Birthday Bliss with Chocolate Devil's food cake

I celebrated my birthday last month and her's a look at the cake. I baked Nigella's Chocolate Devil's food cake. It was sinfully chocolaty and pure bliss in my mouth...need I say more!

The just frosted cake

cake in the fridge

just look at that amazing frosting...it took all of my almost non-existent will power not to lick the entire bowl

I'd baked the cake and frosted it the night before my birthday, so I refrigerated it till the next day. Now that is what you delicious anticipation! I couldn't wait until morning to cut the cake, but wait I did. Which just made it all the more better.

my birthday cake

I sprinkled some edible silver colored pearls and my mom placed a violet from her garden on the cake. It was absolutely lovely.

cutting my luscious cake

Happy Birthday to me...Here'a slice for you...

Mum and dad took me to Mysore for the day. They got me a piece of jewelry as a gift. Oh! just before we went to the jewelers Mum took me to temple, which as far as I have seen, is almost always closed when we go to Mysore. But this day it was open and I even got a laddoo as prashad. ( I know not much to get excited about...but this sort of thing never happens to me).

Sitting on the silver swing, mum and dad sure do look regal

We went to the restaurant at Hotel Metropole for lunch. I just love the old world grandeur of the place. As soon you enter it, you feel like you've been transported to a different era. I feel it represents the glory of bygone days, when Mysore was among the richest provinces in Princely India. They've retained all the original woodwork and furniture. The crystal chandeliers are so beautiful they take my breath away. The mirrors in their restaurant...Oh, those are masterpieces, am so in love with them. One day if they find it missing, it will definitely be me. ;)

Crystal chandelier in foyer of Hotel Metropole...I wish I could have one

At least I got a picture underneath the chandelier... I feel like a princess :)

All in all, it was a really great day. And I even did a spot of shopping before I got back. It was a wonderful birthday.

An icy cool welcome to Summer with Strawberry Sorbet

It's already March and Summer is here, bringing with it the sunny, sunny days. Bye, Bye winter with your bone chilling cold and dreary days. All through winter I am wrapped up in sweaters and thick socks all day long. Although it doesn't snow here, it's still pretty cold. But all that is gone now...my sweaters and socks are all bundled up in some corner until the next time I need them in June when the rains start and my summer clothes are all out from the corner I had thrown them in. And the best part our Strawberry patch is full of fruit. YUM!

One of our larger strawberry patches

strawberry hidden among the leaves

strawberry in the patch

These strawberries are not like the packed ones that are sold commercially. I guess these are the wild variety. As you can see in the picture below they vary in size and are a bright orangish red color, rather than the dark red colored ones you get in the packs. And the taste is also very different, these strawberries have a very nice balance of sweet and tart flavors, whereas the ones you buy are sometimes sickly sweet.

The strawberries I picked this morning

These strawberries can be used the same way as the ones you buy. But you might want to do a taste test to adjust the amount of sugar. I prefer it to be slightly tart so I leave them as they are. Last year, we had a good strawberry crop. Mum and I made 2 bottles of strawberry sauce. Each day we got a large bowlful, and we had to make the sauce daily. Finally when we didn't have any spare bottles left, so I made milkshakes twice a day (I think I can blame strawberries for  adding to my weight) and we still had some left over. So the left over ones, we let it become squishy and soft ( just leave them for about a day or two to get to this stage) and we just put the pulp on our faces and hands (easy homemade fruit facial without any chemicals :))

This time, we've made another bottle of strawberry sauce. And while I hunt around for more fancy glass jars, I decided to do something else out of all those strawberries. And before the summer days get too hot and we start wilting in the sweltering heat, I decided to celebrate summer with a very nice strawberry sorbet. Sorbet is the perfect dessert for summer, it provides the icy cool we all search for in the heat of summer. And because it has no cream or eggs, it makes for a very light, refreshing dessert. So here's to the advent of summer with a bowl of strawberry sorbet.

My half finished bowl of glistening red strawberry sorbet

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

Adapted from the recipe by Stephanie Jowarski

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup (80 ml) water

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

2 1/2 cups (454 grams) fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, over low heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Boil the mixture for one minute then remove from heat. Pour the sugar syrup into a heatproof container, and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled (about an hour or so). 

cooled sugar syrup

Meanwhile, thaw the frozen strawberries and then place the thawed strawberries in a food processor and process until the strawberries are pureed. 

pureed strawberries in the food processor

Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and zest, and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. (If using fresh strawberries, puree the berries in the food processor, transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and zest, and place in the refrigerator until chilled.)

Pureed strawberries with lemon zest and juice

Once the simple syrup and pureed strawberries are completely chilled, combine the simple syrup with the pureed strawberries. Transfer the mixture to the chilled container of your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once made, transfer the sorbet to a chilled container and store in the freezer.

Frozen sorbet

The jewel red strawberry sorbet

Note: If you do not have an ice cream machine, then pour the mixture into a 8 inch (20 cm) or 9 inch (23 cm) stainless steel pan (sorbets will freeze faster in stainless steel), cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. When the sorbet is completely frozen (3 to 4 hours), remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature until partially thawed. Transfer the partially thawed sorbet to the food processor, and process to break up the large ice crystals that have formed on the sorbet. (This step is what gives the sorbet its wonderful fluffy texture.) Place the sorbet back into the pan and refreeze for at least three hours, and up to several days.

Have a wonderful joy filled summer :)

Until next time, Happy Baking!

Panna Cotta with Passion fruit Jelly

Panna Cotta is an Italian dessert which literally means cooked cream.  It is generally believed to have originated in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont, although it is eaten all over Italy. Apparently similar versions of this dish are found in Greece, France and Finland. Wherever it is from, it is definitely one of the easiest and best tasting desserts that I know of...and I know quite a few!

According to Wikipedia ' It is not known exactly how or when this dessert came to be, but some theories suggest that cream, for which mountainous Northern Italy is famous, was historically eaten plain or sweetened with fruit or hazelnuts. Earlier recipes for the dish did not directly mention gelatin, but instead included a step in which fish bones were boiled; this is now known to extract collagen from the bones, which turns to gelatin.' (Okay that is totally disgusting). 'Sugar, later a main ingredient, would not have been widely available as it was an expensive imported commodity.' (No sugar!!! What the hell kind of dessert did they have? Thank God sugar is easily available now and is not expensive).

If I had known they originally used fish bones to make gelatin I wouldn't have gone anywhere near this dish. But those were the days when they didn't have packed gelatin and didn't even use sugar, so I might forgive them. Now life is a lot easier, you don't have to sweat it in front of a stove boiling fish bones to make gelatin when it is easily available in any store. You can buy powdered gelatin ( which I use) or gelatin leaves ( which I would have used if I could find them!). Either way it doesn't take any effort.

As for the recipe there are several versions that you can find on the internet, including some very weird flavors too. The best thing would be to get the basic recipe right and then dabble in your favorite flavors. My favorite recipe is from David Lebovitz. It's simple and straightforward, not to mention earth-shattering-ly wonderful in your mouth. I always love Passion Fruit and vanilla together. One very bold and tart and sweet (passion fruit) , while the other is mild and exotic and velvety (vanilla). The bold flavor of passion fruit complements the mild flavor of the vanilla and together they make the perfect dessert.

The first time I made panna cotta with passion fruit jelly, I set them in small glasses. I turned them onto plates with a very satisfying plop! heaped on a tablespoon of passion fruit granita and served it to the hungry horde.

In December I made these in several large dishes for a family function and at the end of the day (or rather night) not a scrap was left. So yummy they are. I am sure you'll enjoy them too. If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.

Panna Cotta with Passion fruit jelly Eight servings

Passion Fruit Jelly

2 teaspoons powdered gelatine
2 tablespoons water
300ml water, extra
½ cup (110g) white sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 cups (500ml) passion fruit pulp (I like to keep the seeds, they provide a nice crunch to the jelly and i always use a little extra pulp)

Lightly grease eight drinking glasses or one large mould with any flavorless oil.
Soften the gelatine in the water and set aside. Place the extra water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and stir, brushing down the sides of the saucepan, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the orange juice, passionfruit pulp and gelatine mixture and strain. Pour into prepared glasses and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. 

You will need about 24 passionfruit for 2 cups pulp

Panna Cotta
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (I recommend the vanilla bean, for extra oomph! It definitely makes the panna cotta more velvety).
2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)

2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.

4. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the glasses with the already set Passion fruit jelly carefully, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours.

5. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired. Food fit for the Gods (and you n me) is ready to be devoured... :)

To make Panna Cotta with sheet gelatin: Soften 25g (approximately six sheets) in a liter of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Wring the sheets out and stir them into the warm Panna Cotta mixture in step # 4, until dissolved.
If you've got time and patience, use long shot glasses and place them slightly tilted in muffin tins and set the passion fruit jelly first, so you have a swirly pattern in your glass. Once set, pour the panna cotta mixture with your glasses straight and refrigerate till set. You can make several such layers too. It makes a visually stunning panna cotta.

By the way, I was supposed to post this last month, sorry for the delay!
Until next time, Happy Baking!