Chocolate Raspberry Mini Tarts#Improv

The usual tart pastry uses cold cubes of butter is rubbed into the flour, forming the dough with egg and refrigerating the dough before baking. But this tart shell recipe is the complete opposite — uses oil, doesn’t use any egg and no refrigeration required.

Ingredients
For the short crust pastry
1¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
A Pinch of  Salt 
1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar ¼ Cup  ML Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup Milk  or as required
For the filling:
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/3 Cup Whole Milk
½  Teaspoon Vanilla essence
75  Grams Dark chocolate - chopped
150 Grams Whipping Cream
Raspberry Preserve as required 
Method 

For the Tart shells
To make the tart pastry, preheat the oven to 180 C .

Mix the flour, salt, oil, sugar and mix well add milk a tablespoon at a time and form a dough. Roll out the dough and cut into the size of your tart shell and press the dough over the base and the sides of the dish. Prick it all over with a fork and place the tart pan(s) on a baking tray.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown all over. Remove the tart from the oven and cool completely before filling.

For the filling:

Whip the cream till soft peaks form. Refrigerate.

Bring the milk, heavy cream and vanilla just to a simmer. Add the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes. The hot milk will help melt the chocolate. After 2 minutes, give it a good stir until it’s smooth. Cool this mixture to room temperature.
Gently fold in the whipped cream into the  chocolate mixture. Fill this into a piping bag.

To assemble the tart shells

Place a teaspoon or more of raspberry preserve 

Pipe the chocolate filling on top.  

Drop raspberry preserve  on top  and refrigerate for about an hour or till the filling is set.  

Serve and  enjoy this as a dessert.

Labels :  Tart/Pie/Quiche, Raspberry, Chocolate, Cream, Improv Cooking Challenge, Sweets & Dessert, Baked 

An InLinkz Link-up

Gingerbread Cake With Lemon Glaze#BakingBloggers

In India  molasses  is known as Kakvi.  Kakvi is the stage before the final process of making jaggery. I have used the store bought molasses . But, you can make this at home with jaggery or fresh sugarcane juice. Will make this soon and post recipe. This is often used as a topping to eat with sweet pancakes or soft chapatti for breakfast. But it's the first time I am using it in baking.  

This Gingerbread Cake With Lemon Glaze was hit at home and also my friends.  

To bake this use a a rectangle pan with height and a small pan so that this will get  a lift.  I used a 8 by 6 inches and 2 inch height  rectangle pan and it was right for this cake.

I loved this month theme of Baking Bloggers.  Let's make this Gingerbread Cake With Lemon Glaze.

Ingredients 
Dry Ingredients

1.2/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
½ Cup White sugar
2 Teaspoons Heaped Homemade Ginger powder
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Wet Ingredients
1 Large Egg
1/2 Cup Dark Molasses / Kakvi
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Boiling Water

For the Lemon Glaze
½ Cup Icing Sugar
A Juice of one small lemon
1 Teaspoon Lemon zest

Method

In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients and spices well. 

In a another bowl add the molasses,vegetable oil and egg, whisk well, now  mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time.  It will become a thick batter.  Now add the boiling water and whisk till it forms a smooth and lump free batter.

Pour this into a greased, lined and floured  baking pan and tap it well to remove any air bubbles bake at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes.

As the cake is baking let's make our glaze  

Mix all ingredients in a pan and place it on very low flame to warm it well and sugar dissolves. 

 As soon as the ginger bread is out of the oven 

pour all the lemon glaze and let it cool. Cut into slices and serve with ice cream or whipped cream. We enjoyed just as it is.

This was delicious and yummy.

Labels:  Cakes, Gingerbread, Molases, Kakvi,Homemade Ginger powder, Baking Bloggers, Lemon Glaze

Baking Bloggers
Baking with Ginger
Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Glaze by Sneha's Recipe
Ginger Cream Sandwich Cake by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Gingerbread House Tutorial by The Redhead Baker
Gingerbread Madeleines by Caroline's Cooking
Gingerbread Men by Cook with Renu
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Gingersnaps by Simply Inspired Meals
Louisiana Syrup Cake (Cajun Gingerbread) by Palatable Pastime
Russian Pryanik Gingerbread by Pandemonium Noshery
Orange Cranberry Gingerbread by Food Lust People Love
Pernik by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Poussins aux Pain d'Epices by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Baking Bloggers is a friendly group of food bloggers who vote on a shared theme and then post about it once per month. If you are a food blogger interesting in joining in, inquire at our Baking Bloggers FaceBook Group. We'd be honored if you would join us in our baking adventures.

Baked Chicken Borek#Foodieextravaganza

Turkish cuisine is famous for its  varieties of layered pies and pastries, called ‘Börek‘. Borek is a  made of thin layers of dough called yufka or phyllo, that can hold variety of fillings like cheese, spinach, meat or chicken etc. 

Borek often described as flaky  pastry pie ; made with several layers of yufka or phyllo sheets with oil or butter in middle of each layer.

This dish is best for your parties or tea times and this is a must try delicious recipe. Made this for my anniversary tea party with my trekking group. Made two of these one chicken and the other vegetarian one, which I will be posting later.
I have used the homemade phyllo sheets.. check this here Phyllo Pastry Sheets - Homemade

Ingredients  

12 Filo pastry  Sheets  or as required
For filling  

500 Grams Chicken Mince
2 Large Onions - finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Minced  Ginger  

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
Salt to taste

¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder 
1 Teaspoon  Paprika powder
3 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Coriander leaves

2 Tablespoons Oil
For the pastry

100 Grams Butter  - melted 

A small Egg for brushing the pastry on top

Method

To make the filling  

Heat oil in a pan add the chopped onions and saute till they soften , now add the minced ginger and garlic and saute till then start to release an aroma.  Add chicken mince and turmeric powder  stir on high heat until  turns pink to white.  Add the paprika and salt, mix well and let it cook till  all the  juices evaporates and turns dry. Let it cool. Now add the coriander leaves and mix well.

For the layering 

Grease baking pan,  with melted butter well . Layer a sheet of filo pastry, brush it lavishly with melted butter, I layered 6 sheets and brushed each with melted butter.  After the 6th sheet , spread the chicken filling evenly and press it lightly.

Now add the remaining 6 sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter and then keep the next sheet.  After all the sheets are placed, brush the top lavishly with butter.  

Now brush it with egg 

Give cuts  with knife , as per your desired size pieces right till the bottom taking care not the separate the sheets.  

Bake it in a preheated oven at 170 C, for 35 to 40 minutes or until it gets a nicely  golden. 

Chicken Borek is ready to serve.  

These were flaky and scrumptious, enjoyed by all.

My Notes:

While layering the sheets tend to tear or break, but do not worry since they will be covered with other sheets. You can use even the cut sheet or torn sheets for layering. Even I have used the some pieces of sheets or torn sheets for layering.

Labels : Chicken, Borek, Turkish, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Phyllo pastry, Homemade, Baked

Sending this to the event for this month of Foodie Extravaganza, the theme is "Pastry". Our Host of the month is Caroline Williams. Thank you Caroline for hosting this event.

Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly food fest, where a group of bloggers all create and share a recipe around one of the monthly food 'holidays' as detailed in The Nibble. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

See all the other recipes being shared today: 
Baked Chicken Borek by Sneha's Recipes
Cheesy Asparagus Potato Tart by Food Lust People Love
Cornish-Style Steak Pasties by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Garlic Herb Chicken in Puff Pastry by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Kolache cookies by Caroline's Cooking
Puff Pastry Apple Cranberry Strudel by Veggie Fun Kitchen
Raspberry Pistachio Palmiers by Palatable Pastime

Ginger Butter Cookies#FantasticalFoodFight

Made these cookies for the Fantastical Food Fight wherein the theme for the month is: Gingerbread . These cookies are eggless, mouth melting and crisp. 

You will definitely love the addition of ginger powder in it.

Ingredients  

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Icing Sugar
100 Grams Salted Butter
13 Grams Vegetable Shortening
2 Tablespoons Milk
2 Tablespoons Custard powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
1 Teaspoon Dry Ginger powder - Homemade
¼ Teaspoon Level Baking powder

Method

Take all dry ingredients in a bowl except sugar mix well and keep aside. 

Take butter, shortening and sugar in a bowl and mix till light and fluffy. Add vanilla essence, milk and mix again. Now  fold in the add all dry ingredients and  mix it well. Mix everything well together with a help of a spoon or spatula. 

Take a piping bag with  big size star nozzle and fill it with cookie dough. Line a baking try or pan with parchment paper and pipe the cookies on it at little distance. Bake at 180 degrees for 15- 20 minutes. 

Baking time may vary depending on Oven. 

Once done take out them on a cooling rack serve when completely cools down.

How to make Air fryer Dehydrated Ginger Powder at home.

Ingredients  

500 Grams Ginger

Method

Remove the skins and wash the ginger and pat them dry.
Then using a grater or a chopper, I used my V slicer to cut into fine slices.

Then place these in the basket of the Air fryer at 80 degrees. Then no need to preheat the Air Fryer. It will take around 40 to 45 minutes.

Every 15 minutes give it a good stir so that they are evenly dried and crisp. If necessary keep it for another 10 to 15 minutes more. 

Dry the ginger slices on a cloth and leave it for about an hour or two so that they are cool and dry completely.  

Then powder them in a blender or a coffee grinder. 

Store it in a air thight container and keep this in your kitchen cabinet.

Ta Da.. Ginger Powder is ready..

Labels : Eggless, Cookies, Biscuits & Cookies, Fantastical Food Fight, Ginger, Air Fryer, Dehydrated, Ginger powder, Homemade
You can learn more about our group and how to join in the fun over at this site.


#FantasticalFoodFight

Be sure to check out the other Fantastical "food fight" recipes this month !

Click on the hop link button to be transported to the other recipes:

Check out the other recipes below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Chicken Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's Pie is traditionally made with lamb, beef, I,  have used chicken mince since my friends eat only chicken. This is real comfort food.  Try and you will love it.Took this Chicken Shepherd’s Pie  and for dessert  a Magic Crust Custard Pie  for a potluck at my friend's place.  When her son tasted this he said that this was exactly like what he had in Singapore and was delighted. He loved it and made my day! 😄😄 This was a hit dish.

This was served as a starter, you can serve this as a main course too.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients  
500 Grams Chicken mince
3 Tablespoons Oil
4 Big Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
3 Green chilies - finely chopped
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
2 Teaspoon Red chili powder
2 Medium Tomatoes - chopperized
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped
1 Teaspoon Level Garam masala powder
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
2 Tablespoons Cream
3 Medium Potatoes, boiled and mashed

Method
For the Chicken base

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, chopped onion and sauté for a minute. Add chopped green chilies, chicken mince and sauté.
Then add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder and mix it well, now add  tomatoes, garam masala powder and mix and let is cook.  When cooked, add chopped coriander leaves,mix well . When it chicken mixture is dry. Pour this into a Pyrex dish and even it out.
For the Potato topping

Add salt, butter, cream to mashed potatoes and mix well. Place  spoon full the mixture on the top of the chicken mixture  and then  with a fork spread it as evenly as possible.  Sprinkle a little grated cheddar cheese and bake  till the potatoes and cheese turns a golden.  

See the golden layers.. feeling hungry na..
When slightly cooled, cut slices and serve. 

Keep checking for this  easy and delicious dessert Magic Crust Custard Pie recipe which will be posted soon.
Labels :  Shepherd's Pie, Baked, United Kingdom, Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Starters, Main course, Tart/Pie/Quiche