Cinnamon Roll Fudge

Christmas is around the corner and I am sure many of you have already started your Christmas preparations…. To ring in the festive spirit I thought of sharing this Cinnamon Roll Fudge recipe…. Cinnamon Roll Fudge has a smooth and creamy texture with the combination of cinnamon and white chocolate swirling around…. If you are looking for some easy to make Christmas gift ideas, this will be a perfect one for you…  Please do check these Fudge & Truffles recipes I have posted earlier for more ideas…. Wishing you all a December filled with Peace, Love & Happiness… Enjoy!  

Cinnamon Roll Fudge

(Recipe from here)

Ingredients:

Evaporated Milk - 2/3 cup / 170 gm can (not sweetened condensed milk)

Granulated sugar - 1 1/3 cup

Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon

A pinch of salt

Mini Marshmallows - 1 1/2 cups

White chocolate chips - 1 1/2 cup

Cinnamon chips - 1 cup

Method:

• Melt cinnamon chips in a heat safe bowl on top of a small pot of simmering water. Do not let the hot water touch the bowl. Take the bowl off when cinnamon chips are melted and set aside. (The melted cinnamon chips may have a thick consistency. But when it cools, it will become creamy.)
• Put marshmallows and white chocolate in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
• Bring milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt to boil over medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes, stir constantly. Remove from heat.
• Pour over marshmallows and white chocolate. Stir until all combined and the chocolate chips and marshmallows are melted. (If marshmallows are not melted, you have to heat the mixture in low heat stirring continuously).
• Pour 1/2 the fudge mixture into a lined 8” X 8” baking dish. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil, sprayed with cooking spray.
• Spoon small dollops of 1/2 of the melted cinnamon chips onto the bottom layer of fudge mixture. Continue with the rest of the fudge mixture and finish off with the rest of the melted cinnamon. Glide a knife all the way through the fudge to make swirls.
• Place in the refrigerator to set up for at least 2 hours or set overnight at room temperature before cutting into pieces.
• Enjoy!

Read More »

Kadumanga Achar Recipe / Kerala Spicy Mango Pickle Recipe

Kadumanga pickle is every Keralites favorite and since it’s mango season try to make some. Kadumanga is also very popular during Lent; as we abstain from non-veg dishes pickles are in high demand. In our church Kdaumanga pickle is served along with piping hot Kanji and payar after the long Good Friday service.

You can make this pickle in two ways, either grind ginger and garlic along with spices and sauté like I did or you can add chopped ginger and garlic as it is and sauté. I like thick gravy for kadumanga, so I opted for grinding. Also while making pickle one thing to remember is never to add water to the pickle, if you want to store it for a long time... If you need gravy add vinegar not water please and adjust salt....  I have seen a lot of people store their pickle in the refrigerator and I never liked the taste of refrigerated pickle ;)... So here is how I made Kadumanga pickle....

Read More »

Read more »

Chakka Upperi / Jackfruit Chips

Either my grandmother or my mom’s sister would keep a packet of chakka upperi for me whenever they make it at home. This time also I got a big zip-lock packet of upperi when I went to Kerala…. So the credit to the hard work behind this upperi goes to my aunt and not me ;)… only credit that comes to me is munching it while typing and clicking photos… here is how she makes this Chakka Upperi/ Jackfruit chips…

Read More »

Read more »

Gothambu Payasam / Broken Wheat Payasam

Wishing all my readers a Very Happy Onam!

Read More »

Read more »

Kanjiyum Payarum / Rice Gruel and Lentils Stir Fried with Coconut ~ Good Friday Special

In Kerala, among the Jacobite community, Kanji is served after the long service at church on Good Friday. We spend almost 6 to 7 hours in church, fasting, and when the service is over, piping hot Kanji is served in manchatti /earthen bowl along with Vanpayar Thoran, Kadumanga Pickle and Pappad. It is bliss to have Kanji at church especially when you are super hungry!  I follow this tradition every year and this year I made both Vanpayaer and Chrupayar thoran because I like Vanpayar thoran and hubby likes Chrupayar thoran with Kanji…. Also we had Lime pickle, Sweet Mango Pickle, Pappad and yogurt!

Read More »

Read more »

Indari (Indri) Appam / Pesaha (Passover) Appam with Step by Step Pictures and Video

Indari Appam or Pesaha Appam is unleavened bread made on Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) among the Jacobites and Catholics in Kerala. During my childhood, my mom used to make Indari Appam and Kurukku every year and I also follow that tradition. In Kerala Indari Appam is made on banana leaf, since I don’t get banana leaf here I used aluminum foil.... This is the traditional method for making Indari Appam in the Knanaya Jacobite Community.

Indari (Indri) Appam / Pesaha (Passover) Appam

ഇണ്ടറി അപ്പവും കുറുക്കും I പെസഹാ അപ്പവും പാലും

(Makes around 20-22 Indari Appams)

Ingredients:

Roasted Rice flour-4 cups
Urad dal- 1 cup
Coconut-2 nos or (almost 4 cups of grated coconut)
Jeerakom/Cumin seeds-11/2 tsp
Garlic-4 cloves
Small Onion - 4 (optional)  
Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak urad dal for two hours.
• Drain and grind to a smooth paste together with coconut, garlic, cumin seeds and salt, adding very little water.
• Mix this ground paste with rice flour and make soft and smooth dough.
• Do not allow this mix to ferment. Take small balls from the dough and flatten each ball on a piece of banana leaf with finger tips. Dip finger in water in between.
• Fold and steam the appams in Appanchembu (steamer) or in pressure cooker without keeping the weight, filled with enough water for 30 minutes or until appam is cooked throughly.

Kurukku
Ingredients:
Rice flour-1 tbsp
Jaggery-250gm (melt jaggery with little water and strain the syrup)
Coconut milk -2 ½ cups
Roasted Cumin powder~ to taste
Cardamom powder~To taste
Method:

• Mix rice flour with melted jaggery syrup and coconut milk.
• Cook this mix stirring continuously to a medium thick porridge.
• Flavor with roasted cumin and cardamom powder and remove from heat.
• Serve with hot Indari Appam.

Read More »

Christmas Fruit Cake / Kerala Plum Cake Recipe (With Video)

H  ope everybody had a joyous Christmas with lots of fun and food with family and friends. We also had a great time and the last one week I was so busy baking cakes and cookies. It was a baking marathon for me. Made some Sugar cookies for my little one’s school party (recipe coming soon:)) and also 12 Fruit cakes in 2 batches and shared with family and friends….We never buy Kerala fruit cake from shops, as they always have a taste of essence and shajeera, which we hate… I am not someone who tries different fruit cake recipes every year, in fact I stick to either this recipe or the one I posted earlier … both were regularly used by my mom … if I had to choose I would pick this one over the other…. The difference in this cake is the steaming of fruits that makes the cake extra moist and melt in the mouth kind ….So here is my tried and tested Kerala Christmas Fruit Cake recipe, which was published in Malayala Manorama years back by Mrs. K.M. Mathew!

Christmas Fruit Cake / Kerala Plum Cake

Ingredients:

*Butter - 100gms
 Ghee - 125gm

*Powdered Sugar - 300gms
 Egg yolks - 4nos.
 Vanilla essence - 1tsp.
 Ground orange peel -1/4tsp.
 Sugar - 4tblsp (to caramelize)

*Mixed dry fruits – 600gms (I used dates, raisins, currents, cherries, mixed fruits, orange peels, apricot, prunes, cranberries etc)
 Cashew nuts - 100gm
 Brandy/Rum - 1/2cup

*All purpose flour/ Maida - 250gms.
 Baking powder - 1/2tsp
 Baking soda  - 1/4tsp
 Cinnamon power - 1/4tsp
 Clove power - 1/4tsp
 Nutmeg power - 1/4tsp

*Milk - 1/4cup

*Egg white - 4nos.
 Limejuice - 3tblsp
 Sugar - 4 tbsp

Method:

• To Prepare the fruits~ Chop all dry fruits and cashew nuts finely and soak them in Rum/Brandy in a clean dry bottle for minimum one week. Stir the fruits at least once a day. (I recommend soaking the fruits months or a year in advance, the more the tastier).
• On the day of baking the cake, transfer these fruits in to a heatproof container with lid and steam this in a appa chemu/pressure cooker/steamer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and allow the fruits to cool completely.
• To Caramelize Sugar~ Heat 4tblsp sugar in a pan stirring continuously. When it becomes dark brown add 1cup hot water and stir until it becomes thick.(this can be done a day ahead)
• Preparing the flour mix~ Sieve together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, clove powder and nutmeg power. Toss the steamed cooled mixed fruits in the flour-mix well in a large bowl, so that the fruit is completely coated. Keep aside. (Tossing fruits in flour is to avoid fruits falling to the bottom of the cake during baking time)
• For the cake batter~ Cream butter, ghee and sugar; add egg yolks one by one and beat in. Then add vanilla essence, ground orange peels, caramel syrup and beat well. Add flour-fruits mix slowly alternating with milk to the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour-fruit mixture. Stir well with spatula to blend uniformly.
• Beat egg whites till stiff add 4 tbsp sugar and limejuice and beat again. Fold in egg whites in to the cake mixture.
• Baking ~ Pre heat oven to 170C/340F. Line the bottom and sides of cake pans with lightly greased parchment / butter paper. Pour cake batter in to prepared pan. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4hours or till a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. (Start checking after 1hr) Cool in pan on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
• Storing the Cake~ Prick holes on top of the cake with a skewer then sprinkle a teaspoon or two of Rum / brandy over cake, let it sink in for a few minutes. (Instead you can use a syringe to inject Rum/Brandy inside too; I do that sometimes;). Wrap well with parchment paper and then in aluminum foil for storage. Every week, drizzle / brush another teaspoon or two of Rum/brandy over the cake. Aim to keep it nicely moist but *not* soggy!

I have decorated one of my Cake with Sugar Paste Icing/ Fondant Icing, that I blogged earlier. I am re-posting the same recipe again.

Sugarpaste Icing / Fondant Icing
(Original Post here)

Ingredients: 

1 egg white
15 ml/ 1tbsp liquid glucose, warmed
350g/ 12 oz/ 3 cups icing (confectioners') sugar

Method:

• Put the egg white and glucose in a mixing bowl. Stir them together to break up the egg white.
• Add the icing sugar and mix together with a metal spatula, using a chopping action, until well blended and the icing begins to bind together.
• Knead the mixture with your fingers until it forms a ball.
• Knead the sugar paste on a work surface that has been lightly dusted with icing sugar for several minutes until it is smooth, soft and pliable.If the icing is too soft, knead in some more sifted sugar until it reaches the right consistency.

Read More »

Palada Prathaman ~ Happy Onam!!!

Hi All, I am back after a month long vacation in Kerala. We had a great vacation, the best part of which was staying in our new home. Had the opportunity to meet all our family members and friends whom I had not seen for years. Enjoyed each and every moments spent with them... I am thankful to all my readers who visited my blog during my absence. I will revert as soon as possible to those who left comments and queries…..

Today to celebrate Onam I made this Palada Prathaman which is really easy to make and very tasty too. I used store bought Ada to make the Prathaman. Hope you all will try this at home. Our Onashamsakal to everyone!!




Palada Prathaman Serves-2-3
Ingredients:
Ada -50gms
Milk- 3 ½ cups
Sugar-3/4 cup or to taste
Cardamom, powdered-1/4 tsp
Butter-1/2 tsp



Method:

• Wash Ada, drain and soak Ada in boiied water in a covered vessel for 20 minutes. Wash the soaked Ada with cold water 2 to 3 times.
• Boil 3 ½ cups of milk with ½ cup of water.
• Add soaked and washed Ada while milk is boiling.
• Keep stirring till the Ada is well cooked and becomes very soft in touch.
• Add sugar and continue stirring on low flame till Palada Prathaman is reduced to 3 cups and the colour changes to pink from milk white.
• Remove from fire. Stir for another 10 minutes.
• Add powdered cardamom and butter.
• Garnish with golden fried cashew nuts (optional).
• Serve hot or cold.

Read More »

Banoffee Pie Recipe (Step by Step Recipe)

Banoffee Pie, an English dessert is one of the best and easiest desserts to make. The delicious blend of rich caramel, banana and cream is simply irresistible. Please try this as I am sure you will all like it.

First make Dulce the Leche

To make Dulce the Leche put the can of condensed milk, unopened, in a large pan, cover with water, bring to boiling point and boil for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water from a kettle as needed. Ensure that the can remains covered in water, as otherwise there is a risk of the can bursting open. Remove and leave to cool completely.

To make biscuit base mix melted butter and powdered biscuit. Line a pie dish with this mixture and keep it in the fridge for some time. (For a crunchy biscuit base you can bake this for 10 minutes at 160C. I always do this :)

Open the cooled can of condensed milk, which will have turned to toffee. Spread this over the layer of biscuit.

Peel and thinly slice the bananas, and arrange in a layer over the toffee

Whip the cream until Stiff.

Spread cream over the banana layer.

Finally decorate with grated chocolate and drizzle with chocolate sauce

OR

Dust with cocoa powder using a sieve.

Now the whole recipe in one place :)



Banoffee Pie
Ingredients:
Condensed Milk-1 can (400gm)
Bananas-3nos, large
Whipped Cream-2 cups
Digestive biscuits/ Marie biscuit-200gms
Butter-100gms
Grated chocolate or Cocoa powder to decorate
Chocolate sauce to drizzle on top (optional)
Method:

• To make Dulce the Leche (pronounced dulchay the laychay), put the can of condensed milk, unopened, in a large pan, cover with water, bring to boiling point and boil for 3 hours, topping up with boiling water from a kettle as needed. Ensure that the can remains covered in water, as otherwise there is a risk of the can bursting open. Remove and leave to cool completely. You can make this ahead of time or even boil several tins at one go and store the unopened cans in the fridge for several months. This is the traditional way of making Dulce the Leche which I have tired. However, you can see other tried and tested methods of making dulce the leche in Aquadaze's place
• Mix melted butter and powdered biscuit. Line a pie dish with this mixture and keep it in the fridge for some time. (For a crunchy biscuit base you can bake this for 10 minutes at 160oC. I always do this :).
• Open the cooled can of condensed milk, which will have turned to toffee. Spread this over the layer of biscuit.
• Peel and thinly slice the bananas, and arrange in a layer over the toffee.
• Whip the cream until thick and stiff and spread over the bananas.
• Finally, decorate with grated chocolate or dust the cocoa powder on top using a sieve. Drizzle with chocolate sauce (optional).
• Enjoy!!!

Read More »

Indari (Indri) Appam / Pesaha (Passover) Appam with Step by Step Pictures and Video

Indari Appam or Pesaha Appam is unleavened bread made on Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) among the Jacobites and Catholics in Kerala. During my childhood days, my mom used to make Indari Appam and Kurukku every year and I also follow that tradition. Since this is the first Pesaha after my father in law’s demise, we are not supposed to make Indari Appam this year. These are the pictures of the Indari Appam I made last year and the traditional method for making Indari Appam in Knanaya Jacobite Community is explained below.

Indari Appam / Pesaha (Passover) Appam

ഇണ്ടറി അപ്പവും കുറുക്കും I പെസഹാ അപ്പവും പാലും
(Makes around 20-22 Indari Appams)

Ingredients:
Roasted Rice flour-4 cups
Urad dal- 1 cup
Coconut-2 nos or (almost 4 cups of grated coconut)
Jeerakom/Cumin seeds-11/2 tsp
Garlic-4 cloves

Small Onion - 4 (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

• Soak urad dal for two hours. Drain and grind to a smooth paste together with coconut, garlic, cumin seeds and salt, adding very little water. Mix this ground paste with rice flour and make soft and smooth dough. Do not allow this mix to ferment. Take small balls from the dough and flatten each ball on a piece of banana leaf with finger tips. Dip finger in water in between. Fold and steam the appams in Appanchembu (steamer) or in pressure cooker without keeping the weight, filled with enough water for 20-25 minutes.

Kurukku
Ingredients:
Rice flour-1 tbsp
Jaggery-250gm (melt jaggery with little water and strain the syrup)
Coconut milk -2 ½ cups
Roasted Cumin powder
Cardamom powder
Method:

• Mix rice flour with melted jaggery syrup and coconut milk. Cook this mix stirring continuously to a medium thick porridge. Flavor with roasted cumin and cardamom powder and remove from heat. Serve with hot Indari Appam.

I wish a blessed Passover to all my readers and friends!

Read More »