Plum Christmas Cake Recipe

Raisins(Onakka munthiri) - 1 lb Dates(Eenthapazham) - 1 lb Candied fruits and orange and lemon peel - 1 cup Gold rum - 1 cup Cashews - 2 cups Allpurpose flour(Maida) - 4 cups Baking powder - 3 tsp Butter - 1 lb Sugar - 4 cups Sugar - 1 cup (to make caramelized syrup) Eggs - 12 nos Cinnamon(Karugapatta) powder - 1 heaped tsp Nutmeg(Jathikka) powder - 1 heaped tsp Cloves(Grambu) powder - 1 heaped tsp Dry ginger(Chukku) powder - 1 heaped tsp Salt - 3 tsp Pure Vanilla essence - 4 tsp

Preparation
1)Dice the fruits and coat them with 3 tbsp of flour. 2)Add rum and mix well. 3)Keep this at room temperature over night. 4)Dice or crush the nuts into small pieces. You can do these steps the day before you plan to make the cake. 5)Place the eggs and butter at room temperature the night before you make the cake. 6)Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. 7)Measure and keep ready the flour, sugar and the flavorings. To make the caramel, use a white enameled pot, if you have one. The light surface will help to see exactly the caramelizing process. If you dont have one, use a medium saucepan. 8)Place 1 cup of sugar in the saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water. 9)Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil. Dont stir the contents at all. As sugar melts and caramelizes, you may swirl the pan a bit once or twice. 10)Within 7 - 10 mins, a cherry wood colored caramel forms. 11)Immediately, remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup of water to the caramel. You may hold the pan above the sink and slowly add the water, for it may splash. 12)Stir the contents well to dissolve the caramel. Keep this aside. 13)Sift flour and baking powder, a couple of times and keep ready. 14)In a large container, whisk butter first and then add 4 cups of sugar and whisk again, until it is creamy. 15)Add eggs and whisk well. 16)Pour in the caramel syrup, the flavoring powders, salt and vanilla extract and mix everything together. 17)Add the flour-baking powder mix and fold this in with a wooden or plastic spatula or spoon. 18)When they are well mixed, add the candied fruits and nuts and mix again. 19)Spoon this into a 10 inch non stick loaf pans. 20)Bake for 1 hour at 350 degree F. You may line the pan with parchment paper or brown paper.Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 10 - 15 mins and check again. 21)Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rake. 22)Pierce the cake with toothpick, and pour Brandy (about 3-4 tablespoon on each) on top and let it soak. This will enhance the flavor and gives a longer shelf life. 23)Remove the cake from the pan only after it is allowed to cool completely. 24)Before storing, cover the cake completely with wax paper first and then with aluminum foil and keep in the refrigerator. _______________________

Dates 3 cups Raisins- 2 cups Cherries(Preserved in Indian way)- 2 cups Broken Nuts-2 cups Orange & Lemon Peel- 1/2 cup Tutty Fruty or other candied fruits (Optional)- 1 cup Brandy or Rum 1/2 cup Chop the fruits fine.Soak them in the alchohol along with nuts and peels and keep in an air tight container for a couple of week.I didnt use cherries or any candied fruits,but adjusted the quantity with the ones ive got. All Purpose Flour/Maida 2 cups Powdered Sugar 3 cups(1 cup for caramalizing the sugar) Butter 250 gms Baking powder 2 tsp Eggs 6 Vanilla Essence 2 tsp Salt a pinch( to adjust the sweetness)Powdered Spices 3 tsp (Cardamom,Cloves,Cinnamon,Nutmeg,Dry ginger) Orange juice 2 tbsp Method:1. Caramelize 1 cup of Sugar. It can be done by heating a medium sauce pan with 1 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of water.Stir in continuosly and use only medium heat.The sugar will melt first,then gradually becomes a molten syrup.As it gets hotter,itll turn into a dark colored caramel syrup.Now slowly add 1/2 cup of water and stir well immediately before it crystalizes back.(Be careful while doing it,for it can splash and may cause severe burns.).Stir it well to dissolve completely and allow it to cool. 2.Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. 3.Sift the baking powder and flour well,2 or 3 times. 4.Now mix the powdered spices and the soaked fruits to the flour.Mix well with a spatula and keep aside. 5.Beat butter and powdered sugar till light and fluffy. 6.Now add the eggs one at a time to the beaten sugar butter mixture with a teaspoon of flour after each egg.Beat well. 7.Add the flour mixture alternatively with the cooled caramel and fold in.Remember do not whisk,this can break the fruits. 8.Lastly add vanilla essence ,orange juice and 1 tsp of brandy.Mix everything well using a wooden spatula preferably to one side. 9.Pour it into a lined baking pan.(Lined with parchment paper or brown paper). (As i didnt have the parchment paper with me,I just butter sprayed the pan and sprinkle some flour on it.) 10.Bake it in the oven for 45 minutes. 11.Check by inserting a tooth pick and if it comes out clean ,the cake is done. If its not done reduce the heat to 250 F and bake for another 10- 15 mts or until done. 12.When the cake is baked,remove and immediately sprinkle 1 tbsp of brandy over it.This can enhance the flavour and increases its life span. 13.Let it cool .Cut it and serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients cup (110 g) light brown sugar cup plus 1 tablespoon (120 g) sugar 1 large egg 1+ cups (220 g) flour 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon baking powder teaspoon salt 1+ sticks (140 g) butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 oz (170 g)semisweet chocolate chips Sea salt Method 1. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer. 2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. 3. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, sifted cocoa powder, and sifted flour and mix well. 4. Add chocolate chips. 5. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator until next day. 6. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (180 deg C). 7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. 8. Drop by rounded large spoonfuls of dough (as big as golf balls) onto the cookie sheet. 9. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. 10. Bake the chocolate chip cookies until light brown but still soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Always try with a few cookies to check whether the dough is OK. 11. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack. The best result is obtained if you use chocolate chips made especially for baking. You may also cut chocolate bars into small chips, but these will melt during baking (as on the photo above). Variations You may add nuts, smarties or chopped white chocolate in addition to the chocolate chips.

Death By Chocolate
Ingredients 8 oz (225 g) dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa) 2/3 cup (140 g) butter 1 cup (210 g) sugar 4 eggs 4 heaped tablespoons (1 dl) all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 tablespoons sour cream Ingredients for frosting 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream 9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa) Method 1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C). 2. Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall we recommend that you use two cake tins.) 3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water. 4. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract. 5. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream. 6. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient). 7. Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally. Frosting 1. Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan. 2. Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens. 3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting. 4. This cake should have room temperature when served. Variations A. You may add 3 tablespoons of rum to the chocolate and butter mixture. B. You may use your preferred chocolate frosting, or the frostings described for Chocolate Tart or Devil's Food Cake. C. You can add chopped walnuts and decorate with whole walnuts for a marvelous nutty treat!

Sacher Cake/Sacher Torte

German chocolate cake

Things You'll Need: CAKE 2 cups of all-purpose flour 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 teaspoons of baking soda teaspoon of salt 1 cup of butter (softened) 1 cup of sour cream 4 large eggs 4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate (melted) a cup of milk teaspoon of vanilla extract TOPPING cup of evaporated milk a cup of brown sugar a cup of butter 1 can of coconut (flaked) 1 cup of pecans (chopped) 1. Step 1 - To make the cake * First take a large bowl and combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, baking soda , sour cream, milk, chocolate and vanilla in it. * Then beat the ingredients with a mixer until blended. * Now increase the mixer to high and beat for about 2 minutes longer. * Once that is done, use a spoon to put the batter into the 8-inch prepared pans. * Bake this in an oven that has been preheated to 350 for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. * Leave the cake out to become cold. 2. Step 2 - To make the topping * Take a saucepan with evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter and place it over a medium flame. * When it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. * Then put in the pecans and coconut. * Now set this mixture aside to cool at room temperature. 3. Step 3 Once the cake is cool, place one layer on a cake platter and spoon half of the coconut mixture onto the layer. Use the remaining topping to top the remaining cake layer.

Almost Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: 3 pounds chicken pieces 2 packages Italian salad dressing mix 3 tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 cup pancake mix 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Milk Directions: Make a paste out of the Italian dressing mix, flour, salt and lemon juice. Coat chicken evenly. Stack chicken pieces in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for several hours. Mix pancake mix with paprika, salt and pepper. Dip chicken pieces in milk, then in pancake coating. Dust off excess. Lightly brown in large skillet containing 1/2" vegetable oil. Brown for 4 minutes on each side. Remove and place in a single layer on shallow baking pan. Seal with foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350. Uncover and baste again with milk. Return, uncovered, to oven heated to 400, to crisp for 10 minutes.

KFC - Big Bucket in the Sky Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: 2 packages Lipton Cup Soup Tomato -- * See Note 2 tablespoons Paprika 3 cups Self rising flour 2 packages Good Season Italian(dry) 1 teaspoon Salt 1/4 pound Butter melted in pan Directions: * or cream of chicken or cream of mushroom. Mix dry ingredients together and place some of mixture in a bag and add pieces of chicken and shake, then repeat again. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Somli galuska - Soml Sponge Cake

Ingredients Cakes 6 eggs, 6 tbsp of sugar, 6 level tbsp of flour, vanilla flavouring, 2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder Walnut cream 100 g/4 oz butter, 100 g/4 oz ground walnuts, 200 ml milk, 1 heaped tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rum, 1 heaped tsp flour Chocolate cream 200 ml milk, 1 egg, 1 heaped tbsp sugar, 100 g/4 oz butter, 1 heaped tsp flour, 2 heped tbsp cocoa Topping 300 ml/half pint whipping cream, 100 ml/2 and half fl oz milk, 1 tbsp rum, 100 g/4 oz sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 handful raisins sokaed in rum Preparation Butter and flour two square or rectangular cake tins. Heat the oven to 180 C/350 F. Make a vanilla cake and a chocolate cake as follows: sperate the eggs and beat the yolks with sugar until thik and frothy. Fold in the flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold them into the batter. Divide the cake batter in two parts. Flavour one part with 2 heaped tbsp cocoa and the other with vanilla. Put each miture into the cake tins. Bake for about 15 min, until the cakes come away from edges of the tin. Turn out onto a cake rack and leave to cool. Prepare a nut cream by mixing the walnuts with the butter, milk, flour, sugar and rum. Bring to boil, stirring well, then remove from the heat. Leave to cool, then spread over one of the cakes, sprinkle with raisins and put the other cake on top. To make the chocolate cream, mix the milk with the beaten egg, butter, flour, sugar and cocoa. Heat slowly, stirring, until thick. Don't let the miture boil. Leave to cool a bit, then spread on the top of the cake and leave to rest. When the cream is stiff, cut the cake into little squares and pile them up on a dish. Mix the milk with 50 g/2 oz sugar and the rum, pour over the cake. Decorate with whipped cream. Before serving, mix the remaining cocoa with sugar and a little water to make a thick sauce and pour over the the whipped cream.

Prajitura Cardinal Kardinalis szelet reteta austriaca originala Ingrediente: pentru spuma de oua: 8 albusuri de oua, 180 g zahar tos pentru blat: 2 oua, 3 galbenusuri de oua, 55 g zahar pudra, 1 plic zahar vanilat, 55 g faina pentru umplutura: 250 ml frisca, 1 plic intaritor de frisca, 1 lingura cafea capsuni, zmeura, visina, etc., dupa preferinte... Se fac doua aluaturi. Pentru prima se bat albusurile spuma, impreuna cu zaharul. Pentru a doua ouale se amesteca cu galbenusurile, zaharul pudra, zaharul vanilat. Cind s-a amestecat bine, se adauga faina. Se taie 2 bucati de hirtie de copt de 15x40 cm si se pune una linga alta intr-o tava mare. Spuma se pune intrun saculet si pe fiecare hirtie se pune cite 3 dungi, in asa fel incit intre dungi sa ramina distante egale. in golurile dintre spuma se pune aluatul nr. 2. Asa vom avea pe fiecare hirtie 3 dungi albe si 2 galbene. Se pune in cuptorul preincalzit, 15-20 minute la 190 grade. Se scoate, se pune la racit, si cind s-a racit luam jos hirtia de pe ele. Se bate frisca impreuna cu intaritorul, se pune cafeaua sau fructele. depinde ce preferati. se pune crema peste primul blat, se aseaza peste urmatorul. Se taie cu grija felii a cite 2 degete (!?). Se pune pe o tava si se presara zahar pudra. Restul de crema se poate pune peste....

Spaghetti Carbonara

*Ingredients: 4 large eggs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 red Thai or serrano chili, seeded and chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole 4 ounces pancetta, roughly chopped 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 pound spaghetti In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the Parmesan, parsley, chili, and pepper and mix together well. Set aside. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and cook until golden and fragrant, a few minutes. Remove and discard the garlic cloves. Add the pancetta to the skillet and cook until it just begins to brown. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and boil for about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the pan bottom to loosen the browned bits. Remove from the heat and set aside. Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir well, and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain and immediately add to the egg mixture, stirring vigorously to coat the pasta completely and create a silky sauce. Quickly reheat the pancetta and wine, add to the pasta, and stir well again. Divide among warmed shallow bowls and serve immediately. SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE, OR 8 AS A FIRST COURSE RECOMMENDED WINE: Frascati

Grilled Chicken and Portobello Mushroom Salad

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts, boneless, without skin salt and pepper olive oil Creole seasoning Spring greens mix, washed and dried 12 large Portobello mushroom slices or 4 large caps 4 slices havarti or Swiss cheese roasted tomatoes or cherry tomatoes cocktail onions or sliced red onion Dressing 1/2 cup mayonnaise, regular or light 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream 1 teaspoon tarragon or white vinegar dash garlic powder dash freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves dash onion powder 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream, or to desired consistency

Preparation:
Wash chicken and pat dry. Place a piece of plastic wrap over a chicken breast and pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2-inch thick). Repeat with remaining chicken and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush a grill pan with olive oil; place over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and browned. Sprinkle lightly with Creole seasoning and set aside and keep warm. Brush portobello mushrooms with a little olive oil. Grill for about 3 minutes, or until browned on both sides and hot. Meanwhile, arrange spring mix on 4 plates. Arrange hot mushrooms over the greens, top with a slice of cheese. Slice chicken into strips and place over the mushrooms; brush generously with the dressing (see below). Place a few roasted tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and cocktail onions or sliced red onion on the plates. Dressing: Combine dressing ingredients, adding a little milk or cream as desired. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt, to taste.