Cream Cheese Brownie

I just can’t get enough of Brownies & then there are so many variations of this much loved dessert which is a cross between a cake & a cookie in texture. So here is one of many more to come :)

Ingredients
For Brownie
1 cup plain flour (maida)
2 tsp cocoa powder (preferably unsweetened)
1 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp soda bi-carb
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp curds (dahi)
5 tbsp milk
5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (akhrot)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For Cream Cheese
3/4 cup fresh cottage cheese
1 tsp butter
1 cup sugar (according to taste)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Method
For Brownie
Pre-heat the oven to 180˚ C
Sieve together flour, Cocoa, soda & baking powder.
Melt dark chocolate & butter over double boiler
Add sugar & mix well. Add curds & mix really well.
Mix walnuts with flour so it wont settle down after baking.
Fold milk & flour alternately but end with flour. Make sure there are no lumps.

For Cream Cheese
Churn all ingredients in a mixer.

How to Proceed
Pour brownie mixture into a greased and dusted baking pan.
Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie mixture.
Run a knife or wooden skewer back and forth through the two batters until you have a marble effect.
Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool and cut into 2" x 2" pieces.
Enjoy With Vanilla ice cream or just like that :)

Tips
You can layer the two mixtures alternately & end with cheese mixture.
Cool the brownie completely before cutting.

Vanilla Cake & Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting

 

Vanilla cupcakes or cake with chocolate frosting & with strawberry slices, another Christmas treat .... sounds heaven ;) ... They were perfectly soft, moist and spongy.

Ingredients
For Cake
1 1/2 cups Maida
1 cup curds
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/2 cup Cooking oil
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

For Frosting
1 cup unsalted white butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
Edible decorating balls

Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C for 10mins and line cupcake moulds with paper or grease & dust a cake tin.
Sieve maida, baking powder & baking soda thrice and keep aside.
Cream sugar & curd until sugar completely dissolves.
Now add vanilla essence, cooking oil and mix well.
Next, slowly add maida in portions at a time and blend with above ingredients.
Fold well until creamy and thick.
Bake in preheated oven at 180˚C for 20 mins, till a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool down, before decorating.

For Frosting
In mean time, In a large bowl, cream together the butter and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, little portion at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, cocoa powder and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

Tips

* You can use soaking syrup to soak the cake before icing – 2 1/2 tsp sugar

   + 2 tsp water + 1/2 tsp vanilla + 1/4 tsp cocoa powder
* I used sugar powder instead of icing sugar & it came out perfectly well.
* While making frosting, do taste it & adjust sugar accordingly.
* You can skip cocoa powder in frosting & make it white.

* You can add 2 tbsp cocoa powder with maida to make it a chocolate cake

* I used chopped strawberries in the centre & also to decorate cake.

Chocolate Tarts

Christmas is here & here is a simple recipe that you can either send across as gifts or enjoy yourself ;)

Ingredients

For the tarts

2 tsp low fat butter

1 tbsp castor sugar

3/4 cup plain flour (maida)

pinch of baking powder

1 tbsp custard powder

For Chocolate Filling

1/2 tsp butter

1 tbsp heavy cream

4 tbsp chopped dark chocolate

Method

For the tarts

Sieve together the flour and baking powder.

Cream the low fat butter and sugar in a bowl with a wooden spoon till light and fluffy.

Add the flour and custard powder in 2 batches and mix lightly to form a dough.

Knead the dough on a light dusted surface until smooth.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.

Press each portion into greased tart moulds (approx. 25 mm. (1") diameter).

Prick with a fork.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes or until the tarts are golden in colour.

Remove, unmould and cool. Store in an air-tight container.

For Chocolate Filling

Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan.

Heat the cream over medium-high heat, & bring it just to a boil.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped dark chocolate. Add butter.

Gently whisk the mixture together until it is smooth & shiny.

How To Proceed

Take tarts & fill them with chocolate filling.

Sprinkle some colorful sprinklers & refrigerate.

Serve at room temperature.

Tips

You can make tarts in advance & store in airtight containers.

You can fill them with whatever filling you like, just use your imagination :)

Coffee Walnut Cake & Cupcakes

It was my dear hubby's birthday (yesterday) & also first birthday of From Divya's Kitchen (today) on Facebook. So decided to bake some new flavour :) & here it is. Finishing touch is not professional but it does taste like heaven. I am sure coffee lovers will love it :)

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes or one 8 inches cake)
For the cake
1 cup plain flour (maida)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp curds (dahi)
5 tbsp milk
5 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (akhrot)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp coffee
2 tsp hot water

2 tsp sugar + 2 tsp water + 1/4 tsp vanilla (soaking syrup)

butter to grease the baking tray
walnuts (akhrot) for decoration
Strawberry jam (optional)

For the icing
1/2 cup icing sugar
4 tbsp cocoa or 2 tsp coffee powder
3 to 4 tbsp water

For Butter Cream Icing with Coffee
1 cup unsalted butter softened (not melted) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
3-4 cups powdered sugar, SIFTED
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coffee powder
up to 4 tbsp milk or cream

Method
Pre heat oven to 180 c
Grease baking tray with butter & keep aside.
Mix all cake ingredients and pour in the cup cake tray or cake tin & bake for 25 mins.
Take cake out & cool it.

For the Icing
To make icing mix cocoa powder with icing sugar & water.
Make a thick paste by beating it well.
If you are using coffee then you will see change in colour.
Do icing & decorate with walnuts.

For Butter Cream Icing with Coffee
Beat butter for a few minutes in a mixer.
Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed, until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, coffee, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.
If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar.
If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.
Refrigerate till needed.

How to proceed
For cup cakes just put the icing sugar icing in a piping bag with nozzle & start decorating.
For cake, cut it horizontally & pour soaking syrup on both pieces.
Apply butter cream icing on lower part.
Next apply strawberry jam, if you want, & put top part on it.
Apply butter cream on top and refrigerate for 10 minutes, it helps in giving finishing touch to butter cream.
Decorate with icing sugar icing & walnuts.

Tips
Make the icing sugar icing after the cake has cooled as the icing hardens quickly.
Icing/frosting should be cold when you apply. 
Icing Sugar substitute – 4 tbsp fine powdered sugar + ½ tsp cornflour. (I used this in above recipe).
Never apply frosting on a hot cake.