Caramel Pudding

Ingredients:

1. Sugar – 3 tbsp
2. Milk – 1 cup (240 ml)
3. Milkmaid – 1 tin
4. Vanilla essence – 5 drops
5. Egg – 6 nos

Method of Preparation:

• Caramelize sugar in a wide bowl (preferably aluminum cake tin), smear it all over inside the bowl
• Blend eggs, milk, milkmaid and vanilla essence for 2-3 mins
• Pour it to the bowl and steam it in a steamer for 10-15 mins over medium heat
• Prick it with a tooth pick and if it comes out clean, pudding is done well
• Scratch the side of the bowl with a knife to shift pudding
• Shift it to a wide plate, let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 3-4 hrs
• Cut into wedges and serve

How to Caramelize sugar?
Heat granulated sugar in a baking bowl over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and golden brown. Remove from fire and add 1 tbsp of warm water and let it set.

vanilla cup cake

Vanilla Cupcakes 

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 20 to 24 minutes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg , room temperature

2 large egg yolks , room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners. 

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain. 

3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting. 

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting 

Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2½ cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.

2. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

You can store any unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container; let it come to room temperature and then give it a quick whip in the mixer before using.

(Cupcake recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated; Frosting recipe is a Brown Eyed Baker original)

Bread and Butter Pudding

Ingredients

• 25g/1oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 8 thin slices bread
• 50g/2oz sultanas
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 350ml/12fl oz whole milk
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• 2 free-range eggs
• 25g/1oz granulated sugar
• nutmeg, grated, to taste

Preparation:

1. Grease a 1 litre/2 pint pie dish with butter.
2. Cut the crusts off the bread. Spread each slice with on one side with butter, then cut into triangles.
3. Arrange a layer of bread, buttered-side up, in the bottom of the dish, then add a layer of sultanas. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, then repeat the layers of bread and sultanas, sprinkling with cinnamon, until you have used up all of the bread. Finish with a layer of bread, then set aside.
4. Gently warm the milk in a pan over a low heat to scalding point. Don’t let it boil.
5. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add three quarters of the sugar and lightly whisk until pale.
6. Add the warm milk and cream mixture and stir well, then strain the custard into a bowl.
7. Pour the custard over the prepared bread layers and sprinkle with nutmeg and the remaining sugar and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.
9. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the custard has set and the top is golden-brown.

Cheese Pizza

Ingredients

• Basic Pizza Dough
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup fat-free bottled pizza sauce
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 

Preparation

Position one oven rack in the middle setting. Position another rack in the lowest setting, and place a rimless baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 500°.

Remove plastic wrap from Basic Pizza Dough; discard plastic. Brush olive oil over dough.

Remove preheated baking sheet from oven, and close oven door. Slide dough onto preheated baking sheet, using a spatula as a guide. Bake on lowest oven rack at 500° for 8 minutes. 

Remove from oven.

Spread sauce in an even layer over crust, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake on middle rack an additional 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese melts. Cut into 12 wedges

Deep Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Butter

3/4 Cup Shortening

1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa

1/4 Cup Chocolate Syrup

1 1/2 Cups Milk

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Vanilla

3 Eggs

Cake Baking Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Mix all contents well.

This recipe is designed for two round layers.

Grease and lightly four two 9 inch round cake pans.

Pour batter into the two round cake pans filling each about half full.

Bake side by side or individually if necessary on the middle rack of the

oven. Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for approximately 30-35 minutes.

Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the cake can be removed

cleanly.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe

Frosting Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butter (real butterworks best)

5 Cups Powdered Sugar

3 tsp Vanilla

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa

4 Tbsp Milk

2 Tbsp Chocolate Syrup

*2 Ounce Chocolate Bar (Grated)

Frosting Preparation Directions

Add ingredients in blue into a mixing bowl.

Begin mixing with a spoon to avoid expelling dry powdered sugar.

When powdered sugar appears uniformly wet, mix with a power mixer.

* Grate a 2 ounce chocolate bar into fine shavings and sprinkle on cake

after frosting.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Preparation

• 1. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and all the sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until well blended.
• 2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into another bowl.
• 3. With mixer on low speed, beat about a third of the flour mixture into butter mixture, then about a third of the buttermilk. Repeat to beat in remaining flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating in thirds. When all the flour is incorporated, beat mixture on medium speed just until well blended.
• 4. Fill paper-lined or buttered muffin cups (1/3-cup capacity) about three-fourths full with batter (about 1/4 cup in each).
• 5. Bake in a 350° oven until tops spring back when lightly touched in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on racks 5 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely.
• Decorating tips:
• Patric Gabre-Kidan, pastry chef for Tom Douglas Restaurants in Seattle, shares some insider information. (We've added our favorite strategies.)
• Make sure your frosting is soft and creamy. This is especially important if you're piping it. Cold, stiff frosting will look dull and clumpy, not silky and smooth.
• Use a lot of colors. It will make each cake unique and turn the lot into instant decorations for a party.
• Don't think that sprinkles are cheesy. They can actually elevate the look.
• Mix simple decorations with more elegant ones. Colorful sprinkles aren't lowbrow beside sifted cocoa.
• Have fun with lighthearted toppings. Some of our favorites are chocolate jimmies, jelly beans, miniature M&Ms, miniature chocolate chips, peanuts, and chopped toffee, malted milk balls, or dark chocolate.
• Try artistic touches. Thin shreds of lemon or orange peel, candied lemon or orange peel, toasted coconut, candied ginger, and sugared rose petals are pretty flourishes. If using rose petals, lightly coat fresh, unsprayed ones with pasteurized egg whites, then sugar; let them dry before using.
• Use peanut butter as frosting. Stir it until creamy, then dollop on cakes; or swirl with chocolate frosting.
• Add "architectural" elements. Little meringues, miniature Oreos, or chunks of chocolate wafer cookies.
• Note: Nutritional analysis is per unfrosted cupcake.

Note: Frosted cakes keep (covered) up to 4 hours at room temperature, up to a day chilled (warm to room temperature to serve).

Tiramisu Cake

Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 cup coffee
1 Tablespoon coffee flavored liqueur

Filling Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur

Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur

Garnish:

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans.

2. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.

3. Divide two thirds of batter between 2 pans. Stir instant coffee into remaining batter; pour into remaining pan.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

5. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

6. In a measuring cup, combine brewed coffee and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur; set aside.

Filling Directions:

1. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Frosting Directions:

1. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur until stiff.

2. Fold 1/2 cup of cream mixture into filling mixture.

Assembling the Cake:

1. Place one plain cake layer on a serving plate. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake, about 1 inch apart.

2. Pour one third of reserved coffee mixture over cake, then spread with half of the filling mixture.

3. Top with coffee-flavored cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour another third of the coffee mixture over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling.

4. Top with remaining cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour remaining coffee mixture on top. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting.

5. Place cocoa in a sieve and lightly dust top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

6. To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the