Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookie

The hubby and the kids are big cookie lovers , their fav is chocolate chip , but I was bored of making them so I thought of putting in a bit of Nutella into the batter ( more of it went into me ;p ), I love... love.... love Nutella , I simply cannot  resist them so I only bought a  small bottle of it to use it for the cookie . I gotta tell you the cookie dough was more delicious than the cookie itself . The hubby and kids gave it a big thumbs up so here goes..........

INGREDIENTS 

200 gms butter room temp 

1/2 cup caster sugar 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

2 eggs 

2 and 1/2 cups of all- purpose flour 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/3 cup Nutella

1 cup or more chocolate chips 

METHOD 

Cream the butter , sugars and vanilla essence till light and fluffy .

Add in the eggs one at a time and beat well 

Sift the dry ingredients together and fold it in .

Fold in the nutella  and the chocolate chips .

Chill the mix in the fridge for an hour .

Roll the dough into medium sized balls and place it 2-3 inches apart in the a lined baking sheet .

Bake it in a preheated 180 c oven for about 20-23 min .

Pistachio Cupcakes with Rose Cream Frosting

So many festivals are around the corner this month so what better way to celebrate with a cupcake . I had made these weeks back but didn't have time to put this up . These are really delicious , exotic cupcakes perfect for any occasion . The cake is very buttery and crumbly and the cream is just to die for . I would be happy to just eat the cream ;). Eid Mubarak and Happy Diwali to all , here goes.........

INGREDIENTS

150 gms butter (room temp)

1 and 1/4 cup caster sugar 

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla 

1 tsp almond essence 

1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup whole pistachios ground to fine powder

1 and 3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup milk 

a few drops of green coloring ( optional)

for the syrup 

1 and 1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup sugar 

2 cardamom pods crushed 

1 tbsp rose water

for the frosting 

250 ml whipping cream 

1/4 cup icing sugar 

1 tbsp rose water 

A few rose petals for garnish 

METHOD 

Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy .

Add in the eggs and beat well .

Add in the vanilla and almond .

Meanwhile sift all the dry ingredients together .

Mix the green food coloring if using in the milk .

Now add the wet and dry mixture alternately to the batter ending with the dry ingredient.

Line a 10 pc muffin pan and pour the batter into it . 

Bake in  a preheated 180 c oven for about 20-25 min or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean .

Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack .

Now for the syrup , mix all the ingredients and bring it to boil till the sugar dissolves completely .

Now spoon this syrup over the cupcakes and chill it . 

For the frosting , add all the ingredients and whip it till stiff peak forms .

Swirl the cream onto the cupcake .

Garnish with rose petals and enjoy :D.

Mom's Tea Cake

OMG!!! how time flies , it's been more than a month since I last posted . There is so much to do in so little time . I have neglected my blog for too long now but not anymore ( I hope ). This is something my mom used to make when we were little . It is just the most aromatic , fluffy , buttery cake . She used to  make it most of the time and the best part was the aroma that wafted around the house . Its got very few ingredients so here goes.........

INGREDIENTS

200 gms butter  ( room temp )
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

METHOD

Cream the butter and sugar well till pale and fluffy .
Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat really well.
Sift the dry ingredients together and add itin two parts and mix well .
Bake in a medium loaf tin in a preheated 180 c oven for about 45 min or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean .
Cool out on a wire rack .

Lemon Yoghurt Cake with Lemon Basil Syrup

Every time  a new year begins , I always wonder whether that year will be happy or crappy .Well so far, its been a teeny bit of happy and a bucket load of crappy and at the rate it's going it seems the bucket is going to overflow . The only way I find my worries melting is by baking cakes , which I haven't done lately .So to make up for my happy , I decided to make one .This is a simple lemon yoghurt cake with lemon basil syrup .It's a very moist and zest cake and I hope you guys like it , so here goes..............

INGREDIENTS

150 gms butter room temp
1 and 1/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/2 cup flour
1 and 3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/4 cup milk
zest and juice of a lemon

for the syrup 

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
zest and juice of a lemon
a handful of basil chopped

METHOD

Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy .
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well .
Sift the dry ingredients together .
Mix the yoghurt and milk .
Now add the wet and dry ingredients to the batter ending with the dry .
Stir in the zest and juice of a lemon .
Grease and flour a bundt pan and add the batter in it .
Bake in a prehated 180 c oven for about 30-35 min .
For the syrup add all the ingrdients except for the basil in a saucepan and bring it to boil .
turn off the heat and add the basil .
Cool the cake and pour syurp over it and garnish with extra basil leaves .
Serve and enjoy .

Cheesy Potato Bites

Hey all , it's been one  hectic and busy month with house guest , chores , chores and more chores , didn't have time to post anything . It was fun though and for all my well wishers out there I want to let you guys know that I have lost a teeny bit , well something is better than nothing right ( I am a positive person ;p) . The recipe I am posting today is something my kids love and I am sure most of the kids love . It's really easy to make so her goes..........

INGREDIENTS 

2 large potatoes 

1 tbsp plain flour

2 -3 tbsp milk 

2 tbsp butter 

salt and pepper to taste 

100 gms of mature cheddar cheese cubed 

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup plain flour

1 tsp dried mixed herbs 

salt to taste 

1 egg mixed with a little water to make eggwash 

oil for frying 

METHOD

Microwave the potatoes on high for 5 min and then turn the potatoes and microwave on high for 5 min.
Now remove the skin and mash the potatoes and add the butter , milk , 1 tbsp flour and seasoning .
Now make small balls of the mashed potatoes , flatten it in your palm , add the cubed cheese and roll it into a small ball .
In a bowl , combine the flour , mixed herbs and salt .
Dip the potato balls in the flour mix , dust off excess , dip it in the egg wash and then the panko breadcrumbs .
You can make 12 - 18 pieces .
Now pop it in the fridge for half hour .
Deep fry it in hot oil and serve and enjoy .

Strawberries and Cream Cupcake

 Why can't 'fat' be the new 'fit' , why can't 'shape' zero be the new 'size' zero , why god .....why ......These are the rantings of a mad fat woman , that is ME . I have a wedding to get to in a couple of months and need to lose a few pounds ,well more actually but I can settle for a few now ( if that is possible) . So for the time being  I thought of sealing my lips shut from all the gorgeous treats out there of my fellow bloggers ( keeping my fingers crossed ) and also I apologize for not visiting and commenting on your blogs coz I am trying to lose some fat , which seems to have fallen in love with me , fat and I are BFF's , we are that close ;p . This might be my last post for sometime on sweet treats . These are moist , soft , full of strawberry flavour cupcakes topped with sweet whipping cream and fresh strawberries ( OMG !!! that was quite hard ) . Here goes enjoy ................

INGREDIENTS

100 gms butter softened
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup frozen strawberries thawed and mashed through a sieve
1/2 cup milk approx
1 and 1/2 cup all- purpose flour
1 and 3/4 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt

for the frosting

250 ml whipping cream
2-3 tbsp or more if you like icing sugar

fresh strawberries for topping

METHOD

Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy .
Add the eggs and the vanilla essence and beat well .
Meanwhile mix all the dry ingredients together .
When you mash the strawberries through the sieve , you get 1/2 cup of strawberry puree approx and then add in enough milk to make it one cup .
Now add the dry and wet ingredients alternately ending with the dry ingredients .
Grease or line a 12 hole muffin pan .
Bake in a preheated 180 c oven for about 20-25 min .
Cool on a wire rack before frosting .
Whip the cream with the icing sugar till stiff peaks form .
Swirl onto cupcakes and top it with fresh strawberries and enjoy .

The Perfect Cheesecake !!!

I finally made Lizzy's cheesecake and boy , what a cheesecake it was . Creamy , tangy , sweet , delicious and above all very ...very easy to make . This was so easy to put together and so delicious that I am gonna make it again .( Btw , all her recipes are just so simple and perfect ) It baked beautifully and perfectly and it was so pretty to look  at so here goes ..................

You can get the recipe here
I halved the recipe and made it coz I just cannot trust myself around cheesecake .