Ingredients -
For Pate Brisse ( pie crust ) -
Flour - 2 cups
Butter - 110 g
Salt - a pinch
Ice water - 4-6 tbsp
Pie plate - 9 inch
Filling -
Apple - 6 (peeled, cored and thinly sliced)
Butter - 4 tbsp
Flour - 4 tbsp
Sugar granulated - 1/2 cup
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
Cinnamon powder - 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
1 egg yolk, 3-4 tbsp Milk and granulated sugar - for glaze
Whip cream - 200 g (whip the cream with 1/2 cup castor sugar)
Method -
For the Pate brisse -
Pate Brisse is the typical flaky pie dough and a versatile unsweetened short crust pastry, that has a buttery flavour
and crumbly texture ideal for savoury pies, tarts and quiches.
1. Cut the butter in cubes and keep it in a fridge minimum for 1/2 an hour or the best is to keep it overnight.
2. Take a big bowl and put flour in it, add the butter and salt and start mixing it with a spatula, cutting the butter in the flour, rubbing until it resembels breadcrumbs.
3. Put 1 tbsp water at a time, using enough water to bind it, work on it on a platform to make it a smooth dough. Do not over knead the dough.
4. Divide it in two portions, Gently shape it into two disks, put it in a cling film or zip lock bag and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight.
5. Take care that while making the dough if you are rubbing the dough with fingertips then make it fast so the heat does not melts the butter, and the water is also ice cold if you want a flaky crust.
For the filling -
1. Take the apples as soon you have cut it and apply lemon juice, 2-3 tbsp of white sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon powder over it to stop colouring and keep it aside.
2. After the dough has chilled take one portion of it and gently roll it over on a floured surface enough to fill the pie plate. Keep dusting the platform to avoid the pie from sticking and even rolling.
3. Brush off any excess flour and gently lay it over the pie plate, trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Place it in a fridge and roll out the other disc for the upper crust.
4. In the meanwhile melt butter in a pan, add the flour and stir for 1 min, add the brown sugar, white sugar, water and let it simmer for few minutes, stirring it continuously. Take it off the heat.
5. Take out the pie crust from fridge and transfer the filling on the bottom crust gently pressing the apples with hands and mounding them slightly on the center, Pour the prepared sauce over the fillings evenly, apply water on the edge.
6. Place top crust over apples, trimming and fluting edges.You can also tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut 2 inches steam vents at the top of the pie.
7. Beat the egg yolk with milk and glaze the top with it and sprinkle with sugar.
8. Bake it in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 min or until the juices start to bubble through slits. Take extra care that the edges should not
be over brown, cover it with a foil paper while using the upper heater.
9. Slice this Mouth watering apple pie and serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream and enjoy the rich taste of it.
Note-
If you want a lattice pattern on top then while rolling out the upper crust you have to cut the crust into stripes about 1/2 inch in width. Divide it in two portions, one to cover it horizontally and the other for covering vertically.
Start covering it vertically, placing the smaller strips on the outer ring and the larger ones towards the middle.
When placing the horizontal strips, place it in such a way that it looks like a weave pattern by removing the vertical strips alternately and placing the horizontal strips on it.
Ingredients -
Minced meat - 1/2 kg
Garlic cloves minced - 7-8
Onion finely chopped - 1 med
Ginger minced - 1 inch
Carrot grated - 1 big
Green Chillies minced - 2-3
Red chiili flakes - 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon grass chopped - 1 tsp
Bread crumbs - 1 full cup
Eggs slightly beaten - 2
Hard boiled eggs - 3
Tomato ketchup - 4 tbsp + 2 tbsp
American mustard sauce - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Worcestershire sauce - 1 tsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Brown sugar - 1 tbsp
Method -
1. Grind the meat in a grinder to make a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil and butter in a wok, fry the onions in it until light brown, add minced garlic-ginger, green chillies and saute for a while, add carrot and fry it further for 1 min.
3.Take ground meat in a big bowl and Mix the onion mix,Chilliflakes, black pepper, lemon grass, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, tomato ketchup, mustard sauce and salt. Mix it nicely to incorporate all.
4. Take a loaf tin and grease it nicely or line it with a foil or parchment paper.
5. Divide the meat mix in two portions, arrange the half of the meat mix on the bottom of the loaf tin, arrange the hard boil eggs over the meat mix, cover it completly with the remaining meat mix so the eggs are not visible from outside.
6. Pack it tight and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight.
7. Mix the 1 tbsp ketchup, mustard sauce and brown sugar. Pour it over the loaf evenly.
7. Preheat oven and bake it for 1 hour or until done.
8. Take care to switch over the upper and bottom heater accordingly.
(for 1/2 an hour i put it on the bottom heater only then taking care to switch on the upper one to give it a crisp layer and a beautiful dark brown colour.)
9. Cut it in slices before serving and enjoy your X-Mas lunch/dinner with this beautiful loaf as one of the dishes on your dining
table. "Bon Appetit"
Ingredients -
For the Cake -
All purpose Flour - 2 cups
Sugar granulated - 1 cup
Brown Sugar - 1 cup
Butter - 125 g
Eggs - 3
Cocoa powder - 1/2 cup
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Soda bi carb - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
For the Syrup -
Canned Cherries - small can (drained weight 225 g)
Sugar - 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Cornflour - 2 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Cherry brandy/ kirsch - 2 tbsp (optional)
For frosting -
Fresh cream - 300 g
Icing sugar - 1 cup
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Beat the cream with sugar and vanilla essence until it is
light and fluffy, keep it aside for later use.
Method -
1. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and creamy.
2. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
3. Sift baking powder, soda bi carb with flour and mix in alternating with the milk and cocoa powder. Beat until smooth.
4. Divide evenly into 2 greased and lined (9 in) sandwich cake tins and bake it in a moderate oven until a skewar comes out clean when inserted.
5. Take it out after 5 minutes and put it into a wire rack to cool.
6. Allow to cool completely and cut each cake carefully through the center making 4 layers.
For the Syrup -
1. Drain the cherries. Remove stones and cut it into halves, reserving some cherries for decoration.
2. Put the syrup in a saucepan with 2 tbsp of sugar and 1/2 cup of water and let it boil.
2. Let it simmer for 2 minutes and take it off the heat. Add the liqueur if using.
3. Pierce the layers of the cake so the syrup penetrates nicely.
4. Pour few spoonfuls of the syrup on each layer to make it moist.
5. Take the remaining syrup and again put it on heat, put 2 tbsp of cornflour, 1 tbsp sugar and let it come to boil, put cut cherries into it, and take it off the heat, if it is too thick to spread then few spoons of water could be added.
For Frosting -
1. Take a cake stand and place one piece of cake on it.
2. Apply a generous amount of frosting and top it with chopped cherry mix.
3. Place the second piece of cake on top of it and apply frosting and topping. Repeat each step until all the syrup, cherries and cake
have been used and about half the whipped cream.
4. Cover the cake completely with cream. When all layers have been placed, spread the whipped cream over sides and top of cake. Decorate with chocolate curls and shavings.
5. Fill a pastry or plastic bag with more whipped cream with a star nozzle and pipe it at the bottom and around the cake for a decorative top border and place cherries on top of every swirl.
6. Decorate the top with cherries, fresh or canned once your cake is frosted. If using canned cherries, drain thoroughly before using as the liquid, though tasty, may cause the frosting to run.
7. Finish it off with a toss of chocolate shavings and your cake is ready to impress.
Ingredients -
For the Choux Pastry -
Plain all purpose flour - 75 g (3/4 cup)
Butter - 60 g
Salt - a pinch
Eggs - 2, well beaten
Water - 155 ml(2/3 cup)
Filling n decoration -
Chocolate - 100 g
Coco powder - 1 tsp
Cornflour - 1/2 tsp (dissolved in 2 tbsp water)
Castor sugar - 2 tbsp + 1/2 cup
Coffee - 1 tsp
Cream(double heavy) - 200 g + 2 spoon
Method -
1. Sift the flour and salt.
2. Put water and butter in a shallow frying pan and bring to boil.
3. When boiling fast, reduce the heat and pour in the
flour. Using a wodden spoon, beat it vigorously until the
mixture forms a soft ball and leaves the sides of the pan.
4. Allow to cool a bit before mixing in the eggs, one at a time, beating nicely until it incorporates well in the mix.
5. Line a baking tray with parchment or foil paper, put the mixture in a piping bag and pipe either small buns or in a finger shape on to the baking sheet.
6. Bake at 200C for 10 min. then reduce the heat to 180C for further 20- 25 min or until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom.
7. Peirce the ends of the eclair shells right after removing otherwise the heat trapped inside, if not pierced would make the eclairs soggy. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling n decoration -
1. To decorate, melt the chocolate in a pan over low heat, add the cocoa powder, 2 tbsp castor sugar, 2 tbsp cream, cornflour and bring it to boil, take it off the heat and allow to cool.
2. Beat the cream, sugar and coffee together until its light and fluffy and fill a piping bag with a small nozzle, push the end through the side of the eclairs and fill the centre with the mocha cream. You can also
slit the sides of eclairs and spoon the cream into it.
3. Dip both the ends of the eclairs into the chocolate sauce.
4. Home made delicious eclairs are ready to be served and win
many a hearts specially the little ones.
