Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Ingredients:

Plain flour - 280 g / 2 + 1/4 cups

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Cornflour - 1 + 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Unsalted butter - 170 g / 3/4 cups (melted & cooled for 5 minutes before use)

Light/dark brown sugar - 150 g / 3/4 cups

Granulated sugar - 100 g / 1/2 cups

Large egg - 1

Egg yolk - 1 

Vanilla extract - 2 tsp

Chocolate chips - 220 g / 1 + 1/4 cups

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe:

1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornflour, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract. The mixture will be thin. 
3. Pour the wet mix into dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft, thick, and appear greasy. Fold in the chocolate chips. The chocolate chips may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to combine them.
4. Cover the dough tightly with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours or up to 3 days. 
5. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
7. Take the dough and roll into a ball, making sure the shape is taller rather than wide—almost like a cylinder. This helps the cookies bake up thicker. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 8–9 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. 
8. Bake the cookies for 12–13 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. The centers will look very soft, but the cookies will continue to set as they cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooling on the baking sheets, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Apple Crumble

 Ingredients:

Plain flour - 150 g

Butter - 75 g

Demerara Sugar - 40 g

Demerara Sugar - 1 tbsp

Large Cooking Apples - 2 (peeled, cored and sliced into small cubes)

Ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp

Apple Crumble

Recipe:

1. Put oven at 180°C or Gas mark 4
2. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl
3. Add the butter and rub it in using fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
4. Stir in the sugar (40g) and set aside
5. Put the apples (peeled, cored and sliced into small cubes) into an ovenproof dish with 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water and the ground cinnamon
6. Sprinkle the crumble over the fruit, making sure all the fruit is covered (do not press down otherwise a crack will form on top of the crumble when cooked)
7. Put the dish in the vine and bake for around 35 minutes until the fruit is baked (poke it with a fork, if the fork comes out clean, it is baked properly) or until the crumble is lightly browned
8. Once cooked, remove from oven and leave to cool before serving.

Chocolate Cake with Ganache

 Ingredients

Butter, softened unsalted (at room temperature) - 220 gram
Golden caster sugar - 220 gram

Eggs - 4
Vanilla  extract - 1 tsp

Self-raising flour - 220 gram
Cocoa Powder - 3 tbsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt, small pinch

Milk - 2 tbsp

Double Cream - 300 gram
Dark Chocolate - 300 gram

Recipe

Cake

1. Heat oven to 160°C fan
2. Line the base of 2 x 20cm (8in) deep cake tin, scrape butter on sides
3. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
4. Add Vanilla extract
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in
6. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt fold it into the mixture
7. Add milk, and fold a bit
8. Pour batter into the tin
9. Bake for 20-25 mins
10. Check and bake for another 5-10 minutes if the cake is not done
11. Cool the cakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes
    

Ganache

1. Heat Double Cream in sauce pan
2. Break chocolate and place in a bowl
3. When cream is going to boil, pour it over dark chocolate, cover it all up
4. Let it stand for 2-3 mins
5. Whisk ganache until it combines and is glossy
6. Cool for 10 mins, leave in fridge for 30 mins

After sponge is cool, layer up the cake and ice with ganache mix.

Plum Cake

Self raising flour 175 gm

Unsalted butter 175 gm

Golden Caster sugar 175 gm

Eggs 3

Baking powder 1 teaspoon

Dark Chocolate 75 gm

Dry fruits (raise etc)

Kashmiri Roti

Also called Kasher Czot / Kashmiri Czot / Kandur Czot

Ingredients

Plain flour - 500 gm
Water - 260 ml
Butter - 25 gm
Milk Powder - 2 table spoon
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Yeast - 1/2 tsp

Sheermal

Ingredients

Plain Flour 500 gram
Salt - 10 gram
Butter - 65 gram

Castor Sugar - 25 gram
Milk Powder - 50 gram

Egg - 1
Cream - 20 gram
Kewra Water - 20 gram
Milk - 220 ml
Saffron (few strands in 2 tbsp Luke warm water)

Yeast - 1 tsp

Panasonic Bread maker Setting 22

Sheermal

Chicken Pie

Ingredients

Chicken (boneless, chopped) - 500 gram
Olive oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Red Onion (chopped) - 1
Garlic clove, crushed - 1
Plain flour - 2 tbsp
Chicken style stock cubes - 2
Frozen mixed vegetables (Mediterranean) - 2 cups
Thickened cream - 1/4 cup
Hot sauce (a few drops)
Black pepper (optional)
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 2 tbs (optional)
Short crust pastry, partially thawed - 2 sheets
Egg, lightly beaten - 1
Puff pastry, partially thawed - 1 sheet
Sesame seeds - 2 tbs

Recipe

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan
2. Cook chicken, until browned, keep aside
3. Add 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan
4. Add onion, add garlic, cook stirring for 3 minutes
5. Add chicken back to the pan
6. Stir in flour, stir for a minute
7. Add stock cubes and 1 cup cold water
8. Bring to boil
9. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes
10. Add vegetables and cream
11. Add hot sauce (a few drops) some black pepper etc to taste
12. Stir for 3 minutes
13. Add coriander
14. Preheat oven to 190 C
15. Line tin with short crust pastry, layer it with parchment paper and add dried baking beans on top
16. Bake for few minutes, remove the beans and parchment paper
17. Add filling
18. Brush edges with egg
19. Put the puff pastry on top of the filling, press edges to seal
20. brush with egg
21. Top with sesame seed
22. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients​​
Granulated sugar - 100 gram (less sugar?)
Brown sugar - 165 gram (less sugar?)
Salt - 1 tsp
Unsalted butter - 115 gram (room temp)
Egg - 1
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Plain flour - 155 gram (or more?)
Baking soda - ½ tsp
Cocoa powder - 1 tsp
White Chocolate chunks - 110 gram
Dark Chocolate chunks - 110 gram

Recipe

1. Whisk sugar, salt and butter
2. Whish egg and vanilla extract
3. Add flour and baking soda, add cocoa powder, mix with a spatula
4. Fold chocolate chunks
5. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes to overnight, more the better
6. Preheat oven to 180 C
7. Scoop dough with ice cream scoop
8. Line good quality baking sheet/parchment paper so as to not burn the bottoms
9. Bake for 10 minutes, till the edges start to brown (do not overbake)

Naan

Ingredients

Water (lukewarm) - 3/4 cup
Yeast (instant) - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp

Plain flour - 3 cup
Baking Soda - pinch

Yoghurt - 2 and 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 2 Tablespoon

(makes about 6 naans)

Naan with Nihari

Recipe

Dough

1. Add salt and sugar and yeast to lukewarm water.
2. Leave in a warm place for 5-15 minutes (depending on outside temperature), to rise.
3. Add baking powder to plain flour, mix.
4. Add oil.
5. Add Yoghurt.
6. Add water mix.
7. Mix the dough, not much.
8. Put in a big bowl, cover with a cling film,  to rise for 30 minutes to 2 hours (depending on temperature).

Baking

1. Turn oven on for 20 minutes, leave the tray in.
2. Make 6 balls from the dough.
3. Roll up, round or teardrop.
4. Add sesame seed (optional), press it in.
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 3-5 minutes or until done (turn around midway).
6. Once done, put butter on.

Cherry and Almond Cake

Cherry and Almond Cake is one of my most favourite cakes, never disappoints and always a hit with family and friends. Soft on inside and with a thin crust on the outside.


Ingredients

Butter, softened (at room temperature) - 175 gram (200?)
Golden caster sugar - 175 gram (200?)

Eggs - 4
Almond  extract - ½ tsp

Self-raising flour - 175 gram
Baking powder - ½ tsp
Ground Almonds - 125 gram

Milk - 100ml

Glace cherries - 300 gram
Flaked Almonds - 2 tbsp

Recipe

1. Heat oven to 140C fan
2. Line the base of a 20cm deep cake tin, scrape butter on sides
3. Rinse and dry the cherries thoroughly, then halve and dust with flour
4. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
5. Add Almond extract
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in
7. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds
8. Optionally add half of the cherries to batter at this stage
9. Add milk, and fold a bit
10. Pour batter into the tin
11. Add cherries on top
12. Scatter over the flaked almonds
13. Bake for 45 mins (Check after 30-35 minutes)
14. Check and bake for another 5-10 minutes if the cake is not done
15. Cool the cakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole in Oven

It's a simple dish, but has got loads of flavour and straight forward to cook. There is something in the casserole for everyone. Mediterranean flavour add wonders, the apricot, the olives, Ras-el-hanout, Greek yogurt, its packed with oomph.

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 medium or 8 leg pcs

Lemon - 1

Olive Oil 

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Onion - 2 medium

Greek Yoghurt - 1 cup

Olive -5-7 pitted

Garlic Cloves - 5

Potatoes (small) -4

Cherry Tomato - 5

Dried Apricot - 5

Almonds - 7-8

Cinnamon stick - 1

Ras-el-Hanout - 3 teaspoon

Paprika - 1 teaspoon
Salt (to taste)

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Recipe

1. Marinate chicken in lemon juice for 5-7 hours
2. Microwave dried apricot in half a cup of water
3. Fry chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, with whole spices and ginger garlic paste
4. Rub olive oil on sides of the oven dish
5. Add chicken to the oven dish
6. Fry onion in oil, add to chicken
7. Add greek yoghurt,  garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomato, apricot, almond, cinnamon stick, ras el hanout, paprika and salt
8. Cover with silver foil and bake for an hour
9. Remove from oven, check if cooked else oven for another 15 minutes
10. Remove the silver foil and grill for 5-7 minutes to get the crispy look

Pumpkin Casserole

When you grow pumpkins on your allotment and get too many of those you start searching for ideas. After I've given few to friends and another few left in hen run for chickens to feed on, I was still left with a good number.

Pumpkin Casserole

I realised that pumpkin could be used as a casserole, bake inside the pumpkin itself, stuff with meat. Voilla !!!

It's a hollowed-out pumpkin stuffed with meat, and since pumpkins come in unpredictable sizes baking times depend on how long it takes for the pumpkin to get soft enough to pierce with a knife, being precise is impossible. I choose a small one from the allotment.

Empty Pumpkin

Add meat

Add meat

Meat in pumpkin

Lid the pumpkin

Pumpkin in oven after a while

Pumpkin Casser

Ingredients

1 medium size pumpkin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 kg boneless lamb or beef

Onion - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tablespoon

Whole Spices (Black Pepper, Green and Black Cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon) and chili flakes - to taste

Salt

Recipe

1. Heat oil in a cooker
2. Add whole spices
3. Add onion
4. Add Meat, salt and ginger garlic paste
5. Fry
6. Remove 
7. Close the lid of Pressure cook, and leave it on medium for a while till meat is slightly cooked
8. Heat oven to 180C. Cut the top off the pumpkin and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits. 
9. Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well.
10. Fill pumpkin with meat, cloves and chili flakes.
11. Close the lid
12. Leave in Oven for an hour and a half (check after an hour)
13. Check again and leave for another 30 minutes if the meat is not done.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

Plane flour - 250 grams (sifted)
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon 
Cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
Unsalted butter - 113 grams (room temperature)
Granulated white sugar - 300 grams
Eggs - 2 large
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Buttermilk - 240 ml (1 cup)
Red food colouring - 2 tablespoons (liquid)
White distilled vinegar - 1 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon

(Use 2/3 or half of below quantity for icing)
Cream cheese - 227 grams
Mascarpone cheese - 227 grams
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Icing sugar (sifted) - 115 grams
Whipping cream (double cream, cold) - 360 ml

Recipe

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180c. 
2. Grease two 9 inch cake tin with butter, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
4. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium until fluffy.
5. Add vanilla.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in.
7. In a cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. 
8. Add the flour and the buttermilk (alternating one then the other) into the sugar/egg mixture on low speed, beginning and ending with the flour.
9. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 
10. Pour batter into the two 9 inch cake tins, smooth the tops and bake for 25-30 minutes.
11. Quickly divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.
12. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
13. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan.
14. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In the bowl of electric mixer beat the cream cheese and Mascarpone cheese until smooth. 
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Add icing sugar and beat until smooth. 
4. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the whipping cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread.
5. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Assemble

1. With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers (optional).
2. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. 
3. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting.  
4. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. 
5. Frost the top and sides of the cake.

Butterscotch Cake

Ingredients

Cake
Light Brown Sugar - 2 Cups (about 240 gram)
Butter - 200g
Vanilla - 1 teaspoon
Eggs (medium size) - 2 
Plain Flour - 2 Cups (about 300 gram)
Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Buttermilk - 1 Cup (to make buttercream - add 1 spoon white vinegar to warm milk and leave for 5 minutes to let it curdle)

Caramel Icing
Light Brown Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cups (about 220 gram)
Plain Flour - 1 tablespoon
Salted butter - 60 gram (divide in 2 parts)
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Vanilla - 1 teaspoon


Frosting
Unsalted butter - 300 gram
Dark brown sugar - 2 cups (about 270 gram)
Heavy cream - 1 cup
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Cream cheese - 300 gram
Icing sugar - 2 cups (about 200 gram)

Garnish
Pecans (crushed) - 2 cups

Butterscotch Cake

Recipe

Cake Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 180c. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium until fluffy.
3. Add vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5. Add the flour and the buttermilk (alternating one then the other)  into the sugar/egg mixture on low speed.
6. Pour batter into the two 9 inch cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Cool before frosting.

Caramel Icing Recipe

1. In a small saucepan, mix together all ingredients and the extra 30g of butter. Heat over medium and bring to a boil. Stirring frequently to prevent burning, let the mixture boil for a good one minute.
2. Take off the fire and add in the 30g butter. Cool the mixture, occasionally giving it a vigorous stir, until it is still warm (but not HOT) and has thickened enough to spread. 
3. Spread it over the cake, moving fairly quickly because it will set as it cools. It will be a thin coating, not a thick layer. 
4. Let it set completely before frosting.

Frosting Recipe

1. Beat the butter, brown sugar until creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese, powder sugar, salt and beat until thickened.
3. Add heavy cream, and whip it in a mixer.
4. Spread all over the cake and pipe the rest.
5. Press chopped pecans on sides, and garnish the top with halves.

Butterscotch Cake

Apple and cinnamon cake

Ingredients
4 apples
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 tbsp sugar
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
4 eggs
6 oz (180g) butter, softened
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup milk
1/4 cup flaked almonds
1/4 tsp cinnamon 


Recipe

1. Preheat the oven at 350ºF (180ºC). 
2. Grease a spring-form pan. 
3. Peel and slice the apples. Toss them with 1 tbsp cinnamon and 4 tbsp sugar. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. In another bowl, cream the softened butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
7. Fold the sifted flour alternately with milk.
8. Pour half the batter in then spread the apples. 
9. Pour the remaining batter. 
10. Combine the flaked almonds with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the cake.
11. Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Marble Cake

Ingredients

Plain flour - 250 gram

Unsalted butter (softened) - 200 gram

Caster sugar - 200 gram

Milk (full-fat) - 40 ml 

Vanilla extract - ½ tea spoon

Eggs (large) - 3

Baking powder - 3 tea spoon

Cocoa powder (unsweetened) - 2 tea spoon

Icing sugar (for dusting)

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven 180C.
2. Line a 1kg loaf tin with baking parchment.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, 180g of the sugar and the vanilla extract together until the mixture is light and fluffy. 
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Add the baking powder.
6. Sift the flour over the mixture.
7. Fold in with 2 tbsp of the milk.
8. Spoon two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared loaf tin – it should fill the tin three-quarters of the way.
9. Sift the cocoa in the remaining third of the mixture and fold in, together with the remaining milk and 20g of sugar.
10. Spoon the chocolate mixture over the cake mixture in the tin, then run a fork through both mixtures, gently swirling the two together to create a marbled effect.
11. Be careful not to swirl the mixtures together too much as you want to leave an obvious marble effect.
12. Bake for 55–70 minutes, until the cake shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin. Test it is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre and it comes out clean (test the cake after 55 minutes).
13. Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. 
14. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar.

Banana Loaf

Ingredients

Banana (ripe) - 2 

Milk - 2 table spoon
Soft butter - 100 gram
Plain flour - 150 gram
Caster sugar - 150 gram
Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tea spoon
Baking powder - 1 tea spoon
Egg - 2
Caramel flavouring - 1 tea spoon

Dark chocolate chips - 100 gram


Recipe

1. Preheat the oven 160C/325F.
2. Grease and line a 900g / 2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment.
3. Use a fork to mash the peeled banana in a mixing bowl. 
4. Add the remaining cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and beat with an whisker until combined and smooth.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips and spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Level the top.
6. Bake for 50 minutes or until well risen, shrinking away from the sides of the tin and golden-brown.
7. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
8. Slice and serve.

Moussaka

A good moussaka is a joy to behold with cinnamon spiced lamb mingling with aubergines and a delicious creamy sauce.

Moussaka is an eggplant- or potato-based dish, often including ground meat, in the cuisines of the countries of the former Ottoman Empire, with many local and regional variations. 

In Turkey, it is sauteed and served in the style of a casserole, and consumed warm or at room temperature. In Arabic countries, a variant is eaten cold. In the Balkans, the dish is layered and typically served hot. Many versions have a top layer made of milk-based sauce thickened with egg (custard) or flour (béchamel sauce).

Moussaka

Ingredients

Aubergines / Brinjal (cut into 1cm/½in slices) - 2

Sea salt - 1  table spoon

Lamb mince - 750g

Onion (finely chopped) - 1

Garlic cloves (crushed) - 2

Oregano (dried) - 1 teaspoon

Mint (dried) - 1½ teaspoon

Bay leaves - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1

Plain flour - 1  table spoon

Chopped tomatoes can - 400g

Tomato puree - 2  table spoon

Olive oil - 7  table spoon

Potatoes (peeled, sliced into 1cm/½in slices) - 500g

Sea salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For the white sauce

Ricotta - 125g

Parmesan (finely grated) - 25 g

Greek yogurt - 125g

Eggs - 3

Nutmeg (freshly grated) (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Black pepper (freshly ground)

Moussaka

Moussaka
 

Recipe

1. Place the aubergine pieces in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
   
2. Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan.
3. Add onions, garlic, oregano, mint, bay leaves and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add Lamb mince and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat.
5. Stir in the flour, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. 
6. Add tomatoes, tomato puree and bring to a simmer. 
7. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. 
8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
   
9. Rinse the aubergine pieces under cold running water and pat dry in a clean tea towel. 
10. Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan.
11. Fry the aubergines for 2-3 minutes on each side, adding more oil when necessary. 
12. Remove from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
    
13. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for five minutes, then drain in a colander under running water until cold.
    
14. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan).
    
15. Spoon one third of the meat sauce into a large, shallow ovenproof dish.
16. Cover with a layer of potatoes and a layer of aubergines.
17. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the aubergines.
    
18. For the topping, in a bowl, beat together the ricotta, half of Parmesan, Greek yogurt, eggs and grated nutmeg until well combined.
19. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    
20. Pour over the white sauce, making sure it covers in a thick, even layer.
21. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
    
22. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until deep golden-brown and bubbling.

Expresso Cookies

I used to get these cookies from Bon Bon Pastry Shop in New Friends Colony, New Delhi and I have loved these since.

Expresso Cookies

Ingredients

Granulated sugar - ¾ cup
Unsalted Butter - ¾ cup (room temperature)
Vanilla - ½ tea spoon
Salt - ¼ tea spoon
Egg - 1
Plain flour - 1 and ¾ cup 
Cocoa - 3 tablespoon

Expresso filling
Full cream - ¼ cup
Choc chips or broken pieces of a dark chocolate bar - 1 cup
Instant espresso coffee or regular Nescafe - 2 tea spoon


Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 175°C/ 325°F
2. Beat sugar, butter, vanilla and egg in a large bowl. 
3. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt.
4. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into small balls. 
5. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
6. Press thumb or end of wooden spoon into centre of each cookie, but do not press all the way to the cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10 mins or until edges are firm. Mine took 10 mins. 
8. Quickly remake indentations with end of wooden spoon (or thumb) if necessary. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 mins.
9. Meanwhile for expresso filling, mix cream and instant coffee in saucepan. 
10. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until coffee is dissolved, then remove from heat.
11. Stir in chocolate until melted. 
12. Cool about 10 mins.
13. Spoon rounded ½ tsp expresso filling into indentation in each cookie and leave to set for an hour.

Pineapple and Cherry Cake

Ingredients

Glace cherries - 150 gram
Canned pineapple with fruit juice - 227 gram
Softened butter - 150 gram
Light muscovado sugar - 100 gram
Eggs beaten lightly - 2 large
Self-raising flour - 200 gram

Pineapple and Cherry Loaf

Pineapple and Cherry Loaf

Recipe

1. Pre-heat the oven to 140 ˚C fan. Grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Chop the glace cherries into halves and wash them using running water. Drain well and dry on a kitchen towel. Drain the pineapples keeping aside about two tablespoons of the fruit juice, chop the pineapples and dry them on a kitchen towel as well. Toss cherries and pineapple in plain flour.
3. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, and the flour.
4. Now fold in the pineapples and cherries along with the 2 tablespoons of fruit juice from the canned pineapples. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
5. Bake it in a pre-heated oven for an hour and 15 till the loaf is golden brown, well risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool the loaf on a wire rack. It can be stored for a couple of days but it hardly lasted the same day in my house!

Note: 

For a cake, I used 2.5 times of all ingredients and spring-form cake tin. Make sure to leave the loaf inside the oven(switched off) for a while after it is done.

Glace cherries - 375 gram
Canned pineapple with fruit juice - 565 gram
Softened butter - 375 gram
Light muscovado sugar - 250 gram
Eggs beaten lightly - 5 large
Self-raising flour - 500 gram