Triple Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Source:

Naivecookcooks thru Sundari Saritha Subramaniam (HBG)


Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate - 75 gm

Butter - 115 gm

Flour - 1/2 cup

Eggs - 2

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp

Granulated White Sugar - 1/2 cup

Brown Sugar - 1/4 cup

Dark Chocolate Chips - 1/4 cup

White Chocolate Chips - 1/4 cup

Baking Soda - 1 pinch

Baking Powder - 2 pinches

Vanilla Extract - 2 tsp


Method:


1.  Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees.

2.  Line a 7 inch square baking pan with parchment (butter) paper or aluminium foil with a little overhang so that it is easy to pull off the brownies when baked.  Grease with little oil.

3.  In a bowl, add butter, both the sugars, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate chopped to uniform chunks.  Heat on a double boiler stirring continuously until everything starts to melt.

4.  Once hot and all the ingredients have melted, remove from the heat and let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes.

5.  When warm, add eggs one at a time and whisk for a minute or 2.  Add vanilla extract and whisk.

6.  Add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder (mixed together) and fold in the batter.

7.  Fold in the chocolate chips (dark or milk and white) and mix to the batter.

8.  Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake at 180 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

9.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

10.  Cut into pieces and serve or store.

This is a super rich, fudgy triple chocolate brownie with a shiny crackling outer crust and a gooey fudgy inner layer.

Sizzling hot brownies with homemade icecream are the bestest ever dessert combo.

Notes:

I did not have a 7 inch square pan.  So, I used a 5 inch pan until desired thickness and poured the rest of the batter in another round pan.  I got around 6 pieces of brownies from the square pan and also the round, thin layered brownie cake.  They were the yummiest bites that I couldn't resist myself from grabbing one.

Ragi Banana Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:


Whole Wheat Flour - 25 gm

Ragi Flour - 25 gm

Dark Chocolate (grated) - 50 gm

Eggs - 1

Brown Sugar - 50 gm

Oil - 38 gm

Banana (mashed) - 50 gm

Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp

Baking Soda - a pinch

Salt - a pinch

Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp


Method:


1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

2. Sieve together wheat flour, ragi flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder.

3. Beat well together mashed banana and sugar.

4. Add egg and beat.

5. Pour oil in a stream while beating the mixture.

6. Add vanilla essence and beat.

7. Add the sieved flour spoon by spoon and mix. Do not over beat.

8. Add the grated chocolate and mix using a spatula.

9. Scoop the batter in muffin cups till two-thirds filled and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180 degrees or until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. 

Here are the healthy ragi banana chocolate muffins to be relished. These are guilt-free, no white sugar, no maida, no butter cakes.

Notes:

This measurement yielded 6 muffins of approximately 40 gm each. They can be stored for 3 days at room temperature and more when refrigerated.

Custard Malai Cookies

Source:

Asma Haidery, HBG


Ingredients:

Maida - 2 cups

Custard Powder - 1/2 cup

Malai/Milk Topping - 3/4 cup

Oil - 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/8 tsp or a big pinch

Icing Sugar - 1/2 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

Milk - At room temperature, just enough to add if you feel your dough is dry

Method:

1.  Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 160 degrees.

2.  Sieve maida, custard powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Keep aside.

3.  In a bowl, whisk together icing sugar, powdered sugar, malai, and vanilla essence to form a smooth paste.

4.  Then, add oil and mix well until combined together.

5.  Add the sieved dry ingredients slowly to the whisked wet ingredients and mix well.  Do not knead the dough too hard.  Just bind all the ingredients together softly.  The consistency of the final dough will be soft, shiny, and yellow in color.  Because of the oil in it, it will not stick to your hands.  You can apply ghee to your hands while rolling the dough balls if you desire.

6.  Make smooth, round balls and place it in a greased or lined baking tray.  Make in batches of the quantity that your baking tray would hold.  Place the dough balls at a distance between them as they would need space to expand while baking.

7.  Now, with a fork, press each of these cookie dough balls to make it a bit flat.

8.  Bake these cookies in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes at 160 degrees.  The time may vary according to the size of your cookies. So, just keep a watch on them and switch off the oven when the edges start to change color.

9.  Once done, cool them down to room temperature.  They will be soft at the beginning but will become crispier and crunchier after sometime.

Store in airtight containers.

Chocolate Cake (for Fresh Cream Pastry)

Source:

Mrs. Rahana Manaf


Ingredients:

Flour - 3/4 cup

Cocoa Powder - 1/4 cup

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 pinch

Eggs - 3

Sugar - 1 cup

Sunflower Oil - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp


Method:


1.  Sieve together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

2.  Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

3.  Grease baking tin and line with butter paper and apply oil all over.

4.  Beat sugar and eggs until fluffy at high speed.

5.  Add oil and beat well for a minute.

6.  Slowly, add the sieved ingredients and milk alternatively and mix together with a spatula or at low speed with the hand mixer.  Do not over beat.

7.  Pour the batter in the greased tray at bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Notes:

Cool the cake completely and double cling wrap and store in freezer until use.  This cake suits best for the fresh cream pastry cakes viz., black forest, chocolate truffle, chocolate cream cake etc.  Decorate the cake with whipped cream and chocolate curls or garnishes or as desired.

Variation:  Increase maida to 1 cup and also add 1/2 cup of hot coffee at the end to the cake batter.  This enhances the taste of the cake.  Add 1 tsp of instant coffee powder to 1/2 cup of hot water.  Coffee dicoction can also be added.

Organic Wheat Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

Organic Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup

Organic Brown Sugar - 3/4 cup

Red Pumpkin (grated) - 1 cup

Melted Butter - 1/2 cup

Eggs - 2

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/4 tsp

Salt - A pinch

Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chopped Nuts (Cashew and Almonds) - 1 tbsp

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp


Method:

1.  Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

2.  Mix together organic whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder.  Keep aside.

3.  Line muffin molds with liners.  I used aluminium foil ready-to-bake molds, so did not use liners.

4.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until fluffy at high speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

5.  Add organic brown sugar and beat well until frothy at high speed for about 2 minutes.

6.  Pour melted butter into this mixture as a thin stream while continuing to beat with the handheld beater.

7.  Add vanilla extract and beat for a minute.

8.  Add the flour mixture little by little and beat on slow speed until combined together well.

9.  Mix in the grated pumpkin with a spatula into the batter and also add in the chopped nuts saving some for garnishing.  Mix well with the spatula.

10.  Scoop out the batter into the muffin molds.  I got 8 muffins of approximately 60 gm each.

11.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes at 180 degrees or until the skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

12.  Remove from oven, allow to cool on wire rack, and use or store.

Yummy, healthy, organic, homemade whole wheat pumpkin muffins are ready.  These muffins stay good for 2 days and for a longer shelf life store in refrigerator.

Ghee Rice

Source:

Mrs. Bagyalakshmi Anandam


Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Carrot - 1 (finely chopped)

Fresh Green Peas - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 2 to 3 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Cardamom - 2

Cinnamon Sticks - 2


Method:

1.  Wash and soak rice in 2 cups of water for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Then, drain the rice and save the soaked water.  Keep aside.

2.  In a pressure pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee.  Add cardamom (whole) and cinnamon sticks and saute.

3.  Add the drained rice and fry till light golden.

4.  Add the soaked water (used for soaking the rice) and salt, chopped carrots, and fresh green peas.  Close lid of the pan.  Put on the weight when steam comes out and pressure cook for 5 minutes on low medium flame.

5.  When the pressure is completely released, open the lid and add the rest of the ghee and mix until all the ingredients are uniformly spread over.

6.  Serve hot with mixed vegetable gravy.

Notes:

Seeraga samba/Jeerakasala rice (biriyani rice) or the regular rice can also be used instead of basmati rice.  Adjust water accordingly.

Vegetable Dhal Oothappam

Source:

Mrs. Saraswathi


Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 1 cup

Par Boiled Rice - 1 cup

Urad Dal - 1/4 cup

Thuar Dal - 1/4 cup

Salt - 2 tsp or to taste

Carrots - 2 (grated)

Cabbage (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Onions - 2 (finely chopped)

Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

Idli Chilli Powder (Idli podi) - As needed

Oil - To fry oothappams


Method: 

1.  Wash and soak the raw rice, par boiled rice, and the dhals for at least 2 hours.

2.  Grind together to a smooth and thick dosa batter adding salt and water as necessary.  Allow to ferment for at least 6 to 8 hours.

3.  Just before making oothappams, mix together grated carrots, chopped onions, chopped cabbage, and coriander leaves.  Keep aside.

4.  Heat a dosa tawa and smear it with little oil.  Pour a ladle of the batter in the center of the tawa and spread around to 1 cm thickness to form oothappams.  Sprinkle the veggie mixture all over the dosa and then top it with the idli milagai podi.  Pour 1 tsp of oil all around and close with a lid.  After a minute, remove the lid and turn over the oothappam to cook on the other side.  Drizzle oil if needed.

5.  When done, serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice.  Generally, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, onion chutney, or a tomato onion chutney are the best combinations.  The oothappams can also be had as such as they have the spiciness and the crunchiness of the vegetables making it a complete meal to relish.  This dish is best for a healthy morning breakfast.

Oats Chocolate Cookies

Source:

Podhigai TV


Ingredients:

Powdered Oats - 1 cup

Maida - 3/4 cup

Ragi Flour - 1/4 cup

Powdered Sugar - 1 cup

Desiccated Coconut - 1 cup

Oil - 1/2 cup

Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp

Golden Syrup/Honey - 2 tbsp

Water - 2 tbsp

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1 pinch

Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp


Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees C for 10 minutes.

2.  Mix together powdered oats, maida, ragi flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and desiccated coconut until well combined.  Keep aside. 

2.  Mix together the wet ingredients of oil, golden syrup or honey, vanilla essence, and water.  Combine together.

3.  To the dry ingredient mixture, add the wet ingredient mixture.  Mix well and gather to form a nonsticky dough like a chappathi dough.  If the dough does not hold together, add 1 tsp more of water and mix to dough.

4.  Make small balls and flatten a bit to say about 1/4 inch thickness.  Place them on a baking tray approximately 1 inch apart so that they do not stick together in the baking process.  

5.  Bake at 170 degrees in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the base of the cookies turn golden brown.  Switch off the oven and allow them to remain in the oven for another 5 minutes.  Remove the tray from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Place the cookies on a wire rack and allow to cool.  Store in an airtight container.  When hot, the cookies would be soft but get crispier when cooled.

Channa/Kondai Kadalai/Chickpea Kuzhambu

Source:

Mrs. Ranganayaki


Serves: 2


Ingredients:

Chickpea/Channa/Kondai Kadalai - 1/8 cup (heaped)

Thuar Dal - 1/8 cup (leveled)

Tamarind - 1 Marble sized ball (5 gm)

Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

To Garnish:

Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) - 1 tbsp


Method:

1.  Wash and soak channa overnight for a minimum of 6 hours.

2.  Pressure cook channa and thuar dhal with enough water until 3 to 4 whistles.

3.  Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water and take extract.

4.  In a kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing).

5.  Then pour the tamarind extract into the kadai and bring to boil.  Add salt and sambhar powder and boil for a minute.

6.  Add the cooked channa and thuar dhal and bring to boil adding the water used to boil channa and the dhal.  When the kuzhambu becomes thick and all ingredients are well combined, switch off the flame and transfer to a serving dish.  Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

This kuzhambu goes well with cooked rice, dosa, or idlis.

Ragi Banana Brownies

Source:

Podhigai TV


Ingredients:

Maida - 1 ½ cups

Ragi Flour - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 cups

Cocoa Powder - 1/2 cup or 2 tbsp

Baking Powder - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 pinch

Ripe Banana - 1

Water - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1/2 cup

Vanilla Extract - 1/2 tsp


Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

2.  Grease a baking tray with oil or butter and then line with butter paper cut to size of the tray.

3.  Mix together all the dry ingredients viz., maida, ragi flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

4.  To the dry mixture, add oil and mix well using a whisker without lump formation.

5.  Mash banana to paste and add this to the brownie mixture and mix until combined.

6.  To this, add water and combine well to get a brownie batter consistency.

7.  Pour this batter into the greased baking tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180 degrees C temperature or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

9.  Cut brownie squares and cool on wire rack.  Store in airtight container.

These are healthy brownies with the goodness of ragi and bananas.  You can relish them as such or have them hot with a scoop of icecream and hot chocolate sauce or in any style of your imagination as your taste buds ask for.  Maida can be replaced with whole wheat flour to make it guilt free and healthier. 

Beetroot Podimas

Source:

Mrs. Revathy Shanmugam, Aval Vikatan (30 days 30 Poriyal)


Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1/4 kg

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Cooked Channa Dal (kadalai paruppu) - 1/4 cup

Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few


Method:

1.  Wash, peel skin, and grate beetroots.

2.  Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, ural dal, and curry leaves.

3.  Add grated beetroot and fry on medium flame until cooked.

4.  Add salt and chilli powder and mix well.  Fry for 2 minutes.

5.  Then, add the cooked channa dal and grated coconut and mix well until combined.

Serve hot with sambar rice or curd rice.

Beetroot Poriyal/Koora

Source:

Mrs. Vanaja Subramanian, Aval Vikatan (30 Poriyal Varieties)


Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1/4 kg

Salt - To taste

Grind Together:

Red Chillies - 2

Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp

Sombu (Saunf) - 1/4 tsp

Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

Coriander Leaves - 1 sprig

Oil - 1 tbsp


Method:

1.  Chop beetroots and pressure cook.

2.  Grind together coarsely the red chillies, grated coconut, and sombu.

3.  In a kadai, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.  Add the chopped and cooked carrots and stir well.  Add salt and coarsely ground paste and mix well.  Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

It is a best and healthy accompaniment in a lunch menu to be served with steamed rice.

Carrot Kara Kuzhambu

Source:

Mrs. Santhi Vijayakrishnan, Aval Vikatan (30 Carrot Varieties)


Ingredients:

Carrots - 2 medium sized (chopped)

Tamarind - Lime sized ball

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

To fry and grind:

Thuar Dhal - 1 tsp

Bengal Gram Dhal - 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Red Chillies - 6

For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - Few

Gingelly Oil - 1 tbsp


Method:

1.  In a hot kadai, dry fry the dhals, coriander seeds, fenugreek, asafoetida, and red chillies as given in the fry and grind list.  To this, add 1 tbsp of freshly grated coconut and grind to a smooth paste adding enough water.

2.  Soak tamarind in 1-1/2 cups water and make an extract.

3.  Heat kadai, add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil and add the seasoning ingredients.  Add chopped carrots and stir well.  Pour the tamarind extract and bring to boil.  Add turmeric powder and salt.  Allow to boil until the carrots are cooked.  Mix in the ground paste and allow to boil until a thick gravy is formed.  Serve hot with rice or dosas.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe is adapted from Joy of Baking and Fondbites.

Ingredients:

Unsalted Butter - 70 gm

Powdered Sugar or Icing Sugar - 3/4 cup

Egg - 1

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Fresh Thick Curds - 1/2 cup (to make buttermilk)

Liquid Red Food Color - 1 tsp

Red Color Gel - 1 tsp

All-Purpose Flour - 1 cup

Corn Flour - 1/4 cup

Cocoa Powder - 1 tbsp

Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - A pinch

Vinegar - 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

2.  Grease a 6 inch round cake pan with butter or oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.  

3.  Sift together all-purpose flour, corn flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

4.  Add butter in bowl and and beat with a hand mixer for about 1 to 2 minutes until soft, pale, and fluffy.

5.  Add the sugar to the butter and beat for 4 to 5 minutes until creamy and fluffy.  If you use icing sugar, the sweetness of the cake is milder.  If you want your cake to be sweeter, use powdered sugar at this stage.  However, you can use half icing sugar and half powdered sugar to have a balance of sweetness - not too sweet or not too mild in sweetness.

6.  Break egg and pour contents in a cup and mix the yolk and white together with a spoon and then add this to the butter-sugar mixture and beat for 1 minutes on medium speed until the mixture becomes soft and creamy.  A general rule is to beat the batter on medium or low speed only, after the egg is added to the mixture.

7.  Add the vanilla extract and beat just until well combined.

8.   To make buttermilk, process the thick curds in the small jar of the mixer/blender on low speed for about 10 seconds.  It will be a thick but liquid form of buttermilk which works best in baking.  To this buttermilk, add the liquid and gel red food colors and mix well.  Keep aside.  

9.  With the mixer on low speed, add half of the sifted flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.  Then, add the buttermilk mixture and beat until well combined.  Then, add the remaining half of the flour mixture and beat at low speed until just incorporated.  Do not over beat at any step.

10.  And now comes the most important part of the procedure to make the cake velvety.  Keep your cake pan ready and also check if the oven is almost preheated.  When all set, add the baking soda in a bowl and pour the vinegar and stir immediately as it fizzes up.  Quickly fold the vinegar mixture in the batter and combine everything together with your spatula.

11. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan immediately and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

12.  Once the cake is baked, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.  Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert to remove the cake from the pan.  Allow to cool the cake (on the wire rack) completely.  Once done, cover the cake with a plastic cling wrap and then aluminium foil and freeze for at least an hour or overnight.  You can keep in the refrigerator also.  This makes layering, filling, and frosting the cake easier.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese - 100 gm

Icing Sugar - 1/2 cup

Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Heavy Whipping Cream - 1 cup

Method:

1.  Add cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer or an electric mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed.

2.  Add heavy whipping cream and beat rigorously on high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

3.  Chill this frosting for about 1 hour in the refrigerator and then use for filling and frosting the cake.

Cream cheese frosting is ready to be spread on the cake.


Assembling the Cake:

Remove the cake from the freezer or refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.  With a long serrated knife, slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers.  Keep each layer aside separately.  On a cake board, apply about a teaspoon of cream cheese frosting or softened butter in the center and spread a little so that the cake does not move away from the board.  Place the topmost layer of the cake first on the board.  Brush off the cake crumbs and have a clean cake layer.  Sprinkle sugar syrup all over this cake layer and spread around 1 to 2 tbsp of cream cheese frosting over it evenly until a thick layer is formed.  Place the mid layer of the cake over this and repeat the process of sugar syrup and cream cheese frosting layer.  Finally, place the bottom most layer of the cake with the bottom side facing up so that a smooth and leveled top is achieved.  Apply sugar syrup and then a thin layer of the cream cheese frosting on top and then on the sides evenly to form a crumb coat.  Chill in refrigerator for about half an hour.  Then, decorate the cake as per your choice and serve chilled.  I used a star nozzle to pipe mini  rosettes as a border and sugar sprinkles and the cake crumbs in the center.

This cake stays good at room temperature for a day.  Store in refrigerator for a longer shelf life.

Notes:

I made cream cheese at home and used for the frosting.  You can choose use the store bought ones.

The cream cheese frosting is per my taste.  You can add or reduce the cheese cream and heavy whipping cream according to the sourness or the sweetness you like.

Use heavy whipping cream that whips easily to stiff peaks.  I used non-dairy whipping cream (Tropolite).  Dairy whipping cream with more than 30% fat content can be used for the extra creaminess.  If heavy whipping cream that easily forms stiff peaks are not available, then whip the cream separately to peaks and then add to the cream cheese mixture and whip together.

Vinegar and cocoa react together to give a rust color to the cake.  If you do not use red food color also, you will still get a reddish tinge to your cake.  They will still taste good and velvety.  The amount of color you add depends on how deep color or shade of red you would want.

Tomato red, x-mas red, raspberry red, red red, super red or any other red food color can be used to suit the shade of red you need.

If you choose to avoid artificial colors (as I personally prefer), use natural food colors viz., extract of cooked beetroot for the pinkish red color of the cake.

Homemade Cream Cheese

Source:

Adapted from Sharmis Passions

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 litre

Thick Curd/Unflavored Yogurt - 1 tbsp

Lemon Juice - 1½ tbsp or Vinegar - 2 tbsp

Method:

1.  In a deep pan, boil milk.  When it starts to boil, add the lemon juice or vinegar and keep stirring continuously until the milk curdles and separates into cheese and whey water.  Switch off the flame.

2.  Take a clean muslin cloth or cheese cloth and pour this mixture into it and drain off the whey water separately.  You can save the whey water to be used in your recipes since it is very rich in protein.  Do not discard it.

3.  Wash the cheese in the muslin cloth at least 2 times by pouring cold water to get rid of the lemon or vinegar flavor.  Leave it aside for 10 to 15 minutes with a container under it for the whey water to drain completely.  Do not squeeze.

4.  Transfer the strained cheese to a bowl.  Add curd and mix well.

5.  Grind this in a mixer to make a smooth, creamy paste.

6.  Transfer this again to the muslin cloth and tie the ends with a knot and hang it on a cupboard handle with a container underneath to collect the dripping whey water.  Leave it aside for 5 to 6 hours for the liquid to drain completely.  Open the pouch and collect the cream cheese in a bowl.  Refrigerate it for 8 hours or overnight.  Your cream cheese is ready to be used.

Store in refrigerator until use.  It stays good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.  When using it, bring it to room temperature and use for your cheese cakes or crackers or for frosting your cupcakes.

This recipe makes about 250 to 300 gm of cream cheese.

The picture shows only the left over cream cheese after I had used some for my cream cheese frosting for red velvet cake.

Notes:

To get extra creaminess, use full cream milk if available.

Also, fresh cream 100 mL can be used to for the extra richness and creaminess.  If using fresh cream, add it to the boiling milk and continue the process.