Dear Chithra madam, I am really so apprehensive abt baking as am a new comer (cant even say beginner) to that field. Ur cake lore actually made many thingz clear n am feeling so much confident to try out the baking recipes as I know it ll also turn so successfull as ur other recipes. Thank u for doing that extra step for beginners like me. Regards, CC
Dear CC, Babyraji & Sowminivibu have been asking me for this, the former in the forum & the latter over the phone. I do hope your cakes turn out successful.That is what I am waiting for! Love, Chithra.
dear chithu wonderful points on the cake lore and i am sure it wud be a good bible for cake making beginners !!!! lov sowmi
Bun Pudding - mildly sweet, but deliciously delicious! Small buns are made with a yeast dough & cooked in milk. Maida - 1 cup Salt Butter - 1 tbsp Sugar - 1 tbsp Mix together & keep covered, for 5 mts: Warm milk - ½ cup Fresh yeast - 1 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp When this mixture bubbles, add to all the other ingredients. Knead to a very soft dough. Keep covered till it doubles in volume. Knead again & make 5-6 balls. Arrange them in a well greased 2” high baking bowl. Allow to rise again. Now pour Milk + sugar - 200 ml + 1 tbsp Over it. Bake at 200 deg C, till top starts browning & the mixture is cooked. Serve hot or warm. This tastes best, if we add coconut milkinstead of ordinary milk. Then it becomes "Coconut Buns".
Plain Sultana Cake - plain, simple cake, ideal for a high tea! Please go to Plain Sultana Cake - 1 Plain Sultana Cake - 2 Plain Sultana Cake - 3 Self-raising flour - 12 oz – 350 gms Butter - 6 oz – 180 gms Sugar - 6 oz – 180 gms Sultanas - 6 oz – 180 gms Grated rind of 1 orange or 1 lemon Egg - 1 Milk - enough to mix Sieve the flour & add butter, rubbing in, till the consistency is like fine breadcrumbs. Add sultanas, sugar & the rind & mix well. Beat egg lightly & add milk gradually till you get a dropping consistency. Transfer to a greased tin 8” in diameter and bake at 350 deg or till done – a skewer inserted to test, shoud come out clean. The cake should be well risen and firm to the touch and a golden brown colour. Cool & cut. P S - if using maida, add 1 tsp baking powder to350 gms of maida.
Rich Flapjack: - super snack, a healthy one too! Butter, softened - ½ cup Brown sugar - ½ cup Cooking oats - 1 ½ cups Salt - a tiny pinch Mix butter, sugar & salt & beat well till fluffy. Add oats & mix well. Grease a shallow 7” square tin & press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin. Bake at 200 deg C gor 15-20 mts. Cool slightly in the tin. Mark with a shap knife to get 12 pieces. Oosen round the edges. When firm, break into pieces.
Ginger Biscuits - we want, we want, we want ! Butter - 4 oz – 100 gms Golden syrup - 3 tbsp Sugar - 100 gms Ground ginger powder - 3 tsp Maida - 300 gms Soda bicarb - 1 tsp Warm butter, syrup & sugar slightly & beat to a cream Add dry ingredients (sieved) & mix to a stiff dough Roll out thinly, cut into rounds, place on a greased plate & bake at 350 deg F for 15-20 mts. Allow biscuits slightly before lifting off the tin.
Dear Chitra Ji, your recipes all look very interesting but I am living in Keqiao and am having a big problem finding Baking Powder, Soda and Yeast here. Maybe you could help me with some suggestions on where to look. I thought about the Cake and Bread shops but how to explain to them what I want.Drowning thank you. rkaur
Dear RKaur, They will be available only in departmental, grocery stores or supermarkets. They will not be available in bakeries. Love, Chithra.
Chtiraji, I am not sure if this is the right place to post this query or not - I have two boxes of gits gulab jamun mix that I never used and probably won;t use for gulab jamuns since DH is not a big fan of those, is there anything else that I can make out of the mix? Raj