Jilebi / Jalebi

Diwali, the festival of lights (and sweets!), is here. Back home, these days would be filled with light and the sounds of crackers and fireworks. I am missing all that, being in this part of the world. Another main attraction of Diwali is all the different varieties of sweets that are made at home or become available in stores during that time. So this year I wanted to make something too, which is when I landed upon this simple recipe of Jalebi/Jilebi in Vanitha magazine. It was a super simple recipe that I could not help trying and Jalebis have always been (and still is) a weakness of mine!

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Makes around 40 Jilebis (Depending on the size)

For the dough

Urad Dal	- 1 cup
Water	- 1/2 cup
Yellow Food Color	- 4 drops (Optional)
Refined Oil	- as needed to fry

For the syrup

Water	- 1 1/4 cups
Sugar	- 2 cups
Rosewater	- 1 tbsp
Yellow food color	- 2 drops (Optional)
Salt	- less than a pinch

1. Soak the Urad dal for at least 1 hour.
2. Grind the soaked dal into a smooth paste adding half a cup of water.
3. Add 3-4 drops of food color to this dough and mix well.
4. In a pan start boiling the water and sugar together for making the syrup.
5. When the syrup starts to thicken, add the rosewater, salt and 2 drops of food color.
6. When the syrup reaches a thick consistency, turn the stove to low. The syrup should be on the stove on low flame through out the whole cooking process. Syrup should not be of a thread consistency, but rather that of a simple syrup or syrup of Gulab Jamun. If the water starts to become of thread consistency during the cooking process, add more water and adjust.
7. In a shallow frying pan, add oil and heat. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium which is the temperature to be maintained through out the frying process.
8. Fill the dough into a Ziploc bag and make a small cut at one of the corners to squeeze the dough into the oil to make jalebis. Make sure that the hole you make is really small. You could adjust the size of the hole after trying to squeeze out a little bit of batter to the oil. 
9. Start squeezing out the dough into the oil in any pattern you want.
10. Fry the jalebis crisp and transfer immediately to the sugar syrup.
11. Let the jalebi soak in the syrup for 5-8 minutes. 
12. Remove from the syrup and place it on the serving plate.

Note: Start making the jalebi as soon as the dough is made; do not let it sit too long.

As you can see it is a super simple recipe with very little ingredients. Be sure to try it and I am sure you will like it. A Happy Diwali to all my friends!

Kaju Badam Kulfi (Cashew Almond Icecream)

I do not know if Kulfis can be called ice creams, they are kind of similar though. It has a different texture than that of ice cream. Making kulfi traditionally would have been a cumbersome task, with boiling and reducing milk, making cream, etc. Now that we get evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream - all ready to use in cans - the preparation has become so easy and does not even need any cooking. I still remember the first time I had the chance to dive into this special dessert during my school days. It was a mutka kulfi of pistachio flavor (kulfi served in an earthen pot; mutka means earthen pot) and I think I should still have the mutka back home somewhere! The recipe I have here is adapted from Showmethecurry.com.

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Makes around 24 kulfis (depending on the mold used)

Condensed Milk	- 1 can (14 oz)
Evaporated Milk	- 1 can (12 oz)
Heavy Whipping Cream	- 16 oz
Whipped Cream	- 8 oz
Saffron	- 1 big pinch
Sugar	- 1/2 tsp
Salt	- a pinch
Cashews & Almonds	- 1/2 cup (Coarsely ground)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream and whipped cream and mix well using an electric blender or by hand.
2. Grind the saffron together with sugar using a mortar and pestle and add to the above mixture.
3. Add the coarsely ground nuts to the mixing bowl and fold in. You could use any nuts of your choice.
4. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. 
5. Pour the mixture into Popsicle molds or you could use small cups as shown in the picture below.

    6. If using cups, after pouring the mixture to the cup cover it with an aluminium foil. Insert a Popsicle  

        stick into the cup through the foil. The foil will help keep the stick in place.

   7. Refrigerate the kulfis overnight and serve. To take the kulfis out easily, just rub the cup between your  

       hands and try to take the kulfi out by holding on to the stick.

You could use pistachios alone and make pista kulfis. I have been making this recipe for the last 2-3 years now and it is a hit with kids and adults. A perfect cooler for the summer!

Trifle Pudding

Trifle pudding is a quick and easy dessert that can be served for any occasion. The ingredients of a trifle pudding are arranged in layers and is normally served in a glass bowl which shows off the distinct layers which could be of different colors. The layers that make up this pudding are normally cake, fruits, jello, whipped cream, custard or ice cream. You could use ingredients based on your imagination and come up with your own unique trifle pudding. With the different textures of the various layers in the pudding and the tasty ingredients that go into its making, it is a "never-fail" recipe for a dessert. The one I have here is made with mostly store bought ingredients and hence the only prep time needed is to assemble the different layers, except for making the custard.

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Serves around 10-12 people

Butter Pound Cake	- 3/4 lbs
Milk	- 2 cups
Custard Powder	- 3 tbsp
Sugar	- 2 tbsp
Mixed Fruits	- 30 oz can
Whipped Cream	- 8 oz
blueberry	- a few to garnish (optional)

1. Take 4-5 tbsp milk and mix with the custard powder. I used strawberry flavored custard powder to create a pink layer.
2. Boil the remaining milk in a pot and add the sugar.
3. When the milk starts to boil, add the custard mixture and keep stirring.
4. When the milk starts to thicken, turn off the stove and let it cool. The custard does not have to be very thick.
5. In an 8" x 8" pan, layer the cake pieces cut to around 1" thickness.
6. Using a fork, poke the cake all over slightly.
7. Pour the almost cool custard on top of the cake layer evenly.
8. Drain the fruits from the can to remove all the syrup. I used a can of mixed fruits cocktail. You could also use fresh fruits for better taste; if using fresh fruits use around 20oz. of chopped fruits.
9. In a bowl mix the drained fruits with the whipped cream well. I used cool whip.
10. Now layer the fruits with cream on top of the custard.
11. Cover the pan with a foil and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
12. You could garnish with some blue berries on top and serve.

A perfect recipe when you do not want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. You could also use a sponge cake or mix the fruits with ice cream, as a variation to this recipe.

Baklava

Baklava is one of the divine desserts that I was introduced to, after coming to the US at a Greek restaurant. That first bite made me a big fan of this dessert. A number of countries have claims as being the origin place for Baklava including Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran and so on. It is a rich flaky pastry made with phyllo sheets filled with chopped nuts; nuts used could be almonds, walnuts, pistachios, etc sweetened with a simple sugar syrup known as 'Atyr' or 'Atir'. I have looked all over the internet for the perfect recipe and this is a combination of multiple recipes (allrecipes, dedemed, etc). It did come out great!  

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Makes 20 pieces
For the Simple Syrup/Atyr

Water	- 1 1/2 cup
Sugar	- 1 1/2 cup
Honey	- 3/4 cup
Lemon Juice	- 1 tsp
Rose Water	- 1 tbsp

1. Boil the water and sugar together in a pan until the sugar completely melts in.

2. Add the honey and let the mixture simmer.

3. Add the lemon juice and let it boil for 10 minutes.

4. Add in the rose water and boil for another 10 minutes.

Atyr or Simple Syrup is ready. This needs to be refrigerated before using in the baklava. I made this a day ahead and refrigerated it. It is also a perfect syrup for pancakes.

For the Baklava

Walnuts	- 10 oz
Pistachio nuts	- 6 oz
Cinnamon Powder	- 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder	- 1/4 tsp
Butter	- 8 oz (2 sticks)
Sugar	- 2 tbsp
Phyllo Sheets	- 8 oz

1. Chop the walnuts and pistachios into small pieces (you can see the size up to which the nuts need to be chopped from the picture). I used slightly salted pistachios. You could use the nuts of your choice; just use a total of 16 oz.

2. Dry roast the chopped nuts for around 5-7 minutes in a medium flame. Do not let it brown.

3. Once roasted, let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

4. To this, add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg powder and mix well.

5. Melt the butter in a bowl.

6. Butter the baking pan generously using a brush dipped in melted butter. I used a 9" x 13" disposable aluminium foil pan.

7. Unroll the phyllo sheets carefully. You need to work quickly on these sheets, else they dry up quick. You can cut the entire roll to the length of the pan, if needed. I just folded the edges to meet the size of the pan, as and when I was placing each layer. That worked well too.

8. Butter each sheet generously and place in the pan one over the other. The numbers of layers needed is up to you. I placed 8 sheets at the bottom.

9. Now spread half of the chopped nuts evenly on top of the 8 layers of phyllo sheets.

10. Butter another 5 layers of thin phyllo sheets one at a time and place one over the other.

11. Spread the remaining nuts evenly on top of this second layer of phyllo sheets.

12. Add 7 more layers of phyllo sheets on top of this after buttering each layer. Butter the top layer as well.

13. Now carefully cut this into the required shape you need. Do not cut completely through the bottom. This will help the sugar syrup to not go to the bottom of the pan and prevent soaking the phyllo sheets.

14. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree F preheated oven.

15. Pour the refrigerated simple syrup over the baked baklava immediately after taking out of the oven.

16. Serve when baklava cools down. Do not cover the baklava as it may get soggy.

Baklava should remain crisp even after all the syrup is absorbed in.Garnish with some powdered pistachios.

If you are a dessert person, I am sure you will fall in love with this. The only problem with making this is you cannot just stop at that first one. So I would suggest you make it when you have a party or share it with your friends; if you are not bothered about calories, then don't even worry - just go ahead and make it.

Sending this Baklava off to Meeta's Monthly Mingle - Taste Lebanon event hosted by Bethany of Dirty Kitchen Secrets.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Chocolate Cakes have a special place in everyone's heart. When I think of chocolate cakes, I think of Ambrosia (a Bakery in Trivandrum) whom I think has one of the best chocolate cakes and one of my friend's mom, who used to make awesome chocolate cakes. This is the kind of chocolate cake that is not too sweet with a coffee flavor and is best eaten with the plain vanilla ice cream. I have been looking for the perfect recipe for a long time and happened to see one in Bharathy's blog - Spicy Chilly. The picture looked awesome and decided to try it out. That was a wise decision and I have been making this for sometime now in different forms - cup cakes, round cakes, etc. 

This time I decided to try it out with the Bundt pan that I got from CSN stores as part of a review for them.  As mentioned in my prior CSN Store review, if you are looking for a specific cooking tool/gadget that you cannot find anywhere else, try CSN stores as they offer a wide range of products from twin beds to cookwares. 

Now moving on to the Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe, I have made very slight changes to the measurement and here is my version:

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Makes a 12" Bundt Cake

All Purpose Flour (Maida)	- 1 cup
Milk Powder	- 1 tbsp (heaped)
Cocoa Powder	- 4 tbsp (heaped)
Baking Soda	- 1/2 tsp
Butter	- 11 tbsp (145 gms)
Sugar	- 1 cup
Egg	- 4
Coffee Powder	- 1 tbsp (heaped)
Yogurt	- 4 tbsp
Vanilla Essence	- 1 tsp
Salt	- 1/4 tsp

1. Sieve the Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Milk Powder and Salt at least 4 times to make sure that the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed well. I used Hershey's Cocoa powder. Avoid salt if using salted butter.
2. Beat the sugar and butter well until they become smooth.
3. Add the eggs to the butter and beat well for 2-3 minutes.
4. To this, add vanilla essence and coffee powder (make sure that you are using fine coffee powder; if they are in the crystal form, powder it before you add it) and mix well.
5. Now add the yogurt to the batter and blend well. When adding the yogurt, make sure there are no lumps.
6. Now slowly fold in the flour mixture to the batter and mix well.
7. Grease a 12" bundt pan with butter and pour in the batter.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree F for 30-35 minutes.

This cake is best eaten with a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream - yum! It is great on its own as well! Thanks Bharathy for sharing this recipe.

Sending this to "Virtual Party - Chocolaty Dreams" Event hosted by Shabitha.

Kinnathappam - A Traditional Dessert

Kinnathappam is another one of the Eid specials and is a traditional dessert made especially during special occasions. It is a soft, slightly wiggly but firm, all white with specks of cumin, cardamom flavored, melt in your mouth kinda dessert. The history of Kinnathappam is similar to Paalaada, with a South Tamil Nadu Origin and mostly made by Muslim population in South Tamil Nadu/Trivandrum regions. The name Kinnathappam is because it is made in a "Kinnam" meaning plate. As a kid, I used to drink the batter for the Kinnathappam as much as or even a little more than I actually ate the Kinnathappam. It is one of the best desserts ever!

Makes two 9" Plates

Sona Masoori Rice	- 1 cup (or any good variety of raw rice)
Water	- 2 cups
Eggs	- 2
Coconut Milk	- 2 cups (thick)
Salt	- 1/4 tsp
Sugar	- 1 cup
Cardamom	- 4 pods (powdered)
Ghee	- 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	- 1/2 tsp

1. Soak the rice for at least 3 hours.
2. Grind the rice into a fine paste with water as needed using a grinder. When grinding is done, add the remaining water as mentioned in the recipe. Total quantity of water used should be 2 cups.
3. Now using a muslin cloth/cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer, strain the batter.
4. In a mixer beat the eggs, sugar, salt and coconut milk and blend everything together.
5. Add this to the rice batter together with the powdered cardamom. The consistency of the batter would be watery.
6. Heat water in a steamer and place a Steel Plate or Cake Pan in the steamer. I used a 9" cake pan, as I didn't have a steel plate, which is traditionally used.
7. When the steam starts to come, add 1/2 tsp of ghee to the pan.
8. Add 1/4 tsp of cumin to the pan, when the ghee starts to melt. Leave the pan in the steamer for a minute for the cumin to slightly coat with the ghee.
9. Take the Pan out of the steamer and pour half of the thoroughly mixed batter to the pan, filling around 1 1/4 inch height.
10. Close the pan with an aluminium foil and transfer it back to the steamer and close the steamer.
11. Let it steam for 25-30 minutes.
12. Take the pan out of the steamer and let it cool a bit. Cut into desired shapes and serve. Repeat the same with the remaining batter to make another plate of Kinnathappam.

Note:- It would be ideal to grind in a grinder than a mixie/mixer, if you want the Kinnathappam to be soft. My first attempt was using a mixer and did not come out that soft. So this time I used the grinder. If you do not have a grinder, try using cold water to grind in a mixer (that's a tip from my mom).

The taste is enhanced when Kinnathappam is served chilled. You could avoid the cumin, if you do not like its taste in a dessert.  And when making this, do not forget to taste the batter before steaming it up! You do not want to miss the taste of the batter either :-)

Update:- This recipe was featured as one of the "30 Best Recipes of 2010":

Mini Cheesecakes / Individual Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Cheesecake is one of those desserts that have always fascinated me - by its awesome taste, smooth and creamy texture and stunning looks. This is one thing I have always wanted to try out and never had the courage thinking it would be complicated. This time I brought all the ingredients and wanted to make a proper cheesecake, but then again I was not sure whether I should really start off with a big cheesecake recipe. Then I came across this Individual cheesecake recipe at Joy of Baking, which said it is a quicker version, the size being smaller reduces the baking time. So I decided to go for this. This version helps serving smaller portions in lesser time with no compromises on the Cheesecake taste.

For the Crust

Graham Cracker Crumbs	- 1 cup
Granulated White Sugar	- 1 tbsp
Salted Butter	- 4 tbsp (Melted)

1. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 12 small pieces of parchment sheet on each cup with the ends hanging out. I buttered the cups before lining each with the parchment paper for the paper to stick in.

2. In a bowl, combine the Graham Cracker Crumbs, with the sugar and melted butter.

3. Press a heaped tablespoon of graham cracker mixture to the bottom of each of the muffin cups lined with parchment paper. I had some extra and so pressed in the mixture to 2 additional ramekins as well.

4. Cover and Refrigerate and proceed to make the filling.

For the Filling

Cream Cheese	- 16 oz (at room temperature)
Granulated White Sugar	- 2/3 cup
Eggs	- 2 large (at room temperature)
Vanilla Extract	- 1 tsp
Sour Cream	- 1/2 cup

1. Beat Cream Cheese in a bowl with an electric mixture on low speed until smooth. Do not over beat the mixture as it will cause cracks in the cheesecake.

2. Add Sugar and beat until combined.

3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating about 30 seconds.

4. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and beat until incorporated.

5. Remove the crusts from the refrigerator and evenly divide the filling among the crusted cups.

6. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until firm but the centers of the cheesecakes still wobble a little.

7. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (a few hours or even overnight).

8. Taking hold of the two strips of parchment paper, carefully lift each cheesecake from the muffin cups. Gently peel off the parchment paper and place on your serving plate.

This recipe makes 12-14 Mini Cheesecakes, as mentioned I had used 2 additional ramekins.

For the Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry	- 5 oz
Sugar	- 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice	- 2 tsp

1. Keep apart a few blueberries for garnish.

2. Blend the remaining blueberries in a mixer.

3. Heat a pan and add the pureed blueberry and sugar.

4. Mix well until it starts to boil.

5. Add the lemon juice and stir in for a minute or two.

6. Turn off the stove and allow the sauce to cool and refrigerate it.

The Cheesecake could be served with the blueberry sauce and the blueberries. The tartness in the blueberry sauce together with the sweet cheesecake and slightly salted crust makes it the perfect dessert! I would say it is definitely a must-try!

Ras Malai for ICC

Ras Malai is my favorite Indian dessert. So when Srivalli announced this month's challenge I was so excited. Soft paneer balls soaked in sweetened and thickened milk (Ras) flavored with cardamom -  a treat to the taste buds. So when I tried this out Sunday, I was full of enthusiasm. Anyways my paneer balls did not turn out to be that soft :-(. Once I tasted my Ras Malai, I started doing more research to find out what went wrong. My finding is that the content of water in the paneer should not be more nor less, to make the paneer balls with the proper consistency. I think I squeezed too much water from my paneer. Anyways the Ras was excellent. Next time I will make sure I leave enough water in the paneer to make softer and smoother balls.

For making the Paneer balls

Whole Milk	- 1 litre
Lemon Juice	- 3 tbsp
Maida	- 1 tsp
Water	- 1.5 cups
Sugar	- 4 tbsp

1. Boil the milk in a vessel.

2. When the milk starts to boil, add the lemon juice and let the milk curdle.

3. Use a muslin cloth or strainer and separate the milk solids from the whey water.

4. Let it drain for 30 minutes to remove water and squeeze extra water as needed.

5. Now knead the paneer with maida to make a smooth dough.Add additional whey water if needed to make it smooth.

6. Make 7-8 balls out of this dough and slightly flatten it. Make sure that the balls are smooth and not broken.

7. In a pressure cooker boil water and add sugar.

8. When the water starts to boil, add the paneer balls and cook until 2 whistles or for 10 minutes and turn off the stove.

For making the Rasa/Syrup

Milk	- 3 cups
Saffron	- a large pinch
Sugar	- 4 tbsp
Cardamom	- 1 (powdered)

1. Boil the milk and add the Sugar and Saffron.

2. Keep boiling and stirring until the milk is reduced to half; may take 20-30 minutes.

3. Stir in the Cardamom powder.

Garnish

Pista

- 5-6 (chopped)

1. Open the pressure cooker, when the pressure is completely gone and take out the paneer balls.

2. Squeeze the paneer balls slightly to remove the water.

3. Add the balls to the rasa and refrigerate it for 4-5 hours.

4. Garnish with chopped pista and serve.

Overall the ras malai was good (not excellent) as the balls were not soft enough. If anyone has any other tips to make the paneer balls soft, please do share it here.

Moong Dal Kichadi

After Moong Dal Kachori, it is now time for Moog Dal Kichadi! This Kichadi is not the kind that you would have on a traditional Kerala sadya. This is a sweet dish and it is called Kichadi, don't know why it is called so. My mom makes this once in a while, especially during the Ramzan fasting time. It is a quick dessert, but it serves more as an evening snack for me. It is healthy and a good dish for kids.

Moong Dal	- 1 cup
Rice	- 1/4 cup
Water	- 3 1/2 cup
Sugar	- 3/4 cup to 1 cup (depending on your taste)
Salt	- 1/4 tsp (heaped)
Coconut Milk	- 1 cup (thick)
Ghee	- 1 1/2 tsp

1. In a pressure cooker, put Moong Dal, Rice (I used Sona Masoori) and 2 cup of water and cook it for two whistles.
2. Open the cooker after the pressure is completely released.
3. Mash the mixture slightly and add the remaining water, sugar and salt and mix well.
4. Once it starts to boil, add the coconut milk and mix it well again.
5. When this is almost ready to boil, turn off the heat and add the ghee and mix it.

You dish is ready. You can eat it as a dessert or a snack.

Carrot Kums

Carrot Kums - Doesn't the name sound interesting? This was a completely new Dessert to me! Never even heard or had the slightest clue about such a dish. I happened to see this in a television cookery show 'Swad' in Jaihind TV. Per the show, it is a specialty of the Kannur area. Anyways the name made me inquisitive and I had to try this out. It came out excellent! I have made some slight changes to the measurements of the recipe.

Carrot	- 1 cup (Grated)
Eggs	- 4
Milk Powder	- 6 tbsp
Sugar	- 7 tbsp
Cardamom	- 3 pods
Salt	- a pinch
Ghee	- 1/2 tbsp
Raisins	- to garnish

1. In a mixer, grind the Carrot to an almost smooth paste. Do not add any water.
2. To this paste, add eggs, milk powder, salt and sugar and blend well.
3. Add Cardamom to the blended mixture.
4. Heat ghee in a pan and pour this mixture into the pan. Heat should be set to a little less than medium.
5. Close the pan and cook for 6-7 minutes.
6. Check to see if the kums is cooked well.
7. Decorate it with Raisins.

It is a great dessert that can be prepared in a jiffy and a good way to get carrot into your diet.

Mango Cream Pudding

Summer in India is known for its delicious Mangoes. Last summer when I was on vacation in India, I got to eat Mangoes from every home I visited. That is how much popular Mangoes are in India. Per the article in Wiki, nearly half of the world's mangoes are cultivated in India alone! Here in US, I have rarely tasted good Mangoes. So most of the time you have to satisfy yourself with the Mango pulp. But then it is convenient too. You could quickly make Mango Shakes, Mango Lassi and other Dessert with this pulp. Here is a quick and simple recipe for a tasty Mango Cream dessert.

Cool Whip - 16 oz
Mango Pulp - 30 oz (1 tin)
Pistas - 5-6 for garnish

1. Blend the Cool Whip to make it a little smooth. I used two 8oz box of Kraft Cool Whip.
2. Mix the Mango pulp with the smoothened cool whip using a blender. Keep aside 2 tablespoons of pulp for garnish.
3. Now put the 2 tablespoons of mango pulp kept aside on the top of this mixture and give it a swirl to garnish.
4. Crush the Pista and spread on the top.
5. Refrigerate for an hour.

Yummy mango cream dessert is now ready. Your kids would love it, not that adults won't.

Christmas Fruit Cake / Plum Cake

It is that time of the Year again...Gifts, Santa, Holidays, and Fruit Cakes...Christmas time...

Fruit Cake is something I have always missed after coming to the US. Not that we don't get fruit cakes here, but not the kind that you get back in Kerala. These fruits cakes are also known as Plum Cakes. These cakes packed with dry fruits and nuts and the caramel flavor always has been one of my favorites. Last December I happened to taste the fruit cake made by one of my friends, which brought back those same old memories to my taste buds. The first thing I asked her was the recipe. She gave me 2 scanned pages of a book which I do not know who the author is, neither did she. I tried it out with some modifications last Christmas and turned out be a great success.

This year I planned ahead and soaked the dry fruits early November and made the cake after 5 weeks. So it was much more tastier. So here goes the ingredient list for the Fruit Cake/Plum Cake:

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Makes a 5 lb Cake

All purpose Flour	- 2 cups
Salted Butter	- 1 cup
Sugar	- 1/2 lb
Eggs	- 5
Pineapple Jam	- 1/2 lb (I used Kissan Jam)
Candied Peel (Tutti fruiti)	- 1/2 lb
Raisins	- 1 1/2 lb (Minced)
Cashews	- 1/2 lb (chopped)
Baking Powder	- 2 tsp (level)
Nutmeg Powder	- 1 tsp
Cinnamon & Cloves Powder	- 1 tsp
Caramel Syrup	- 3 tbsp
Orange Juice	- 3 tbsp
Vanilla Essence	- 3-5 drops
Rum	- 700 ml (optional - I used Myers's Rum)

1. Mix the minced Raisins with the Candied Peel in a storage bowl. Add Rum to this. Close the bowl. Keep this for a minimum of 3 days. I kept this for 5 weeks. Shake the bowl every other day. Again this is an optional step. You could make this cake without soaking the raisins in Rum as well.
2. Drain the rum out from the dry fruits and keep the fruits aside.
3. Separate the Egg White and Yolks. Beat the Egg yolk well.
4. Sift the Flour, Baking powder, Nutmeg powder and Cinnamon and Clove powder together.
5. Mix the drained dry fruits and chopped Cashew Nuts with the flour using a spatula and ensure that the fruits/nuts are well coated with the flour.
6. Beat the Butter and Sugar together with a blender and add the beaten Egg yolk to this. Beat the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy. If using unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp salt.
7. Add the Caramel syrup, Jam, Orange Juice and essence to the Butter mixture and beat again until everything is mixed well.
8. Add the Butter mixture to the flour and mix well. You could use the blender.
9. Beat the Egg whites until still. There should not be any moisture in the bowl or the blender to ensure that the Egg whites would become stiff.
10. Fold in the Egg Whites to the flour mixture slowly using a spatula.
11. Pour the cake batter into a butter smeared baking pan (I used 14 x 10.5 inch) or a pan lined with parchment paper.
12. Pre-heat the oven at 325 degree and bake for around 1 hour. The time would vary depending on your oven. So keep checking.

Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool. The cake would taste good, if you could resist the temptations and eat it the next day. This recipe would yield around 5 lbs of Fruit Cake. I am not sure whether the picture I have given here does any justice to the taste of the cake. If you like fruit cakes, this a must try.

Sending this recipe to the Cakes'n Cookies event hosted by Sara's Corner and Show me your Cake Event hosted by Dil Se.

Caramel Syrup

Caramel is a beige to dark brown confection made by heating any of a variety of sugars. It is used as a flavor in puddings and desserts, a filling in candies and chocolates, and a topping for ice cream and custards.

I made this syrup for my fruit cake. Caramel Syrup can be made in large batches and kept in the fridge. You can keep it refrigerated for more than a year.

Sugar - 10 tbsp
Water - 10 tbsp

1. Heat the sugar in a vessel in medium flame.
2. Stir in between and continue till it starts to bubble.
3. Keep in stove until it reaches the darkness you need. Ensure that it does not get burnt.
4. Add water to this boiling mixture. Ensure you keep a safe distance when you do this, as it could splash.
5. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Your Caramel is now ready. You could store it in a closed container and store in the fridge.

Paal Payasam

This is an all time favourite of my lil one. He sometimes ask me whether I will make some surprise for him when gets back from school. And then he asks would that be "White Payasam". That is the surprise he likes & wants me to make :-) So white payasam is something I make often at home. So when I decided to start blogging again (atleat try starting again), I thought I would start with a dessert.

You will need the below ingredients to make Paal Payasam:

Broken Rice        - 1/2 cup
Milk                    - 4 cup
Condensed Milk  - 200gm (around 1/2 a tin)
Sugar                  - 1/4 cup
Ghee                   - 1 tbsp
Cashew Nuts      - a handful
Raisins                - a handful

1. Pressure cook rice with 2 cup milk, Sugar and wait for one whistle. You could cook rice without the cooker as well.
2. Add the rest of the milk and Condensed milk and keep stiring. Bring it to a boil and turn off the stove.
3. In another pan, heat ghee and fry raisins and cashews in it.
4. Garnish the payasam with this fried nuts and raisins.

And here is the end result:

If the payasam becomes too thick once it cools, add little more milk. It could be eaten cold or hot. I like it cold and my opinion is it taste better that way.
I hope I could post more of my experiments here and that I do not get into a hibernation mode again.