Low fat Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Jelly -David Rocco Calls!

Panna Cotta!
Dolce Vita!!
If you have a handsome hunk like David Rocco slaving over the hot stove for you ,then La Vie is indeed Dolce!
I never said that my hunk was not handsome, he just does not slave over a hot stove...
So, Dolce!!!

Dolce!
Like these pretty little seeds macerated in honey ,sitting pretty on pomegranate juice jelly!
And this dessert is dinner party worthy!
Well mine was Lunch party worthy, but none the less!
And to top it all, it was almost low ,low fat!
So easy!
Dolce Vita!

Made with low fat non dairy cream, skim milk and low fat yogurt.
So simple.

You just need to twist the cap of a juice tetra pack open, heat the stuff and stir and pour into pretty glasses.

Yup, it would have been better if it was indeed David Rocco making the Panna Cotta, and slipping on the ennnsss..and the teees...

Yummm.

Yup, the panna cotta!

And the macerated little pomegranate seeds with honey and mint...

Yummm.

The work was done in two shifts.
Before the dinner party shift and after the dinner party shift.

Left to set overnight...

Magic!!

Fruity and smooth, firm and just a little wobbly!


This is my first time with yogurt, I've only ever made this with dairy cream before...
But the thought of all those calories is scary, to say the least.
Have done cheese cakes to death, it was time for a change!
This recipe feeds 12 ,plus two to taste!
Time for David Rocco!
Time for Panna Cotta!
A silky, set, smooth , low cal dessert made by a super hot rocking chef!
What more can a girl ask for???
Him to walk out of the TV??

for the

Low fat Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Jelly -David Rocco Calls...

you need


1 kg Greek yogurt(I made mine Greek by setting homogenised Amul UHT milk :-) )
240 mls or 1 cup non dairy Low fat cream
240 mls or 1 cup cold milk
1 cup sugar
11 tsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla essence or a vanilla pod

for the pomegranate jelly

2 1/2 cups pom juice(or whatever flavour your heart desires)
3-4 tsps super fine sugar
6 tsp gelatin

2 fresh pomegranate seeded
few mint leaves
2 tsps honey


Place the sugar, milk and cream in a sauce pan with the vanilla and set on low heat to simmer.

In the mean while with 50 mils cold water in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin, let it bloom-absorb the water, and set on a double boiler .

Until the mix simmers and the gelatin melts.

Once the sugar melts and the mix simmers just so, mix in the melted gelatin.

That is the unmelted gelatin that will have to be strained out.
Mix well to cool.

The greek yogurt has to be whisked so so  so well!
Only when the cream mix is cool enough, strain it into the yogurt.And mix well.
Remember- cool and strain are the operative words.

And pour into the glasses.

I got 14 wine glasses. Covered the top with plastic wrap and set to chill. Put on my high heels and went to party, while the gelatin does its magic.

See, magic!!
After the after party at 2 at night....when the entire neighbourhood sleeps I listen to "the edge of the ocean".
Hit play and listen to the magic...

High heels off...
Now the jelly.
The juice and sugar in a pan to mix on low low heat.

Again the gelatin stuff on the double boiler to melt!
Mix into the juice and whisk into cool .
Now pour over the set  panna cotta.

Cover and set .
Now to bed...
And sha la la la..

I left the pom seeds in honey for about an hour...
and they were..
Dolce!!!
Ah...
Low fat has magic ,and freshness and takes you to deep blue sunshine filled deep blue skies...

So, begin the dessert party again...

So why are you not baking today???

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Chocolate Chip Muffins and some Minis

“It's easier to die than to move ... at least for the Other Side you don't need trunks.” 

― Wallace Stegner, Angle of Repose

Ask me about it...

Going crazy here...

Sorting ,sifting and craving...

Shopping trips still left incomplete...

Still so much to pack...

No time to blog or bake...

So I just remember the past...

Well almost.

Remember the post where I was bragging about being featured in the news paper and stuff...

That was incomplete.

Aha,something to blog about.

The Frosted Rainbow Cake and the Chocolate Chip Muffins and some Minis...

I only posted about the frosted Rainbow cake...
This was the spread.
Fresh from the Daring Bakers Challenge ...puff pastry was used in ore ways than one.
Literally.
The Mille feuille was there, along with that, vol au vents with chicken in mayonnaise and chicken patties.
And the ubiquitous egg less mini muffins with...Chocolate chips.

I did half the recipe that I usually do, and got 12 mini muffins and 3 muffins.
So the regular size muffins are actually big compared to the minis.
The coloured stuff on the platter is candy!!!!
These bite sized minis were yummmm...
What would not be...vanilla with chunks of chocolate.
You know me,no commercial chocolate chips.
I chip my chocolate myself.
That makes the difference.

for the

Chocolate Chip Muffins and some Minis...

you need

3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup refined vegetable oil
1/2 cups sugar less 1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp salt
100 gm semi sweet chocolate 
Handful of chopped walnuts -optional

Chip the chocolate.

Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F.

Line the mini muffin pan and the muffin cups. Line the bases with chocolate for a more melty melt in the  mouth experience.

Sift the flour with the salt twice.
Add the sugar to the yogurt and stir till mixed.
Add in the baking powder and the soda bicarbonate and allow it to fizz. About 3 minutes.
Add in the oil and the vanilla essence.
Now mix in the flour with the wet ingredients.
Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fold in.

Spoon in,only half the cupcake line ,whether it is mini or maxi. Overflow is not good.

For detailed instructions with photos ,go here.
Once done...they take only 15 minutes.
And they don't need any frosting...you can if you want to ,but why add to the calories,when the cuppies are yummy enough.
But,all yours...

For a better look...why don't you go and bake them yourself.
Lethally easy!!
Lethally Yummy!
PS, for those who haven't tried this yet...

That is the lateral cross section of the rainbow cake...pretty awesome..
But the best is a bite of magic..

Take a bite..


So what are you baking today???

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Paan Gulkand and Peppermint Frosted Mini Cup Cakes Eggless- Happy Diwali

The fire crackers have all fizzed by now...
The candles all blown away...
There is no reason to be drowning in the leftover sweets...
But , we will.

Theses are pretty,too pretty to eat!
One recipe of egg less cake and 48 mini muffins...
Regular muffins will be cool too.!

My chrysanthemums are just beginning to bloom,so you can see how small these really are.
OK, Paan-Gulkand...
Paan for the uninitiated is the betel leaf, which is eaten with cardamom and lime paste and peppermint and cloves and what not after a meal or whenever.
I was initiated into the paan lovers club by hubby dear's dearest friend Vibhor...
People bring chocolates when they come visiting, but no, he brought Meetha Paan from Gopinath Market, Delhi.
So , for the love of paan and hubby dear's friendship...
For more do to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betel.
Uninitiated , because you really need to develop a taste for paan.
We, the people who have access to Prince Paan shop in Delhi..this is what a Meetha Paan मीठा पान looks like.

And you do not need any initiation!
It is sweet and it is yum...
and it is Desi!
All that is needed for Diwali.
And what makes that meetha paan so great is the Gulkand.
Before I googled it today,I never knew that it was so good for your health.
So ,bingo!
It is essentially a preserve ,if you will..or a jam made of rose petals and sugar.
for more ,go here.
All the more reason to try these pretty cuppies.
And peppermint...whoever heard of paan without peppermint.
Perfect way to say happy Diwali!

for the

Paan Gulkand and Peppermint Frosted Mini Cup Cakes- Happy Diwali...

you need

I recipe Egg less Sponge cake from here.-only omit the cocoa powder.
2 tbsp gulkand
Butter cream frosting made with 150 gms or 3/4 butter 2 1/2 cups icing sugar, green food colouring and peppermint essence. For more on how to make butter cream frosting click here.
Dried Rose petals for sprinkling or just silver/colourful sprinkles

Pre heat the oven to 180C/350F.
Place the cupcake liners in the mini muffin tray(thanking Mary Oxendale Spensley every time I use them)
I used 48.For normal muffins/cupcakes 14 liners are good!
So these minis are really mini!
Sift the flour and salt at least twice.I forgot the salt...

Mix the yogurt/fresh curds to the sugar and blend with a whisk till no trace of the sugar granules remain.

To this add in the baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda/baking soda.Mix and set aside 3 minutes till it froths.

To the bubbling yogurt ,add the vanilla and the oil.

A spoon full at a time ,fold in the flour. Add in the gulkand/rose petal preserve in the end,you will need to whisk it to distribute it evenly.
That is the gulkand.

I needed 2 spoons to do it...

Spoon into the minis and pop into the oven for 15-18 minutes.
And out...after 16 minutes...
All 48 pretty ones.

Butter cream Frosting .
Green, because I had a portion of green frosting in the freezer.So I made more and just tinted it green again. You need to add the peppermint essence. Dried rose petals would have made piping roses a little difficult.So peppermint and green it was.

The crumb is perfect and you don't miss the desi sweets/mithai.This was an experiment, maybe a tablespoon of gulkand more would have given a pretty pink colour...

After 2 hours of cooling their butts...
Little roses on the cuppies.
I crushed some dried rose petals-I used them when I made my Rose Almond Kulfi- so I had leftovers and sifted them over the cuppies....for an extra whiff of  rose .

Happy Diwali.
And I found an easy way to make rangoli.

All that coming up ,as and when I get time.
This is what the earthenware diyas/lamps looked like...

A clearer look at the design???

Pretty awesome.
Diwali was great, better was the experimenting ...chemistry in my kitchen...
So do I now call myself an Alchemist???
Try these cuppies...
Lovely Change from After Dinner Mints...

So what are you baking today????

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Happy Diwali

Happy happiness!
Raving and ranting...
Too much to do and only 24 hours in a day...
I have been making and baking...
Only the lazy blogger syndrome is carrying on.
But Happiness is...
Wishing all my readers a Happy Diwali.

With Peppermint buttercream and Paan Gulkand (rose jam)Eggless Mini Cup cakes.
For the desi, this is what makes the paan SweeT!

All four dozens of them.
Happy Diwali.
May Millions of Lamps Illuminate your life with endless joy!
Prosperity, health and wealth for ever.

And Flowers and Candles and diyas...
May they banish all darkness and evil from your lives...

And let me also wish my onlyest and most favourite sister...
HAppy Birthday to YOu.
May your life be full of lights and sweets and happiness!!!
And may your life be as pretty as my lil cuppies...I love you!

My favourite picture of them all!!!

We also made Chocolate Barfi , but I never had the time to blog about them!!
All coming up...for those of you who controlled your sweet tooth...now will be the time to enjoy.

So what are you baking today????

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Til Chikki- Sesame Brittle Til Gud -Happy Diwali

I know its not the time yet.
Neither is it that cold yet.
The time for sesame brittle comes only comes only in January.
But hey, the cold is knocking on our doors and we need the jaggery and sesame ,OK ,superficially!

And when something is homemade and healthy and tasty and yummy...
Lets make it for Diwali!!!
This is actually on demand. Sweet sister and little niece Sanskriti are home bound as the cold has struck ... and that means Sanskriti's Daily trips to the park and tot lot are over and sweet sister so wanted to eat chikki...or Brittle.
Sesame and jaggery are a perfect combination. Til Gud!
In all awesomeness...Awesome! Warms you up from the inside, high in iron, minerals and sesame oil being good for your skin and hair...win ,win, all the way!!
Diwali is knocking on our doors...so double the benefit!
I did say, I am not too fond of milk based sweets...
I just love sweet.

Winters bring that languishing laziness, a lackadaisical attitude and the desire for warmth.
This is enough to warm your soul,for the body...I'm sure you will find other ways...

This recipe is my mom's. I'm sure you'll say that too...its a universal way to do it. You just need to know when to stop cooking the brittle/chikki.
The Clarified butter/ghee is optional-you can use refined vegetable oil or even  olive oil to make it healthier. You can roll it thin for a crisp "snappy" brittle or keep it thick and "chewey"...that is for you to decide.
You can make this with jaggery or sugar and honey...but jaggery is good for your digestion too. If you don't have jaggery, use the same amount of sugar instead.Peanuts, almonds, pistachios whatever...
Food forgives..unlike exes...no??

for the

Til Chikki- Sesame Brittle Til Gud -Happy Diwali...

you need

1 cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup jaggery
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 cup water
2 tsp clarified butter/ghee

Start with a flat stone surface.We used the marble chakla, on which we roll out our roti's.Any flat surface or the back of a steel dinner plate will do.
Grease whatever you are using with some of the clarified butter/ghee.We used a mar
Place the sesame seeds to roast on a low flame till they pop.And set aside to cool.

Place the jaggery and the sugar in a thick bottomed saucepan.

Add the water and let it simmer till it is thick and syrupy.

You are looking for a two string consistency. When its thick ,drop a drop of the syrup on a cold surface and touch with a finger tip. Join with thumb tip and pull slowly apart. Just like we did for the Coconut Barfi.Only there ,it was one string. Thick is what we need.And two strings!

When that is two string ,add in the toasted sesame seeds.And stir....

You know its done when you place a drop of the mix on the prepped surface and it sets...

So pour it out now...

Try and get someone to help you scrape it out...too hot to handle it yourself...and company is good!

You can roll it out thin with an oiled rolling pin before it cools, or leave it like this...
I like it thick and chewey.
Mark the chikki before it cools, else you will not be able to cut it neatly.

After 20 minutes

Ready to lift..

Replace, replace the knife and put all your weight on the chikki markings...and get beautiful pieces...

And enjoy!
Make sure you work it all out...or you will be blaming your bake"titude".
Have a wonderful time preparing for the festival of lights...

So what are you baking today???

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