Salted Caramel Cupcake With Caramel-Coffee Butter Cream Frosting

Salted Caramel Cupcake With Caramel-Coffee Butter Cream Frosting

by | Aug 22, 2012 |

Some of you may have seen my pictures on FB of these delicious Cupcakes, but I am finally getting around to posting them on my blog -The “Sweet Inspiration”(read with Frensh accent) came from watching the Sweet Genius and a few episodes of the Cupcake Challenge. For all those who love cupcakes, these are some of the best kind you can taste -but also be aware that this has no place in any “dieting” program This is indulgence at its highest, but I kid you not when I say it is hard to stop with one!  I got my recipe from a couple of sources; Sprinkle Bakes & 52 Kitchen Adventures, whose post popped up when I searched for caramel cupcakes. After tasting the cupcakes and adding my own “secret ingredient” instant coffee, I think my children declared me a “sweet genius” Let me add to this narrative that this has by no means been a summer of holding back, esp on the calorie front – But with kids on vacation  (they are back at school for the first day today) it was hard not to make them things thy like and appreciate – time enough for them to hold back on the yummier things of life – but I have shamelessly indulged in all of it as well and have the price to pay – more hours of gymming required to burn the cupcake lining on my belly off!  Today is the day when the sane and sober me kicks back into full gear – no more sweet indulgences for a while! I followed the instructions verbatim as...
Kaaju Barfi – Cashew Fudge – Sweet Welcome to Kavin

Kaaju Barfi – Cashew Fudge – Sweet Welcome to Kavin

by | Aug 1, 2012 |

This is one of the most popular sweets that Indians and westerns love to gorge on – They are tremendously caloric, but heck, which dessert that we crave for isn’t? Desserts are essentially meant to serve that purpose in our diet, would you agree? I have made this twice now and both times it has turned out perfectly and I have Manjua Ben to thank for it – her video on this was easy to understand and execute. I attempted this for the fist time at Diwali last year and now again to celebrate our blogger’s friend Kirhi of Kirhti’s Kitchen on the birth of her bonny lad, Kavin. As blogger friend Reva rightly puts it, here’s to celebrating life and stepping into the arena of unconditional love for Krithi Ingredients 2 cups of raw cashews 1.5 cups of white granulated sugar 3/4 cup of water A pinch of saffron Note: You need a heavy bottomed pan to make this Preparation Using unsalted butter grease a plate with a short rim and keep ready Powder the cashews, soft but slightly coarse (more powdery than instant coffee granules) In a saucepan add the water and sugar and on medium heat allow them to boil until it gets to a 1 string consistency syrup. In the heavy bottomed pan, on low heat, lightly roast the cashew powder to warm it up and get rid of any raw taste – this should only take 2- 3 minutes tops – Any more can make the cashew lumpy & wet When the syrup is ready – takes some testing – add the saffron and...
Plum Kuchen – Celebrating Friendship

Plum Kuchen – Celebrating Friendship

by | May 5, 2012 |

So… this recipe has been in my files for almost a year – when I first met my beautiful Argentinian friend, Fla, who I do love dearly – She and I work together on other stuff and hit it off from day one – Although we are both a bit feisty- she more than me – something clicks and I’ve enjoyed having her in my life – She brings with her a familiar warmth and affection – very typical of Indians – where we are not afraid to feel or show that we feel – she shares the same wonderfully close relationship with her family and children that most of us Indians tend to with ours and there was not a moment when we felt any awkwardness in the relationship – She was supposed to be a guest on my blog and share with me some Italian/ Argentinian recipes – She is of Italian origin. But we’ve had a deadlock about the interview part – I did what I have done with my other interviewees – sent her questions to answer about herself – She does not type these out and send it to me, instead, in this day and age of technology, wants me to physically take notes and paraphrase for her – Now for people who blog, you know how much work even putting out a recipe with pictures is – I held my ground that her answers would b typed by her and sent to me and I would post verbatim – The deadlock continues, but I gave her the heads up about posting some of...
Rainbow Cake

Rainbow Cake

by | Apr 16, 2012 |

Outside decoration with edible markers A baby shower in Spring – Colors around the house so vibrant and inspiring – A rainbow cake it is, i decided having not so long ago seen this one! I also tried the cake recipe from the same blog!  Here was my chance to experiment with natural colors – You may recall my Rainbow Cheesecake, which I made with food coloring a milestone post of mine – This time I decided I would make it a lot healthier – as cakes go – and used a bunch of different coloring agents for this purpose – Also with my cheesecake, we poured the colors one after another from the middle and had them spread to the sides – whereas these are individual cakes that make up the rainbow. Here are my coloring agents Freshly Juiced blackberries 2-3 tbsp Freshly juiced Strawberries 2-3 tbsp Freshly juiced blueberries 3-4 tbsp Freshly juiced carrot  – 3-4 tbsp Freshly juiced Spinach -3-4 tbsp Saffron for Yellow – 6-8 threads Rose Syrup (from Indian Store) for bright Rose NOTE: All the colors get twice enhanced when they are baked – so don NOT be disheartened if the colors appear pale as you mix them in – I was a bit concerned but got with it soon enough I would follow the white cake recipe from Joys of Baking or another renowned site – the cake that went with this recipe tasted awesome, but they initially dried up a bit and I fixed it by using sugar and evaporated milk – The end result was incredibly soft and completely flavorful...
Simple Shortbread Cookies

Simple Shortbread Cookies

by | Nov 21, 2011 |

Imagine these on your TG table Another of my Joy of Baking recipes. Let me tell you right off the bat, that there ain’t nothing simple about these babies. This whole procedure is a temperature thing and the dough has to be just so, sos to not crumble or stick – Very interesting experience – As Indians we so casually make chappatis, pooris and naans, and yet a cookie dough can lead you a dance! I followed every one of steps and advise Stephanie gives and she did say that the dough can crack – I saw hers did, but CERTAINLY not as much as mine did. But I am a quick learner and keep refrigerating the dough after each batch until they went in the oven. They turned out to be beauties, but surely they were a labor of love. While I am happy to say I made 4 dozens at least, I ate only 1 and send the rest to the school for the Election Day Bake Sale For the process explanation, click here and listen to Stepahnie;s reassuring voice… And enjoy my pictures Just for variety Pass on the...