Pineapple fluff...an easy, peasy, light dessert

First lets start with the definition of 'fluff'. Here's what I found on http://dictionary.reference.com/ , Fluff - a soft, light, downy mass; example- a fluff of summer clouds. And this is exactly how I would describe this dessert. With every mouthful, you feel like you're eating a soft, downy, sweet and pillowy cloud! With the added bonus of pineapple chunks scattered  in the mixture. Pineapple fluff was one of the first desserts I learned to make, probably around 17 years ago. And I still make it very often, because we all love it. And even though it has cream, it's not one of those desserts that will make you feel heavy and bloated. And you know what, I didn't know until this evening that this is quite a famous dessert in Sri Lanka. I always assumed only a few of us knew (shows how much I really know!). All thanks to the search God called Google! And it uses only 4 ingredients (that can be found in any kitchen) and 3 utensils (unless you're really messy). Now I guess I can be elevated to Angel status ( I am not yet up for Godliness, not sure I can handle it)! :)

I forgot to include light cream in the picture, but you can always pretend it's a healthy dessert :)

Here's the recipe for one of the easiest desserts ever, you'll be thanking me for ever.

Pineapple Fluff

see the frothy air bubbles on the surface, this is what makes this dessert so light

Ingredients
1 can - Pineapple in syrup or juice (canned pineapple)
5 tablespoon - granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon - gelatin granules ( sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl and set aside to sponge)
400 ml - light cream ( I used Amul)

Directions
Drain the pineapple and pour the juice/ syrup into a medium sized saucepan. Cut the pineapple into small chunks and set aside.
Into the saucepan with the juice/ syrup, add the sugar and place on medium heat. Stir till the sugar dissolves.
When the juice/syrup starts to simmer, take off heat and immediately add the sponged gelatin and stir till completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
When the sweetened syrup/ juice cools slightly, strain the mixture to remove any impurities and transfer it to a mixer jar and allow to cool completely. Then place the mixer jar in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until almost set, but with a nice wobble.
Plug the mixer jar in and blitz the mixture until nice, white and frothy ( it always reminds me of sea foam). Give it a stir and blitz again for a minute and refrigerate again for 20 minutes or until almost set.
Blitz the contents of the jar again after 20 minutes, then immediately add the cream and give a quick blitz to mix it all in.
Pour into a serving dish ( or ramekins if you want individual servings), add the chunks of pineapple and lightly stir with a spatula to spread it evenly. Cover with cling and allow to half-set on your kitchen counter for 20 minutes and then place the dish in the refrigerator until completely set. Serve chilled.

you can see the pineapple chunks at the bottom

You can substitute Lychees for the pineapple, just reduce the amount of sugar slightly. Anyway taste and go from there.
See, all done in just a few steps, didn't I tell you it was easy-peasy! Now go make some for yourself.

Oh! We went on the fisherman's Coracle in the Harangi Backwaters near our house. Here's a picture of the sunset from there.

spectacular...isn't it?

Until next time,
Happy Baking!!!

Nothing says Summer like Strawberry Creamsicles

Creamsicles and popsicles bring back wonderful memories of childhood summers.We were never allowed to eat the popsicles sold by vendors with their pushcarts because our folks were worried if they were hygienic. So mum came up with the idea of making it at home. Those days we just set them in ice trays or in cups with some small bamboo sticks in them to use as popsicle sticks. It was absolute joy to sit and lick them for hours. Of course, it was hell for our mum what with all the popsicle dripping all over our clothes. But even with all that, it didn't stop us from raiding the fridge for the frozen treats.

Now you get all these fancy popsicle moulds like Zuko and whatnot, which just makes your life so much easier. I didn't have any of those and everyone knows all about my laziness when it comes to washing up, so I used plastic cups and stuck spoons in them since I didn't have anything to act as popsicle sticks. They were so easy to remove too...all I had to do was warm them a little by rolling them slightly between my palms, gave the spoon a twirl and out they popped! Here's how they looked...

I didn't bother making it fancy, mainly because I was in a hurry to finish it. I just poured the puréed strawberries in first and then added the cream mixture on top. So it froze with nice abstract swirly patterns. If you want a fancier looking one, you'll have to make the fruit purée first and let it set in the freezer before pouring the cream mixture on top, or you can have several layers too (This requires a lot of time and patience, both of which I am almost always short of!). So here's the recipe for you. It's so easy you can probably do it in your sleep.

Strawberry Creamsicle

Makes 6-8 servings

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup fresh strawberries

1/4 cup caster sugar

juice and zest of half a Lime

For the cream mixture:

1/2 cup Light cream (I used Amul cream, and using light cream gives you a lighter creamsicle with lesser calories)

1/4 cup caster sugar 

1 vanilla bean, split and the seeds scraped out. (if you don't have any at hand use 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract)

For Garnish:

Extra strawberries 

Here's how you do it:

1. Strawberry Purée: Put the strawberries, caster sugar, lime zest and juice in the blender jar and blend till puréed. Pour the mixture into popsicle moulds or lightly oiled plastic cups, stick a spoon in to the cups and freeze until set. It takes at-least 2-3 hours.
2. Creamsicles: Pour the light cream, caster sugar and vanilla seeds into the blender jar and blend for about a minute or two until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the cream mixture over the already set strawberry purée. Add the extra strawberries into the cream mixture in the cups (This gives you something to bite), and freeze for 2-3 hours until set.
3. To unmould: Slightly warm the cups by rolling them between your palms, twirl the spoon slightly to loosen and give a slight tug to unmould your creamsicle. I f you are using popsicle moulds, dip them in hot water for a few seconds to unmould. Enjoy your creamsicle.

Note: You can use any fruit of your choice and adjust the sugar content to your taste.

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!

The Real Coffee Cream!

This post is dedicated to the infamous Coffee Cream. I really don't know where exactly this recipe came from, but I do know it's one of the easiest and best desserts ever. My aunt taught me how to make it first. From then on it's been served at simple dinner parties, as well as weddings. And since it's so simple and inexpensive to make, you can make it in large quantities as well.

Now the explanation behind the title of the post 'The Real Coffee Cream!'. It all started with showing a few of them how to make it, and then the recipe went viral with every Tom, Dick and Harry (or the ladies version of them, coz in Coorg only the ladies cook) knew about this and as long as it was made well I didn't mind. Random people came up and said it was a wonderful dessert and I liked it that they liked it too. Then there are a few people, who feel it's beneath them to ask another person for a recipe (especially if it's me) and come up with their own recipes. Now, I don't mind or care if the end result is the same and it tastes good (after all, everyone has their own version of roast chicken or bread pudding, and the same goes for this). The trouble is when they try fiddling around with ingredients and unnecessarily complicate a simple recipe and the end product not only looks awful but tastes awful too. And finally, there are a few more people who've come up to me and said "this is Ok, another person I know makes it better" ( and that too in front of other people...bitchy much!!!). The best one has been at a recent family wedding, where I had made Coffee Cream for dessert; a nosy-good for nothing-busybody comes up, lifts the serving spoon and smells it (the horror! shoves the spoon up her big, fat nose...idiot, we all gagged at the sight) and coolly asks me what it's called (even though there is a card right in front of her with the name of the dessert, silly old cow!), and when I explain it to her very nicely she turns her nose up at me and tells another person (who we both know doesn't know how to make it, and her version makes us all puke just looking at it!) makes it so much better than me! So I've finally decided it's better to ignore such stupid fools and share my recipe.

Now after all that explanation; Coffee cream is nothing but a cheats version of Coffee Panna Cotta, we just gave it another easier name! All you need is a tin a Sweetened Condensed milk, Good quality instant coffee, gelatin ,Heavy Cream and a blitzer. See, very simple na! All you need is 4 ingredients and people mess that up too, bah!

Coffee Cream (or rather Coffee Panna Cotta)

Time: It takes no time unless you count the setting time.

Serves: As many or as few as you want.

Here's what you'll need:
Unflavored Powdered Gelatin - 1 1/2 Tablespoons
Water - 6 Tablespoons
Good quality instant Coffee granules - 3-4 Tablespoons ( use 3 tablespoons if you don't want it to be too strong, and I use Bru Gold coffee)
Sweetened Condensed milk - 400 ml ( that's 1 tin)
Heavy Cream - 400 ml ( I use Milky Mist cream, you can use Amul if you want, though Amul is light cream the amount of gelatin is enough for it to set well)
Chocolate curls to garnish (optional)

Here's How you do it:
1. Empty the tin of sweetened condensed milk into a large blitzer jar.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the water until it comes to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, place the gelatin in a cup, pour the boiling water over and stir well and make sure all the gelatin is dissolved. You can strain it to remove any residue. Add the coffee and stir until completely dissolved. Let it cool slightly (not too much, it should still be warm or else the gelatin starts to set).
3. Pour the Coffee and gelatin mixture into the blitzer jar with the sweetened condensed milk and give it a good blitz, for about a minute or two. Check to make sure everything is mixed well.
4. Pour heavy cream into the jar and blitz immediately for less than a minute (make sure the cream is fresh or else it'll curdle and instead of a dessert,you'll have a disaster on your hands!).
5. Transfer the Coffee Cream into a glass dish, or into individual glasses, cover with cling film and let it set in the refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours. Serve chilled garnished with chocolate curls if you wish.

Note* You can make the same thing with Strawberries (or any berry), all you have to do substitute 200g of the berries in place of the coffee, and blitz the berries first, add condensed milk and gelatin, blitz again and finally add the cream and blitz and then set for 4-5 hours before serving.
If you don't dissolve the gelatin well, the gelatin granules settle at the bottom of your dessert and you'll have yuck-nog for dessert, so be very careful.

Until next time, have fun and Happy Baking!

So much for my steely resolve...

People who want to lose weight really shouldn't know how to cook, let alone make wonderful, full of calorie- desserts! I really hate myself right now. When I left home last month, I'd promised myself that I wouldn't bake or make anything that was loaded with calories, because, to quote my cousin Tanya- I put on weight if I breathe too much! And I've been pretty strong too, for someone who has a serious sweet tooth (and also has Anand sweets right opposite her house!). I stuck to a no rice diet, exercised religiously and even went to yoga thrice a day sometimes (overzealous much!). But two days ago, my steely resolve flew out the window as did the promise not to eat anything sweet.

It all started with the half finished loaf of bread in the fridge (damn you half finished bread loaf!). Last month, when I was home, I had this mad craving for bread pudding. I know what you'll think; of all things in the whole wide world, I wanted bread pudding. But it's not any ordinary soggy bread pudding I wanted, it was Nigella's Chocolate chip bread pudding! And the way she describes it get's your mouth watering. Since I didn't have all the ingredients she used, I made up my own recipe and the result an amazingly soft, crisp on top, slightly soggy at the bottom bread pudding with melting chocolate chips! Two days ago, I spied some bread in the fridge and I decided to make some again, since Tanya's just got braces for her teeth and can only eat soft food...and what better soft food than bread pudding. Again most of the stuff we needed, we didn't have them and we borrowed from our very nice neighbours. And once again the recipe doesn't fail and I have three adoring fans.I don't have a picture to upload coz it was finished so fast.

Soaked bread cubes packed with chocolate chips

After the bread pudding I was guilt ridden. I know I shouldn't have, but then I couldn't. And then I made Panna Cotta with Passion fruit jelly yesterday! I'd promised my aunt whose a vegetarian that I'd make something she could eat, so the panna cotta. The best part about it, well other than that it was fantastic, was that I told that idiot boy (read cousin Tushar) that I ate all the passion fruit! Bazinga! He ate most of the passion fruit without sharing, so I'd say he deserved it ( well, apparently not enough...coz he got a share of the panna cotta). Any way, I ate that too...so I have to do some extra exercise (youch). Here's a picture of the damn panna cotta with passion fruit jelly.

I love this...don't you?

Oh and here's a picture with my cousins Tanya and Tanu 

the one in black's Tanya, the pink lady's Tanu...The other one's obviously me the pretty one! :D

And now the recipe...I know Anton Mosimann's bread pudding is the best (or so I hear, I've actually never tasted it or attempted to make it either). But until I do, (or probably even after I taste Anton's) this is the most amazing bread pudding! EVER!

My version of Chocolate Bread Pudding with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

250g - Stale bread (either white or brown) with the crust on, cut into cubes

100g - Chocolate chips ( dark or milk chocolate), I always add extra

2 eggs, at room temperature

500 ml full fat milk

1 tbsp - brown sugar (light or dark)

1/4 cup - granulated white sugar

1 tbsp - good quality cocoa powder

2 tsp - vanilla extract

2 tbsp - dark rum, optional

1 tbsp - freshly brewed strong coffee, optional

1 tsp - cinnamon powder

4 tsp - demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Tip the cubed stale bread onto a greased round pie dish (approx. 23cm). Sprinkle the chocolate chips on and make sure to mix it well with the bread, so that they're evenly distributed.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, granulated white sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon powder, rum (if using) and coffee (if using), until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture over the bread and chocolate chips.

3. Squish the bread cubes down slightly using your fingers and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Sprinkle on the demerara sugar over the pudding mixture and bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream, or else just enjoy it as it is with a cup of coffee.

*If your bread isn't stale, then leave slices to dry first, for a while, on a wire rack before cubing and using.

Until next time (I will tell you about my love for Chuck Hughes)...Happy Baking!