Triple Chocolate Bavarois And Independence

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE
Linda Grayson, "The Pickwick Papers" 


Triple Chocolate Bavarois and Old Friends..
That makes me a good friend thrice over!

And laughter and liberty!
And finally the blogger template!
And being bereft!Its all over...
And then suddenly the realisation dawns ..August 15th...
Independence Day!
A reason for all Indians to thank all those who fought for freedom.
A reason to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives...and to those who continue to stake their lives so that the average Indian citizen can lead a normal life.
I bow down...everyday!

Suddenly ,I realised that I have now been blogging for just a little over a year.And I forgot my blogoversary!
Sacrilege!
Over the period of the last two years ,I have undertaken more responsibility than I thought I would have ever been able to handle,encouraged and motivated more people to produce results than I would have ever thought possible and become more tolerant and professional without even being professionally employed.
These last two years , I have learnt more than I ever set out to do, become more magnanimous than I would have expected from myself and have been encouraged to spread my wings and fly.
Though I may not say it in words...this is the perfect way to do so.
Thank my knight in shining armour.
It has always been___Hubby dear to the rescue.
He gave me the confidence and strength to test my abilities and has been the wind beneath my wings.
There are more people who I'd love to thank...but they deserve a blog post of their own!
Let me dedicate this one to the most important man in my life.The love of my life.

Thank you for your unflinching support always...and even though I may not say it in so many words...you are my life!



Back to the business of Blogging.

I had planned to stay up late at night and construct this Bavarois....but that was not to be.
After a late dinner...(this was to be my de-stress factor)when all the ingredients were laid out for me...the minute I stepped out of my stilettos...the power supply went.
Then I decided to stay up...waiting for the power supply to be reinstated,but that did not happen.I stayed up till way past midnight...When yo have Fifty Shades for company...staying up is not difficult.
Its staying up alone ,that is difficult!
Hahaha!
So next morning , thanks to hubby dear's benevolence...(and a generator)I started the Bavarois.
Do you need to wonder why he is my knight in shining armour?
This Triple Chocolate Bavarois was done...and it tasted so awesome...

I kept the left overs...to be had one spoon at a time!
What made this even more yum...was the chocolate.
I used MORDE dark chocolate and the milk chocolate was Cadbury's Silk.
I tasted like silk...and something you can die for.
That is MORDE!
Death by Chocolate!
There are worse ways of dying!
I'd rather die because of an overdose of chocolate, than by an overdose of a foul antibiotic!

It appears to be "A" Difficult, and if you have any self preservation instincts you probably will not try it...but I had to do the ridiculously difficult thing. Its not "un" doable, though!I found the recipe here, a large part of  my effort was thwarted because of the recalcitrant power supply. but I aim to complete what I started...Soon!

OK, Bavarois. Fancy,Schmancy...but it is nothing but a Creme Anglaise(an egg custard) with chocolate and cream. Simple??

Enough of the blah...lets get down with it.

for the

Triple Chocolate Bavarois And Independence...

you need

8 large egg yolks(the whites are stashed in the freezer...waiting)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup cream(I used 25% fat Amul UHT)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp gelatin
3 tbsp cold water
80 gm dark chocolate
80 gm milk chocolate
80 gm white chocolate
300 gm non dairy cream whipped
1/2 cup + 2tbsp sugar

for the ganache
200 gm dark chocolate
200 gm cream(I used 25% fat Amul UHT)

Ranchi has had incessant rain for the last 24 hours. It was wet and dark. Not happening.But I did what I had to do.
Place the water into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin to help it bloom.

Place the yolks in a steel pan, I used 9 yolks as the eggs seemed tiny.

Add the sugar and whisk till the eggs are pale yellow and light.

Mean while , mix the milk and 1 cup UHT cream and put them to heat. Do not let it boil...

Place a bowl of water on to boil for a double boiler or a bain marie.
Once the eggs are done and the milk mix is hot enough, pour the milk mix into the egg yolks in a thin drizzle. You can understand why the pics are dark...it was dark!
Keep whisking till all the milk is Incorporated.

Now place this pan onto the Bain Marie and whisk till the custard is cooked. You'll know this when the mix is thick-ish and the back of the spoon .And when wipe off the center...and it does not come back to cover what you wiped off.

Done!

You do realise, I do most of this alone..so only two hands to work and photograph...so sometimes it is difficult...

Take it off the Bain Marie...and blend in the vanilla and the bloomed gelatin.

That is your Rich Creme Anglaise.

Before you start with this , chop the chocolate into small pieces and keep.

OK,I still had to chop.

Divide the hot   Rich Creme Anglaise into three steel bowls.

One chocolate into one bowl and whisk till chocolate is blended.

All this has to be done while this is still hot.

Whisk the cream. Mine was not that well done...only because of the power...peaks were not so stiff.

Make an ice bath.

Divide the cream into three and one part into one chocolate cream bit.

Whisk over the ice bath, the cream will thicken.

Glasses.

Bottom layer , MORDE!

Chill a bit.Second layer...Cadbury Silk Fruit and Nut...Darling!!!!!!

Chill a bit.Third layer..White Chocolate.The three layers....yum yum yum!

Chill a bit. And make the ganache. I already told you how to here!

I did not have the time, so I popped the glasses into the freezer...

A spoon full of ganache over the set Triple Chocolate Bavarois to top and Again, Chill a bit.

I never had the luxury of time....so there was no chilling.

Thus the wine glasses did not have distinct layers.

The shot glasses did have the layers.And as  an after thought, I know that the next time, I will place the gelatin to bloom in Vodka.

Vodka or no Vodka...the afternoon was a super,super hit.

So was the Triple Chocolate Bavarois.

Totally dedicated to special people...Mrs Mala Kumar...who honoured us with her presence,Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, Bhavna , Kulwinder, Priti ,Amita and Smita..and Me...We had an absolutely unforgettable afternoon.

We may never have a chance to do that again...so lets cherish the memory!

This Triple Chocolate Bavarois will always be special.
As I finish the last shot(I find dessert in glasses so easy to dish out...dont you??)of the Triple Chocolate Bavarois, my verdict...is in favour of MORDE and Cadbury Silk!
Whats yours??

Why don't you make your memories with something like this???

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Kheer -Shri Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna ....my favourite deity.

Today is Krishna Janamashtami, when we celebrate his birth.
Many names, many forms , many stories , many reasons to worship him.

My love for Krishna intensified only after the birth of sweet child.When he was born, because his complexion was a wee bit darker than hubby dears',(Indians are so obsessed with fair skin!)and he had long hair....
A cheeky grin, dimpled chin and a riot of curls, a mischievous demeanor ...
And a love for all things to do with milk.
Sweet Child was called Laddoo Gopal...the name given to baby Krishna..

And you can see why...(no digi cams in those days)
That Ladies and gentlemen...is Sweet Child on  Jamanashtami,he was in pre-school.

Reason to celebrate every year.
And every year ,a reason to give thanks to Krishna.
They say that Krishna will not bless you with his bhakti...devotion if he does not want you to pray to him.But if you are blessed,that you are able to pray to him ...you are truly blessed.
Krishna Bhakti will enrich your life...some how your talents will be better and your life so much more beautiful.
Krishna has blessed me..and today we celebrate his birth with his favourite foods.
That is my idol of Laddoo Gopal in my house,with an offering of Kheer.

Lets just start with Kheer.
A simple milk and rice pudding, that is so wholesome and delicious. And Kheer means Celebrations.
And Special.
The day before Janamashtami, Kheer is made...It will first be offered to Krishna after his birth at midnight..and then distributed.
Today my kheer is on the flame ,slow cooking and by midnight ...it will be all magical and creamy and yum!!!
Whether you pray  to Krishna or no...Kheer is always special.
And if you have a slow cooker(my mum makes the most dreamy kheer in a slow cooker) or not...just make it!
Celebrations do not need a reason.

Kheer -Shri Krishna Janmashtami...

you need


2 liters whole milk
1/2 cup basmati rice/gopal bhath(used specially for kheer-available in east India)
1 cup or more sugar-to taste
1 pinch saffron
a few cardamom
1 tsp ghee/clarified butter
a handful of sliced almonds, pistachios or raisins(whatever)
a sheet of silver leaf(vark)-optional

Wash and Soak the rice.
Set the milk on the flame to boil. Once it comes to a boil, set it on simmer.
Drain the rice.In a separate pan, heat the ghee and add the rice to the ghee.

On a low flame saute the rice till it is a little golden.
Add the simmering milk  to the  rice and ghee.

Pop the cardamon in, after a just bruising them open.
Let this simmer, stirring occasionally till the rice is all smudgy and soft.This is after about 15 minutes.

Add the almonds.I simply crush them.

Keep on the flame till it reduces to at least 3/4 th the original. I so love the pots and pans that indicate quantities. This one showed a little lower than  1.5 l.

Now add the sugar, and let it come back to the amount you started out with.

Now the saffron.
Warm milk, let the colour leech out of the saffron, and pour that milk into the kheer.

A bit more simmer and then off the flame.

The final boil.
In our house, we like it chilled.
You can have it straight, or since this is Krishna Janamashtami, offer it to  Krishna with Poori and Suji ka Halwa and whatever else you wish to offer him...and then partake of the feast.

We also make a dish called "Mehri" made of rice and curd. That is the yellow gruel like thing in the bowl.
One big reason to celebrate Krishna Janamashtmi...

Happiness and joy.
Satisfaction and peace.
All this I wish to you all.
May Krishna bless you.

Happy Shri Krishna Janamashtmi.

I'm going to be posting soon...chocolate cinnabons, a bavarois...so much to come and so little time.


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Oreo Cup Cakes with Oreo Butter Cream Frosting

Chocolate ... yet more chocolate!

And when the chocolate is teamed with Oreo's ..that is double the whammy..

And then this was for some one's birthday...he chooses to remain anonymous...so the blog post does not contain his name or any cup cake hogging/munching(however civilised ) pictures.

Well. he was too old for the cake cutting...so...

A single candle had to suffice, or he would be eating wax topped Oreo cupcakes with Oreo frosting.

The frosting is butter cream(stashed in the freezer from the Lady bird cake) and crushed Oreo cookies and a  shot of Absolut Vodka.

The cup cakes would have been too juvenile otherwise.

The Alcohol is allowed for all above the age of 18 years here.

We are quite democratic that way...don't ask for any ID!

Oreo Cupcakes....

I've been wanting to sink my teeth into them ever since I made the Ultimate Chocolate Chip and Oreo bar(I had a teeny , teeny bit...check the butter involved.)

These were mildly calorie laden...and the portions were cut out. You cant seem to be to greedy and keep demanding more can you?

And the Oreo cookie was soft...but not quite...

And the next day, the cup cakes were Dreamy!

soft and melting and so ,so , Chocolaty...

These were a split second decision....

To bake or not to bake ?

That was the question...

When I saw the bag of frosting sitting pretty in my freezer...my mind was made.
God bless the man who made the zip lock pouches. Thanks to them , my refrigerator appears cavernous.

I called for 5 packets of Oreo cookies(the largest bag  in India had 6 Oreo's..the makers want us to keep control.) but sweet child walked away wit one and the maids daughter asked for one pack...so we had only 18 cookies to bake with.

for the

Oreo Cup Cakes with Oreo Butter Cream Frosting...

you need

12 Oreo Cookies(Whole)
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda/ soda bicarb
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 +1/8 cup sugar(this is half of my favourite recipe..so the odd number)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil or butter
1 tbsp yogurt/buttermilk
1/4 +2 tbsp hot water


Oreo Butter Cream Frosting
1 cup butter cream (get the recipe here)
6 crushed Oreos
30 mils Vodka/milk

Oven on at 180C/350F.
Start with the cocoa powder and the hot water.This changes the flavour and colour of the cup cakes.

Mix, to get a paste like goo.

The eggs and the sugar.

Whisk and whisk, when they have doubled ,add in the oil. Oil is so easy to work with. easy to measure and easy to mix..butter is such a pain...especially when you have only one set of measuring cups.

Place the cup cake liners in your muffin tray.q2 are good here and place the Oreo's in...

Like so...three baby muffin tins were on their way.

Sift the dry stuff...

Blend the cocoa paste with the egg and oil mix.Add in the vanilla...

Fold in the dry stuff and add the curd. Now the batter is done...

A tablespoon of batter per cuppie...
And we are done...

These cuppies take 25 to 30 minutes and they don't have too great a chance of burning...Oreo's provide a protection...
While these are doing...Pulverise the 6 Oreo cookies and add the butter Cream and mix in the vodka...milk if you have kids to feed.You'll get a nice grainy, Oreo, creamy ,vodka frosting...leave some to dress the cupcakes...

Cooled and Frosted , with some pretty sprinkles.

And the candle.

Oreo makes children of all of us...but if you can, stash a few for the next day.
And taste the difference.
Yum!

Birthday or not a birthday..
Change the way you eat your Oreos....


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Egg Free Banoffee Pie...Banana and Home Made Toffee lay down together

“when life gives you bananas you can't make juice ” 

― Yang Mushu, aka Isabel Truax

So we make Banoffee Pie.


Banoffee...er what ???

Banana+ Toffee=Banoffee 

Simple Mathematics...
Simple Satisfaction.

Truth be told...I'm a BIG fan of the toffee bit...not of the banana...that is why I tried my best to hide the bananas.
I'd rather go bananas for something other than bananas.

I have something against soft and squishy fruit...I love berries , so we extricate berries from that category...
My List of not liked fruits also includes mango and guavas...
I have a guava tree in my backyard ,periodically dropping knobbly little fruit...on which hubby dear munches as his pre dinner snack...how he manages to bite into their hard hides , I wonder.
No wonder he is no fan of the softness of cake.
There is also a banana tree, but in two years , it has not yielded any fruit...maybe , it knows subconsciously that I dislike bananas.
Thankfully , this is the 21st century, and we women need not go hunting gathering to get out fruit. We just pop into our neighbourhood Reliance fresh and pluck the best bunch from the tubs.
Really down market,but that is where we get our produce from in Ranchi. No Hyper-Mart here in Ranchi...the price differences will drive people hyper here.
The best part of this pie is not the banana..its the rich toffee...A little more posh name would be an almost Dulce le leche.
That bit is to die for...

And the butter...well-not for the faint hearted.
But if you take a couple of bites,You'll survive.As long as the bites are not ginormous!


The recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazines...Archives,(Torn and stowed away for like, forever now)With a little alteration.
I hope you are salivating by now..
Lets get down and sweetly dirty.


for the


Egg Free Banoffee Pie...Banana and Home Made Toffee lay down together...


you need


The Crust
230 gm digestive biscuits
100 gms butter
1 tsp cocoa powder/chocolate shavings


The Toffee
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp water
1 can -400 mils Condensed Milk
125 gms butter
A generous pinch of salt


The Cream Topping
4 firm bananas
300 gms non dairy cream/Amul UHT cream(Dairy tastes amazing though)


Start with the crust.
Buzz the digestive to real fine crumbs in the food processor.

Add the cocoa powder/chocolate shavings.
Melt the butter , pour in the butter. You can go with 75 mils too...but what difference will 25 mils of butter make - you are hardly going to eat the whole banoffee...Are you???

One more pulse and you are done.Layer the crust in a loose bottomed tart (lolzzz) tin, and maybe two glass bowls.OK, somewhere in the chatter, the pictures of the bases were lost...
Imagine there's no gossip...(I'd rather eat bananas..)
Pop the bases in to  chill.

Now the toffee.
Pour the sugar and water into a pan and place on medium heat.

Let the colour turn to amber. Make sure you keep stirring till you get this colour.

Now,stirring constantly,add in the condensed milk and cook for at least 5 to 7 minutes.

Ideally , you should cook on a slow flame at least half an hour and then add in the butter.

You'll be able to smell the toffee...and know that it is done.
Taste!
And taste!
That is why ,you should never trust a slim cook.
When it tastes just right, add the salt. That balances the sweetness and gives a lovely caramel-ly taste.
Yum!

Let it cool.

In the meanwhile , chop 3 bananas and whip the cream.
Slice 1 banana thinly into roundels.

Mix the whipped cream and the chopped bananas.

By now the toffee should be cool and the crust set.
Pour the toffee sauce over the crust and in the bowls.

Chill again.

Once set, about an hour...cover the  toffee base with the banana cream and smooth it out.
decorate with the sliced banana.

You should let this be at least over night, but here...we were in a hurry to taste and take pics for the blog post.
I've made my friends into such sugar-holics, now they can not resist the desserts too.

I went a little crazy with the toffee sauce.

Leftovers can be warmed in a microwave over low power and used as a sauce.

You can be neater...Slice , pour and serve.
Serve yourself a slice too!

I said a slice...not the whole but a slice...

And enjoy the decadence of toffee.
And butter .
And cream.
And of the Banoffee.

No fuss, no bake and still all the magic of baketitude.


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