Rasmalai with pistachios

Ingredients:-

4 Measuring cup milk for channa (2% milk)
3 measuring cup milk for Ras
4 - 4 1/2 tbsp. sugar for Ras
1 cup sugar
3 cups of water
saffron, cardamom, pista, almonds
lemon juice

Preparation:-

First boil 3 cups of milk and keep aside for juice.
Next boil 4 cups of milk. Now curdle the milk add lemon juice to it stirring continuously. Then drain it in a thin muslin cloth or handkerchief. Hold it covered with cloth in the running water. Drain the excess water by pressing the cloth completely so that no water remains. In a pressure cooker take 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Take the channa out of the cloth in a dish, mash it and make around 15 small size of balls out of it. Toss the balls into the pressure cooker and wait for two whistles.

In the mean time see the milk for ras. Add the sugar for ras to it and add cardamom, pista, almond and saffron to it. Keep aside and let it cool. As the pressure cooker is warm now open it take out the balls of channa with the spoon in a dish and let the water drain by pressing it little and let it cook. When the milk is cool add channa balls to it.
Refrigerate it.

When ready to serve add pistachios sliced into tiny pieces.

Exotic Chocolate Blamange

Ingredients:-

3 cups milk
3 teaspoons cocoa
5 teaspoons sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Method:-

1. Bring 3 C milk to a boil.
2. Add remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Add to boiling milk.
4. Stir until thickened and smooth.
5. Pour in individual custard dishes and put in fridge until set.
6. This is great served covered with cool whip or half and half.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients:- 1 Kg carrots, 3 cups milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 /4 cup clarified butter or ghee, walnuts or cashew nuts about 6 pcs crushed, cardomom powder 1 tsp and a few raisins if necessary.

Method:- Peel and grate the carrots. Heat one spoon of ghee in a heavy non stick pan. Fry the walnuts, cashews and raisins. Keep aside. Add the grated carrot with the remaining ghee in the same pan and fry for 10 minutes on low flame. Add milk and stir, till the milk is absorbed. Add sugar with cardamom powder and keep stirring for 10 more minutes. Garnish with fried cashews and raisins. Serve hot immediately or cold after refrigeration.

Chocolate Peppermint Tarts with Currants & Berries

Ingredients:

For the Dough Mix

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 ounces (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling

4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
12 stems peppermint, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon coarse salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
6 ounces fresh red currants
1 pound strawberries

Method:

Directions
Make the dough: Pulse flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. With the machine running, add water in a slow, steady stream, until dough just holds together. (Dough should not be sticky.)
On a lightly floured work surface, shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
Make the filling: Bring cream, sugar, mint, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough to a 16-by-6-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 13 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch rectangular fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a sharp paring knife, trim excess dough flush with the edges of pan. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Line dough with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are dry, about 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Bake until just darkened, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely in pans on wire racks.
With a pastry brush, coat the bottom of each tart shell with an even layer of melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl. Let stand until softened.
Remove mint from cream mixture, and bring cream mixture to a simmer. Whisk in softened gelatin until it dissolves. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt.
Divide cream mixture between tart shells. Carefully transfer to the refrigerator. Chill, uncovered, until set, at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Carefully unmold tarts. Top 1 tart with red currants and 1 with strawberries. Garnish both tarts with mint stems. Slice and serve immediately.

EGG-LESS BLACK FOREST CAKE

Ingredients

Fina cake gel 50 grms
Flour 250 grms
Water 200 ml
Milk 300 ml
Sugar 250 g
Cocoa powder 50 grms
Whipped cream 300 grms
Chocolate shavings 150 grms
Sugar syrup 50 ml
Cherries 100 grms

Method

Take the first six ingredients together and mix properly. Bake the resulting batter at 200 degrees Centigrade for about 5 – 10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and cool it. Cut into three layers. Apply sugar syrup on each layer followed by whipped cream and chopped cherries. Cover the cake with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate flakes and cherries.

Alphanso Mango Phirni

Ingredients:-

1 Kg milk
100 grams rice Powder
100 grams sugar
2 grams cardamom powder
250 ml Alhanso mangoes.

Method:

Cook sugar and milk till he sugar dissolves. Let the milk cool and mix Alphanso puree and cardamom powder. Add rice powder and cook till the rice is fully cooked. Ensure there are no lumps. Remove from fire and set in servicing bowls. Refrigerate a while before eating.

Pumpkin Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 cups pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger*
• 3-1/2 cups flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chopped nuts, lightly toasted

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin, lemon extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Fold in pumpkin mixture. Slowly add flour mixture. Mix until completely combined. Stir in nuts and mix well. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonful onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Completely cool on wire racks or use 1-1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Raisins may be substituted for half or all of the nuts.