BLONDIE

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs 

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

1 cup white chocolate chips

METHOD:

1.Preheat oven for 180 degree C. Line an 9x9 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and melt the butter you'll need for the recipe in a large bowl.

2. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch to a medium bowl then whisk together and set aside.

3. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl. Add the white and brown sugars and whisk together.

4. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix together well.

5. Dump the dry mixture into the wet and mix until almost combined then stir in all but a handful of the white chocolate chips, mixing so they're distributed.

6. Transfer the dough to an 9x9 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper and spread toward the edges giving it a rough smooth. Top with the reserved white chocolate chips.

7. Bake for about 45 minutes at 180 degree C. The blondies are done when the edges are set and golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let the blondie cool in the pan for about an hour before removing and cutting.

Lemon Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup buttermilk

For Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180°c. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan with butter. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat again to combine.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat to combine. Add the buttermilk and beat again. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat once more.

4. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

5. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 mintues, then gently run a knife along the sides of the pan to help loosen the loaf from the pan. Turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. 

6. Prepare the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. If a thinner glaze is desired, additional lemon juice can be added 1 teaspoon at a time. 

7. Place the cooking rack with the loaf on it over a sheet pan or large cutting board. Gently pour glaze over the loaf. Allow to cool and set completely before slicing and serving.

Tres Leches Cake (Mexican Milk Cake)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs ((large))

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tin sweetened condensed milk 

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Crushed pistachios (to garnish, optional)

Tres Leches Cake Base:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and butter a square cake tin. Set up three mixing bowls.

In a large bowl, sift together flour,baking powder, and salt. Separate egg whites and yolks into the other two bowls.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, until yolks are a pale yellow (2 minutes). Stir in 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (1 minute). With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff but not dry (1 minute)

Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and combine gently with a spatula.

Gently fold in egg white mixture with the spatula until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface and bake at 350˚F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the Milk Syrup:

In a large a bowl, combine 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

Pour 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream and 2 Tbsp sugar into a large chilled mixing bowl and beat on high speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until thick, whipped and spreadable. Spread over the cake with any design then decorate with pistachios if desired.

Slutty brownie

For Cookie Dough:

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

¾ cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup quick oats

For middle layer:

3pts vanilla oreo cookies 

For Brownie:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)

½ cup brown sugar (100g)

½ cup granulated sugar (100g)

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2/3 cup cocoa powder (65g)

½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)

2 tsp coffee

½ tsp salt

½ tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Make the Cookie Dough:

1.Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars in a bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.

2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.

3. Fold in both chocolates and oats until just combined (do not overbeat).

4. Divide dough in half; spread half of dough in an even layer in the bottom of a foil-lined, greased baking pan. Set pan aside while making brownie layer.

Make the Cookie Layer:

Place the Oreos on top of the cookie dough layer; breaking cookies to fit, as needed.

Make the Brownie Layer:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder in a bowl then set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, beat together melted butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Mix very well as this step gives you that nice brownie top.

3. Sift the dry mixture into the butter mixture; stir until no streaks remain then fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Pour brownie batter over Oreo layer; gently smooth top with an offset spatula.

5. Bake at 350° until a wooden pick inserted comes out mostly clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

6. For best slicing results, let cool completely, about 2 hours.

Mini Cheese Cakes

For the crust:

2 pts of goodday buiscuits, powdered

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp cinnamon

For cheese cake:

16 oz cream cheese,softened

3 large eggs (room temperature)

1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Topping frosting:

1 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon to garnish (optional)

How to Make the Crust:

Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a 24-count muffin tin with standard cupcake liners. Combine buiscuit powder, melted butter and cinnamon. Stir to evenly moisten crumbs.

Divide crumbs between 24 cupcake liners (about 1 Tbsp in each). Push crumbs into the base and slightly up the sides using a small spoon or your fingers.

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes:

In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and 3 eggs with on high speed 5 minutes, until blended and smooth, scraping down bowl as needed. Add condensed milk and mix on low speed until blended (2 min).

Divide cheesecake mix evenly between cupcake liners - about 3/4 full (or a flat ice cream scoop in each one) and bake at 350˚F for 15 min. They should be set with a very slight jiggle in the center. Don't over-bake. If you notice them starting to crack in the oven, they are over-baking.

Refrigerate 2 hrs or until fully chilled then top with whipped cream using a piping bag with large star tip. Lightly dust with cinnamon if desired. Serve with or without liners.

How to Make Whipped Cream:

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy cream, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla and beat together with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes or until whipped and fluffy.

Donuts

Ingredients for Donuts:

Unsalted Butter: 40 gms (chilled)

Sugar: 60 gms (1/3 cup)

Flour (Maida): 250 gms 

Eggs: 1 no.

Salt: ¼ tsp

Baking Powder: 2 small pinch

Vanilla Essence: ½ tsp

Milk: 100 ml

Yeast: 1tsp

 Ingredients for Chocolate Glazing:

Chocolate chips: ½ cup

Butter: 2 tsp

Fresh Cream: 2 tsp

Ingredients for Sugar Glazing:

Powdered Sugar: ½ cup

Butter: 1 tsp

Vanilla essence: few drops (optional)

Water: 2 tbsp

Method:

Measure all the ingredients. Sieve the flour, Baking Powder and salt together  combine well.

In a cup, add 1 tsp yeast and 1 tbsp sugar and pour half of the Luke warm milk, stir and keep aside for rising.

Take the chilled butter and mix with the flour to form bread crumb texture. Mix the rest of the sugar with the remaining milk. Slightly beat the egg and add vanilla Essence. 

Pour it to the Maida mix along with fermented yeast and milk and combine well to form a soft smooth dough. Cover well and let it rest till double in size (around one and half hour).

Tap the dough and roll into ¼ inch thickness. Cut out rings with a donut cutter and keep in a dusted plate for rising again (20 minutes).

Heat oil in a pan and fry the donuts on both sides till golden brown, drain and keep aside. Coat on one side with chocolate or sugar glazing and decorate with sprinkles or icing sugar.

For chocolate glazing:

Melt the chocoloate chips and butter together in a bowl (double boiler method). Add cream and mix well to get thick, smooth consistency.

For sugar glazing:

Mix the powdered sugar, warm water and butter together. Add two drops vanilla essence. Dip the donuts in the chocolate or sugar glazing and top with sprinkles or icing sugar.

Scones with Rose Buttercream

For the Scones:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg

For Rose buttercream:

• 1 cup icing Sugar 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened  at least 20-30 minutes
• 1  teaspoon Rose essence or Roohafsa
• 2-4 tbls milk

For scones:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar a couple times to combine.

Add the butter and pulse 7-10 times until the butter is completely distributed. You shouldn’t see any chunks of butter, and the mixture should have a sandy texture to it. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk to combine the milk and egg. Save 2 tbsp of it for the egg wash later, and pour the rest into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.

Stir to combine with a spatula, until a rough dough forms.

Transfer to a lightly floured countertop and knead about 10 times until the dough comes together into a relatively smooth ball. Take care not to knead too much, or the dough will be tougher and not rise as high.

Roll the dough about an inch thick and use a 2.5″ cutter to cut about 7 circles. Re-roll the scraps and cut out another 2.

Place the scones onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the reserved egg wash.

Bake the scones for 13-15 minutes, until about tripled in height, and golden brown on the tops and bottoms. Enjoy!

For Rose buttercream:

With an electric mixer, cream the butter with 1/2 cup icing sugar and a little milk. Just enough milk that it gets the mixture to go. Beat in the rose essence or roohafsa.Keep adding icing sugar and milk, and beating on high, until you have a nice frosting consistency.



For scones:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar a couple times to combine.

Add the butter and pulse 7-10 times until the butter is completely distributed. You shouldn’t see any chunks of butter, and the mixture should have a sandy texture to it. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk to combine the milk and egg. Save 2 tbsp of it for the egg wash later, and pour the rest into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.

Stir to combine with a spatula, until a rough dough forms.

Transfer to a lightly floured countertop and knead about 10 times until the dough comes together into a relatively smooth ball. Take care not to knead too much, or the dough will be tougher and not rise as high.

Roll the dough about an inch thick and use a 2.5″ cutter to cut about 7 circles. Re-roll the scraps and cut out another 2.

Place the scones onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet and brush the tops with the reserved egg wash.

Bake the scones for 13-15 minutes, until about tripled in height, and golden brown on the tops and bottoms. Enjoy!

For Rose buttercream:

With an electric mixer, cream the butter with 1/2 cup icing sugar and a little milk. Just enough milk that it gets the mixture to go. Beat in the rose essence or roohafsa.Keep adding icing sugar and milk, and beating on high, until you have a nice frosting consistency.

Luqaimat(Arabian Sweet Dumplings)

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
3/4 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
Pinch of saffron
2 cups oil for frying

For the syrup:
3 tablespoons date syrup
OR Natural Honey

Instructions

 In a blender, add water and then the rest of ingredients. Blend well until you get a combined smooth batter.

 Pour in a bowl, cover, and let it double in size in warm place. May take an hour.

In a deep frying pan, add oil and when hot reduce to medium heat.

To test how hot the oil is, take a teaspoon from the batter, and carefully drop it in the oil, if it floats quickly, the oil is too hot.

 Dip a spoon in separate oil, then take a heaped teaspoon from batter, push the batter off it using another spoon. Careful while dropping the batter in oil.

Move the dumplings around using a wooden spoon or spatula, this will make them cook evenly.

When the dumplings are light brown, remove from oil, and place them on kitchen paper.

 Pour your favorite syrup on top (I’ve used natural honey.)

– You should serve these dumplings the same day you make them.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 + ½ cup all purpose flour/ maida sifted
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup castor sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup yogurt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4-5 teaspoons red food colour
• 1 + ¼ cup buttermilk

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C and line a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper.Ina large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda together. I recommend you sift all the dry ingredients once.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar and oil. Beat well.Add yogurt, vanilla, red color and lemon juice and mix until everything is well combined.Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, alternating with buttermilk.Be careful to not over mix. Beat only until everything is well combined and there are no large flour pockets.Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.Red velvet cake is ready!!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened 
• 250gm cheese softened 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar 

Method:
Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use an electric mixer) and beat until creamy, well-combined, and lump-free.

Add vanilla extract and stir well to combine.

With mixer on low, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.

Use to frost completely cooled cake.

Prepare the RED crumb:
Cut off the dome of  cake using a sharp knife and finely crumble them onto a baking sheet. Spread the crumbs evenly and bake for 15 minutes. Let them cool completely. Add the crumbs to a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds to a minute or until the crumbs are super fine.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour  – 2 cups
• Sugar – 1/4 cup
• Milk – 1 cup or as needed
• Dry Yeast – 2 tsp
• Egg – 1
• Unsalted Butter – 1/4 cup
• Salt – 1/2 tsp

For Topping:

• Soft Unsalted Butter – 1/2 cup or as needed
• Sugar – 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon Powder – 2 tsp

For Icing:

• Icing Sugar
• Sugar – 1 cup
• Milk – 2 to 3 tblspn

Method:

Take flour, salt in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Melt butter in a pan, add in milk, sugar and whisk well. Touch and see whether the temp of the milk is luke warm. It has to be very warm, if it is hot then the yeast will die.

Once the mix is warm, sprinkle over the yeast and set aside for 5 mins. Now it will be all activated.

Now whisk it well and add in egg and whisk well.

Now add in flour and mix to a sticky dough.

Now cover the dough with a plate and let it rise on a warm spot for 1 hour or till it is doubled in size.

Now Make the cinnamon sugar. Mix sugar and cinnamon till it is mixed.Set it aside till use.

Once the dough is risen. Roll it out into a long rectangle. Spread some soft butter over it. Sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar mix and raisans..Roll it into a thick log. Now cut them into equal slices.

Arrange it in a buttered tray. Cover again and let it rise for a hour.

Preheat the oven to 180 Degree C.

Once it is risen, bake it in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 mins.

Remove from oven and make the icing.

Take icing sugar and milk in a bowl and mix well so it forms into a smooth icing.

Drizzle this all over the rolls.

Serve.

Falafel

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Let soak overnight, then drain.Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

 Add the mint,coriander, salt,  pepper powder, garlic,cumin and onion. Process until blended but not pureed.

Sprinkle in the baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. 

Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

Take small portion and shape them into ball.

Fry them in oil till golden, drain them.

Serve with tahini dip or garlic paste or mayonise.

Basbousa (An arabic sweet)

For Basbousa

• 200g  Unsalted Butter, melted
• 400g sweetened condensed milk
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 250 ml warm water
• 2 cups semolina

to garnish

• ½ cup ground pistachio

For Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ tablespoon rose water

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 30 x 25cm baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl add: melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, baking powder, vanilla essence and water. Whisk together to combine.Using a wooden spoon, stir in the semolina and well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cook for 30-35 minutes, until the firm and golden.While the basbousa is cooking, prepare the syrup. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan, over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Gently simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and rose water. Stand saucepan in cold water to cool.Pour the cooled syrup over the warm cake. When the cake is cold, cut into diamond shapes, decorate each diamond with a toasted almond and a sprinkling of ground pistachio.

Veg Spring Roll

 INGREDIENTS

• 10-12 Spring Roll Wrappers
• 4-5 Spring Onions, finely chopped
• 3/4 Cup Cabbage, grated
• 1/2 Cup Carrots, grated
• 1/2 Cup Capsicum, thinly sliced
• 3-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 Inch Piece of Ginger, grated
• 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Salt, as per taste
• 2 Tablespoon Plain Flour / All Purpose Flour
• Oil for Frying

METHOD

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add finely chopped spring onions whites.
Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for a couple of minutes till they start to brown slightly.
Add all the vegetables to the pan. Stir fry the vegetables on high flame for 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook them so that they retain a slight crunch.
When the vegetables are cooked add Salt, Black Pepper Powder, Soy Sauce and Vinegar. Be careful while adding the Salt since Soy Sauce already contains some Salt in it.
Mix everything well and cook for a couple of minutes. Let the mixture sit and cool down for some time before handling it.
Mix 1 part Plain Flour / All Purpose Flour with 2 parts of water and make a thick paste. This paste will be used for sealing the Spring Rolls. You can also use it to fix any tears in your wrappers.
Gently separate a Spring Roll wrapper and spread it out on a flat working area.

Take a small handful of the filling and place it diagonally on one corner of the wrapper.

Start rolling the wrapper gently but tightly from one end till you reach midway.

Spread the paste we prepared earlier on the edges of the wrapper.
Then gently fold in one end of the wrapper inside.
Add a little more paste if needed and fold the other side in as well.
Roll the wrapper the rest of the way and seal the ends by applying the paste and pressing gently.
Finish rolling the rest of the spring rolls in the same way.
Deep fry these Spring Rolls on medium heat for 2-3 minutes till they turn golden brown and crispy. Serve them piping hot with Tomato Ketchup.