*Christmas Fruitcake ~ Alcohol Free*

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Christmas & New Year Greetings to my fans. 

I will be off blogging much as am off my computer and on my much needed leave. 

Have the best blessed days of Christmas and Happy New Year wishes from me.

Herewith enjoy this recipe till I come back next year full of zest and in good health:)

You can still decorate a special cake for your family by reserving some of the fruit and arranging it on top of the batter. Substitute any type of nut for pistachios, if you prefer. Covering the cake locks in steam as it cooks, keeping it moist. It’s crucial to allow the cake to “cure” for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator before eating it; this allows the syrup to soak in and all the flavors to marry.

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil for greesing cake tin
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour - for dusting cake tin
• 1 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried figs
• 1 1/2 tblspn flour - for coating all the dry fuits
• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (brown cake) or white sugar (for white cake)
• 2  eggs
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Coat an 8 x 4–inch loaf pan with cooking oil; dust pan with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.
3. Combine raisins, dried currants, pistachios, dried apricots, dried figs, and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour in a medium bowl; toss well to coat.
4. Weigh or lightly spoon 4.5 ounces flour (about 1 cup) into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, beaten eggs, 1/4 cup orange juice, and rind. Add flour mixture to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Gradually fold in fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Cover with foil.
6. Bake at 150 C for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Pierce top of cake several times with a wooden pick, and brush the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice over top of warm cake. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan. Wrap cake in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil. Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.

Enjoy your Fruit Cake:)

Strawberries Fool & Pie

So,when I got strawberries in the grocery store, I just bought a packet to just eat them sometime in evening, however they were destined to be treated better …I love this fruit…its sweet, like a candy, but at the same time slightly tangy, and sour. they have a grainy but smooth taste….
In fact I can say I am having experiences like strawberries this year… Hmm quite a good metaphor!

So here come my quick Strawberry and Cream Recipe ~ Lets say STRAWBERRY FOOL

I took 1 cup heavy whipping cream - fresh cream,1/3 cup sugar,
then I took some fresh strawberries, washed them, remove the stems, and put them in the food processor to crush them,

Whipped cream until it looks like whipped cream,
Mixed in sugar,
~   Add the crushed strawberries and whip just a little till

all combined and slightly thicker.

~   Divide between pretty glasses and chill till needed.

~ And finally I put a big spoon of dessert in my mouth…hmmmmmm it was heaven… who cares about diet yaar...

~Another good recipe for Strawberry Pie~

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts (I have used Nutella spread) (Optional - use Digestive Biscuits)

2 cups whole milk

1 cup Idle Milk

¼ tsp Vannilla Essence

6 extra-large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1.      Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts (if you are using hazelnut than this applies to you) on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Let cool. When cool, put in a clean towel and rub vigorously to remove skins (you can also just use your fingers). It's okay if some skin is left on -- you're going to strain later.

2.      Chop the cooled hazelnuts to a coarse crumb in a food processor (or crumbed Biscuits).  I bake the biscuit layer slightly

3.      Make the hazelnut-infused cream: Put the milk and Idle Milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add vanilla to the milk. Add the hazelnuts (or any nuts you fancy otherwise ignore this portion) and heat to scalding over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.

4.      In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow.

5.      In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

6.      Strain the milk-hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, half a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until you've added about a cup and a half. Then strain and whisk in the rest of the milk. Return to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.

7.      Strain the thickened custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

8.      Optional, but highly recommended: Scrape the entire pudding into a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until silky-smooth. I learned this from Dorie Greenspan's pudding recipes, and it really gives the pudding a wonderful lightness.

9.      Spoon the pudding into small ramekins or dessert cups, cover with plastic wrap and chill, overnight if possible. DO NOT eat it unchilled -- right after you make it the flavors will not have blended and will taste a little off.

If you don't want to waste those delicious cream-cooked nuts, chop them up with graham crakers in the food processor, press into a square baking dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. When the crust is cool, pour the pudding over and top with whip cream!!! Nutella Pudding Pie!