a whole fryer chicken for this recipe, i prefer using a small cornish hen, which would be easy for turning. The highlight of this recipe was the amount of oil used was less than 5tbsp for the whole bird....


Ingredients

Whole chicken - 1 (i used skinlees, u can try with skin also)
Onion- 2 (chopped)
Tomato -2 (chopped)
Green chilly -2 (slit)
Salt- as needed
Oil for frying - 4tbsp


For marination

Chilly powder- as needed
Dania powder - as needed
Turmeric powder - as needed
Ginger garlic paste - as needed
Lemon juice - as needed
Oil- as needed
salt- as needed
red food color - a pinch

Clean Chicken and pat it very dry using paper towels and make slits in the bird using fork.Mix all the above spices listed under marination and make it into a paste.Rub this paste all over the chicken and inside the chicken also.Keep it aside for atleast 3-4 hours.It would be better if you keep it aside in the refrigerator over night.After marinating fully,heat oil in the pan and fry the bird till it's outside becomes brown.Fry on each side.Switch off the stove and move the bird to the roasting pan and keep it inside the oven preheated at 375 degrees.Bake the chicken until well cooked and it should take upto 45-55 min.s.Keep basting the chicken with the drippings collected inthe roast pan every 10 min.s using a brush.This will keep the chicken from drying out.As the chicken is baking, heat the left over oil from frying, add chopped onions,green chillies and fry till onions are golden brown.Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 5 min.s.Add salt,garam masala(optional) and fry for another 3 min.After finished baking, take out the chicken and serve this with sliced onions,the onion-tomato curry and chappathi/roti.

Marinated Chicken frying in oil

Chicken fried on both side and ready for the oven

Baking in the oven

Fully roasted chicken

Weekend baking #4 Banana bread..

Finally something i am proud of in baking..As mentioned earlier,started baking regularly in the weekends.But this weekend 'boz of saraswati pooja, couldn't bake.so baked this delicious Banana Bread yesterday.The recipe was from my new cook book called "America's Test Kithen".Lotz of wonderful and easy recipes in that book.This quick bread is simple to bake with less effort( that's why i chose it :))).



Igredients

All purpose flour- 2 cups
Sugar- 3/4 cup
Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
salt - 1/2tsp
Very ripe bananas - 3(mashed well =1and1/2 cup)
butter - 6 tbsp (3/4 stick) melted and cooled
Eggs - 2 (lightly beaten)
Plain yogurt - 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract - 1tsp
Walnuts - 1 and 1/4 cups (toasted and chopped coarse) (Optional)


Method


Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.Generously coat a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan woth vegetable oil spray.

Whisk the flour,sugar,baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.Whick the mashed bananas,melted butter,eggs,yogurt and vanilla together ina separate bowl.Gently fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined.fold in the nuts(if using).Do not overmix; the batter will look thick and chunky.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs,about 55 minutes.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 min.s before unmolding onto a wire rack to cool for 1 hour.



p.s: I had melted butter in the microwave for abt 2 mins.Mashed bananas with good old tool , "clean hands".You can mash it by using a blender also.You can use frozen bananas for this recipe.

Weekend Baking #3 Ginger Bread

As taking baby steps towards baking, i tried Betty Crocker's Ginger Bread(mix).Well succeeded.The bread came out really well and given me the strength to bake again next weekend...

Corn Muffins..I did it..

As i sworn earlier, i tried baking this weekend with much easy and simple muffin..
Simple..'coz it was straight from the box.I have decided to take baby steps in baking and tried this corn muffin mix this time.Well, it came out very well and i got confident that "i can too".So next step..next weekend..

Baking..not my kinda thing...:(((

Baking cake....haven't tried much before..may be baked two simple cakes in my life time.(But my cookies always turn out ..ok..)Yesterday thought of giving it again a try 'coz last two times i used readymade cake mix and they came out all right.Yesterday baked a simple vanilla sponge cake with some almonds for my friend.This time didn't want to use the cake mix, wanted to start from the scratch.Followed the recipe from Marthastewart.com.The end product looked all right(as you can see in the pic) but it was dry..i don't know how to explain exactly..i feel like having a glass of cold water after eating a piece.My friend(who was being very polite)said the taste is good..poor girl..She was right..there was no problem with the taste ..but dry.....Anyway i am not going to stop trying..i am planning to bake again next weekend..let see..