Strawberry Meringue Torte

A yummy two layer torte with Strawberry jelly between the layers and a meringue frosting.

Ingredients:
Yellow, white or lemon flavored cake mix - 1 package (about 1lb. 3oz.)
Strawberry jelly - about 3/4 cup
Egg Whites - 4
Salt - 1/8 Tsp
Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup


Procedure :
1) Make a two-layer cake from cake mix as directed. Bake and cool.
2) Spread the strawberry jelly on one layer and carefully place the second layer on top. set aside
3) Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
4) Gradually add brown sugar; beat until stiff.
5) Frost sides and top of the cake with this meringue.
6) Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Alteration to this recipe can be made using Orange marmalade or Pineapple jelly instead of strawberry jelly for filling in between the layers.

Milk Chocolate Pie

This Pie is creamy and smooth and for a chocoholic like me.....it's heaven.

Ingredients:
Single crust for a 9-inch pie:
Sifted Flour - 1 1/3 cups
Sugar - 5 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Shortening (I prefer butter) : 1/3 cup
Water - 2 1/2 -3 Tbsp

Ingredients for filling:
Bar (14 oz) of milk chocolate - 1
Milk - 2 1/4 cups
Cornstarch - 2 Tbsp
Flour - 2 Tbsp
Salt - Dash
Egg Yolks, well beaten - 2
Butter - 1 Tbsp
Whipped cream, sweetened and flavored - as desired

Procedure
Pie Crust :
1) Sift flour and salt into a bowl
2) Add half the shortening
3) Cut into flour until mixture resembles corn meal, use pastry blender or two knives.
4) Add the remaining shortening and cut into flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas.
5) Sprinkle the smallest measure of water over the flour tossing lightly with a fork.
6) Stir vigorously as you add more water making the dough into a ball. Add a little more water if the mixture does not hold together.
7) On a floured board pat the ball with the hand into a round cake and smooth edges. Use a rolling pin to roll out from center of dough to the edge.
8) Transfer this into the pie pan.
9) Trim the edge evenly or use a fork to cut edge decoratively and take out the extra pieces.
10) Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

For filling:
1) Using a vegetable peeler, pare down the long side of the chocolate bar to make a few long curls for garnish. Keep aside
2) Scald 2 cups of milk in a thick boiler.
3) Chop the chocolate bar and stir this into the scalded milk until melted.
4) Blend the remaining 1/4 cup milk with corn starch, flour and salt until smooth. Add this to the chocolate mixture slowly and stir until thickened.
5) Add some of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, then slowly blend this back into the chocolate mixture.
6) Stir and cook on low until thickened, remove from heat, add butter and cool.
7) Pour into the prepared pie shell; chill.
8) Top with whipped cream, garnish with chocolate curls.

Carrot Cake

For a while I wondered, how can a vegetable like carrot be used in a cake? But after making this once, I became a die hard fan. It is a sweet way to get your little ones to eat carrots under the mask of a dessert.

Ingredients :
Grated carrot - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Flour - 1 1/2 cups
Oil - 1 1/3 cup
Cinnamon Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Eggs - 3
Chopped walnuts and raisins - 1/2 cup each
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Icing :
Cream Cheese, softened - 1/4 cup
Melted butter - 1 tbsp
Milk - 2 Tbsps
Vanilla - 1/2 tsp

Procedure :
1) Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
2) Sift all the dry ingredients together
3) Add grated carrots, and beat 1 egg at a time into this mixture.
4) Mix well with an electric blender on medium for 3 minutes.
5) Add the walnut pieces and raisins and mix well again.
6) Pour this mixture into a greased cake pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Icing procedure:
1) Mix together cream cheese and butter
2) Stir in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle this mixture over the top.

Almond Muffins

These nutty muffins are yummy, high in protein and make a good snack too.

Ingredients:
Flour - 2 cups
Milk - 3/4 cup
Almonds - 1/2 cup, chopped
Sugar - 1 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Egg - 1, well beaten
Baking powder - 3 tsp
Almond Extract - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/4 tsp
Nut meg - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp

Procedure:
1) Pre-heat the oven at 390 degrees
2) Mix together the egg, milk, oil and almond extract
3) In another bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and chopped almonds.
4) Mix the two
5) Lightly grease the muffin pan or use paper cups in the muffin pan
6) Pour the mixture up to 2/3 level of the cup
5) Bake for about 15 minutes.

Apple Pie

We hear that 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'! Not sure if the same holds true for an apple pie too but this warm pie drives my winter blues away!

Ingredients:
Single crust for a 9-inch pie:
Sifted Flour - 1 1/3 cups
Sugar - 5 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Shortening (I prefer butter) : 1/3 cup
Water - 2 1/2 -3 Tbsp

For the Filling :
Shredded cooking apples - 4 cups (about 6 medium sized apples)
Flour - 1 1/2 Tbsp
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp
Egg - 1, well beaten
Whipped Cream - Optional

Procedure
Pie Crust :
1) Sift flour and salt into a bowl
2) Add half the shortening
3) Cut into flour until mixture resembles corn meal, use pastry blender or two knives.
4) Add the remaining shortening and cut into flour until the largest pieces are the size of small peas.
5) Sprinkle the smallest measure of water over the flour tossing lightly with a fork.
6) Stir vigorously as you add more water making the dough into a ball. Add a little more water if the mixture does not hold together.
7) On a floured board pat the ball with the hand into a round cake and smooth edges. Use a rolling pin to roll out from center of dough to the edge.
8) Transfer this into the pie pan.
9) Trim the edge evenly or use a fork to cut edge decoratively and take out the extra pieces.
10) Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Filling :
1) Combine the grated apples, flour, sugar and the beaten egg.
2) Pour this mixture gently over the prepared pie crust.
3) Using the extra pieces from the crust, arrange them as a lattice over this mixture.
4) Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees) for about 15 minutes and in a moderate temp (350 degrees) for about 30 minutes more.
5) Relish warm or cold, topping each piece with Whipped cream if desired.

Banana Walnut Cake

It's said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This is 200% true for this delicious recipe. This was given by my wonderful friend Rachana and has been an instant hit since then. After I left the US, my friends miss my banana cake more than they do me!

Ingredients:
Ripe Bananas - 3
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Flour 1 1/3 cups
Walnut pieces - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Eggs - 2

Procedure
1) Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees for a white uncoated pan and 350 degrees for a dark, coated pan.
2) Grease the cake pan.
3) Mash the bananas so that there are no lumps
4) Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the mashed bananas, beaten eggs, oil and mix well. With an electric mixer, mix on high for about 3 minutes.
5) Add the walnut pieces and mix well with a fork
6) Pour this mixture into the greased pan and bake for about 35 minutes or till the tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Traffic Lights

The name is so cute and they look and taste yummy. My kids love them and once upon a time they thought they were actually eating the traffic lights on the road.

Ingredients:
Condensed Milk - 1 tin
Butter melted - 3/4 cup
Cocoa Powder - 6 tbsp
Crushed Biscuits - 1 1/2 cups
Red, Green and Yellow smarties (Gems as in India) - as required

Procedure :
1) Mix the condensed milk, cocoa powder and butter and pour the mixture into a pan.
2) Heat on medium taking care to stir regularly.
3) When the mixture starts bubbling, reduce flame and cook for 8-10 minutes on low.
4) Mix in the coarsely broken biscuits and remove from flame.
5) Spread mixture onto a greased plate and allow to cool.
6) Cut into 2.5" to 3" bars and decorate with the red, yellow and green smarties

What is different here?

Well, there are probably thousands of blogs on desserts and why am I adding one more? The simple reason, there will always be something that someone is looking for and it could possibly be here.

Another reason is to satisfy my sweet tooth. Just looking at all of them in one single place is enough to satisfy my craving.

So, feel free to browse, and if you see what you like, or if there is any special dessert that you are looking for....post a comment and I would gladly get back!