All posts tagged: Fruits

Strawberry Tart with silky Pastry Cream

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Strawberry season and not succumb to the luscious fruit? Not a chance. So as usual my fridge is stocked with box after box of strawberries this year. After umpteen strawberry shakes, smoothies, juices and eating the fruit dipped in chocolate (yes, that’s legit), I decided to incorporate it into a dessert. A Strawberry Tart seemed like the perfect way to enjoy the fruit without cooking it. (I’m all for jams and preserves with other fruit, but the strawberry is perfect as it is).

Pretty in Pink – The Guava Mojito

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Featured in Tastespotting.com on 21st Sep 2012 Featured in Tasteologie.notcot.org on 22nd Sep 2012 When I was a kid, it was stereotypical for the girls to dress in pink and the boys in blue. And because I was pretty much forced to wear pink most of the time, I developed a kind of love hate relationship with it. Love because I actually adored the colour and hate because I would be called a ‘girly girl’ whenever I wore it. And this was completely unacceptable to me, especially while playing tough games like police and robbers in the neighbourhood! I could not bear to have my game credentials questioned because of a colour! (Racism at the grassroot level!). So I avoided pink as I grew up, until one day my wardrobe had nothing that was pink. And then the revolution happened – the metrosexual male stepped over the line and wore the prettiest baby pink shirt! That was it… something snapped inside of me. The hypocrites! All the while belittling us women for being girly girls …

Fluffy Sponge Cake and a Trifle Pudding

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Sponge cakes are so called because they are as fluffy as a sea sponge. The air incorporated into the batter lifts the cake to make it light and irresistible. Since it is used as a base for many other desserts it’s one of the first cake recipes that I wrote down in my little black book of Baking! (Yes, I have one – though the color is more navy blue than black). There are many variations to turn out a perfect sponge. I use the method which involves creaming the eggs and sugar and adding the melted fat in the end. Some people use oil instead of butter, but I always think butter makes everything better, so you know my leanings! You can eat the sponge cake like a Victorian Sandwich – jam and whipped double cream or use it for a rolled cake like a Swiss Roll. (The flexibility of a sponge cake allows us to roll it without breaking).  I have used it as a base for the popular English Trifle. Now the …

Panchamrutam – The five Nectars

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South Indian festivals are an excuse to indulge in food of the sweet and heavy kind. One of the staples is ‘Panchamrutam’ which means the five nectars. This is prepared as a festive offering and is a medley of all things sweet! It’s a sugar high to say the least and considering this is what we offer our Gods they must be getting off on the sugar buzz! Anyway there are no fixed five ingredients though Milk, Curd, Honey, Ghee, Fruits (esp bananas), Coconut and Sugar are interchangeable. My recipe is almost a fruit salad, but with a holy twist! Bless you… Panchamrutam Prep time: 10 mins Serves: 10 -12 What you need: 2 Bananas 1 Apple 2 Guava 1 Sweet Lime (peeled and segmented) Handful of Black Grapes Half a Pomegranate (peeled and separated) 500 gms Thick Curd 250ml Milk 2 Tbsp Ghee 1 Tbsp Honey 5 Tbsp Granulated Sugar What to do: Wash and dice the apples, guava and Bananas. Peel the Sweet lime and segment it. Remove seeds and transparent layer as …

Strawberry Fool

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What’s red and sweet and juicy with a little green mop top? Strawberries! They are finally in season and I’m thrilled! I love strawberries – the colour, the taste, the cutesy look! Absolutely beautiful, these fruit are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. If you have a cold, get yourself a big glass of strawberry juice and you can kiss the cold goodbye. Really! (Ok, It works for me all the time, maybe I subconsciously want to add one more reason to love the lil buggers!) So, if you want to get on my good side, give me a bowl of strawberries and cream! Yes, I’m a fool for strawberries …sigh! Strawberry Fool Prep time: 30 mins Serves: 6 What you need: 350 gms Strawberries 1 tsp lemon juice 300 ml Double Cream 175 gms/ 1 cup Castor Sugar What to do: Put the strawberries into a small pan with 3 Tbsp of water and cook over a low heat until soft. Remove from heat, add the sugar according to taste and stir until dissolved. …