Triple -Layer White Cake With Orange Curd Filling And Frosting

This delicious cake is what I baked to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. This cake is refreshing and delicious. If you are an orange lover you are gonna love this.
Ingredients:
Frosting
3 cups Heavy whipping cream
1 tsp Orange extract
3/4 cup Powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups Orange curd I used store bought
Method:
Using both a chilled bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream until frothy.
Add the icing sugar and extract gradually while beating.
Whip until light and a thick enough consistency to spread as an icing. Mix in 1/4 cup of orange curd to the whipped cream. If you want to stabilize the cream add 1 tsp of bloomed gelatin to it 
Use immediately.
Cake
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups plus 2/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large egg whites

Method:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk oil and egg yolks in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in sour cream, then milk, orange peel, and vanilla. Whisk in dry ingredients in 3 additions. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2/3 cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry; fold into batter in 4 additions. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes. Cut around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on 8-inch tart pan bottom or platter. Spread 1 cup curd over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread 1 cup curd over. Top with third cake layer, flat side down. Cover; refrigerate assembled cake.

Rustic Chocolate Cake

Recipe Adapted from: Food Network
This chocolate cake is sinfully moist and favorable and is easy to put together. Aishwarya  turned 14 today and she wanted a chocolate cake. As I was pretty busy today I made this chocolate cake which required very little effort. Don't be put off by its rustic look.
Ingredients
Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows
Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoon heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. I decorated the cake with some m&m's and dripped on some melted chocolate

Chocolate Frosting:
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the cream dissolved with coffee powder after slightly warming the cream and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.On low speed, add the chocolate to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Cracked Wheat (Daliya) Khichdi

Here is a hearty and filling quick fix meal. This is a good alternative to the traditional rice Khichdi, if you are looking for a way to reduce the amount of rice and have more fiber in your diet. My family love this dish and this is my go to meal when I am pressed for time. Try this and I am sure this would be your go to meal in no time on busy days.
Ingredients:
1 cup Broken wheat /Dalia
1/2 cup Red lentils (Masoor dhal) and 1/2 cup split moong dhal
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 Onion ,chopped
1 Carrot , finely chopped
1/2 beans,finely chopped
1 cup Green peas
1 teaspoon cumin  seeds
1/2teaspoon  Asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
2 tablespoon Tamarind pulp/1 big tomato
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
4 tablespoon clarified butter +1 tablespoon more
4 and 1/2 cups water or as required

Method:

Heat clarified butter in a pressure cooker , add Asafoetida and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and onion sauté for a minute.
Add carrots,beans and green peas and sauté for another five minutes.
Add broken wheat and both  dhals  , mix well. Add  water and bring it to boil. Add turmeric powder, tamarind pulp/tomato and salt.
Cover the lid and cook till four whistles , open when all the steam is realesed by itself.
Drizzle with a tablespoon of clarified butter .Serve hot with curd /yogurt and pickle.

Croissant Bread Pudding

I've been MIA since my last post. Wish I could say I had reasons and had been so busy, but the truth is, I am enjoying the summer lazing around! Yesterday I was reminding Aishwarya of the consequences of not blogging regularly. She too is a blogger and has two blogs to her credit. I noticed she has not paid much attention to one of them since she started a new one almost a year ago. As I was giving her my two cents, she asked me when my last post was and how frequently I updated. Kids these days! I am still in the process of teaching her not to question her wise mom when I am trying to tell her a thing or two! But  I am sure this concept is not going to work with my know- it-all daughter in a million years. So I thought I'd better practice what I preach, so I got up from my deep slumber and here I go with my new post! If you are curious to see what Aishwarya is blogging about, hop over here.
This croissant bread pudding is a wonderful make-ahead breakfast or a delicious make-ahead dessert. I tried it first when I had a lot of left-over croissants I had to use up. Now I buy croissants at times to just make this.
Recipe Source:Ina Garten
Ingredients
7 extra-large whole eggs
5 cups half-and-half/whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 croissants, preferably stale
1 cup raisins
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.

Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.