Mango Cheesecake

Even after eating mangoes to my heart's content during mango season, I keep a small container of purée in the freezer just in case it wasn't enough.

Also, I don't find plain gelatin here - only the flavoured variety. On my last trip abroad, I stocked up on Agar Agar which is a vegetarian option.

This recipe is easy but with some effort in presentation it looks like you've slaved over it for hours.

For the crust

15-20 McVities Ginger biscuits (you can use regular Digestive biscuits as well)

2 tbsp melted butter

Grind biscuits into crumbs in a food processor. I prefer it to be coarse without any big pieces. Add the butter into it and with your hands mix well. The crumbs should be evenly coated.

Line a 9-inch springform pan. I like this way of presentation better because you can remove the sides to reveal the perfectly set layers, without disturbing the base. You could also use a flat-bottom glass casserole but it's a little tricky to take out a clean slice of cake. If you have enough, you could use shot glasses and make individual servings as well.

Place the crumbs in the container of choice. Gently press down with your fingers or the back of a spoon for an even layer about 1/4 inch in thickness. Pat down the edges so they're smooth. Refrigerate for an hour.

For the filling

1 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup cream

1/2 cup mango purée

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar (adjust according to taste)

2 tsp Agar Agar powder

1/2 cup water

If you have a hand whisk use that but since I had my blender out I used that instead. Mix in the cream cheese and cream and blend for 10 seconds. Add the mango purée, sugar, and lemon juice. Blend for another 10 seconds.

In a saucepan, boil the water. Add the agar agar powder and mix well till dissolved. Transfer the mango cream into the water and mix well. Pour into the container with the biscuit layer put it back in the fridge to set and cool for at least an hour or two.

When ready to serve, place the pan on a serving plate. With a knife just go around the edges to separate the cake. Remove the edge of the pan. Let the base remain. 

Options for the topping

Fresh mango slices

Sliced fruits like oranges, kiwi, pomegranate seeds, cherries, berries, apricots

Crumbs of honey-roasted nuts

Chocolate flakes

Edible flowers

I've used fresh nasturtium flowers. They have a mild mustard taste. That and the slight crunch of the stems went well with the soft cake.

Orange and Polenta Sponge Cake

This cake is soft, spongy, and has a little bit of a texture because of the polenta, making it a great cake to have with tea. I used less sugar but you could add more if you prefer things sugary sweet.

You'll need:

1 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup golden caster sugar

4 eggs

1 cup flour (I used Brown Rice flour, but regular flour would do as well)

1 cup finely ground polenta

2 tsp baking powder

Zest & Juice of 2 oranges (I used canned oranges, so used the syrup instead)

Orange slices for topping (optional)

Beat the butter and sugar till light.

Add eggs and mix well.

Sift in the flour and baking powder, then mix in the polenta.

Add the orange zest and juice at the end and make sure everything's incorporated well.

Put in a greased pan and into an oven preheated at 170 deg C. It takes about 40 minutes to cook.

It made 6 cupcakes and one 8-inch cake.

I used a convection microwave. On the convection setting, it took 20 minutes for the cupcakes to cook and 25 minutes for the cake. It has a nice toasty top and I preferred to eat it warm.

Once the cake cools, top it with orange segments

Cappuccino Cake

This cake was a gift and I even made a box to transport it. I overdid the icing I thought because of which diluted the coffee flavours. Apart from that, it came out soft and moist.

For the Cake:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
*3 tsp baking soda
*1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
3/4 cup strong coffee (3/4 cup hot water mixed with 2 tbsp instant coffee)
*If using self-raising flour then omit the baking soda and salt.

For the Filling:
3/4 cup softened cream cheese
2 tbsp icing sugar (sifted)
1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)
Fruits - berries or pitted cherries (optional)

For the Buttercream Frosting:
Check this post.

Cream the butter and sugar till it's creamy.
Add the eggs and beat for another minute or so.
Sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add it to the batter.
Mix well, then add the hazelnuts.

Put in a greased 7 inch pan and bake for 30 min on 180 deg Celsius.

I have a small oven so I baked the whole batter together then sliced it in two after it cooled. For those with ovens that allow 2 tins, divide the batter in 2 pans (of the same size) and bake.

Remove from oven once it's cooked and let it cool completely. If you baked a single cake, slice it in 2 using a long serrated knife (start with the edges and move in towards the centre for a cleaner cut).
With a spoon, ladle in the coffee on the bottom layer of the cake evenly.

For the filling, mix all the ingredients (except the fruits) well and lather it on the bottom layer. Place the fruit pieces evenly and cover it up with the top half of the cake.

Let it cool for an hour in the fridge before putting on the icing, then cool again to let the icing set.

Eggless Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

I wanted to send some cupcakes for my husband's team at his office after a successful project, but didn't have any eggs at home. A quick search led me to this recipe which I altered a little. It was easy to make and very tasty.

For the cupcakes:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cornstarch
*1/2 cup sugar 
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup yogurt (don't use the whey)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk

*(It's low on sugar because the frosting is very sweet - if making only cupcakes, add 1/4 cup more sugar)

Cream the butter and sugar well - just over a minute, then add the vanilla and mix some more.
Sift all the dry ingredients into a separate bowl.
In another bowl, mix the yogurt and milk.

Add the dry and wet ingredients into the creamed butter alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Once all ingredients are incorporated, put into cupcake moulds and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 deg Celsius for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool completely before topping it with the frosting.

It gave me 12 medium cupcakes.

Frosting:
200 gm unsalted butter at room temperature
200 icing sugar (sifted properly)
Food colouring (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar well. Make sure there are no sugar lumps as it will interfere when you pipe the frosting. I used a piping bag, but you could also lather it on with a spoon, or improvise and use a ziplock bag with a tiny cut in the corner.

Add sprinkles for joy!

Blondies

I always though brownies were the yummest and easiest to make, till I tried these. The sugar you use makes all the difference in taste.

You'll need:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar*

1 cup flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Handful of hazelnut, butterscotch chips, walnuts, or chocolate chips (optional)

*A good quality brown or muscovado sugar is the best. Dememara sugar will remain as crystals and won't give you a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Whisk the butter and sugar till well blended. Add the vanilla and the egg and whisk some more. Sift in the flour and baking soda and powder. Mix well. Pour into a greased baking pan.

If using any of the optional add-ons, mix them in the batter or spread them on top of the batter before putting the pan in the oven.

Bake at 180 deg C for about 20 minutes. Let it then cool for 20 minutes before slicing them up.

Rice Pudding

This is a quick rice pudding with a nice texture. I substituted half the rice with steel cut oats (NOT the regular porridge oats please) and it gave a nice woody flavour to it.

You'll need:
1 cup rice (or half cup if you plan to add steel cut oats) soaked in water for about an hour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar or jaggery
2-3 Green cardamoms, crushed
4-5 blanched almonds for garnish (optional)

After the rice has soaked for an hour, grind half of it into a paste. Bring the milk to a boil then on simmer, add all of the rice. If using steel cut oats, then add it directly to the milk. Keep it on simmer till the rice and oats are cooked.

Add the sugar and cardamom. Stir till the sugar dissolves, and the pudding thickens to a gooey paste. Don't dry it out too much because it will thicken some more once you take it off the heat.

Garnish with some blanched almonds. It can be either served warm or cold.

Mochi with Mung and Black Sesame Fillings

I got introduced to mochi (glutinous rice flour) while I was living in Hong Kong. After that, I have had cravings for it but didn't know where in India I could get some. Recently on my trip to Bangkok, I picked up a packet of mochi flour to satiate my cravings at home! It was surprisingly simple.

Start with getting the filling ready.

Mung Beans Filling:
1/2 cup split mung beans (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar 

Wash and cook the mung bean in the water till it's soft enough to be mashed. In a saucepan, add the sugar (adjust sweetness to taste) and bean paste. Stir and cook till the water is absorbed and let it cool.
Makes enough for about 10-15 mochis.

Black Sesame Seeds Filling:
1 cup black sesame seeds
2-3 tbsps honey 

Roast the sesame seeds on a pan and grind it coarsely. Add the honey till it forms a sticky paste. Makes about 8-10 mochis.

*Keep aside some roasted seeds if you want to use it as sprinkles on top.

After the rice flour is mixed, you will have to work fast so keep everything ready to go.

• Once both the fillings have cooled, roll them into balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. 
• Keep some water in a small bowl to seal the dough.
• Keep a cup of cornflour to dust the surface.
• Use a rolling pin and a chopping board or flat surface to roll out the dough .

Mochi:
1 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup water
Food colouring (optional)
1 cup cornflour for dusting

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the the flour, sugar, and water. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying, and cook in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Keep checking in between, it shouldn't become too dry. If it is just add a little hot water, if it is too runny then heat it some more.

Add food colour if using and mix well. Once the dough is cool enough to handle (it should be worked warm as it will harden as it cools - so work fast). Dust your hands and rolling surface with cornflour. Take a small amount of dough and roll it our into a circle large enough to encapsulate the filling. Since the flour is sticky, it can stretch without tearing, but don't roll it too thinly or else it will crack when it dries.

Place the filling int he center of the dough. Seal the edges using some water to make it stick together. Dust off the excess cornflour. Dab some water on the top with your finger and add the sesame seeds.

Makes about 12-15 mochis.

Store them in the fridge in an air-tight container if not having immediately. It will last a few days. It can also be frozen without significantly changing its flavour.

Thai-style Mango with Sweet Sticky Rice

I've always loved this dessert...Mangoes are my absolute favourite and this combination with rice makes it more fulfilling.

1 cup uncooked sticky rice (or sushi rice*)

200gm (or 1 can) coconut milk

1/2 cup brown sugar**

1 mango (a sweet or juicy variety is the best combo)

Toasted sesame seeds

* The pre-cooked sushi rice has added vinegar used only for making sushi. Use plain rice for this recipe.
** (I used jagery, but white sugar can also be used - all these sugars have variations in taste and sweetness so add accordingly)

To cook the rice:

Wash the rice and soak for about 4 hours. Drain the water and steam-cook it. I used a saucepan filled with water, put a splatter screen on it, flipped a bowl of rice on top of the screen and let it steam for about 30 minutes. (Flip it once in between to ensure even cooking.)

For the sauce:

Heat the coconut milk in the microwave. It should be hot enough to dissolve the sugar. Pour this on the cooked rice and mix well. 

Peel and slice the mango and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve the rice warm.

Frozen Strawberry Yoghurt

This summer, there will be no store-bought ice-cream (ok, maybe just a few).

You'll need:
8-10 strawberries (cleaned and de-stalked)
2 cups yoghurt (put in a cheesecloth or fine sieve and let the whey drain out for 30 min)
3 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Blend all, and freeze. Repeat 2-3 times.
Add more honey or sugar as per taste.

Red Velvet Cake with Fondant Icing

It was husband's birthday in March; he's a big Superman fan and his name starts with an S too, so this was the obvious choice of icing.

For the cake:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar - set aside  for 5 min to curdle)
• red food colour according to instructions (1tbsp if using liquid colour, a few dabs with a toothpick if using gel)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda

In a bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Keep aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar till creamy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, and whisk some more.

In the buttermilk, add the food colouring and mix well.

Alternate adding the flour mix and the buttermilk into the creamy batter in 3 stages starting and ending with the flour (flour-buttermilk-flour-buttermilk-flour). Whisk lightly, incorporating all ingredients.

In a separate bowl, add the baking soda to the vinegar - it should fizz. Add this immediately to the cake batter, and mix well. Put the batter in a 9 inch lined/greased cake tin and put in a pre-heated oven at 180 deg C. Try to minimise the time between the fizzing and shoving in the oven so that the soda doesn't fizzle out.
Bake for 35-40 min. Cool on a wire rack, then remove from cake tin and put it in the fridge.

For the icing:
Fondant icing sugar
Food colouring
1/2 cup ice water
1/2 cup cornflour

If using different colours as icing, divide the sugar into as many parts.
Sift the sugar (it is usually rock hard so I need to put it in a blender to reduce the lumps, then sift). Start by adding a few drops of water and knead well. Adding too much water will make it runny and it won't roll out. It should become pliable like pastry dough. Add the food colour of your choice.

The rolling is the difficult part. Sprinkle some cornflour on the counter, and coat your rolling pin and hands with some too. This will prevent the dough from sticking.start rolling carefully but don't roll it too thin else it'll break when you roll it over the cake: But too think and the cake topping will be too hard and sugary. Should be approximately 2-3 mm thick.

If cutting a design, use a sharp knife and lots of cornflour to pry the design out without breaking it. You could try rolling it out on baking paper if it helps.

Dab some water to make the fondant stick to fondant. Even if you have some tears or holes, just use a piece of same coloured fondant and some water to patch it up.

Banana Ice cream

I was very skeptical of this recipe at first - I mean, what's ice cream without the cream? But it tastes delicious, it's versatile, and guilt-free. Perfect accompaniment this summer!

You'll need:
3-4 ripe bananas
Optional add-ons:
50gms chocolate or chocolate spread
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
Almond/walnut toppings

Peel and slice bananas and freeze for a few hours. Then blitz it in a blender. The creamy texture of the banana gives it a creamy consistency. Add the Add-ons (just one or a combination) while blending or as a topping. And Voila! The perfect refresher for the summer heat.

Banana facts:

• It's high in Potassium for good nerve and muscle function
• It's got Vitamin C for your immune system
• It's got Vitamin B-6 (mostly found in animal products) for cell rejuvenation
• It's a good source of fiber, manganese, and other nutrients like iron and calcium boosting your energy - a great pre and post workout snack.
• It's good for your stomach - helps reduce stomach acidity, is a good hangover cure, and promotes bowel health.

Cherry Clafoutis

I got this recipe from the tried and trusted Joy of Baking. Not only did this make a good dessert, but it was also good as a quick breakfast option.


1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp granulated white sugar
3/4 cup (180 ml) milk 
1 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix all these ingredients well until the batter is smooth.

For the cherries

1 tin of Cherry filling OR 

If you can find good fresh cherries and have the patience to de-seed them, then get about 

         300 to 400 grams fresh cherries, pitted

         1 tbsp butter

         1 tbsp sugar

In a saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat. Add the cherries and cook for about 2 minutes till they're nicely coated with the butter. Then add the sugar and cook till the cherries start to get syrupy.

Transfer the cherries into a baking dish. Pour the batter over it and bake for about 20 minutes at 220 deg C. The filling will rise so do not open the oven door till the edges/top have browned a little towards the end - or else it will collapse.

Let it cool. Dust the top with some icing sugar. Serve warm or cold.

Semolina Pudding

A quick and easy dessert pudding. Traditionally, in the Indian style recipe, we use jaggery instead of brown sugar, and ghee (clarified butter) instead of butter.

1 cup semolina
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil/butter
2 tbsps milk/cream (optional)
Blanched almonds/crushed pistachio (optional)

Heat the oil in a pan. Once it's hot, add the semolina and toast till brown.
Add the sugar and mix till caramelized.
Add the milk/cream to give it a more creamy texture.
Serve warm with almonds/pistachio on top.

Chocolate Mousse

This is the simplest thing you can make which tastes SO good!

All you need is
500 gm cream (room temperature)
250 gm chocolate (any kind - I prefer dark chocolate)

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (make sure to not burn it). It takes about 40-50 seconds for a large slab.
Whisk it lightly with a hand beater just to make sure there are no lumps. Add the cream in parts, making sure to blend it all in with the chocolate. If the cream is cold, it will solidify the chocolate on contact, making it lumpy.

Once both ingredients are incorporated, put it in the fridge for an hour or two. And that is IT.

For added flavourings, here are some additions you can make, either individually or in combinations:

1 tbsp coffee powder dissolved in 2 tbsp water at room temperature (add it while mixing the chocolate with cream)
1 tsp orange/lemon zest (added while mixing)
1 tbsp Cocoa powder (sift it over the mousse while serving, or add it with the mix for stronger flavour)
1/4 cup of grated chocolate (as garnish)
1 tsp mint essence (added while mixing)

Strawberry Muffins

It was just supposed to be plain berry muffins, but we topped it with some cream cheese icing, and baked it in a large muffin mold to make it into a great birthday surprise.

You need:
A cup of finely chopped, or mashed, strawberries (and some more nicely sliced ones for garnishing - optional)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and stir some more. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Line muffin tray and pour about 2 tbsps of batter in each cup.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for about 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

If you are using the cream cheese icing, let the muffin cool completely (30 min or so) before spreading it over.

Makes about 10 medium-sized muffins

Traditional Christmas Pudding

A little late to post this, but I had made a few of these over the holiday season and they were great!
The only detterant would be the time it takes to cook it.

Ingredients:
3-4 tbsp flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1tbsp mixed spice (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves)
2 eggs
100g dark muscovado sugar
100g butter or vegetable oil
A few toasted pecans
4-5 chopped dates
4-5 chopped prunes
10-15 currants
50g blanched almonds, flaked
Juice of half an orange (it worked well even with cranberry juice)
Zest of 1 orange
1 carrot (grated)
1 apple (peeled, cored, and grated)
2 slices crust-less white bread (not store-bought breadcrumbs. Take 2-3 day old white bread and if it isn't completely dry, then put them in the oven on low heat for 15-20 min taking care to not brown it. Then break them into coarse crumbs by hand.)
50ml Guinness (I used regular beer)
50ml Grand Marnier (I used brandy or rum)

Beat the sugar with butter/oil. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to this.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add this and the rest of the ingredients to the butter/sugar and mix well. The consistency should be a little sloppy - not too dry (add alcohol/juice if it is) and not too runny (add some more flour if it is).

Pour the mix into a greased pudding bowl, cover it with a foil and tie it with string.

Ready the steaming vessel. Use something at its base to prop the pudding bowl so it doesn't stick to the base and burn. Pour in enough water so that it just comes up half way up the pudding bowl. Once the water is warm enough, put in the pudding bowl and cover.

This needs to cook for 6 hours (yes you read it right). This ensures that the flavours soak through all the ingredients. Keep topping up the water level in between. Don't let the water dry out or else the pudding will burn.

This can be made a week in advance and kept in the fridge. To reheat it, steaming is recommended (but I just zapped it in the microwave).

To serve (Optional):
Sprinkle the surface with 2 tbsp soft brown or caster sugar.
Pour 30 ml of brandy or rum and flambe it. It gives a nice toasty crust to it.

Apple Pie

I love apple pie! But I've never had the patience to turn out a good crust till I saw the video on Joy of Baking. It is a nice simple recipe with some tips and tricks to make the process simpler.

For the pie crust:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
225 gms butter - chilled and cut into small cubes
1/4 cup ice water (not all of it might be used)

I envy those with a food processor. I have to do this by hand which doesn't come out as good unless you practice a lot.

Start with putting the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Then add the butter cubes and incorporate it well with the dough till it is crumbly. The trick is to not overwork the butter dough so do it in quick motions within a minute. Then add a few tablespoons of the chilled water and knead. keep adding some water till the dough just about binds. Make sure there's no excess water.

Divide this dough into 2 parts. Flatten out each one into a 6 inch circle, wrap in clear wrap and put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Take out one of the circles after an hour. You may let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes if it is too hard to roll out. Make sure to dust the work space with some flour and roll out the dough as per the shape of your pan. the dough should be large enough to cover the base and sides of the pan. Gently pick up the dough and place it in the pan. If it breaks then just stick it together in the pan. Poke the crust with a fork to make some tiny holes in the base. Put it back in the fridge for an hour.

For the filling:

• 4-5 apples - peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I substitued bothe the sugars with 1tbsp honey and maple syrup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 tbsp cornflour

Place the apples in a bowl and coat them with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Add the salt, sugars and spices. Cover and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

Once the juices start to separate, place the apples in a strainer and collect the juices in a bowl below. Let it rest for another 30 minutes. Then take the juices (approximately half a cup) and place it in a microwaveable container. Add the butter and heat in the microwave for 5-6 minutes. Make sure the container is large enough because the mixture will boil and overflow. After 6 minutes, the juices would have thickened and turned like caramel.

Transfer the apples back into the bowl and add the heated caramel. Mix in the cornflour to soak up the excess liquid.

Place the apples in the tray with the pie crust. I didn't want too much of crust on my pie so I didn't make the top crust. If you do plan to make one for your pie then roll out the other half of the dough to cover the pie. If you want to seal the edges, then make a slit at the center of the top crust to let the steam out. Joy of Baking has a great video to show you how to do this.

Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for about 30-40 minutes. Make sure the edges of the pie crust don't burn. The crust should just be golden brown. Take it out from the heat and cool on a wire rack for an hour before digging in.

Lemon Cake

The original recipe was for cupcakes, but I decided to go for a full cake.

For the cake:

In a bowl, whisk
1/2 cup butter (room temp) and
2/3 cup caster sugar

Add 3 eggs, one at a time, whisking it well.

Then add 1 tsp Vanilla and zest of 1 large lemon

In a separate bowl, sift:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Keep 1/4 cup milk on the side.

Starting with the flour, mix 1/3rd part of flour then milk alternatively into the batter, mixing well after each addition.

Pour this mixture into a lined tin and bake at 180 deg C for about 30 minutes. You need to check the cake after 20-25 minutes if it's done, else the extra time in the oven will make it dry.
(Mine turned out a little dry, so I sliced the cake in half horizontally and poured 1/3 cup fruit juice on it and let it soak. It helped some.)

Lemon Curd:

In a steel bowl, placed over a pan of hot (not boiling) water, whisk
3 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup caster sugar

Keep whisking it to avoid formation of lumps and curdling of eggs. It takes about 7-8 minutes for it to cook. Keep a bowl and sieve handy. Right after you take the bowl out from the heat, sieve the mixture into the waiting bowl. This ensures that the curd doesn't continue to cook in the hot bowl.

After a few minutes, add
4 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
1 tbsp lemon zest

Cover and set aside to cool, then refrigerate. Covering the bowl is important else it will form a layer on top.

I assembled the cake by layering the lemon curd between the two slices of cake, and topping it with the cream cheese icing. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

This was the first time I tried making cupcakes and I messed up the measurements from the original recipe - I used more than double the requirement of the pumpkin puree. The result was not bad though. It turned out more like a pumpkin pudding with a crisp outer layer and a soft center. Next time I will try the actual thing (as mentioned below).

For the cupcakes:
Boil and puree about 100 gms of fresh pumpkin. Keep aside to cool.

Mix till smooth:
1 cup sugar 
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

Then add 2 eggs (at room temperature) and whisk again.
Add 1 tsp vanilla (I scraped 1/4 tsp beans from a fresh vanilla pod instead)

In a separate bowl, sift together
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground clove

Now alternately mix the puree and then the flour into the cream mix in 3 parts.

Line the cupcake tins and pour about 2 tbsps of the batter for each cup.
Place in pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing:
1 cup icing sugar
About 1 cup of cream cheese (110 gms) [at room temperature]
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp butter (at room temperature)

1 tbsp lemon zest (optional)

Whisk all the ingredients till smooth.

Once the cupcakes have cooled down, spread the topping on it evenly and refrigerate for an hour before eating.

Milk Cake

This uses a minimum amount of butter and tastes great. You could add bits and pieces of your favourite ingredient to it or have it plain.

Heat a cup of milk and add 4 tbsp of butter.
If you use vanilla pods, add them now, or a few drops of essence. Allow butter to melt. Keep aside.

Sift 2 cups flour,
with a pinch of salt and
2 tsp baking powder.

Take 4 eggs and whisk it with
2 cups of sugar till light and fluffy.
Fold in the flour mixture slowly. Add the milk.

Bake it for 40 minutes at 180 deg C.

Variations:

• Peeled and chopped pears and/or apples (with some ground cinnamon and nutmeg)
• Desiccated coconut
• Dry fruits - walnuts, blanched almonds, dates
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (subtract 2 tbsp flour from the whole)