Dark Chocolate and Almond Scones

 Holiday Baking is in full swing!! Every break/vacation,  I promise myself to create a new recipe and upload it on the blog site. This winter break it had to be something sweet, chocolatey, and baked for the Christmas holidays! 

So here are the dark chocolate and almond scones that we enjoyed baking together as a family today. They are perfect textured (the little ones did a great job of massaging the butter onto the flour to get the perfect crumbly 'scone' texture 😍) are mildly sweet, and have slight nuttiness from the almonds. 

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour

3/4 cups Granulated sugar

1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds

1/2 cup dark chocolate Hershey's cocoa powder

1/2 cup heavy cream/ whole milk

2 and 1/2 tsp Baking powder

6 Tbsp Unsalted butter (very cold)

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

2-4 (70% chocolate) squares for the top drizzle

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 375F.
2) In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, baking powder.
3) In a small cup, beat 1 egg. Keep aside 1 tsp ( for egg wash later). To the rest of the egg, add heavy cream/milk. Mix together.
4) Cut the cold butter into small pieces and combine with flour- sugar mixture. Use fingers to blend the butter into the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. ( Little pieces of butter should be still seen in the mixture). Add the sliced almonds.
5) Add the egg-cream mixture to the flour. Stir until combined. Do not over mix.

6) Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface. Make 3-4 large balls. Roll out each ball of dough or pat the dough into a circle. About 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 6 or 8 wedges like pizza.

7) Place the scones on a lightly greased baking sheet. Keep them apart. They will spread a little while baking.

8) Mix together 1 tsp egg and 1 tsp milk. Beat together. Brush onto the scones to get a 'shiny' appearance on baking.

9) Bake at 375F for 15 mins or until lightly browned.

10) Let them cool completely before taking them out from the baking sheet. 

11) Melt the chocolate squares and drizzle the melted chocolate onto the completely cooled scones. Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy the sweet crumbly Scones flavored with dark chocolate and textured with almonds😋 Happy Holidays!!!

Dark Chocolate Cake with Neon-Pink Whipped Cream Frosting

Special birthdays deserve special homemade cakes!💕 We had a special milestone birthday of our little one and celebrated with this very pink-princess like cake😊

This year her demand was for a chocolate cake and hence baked a dark chocolate cake with neon pink colored whipped cream frosting. I love the stark contrast of dark chocolate with neon pink. The cake looks gorgeous in that combination!

Dark Chocolate Cake (Makes a small 6 inch cake)
1 cup All purpose flour
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Yogurt (whole milk)
1/3 cup Water
1/3 cup Unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/4 cup Unsalted butter
1 Egg
1 tsp Bru instant coffee powder
3/4 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 pinch salt

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Layer 6 inch circle cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom. Coat with oil/butter on the pan sides and dust with some flour to avoid the cake sticking.
2) Beat butter, egg, salt and sugar till light and fluffy. Add yogurt, water and rest of the ingredients. Beat till well mixed. Do not over mix!
3) Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 30-40 mins. Check with toothpick. It should come out clean.
4) Let the cake cool completely.
( ** Or you can bake the cake the day before to save time)

Neon-Pink Whipped Cream Frosting
 (I add some cream cheese to stabilize the whipped cream and cut the sweet taste)
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream (chilled)
1/2 cup softened cream cheese
4 tbsp sugar (Add more for sweeter taste)
2-4 drops Neon Pink gel food color (Depends on desired color)
Pink and White Sugar pearls for decoration
(** This makes little extra frosting than needed. Any leftover frosting can be frozen in freezer safe containers)

1) Beat the cream cheese, sugar and heavy whipping cream in chilled bowl till stiff peaks form.
Keep aside about 1/2 of the white icing in a bowl in the refrigerator
2) Add neon pink gel color to the rest of the icing and beat for few seconds. Fill in piping bag with large rosette piping nozzle and store in refrigerator till ready to use.

Cake Assembly:
1) Place the cake on serving platter/ cake stand that can be refrigerated. Coat the completely cooled cake with thin layer of white whipped cream frosting.This is called 'crumb coating' and helps with the next layer of smooth frosting without any cake crumbs. Keep the cake in the refrigerator to set for 30 mins.

2) Layer the cake with pink frosting on bottom and white of top and side. Smoothen it out with icing knife/ spatula.

3) Pipe rosette pattern with pink frosting on the top

4) Cover the entire top surface with rosettes. Decorate with pink sugar pearls on top and white sugar pearls on the bottom/sides

5) Refrigerate the cake after frosting/ decoration is done. Whipped cream frosting starts to soften at room temperature, so the cake needs to be stored in refrigerator.

Raspberry-Blackberry Chip Ice cream

Summer means lots of Berries and lots of Ice cream! I love the 'Black Raspberry Chip' ice cream from Graeter's and also by the 'Homemade' brand which comes very close to Graeter's in flavor.

I didn't have any Black raspberries, so tried to make my favorite flavor of ice cream with combo of  Red Raspberries and Blackberries and Dark chocolate with almonds. The combination worked well and the ice cream turned out super awesome and Yumm!

This ice cream recipe is super easy to make and the ice cream comes out perfect textured! You can use Heavy whipping cream+ Condensed milk and add pretty much any flavor you want to make your very own delicious homemade ice cream!

Ingredients: (Makes about 2 cups or 4 small scoops)
1/2 cup (heaped) Red raspberries+ Black berries
1/2 Cup Heavy whipping cream (unsweetened), chilled
1/4 cup Sweet condensed milk
2 tbsp milk (cold)
2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate with almonds (I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate with almonds bar)
3 tsp sugar
Edible sugar pearls (optional) for decorating the glass

Method:

1) Add the berries to a pan. Add 3 tsp sugar and cook for 3-4 mins till berries start to cook. Crush the berries with spoon. ( I didn't mind the tiny berry seeds and pulp in the ice cream. You can strain the puree if you don't like pulp/seeds) The berry sauce will reduce to about 1/4 cup. Let the berry puree cool down completely and then refrigerate for 15 mins.

2) Mix the cooled berry puree, condensed milk and normal milk in a bowl.

3) Beat the chilled heavy whipping cream with electric mixer till stiff peaks form. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream will yield 1 cup whipped cream after whipping is complete.

 Reserve 1 tsp whipped cream for decorating the glass later. Save it in the refrigerator.

4) Gently fold in the whipped cream and chopped dark chocolate into the condensed milk-berry mixture.

5) The mixture will be thicker than smoothie consistency. Pour into freezer safe container. Add extra chopped dark chocolate on top.

6) Freeze for atleast 7 hrs for perfect consistency of the ice cream

7) Serve chilled in ice cream glass with extra berries and sprinkle some chopped dark chocolate 

Optional: Apply the reserved whipped cream as a glue to the rim of the glass. Stick the edible sugar pearls to the rim with whipped cream to decorate the ice cream glass.

Enjoy the delicious treat of homemade ice cream !

Vanilla-Dark chocolate "Swirl Burfi"

Mixing and matching flavors that you like into your favorite dish makes the dish even more delectable!! The melt in your mouth pedhas/ burfis made with ricotta cheese are my favorite and a 'have-to -have' for Diwali kind of sweet!
This year I tried a variation of the old recipe.Added vanilla and dark chocolate and made this beautiful 'Swirl Burfi'!!

Recipe:
Ingredients:
425 gm whole milk Ricotta cheese
7 oz Sweet condensed milk\
1 cup dry milk powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup Dark cocoa powder
2 tsp ghee

Pistachio and Sugar pearls for decoration

Method:
1) In a non stick kadhai/skillet, melt 1 tsp ghee. On medium to low flame add the ricotta cheese. Stir for about 15 mins. First the cheese will melt and then start getting thick again. This is similar to Khoya/ Khava.
Ricotta can burn easily. So, use non stick skillet and keep the flame low/medium!

2) When it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai,add milk powder. Stir all together. Cook till it starts leaving the sides of the kadhai. This will take about 15 mins or so. The mixture will become thin first and then thick.Add the condensed milk and cook for 5 more mins.

3) Mix well. Take off the gas.Divide into 2 parts.To one part, add vanilla essence.To other add dark chocolate powder.

4) Let it cool. Roll the Vanilla mixture in between buttered parchment paper with a buttered rolling pin.

Layer and roll the dark chocolate layer on top

5) Roll into  a log

6) Slice the log gently with a sharp buttered knife. Place the burfi in a cup cake liner.Decorate with pistachio and sugar pearls.

 The above ingredients yield about about 30 Burfi depending on how big or small you cut them.

Oats-Almond Breakfast bars (Eggless)

Honestly,breakfast is not a issue for me...I have a good breakfast of a 'non sugary' cereal and add almonds and frozen blueberries to it.Love it! Feels like a good way to start the day!
The issue is however, those 3-4 o' clock hunger pangs. I usually try to eat a fruit at that time, but often still feel hungry by the time I come home...especially with the 1 hour commute that I have.

I have experimented with several homemade versions of cereal/bars before and here is the link to those recipes:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/search/label/Homemade%20Cereal%20bars

For larabars:
http://www.my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2014/02/larabar-like-healthy-chocolate-bars.html

This Oats-Almond bar ....is easier, is eggless, has no added fats and can be rolled out as cookies too!! Just roll into round balls, press them and bake!

Here goes the recipe-

Ingredients: Makes 12-15 bars
2 cups Quick Oats dry roasted
2 cups Almonds
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4tsp salt
Few sliced almonds

Method:
Pre heat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9x9 metal pan with cooking spray (make sure to grease really well...otherwise the bars stick to the pan as there is no added fat in the dough)

1) Dry roast the oats and when cooled, powder them.
2) Put the almonds in the blender and powder them. Blend them couple times more..till they start giving out the natural oils and start to come together
3) Mix together the oat powder, almond powder, dark cocoa powder,baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix with hands.Add little milk at a time to mix and gently knead into a dough.

4) Press this mixture into the greased baking pan. Press the sliced almonds on top.
5) Cut into rectangular bars
6) Bake at 350 F for 15 mins. Turn off the oven. Take the pan out.Let them cool for 10 mins.Cut again on the lines.Put the pan back in the oven (which is turned OFF) .The slight heat of the cooling oven will help them crisp a little. Keep them in for 10 mins. Take out the pan.Cut on the lines and remove the bars gently.

( I did have a couple bars break a little....but the crumbs were delicious too :))

You will love these nutty,chocolaty but still nutritious bars any time of the day!!!

Vanilla and Chocolate "Checkerboard" Cake with Strawberry cream filling

It was 'M's birthday and like every year I do, I was going to bake a special cake for him!! Last year it was "Zebra Cake" (http://my-kitchens-aroma.blogspot.com/2012/04/pat-cake-zebra-cake-with-chocolate.html) and this year, I wanted to try something 'new'...not just 'any' cake...something new...some new technique.This one seemed to be exciting and involved some 'thinking' and planning-which type of cake to bake..soft textured or sturdier/denser cake and a bit of geometry too:)
Here is how you make it-

Basically you need 2 types/ colored cakes.I baked a vanilla and other dark chocolate. If your cake it too moist or spongy, you will have hard time cutting and lifting the cake circles. This cake modified from this recipe (http://www.azcookbook.com/zebra-cake/) is a denser cake and did hold the cutting and lifting pretty well.

Ingredients:
Bakes two -8 or 9 inch cakes
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 cup canola oil
2tbsp butter at room temperature
1tsp tsp vanilla essence
1 +1/4 tbsp baking powder
1 tablespoons dark cocoa powder  (dark cocoa is necessary to get rich dark brown color for better contrast)
3tbsp grated dark chocolate bars- microwave for few seconds until soft.
1/4tsp salt

Strawberry cream filling
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream(cold)
1/4 cup fresh strawberry puree(chilled for 1 hour)
1tbsp sugar

Whipped cream icing
1 Cup heavy whipping cream(cold)
2tbsp sugar
1/2tsp vanilla essence

Decoration:
Mini chocolate chips
fresh sliced strawberries

Method:
1) Pre heat the oven to 350F. Grease 2 cake pans with shortening/non stick spray and dust with flour.
2) Sieve together all purpose flour, salt, baking powder.
3)Beat the eggs for 3mins with electric whisk. Add the butter and sugar and whisk till it is light color and fluffy.
4) Add the oil and milk and beat for few seconds.Add the vanilla extract.
5) Add the dry ingredients slowing and beat only till well blended.
6) Divide the batter in 2 parts. To one part add the dark cocoa powder and softened dark chocolate bar.Beat for few seconds till well blended.
7) Pour the vanilla and chocolate batters into 2 separate pans. Bake at 350F for 30-35 mins, until golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool completely for few hours before cutting and icing.
The cakes upside down for sturdier cutting.If your cake has a bulge cut and level it out:

Strawberry Whipped cream:
Beat the whipping cream on high speed with a electric mixer, till soft peaks are formed. Add the chilled strawberry puree and sugar and beat till stiff peaks are formed.Store in refrigerator.

Whipped cream icing
Beat on high speed the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla till stiff peaks are formed.Store in refrigerator.

Assembling the cake:
1) With chart paper, make circular stencils or concentric circles, 1.5 to 2 inches thickness. Largest will have the diameter as your cake pan.
2) Place the stencils on the cake one at a time and carefully cut the concentric circles.Gently lift each circle and place on a platter.

3) Inserted a vanilla ring inside the chocolate outer ring.Alternate the rings and fit into each other.

4) Place the cake on the serving platter.On the bottom reassembled cake, spread the strawberry cream filling. Make sure to push it in the concentric gaps. This will help in better sticking of the 'checks'. You can also pipe the icing in between the concentric circles when you are fitting them into each other.

5) Place the other reassembled cake on top. Ice this layer and the entire cake with the whipped cream icing. Spread and smoothen from all sides. Decorate with strawberries and mini chocolate chips.
With icing tip, makes borders withe the whipped cream icing.
Chill in refrigerator till ready to cut!

6) Cut into wedges(like pie) to serve.Enjoy!!