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Brunch and Sundowner at The Lalit, New Delhi

Posted in breakfast, desserts, drinks, friends, Review, tagged , , , , , , , on April 12, 2013 | 1 Comment »

What does the word “brunch” conjure in your mind?


Lazy afternoons? Sun-kissed tables? Family time?
Mimosas? Bellinis? Bloody Marys?
Cheese platters? Fresh bread? Garden-fresh salads?


Brunch is interpreted in many unique ways across the world, but it usually is a languorous meal between 11 am and 3 pm, involving all kinds of food and drinks.


This is why I was intrigued by the idea of the Sunday Brunch & Sundowner at the 24/7 Restaurant in The Lalit, New Delhi – which starts in the afternoon and melts, most blissfully, into late evening.


Let me paint you a picture.


You begin at 1 pm.


Start with a colourful salad. How do you like kiwi, mandarin and beetroot?


1. fruit salad


Now a nibble of sushi.


2. sushi


How about a crumbling of stinky blue cheese?


3. blue cheese


Perfect with a warm spinach bun.


4. warm bun


Let’s wash this down with some champagne, shall we?


5. champagne


Now, maybe we step out for a while. I love Alfresco seating on a pleasant day :)


6. al fresco seating


Sausages, lamb, fish, paneer, kebabs – all barbecued up in front of us.


7. barbecue


Oh you know what I’m missing? A plump prawn.


8. prawn


Step back inside for a slice of pizza now?


9. pizza


Or a swift slice from the revolving shawarma stand?


10. shawarma


The chef can rustle up a Chinese stir fry just for you.


11. chinese stirfry


Or would you prefer Indian tawa veggies?


12. indian tawa veggies


Maybe you feel like the creamiest pototoes ever?


13. creamy potatoes


With a piece of chicken, a side of pork, some button mushrooms, and some crispy skinned fish?


14. meat feast


This place does the BEST salsa. These are the four types on offer: Pineapple (my fav), cucumber, sun-dried tomato, and regular.


15. salsa


Time for a another glass of bubbly.


16. bubbly


Now we shall sit outside for a while. Don’t we look happy? :)


17. happy faces


Gossip and conversations with old friends who are family are an essential brunch component.


Dessert time! Fruit tarts, carrot cake, pistachio cake, or the creamiest panna cotta you’ve ever eaten. Once of each, I say!


18. dessert


We’ll wind down with some green tea please. And suddenly- it’s 6 pm.


19. green tea


What a wonderful, wonderful way to spend a Sunday. The brunch price at The Lalit also includes the use of the pool (perfect for hot summer days) and a complimentary pedicure/manicure at the hotel spa- Rejuve (really takes a relaxed brunch to the next level!).


20. al fresco


Head over to The Lalit, New Delhi, Barakhamba Avenue, Connaught Place for a blissfully lazy and decadently delicious Sunday :)


Prices: 3000 +taxes for the Alcohol buffet, 2200 +taxes for the Non-Alcohol buffet, and 1500 +taxes for Kids.
Timing: 1 pm – 6:30 pm
Venue: 24/7 restaurant and Al fresco
For reservations, call + 91 11 4444 7777, Ext. 331


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Strawberry Pavlova, good things, and a giveaway!

Posted in desserts, family, friends, giveaway, holiday, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2013 | 13 Comments »

Hello lovely people!


How’s the new year treating you’ll?


Have you made the resolutions you aren’t going to keep? :)


Isn’t it funny (and wonderful) how we make them every year anyway?


Here are mine:


*Get fitter (this includes regular exercise and attempting to eat healthier)
*Give my blog more love
*Spend more time with the people who are important to me
*Start playing the guitar again (this will be done with my very cool guitarist friend Aditi’s help)
*Learn to take better photographs
*Keep believing that the best is yet to come


I think the last one is the hardest. It’s difficult to believe that good things will come when you’ve had a spate of bad things. It’s hard to have faith in people, believing that there’s good inside them, even when they’ve let you down. It’s even harder believing that God has plans for you – the best plans.


But this year, I’m staying positive, and happy, and bright. Because good things will come. I know it. I just need to remember it :)
Will you remind me if I forget?


Here’s a look at some good things that happened over December when I was home. Each one is a blessing.


Dinner with my oldest friends in one of our favourite restaurants.


Old friends and dinner


This gorgeous flower that bloomed on our balcony.


Red flower


A funky new-age Christmas tree my brother put together.


new age Christmas tree


The freshest, greenest, tastiest lettuce ever – from my aunt’s garden.


Lettuce


A massive projector set up by my Dad and brother in our living room, so we could watch movies huddling together under blankets while sipping hot tea.


Projector


And this puppy soaking up the sun, who brings us all such joy.


Puppy in the sun


In the midst of some terribly sad things that happened, us cousins got together and decided we needed to make something sweet.


The result was this stunning Strawberry Pavlova.


Pavlova 1


Everyone helped.


Here’s my brother whisking the egg whites.


Whisking away


Baby cousin washed the strawberries.


Cleaning strawberries


Another added sugar and smiles.


Sugar and smiles


And this pretty one cut up the strawberries.


Cutting strawberries


Even the littlest one contributed. He kept the puppy busy :)


Puppy and baby


This dessert is show-stopper. Expect everyone to drop their plates and stare at it in all its wonder.


Just look at it.


Pavlova 2


And it’s the easiest thing to make. Have a go!


Strawberry pavlova


Largely adapted from: Step by step Baking


Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 80 mins
Serves: 8


Ingredients:


6 egg whites
pinch of salt
350 g caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp lemon juice
300ml heavy cream
200 g strawberries


Method:


1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Line a baking tray with parchment. Draw a 20cm circle on the parchment and turn it over, so the pencil mark is facing downwards.
2. Put the egg whites and salt in a large, clean bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until you have stiff peaks. Whisk in the sugar a spoonful at a time, until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Mix in the cornflour and lemon juice as well.
3. Spoon the mixture onto the parchment, making sure you stay within the drawn-out circle. Flatten the centre slightly and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 160º C and bake for 75 minutes. Leave it to cool completely in the oven.
4. In the meantime, whip the cream until it thickens. Wash and clean the strawberries, then roughly chop them into halves.
5. Remove the cooled pavlova from the oven and take off the parchment. Place on a serving plate and crack the top slightly with a spoon. Spread the cream over and top with the strawberries. Serve in rough wedges.


Pavlova 3


Sorry I can’t offer you some pavlova, but here’s something fun!


*GIVEAWAY TIME*


CupoNation India, a website offering discount coupons for a number of leading online retailers in India like flipkart, snapdeal, homeshop18 and many more, wants to give one of you lucky readers a Flipkart voucher worth 500 INR. All you have to do is leave me a comment below telling me which offer you love the most on CupoNation India


I’ll choose one winner through a random draw and announce it in my next post. Comment away!


And have a wonderful, wonderful year ahead! Lots of love!


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The peanut butter cookie effect and giveaways!

Posted in desserts, friends, giveaway, tagged , , , on December 5, 2012 | 15 Comments »

Very often I’m asked: What do you do with everything you bake? Do you eat it all yourself?


Dear person who thinks I’m a dessert-inhaling monster, this post is for you.


I love baking. But you already knew that about me.


Here’s what I love more: happy people eating and (usually!) appreciating what I’ve baked.


When I bake something, I usually taste it, photograph it, and then put it into a big box to share with the happy people I work with.


The cookies/pies/cupcakes/tarts are tasted and I receive critical feedback, big smiles, bakery-opening advice, and general happiness in return.


It’s lovely sharing good food with wonderful people.


This is what happened when I handed a few people a peanut butter cookie on a dreary Monday afternoon. I call it the peanut butter cookie effect. (How very scientific of me, I know. Aren’t you proud Mom? :) ) Take a look.


Glenda


Neha


Rupa


Navi


Chitra


Alicia


Simran


Vikas


Dorothy


If that’s not happy-making I don’t know what is!


Also happy-making- My aunt just sent me my Advent chain presents. Every year for as long as I can remember she gives me 25 presents – one to open every day from 1st December to Christmas. How amazing is that? I love her.
Take a look at the heap!


Advent chain presents


Now for some happy news for you all, my darlings.


The awesome folks over at Hilton, Mayur Vihar have some discount vouchers they want to give you!


Here’s what you could win:


1. 15% discount on the Sunday Brunch at Cafe On 3, DoubleTree by Hilton, Mayur Vihar
2. 20% discount at Roadhouse Bar and Grill, DoubleTree by Hilton, Mayur Vihar
3. 20% discount at Infinity, Hilton Mayur Vihar


To win, just leave me a comment telling me what’s your favourite thing to cook/bake during Christmas. So simple, no?
Entries will be accepted till 9th December, 2012. 3 winners will be announced right after.


Oh and if you’re in the mood for those delicious flour-less peanut butter cookies, made with only 3 ingredients (crazy, right?) that everyone is smiling about, then here’s the recipe :)


3-ingredient flour-less peanut butter cookies
Recipe (slightly adapted) from: Laura’s Sweet Spot


Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 8 mins
Makes: 24 medium cookies


Ingredients:


255g creamy peanut butter
225g caster sugar
1 large egg


Method:


1. Preheat the oven to 180º C and line two baking trays with parchment.
2. Mix the peanut butter, sugar, and egg together in a bowl. Scoop out tablespoons of the cookie dough and roll between your palms to form rough balls. Place on the baking trays and then gently press down on each ball with the back of a fork (twice) to form criss-cross lines. Make sure there is enough space between each cookie, as they expand a bit while baking.
3. Bake for 8 minutes and then leave on the tray till completely cool before eating. This is important because the cookies are too soft to handle when they’re hot.



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Christmas crazy and 3-ingredient Nutella brownie bites

Posted in desserts, family, friends, holiday, tagged , , , , on November 28, 2012 | 9 Comments »

It’s one month to Christmas. Welcome to what I call my looney-with-excitement month.


Here’s a taste of some of the Christmas craziness in my life:


- Last Saturday Mom and I bought (wait for it), 10 kilos of dry fruit. Yes, 10.
We got raisins in all colours, shapes, and sizes which will be mixed with walnuts and other stuff and then baked into some deadly good cakes by Dad.


- I’ve done some preliminary gift scouting and 2 3 5 lists have been made. I always struggle with present ideas for men – dad, brothers, uncles, friends. What do you buy the men in your life? Tell me please!


- Mom and I are discussing Christmas party menus every time we talk. Seriously. Every. Single. Conversation. Let me tell you now, some fantastic ideas have been born. If you’re invited to my home for Christmas, you’re in for a treat.


- I’ve changed my ring tone to Baby it’s cold outside. I ADORE Christmasy music. I asked a friend the other day if it was too early for Christmas music and I was laughed at. It isn’t too early, is it? Come on!


- My Christmas madness is totally understood by some adorable friends of mine. I’m discussing gift options with Abhik and decorations with Varun who has already put up his tree! They’re fabulous btw and totally looney about Christmas like me. You should say hello to them on Twitter!


- I bought some sparkly metallic red and green cupcake wrappers. So pretty and perfect for this season! Festive cupcakes shall be made.


What I’m saying is, this is a wonderful time. The build-up to a time with family and friends and celebration. A time of joy and warmth and sharing.


I wish everyone would get into the spirit already!


I know, I know. You’re tired and grumpy and lazy and it’s cold and you just want to curl up and sleep, but if you have 12 minutes and 3 ingredients, I can show you a shortcut way to feeling wonderful.


Make these Nutella brownie bites.



All you need is flour, eggs, and the food of the Gods: Nutella. Everyone has flour and eggs at home. Oh you have jar of Nutella too? You may be my soulmate.


These little bites are fudgy, full of that rich hazelnut chocolate flavour we all love, and delicious both warm from the oven or at room temperature.



Could there BE a simpler way to eat something yummy and ring in the festivities? (Yeah, I totally said that like Chandler :P )



3-ingredient Nutella brownie bites
Recipe adapted from: Laura’s Sweet Spot


Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Makes: approx. 30 mini bites



Ingredients:


2 eggs
1 jar (350g) Nutella, at room temperature
10 tbsp plain flour


Method:


1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Line mini cupcake trays with mini cupcake paper cases. I used about 30.
2. Mix the eggs and Nutella together. Then stir in the flour until everything is well combined. The batter is quite thick and sticky. Don’t worry- it’s supposed to be like that. Spoon about 1 heaped teaspoon full into each paper case and bake for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and eat!



Happy pre-Christmas my lovelies :)

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The story of how I met George and Gary (Masterchef Australia judges) thrice in two days

Posted in Bloggers meet, friends, tagged , , , , on November 19, 2012 | 23 Comments »

“Dreams, if they’re any good, are always a little bit crazy. ”
― Ray Charles


*warning*- this post has (much) more than the legal recommended amount of: pictures, smiling, gushing, more smiling, silliness, and general happiness.


A few weeks ago I had a chance to live out one of my dreams.


I need to wind back a bit here, so stay with me please darlin.


When Masterchef Australia first started airing in India, it took only the first episode for me to realise I’m gonna be hooked.


Not only was this a great food show, it was a great show. Full stop. And I was madly in love with it.


I would rush home from where ever I was, feign headaches to cancel social appointments, and drop everything to be home and in front of the TV at 9pm.


2 reasons for the show’s aforementioned greatness:


1. It’s all about the food. (No useless drama like in the Indian version or random bursts of cruelty like in the American version.)
2. The cute judges.


I’m telling you, George, Gary, and Matt – the fantastic Masterchef Australia judges are the secret ingredient that make the show such a resounding success.


They know their stuff, but are incredibly humble.
They’re funny as hell and are such great teachers.
And they bring a wonderful touch of real life to the show that makes viewers like me feel like we really know them.


I can never ever get tired of Gary’s adorable smile, Matt thoughtfully rubbing his chin, or George shouting out his famous catchphrase “Boom boom shake the room”.


I have learnt so much from the show- from how to make crackling and stuffing a chicken, to releasing a cake from the tin and plating beautifully. But what I’ve really taken away from the show is following your passion, doing what you love and doing it well, being decent and humble and happy and wonderful. Those are the things I believe Masterchef Australia stands for.


Now back to the present.


Through a wonderful thing called Twitter I found out that Gary and George were coming to my city.
I was flabbergasted and semi psychotic with excitement. I could not form words. I was DYING to meet them.


I spoke to people in the food business, friends, bloggers, my boss, and every other person remotely connected to food to see if I had a shot at meeting these two cuties.


I decided I would do whatever it takes to meet them at least once.


Do you know how I know dreams come true? I met them thrice. Yes, thrice. In two days.


(Side note: I’m offering stalking classes soon. Please let me know if you’re interested.)


Let’s talk about these monumental meetings one by one, shall we?


First meeting or When our eyes first met: A book signing at Landmark.
I bought their book, stood in a line, and got autographs and pictures!


Here they are!



High point: Gary drew in my book. He drew earrings on George’s face.


Second meeting or Love in pastel shades: At Olive Beach restaurant for breakfast.
Some fabulous bloggers and some of the city’s top chefs met George over breakfast at this gorgeous restaurant.



I asked Georgie the first question! :) And then spent the rest of the morning gushing over him.


Gushing picture 1.



Gushing picture 2.



High point: Me giving George some dark chocolate Kahlua truffles I made for him, and him saying, “Awww. Thank you darling.”


Darling. He said it. His words. Yes. Swoon.


Third meeting or I can’t freakin’ believe this is happening: Cooking for George and Gary at Nature’s Basket! Yeah, you read that right.


I actually won a chance to cook for my culinary heroes. And they tasted my dish.


Here I am explaining my dish.



Honestly I don’t know how I got anything done. Can you do anything except melt into a ball of mush when you see this smile?



But I did. I made a Deconstructed chocolate and fruit dessert. (I’m fancy like that.)
Here’s me with my dish.



And a closer look.



I also met two other wonderful contestants- Charu and Aradhika. Here they are.



What I enjoyed the most was the time I had with Gary and George. Their criticism was constructive, they were wonderfully adorable, and I didn’t want the evening to ever end.


What’s that? You want to see more pictures? Sure! :)


Here I am in a Gary and George sandwich. The best kind there is ;)



This is all of us trying to pull off a serious Masterchef pose. George nailed it.



And here’s my favourite one. No prizes for guessing why.



For those who still want more (seriously?), there’s also a video of the event here. You’ll hear and see me around halfway through. (Spoiler alert: At one point I tell George we love him because he’s chubby, and he says awwwwww.)


Needless to say I died with the cuteness.


So that’s that folks. I stalked these two Masterchef cuties. Like. A. Boss.
Wouldn’t you agree? :D


Dreams do come true. Don’t you ever stop dreaming them, love.


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Easy Mulled wine

Posted in drinks, family, friends, holiday, tagged , , on November 2, 2012 | 11 Comments »

The first time I drank mulled wine I was with my friend Shriya in London. It was cold outside and the spice-laden, sweetened wine warmed our insides and made us smile. It tasted like Christmas and old friendships and gave us inexplicable comfort although we were far away from home.


I made some last night, and I could taste those things all over again.



When something bad happens to us, don’t we often ask “Why me”? I’ve figured out the answer to that question.


It’s so that I can be reminded of the blessings in my life. The ones I forget so often and so easily.


Why me? Because I need to be reminded of how my family will always be my rock – no matter where I go or what I do.


Why me? Because it’s an opportunity to be grateful for the friends who love me, laugh with me, and cry with me because they can see through to my soul, the ones who are far away but make me feel like they’re right next to me with a single phone call or text, and the ones you know are yours forever.


Why me? Because I believe God wants to show me how strong he made me.


Painful things, difficult things, hard things, happen to the best of us. But what I’ve come to realize is that good things come out of it.


I will never stop being amazed at how my family and friends rally around me whenever I encounter anything difficult in life.
They shield me and hold me up, giving me an extraordinary strength.
The kind I never knew I was capable of. But it seems I am.
And that is an awesome thing.


So this is a thank you note. Just to say you’re wonderful. And my life wouldn’t be the same without you.
You all know who you are. Thank you for building me up. You give me strength every day.


I’m ready for anything the universe throws at me, because I know you’re there, always.


And while we’re here, in this moment, will you join me for a glass of mulled wine?
I know, you thought I’d never ask :)



Easy Mulled wine


Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Makes: 2 glasses


Ingredients:


30g brown sugar
375ml red wine (I used Four Seasons Shiraz*)
4-5 pieces cinnamon bark, plus a few long pieces for the glass
generous sprinkling of nutmeg
1 orange, sliced on the round



Method:


1. Place a large pan over low heat and put in the brown sugar. Add about 1/5th of the wine and mix well.
2. Throw in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a few pieces of orange (reserve 2 perfect rounds for the glasses). Mix everything well until the sugar melts. Let this mixture reduce over a low heat- it is your flavour base.
3. After about 10 minutes, the wine mixture will be thicker. Now pour in the rest of the wine and stir well. Mix for 2-3 minutes and then take off the heat. (Longer and you’ll burn off all the alcohol- we don’t want that!)
4. Pour into heatproof glasses, add the orange rounds and cinnamon sticks, and serve.


*Thank you Four Seasons for the lovely wine.


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A pizza masterclass with Chef Theo

Posted in Bloggers meet, friends, savoury, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on September 4, 2012 | 4 Comments »

My ALL time favourite food show is Masterchef Australia.


It’s fun and honest and the focus is always food (not random drama like in the Indian version).


Also the judges are so adorable. Like don’t you want to just hug them?



(image from: http://www.masterchef.com.au/)


Masterclass is an integral part of learning on the show. The mood is relaxed and the focus is only on learning new techniques and skills to add to your cooking/baking repertoire.


So when the folks at Hilton, Mayur Vihar invited us over for a Pizza masterclass with their Italian chef Theo, we (our CAL Blogger’s table) all jumped at the opportunity.


Focused yet funny, Chef Theo took us through the basics of pizza dough, Marinara sauce, and ways to bake the crust properly.



Just look at this wonderfully reduced Marinara sauce.



And these fluffy balls of rested pizza dough.



I learnt that a wood fire oven has the advantage of really high temperatures, so you don’t need to pre-bake your crust. In the ovens we use at home, pre-baking your crust is essential. This was a massive revelation to me and I can’t wait to try it this way.



Also overloading your pizza with toppings is a rookie mistake. Do that and you’ll have a soggy crust.



A thin crust, a few simple toppings, and a rich, well-reduced tomato sauce base is all you need for a great pizza.



We tasted the pizzas fresh as they came out of the oven and they were divine. See?



Very inspired, I’m going to try my hand at a home-made pizza soon!


Thank you Hilton, Mayur Vihar for hosting us. It’s always amazing to learn first-hand from chefs who know their stuff like Theo.


Here’s what the rest of the Blogger’s table had to say:
Ruchira @ Cookaroo
Sushmita @ My Unfinished Life
Sid @ Chef at large
Sangeeta @ Banaras ka Khana



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Leonardo Olive Oil Lunch with Chef Saby at Olive Bar and Kitchen, Mehrauli

Posted in Bloggers meet, friends, tagged , , , , , , on August 1, 2012 | 5 Comments »

It was one of those happy afternoons. The food was excellent. The company was fun. And everywhere you looked, your eyes met something beautiful.


All of us bloggers were invited to Olive Bar and Kitchen by the Dalmia group to sample various Chef Saby creations all made in Leonardo Olive oil.



Himani Dalmia of Dalmia Continental introduced us to Leonardo Olive oil- the various grades and uses. Here she is talking to all of us.



The renowned Chef Saby (who I have to say is the friendliest, funniest chef I’ve met!) then took us through some really easy preparations using olive oil. The Olive chain of restaurants all use Leonardo Olive oil for their cooking. Chef Saby also successfully concluded the debate on the eternally maligned poor Olive Pomace oil, making it clear that it was perfectly safe to use, great for frying, and excellent for Indian food.



He then demonstrated a lovely fried asparagus and fried basa in Olive Pomace Oil. The batter was made frothy and light with a nitrogen infusion. Here he’s showing us how to do it.



All through this we were nibbling at the beautifully presented anti-pasti platters set up for us, with slices of thin crust pizza in between and delicious swigs of Sangria.


Here’s a look at what we ate.


Cold cut platter.



Assorted cheese platter.



Some of us felt like we had been transported to another serene world filled with delicious food.


Doesn’t Sangeeta look like that? :)



We all took several pictures- only because everything was so photo-worthy. It seems like all we had to do was point and shoot to get a stunning image.


Here’s Sid having some fun with the camera :)



The main courses arrived as we sat around two large tables which had been set in the most charming way.



All the food was prepared and/or drizzled in Leonardo Olive oil.


Sizzling Gambas- in which the pomace olive oil was the hero of the dish, coating the prawns and olives, making them glisten.



Pasta Marinara with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive oil and a generous, generous sprinkling of Parmesan.



Classical tenderloin lasagna Bolognaise-meaty and cheesy. Yum.



Black truffle porcini risotto, which was utterly divine. The deep truffle flavour was heady.



The desserts were all delicious…



…but the Tiramisu had us swooning.



After a guided tour around the kitchen, and some digesting, we were all smiles.



It’s always nice to spend time getting to know a product we all use so often, and how best to use it. A big thank you to Himani and the Dalmia group, as well as Chef Saby and his team at Olive for such a memorable afternoon.



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Cuteness a.k.a Mini chocolate cupcakes

Posted in desserts, friends, tagged , , , , on July 27, 2012 | 3 Comments »

Miniature versions of things are adorable. Don’t you think?


Like tiny animals? Or small bottles? Little books and teeny-weeny envelopes?


If you like the full-sized version of a particular thing, chances are you’ll go awww when you see the miniature version.


I’ll give you an example. You like regular sized cupcakes?


Then you’ll love these! :)



Such cute little things, no?


These mini chocolate cupcakes are so pretty, it’s hard to eat them. Perfect for those sudden sweet cravings, and just the right non-guilt inducing size, these babies are delicious.



Make them for special friends like I do. Or make a secret batch just for yourself. (Like I do too :P )



Mini chocolate cupcakes


Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10-12 mins
Makes: 15-18 (depending on how small your liners are)


Ingredients:


40 g plain flour, sifted
20 g cocoa powder, sifted
60 g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
60 g butter (melted and cooled)
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract


For the icing


60 g butter, at room temperature
60 g icing sugar, plus a bit more if needed
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
food colour of your choice (optional)
sprinkles of your choice (optional)


Method:


For the mini cupcakes


1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Stir well until everything is combined and you have a glossy, smooth batter.
2. Line a cupcake tray with mini cupcake liners. (I use one 12-holed tray and one 6-holed tray.) Carefully spoon the batter into each liner. Fill each one about two-thirds full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.


For the frosting


1. With an electric whisk, mix the butter and sugar together with the milk and vanilla. Add a few drops of your chosen food colour and mix again.
2. The frosting should be soft and creamy with no lumps. If you plan to pipe with a paper bag, you will need to add more icing sugar to make the frosting stiffer. If you choose to just spoon the frosting onto the cupcakes like I did, it’s nice to have a softer frosting.
3. Pipe or top a little frosting onto each of the cooled mini cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.




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10 things I’ve learnt about food blogging and a giveaway!

Posted in desserts, foodie exchange, friends, giveaway, lists, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2012 | 23 Comments »

There were 2 birthdays this past week.


I turned 28. The thing is, in my head I don’t feel a day over 18. Actually 15. Maybe 10.


And, (*drumroll please*) this blog turned 1! Can you imagine?


I’ve been blogging for a whole year! When I started, I really never thought the experience would be so rewarding and wonderful. It’s been the best thing ever!


That’s why I want to share 10 things I’ve learnt about food blogging over the past year.


1. Food bloggers are cool. You will be a part of a wonderful, friendly, lively community that’s always willing to share knowledge and teach you things. I have met some fantastic bloggers and they’re some of the nicest people I know. Here are some of them.



2. It’s easy at the start. When you begin writing you’re brimming with enthusiasm, excitement and the thrill of people reading your blog. The hard part is keeping it up. I think the trick is to make it a part of your life. I can’t go without writing a post for too many days.



3. Of love handles and pudginess. You will get fat. But wait! Only if you don’t exercise at all. (My exercises include kickboxing and dancing around my room) All those divine things you bake go directly to your waistline. So share! Everytime I bake something, I eat a little bit and pack the rest up for friends, co-workers or neighbours.



4. Failures are the best lessons. Blog about your successes, but also about your failures (like this one). One thing I’ve learnt is that failures in the kitchen make funny stories. And funny stories make great blog posts. And then the failure isn’t a failure anymore- it’s a success! :) Am I rambling? Okay I’ll stop now.



5. The curse of the camera. You will NEVER be able to eat anything exciting without taking a picture of it first. People will groan and complain as the food goes cold while you focus and adjust and take pictures from every angle possible till it’s right. We’re serious photographers, what can I say? :P



6. Interaction is a significant thing. Always comment on other blogs you love. And acknowledge comments on your own blog. You will gain loyal readers when you do this, and maybe even friends from around the world. When I initiated a foodie exchange program I had the chance to interact with some fabulous food bloggers from all over the country. I also got a pile of presents! So MUCH fun :D



7. You can find inspiration anywhere. Bake things that make you happy. Be inspired by everything you enjoy. From movies, like this and this, to books like this and this. Or just love :)



8. You will learn SO much. When I started I never imagined I would be able to bake/cook the things I can. I never thought I’d be able to make a kickpass pie or a monkey cake or chocolate eclairs. I never thought I’d be able to bake 100 cupcakes in a single day and I most definitely didn’t think I could pull off a seven layer rainbow cake. But I did. And you can too.



9. You’ll earn cool nicknames. Mine include Cupcake Queen, Baking Diva, and Psycho Baker. The last one is my fav :D



10. Be true to yourself. Write what you believe in. Write the way you’re comfy in. Do things your way. Do serious posts, or yummy posts, or posts about a wonderful friend, or your Mum or how you love instant noodles. But don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Your readers will be able to tell. And you won’t feel good. And that’s not fun, is it? :) Celebrate what you are.


But how exactly do you celebrate yourself? I have the answer my darlings.


Make yourself this cupcake.



I think it’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever made :)



One pretty cupcake


Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 12 mins
Makes: 1


Ingredients:


3 tbsp plain flour, sifted
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp milk
2 drops vanilla essence
1/4 tsp baking powder


For the buttercream rose


30 g butter, softened
50 g icing sugar, sifted, plus a bit more if needed
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 drop pink food colour


Method:


For the pretty cupcake


1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Mix everything together in a small bowl, making sure it’s all incorporated till you have a smooth, shiny batter.
2. Line a cupcake tray with a single paper liner, and spoon the batter into it. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.


For the buttercream rose


1. Mix all the ingredients together. The buttercream should be on the stiffer side so that when you pipe the rose, it holds its shape. If it’s too wet, add more icing sugar till it’s stiff enough.
2. Spoon the icing into a piping bag and use this tip.



I don’t know what it’s called so I took a picture :)
3. Now you’ll need an icing pin. Don’t worry if you don’t have one. I didn’t either. I created a make-shift one. Here’s how: Take an un-used pencil and stick a small piece (slightly bigger than your cupcake size) of cardboard on the even end of the pencil. Stick a piece of parchment paper over that. Now hold the piping bag in one hand, and the pencil with the carboard in the other. Pipe onto the paper, with the wide end of the tip facing downwards. Start in the centre and pipe a small circle, while twirling the pencil. This is the centre of your rose. Then keep adding strips of icing all around till you have a rose of your desired size, while twirling the pencil throughout. Once you’re happy with the size, carefully remove the parchment paper with the rose and pop it in the fridge for a few minutes. Once it hardens a bit, remove the rose gently and transfer it onto your cupcake. (Here is brilliant video by a brilliant blogger where I learnt how to make this fancy rose.)



And that’s how you celebrate what you are, friends! :) Please try it.


It’s been such a crazy, happy, yummy ride and I want to thank each and every one of you for reading. As a special thank you, I’m announcing my very first giveaway! One of my amazing readers will win a copy of this book:



It’s pretty and fun, and stuffed full of fantastic recipes! Go here to look inside it. If you want a chance to win this, just leave a comment below telling me what makes you happy. I’ll choose one winner through a random draw and send the book off to you wherever you are. I will also include a love note, ’cause I’m sweet like that ;) This giveaway is open till 15th July, 2012. This giveaway is now closed.


And just incase I’ve not said this enough- I love you all!


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