Tiramisu

Tiramisu is an Italian coffee flavoured dessert. I absolutely adore that slightly bitter coffee flavour in my desserts. This came out to be one of my very special dessert recipes. Make this for you family and see their affection pouring on you!!

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 bar reduced-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 packages soft ladyfingers
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting and chocolate and caramel syrup for garnish, topped with cherry

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix espresso powder with 3 tablespoons boiling water until dissolved. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water; set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with heavy cream and sugar until light and fluffy.
Spread a few tablespoons of cream-cheese mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish.You can even set ut in individual serving cups. Separate ladyfingers. One by one, dip a third of ladyfingers in espresso, then arrange in bottom of dish. Spread with a third of cream-cheese mixture. Repeat twice with remaining ladyfingers, espresso, and cream-cheese mixture (can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day).
The layers can be made in a glass too for easy individual serving as us shown in the picture.  Here I have garnished it with cherry and syrups.

Channa Pulav

This is one of the numerous varients of pulav that you can make at home. Since channa is rich in protein and fibre, this can be considered as a healthy dish. I always make this for my sons tiffin and he loves it. Try it.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Kala Channa or chick peas- 1/2 cup
Onion - 3/4 cup (cut lengthwise)
Green Chilli - 1-2 slit
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
Mint leaves -fistful
Coriander leaves- fistful
Thin coconut milk - 1 3/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Carrot-1

Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Garam masala powder -1 tsp
Salt as needed

For the seasoning

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp ( or 1 tbsp oil +1/2 tbsp butter)
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Cardamom -1

Preparation

Soak channa overnight or for 5-6 hours. Pressure cook till soft adding very less water and salt. Keep it aside.If there is water in the channa, you can use it to dilute the coconut milk.

Soak basmati rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water completely. Heat a tsp of ghee, add 1 clove and 1 inch cinnamon and fry the drained rice for a few minutes or until the water evaporates.

For coconut milk -I diluted 1/4 cup thick coconut milk with water to make 1 3/4 cup thin coconut milk. (ie) I add 1 1/2 cup of water to 1/4 cup thick coconut milk.

Method

Rice is sauteed with a tsp of ghee and kept ready. This is done just to add flavor to the rice.

Now take a pressure pan, heat oil, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and saute for a few seconds.

Add onions, green chilli and saute until onions turn pink.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more seconds. Add cooked channa, sliced carrots,turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves and salt needed. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add thin coconut milk and lemon juice.When it starts boiling add the rice and mix well

Check for salt at this stage. Taste the water and see.If you need salt, add now and mix well. Close the pan and pressure cook for 1 whistle and keep it in very low flame for 5 minutes and switch off. Open after the pressure subsides and gently fluff the rice with a fork.

Serve hot with Raita, pickle and pappad.

Chocoflan

This can be a quick yet delicious recipe for dessert when you are running short of time but still wants to make something truly splendid. I made it only once but it instantly became a family favourite. Please try it.

Ingredients

cake

1 (18 1/4 ounce) box chocolate cake mix, or (prepare as indicated on package)
3 eggs
3⁄4 vegetable oil
1 1⁄3 cups water, or

Flan

3 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla

Caramel Topping

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake batter according to instructions on package. Do not bake, set aside.
Flan: In a blender, mix eggs, condensed milk, cream cheese and vanilla til smooth.
On a small pan over the stove top pour the 1/2 cup of brown sugar til it melts to make the caramel topping.
On a greased  pan pour the caramel to cover the bottom of the pan following pour prepared cake batter then on top of cake batter add flan mixture. It might seem everything is mixing together but once baked both will cook separately and it'll look beautiful. Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove and cool. Place on a serving dish best when served cold.