Cake House

R asgullas are one of the most popular Indian sweet, which we get in almost all the bakeries. My friend gave the rasgullas which she made from scratch. They were so soft, spongy and delicious which I wanted to share with all of you. I took the recipe from her and here it is today in my blog. She is an amazing cook and loves to try new dishes. These rasgullas were so heavenly that we finished off one after the other. But before finishing off, I managed to take pictures for my blog. In this, the milk is curdled and then drained for some time. Knead the cheese well and drop into the sugar syrup and let it cook till done. Proper kneading is important, or else the rasgullas will break while cooking in the sugar syrup. The flavors are enhanced by the addition of rose essence. As Holi festival is nearing, this is a perfect dessert to share with friends. With just minimal ingredients we can make an appetizing dessert. Try this a dessert and let me know. Ingredients: Whole Milk- 6...

For 2 pers. : 200g sea bass.  1 cauliflower, 100g butter, 100ml milk, 50ml cream,  40g raisins,  20g pine nuts,  10 leaves of coriander, 10g capers 1 chicory, 1 orange, 1 lemon,  20ml red wine vinegar 20g icing sugar, heaped tbsp  curry powder, 100ml olive oil a nd some chopped coriander to garnish  Start with the curry oil :  Toast the curry power in a dry pan and, in a separate pan, heat the olive oil to approximately 60°C. Th en pour the olive oil over the curry powder, strain and leave to one side to cool. Then prepare the dressing :    Place the raisins in a bowl of hot water and set aside until they have plumped up.  Assemble the dressing — mix the pine nuts, raisins, capers, coriander and curry oil. For the cauliflower purée :   Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces, keeping a few small florets for garnish.  Melt the butter in a pan and sweat the cauli ower pieces off  until softened. is should ...

Cheese and Onion Pie Simple baking, simple flavours, that marry well together making a great pie to go with a salad or even mash! Folk have been using cheese and onion together for quite a while! I have tweaked the original, adding another layer of flavour. Just perfect, trust me. You will need a 7 or 8 inch round pie tin [or a large pie plate], well buttered. I like to lay a couple of long strips of baking parchment across the tin to help you lift it out. Pre heat your fan oven to 200C Shortcrust pastry or ruff puff? I opt for rough puff, making it stronger. Half fat to plain flour, well seasoned, with sea salt, white pepper and mustard powder, and bound with cold water. I always use half lard, half butter. Chill before use. You will need about 12 oz pastry, cut in half. [8 oz plain flour] Line the base of your tin, leaving a little hanging over. Pop into the fridge while you prepare the filling. Approx 12-14 oz very finely chopped onion. I used a mix - some red, shallot and a large s...

A no-bake energy bites which are a perfect snack post workout. I found these energy bites recipe from Deliciously Ella's  blog which has many healthy and unique recipes. I love her blog because they are so simple, easy and there are many different varieties of healthy dishes. In these bites, I have added oats, which was not in the main recipe. These energy bites are super versatile.You can add your own choice of chocolate chips, peanut butter, desiccated coconut, dried cranberries and so on. When I saw the recipe, I tried and made around 10- 12 bites, but after seeing the demand for these bites from my husband and daughter the next day I made a big batch. By this time I emptied a big pack of dates. I liked the addition of coconut oil. My friend always makes different varieties of energy bites. I have tasted them before but never tried making them at home. But when I saw these cuties in Ella's blog, all the ingredients were handy and so here it is on my blog. These e...

Maids of Honour I had forgotten this old recipe until someone mentioned them. A simple recipe and yes, unfortunately, not Cornish, old fashioned, especially with the cherry on the top, but I like old fashioned. But let’s be honest here - they are raspberry jam tarts with a sponge topping and some icing! The combination is absolutely delicious. But I wonder why Maids of Honour? You will need a shallow 12 hole bun bin and shortcrust pasty to line the holes. Pre heat your fan oven to 190C My shortcrust is 8 oz plain flour, 5 oz cold butter, a little caster sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1-2 tablespoons cold water. Blitz the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor or rub in. Add the egg and water and mix. Chill for 10-15 mins before using. [you will only need half this quantity for the buns] Roll out your shortcrust quite thinly, then using a cutter [3”], line the bun tin holes, pop into the fridge again while you make the sponge. 2 oz caster sugar 2 oz softened butter 2 oz SR flour 1 large egg...

Proper Ginger Fairings Another recipe from the old 6 page leaflet entitled Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institute as mentioned before. I posted a Fairing recipe many moons ago but this one is very different and totally delicious. I will type it out as written: “ A Fairing was a gift brought from a fair by children to parents or parents to children. It could consist of fruit, biscuits or sweets. The original Ginger Fairing was two ginger biscuits and two sugared almonds packaged by a Truro lady.” 4 ozs flour [plain, of course] 2 ozs margarine [I used butter!] 2 tablespoons golden syrup ¼ teaspoonful salt 2 ozs gran sugar [I used caster] Lemon rind or peel 1 level teaspoonful each of: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, mixed spice. “Mix all dry ingredients except sugar. Rub in fat, add sugar. Heat syrup till it runs and add to the mixture. Roll in balls the size of a walnut, place on a greased tin on the top shelf of a fairly hot oven. When biscuits beg...

T his granola recipe is so easy and a simple version, that you can make any time of the day. This is a perfect snack to munch on without thinking about calories. An ideal one to carry to work and to school. This will make an excellent healthy gift for someone special which is homemade and with lots of love and care. In this granola, we can add chocolate chips, dried berries, a variety of nuts or anything of your choice or eat it plain. it's tasty any of the ways. These are so addictive and delicious that I made 3 batches in the last week. I make this and store them in airtight jars, but we don't know when it gets over as they are so scrumptious and yummy that we simply munch on. Kids will love them for breakfast or as a healthy snack. I have added these granolas in the Greek yogurt along with blueberry compote and they were heavenly. Nowadays I am so obsessed with the beautiful, cute pink flowers that have bloomed all over the town. In this valentines season, these flowers ar...

CHIRKY WHEELER Now for something special. I was given this wonderful old Cornish recipe on a yellowing 6 page typed leaflet, price 3d from the Cornish Federation of Women’s Institute, entitled Cornish Traditional Recipes. It originally came from my sister’s mother in law, Margaret Symons, who lived in Feock. I really thought I knew all of our old traditional recipes, so was thrilled to find this. Please pass it on and let as many Cornish folk, who love to bake, know about this brilliant little cake. It must not be lost. You will need a fry pan, warmed to a medium heat, very lightly rubbed with lard. Mine was 7” wide at the base. The old fashioned language is very charming and I think it best if I just type it out as printed. Enjoy! 6 ozs plain flour 3 ozs lard 1 ½ ozs sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 3 ozs currants peel, if liked [I am Cornish - I love peel!] “Mix flour, salt and fat roughly together. Add other ingredients, mix with water to a stiff dough”.  It is just like a heavy cake. “Rol...

M aking a finger licking, mouth watering pickle is an art. Over the years, I think I have excelled in this. Before I used store bought pickle masala for making the pickles. This is my mother-in-law's recipe which she used to make often when we were in India. Now when she was here, we were lucky to get small shrimp from Costco. This pickle tastes better with small shrimp. She made this and stored in an airtight glass jar. I hid it from my husband and daughter and give them once in a while or else they would finish off within a day. This tastes amazingly delicious along with hot steaming rice. This will be loved by all the seafood lovers. Pickling is a process of preserving food. Indian pickles can be made with almost every vegetable and also with fish, chicken, prawns and so on. I will make sure that one rack in my refrigerator is always filled with different varieties of pickle bottles. If you want more pickle recipes then you can check here . In this, the prawns are marinated with...

Chocolate Fruit Cake Yet another little gem from the 1917 Modern Cookery book. As I read the method it strikes me that the raisins in those days must have been very large, as almost every recipe tells you to stone and chop/quarter them. I left mine in whol., but wish I had chopped them now. This is a fairly small cake. I butter and line a 6” spring form cake tin. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C 6 oz plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 oz butter, softened 4 oz sugar [I used caster] 2 oz sultanas 2 oz raisins 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons milk, pref buttermilk 1 oz good cocoa - Green and Black, of course! After stoning your raisins!!! Plus taking the stalks off your sultanas!!  Mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder together and put them through a fine sieve. [Those were the days] Beat the fat and sugar together to a soft cream, drop in the yolk and white of one egg and beat for four minutes [! is that by hand, before mixers? - I will do it for a couple of mins]. Add the other egg and...

Fruity Honey Cake I love different fruit cakes and I have baked dozens since I started my Blog/page over four years ago and it never ceases to amaze me how many variations on this theme there are! This cake is one of the best, a doddle to make, using oil instead of butter and of course, warmed honey! Lots of it. Plus NO sugar. My next post will be yet another fruit cake, with another different twist. You will need a buttered and lined 8 inch spring form cake tin. Pre heat your fan oven to 140C. 8 oz plain wholemeal flour 1½ teaspoonfuls bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoonful ground cinnamon 8 oz currants 4 oz raisins or sultanas, roughly chopped 2 eggs 3 fl oz sunflower oil 6 fl oz buttermilk 7 oz runny honey, very slightly warmed In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and the fruit, stir well. In a basin or jug, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, honey and eggs and pour this over the flour. Mix until well combined. Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 1½ hours, until just firm ...