Cook N Bake

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

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".

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 it 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.

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.

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.

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