Mixed Berry Tea Loaf

On my last visit to the neighbourhood supermarket I got fascinated by rows of dried berries and fruits on display. I have been seeing a lot of my blogger friends settled abroad enjoying fresh berries and whipping up these amazing bakes. Staying in Kolkata I don't have such luck - fresh berries are not easily available and even if they are, not in my vicinity. There was this recipe of a tea loaf that had been lingering on my mind for a while now ..it would be perfect to load it up with these gorgeous berries. I chose to go with some dried cranberries,cherries and also some melons and oranges.There I was all set to bake my Mixed Berry Tea Loaf.

Ingredients:

Plain flour - 1 cup

Butter - 100 gms - at room temp - I used Amul butter

Castor Sugar - 1 cup

Eggs - 2 nos - at room temp

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Dried mixed berries and fruits - 1 cup - finely chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 165 - 170 C.

Grease and line a loaf tin.

Sieve the flour along with the baking powder and keep aside.

Roll the chopped dried fruits and berries in some flour and keep aside. This step is essential to ensure that the fruits don't sink to the bottom of the pan while baking.

In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar with a hand blender. Blend for atleast 3 to 4 mins till the mixture is light and fluffy.

At this point also add the vanilla essence. Mix well.

Add one egg at a time ,mixing well after each addition.

Fold in the flour - baking powder mix gently with a spatula. Add the chopped dried fruits and fold that in too. Keep some aside to garnish on top of the batter.

Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake at 165 -170C for 25- 30 mins or till a knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Pls keep a check as different ovens behave differently.

Happy Baking everyone..its not as difficult as it looks. It only requires some patience and precision!

Cupcakes with Strawberry and Cream Cheese

Few days ago while I was still very enthusiastic about whipping up a storm in my kitchen I had made some gorgeous Cupcakes topped with Strawberry and Cream Cheese. I carried those beauties to my friends place for dinner and they had nice things to say about it and me too!
Today while going through my folders I discovered the pictures and decided that I should blog about it. The recipe of the cupcake was shared by my dear friend K of Silence Sings and I am going to follow it for good now. By now many of you know that I lack the patience of a baker and hence do not venture much into that territory.But then again once in a while I do push myself or my friends push me a little and I end up baking a few goodies.

Ingredients:

Flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 cup - powdered

Butter - 100 gms - I used Amul

Eggs - 2 nos

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Milk - half cup - room temperature

For the frosting:

Strawberries - half a cup - sliced

Cream cheese - half a pack - I used Philadelphia

Powdered sugar - 2 tbsp.

Method:

Before you start make sure all the ingredients are in room temperature.

In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs , one at a time and mix well.

Add the vanilla essence next and mix again.

Sift the flour along with the baking powder and fold it in into the sugar/butter/egg mixture.

Gently add the milk and fold in everything together.

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Pour the mixture into prepared cupcake mould and bake for 20 mins.

 
Now for the frosting - mix together the cream cheese and the powdered sugar and beat it into a creamy smooth mixture.

Once the cupcakes have cooled down - top each cupcake with a spoonful of the cream cheese mix. Decorate with strawberry slices and sugar sprinkles.

 

Nolen Gurer Payesh ( Rice Pudding with Datepalm jaggery) - A Divine Dessert

Every time my mother visits me this time of the year I make sure she treats us to Nolen Gurer Payesh  - Rice pudding with datepalm jaggery. Nolen gur is a seasonal treat and we Bengalis would not miss a chance to relish this divine delicacy around winter and early spring. I also stock up on some but the fresh jaggery tastes something else.You get the liquid variety that comes in a clay jar or can use the blocks. Its an easy recipe but it needs constant supervision. Maa of course has a few tricks which she has shared with me this time around and I am passing it onto my readers!

Ingredients:

Gobindobhog rice - 1 cup - washed well and soaked in water for 15 mins

Milk - 1 litre - I used Amul Tazaa - but its better to use full cream variety

Date palm - 1 bar/block - around 200 gms

Milk powder - 5 tsps.

Water - 1 cup

Method:

In a thick bottomed deep pan bring the milk to a boil. Add the soaked rice into the milk and let it boil on low flame. Once the rice starts to soften add a cup of water and let it boil further till the rice is fully cooked and the milk has thickened.

Now add the nolen gur / datepalm jaggery. Since it comes in a block/bar its advisable to crumble it into small pieces so that it dissolves well into the rice-milk mixture.

Once the jaggery has fully dissolved add the milk powder and mix well.
Remove from heat and serve.