Pinacolada Cupcakes

Whewww!!!! What a hectic week I had  , I  wanted to make Lizzy's cheesecake but did not get time to do it , I am still salivating over her cheesecake , hopefully this week I can try it out , but in the meanwhile , I was browsing through my food photos and found out that this recipe was not posted . these are soft , moist coconut cupcakes with bits of pineapple topped with a delicious coconut whipped cream and pineapple pieces coated with toasted coconut . These were an instant hit in my house so here goes...........................

INGREDIENTS

100 gms butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 and 3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup of light coconut milk
1/4 cup of syrup from the canned pineapple
1/2 cup of chopped pineapple

for the frosting 

350 ml whipping cream
2 tbsp coconut milk powder
5 tbsp or more icing sugar
pineapple pieces dipped in toasted coconut for garnish ( optional )

METHOD

Cream the butter and sugar till fluffy .
Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat again .
Sift the dry ingredients together .
Mix the coconut milk and the syrup .
Now add in the wet and dry mixture alternately in the batter ending with the dry ingredient.
Fold in the chopped pineapple .
Bake in a preheated 180 c oven for about 20-25 min or till the tops are springy to the touch .
Now for the frosting , whip the cream , icing sugar sugar and coconut milk powder till stiff .
Pipe swirls onto the cooled cupcakes and top it with the pineapple pieces .

Pizza From My Garden

I am really proud of this dish not that this is something  fancy ,but because all the ingredients I have used here are from my small veggie garden . The place I moved to recently has a little space to do my vegetable gardening . I was not very fond of gardening , but now I am so excited to do it , every morning when I wake up the first thing I do is go and have a look at what has grown . Except for the cheese and olive oil everything on here is home made . I know you guys can't see me but I am beaming with pride ear to ear : D . so here goes....................

INGREDIENTS

for the base 

1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 and 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 and 1/2 cup of wholemeal flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast

for the topping

1 cup of cherry tomatoes
a handful of mint, basil, rosemary, thyme and parsley
2 tbsp olive oil ( good quality )
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese


METHOD

Mix all the ingredients for the dough and set aside in a greased bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap to rise for about 1 hour . Knock back the dough again and leave to rise for about 30 min. If you have a bread machine , then add the ingredients in the order given and set it on dough cycle.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and add it in a bowl .
To this add the oil , salt and pepper and the herbs and set it aside for half hour .
Divide the dough in half , you can save it in the fridge .
Use one half and roll the dough into any shape you want . Stretch it as thinly as possible , it will be much crisper.
Spread the tomato mixture evenly on top .
Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle it all over .
Top with the parmesan cheese .
Bake in a preheated 180 c oven for about 15 min .

P.S : I forgot this , it tasted super !!!!!!!!!!!! ;P

Chocolate and Caramel Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Whewww!!!!!! That is one long name for a little thing and I am tired from typing it ;) . These cupcakes are soft , moist , chocolatey , caramely ...... I could go on and on and on describing it coz it's just that good and the frosting is just yummy . It's just chocolate ganache whipped up to give a nice fluffy smooth frosting , it's just too good so here goes..................

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 and 3/4 baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup canola oil or any flavorless vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup nestle caramel treat or caramel topping

for the frosting

200 gms dark chocolate chopped
1 cup whipping cream

METHOD

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl .
Mix all the wet ingredients together except for the caramel topping .
Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix it well till you get a smooth mixture .
Now fold in  the caramel topping into the batter . Don't over mix it .
Grease or line the cupcake tin.
Bake in a preheated 180 c oven for about 15-20 min or till the tops are springy to the touch .
Meanwhile make the ganache by heating the whipping cream in the microwave for 1 min .
Add the chopped chocolate in the hot cream and stir it till you get a smooth mixture.
Now keep it aside to cool.
When the ganache is cooled whip it using a beater till stiff .
Pipe the whipped ganache onto the cooled cupcakes and enjoy :D.