Black Forest Cake

It was my hubby's Birthday...was planning to surprise him by baking my own cake, started my search....Oh My God!!! I found innumerable recipes,at last ended up making a black forest cake..the chocolaty flavor with cherries was awesome!!

Ingredients for Chocolate cake

All purpose flour-1 and 2/3 cups

Sugar-1 and 1/2 cups
Baking soda-1 and 1/2 tablespoon
Butter-1/2 cup
Eggs-2
Salt-1/2 tablespoon
Milk-1 and 1/2 cups
Vanilla Extract-1 tablespoon
Unsweetened cocoa powder-2/3 cup

Method

• Preheat the oven at 350F for 10mins.
• Sieve flour, baking soda, cocoa powder.
• In a bowl, mix butter and sugar, add eggs and whisk well ,add milk, salt and mix well.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixed liquid ingredients.
• Pour the mix in a greased oven proof dish.
• Bake at 350F for about 30mins or till a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Ingredients for Whipped cream

Heavy whipping cream-473 ml
Vanilla extract-2 tablespoon
Confectioners sugar-5 tablespoon

Method

• Mix all the ingredients together and use hand mixer till soft cream forms.

Ingredients for Sugar syrup

Sugar-1/3cup

Water-1/2cup

Vanilla extract-1 tablespoon

Method

• Mix all the ingredients and bring it to boil until the sugar dissolves.

Method

• After the cake is baked,cool down and cut the cake horizontally into 2 to 3 sheets.
• Take one sheet and spread the sugar syrup,cream,canned cherries(optional).
• Stack the next sheet at the top of first sheet and follow the same procedure.
• Spread the remaining whipped cream at the top and decorate the cake with cherries and dark chocolate crumbs.

Ragi Semiya/Vermicelli

Ingredients

Ragi Semiya-1 packet

Onion-1

Curry leaves-few

Green chilli-2

Mustard-1/4tablespoon

Urad dhal-1/4tablespoon

Channa dhal-1 tablespoon

Lemon-1/2

Oil-2 tablespoon

Salt-as required

Method

• Cook Ragi semiya/vermicelli according to package directions and keep it aside.
• Finely chop onion,curry leaves, slit green chilies lengthwise and squeeze lemon juice.
• Heat oil in a pan,add mustard,when it starts popping,add urad dhal,channa dhal.
• Add onion,curry leaves,green chilli, sauté until the onion gets transparent.
• Add salt, lemon juice and mix with the cooked ragi semiya,serve hot.

Pori Urundai/Puffed Rice Balls

Ingredients

Puffed Rice-4cups

Jaggery-1cup

Water-as required

Cardamon-3

Ghee-as required

Method

• Powder the jaggery and dissolve it in water,after it completely dissolves,strain it to remove impurities.
• Heat the syrup with powdered cardamom until it changes into sticky consistency.(test it by pouring a pinch in between the finger,stretch it,it shouldn't break easily)
• When the consistency is reached,low the flame, start adding the puffed rice slowly and mix well.
• Grease hands with ghee and roll tightly into small balls.

Eggless Chocolate cake

This recipe is specially dedicated to vegetarian chocolate cake lovers especially for people chocoholic like me!!!...simple'n'easy to bake.

This cake is moist,delicious with chocolaty flavor...

Ingredients

Allpurpose flour - 1 cup

Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

Sweetened condensed milk - 1 tin

Butter - 2/3 cup

Water - 1cup

Vanilla essence - 2 tablespoon

Baking soda - 1 tablespoon

Baking powder - 2tablespoon

Method

• Preheat the oven at 350F for 10mins.
• In a bowl,sieve the flour,cocoa powder,baking soda,baking powder.
• In another bowl,mix the butter,condensed milk,vanilla essence and water.
• Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and make sure there is no lumps.
• Pour the mix in a greased oven proof dish.
• Bake at 350F for about 30mins or till a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• I just spread some chocolate fudge to make it more chocolaty. (optional)

Tomato Soup

Simplest and easiest home made soup i could ever imagine is tomato soup... with fresh tomato taste..I made it for dinner tonight..

Ingredients

Tomatoes-4 or 5

Onion-1/2

Celery-1/2cup

Capsicum-1/4

Garlic-4pods

Cumin-1/4tablespoon

Butter-2tablespoon

Pepper powder-1/4tablespoon

Salt-as required

Method

• Heat butter in a pan,add cumin,chopped garlic and onion.
• When onions get transparent,add celery,capsicum,tomatoes,1/4cup water
• When tomatoes gets mushy add salt,pepper powder.
• Blend well in mixer and make a puree.
• In a pan add butter,puree and boil until the raw smell goes off.
• Garnish with croûton.

Tip

The puree can be filtered.

Also,this soup can be garnished with cheese,basil leaves,cream.