Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Posted in Breakfast, Cakes by

Perfectly moist and lemony bundt cake bursting with blueberries.

I was a bit dubious about using frozen blueberries fearing that they might sink to the bottom or become mushy and turn the batter grey; but they actually worked out like a dream.

The end result was a beautifully moist yellow cake dotted with pops of blueberries. The tanginess from the lemon is noticeable but not overwhelming, and the blueberry flavor just bursts in your mouth!

Here are some of my tips that will help ensure you get the best results.

TOP TIPS

  1. Don’t overmix your batter especially once you add the blueberries.
  2. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Take them out of the freezer just before ready to use.
  3. Be sure to toss your blueberries in 1 flour before adding them to the batter.  This helps keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. For easy removal of the cake from the bundt pan, make sure you grease the pan liberally with softened butter, followed by a dusting of flour. Once you have floured every part of the pan, bang it on the counter a couple of times to dislodge any excess flour and dump. Once your cake is baked, let it cool for about 20 minutes or until you can comfortably place your hand on the side of the pan. The pan should still feel very warm. Flip onto a plate or cake stand and tap around the pan until you feel the cake come out.
  5. As with all baked goods, this cake tastes better the day after baking
  6. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for upto a week.

LEMON BLUEBERRY BUNDT CAKE

(makes one bundt)

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs , at room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (1 cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups (295g) fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a bundt pan liberally with softened butter, dust with flour and shake out excess, set aside. 
  2. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest by rubbing them together with your fingers until fragrant. Add butter and oil, and whip mixture until pale and fluffy. 
  4. Blend in eggs one at a time. 
  5. In a measuring cup stir together buttermilk and lemon juice. 
  6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined, then add in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mix just until combined. Repeat the process with flour and buttermilk mixtures once more. Add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix just until nearly combined.
  7. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1 Tbsp of flour. Then add the blueberries to the cake mix and fold gently (careful not to over-mix). 
  8. Scoop mixture into prepared bundt pan, spread evenly. Bake in a preheated oven for about 45-55 – 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes then run a sharp knife around edges to ensure the cake is loosened and invert onto a wire rack. Cool on rack.
  10. Dust with icing sugar (optional) and cut yourself a big slice. Enjoy!

Notes: if using frozen blueberries, no need to defrost them. For more tips, see the recipe description above.

Caramel Apple Cake

Posted in Cakes by

Simple, homey, comforting apple cake

– the perfect tea time treat for fall.

It’s fall and the time of year when it just seems right to put apples and cinnamon in everything. And what goes perfectly with apples and cinnamon, why caramel of course!

Filled with apples and topped with a delicious caramel sauce, this cake is quick, easy and oh so good. It makes for the perfect fall treat with its warm cozy flavors.

You start off by making a simple oil based cake. Followed by folding in chunks of apples and toasted walnuts. Finish off by drizzling the mist freshly baked cake with a thick velvety caramel sauce, a sauce which literally takes minutes to make, and is SO good..

Caramel Apple Cake
Servings: 10-12
 
Ingredients:
 
Cake
·         2 cups all-purpose flour
·         ¼ tsp salt
·         ¾ tsp baking soda
·         ½ tsp cinnamon, optional
·         ½ cup walnuts chopped
·         1 cup vegetable oil
·         1 cup granulated sugar
·         2 eggs, at room temperature
·         ½ tsp vanilla
·         2 cups apples, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ thick pieces
 
Caramel Sauce
·         ½ cup brown sugar 
·         2 Tbsp milk 
·         45g salted butter 
 
Directions:
 
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan or a Pyrex dish with butter or oil.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.
Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Using a wooden spoon, mix in the walnuts and the chopped apples.
Bake the cake until golden brown about 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Once the cake is done, poke it all over with a fork or a skewer. Pour the prepared sauce over hot cake while still in the pan. Give the cake a few minutes to absorb the sauce before slicing and serving.
For the sauce:
1.       Place sauce ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly and bring it to a gentle boil. After it begins gently boiling, continue to stir and allow to cook for about three minutes on low heat. It should be loose and will lightly coat the back of a spoon.
 
Notes
·         You can choose not to use the caramel sauce. In that case, let the cake cool for 10 minutes, dust with icing sugar and serve.
·         I like to toast my walnuts before adding to the cake batter. To toast walnuts, simply heat them on low heat in a nonstick frying pan for a couple of minutes until they are light brown and fragrant.
 
 

The BEST Tres Leches Cake

Posted in Cakes, Desserts by

A light and fluffy cake that is soaked with three milks and chilled until it is perfectly moist. Topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, this cake makes for an irresistible dessert!

It makes for the perfect summer treat: sweet, refreshing, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, topped with whipped cream.

Tres leches cake is a popular cake in Mexico and Latin America.

It is an ultra-light sponge cake soaked in a sweet milk mixture–evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and milk–hence the name “tres leches” which literally means “three milks”.

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The milks vary from recipe to recipe, but most recipes typically use a combination of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and either milk or cream.

You’d think that all that milk in the recipe would lead to a mushy cake. But when done right, the combination of the three milks creates the right amount of sweetness and texture for a rich, moist, but still light cake.

It makes for the perfect summer treat: sweet, refreshing, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, topped with whipped cream.

Tres leches cake. A light and fluffy cake that is soaked with three milks and chilled until it is perfectly moist.

 

Tres leches cake. A light and fluffy cake that is soaked with three milks and chilled until it is perfectly moist.

CAKE TIPS

  • The whipped egg whites in the batter make it extra light and spongy, so make sure you whip them well.

  • When adding the three-milk mixture make sure that you pour the mixture evenly and that you reach all the edges and corners of the cake.

  • After the sponge cake is soaked with the milks, top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit. I used peaches and mangoes, but you can use any fruit that is in season.

  • To whip cream, make sure the cream is really well chilled. For extra precaution, pop your metal mixing bowl and your beaters into the freezer half an hour before whipping cream.

  • Store Tres Leches Cake in the refrigerator after covering it with plastic wrap. It’s best to store this cake for several hours or overnight before serving so that the cake has a chance to soak up the milk mixture.

  • If you have leftovers, they can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Tres Leches Cake is one of the easiest cakes to make and it tastes DIVINE.

It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next party. Everyone will be coming back for seconds!

Tres leches Cake

Yields: 12 servings
Ingredients:
CAKE
·         1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
·         1 1/2 tsp baking powder
·         1/4 tsp salt
·         5 large eggs, separated
·         1 cup (200g)  granulated sugar, divided
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
·         1/3 cup (81.3ml) whole milk
SYRUP
·         1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
·         1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
·         1/2 cup (125ml) milk
TOPPING
·         300 ml cream
·         2 Tbsp granulated sugar
·         1 cup chopped peaches and mangoes to garnish, optional
Directions:
  1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 180 °C and butter a 9×13 pyrex dish.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high speed until egg whites are stiff and glossy. Set aside.
  4. In another bowl, beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on high speed, until yolks are pale yellow (2-3 minutes). Mix in the milk and vanilla.
  5. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and combine gently with a spatula.
  6. Gently fold in egg white mixture until just combined.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface and bake at for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. For the Milk Syrup: In a large measuring jug or bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk.
  9. When the cake is cool, pierce the surface all over with a fork. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake.
  10. Make the Whipped Cream: Pour the cold cream and sugar into a large chilled mixing bowl and beat on high speed thick, whipped and spreadable. Spread over the cake with a spatula then decorate with fresh fruit if desired.
Notes
·         This cake is best served cold.
·         Leftovers can be stored covered, in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe adapted from delish

More easy cake recipes:

Old-fashioned Banana Cake

Fresh Peach Cake

Iced Lemon Pound Cake

 

Fresh Peach Cake

Posted in Cakes by

A simple wholesome cake studded with fresh peaches and a crumbly topping.

This Fresh Peach Cake is the perfect way to show off the season’s juiciest peaches. Whether you pair it with a cup of tea or a dollop of cream, it will be hard to eat just one slice.

I love summer for all its bounty – the beautiful cherries, luscious mangoes, juicy melons just to name a few. But, I especially love peaches.

This recipe is a mashup of my Strawberry Cake and Peach Crumble Pie.

It is composed of a simple batter with peaches mixed in and some arranged on top along with a sprinkling of crumble that melts into the cake when baked and creates pockets of gooey deliciousness.

Nothing fancy, but oh so tasty!

This Fresh Peach Cake is the perfect way to show off the season’s juiciest peaches. Whether you pair it with a cup of tea or a dollop of cream, it will be hard to eat just one slice.

This Fresh Peach Cake is the perfect way to show off the season’s juiciest peaches. Whether you pair it with a cup of tea or a dollop of cream, it will be hard to eat just one slice.

Fresh Peach Cake

 Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
Topping
·         1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
·         1/4 cup (50g) packed brown sugar
·         1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
·         2 Tbsp (30g) butter, melted
·         2 large peaches, sliced thinly
·         optional: icing sugar for dusting
Cake
·         6 Tbsp (85 grams) butter, at room temperature
·         1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
·         1 1/2 tsp baking powder
·         1/4 tsp salt
·         1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
·         1 large egg, at room temperature
·         1/2 cup (118 ml) milk, at room temperature
·         1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
·         1 large peach, peeled and chopped into small chunks
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease a round Pyrex dish or a 9 inch cake pan
  2. Make the topping: With a fork, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Stir in the melted butter until crumbs form. Set aside.
  3. Make the cake: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined.
  6. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth. Stir in the chopped peaches.
  7. Transfer batter into prepared pan and smooth with spatula.
  8. Arrange sliced peaches on top of batter, in a single layer. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top.
  9. Bake cake until golden brown about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan before slicing. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Old-fashioned Banana Cake

Posted in Cakes by

Quick and easy: the perfect tea-time snack!

Easy banana cake recipe makes for the absolute best banana cake you’ll ever try. It’s moist and fluffy, packed with banana flavor with an added punch from the cinnamon.

Typically, having a bunch of overripe bananas lying around means only one thing in our house… Banana bread! But I decided to switch things up this time around and make a Banana Cake instead.

This easy banana cake recipe makes for the absolute best banana cake you’ll ever try. It’s moist and fluffy, packed with banana flavor with an added punch from the cinnamon. Perfect for teatime or snacking!

asy banana cake recipe makes for the absolute best banana cake you’ll ever try. It’s moist and fluffy, packed with banana flavor with an added punch from the cinnamon.

Tips for Making this Banana Cake

  • Use dark, spotty bananas for a pronounced banana flavor, and to ensure your cake is deliciously moist.
  • Make sure you’re using room temperature ingredients. This ensures everything mixes together evenly without over mixing.
  • Don’t over mix the batter, otherwise it can get tough. This will help create a tall, light cake.
  • I used an 8 inch square cake pan but a round pan would work too.
  • This cake is perfect on its own or frosted with a layer of Nutella. You can even drizzle the cooled cake with Caramel Sauce.
  • The baked cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. If the cake is frosted then it definitely should be refrigerated.
  • You can add a cup of toasted walnuts to the batter for an added texture.

asy banana cake recipe makes for the absolute best banana cake you’ll ever try. It’s moist and fluffy, packed with banana flavor with an added punch from the cinnamon.

If you have got a bunch of overripe bananas lying around – then I highly recommend you skip the banana bread and make this simple moist banana cake. It is tender, comfy, and has a delicious hint of cinnamon.

For more banana recipes – try these other favorites:

 

Old-fashioned Banana Cake

Serves 10-12
Ingredients:
·         ½ cup (120g) butter, softened
·         ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
·         2 eggs, at room temperature
·         1 cup mashed banana (3 large bananas)
·         1/2 tsp vanilla essence
·         1 tsp baking soda
·         2 Tbsp hot milk (heat in microwave for 20 secs)
·         1¾ cup (220g) all-purpose flour (leveled)
·         1 tsp cinnamon powder
·         1 tsp baking powder
·         Nutella for topping *optional
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease an 8 inch cake pan and line the base with wax paper.
  2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in bananas until combined.
  4. Mix baking soda and hot milk together before stirring into the banana mixture.
  5. Sift in flour, cinnamon and baking powder; fold into the mixture until combined.
  6. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  7. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked (insert a toothpick, if it comes out clean it is cooked).
  8. Let the cake stand for 5-10 mins before inverting onto a wire rack to cool. Frost with Nutella if desired.

 

Salted Caramel Sauce

Posted in Desserts, Random shizz by

Silky smooth homemade Salted Caramel Sauce that uses only 4 ingredients and is ready in 10 minutes!

Silky smooth homemade Salted Caramel Sauce that uses only 4 ingredients and is ready in 10 minutes!

So rich. So smooth. So creamy.

This is my go to recipe for Salted Caramel Sauce with all the tips and tricks to get it right every single time!

No thermometers, no fancy equipment needed. Just four basic ingredients and a whole lotta patience.

Lets go!

HOW TO MAKE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

To make the salted caramel, add granulated sugar to a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir to prevent the sugar from burning. The sugar will slowly start to melt and brown.

Once the sugar has completely melted, it will start to change color quite rapidly. As soon as its turns golden amber, carefully add butter to the sauce pan. Once the butter has melted, slowly pour in the cream. There may be some splashing due to the difference in temperature. Let the caramel simmer for a minute. Remove the caramel from heat and add the salt. This part is always a bit subjective. If you prefer regular sweet caramel to the salted variety add in about ¼ of a teaspoon to start, while for salted, I start with ½ a teaspoon and then adjust from there until I get the flavor I like. You can always add more salt but you cannot take away if you add too much!

Leave the caramel to cool down to room temperature. The caramel will continue to thicken. Pour cooled caramel into a jar and store in the fridge. The salted caramel will thicken as it cools, so just zap it in the microwave before using if you want it a little more ‘drizzle’ consistency.

Silky smooth homemade Salted Caramel Sauce that uses only 4 ingredients and is ready in 10 minutes!

The trick with making caramel sauce is in cooking the sugar just right.

The darker the sugar gets, the more intense caramel flavor your sauce will have. Too light and your sauce will be pale in color and taste like straight sugar. Too dark and your sauce will have a bitter taste that will ruin everything.

So as soon as the sugar reaches that picture perfect caramel shade, add the butter, immediately followed by the cream.

Below are some more tips to make the perfect salted caramel sauce every single time.

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE:

  • Use a heavy bottom and tall pan. Stainless steel works better than a nonstick pan because you’ll need to see the color of the mixture.

  • I do not recommend making any substitutions to this recipe. For example, do not substitute granulated sugar with icing sugar nor brown sugar. It just won’t work.

  • Take care not to add the cream to the sugar prematurely. If you do, the result will be more like sweetened condensed milk.

  • Make sure all your ingredients are ready to go when you start making the sauce.

  • Always keep an eye on it because the caramel knows when you’re not looking and will burn as revenge.

USES FOR SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Once you have a batch of salted caramel on hand, you will want to drizzle it over everything! Over brownies and apple pie bars, over waffles and pancakes.

You can use it as a filling in cakes and cupcakes, or make salted caramel frosting. You can add a dollop to your coffee or you can eat it by the spoonful…

The options are endless!

Salted Caramel Sauce

Yields: 1 cup
Ingredients:
·         1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
·         6 Tbsp (90g) salted butter, room temperature cut up into small pieces
·         1/2 cup (120ml) cream
·         1/2 to 1 tsp salt
Directions:
  1. Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will start to clump together and after about 5 minutes it will melt completely into a thick amber liquid. Be careful not to let the sugar burn.
  2. Once you get the right color, immediately add in the pats of butter. Mixture will bubble up.
  3. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted.
  4. Slowly pour in the cream while stirring. There will be more bubbling and splattering in this step so again, be careful.
  5. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Let the sauce cool in the saucepan before transferring to a jar to store in the fridge. Caramel solidifies in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.
Notes:
Covered tightly, this sauce lasts in the fridge for up to 1 month, and up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, and then warm up before using.
Adjust salt according to taste.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes

Milk Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies

Posted in Cookies by

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

I bake cookies often. Not for any particular reason, other than I find them to be the quickest thing to whip together to satisfy my sweet cravings.

I end up baking half of the dough and stashing the rest in my freezer for the next wave of cravings.

#sorrynotsorry

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

These Milk Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies are everything you’re looking for in a cookie: slightly crisp edges, soft in the middle, and melty bits of chocolate in every bite….perfection!

The rolled oats add to gritty texture of the cookies and there are chunks of chocolate scattered throughout. You can add chopped walnuts or raisins to add an extra oomph of flavor.

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

Notes:

  • Once the dry ingredients are added, don’t over-mix the dough. With cookies, the less mixing, the better (once flour has been added). This will keep them soft and chewy instead of hard and dense.
  • Don’t forget parchment paper to line your cookie sheet. Parchment paper prevents the bottom of these cookies from getting overly baked/browned, and prevents them from sticking to the baking sheet.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling gives the dough time to rest and results in a flavorful cookie with a tighter shape. If you chill the dough for more than 30 minutes, it will firm up and become difficult to handle. If this happens, simply let the dough come to temperature on the kitchen counter before using.
  • Any milk chocolate will do. You can also use dark chocolate if you prefer a more bitter edge to balance the sweetness of the cookie.
  • If you can’t find rolled oats, you can use quick cooking oats. The texture of the cookies might be a litter harder.
  • These cookies are tender right out of the oven and will firm up as they cool. Make sure you let them cool on the baking tray for at least 5-6 minutes, before moving them to the rack to cool completely.
  • Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze really well. Place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.

Chunks of milk chocolate and rolled oats. The ultimate cookie combination! 

Make a double batch and stash half the cookies in the freezer for another day.

It is always a wise idea to have cookie dough on hand in case of (sugar craving) emergencies 😉

Milk Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies

Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients:
·         1 1/2 cups (250g) flour
·         1/2 cup (50g) rolled oats
·         1 tsp cornflour
·         1 tsp baking soda
·         3/4 tsp salt
·         1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
·         1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar
·         1/2 cup (120g) granulated white sugar
·         1 large egg, at room temperature
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
·         300g milk chocolate, chopped
Directions:
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cornflour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars at medium speed until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.
  3. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated.
  4. Fold in chocolate chunks.
  5. Cover dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 180˚C, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Form 1 1/2-inch balls of dough and place two inches apart on prepared baking sheet; top cookies with additional chocolate chunks (optional), pressing gently to adhere.
  8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet, and then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Notes
* If using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to a ¼ tsp.
** Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Garlic Knots

Posted in Breads, Ramadan, Savoury by

Garlicy, herby, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

Garlic knots are strips of pizza dough twisted into the shape of a knot, baked till golden brown, and then brushed with a garlic and herb infused butter. I have been craving them ever since I last ate them at Pizza Pigrims in London.

With plenty of time on hand, I tried to perfect the recipe at home and turns out they are SO much easier than you’d expect and packed with flavor.

Nothing beats homemade dough fresh out of the oven especially if its smothered in garlicky buttery goodness.

Garlicy, cheesy, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

These rolls are a cinch to make.It is a little hard to tie the dough into knots, but after a few tries you get the hang of it.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to shape them along with a picture tutorial at the end of the recipe:

How to Shape Garlic Knots

  1. Using your hands, shape the dough into a log.
  2. Cut the log into 1-inch strips.
  3. Roll each strip into a long rope, around 8-inches long.
  4. Tie the rope into a knot.

Don’t worry if they are a little wonky (like mine :p), they still taste delicious.

Garlic knots are best served fresh out of the oven.  However, they are still  light and soft when served the next day. Simply heat them in a microwave for a few seconds until warmed through.

They are traditionally served as an accompaniment with a bowl of soup, pasta or pizza, but they are so delicious that they can be served alone, and can be a perfect addition to your iftar table.

Garlicy, herby, melt-in-your-mouth pillows of dough.

They are one of the most satisfyingly delicious things to eat and are unbelievably addictive. Try them this Ramadan and let me know they turn out.

More delicious recipes you can try this Ramadan:

Shepherd’s Macaroni Pie

Stuffed Italian Pie

Chicken Bread

Cheesy Baked Pasta

Garlic Knots

 Yields: 16- 18 knots
Ingredients:
For the Dough
·         2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
·         1/2 tsp (2g) salt
·         2/3 cup (160ml) lukewarm milk
·         1 tbsp (15g) sugar
·         1 standard packet of instant yeast
·         2 tbsp (30g) melted butter or oil
·         1 egg
For the Garlic Butter
·         4 Tablespoons (50g)  butter, melted
·         3 garlic cloves, minced
·         2 Tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
·         Pinch of salt
Directions:
  1. Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl combine all the dough ingredients and start kneading it for 5-7 minutes until it pulls away from the edges of the bowl.
  2. Shape the dough in a ball and place in a greased bowl. Brush the top lightly with some oil. Cover with a kitchen cloth, and allow the dough to rise somewhere warm until doubled in size, around 2 hours.
  3. Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Using floured hands on a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a log shape (refer to picture guide below). Using a very sharp knife, slice into 1-inch strips. Roll each strip into a long rope. Tie each rope into a knot. You can tuck the two ends of the knots underneath the knot or leave them out. Arrange the knots on two greased baking sheets.
  4. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the knots rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
  6. Brush the knots with beaten egg.
  7. Bake the knots for 18-25 minutes until golden.
  8. Topping: While they are baking, make the garlic butter by mixing together the melted butter, garlic, chopped coriander and salt together.
  9. Brush the knots with butter mixture right after they are out of the oven.
  10. Serve hot.

How to shape them

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Picture credits: Finecooking

Cheesy Baked Pasta

Posted in Ramadan, Savoury by

Meat, veggies, pasta, plenty of cheese, and a rich creamy sauce… hungry yet?  

This Baked Pasta is creamy and cheesy, and is the ultimate comfort food!

This cheesy baked pasta casserole is my family’s favorite!

I’ve been making it ever since I first saw Shireen Anwer make it on Masala Mornings nine years ago. Which is why I am reposting this recipe because the pictures and the writing in the original post do not do justice to how awesome this recipe is.

This Baked Pasta is creamy and cheesy, and is the ultimate comfort food!

Creamy, cheesy, and oh so comforting! This saucy pasta baked together with ground beef is a crowd-pleasing, no fuss meal which can be a perfect addition to your iftar table.

It is easy to make using basic ingredients and it is a great one to prepare early in the day and then bake in the evening right before iftar time.

 

This Baked Pasta is creamy and cheesy, and is the ultimate comfort food!

This is one recipe your family is going to absolutely LOVE. So easy to make and even more delicious to eat!

The next time you want an incredibly easy weeknight dinner or something new for ifar, give this loaded cheesy pasta bake a try! And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #spatulainmypocket on Instagram.

Cheesy Baked Pasta

Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
Tomato-Meat Sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste, heaped
1 carrot, chopped
½ kilo ground beef
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, leveled
½ cup tomato paste
½ cup sliced mushrooms
White Sauce
2 Tablespoon butter
4 Tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white or black pepper
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 cup chicken stock/water
1 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings
1 packet of pasta of your choice
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Dried Oregano
Directions:
1.       In a pan, heat oil. Fry the chopped onion till it changes color and becomes soft. Add in the ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown. Add in the carrot. Mix. Then add in the beef and mushrooms. Mix well on high heat for a few minutes. Then add in the; chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Keep mixing till meat changes color. Then add in a cup of water along with tomato paste. Mix, cover, and leave to cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes.
2.      While sauce is simmering, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain.
3.      Add drained pasta to the meat sauce, mix and turn off heat. Put the pasta mixture into a large casserole dish and set aside.
4.      For the white sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Once melted, take the pan off the heat and add in the flour, salt, black pepper, and mustard powder. Mix well using a wooden spoon and bring back to heat. Cook for a minute before adding in the stock and milk. On low-medium heat, mix continuously till the sauce thickens. Remove off the heat and add in the cheddar cheese.
5.      Pour the entire sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and oregano on top.
6.      Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

 

Simple Strawberry Cake

Posted in Cakes by

A fresh, light (yet dense!), and incredibly moist cake – the perfect treat to bake during quarantine, and enjoy with a cup of tea.

This cake comes together really easily with ingredients you more than likely already have in your kitchen. It is also an excellent way to make use of the juicy strawberries in season.

I also got to use my heart shaped pan, which I often feel gets neglected.

Do not do what I did, which is to try and tip out the cake from the pan!

This cake is way too delicate to be removed from a regular cake pan. Please use a spring from pan with a removable bottom or use any pie dish and serve the cake straight from it.

Delicious moist strawberry cake.

Here are some other juicy strawberry bakes you might like:
Strawberries and Cream Sponge Cake
Buttermilk pancakes with strawberry compote

Stay home, stay safe, and bake on.
xxx

 Simple Strawberry Cake

 Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
·         6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
·         1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
·         1 1/2 tsp baking powder
·         1/4 tsp salt
·         1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
·         1 large egg, at room temperature
·         1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
·         1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
·         1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease a 9 or 10-inch baking pan or Pyrex dish with butter or oil. Line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined.
  5. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.
  6. Transfer batter into prepared pan and smooth with spatula.
  7. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, in a single layer. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
  8. Bake cake until golden brown about 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan before slicing.
Notes
* If using salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to a ¼ tsp.
**Leftovers can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Chocolate Chunk Bars

Posted in Brownies and Bars by

Dense, chewy, delicious and oh-so-addictive!

Chocolate Chunk Bars

As I hunker down in my home, socially isolated from everyone I know, I look back at all the things I made in a time that now seems so far away. So many recipes made and shot in my Manchester dorm, each bringing nostalgia in various forms.
These bars, for instance, were first made during one of my many dissertation-writing blocks. With my mind whirring, fingers crimping, and eyes bleeding after hours of slaving away over my laptop, I always headed towards the kitchen as my refuge.
Easy to make, quick to bake; these rich, gooey, dark golden bars were my ultimate comfort treat.

This recipe involves one pesky little step which might sound quite extra but trust me when I tell you that it makes a world of a difference!
Browning the butter
Browning butter is truly a magical process. Simply by adding a little heat, plain molten butter transforms with bits of nutty caramel notes that elevates the flavor of nearly everything its added into.
You can skip this step if you must. The taste won’t as intense and rich though.

After browning the butter, its all down to a one-bowl flow. It can’t get any easier than that. Here are some extra tips:
  • Use dark chocolate to offset the overall sweetness of the bars.
  • Bake until the top is set and the sides are beginning to turn golden brown. They will be soft when you take them out, so let them cool before cutting.
  • My favorite way to eat these bars is cold when they have set up nicely. They are dense and chewy and o’so good.
Chocolate Chunk Bars Dense, chewy, delicious and oh-so-addictive!
Stay home, stay safe, and enjoy these delicious chocolate chunk bars.
xxx

Chocolate Chunk Bars

 Yields: 16 small squares
Ingredients:
·         1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
·         1 cup (190g) packed brown sugar
·         1 large egg
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1/4 tsp salt*
·         1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
·         1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into large chunks
·         ½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts, optional
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it becomes golden brown at the bottom and develops a nutty aroma. Do not burn! If you prefer not to use brown butter, you can skip the browning and just proceed with plain melted butter.
  3. Pour brown butter into a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar until smooth. Let the mix rest for a few minutes until it is lukewarm.
  4. Whisk in egg, vanilla, and salt.
  5. Stir in flour, chocolate and nuts. The batter will be thick.
  6. Scrape into prepared pan and smooth with spatula.
  7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the center looks just set and the edges turn golden brown.
  8. Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.
Notes
* If using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt to 1/2 tsp.
**Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Recipe adapted from My Modern Cookery

The Best of 2018

Posted in Manchester by

Tonight, from Manchester, I raise my bowl of salad to one heck of a memorable year.

2018 goes down in my personal history book as 100% major.  It’s been one of those years where I feel blessed far beyond what I even knew to ask for.  It’s been filled with gracious opportunity and a lot of hard work.

There have been highs and lows, lots of learning, some tears and plenty of of goodies have come out of my oven, both here and back home.

My phone has been stolen. My laptop’s hard drive has been corrupted. I got a job. I quit my job. Lots of family drama and other unpleasant stuff unfolded. But today we remember and appreciate all the nice things.

Looking through my photos made me realize how much has happened and how quickly time has gone by.

So here it is, my highlights from 2018:

#1

Oh the anticipation of traveling internationally for the very first time ALONE!

I’d been abroad before but never without my parents and siblings so you can imagine my excitement anxiety.

 

#2

Not having to share a washroom, a bedroom or any room for that matter with any of my many sisters is a MAJOR highlight for me xD

 

#3

The year I baked my first cheesecake!

And made truffles.

And ate a lot of berries.

 

#4

The Brathay trip.

The trip of a lifetime.

 

Rowing on one of the most beautiful lakes of the world, Lake Windermere, taking the ‘leap of faith’, and doing all sorts of other wild activities I never would have imagined myself doing.

#5

Meeting some awesome people and making some AMAZING friends from all over the world.

 

#6

Falling in love with the beauty of autumn.

7

#7

Experiencing the magic of Christmas.

 

#8

Exploring London with my crazy Russian best friend.  

 

#9

Visiting the infamous Dominique Ansel Bakery, and FINALLY trying the mighty ‘cronut’. A moment I’d been dreaming of ever since its creation.

The first bite was magical.

I’m swooning just thinking about it.

 

#10

The day I met Cupcake Jemma!!

Major fan moment!

My heart was thumping. My palms were clammy. We talked. I told her my sisters and I were huge fans. We took a photo (which came out horrid). And then I tried some of Crumbs and Doilies mini cupcakes.

A day I can relive over and over again.

 

I might have gone and visited her again. O.o #stalkerandproud 

#11

My first roller coaster ride at the Winter Wonderland in London.

It only took about two minutes, but the experience will stay with me forever. It was raining and I was laughing and crying.

The whole experience was just exhilarating! And nauseating.

 

#12

My first football match.

Though not a sports fan, I wouldn’t mind going again and again.

I loved the electric atmosphere and the excitement you feel with every pass, tackle and goal!

#13

And the highlight that made all the above highlights possible; being awarded the British Chevening Scholarship.

I am incredibly honored to be given this opportunity, to be one among the 1800 scholars out of 65,000 individuals who applied.

It still feels surreal.

 

Every time I walk through the campus feels surreal.

 

me outside campus

Thank you Chevening for giving me Manchester.

#14

Last but not the least, the highlight of not just this year but forever; having my laser eye surgery done.

It’s quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s changed my life, my confidence, and my happiness. I am SO glad I took the leap and finally got it done. 

Huge thanks to my mother for pushing me to get it done (and my father for financing it :p). ❤ ❤

I am incredibly grateful for all that has come my way this year and I want to thank you for sharing this journey with me. Your response to my Instastories makes my day.

Thank you for all of the love and support.

Happy New Year.

Love,

Noor

Deep Dark Brownie Cookies

Posted in Cookies by

Here are six important (read: random) things you should know about me:

  1. I absolutely HATE talking on the phone! It takes me about three days to acknowledge the message before I even think about replying. It’s nothing personal. I’m just not very good on the phone.

  2. The early-morning hours are my favorite and most productive time of the day.

  3. It took me three times to pass Math’s in eighth grade. I get frustrated just thinking about it.

  4. I freeze up and turn completely silent in certain stressful situations or when I am nervous around someone in particular.

  5. I love cheeseball 90’s movies. My favorites are: the Runaway Bride, and the Parent Trap. I could watch these a million times…and I may have done so by now

  6. I am addicted to chocolate.

Which brings us to…

Extra thick, extra fudgy and completely irresistible brownie cookies.

This recipe is defined by its triple dose of chocolate.

Extra thick, extra fudgy and completely irresistible brownie cookies. #brownies #cookies #triplechocolate

These deep dark brownie cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream, my dream.

They are thick and fudgy just like brownies.

They have an intense chocolate flavor and are full of walnut chunks and gooey bits of chocolate.

And they taste out.of.this.world!

DSC04066

Extra thick, extra fudgy and completely irresistible brownie cookies. #brownies #cookies #triplechocolate

Extra thick, extra fudgy and extra chocolaty.

And they’re super easy to make too!

The dough is made with a generous amount of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate to give the cookies a deep chocolate flavor and very dark color. I recommend using chocolate having 70% or above cocoa solids (preferably Lindt) for that rich dark taste.

 

I recommend chilling the dough for at least one hour so that the cookies won’t spread too much while baking. If the dough is too hard to handle when you take it out of the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.

Baking time is also very important! Bake the cookies just to the point when the edges start to set. I like to slightly underbake my cookies for extra fudginess and softness. Overbaking will make them dry. Baking time in my oven is exactly 12 minutes, don’t bake them more than 14 minutes. Keep in mind that baking time is different if you bake bigger or smaller cookies than what the instructions suggest.

If you’re addicted to chocolate just like me then you’ll love these cookies!

Deep Dark Brownie Cookies

 Yields: 12 cookies
Ingredients:
·         100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
·         ½ cup all-purpose flour
·         2 ½ Tablespoons process cocoa powder
·         ½ teaspoon baking powder
·         Pinch of salt
·         2 ½ Tablespoons (36g) butter, softened to room temperature
·         ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
·         2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
·         1 large egg, at room temperature
·         ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
·         ½ cup chopped walnuts
·         ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
  1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Set aside to slightly cool.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the slightly cooled melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until combined.
  4. On low speed, add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat until combined. Finally, beat in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Cover and chill the dough for at least 60 minutes in the refrigerator.
  5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Roll the dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. Place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set. The centers will look a little soft.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
1.       The longer the dough chills, the thicker the cookies will be.
2.      If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.

 

 

Molten Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted in Cookies by

Cookies so good I’ve made them three times already!

Chocolate chip cookies packed with dark chocolate which melt into the most gorgeous glistening pools of molten chocolate. #chocolate #cookies #recipe

 

These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Period. Why you may ask?

  • No fancy ingredients needed, only the basics; butter, sugar, flour, egg

  • No electric mixer required. Just a whisk, saucepan, and some mixing bowls.

  • No chocolate chips. We use bars of dark chocolate chopped into gorgeous shards and chunks; some big, some small. That way your warm cookies have pools of molten chocolate instead of just tiny chocolate bits.

They’re soft and gooey in the middle with a perfectly chewy edge. And my favorite part: they’re packed with dark chocolate which melts into the most gorgeous glistening pools of molten chocolate.

The best thing about using chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips is that your warm cookies have pools of molten chocolate and not just tiny chocolate bits.Chocolate chip cookies packed with dark chocolate which melt into the most gorgeous glistening pools of molten chocolate. #chocolate #cookies #recipe

These cookies can be whipped up quickly, they taste AMAZING, they have the perfect texture, and I don’t see why you shouldn’t make them.

Chocolate chip cookies packed with dark chocolate which melt into the most gorgeous glistening pools of molten chocolate. #chocolate #cookies #recipeChocolate chip cookies packed with dark chocolate which melt into the most gorgeous glistening pools of molten chocolate. #chocolate #cookies #recipe

 

NOTES

  • Use the best dark chocolate you can find. I recommend using either Bournville or Lindt Dark 70%. The slightly bitter edge balances the cookie sweetness perfectly.

  • Chop the dark chocolate roughly. The larger the chunk, the easier it will spread into a molten pool of chocolate.

  • I recommend chilling the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. Chilling gives the dough time to rest and helps develop the flavor. It also prevents the cookies from spreading too much. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies!

  • Dough can also be chilled overnight. The next morning, allow it to sit at room temperature just long enough so that you can scoop it and bake for an extra 2-3 minutes.

  • These cookies are perfect for when cravings strike. Seal cookie dough balls in a ziplock bag and stash in the freezer for up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra two minutes, no need to thaw.

  • When baking, the cookies tend to expand a lot so be sure to space the cookie dough balls apart.

  • This recipe makes 14 cookies; I have halved the original recipe. But you can easily double the recipe it if you want to make more.

The best thing about using chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips is that your warm cookies have pools of molten chocolate and not just tiny chocolate bits.The best thing about using chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips is that your warm cookies have pools of molten chocolate and not just tiny chocolate bits.

BEST COOKIES EVER

aaand I’m out.

Molten Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Yields: 14 cookies
Ingredients:
·         1/2 cup / 113g unsalted butter chopped
·         1 ½ cup + 2 Tablespoons / 208g all-purpose flour
·         ½ teaspoon baking powder 
·         ½ teaspoon baking soda
·         ½ teaspoon salt
·         ¾ cup / 160g packed brown sugar 
·         ¼ cup / 50g granulated sugar
·         1 large egg
·         1 teaspoon vanilla
·         6 ounces / 170g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into large chunks
·         Sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan over a very low heat, heat the butter until it is just melted.
  3. Chop your chocolate and set aside.
  4. In large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  5. Pour the melted butter into a different large bowl and whisk in the white and brown sugar. It may look very weird and greasy, but keep mixing, it will smooth out after you’ve stirred it for a bit. Add in the egg and vanilla. Whisk till combined.
  6. Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine all together using a spatula. Once blended, add the chopped chocolate and mix until just combined.
  7. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes in the fridge – preferably overnight.
  8. Make the dough into golf-ball sized balls (about 3 tablespoons per cookie) and bake for 10-14 minutes, rotating the pan about half way through baking. (Colder dough takes longer to bake.) Cookies should be puffed up and have nice golden edges.
  9. Leave cookies on cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. They will deflate a little. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe adapted from Seven Spoons My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day by Tara O’Brady

 

Everything you need to know about the Chevening Scholarship

Posted in Manchester by

In response to the multitude of questions I’ve gotten on how I received the British Chevening Scholarship, I’ll be explaining the scholarship application process here using my own application as a guideline. I hope this helps and I sincerely hope you apply.

What is Chevening?

Chevening is the UK government’s most prestigious scholarship award coordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and managed by the British High Commission across the Commonwealth countries.

The selection criteria for Chevening Scholarships are aimed to identify “high-caliber graduates with the personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership.” You will need to be able to demonstrate all of the following mentioned skills at each step of the application:

  • Personal, intellectual and interpersonal qualities necessary for leadership in home country.
  • Motivation to develop career in order to establish a position of leadership within 10 years.
  • A clear post Scholarship plan, outlining career objectives and how to achieve them.
  • Commitment to networking to find global solutions.
  • Commitment to networking within Chevening community, and alumni network in home country.
  • Use studies and experience in UK to benefit themselves, their country and the UK.
  • Able to successfully complete proposed course of study in the UK.

Specific selection criteria varies from country to country.

Selection Criteria for Pakistan

By researching the Chevening alumni and the list of awardees for this year, I have found that the subject areas most favored in Pakistan are:

  • Cultural studies
  • Development
  • Education
  • Environment and sustainability
  • Law; human rights
  • Management
  • Medical sciences; healthcare
  • Science and Technology

Specifically these are the courses that this year’s awardees are studying:

  • Computer Science
  • Conflict Security and Development
  • Counter Terrorism
  • Criminology
  • Development Administration and Planning
  • Development Studies
  • Economics Politics and Public Policy
  • Education
  • Education and International Development
  • Endocrinology
  • Financial Management
  • Gender Studies and Law
  • Global Health
  • Global Political Economy
  • Governance Development and Public Policy
  • Innovation Management
  • International Accounting and Financial Management
  • International Development
  • International Planning and Sustainable Development
  • International Relations and Security
  • LLM
  • LLM Human Rights
  • Media Practice for Development and Social Change
  • Neuroscience
  • Public Administration
  • Public Financial Management
  • Public Policy

As evident, law and development studies are some of the most popular choices.

You must remember that Chevening focuses on developing international relations amongst the Commonwealth countries so your chosen course of study must align with that goal. It can’t be something like a Masters in Fashion Designing or Architecture. Chevening focuses on building future leaders who can come back to their home country and work to bring change and instill development.

So first things first; decide what you would like to study, how your past experience supports that, and how it aligns with your future goals.

WORK EXPERIENCE

This is the part I get the most questions about.

‘Is two years’ work experience mandatory?’

‘I’ll have two years of experience by the March next year, will that be okay?’

‘How did you get the scholarship if you only graduated last year?’

‘Does voluntary work count?’

‘I was a member of the OC teams at my universities MUN and other events, does that count?’

Yes, work experience counts. Yes, minimum of two years’ work experience is mandatory!

There’s a part in the application where you have to enter the exact number of hours you have worked, there’s no skipping that part.

Now the kind of work can vary. It doesn’t have to be two full years at one work place. It can be different kinds of work for different periods of time but they must all join up to make two years’ worth of experience.

According to the Chevening website:

“The types of work experience that are eligible for Chevening can include:

  • Full-time employment
  • Part-time employment
  • Voluntary work
  • Paid or unpaid internships
  • Work experience can be completed before, during, or after graduating from your undergraduate studies.

Employment undertaken as part of your undergraduate or postgraduate course are not eligible.”

While you can’t count work you did at your university (class projects, school events/conferences/MUNs), you can mention them in your essays. For example, I mentioned being the Director of Broadcasting of the Job Fair and being a member of the various MUNs in my leadership and networking essays but I did not count them as my work experience.

Important!

What will make your application stronger is if your work experience and all your extracurriculars support your desired course of study.

It’s true I only graduated last year. It’s true I only worked an ‘office job’ for 3 months after I graduated. So how did I magically get the scholarship despite no work experience? That’s because my intended course of study was ‘entrepreneurship’ and I had two entrepreneurial ventures to back it up. Spatula in my Pocket and Nuts about Donuts may sound like just another Facebook page to some, or just a hobby to others but they are purely entrepreneurial in nature; started by me, run by me. And that’s how I built my application based on two of my own ventures.

You need to realize that if you run a Facebook page too, featuring your photography or your arts and crafts, but you’re applying to study law or environment sustainability you cannot use those pages to support your application. Your work experience must support your study goals.

In the end, what will make your application stronger is when your work experience and all your extracurricular activities support your desired course of study.

 

APPLICATION TIPS

Here are my tips for getting started with your application:

1.Decide on your course of study and then research the heck out of it. All the universities that offer it in the UK, the faculty, the modules, electives, entry requirements… everything.

Find out what matters to you, what you want to do in your life. You need to choose three courses. All three of your courses can be from the same university or you can choose the same course at three different universities.

Also, don’t forget to research the city as much as the university itself. Would you be comfortable living in a big and expensive city like London or do you prefer something smaller like the quaint city of Bournemouth?

I chose University of Manchester as my first choice because:

  1. The Entrepreneurship program here is ranked as number one in the entire UK
  2. Manchester is known as the city of innovation
  3. Manchester is also known as the student city of UK since there are SO many students all from diverse backgrounds
  4. You get the true “international” experience
  5. It is relatively cheaper than other cities like London

2.Gather all your work experience details and extracurricular activities in one word document. This should include everything you have done in your life that matters; any events you may have participated in, any conferences/workshops you may have attended or helped organized during your college years or after. Were you a teacher’s assistant, a class representative (CR), best intern, employee of the month…any of these, just write them down.

3.Start working on your essays as soon as possible. Do not leave them for the week before the deadline. It takes time to perfect them and trust me these essays count ALOT. Write, edit, review, get someone else to review them too.

More information can be found here >> http://www.chevening.org/apply/eligibility-criteria

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Some additional questions:

Can PhD students apply?

PhD students can unfortunately not apply.

The courses you choose must be:

  • Full-time
  • Start in the autumn term (usually September/October)
  • Taught master’s (i.e. not research-focused MRes programmes)
  • Lead to a master’s degree qualification
  • Based in the UK

Courses cannot be:

  • Distance learning
  • Part-time
  • Less than nine months in duration
  • More than 12 months in duration
  • PhD or DPhil are not permitted
  • Taught with more than one month of study outside the UK

Do you need to have a good GPA?

I think Chevening focuses more on the experience and the skills. A good GPA does help but a 4.0 isn’t necessary.

Is the scholarship fully funded?

Yes it is.  It comprises of:

  • Payment of tuition fees (see point 1.2.a in relation to MBA fee caps)
  • Economy travel to and from your country of residence by an approved route for you only
  • An arrival allowance
  • The cost of an entry clearance (visa) application for you only
  • A departure allowance
  • A contribution of up to £75 for TB testing, where this is required
  • A travel top up allowance
  • A monthly personal living allowance (stipend) to cover accommodation and living expenses.

 

Exciting news!

Posted in Manchester by

SPATULA IN MY POCKET IS MOVING TO ENGLAND!!!

Specifically…Manchester!

In just 5 days!

And I’m thrilled to finally tell you all about it today!  😄 Seriously, it has been killing me to keep this to myself all this time.  My trustees told me not to say a word till the final award letter was here, and then ‘not till you get the visa’, and THEN ‘not till you book your ticket’!

But I’m happy to say that my plan is now officially a go, and in just five days, I’ll be flying across the ocean to my new life in Manchester.  And I cannot wait to get this adventure started.

 

I’ve been dreaming to study in the UK since I was about six when I first started reading Enid Blyton books and fell in love with girl boarding schools. And then came the Great British Bake-Off and I fell in love with Britain all over again. I dream of visiting the Dominique Ansel Bakery, roaming the streets of the Northern Quater, taking pastry classes at Le Cordon Bleu, and studying in a country where there is so much to explore and do.

And in just a few days, I will be making that dream a reality.

I am going to the University of Manchester to pursue a Masters in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship fully sponsored by the British Chevening Scholarship Program.

DSC04097

Chevening is a UK government international award, which sponsors developing global leaders in obtaining a Masters degree at any British university. This program is financed by Foreign and Commonwealth office and is oriented at future leaders, influencers and decision makers from all over the globe.

After an almost year-long agonizing selection process, I am incredibly honored to be chosen as the youngest Chevening Scholar from Pakistan for the year 2018/2019!

Right now, I think it’s safe to say that I am officially feeling all the feels.

I can’t wait to be swept up in the newness of a brand new place with so much to explore and so many new memories to be made. I am just feeling incredibly excited and lucky that I have the opportunity to take an adventure like this. And more than anything, I am super excited to visit all the donut shops I’ve been stalking on Instagram all these years xD

That said, it’s also sinking in just how much I am going to miss my friends and family here back in Pakistan.  And how much life I am going to miss out on here while I am away.

With each passing day, though, the reality of this amazing adventure ahead is starting to feel more and more real.  And I absolutely can’t wait to get there and get it all started!!!  So thank you in advance for following along on the blog and coming there with me and making this entire journey possible. This scholarship would definitely not have been possible if wasn’t for your love and support that made Spatula in My Pocket what it is today.

I can’t wait to write and share all about my adventures, the wonderful people, places, and food I discover along the way. (Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!)

Love you all and thank you!

DSC03880

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Posted in Breakfast by

This is the ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips.

the ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips.

Confession: Breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day. 

I’ve had a cup of plain coffee every single morning for as long as I remember.

Don’t get me wrong, I love breakfast food: pancakes, waffles, omelets, scrambled eggs! I’d eat “breakfast food” for 90% of my meals. But I just don’t like eating at breakfast time. 

I’d much rather have an omelet for lunch, granola for snack, and a stack of waffles for dinner.

And these pancakes, these gorgeous banana chocolate chip studded pancakes, I could have at any time of the day.

These are seriously everything!

 

The ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips. #banana #chocolatechip #pancakes

Extra fluffy, soft, slightly sweet from the bananas, slightly bittersweet from the chocolate, perfectly golden brown.

In short, these pancakes are a blessing from the heavens.

The ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips. #banana #chocolatechip #pancakes

I, sometimes, intentionally set aside 3-4 bananas and let them ripe just so that I can make these pancakes or my banana chocolate chip bread.

Whoever first thought of pairing up bananas and chocolate chips deserves a wildly prestigious prize in my book.

The ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips. #banana #chocolatechip #pancakes

Making these pancakes is incredibly simple and if you want your pancakes to be as scrumptious as mine, I suggest you read the following tips along with the written recipe.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKE TIPS:

  • Use slightly over ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter they are.

  • DON’T OVERMIX: Mix the batter just until you see no more streaks of flour. It will be slightly lumpy. If you overmix the pancake batter your pancakes will turn out dense.

  • Make sure your frying pan/griddle is hot before adding the pancake batter.

  • Cook on low-medium heat to ensure that the pancake gets cooked in the middle and develops a crisp golden brown “crust” on the top.

If these next two pictures don’t make you seriously consider why you aren’t in your kitchen right this second making these pancakes, I don’t know what will.

DSC03599The ultimate recipe for the ultimate stack of pancakes, sweetened with bananas, and loaded with melty gooey chocolate chips. #banana #chocolatechip #pancakes

This is a recipe you’re going to want to hold onto forever.

Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 1⁄4 cups milk, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or melted butter
1⁄2 cup banana, mashed (3 small)
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
Directions:
1.      Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2.      In another bowl whisk together the milk, oil, banana, egg and vanilla.
3.      Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4.      Fold in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
5.      Heat a non-stick frying pan or a griddle, greased lightly with oil on medium heat. Pour 1/4-1/3 cup of batter per pancake on to the pan. Scatter some chocolate chips on top.
6.      When the top looks slightly dry and bubbles have appeared, flip the pancake and cook the other side for another minute or until golden.
7.      Prepare remaining pancake batter as directed greasing pan with more oil if needed.
8.      Stack the pancakes, top them with maple syrup if desired and tuck in.

 

Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce

Posted in Desserts by

Call me crazy but I find frying things oddly satisfying.

Which might explain why I am able to survive ten hour donut shifts in front of the fryer in this heat o.o

.

.

.

With frying comes sweat and I mean ALOT of sweat. But the end result always makes it worth it.

After you take the first bite of be it a donut or a churro, the sweat and all your fried oil guilt *poof* disappears.

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

Churros are strips of dough deep-fried until they become crunchy, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, and served with warm chocolate sauce.

These Spanish/Mexican concoctions are addicting!

You won’t be able to stop at one. Also, they make a great snack to share with friends and family when watching the telly or just hanging out.

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

IMPORTANT

If you do not own a piping bag or a piping tip, that does NOT mean that you can’t make homemade churros.

No piping bag?

No problem. Use a plastic ziplock bag instead (easily available in all superstores, check the foil and cling wrap section)

No piping tip?

No problem. A piping tip isn’t essential, it just gives the churros their signature textured lines. You can just snip off the end of your piping bag or ziplock bag and pipe straight from it.

No thermometer?

No problem. Preheat your oil for minimum 10 minutes on high heat (thats how long it takes it to reach 190 degrees Celsius). Fry on medium heat. And then in between batches crank up the heat again because the drops very quickly as soon as you put the churros in.

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

This churros recipe might be different than anything you’ve ever made.

There will be several points throughout this recipe where you might curse my name, especially when you’ll have to exert every bit of energy you have in mixing the dough and then some when piping them into the hot oil.

You might also curse me when your piping bag bursts open because of the pressure (the dough is That thick) which is why I’m telling you beforehand to scotch tape the piping bag around the piping nozzle/tip two to three times. Just to be safe.

You’ll get through it and I promise you’ll love me when you bite into your first warm delicious churro dripping with dark melty chocolate.

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

This is what you should end up with.

Stodgy, white dough.  

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

You’ll need a large star piping tip and a piping bag, or a big ZipLock bag. And a knife!

You squeeze the dough in the form of strips onto a parchment paper, and slice it off with the knife. Doing this:

  1. makes it much easier to plop them in 3-4 at a time instead of squeezing them straight into the hot oil one by one

  2. that way chances of burning your fingers are less

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

Fry till golden brown. Toss in cinnamon and sugar. 

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

Dip them in chocolate and hallelujah!

Dip em once, dip em twice or maybe even thrice.

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

Now you don’t need to go to Disneyland to eat churros. You can make them at home anytime you want. How cool is that!

Crispy, golden churros rolled in cinnamon and sugar and dunked in a dark chocolate sauce #churros

If you try this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, tag a photo #spatulainmypocket on Instagram so I can see it.

Cheers!

 

Churros with Chocolate Sauce

Prep Time: 20 minutes                      Yields: 10-15 (4 inch) churros, more if you’re making them smaller
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Churros
1 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts oil for frying
1/2 cup fine white/castor sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Chocolate Sauce
100g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) cream
Equipment
 a thermometer; a heavy-duty plastic piping bag or a ziplock bag; a large star piping tip (such as Wilton #2110)*
Directions:
CHURROS
Stir water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil in a small saucepan and put on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add in the flour and mix together with a wooden spoon until it forms a cohesive dough.
Heat oil at 375 degrees F (190 C) for deep-frying.
While waiting for the oil to heat up, line a baking sheet with parchment/wax paper. Fill a piping bag lined with a large open star piping tip, with dough and pipe strips onto the baking sheet. Use a pair of kitchen scissors or a knife to cut off the strips at around 4-6 inches, depending on how long you want your churros to be. I like them small.
Set out a plate lined with paper towels for draining.
When the oil has heated up, drop in churros 4 or 5 at a time. Be sure to keep an eye on the temperature, keeping it as close to 375 as possible (it drops very quickly). Fry until golden, around 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oil and set on paper towels to drain.
Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and toss churros in the mixture.
Serve the churros with the warm chocolate sauce (recipe below).
Best when eaten immediately.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.
Warm the cream in small saucepan or the microwave for 20 seconds. (Do not let it boil.) Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute then stir to combine.
Notes:
*if you don’t have any of the equipment mentioned, kindly check substitutes mentioned in the post description above

Best All-Cocoa Brownies

Posted in Brownies and Bars by

I’m baaaack…..

It’s been a long time since I posted anything but I promise that I had good reason – which I’ll get to later.

First can we just stop, wait a minute and admire the gorgeousness that this brownie is!

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

Look at that fudge.

Look at that shine.

Look at the corky piece of walnut peeking through.

Doesn’t it make you want to sink your teeth into it right now? 

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

These brownies have become my go-to brownies because they are THE best. 

They’re extremely dense, fudgy, chewy and have NO chocolate in them. That’s right, not a single square!

I almost wept with joy upon biting into my first, straight from the oven (hence the unruly cuts), square of deep dark chocolate deliciousness. I’m swooning just thinking about them.

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

I found the recipe on kitchn.com and was drawn to its name ‘Pantry Cocoa Brownies’ which is very apt because they really do just call for ingredients that I’m sure all of us have in our kitchens – oil, sugar, eggs, flour, and cocoa.

Nothing extra!

No need to worry about buying copious amounts of dark chocolate or melting pounds of butter or making buttermilk.

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

These fudgy chocolatey bars of goodness take half an hour to make and another half an hour to bake.

That’s an hour well spent I’d say especially considering you’ll have an entire batch of devilishly good brownies at the end of it.

The smell of chocolate wafting through your entire house is an added plus.

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

There are two things to note about the recipe:

  1. I’ve added half a cup of chopped walnuts, they’re totally optional though. I personally love nutty and crunchy bits in my brownie. The original recipe does not call for any nuts.

  2. The original recipe does however call for powdered sugar instead of normal granulated sugar. If you don’t have powdered sugar on hand, you can grind normal granulated sugar in a blender or food processor. But decrease the amount slightly because as compared to powdered sugar, granulated sugar is heavier in weight.

A Rich, fudgy, ALL cocoa brownie. #chocolate #brownies #fudge #spatulainmypocket

With that out of the way, make them and let them blow your mind.  

Cheers – Noor

Cocoa Brownies

Prep Time: 30 minutes                                                                   Yields: 9 large or 16 small squares
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cups icing sugar*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
1.       Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2.      Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line I with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
3.      Place the oil into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 4 to 6 (5-second) bursts until it is warm but not hot. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until completely smooth and combined. Let sit for 4 or 5 minutes so the cocoa can bloom.
4.      In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
5.      In another bowl, place the eggs, powdered sugar, and brown sugar. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until fluffy and lighter in color. Beat in the vanilla until just combined.
6.      Add 1/2 of the cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and mix at medium-high speed until it is shiny and fully combined, about 2-3 minutes.
7.      Next, add in the flour mixture to the egg and cocoa mixture and mix at low speed until fully combined. Add the remaining cocoa mixture and mix at medium-high speed until the batter is shiny and fully combined, about 1 minute. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
8.      Transfer to the prepared baking pan.
9.      Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll know the brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs attached (it shouldn’t be completely wet) and the brownies pull away from the edges of the pan.
10.   Let them cool (if you can help it ;)) before cutting into squares.
Notes
*If you don’t have icing/powdered sugar on hand, you can grind normal granulated sugar in a blender or food processor. But decrease the amount slightly because as compared to powdered sugar, granulated sugar is heavier in weight.
**Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe source: kitchn

Best Homemade Waffles

Posted in Breakfast by

Waffles are my favorite food from heaven (after brownies and pizza of course).

Piled high with whipped cream and strawberries or ice cream and Nutella, they are the ultimate, indulgent breakfast/snack/lunch/dinner/midnight meal.

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

I got a waffle maker a few months ago. Since then I have made batches upon batches of waffles in search for the perfect recipe.

For me, a perfect waffle is:

  • soft and fluffy on the inside

  • crispy on the outside

  • golden brown

  • Irresistibly delicious!

After months of researching through different recipes available on the internet; I decided to test the ones that were the most popular worldwide.

One called for melted butter; the other vegetable oil. One involved eggs with the whites whisked till stiff; the other with the eggs mixed right into the batter.

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

I made waffles after waffles and forced my sisters to be the taste testers (a torture to which they happily agreed).

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

One fine Sunday, I found our *all-time favorite, no-fail waffles recipe*.

This recipe will impress waffle newbies and old waffle lovers alike.

This is it.

.

.

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER!

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

These waffles are everything mentioned in the list above and more. They send you into a good food coma so deadly that it should come with a warning.

You will, obviously, need a waffle iron to make these warm, crispy waffles. I recommend you take the plunge and just buy it. It is worth the investment because after making this recipe once, I assure you, you will want to make them every day for breakfast/snack/lunch/dinner/midnight meal.

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

I ordered mine online at Daraz.pk. They had a sale going on and I found mine pretty cheap for Rs.1400/-.

>>Here’s the link to the brand I use<<

It’s small and it’s not fancy, but it’s budget-friendly and it works well.

 

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

After making waffles myself, I can tell with confidence that those sold at astounding prices in restaurants can be absolute crap. They’re often soggy, eggy, and bland. Homemade waffles are way way wayyy better and are really easy to make too. They are the new 2-minute noodles!

This recipe is pretty standard including all your basic kitchen ingredients. Dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another. Whisk them together and voila, waffle batter.

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

We love them drenched with maple syrup or smothered with Nutella (heavenly!!).

Buying a waffle maker has to be the best decision I have made yet (other than starting this blog of course).

This is, hands down, the best waffle recipe EVER! #crispy #fluffy #waffles

I hope you enjoy them as much as my sisters and I did. And if you do whip ‘em up please share on Instagram using the hashtag #spatulainmypocket

Much love!

Best homemade Waffles

Serves: 2-4
Ingredients:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk1
1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple syrup/chocolate syrup for serving
Directions:
1.       In a medium bowl; combine the flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
2.      Heat your waffle iron. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with maple syrup or chocolate syrup. Waffles reheat very well in the toaster.
Notes:
1.       DIY buttermilk: 1 Tablespoon vinegar + 1 cup whole milk
2.      Waffles are best served immediately!
Recipe source: Aretha Frankenstein

 

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Posted in Breads, Breakfast by
Super moist and rich double chocolate zucchini bread that tastes just like chocolate fudge cake only better!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

Did you grow up eating zucchini bread?

I for one did not and I’m pretty sure none of my fellow Pakistanis did either. I didn’t even know we had zucchini in Pakistan until just recently!

Incase you are as clueless as I am, zucchini is indeed available in Pakistan.

It’s grown all year round, called ‘maaru’ in Urdu, is pale green in color, high in water content and bland in taste which makes it the perfect addition to baked goods.

It was a no-brainer I’d pick ‘Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread’ as my first zucchini recipe because, well:

a. its chocolate

b. its DOUBLE CHOCOLATE

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

Just look at it.

.

.

It screams deliciousness!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge fan of fruit and vegetable based baked goods.

^case in point

I don’t know who the crazy genius was behind the idea of incorporating vegetables in baking, but whoever it was, know that I LOVE YOU enormously.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about putting in a mound of shredded green vegetable in a chocolate bread but the result blew.me.away!

It was deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

And the zucchini completely disappeared!

You can’t tell the zucchini is in there unless you’re looking for it. Which is why even my super picky, non-vegetable sisters went for seconds and thirds. We ended up devouring the entire loaf in a matter of minutes. ^.^

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

This double chocolate zucchini bread is perfect for anytime of the day, in any season and pairs wonderfully with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

I like it best when its fresh out of the oven. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and warmed in the microwave for a few seconds or until all the chocolate bits are melty and gooey…Mmm.

Go buy some zucchinis and make this bread right now!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 1 loaf
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup (125g)  all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (42g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled1
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (225g) packed shredded zucchini
¾ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
Directions:
1.       Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2.      Grease a 9×5 or 8×4 loaf pan. Set aside.
3.      In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4.      In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar until smooth.
5.      Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not over-mix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.
6.      Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean. All ovens vary so keep an eye out after about 50 minutes. Mine takes 60 minutes to cook perfectly.
7.      Remove the pan from the oven. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool until slightly warm before cutting into slices and serving.
Notes:
1.        I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the amount of salt by just a smidgen.
2.       Shred the zucchini with the peel on.
3.       Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Recipe source: Two Peas & Their Pod

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread: deliciously moist, intense and chocolatey #moist #chocolate #zucchinibread #delicious

{small batch} CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by
Craving chocolate chip cookies?
Don’t want to make a lot of effort?
Don’t want to end up with dozens of cookies?

Well this recipe, my friend, is just for you!

 

Six perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts. #smallbatch #chocolatechipcookies #cookies

Six perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts.
A recipe so simple, you’ll find yourself making it again and again. 10 minutes of mixing, 10 minutes of baking. That’s it! There’ll be a cookie in your hand in no time.
And trust me when I tell you, you won’t be able to stop at just one. You might end up eating all six, jussayin.

Six perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts. #smallbatch #chocolatechipcookies #cookies

A FEW RECIPE NOTES:

  • The chiller the dough; the less it spreads. That’s the rule: if you want thick cookies, chill the dough in the refrigerator. It’s cold right now so I don’t chill it but if you live somewhere hot, chill the dough prior to baking!
  • The walnuts are optional. I just love the way they give more texture to anything they’re added to especially cookies, making them richer and fuller.
  • If you can’t afford to go buy a bag of chocolate chips, don’t! Add in chopped up Dairy Milk, Bournville…any chocolate!
  • This recipe requires a baking tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper. You never grease the tray for cookies! Parchment paper is the way to go.
  • When the timer goes up, you may think that there is no way these cookies are cooked. They’ll look extremely soft and under-baked. But trust me, you do not want to over bake these. They will set with time.
  • Also >> the cookies will slightly deflate as you let them cool.

Six perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts. #smallbatch #chocolatechipcookies #cookiesSix perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts. #smallbatch #chocolatechipcookies #cookies

(notes my sister wants you to know)
  • Never offer just one cookie to your sister. 3 or maybe even 4 will do
  • Eat all of the cookies the day you bake them, otherwise they will become brittle and crumble away
  • If you can’t eat them all yourself don’t hesitate to give them to your sisters
  • Make sure the dough has been chilling in the fridge overnight before you tell your sisters that you’re about to make cookies

Six perfect chocolate chip cookies. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Loaded with chocolate and walnuts. #smallbatch #chocolatechipcookies #cookies

With that out of the way, let’s bake some cookies!

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes                                                                        Yields: 6 cookies
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients:
·         3 tablespoons (42g) butter, softened
·         1/4 cup brown sugar
·         2 tablespoons granulated sugar
·         1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
·         7 tablespoons all-purpose flour (1/2 cup minus 1 Tablespoon)
·         1/8 teaspoon baking soda
·         1/4 teaspoon salt
·         1/4 cup chopped walnuts *optional
·         1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C, and line a baking tray with parchment or wax paper.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well and set aside .
In a medium bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Next, add the egg yolk and beat until combined.
Finally, add in the dry ingredients and beat till just combined.
Fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips using a spatula or a wooden spoon.
Divide the dough equally into 6 balls, and space evenly on a baking sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown on the edges and the surface begins to crack.
Let cool completely. Dig in!
Notes:
I use and recommend Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips.
If you live somewhere hot, chill the dough prior to baking!
If using salted butter, omit the salt.

Shepherd’s Macaroni Pie

Posted in Ramadan, Random shizz, Savoury by
Happy 2018 everyone!
(let’s just pretend the last 10 days didn’t happen :p)
I hope you guys had a wonderful winter break. My sisters are back in school and I’m home alone again in an early-January post-resolutions funk.  I hope you are having better luck keeping track of your resolutions. My ‘eating healthy’ one got stumped on day one.
No surprise there.
I have been trying to get back into a somewhat balanced diet routine after gorging on waffles and carrot cake all of last week, and I have started going on regular walks with my mother, so that feels good.
My work/study perspective still needs sorting out and I still need to decide on what I want to do with my life.
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But other than that it’s going okay.
I have a good feeling about this year. I really do. 😀
 This Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. #Pie #ShepherdPie

 

This bleak and dreary weather calls for some serious comfort food and starting off the blank slate of the year with something rich and indulgent just feels right.

And what could be more indulgent then a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes + macaroni + rich meat filling all together in the form of a pie.

 

 

This Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. #Pie #ShepherdPieThis Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. My family loved it and I’m sure yours will too.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is my over-the-top version of the classic British Shepherd’s Pie

It has three parts to it:

  1. The meat sauce

  2. The mashed potatoes

  3. The macaroni

This Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. My family loved it and I’m sure yours will too.

It does take time to put the entire pie together but the end result will be well worth the effort, trust me.

And it’s super customizable too! You can:

  • Add in sweet corn, mushrooms, olives, jalapenos

  • Make it more/less spicy

  • Use chicken mince instead of beef

  • Leave out the macaroni layer entirely and you’ll be left with a traditional shepherd pie instead

 

This Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. #Pie #ShepherdPie

This Shepherd’s Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. My family loved it and I’m sure yours will too.

If you do make it, don’t forget to share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #spatulainmypocket

Cheers!

Shepherd’s Macaroni Pie

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Meat Sauce
¼ cup cooking oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
½ kilo ground beef (Qeema)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
4 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoon ketchup (optional but I like it saucy)
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Mashed Potatoes
2 large potatoes, boiled till tender
1 Tablespoon butter
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Macaroni
1 ½ cups boiled elbow macaroni
2 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
½ cup chicken stock or water
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon mustard powder
2 Tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

Meat sauce:
In a pan, heat the cooking oil and fry the chopped onion till golden brown.
Add in the carrot and beef. Cook, stirring constantly till the beef turns pale.
Add in the salt, black pepper, and red chilli powder. Mix well.
Cook on high heat for another minute then add in the tomato paste, flour, cornflour, and 1 ½ cup water. Mix well.
Cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook on low heat for 15 minutes or until the beef is fully cooked, and is thick and saucy.
Mashed Potatoes:
Mash the two boiled potatoes along with the butter and milk.
Mix in the seasonings.
Add in more milk if needed to reach a smooth consistency.
Macaroni:
In a saucepan, melt the butter.
Add in the flour, salt, black pepper and mustard powder. Mix with a wooden spoon.
Add in the milk and stock and mix constantly on a low heat.
As soon as the sauce starts thickening and bubbling, turn off heat and add in the cheese and the cooked macaroni. Mix well
Assembling:
Grease a large oven-proof casserole dish. Pour in whole of the meat sauce.
Ladle on top the macaroni.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the macaroni layer or you may pipe the potatoes with a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Top with a little cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes or until the top is a lovely golden brown.

This Shepherd Macaroni Pie is warm, hearty, and super comforting: the makings of a perfect wintertime comfort dish. #Pie #ShepherdPie

Banana Nut Muffins

Posted in Breakfast, Random shizz by

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

Kindly excuse my sporadic blogging schedule. I have been all over the place this year; the first half of which went by so quickly and the rest…excruciatingly slow.

Nothing remotely exciting happened in 2017 apart from the fact that I graduated from my university and was left at a tailspin of what to do next. Bouts of depression, tears, and heartbreaks is what tainted the last couple of months.

To say I’m looking forward to 2018 would be an understatement.

I hope it brings the much needed miracles, smiles, and opportunities.

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

It’s fitting to end with a blog post featuring a recipe I found and fell endlessly in love with this year.

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

A combination of sheer boredom and moldy bananas is what led me to first make these muffins.

I’ve gone on to make these many more times since then, and I can safely say my family and I are hooked!

They’re soft, not overly sweet, full of nuts and O so moist! There is simply no other way to describe how soft and delicious these banana walnut muffins are.

You won’t be able to have just one.

 

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

 

And they’re highly adaptable too. Add in a swirl of peanut butter, a giant dollop of Nutella

…

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

…or leave them plain.

They’re delicious either way!

anana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat.

These muffins are best served fresh out of the oven with a cup of tea.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and warmed in the microwave before serving.

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If you make these muffins, do share a picture with the hashtag #spatulainmypocket on Instagram. I’d love to see your creations 🙂

Banana Nut Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 12
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt1
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1¼ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4-5 bananas)
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¼ cup milk, at room temperature2
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners, set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter, milk and egg. Pour over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Add half of the chopped walnuts to the batter and fold gently until just combined
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped walnuts.
Bake until golden brown about 20-25 minutes. They should spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in the muffin pan before devouring.
Notes:
1.       If using salted butter, omit the salt
2.       Make sure that the milk is at room temperature or even slightly warm. Cold milk will cause the butter to solidify.
Recipe adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker

Banana Nut Muffins. The squishiest, most delicious muffins you’ll ever eat. #muffins #bananamuffins #banana #breakfast

CUPCAKE MASSACRE {Halloween Special}

Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes by

Happy Halloween errybady!

It’s not that late to whip up a batch of these scary yet cute cupcakes.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

 

Halloween or not, these cupcakes make for an adorable treat minus the blood splatters.

And they’re super easy too.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

Here’s what you need to make this cupcake massacre for your Halloween party:

Cupcakes

I posted a recipe of my favorite chocolate cupcakes just a few days ago. You can find the recipe HERE. They’re super moist, fudgy and will make for the perfect base for all the spooky décor on top.

Frosting

I used my recipe for Buttercream frosting I posted years ago for all the cupcakes. Buttercream is light and creamy and holds its shape perfectly for piping.

Recipe: HERE and HERE

Owl Cupcakes

 

These wide eyed Owl Cupcakes make for an adorably gory Halloween treat!

You will need:

Chocolate Frosting

Red M&Ms

Chocolate chips or chocolate M&Ms

Oreos

Method:

  1. Spread chocolate frosting on top of the cupcake.

  2. Push two Oreo wedges into the top edge of the cupcake to make the ears.

  3. Top with two whole Oreo halves, icing side up for eyes. Dot the bottom of two chocolate chips or chocolate M&Ms with frosting and place on top of Oreo halves for eyeballs.

  4. Place a red M&M in the center for the nose.

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

 

Gashed up cookie monster cupcakes

You will need:

Blue tinted Frosting (using Americolor Sky Blue Food Coloring)

Plain White frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mini Chocolate Chips

Multi-Opening Decorating Tip (Wilton Cake Decorating Tip 233)

Plain round piping tip

Disposable Piping Bag

Method:

  1. Spread a thin layer of blue frosting on top of the cupcake

  2. Fill a piping bag fitted with the multi-opening piping tip and fill it with the remaining blue frosting

  3. Make the Cookie Monster’s fur by applying even pressure to the piping bag and pulling directly up. (Watch this tutorial for a better idea) Cover the entire top of the Cookie Monster Cupcake with blue fur.

  4. Pipe small dots of plain white frosting as the two eyes. Place a mini chocolate chip on each as eyeballs.

  5. Stick one half of a chocolate chip cookie into the frosting to represent the Cookie Monsters’ mouth.

(on some cupcakes, I used the white part of an Oreo as the base of the eyes. But I think the white frosting looks better)

Bloody Broken Glass Cupcakes

*Inspired by the awesome Scran Line

Broken glass cupcakes with gashes and dribbles of blood.

You will need:

Grey tinted Frosting (using Wilton Black Food Coloring)

Edible Blood

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 M Wilton round Piping Tip

Disposable Piping Bag

Rice Crispies

Method:

  1. To prepare the sugar glass, melt the sugar in a pan over medium high heat till it starts changing color (do NOT stir). Pour onto a greased dish, throw on top some sugar crystals for a jaded effect and set aside to harden.

  2. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cupcake.

  3. Using a knife, make gashes into the piped frosting. Drizzle the edible blood on top and let it trickle down the gashes.

  4. Top with shards of the prepared sugar glass.

Bloody cupcakes with maggots and gashes.

Or throw on some maggots aka Rice Crispies.

Bloody cupcakes with maggots and gashes.

Group them together.

Drizzle spatters of blood on top and there you have it!

Your very own cupcake massacre.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

 

This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

It’s definitely an attention grabber.

Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes by

I’ve made a lot of cupcakes in my time. Some using one egg, two eggs, some with no eggs. Some with butter, some with oil. Some with coffee, some without.

I’ve tried all kinds of variations in the hope of finding the perfectly moist, melt-in-your mouth chocolate cupcake.

And trust me when I tell you, I have finally found my favorite version to share with you.

This is it!

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

This ridiculously easy, no mixer-needed recipe takes literally minutes to put together. And the result you ask? Sheer perfection.

Rich, moist, indulgent, and deliciously chocolatey; the perfect base for a big swirl of frosting.

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

These cupcakes pair well with all kinds of different flavors;

  • Peanut butter

  • Oreos

  • Peppermint

  • Salted caramel!!

But chocolate on chocolate is my favorite way to go.

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

This frosting is a Chocolate Fudge Buttercream: rich, fudgy whipped buttery goodness. It’s making my mouth salivate just writing about it…

Its dark, creamy and o’so dreamy.

This frosting will BLOW. YOUR. MIND.

The chocolate cupcakes are made with cocoa. The flavor is very dark, but not bitter in the least.

Then the combination of oil, coffee & buttermilk makes these cupcakes super moist. The cupcakes in no way taste of coffee. The hot coffee just helps the cocoa “bloom” and develop the intense chocolate flavor making them darker and richer.

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

Important tip!!
Make sure you fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 of the way full. Not ½ or all the way to the top.

Cupcake conundrums

Overfilling will lead to overflowing of the batter and result in flat mushroom tops.

Underfilling will result in tiny cupcakes with an unappealing overhang of the cupcake liner

If you want the perfectly risen cupcake…2/3 is the way to go!

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

Everyone should have a classic chocolate cupcake recipe in their life.

This is mine.

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Hope you love it as much as I do.

If you do try it, post a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #spatulainmypocket

I love to see all your creations 🙂

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Prep Time: 5 minutes                                                                        Yields: 12 cupcakes
Cook Time: 15 to 18 minutes
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cupcakes
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cornflour, leveled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature1
1/4 cup hot coffee2
3 Tablespoon oil
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Frosting
6 tablespoons (90g)  butter, softened to room temperature
2 and 1/2 cup icing’ sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-6 Tablespoons milk

 

Directions:
For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a cupcake pan with liners.
In a large bowl; whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornflour, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, coffee, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry while whisking vigorously; batter will be thin. (Pouring batter into a measuring jug makes it much easier to distribute into the cupcake pan.)
Portion out batter into cupcake tins.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until springy to the touch.
Allow to cool completely.
For the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. Turn speed to low and slowly add the sugar, and the cocoa powder. Add tablespoons of milk in between. Beat until sugar/cocoa are absorbed into the butter, about 2 minutes. Turn mixer to medium speed and add the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat till frosting is smooth and shiny. Add more milk if frosting is stiff. Add more sugar if frosting is too loose.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles if desired.
These cupcakes are best at room temperature and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
1.      Homemade buttermilk: ¼ tsp vinegar + 1/3 cup whole milk.
2.    I use a ¼ cup boiling water mixed with a ¼ tsp of instant coffee granules.

 

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

Posted in Desserts, Puddings and Pies by

The time has come when mangoes and peaches have made their final descent and hot sweaty days of slaving in the kitchen are officially a distant memory.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

 I may have found it hard saying goodbye to my summer desserts but I am loving fall and everything it has bought with it.

The cool crisp air. The warm brown orange hues. The piles of beautiful autumn leaves on the pavement.  The early sunsets. Halloween!

Pumpkin muffins. Warm tea. And apples. Lots and lots of beautiful apples and with it an endless list of things to make.

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

 

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

I can’t think of a better way to welcome fall with open arms than with these warm cinnamon-ny apple pie bars.

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel.

The perfect fall dessert!

 

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

These bars struck me in the middle of a caramel cinnamon autumnal daydream.

I was craving apple pie but had neither the patience nor an audience to feed an entire pie. This recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction proved to be a Godsend!

A quick version of the classic apple pie without all the hassle.

These apple pie bars taste even better than the original and they’re much easier to make.

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

They richness from the shortbread crust, the sweetness of the apples, the nuttiness from the crumble and the saltiness of the caramel together create magic in your mouth.

 

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

These nutty apple pie bars consist of 4 delicious components:

  1. The shortbread crust is flaky and buttery and takes literally seconds to put together

  2. The apples are warm and gooey and they make your entire house smell of cinnamon a smell so deliriously good, it makes me want to bottle it up and wear it as perfume.

  3. The crumble is made up of oats, brown sugar, walnuts and more cinnamon. It has to be my favorite part of these bars. This crumble topping has infact been featured on the blog before. Remember this beautiful peach pie from last summer? Yup that’s the same crumble on top. The same bits of crumbly buttery deliciousness.

  4. The salted caramel to balance the richness and sweetness. You can skip it out completely but I mean why would you? Its salted caramel!! Edible molten gold! *swoooon*

You may think that all these layers and components would take a lot of time to put together but trust me when I tell you, this recipe is super quick. There’s no chilling or blind baking involved. It takes no more than 20 minutes to put the whole dish together and bang it into the oven.

 

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

A note about the original recipe:

Sally‘s version calls for 115g of butter and ¼ cup of sugar for the crust. I found the crust too greasy and sweet the first time I made this recipe and so I used less butter and also reduced the sugar the second time around. This ratio works out perfectly.

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

 

Have it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and I guarantee they’ll become one of your favorite fall treats as soon as you take the first bite!

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

See you soon with some spooky treats. 😉

 

 

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

 

Ingredients:
Shortbread Crust
90g (6 Tablespoons) butter, melted
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Apple Filling
2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick, makes 3-4 cups)
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
Crumble
1/2 cup quick cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped *optional
60g butter, cold and cubed
Salted Caramel
I use this recipe.
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
For the crust: In a bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add in the flour and stir until everything is well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes while you prepare the rest of the components.
For the apple filling: Combine everything in a large bowl, and mix until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
For the crumble: In a bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, and flour. Cut in the chilled butter using two forks or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembling: Remove the crust from the oven. Evenly and tightly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. Press them down to make them fit. Sprinkle with the crumble topping and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Meanwhile prepare the salted caramel using this recipe.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20-30 minutes at room temperature before slicing. Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I cut them into 8 large bars for the pictures but usually cut them into bite size pieces since they are quite rich. Once cut, salted caramel sauce. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy.
These apple pie bars are best served warm but they taste amazing cold too. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator.
Recipe adapted from: Sally’s Baking Addiction

 

Shortbread crust. Cinnamon apples. Crumb topping. Salted caramel. Apple pie bars...The perfect fall dessert!

Iced Lemon Pound Cake

Posted in Cakes by

October has begun and so has fall. The avalanche of pumpkins, apples and cinnamon has already hit us. And here I am…still hanging onto my summer desserts.

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

 

I’m not ashamed of it. Not one bit. I would gladly eat a slice of this moist, buttery lemon cake any day of the year.

 

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

 

I love my monstrous frosted layered cake creations but sometimes, just sometimes, I crave the comfort of a simple, homely, fresh out of the oven cake. A cake that doesn’t ask for planning or fancy detailing. A cake that can be whipped up in minutes.

This lemon pound cake is just that.

Simple, delicious, and ridiculously easy to make.

 

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

It has a soft, fluffy, moist texture with a bright lemon kick from the tangy glaze on top. It’s buttery and lemony and it literally melts in your mouth. And it couldn’t be easier to make.

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

Here are some tips to remember:

  1. A pound cake gets its fine, dense (not heavy) texture from the all the mixing. The mixing incorporates air, creating volume, which then levels the loaf. So make sure you beat the sugar and butter well and again after the addition of each egg.

  2. Buttermilk gives you a moist, flavorful cake. The acidity in the buttermilk reacts with the baking powder making the cake lighter in texture. To make homemade buttermilk; combine ½ cup whole milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice.

  3. The cake gets most of its flavor from the lemon zest so make sure you do not skimp on the zest. Only use the thin, yellow zest layer of the lemon, which contains the lemon oils, and avoid the white layer which tastes bitter.

  4. Grease your loaf pan very well. I like to oil the pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, and then coat the pan with flour. This ensures that the cake will pop right out of the pan in one piece.

Once the cake is slightly cooled, I like to top it off with a thick lemon glaze. The glaze gives the cake a burst of citrus flavor and takes on a beautiful almost matte finish once it hardens.

 

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

It has become go-to lemon pound cake recipe. Maybe it will become yours too. 🙂

Lemon Pound Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: one 9 inch loaf
Cook Time: 45 to 55 minutes
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of 1 lemon (around 1 teaspoon)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (see notes below)
For the glaze:
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Dust with flour, shake off the excess.
In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar. Add in the butter and beat with a hand mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla and lemon juice. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture and mix until almost combined, then add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with another third of flour mixture and then the last half of the buttermilk, ending with the last third of the flour. Beat until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45 – 55 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about 10 – 15 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan to finish cooling before glazing.
Meanwhile make the glaze; combine all the glaze ingredients, start with 1 tbsp lemon juice and milk and add the remaining lemon juice as needed. The icing should be thick and smooth. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar if needed to get the correct pouring consistency. Slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let it dry before slicing the cake.
Notes
1.       Homemade buttermilk: ½ cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar
2.       This cake will keep about 4 days at room temperature or upto one week in the refrigerator.

This super tender, delicious lemon pound cake makes for a perfect evening snack.

Fudgy Nutella Brownies

Posted in Brownies and Bars by

I have found a new favorite brownies recipe and it involves lots and lots of Nutella.

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

My love for Nutella is nothing new on this blog. (Remember these Nutella cinnamon rolls? Nutella swirl muffins?!)

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Nutella is one of man’s best gift to mankind.

Also, maybe the worst.

The eating straight-out-of-the jar habit has me looking like a beached whale. o.o

 

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

I’m obsessed, and this obsession resulted in me adding lots and lots of Nutella to my brownies.

Because why not?

 

There’s no such thing as too much chocolate. Am I right or am I right?

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

And these brownies… oh man.

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

Chewy around the edges, fudgy on the inside. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

Thick? ✓

Fudgy? ✓

Crispy, crackly top? ✓

Swirls of Nutella? ✓

Brownies to end all brownies? ✓ ✓

 

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

If you’re looking for a rich indulgent treat, these are it. Make these today, tonight, right this moment! Trust me you won’t regret it.

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever made.

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and hashtag any of your creations to #spatulainmypocket. I would love to see your creations! Also like my Facebook and other social media so we can keep in touch.

Fudgy Nutella Brownies

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 20 squares
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup (200g) melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Nutella
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Grease a 13×9 baking dish.
In the bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking powder.
Add flour mixture gradually to the wet mixture. Mix intil fully incorporated.
Microwave the 1 cup of Nutella for about 30-60 seconds to soften. Mix the melted Nutella into the batter, saving a couple of tablespoons for the top.
Pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Spoon the remaining Nutella on top of the brownie batter. Drag a knife back and forth across the batter to create swirls.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.
Cool completely before cutting.
Notes:
1.       The key to the fudginess: DO NOT OVER-BAKE. Bake until just firm. The toothpick test doesn’t work on this as the center will be gooey when they first come out of the oven but will set as they cool down which brings me to my second point…
2.      Let them cool completely before slicing them up!! I cannot emphasize enough how fudgy these are. You have to let them cool to room temperature to get proper squares. If you’re impatient like I first was, you’ll end up with a gooey, albeit delicious, mess on your hands :p Trust me, they are worth every single minute of the tortuous wait.

 

Recipe source: Genius Kitchen 

 

Fudgy on the inside, chewy around the edges. These brownies are the BEST brownies I_ve ever made.

2nd BLOGIVERSAY + Favorites

Posted in Random shizz by

Since I last posted over a month ago, Spatula in My Pocket’s 2nd blogiversary came and went– and with it, about a gazillion other things. I feel as if this year is just whizzing by. It’s been a summer of endings, pending beginnings and a whole lot of baking.

It’s still hard to believe this blog is two years old. When I first started out, I had no idea it would turn into a business, a career. With time, I feel I have deviated from why I first set out to blog.  With this post I hope to become regular again.

Here’s to a fresh comeback, sticking to promises and loads of love & happiness to everyone.

Below is a list of some cake trends and things that I have been obsessed with over the summer. Hope you enjoy!

Naked Cakes

The naked cake trend is by far my most favorite cake trend. I’ve always played for the more cake; less frosting team and when these cakes started trending last year, I was game!

 

 

The thin frosting layer with the slightly exposed cake underneath gives beautiful rustic look. Though I think a lot of people don’t appreciate the understated elegance of naked cakes. A simple naked cake adorned with fresh roses looks and tastes way better than the swirly ruffly over-frosted cakes people still opt for.

Tiered Cakes

Tiered cakes are another recent obsession. After the first disastrous attempt about a year ago I’d let go of all hope of ever stacking cakes and not having them look as if they are about to slide off. Fast forward to 10 months later and that fear has poofed away! Stacking cakes is so much fun!

 

I’ve made 4 (almost perfect) tiered cakes this past month alone. I wish every order is a tiered cake order from now on 😀

Russian Piping Tips

I’d seen Russian piping tips all over the internet, bought a set about a year ago, and promptly forgot about them. It wasn’t until I saw this tutorial by iambaker that I remembered I had a set lying forgotten in the kitchen drawer. They have become my newest favorite thing ever since!

Russian Piping Tips

Russian tips are piping tips with intricate cut outs resembling different flowers.

 

They result in beautiful delicate flowers that look like they might have taken you hours of work but instead take you just seconds. You do need a lot of practice and patience and gobs of frosting.

Wilton Burgundy Gel Food Color

This tiny bottle of food color yields the most exquisite shades of pink; bubblegum pink, to my favorite Barbie pink, to the hottest color of the year, ‘millennial pink’.

 

It is stronger and works way better than normal pink food color. I’ve been sneaking it onto cakes in the form of flowers, swirls, blobs..any way I can 😉

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

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Picture credits: https://topsecretrecipes.com/reeses-peanut-butter-cups-copycat-recipe.html

 

I blame Always Hungry for this obsession -.-

She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens

A few months back, I stumbled upon an Instagram account featuring Princess Diana’s most iconic looks and that was it. I was hooked.

I have since then seen every video there is about her on Youtube, every documentary on Netflix. I’ve made my sisters sit through her funeral show twice, sobbing the entire way through.

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Credits: http://princessdiana-legacy.tumblr.com/

 

And when it seemed like I’d researched everything there is about Diana, I moved onto the other British Royals. First the Crown (second season come quick!) and now Helen Castor’s miniseries, She-Wolves: England’s Early Queens.

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I’m halfway through the second episode and, guys, I am seriously considering taking up British History as a major for Masters studies next year o.o

Jojo

This one here is a forever favorite of mine but gets a special mention because she is 6000 miles away and I MISS HER MORE THAN EVER.

Summer wasn’t summer without our Vigo rides, peach iced teas, stalking and Community sessions.

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Love you, Jojesmojes! 😥 ❤

And thats it!

What have you been loving this summer? Let me know in the comments down below, I’d love to know!

KULFA: The Cheat’s Version

Posted in Desserts by

This past week has been all about surviving the heat of summer.

Despite the short outbursts of rain here and there, it’s been SO hot.

The kind of hot where all you feel like doing is blasting on the air conditioner, putting Netflix on, and devouring mint chocolate chip ice cream (recipe coming soon!).

Kulfa: rich and creamy. Chuck-everything-into-the-blender easy!

It was on one particularly hot day that I was craving something cold, something creamy when I decided to hunt down a recipe that didn’t require much of my energy or time. Going through my huge recipe stash, I found this magical recipe. A Shireen Anwer classic I remember jotting down in my journal years ago.

Kulfa: rich and creamy. Chuck-everything-into-the-blender easy!

 

Kulfa or kulfi is a popular street food here in Pakistan. Its a frozen milk based dessert, perfect for a hot summer day. The authentic recipe calls for cooking down milk and sugar for hours and hours till its reduced to half. It’s a slow and tiresome process. The cheat version, however, is so much quicker and so much better!

Kulfa: rich and creamy. Chuck-everything-into-the-blender easy!

It’s rich, creamy, and sweet…not to mention delicious. And it is SOOO Easy to make. Chuck-everything-into-the-blender easy!

Try this cheats version, you won’t be disappointed.

Kulfa

Ingredients:
2 slices of white bread, soaked in some milk
1 teaspoon cardamom powder1, leveled
2 Tablespoon almonds, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoon pistachios, roughly chopped
1 pack (200 ml) heavy cream, chilled
½ a tin (200 g) of condensed milk, chilled
1 small tin (210 g) evaporated milk, chilled
Directions:
Blend all the ingredients in a blender till well combined. Pour the contents into an airtight container.2 Seal the top and place in the freezer overnight.
When ready to serve, wrap a warm kitchen towel around the container for a few seconds. Run a knife around the sides. Overturn the container onto your serving platter. Cut into slices. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios and almonds on top and enjoy.
Notes
1.       I made my own cardamom powder by grinding just the seeds of some cardamom pods. Wasn’t very fine, but I liked that it was a bit coarse.
2.      You can use ice cream or ‘kulfi’ molds.
Recipe source: Shireen Anwer

Kulfa: rich and creamy. Chuck-everything-into-the-blender easy!

Death by Chocolate Cake + World Chocolate Day!

Posted in Cakes, Desserts by

4 years of college. Over and done with.
More on that later…

LET’S HAVE CAKE TO CELEBRATE.

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

It is World Chocolate Day after all. And it’d be rude not to indulge in chocolate (not that I do it everyday? Those last 4 jars of Nutella. Nop. Not me.)

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

This is hands down the best chocolate cake you will ever taste.

It is super easy to make; no fancy equipment, no complicated ingredients needed. Just two bowls and a whisk (a mixer, if you’re me).

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

I went for the naked cake look because my family isn’t too big on frosting. Also, I think naked cakes look prettier.

I used my rusty 6-inch cake pan for a taller cake. And topped it all off with some of these beautiful flowers from the garden.

Some tips to make sure your cake turns out perfect every single time:

  • Make sure the eggs and milk are at room temperature. Makes a world of difference! Trust me

  • DIY Buttermilk: 1 cup whole milk (at room temperature) + 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice

  • Butter at room temperature for a smooth, cream frosting is a MUST. It should be soft but not too soft that’s its melting and has an oily sheen to it

  • No, sugar crushed in a grinder will not work for the frosting

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

Try this cake for the next birthday party, anniversary, World Chocolate Day — it’s a show-stopper!

Death by Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake
·         1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
·         1 and 3/4 cup granulated sugar
·         3/4 cup cocoa powder
·         1 tsp baking powder
·         2 tsp baking soda
·         1/2 tsp salt
·         1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature1
·         1/2 cup vegetable oil
·         2 large eggs, at room temperature
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
·         1 cup freshly made strong hot coffee2
 
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
  • 250g butter
  • 3-4 cups icing sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 3-5 Tbsp. whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ganache for the drip
·         1/2 cup  cream
·         1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Fresh flowers for the top

 

Directions:
1.       Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Grease & flour three 6 inch round cake pans3, and line them with parchment paper.
2.      For the cake: In a bowl, whisk together hot coffee and cocoa till a thick mix forms. Set aside to cool.
3.      Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
4.      In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar till a bit pale in color. Mix in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low. Add the coffee cocoa mixture. Mix until combined.
5.      Divide the batter into prepared baking pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
6.      For the frosting: In a large bowl, sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder.
7.      In another bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and pale in color. With the speed on low, add in half of the sugar and the cocoa powder. Beat till combined. Then add in the rest of the sugar/cocoa mix. Turn mixer to medium speed and add the vanilla, cream and milk tablespoon by tablespoon. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Add more icing sugar if too lose or add more milk if too thick.
8.     For the ganache: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer (or microwave till hot). Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Allow ganache to cool and thicken for about 30 minutes.
9.      Assemble the cake: Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate. With a palette knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, spread with frosting. Place the third layer on top, plain side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Scrape off the excess frosting for the ‘naked cake’ look I went for. Place cake in the fridge till cool to the touch. Then, pour over the top the chocolate ganache, let it drip round the edges. Top with fresh flowers, and enjoy!
Notes
1.       DIY Buttermilk: 1 cup whole milk (at room temperature) + 1 Tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice
2.      I use 1 cup boiling water + 1 tsp instant coffee
3.      You can use two 8-inch or two 9-inch cake pans instead too

 

 

3 layers of rich moist chocolate cake, sandwiched with a dreamy creamy chocolate fudge frosting, and topped with drizzles of smooth lush chocolate ganache.

Sindhi Biryani

Posted in Savoury by

Biryani.

The mere name conjures up images of steaming piles of desi goodness, all yellow and white and heavenly. Your brain teases with memory of the spicy aroma and your heart leaps in anticipation.

Biryani is the heartbeat of our nation and nothing feels better than knowing that you have mastered the art of making it. Recipe on the blog.

Biryani is the heartbeat of our nation and nothing feels better than knowing that you have mastered the art of making it.

Biryani is the heartbeat of our nation and nothing feels better than knowing that you have mastered the art of making it. Recipe on the blog.

Today I am going to share the recipe that’ll make you the master of biryani too.

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Over the years, I have tried more than 15 different biryani recipes with varying degrees of success.

This one is my baby. So read carefully and follow each step to the book.

Biryani is the heartbeat of our nation and nothing feels better than knowing that you have mastered the art of making it. Recipe on the blog.

If it seems like too much work… Well then, you are simply not ready yet. You can start with the easy peasy chicken karahi :p

Biryani is the heartbeat of our nation and nothing feels better than knowing that you have mastered the art of making it. Recipe on the blog.

I’ve tried to explain each and every step in the recipe as clearly as I could but here are some extra tips that make all the difference:

  • Slice onions as thinly as possible. The thinner the onions, the crispier they’ll be. If your onions aren’t thin enough, they won’t brown evenly and will turn soggy. You want the onions to be nice and crunchy so that you crush them up easily and not have big onions bits in your biryani.

  • Don’t skimp on the whole spices. All the different spices that together make up what we call ‘garam masala’ are essential to the aroma and taste of agood biryani. It might be frustrating to collect and add all the bit (and you might hate biting onto a piece of illachi) but trust me when I tell that you it’ll be worth it!

  • The secret is in the masala. Use red, ripe tomatoes, ½ kilo of them which is around 4 large ones. The riper they are, the better the masala ends up being. Together with the green chilli paste and ginger garlic; MIX MIX MIX. Mix till oil appears on the surface

  • Have patience. Cook the chicken low and slow. Cook the rice till al-dente. This step is something which I always mess up and so get my mom to do it for me

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s what mums are for

 

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So, one fine Sunday why not ditch the store-bought biryani masalas and make this delicious authentic Sindhi Biryani from scratch. Its rich and spicy and filled with herbs and succulent meat and potatoes. A family favorite at my house and will become your’s too InshaaAllah 💜

Sindhi Biryani

Prep Time: 30 minutes                                                                        Serves: 8
Cook Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
½ kg Basmati rice, soaked for 30-60 mins
6 +4 whole green chilies
4 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves
½ cup cooking oil
2 large onions, sliced thinly
4 large tomatoes, sliced
1 Tbsp whole mix spices1
2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste, heaped
2 tsp chili powder, heaped
2 tsp salt, leveled
1 kg chicken cut into 12 pieces
2-3 potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup yogurt, whisked till smooth
½ tsp garam masala powder
10-12 dried plums soaked in warm water
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Fresh mint leaves
¼ tsp yellow food color
Directions:
1.      Boil rice in water + 2 Tbsp salt + ½ tsp black cumin + a bay leaf. Cook till rice is 3/4th of the way done. Drain and set aside.
2.      Grind together 6 green chilies along with the fresh coriander. Add just a splash of water to help the grinder going. Set aside.
3.      In a pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions, constantly mixing, till dark brown. Take out the fried onions and spread them on some paper towels. When dry, crush them coarsely with your hands.
4.      In the same pan used before, add the tomatoes, ginger garlic, the grinded chili coriander mix, the whole spices, red chili powder and salt. Constantly mix with a wooden spoon. When the tomatoes turn mushy and oil appears on the surface, add in the chicken pieces, potatoes, and half cup water. Mix. Cover the pan and leave to cook on low heat.
5.      When the chicken is half done, add the yogurt, fried onions, garam masala powder, and the 4 whole green chilies. Mix well, cover and leave to cook till both chicken and potatoes are tender.
6.      Grease the bottom of a bigger pot with a spoon of oil. Transfer half of the boiled rice. Top with the entire chicken mix. Spread it. Sprinkle the fresh coriander and mint leaves + the dried plums. Top it off with the rest of the boiled rice. Spread it and press the rice with the back of your spoon.
7.      With the end of your wooden spoon, make holes in the rice, going ¾ of the way down. In these holes spoon in the yellow food color mixed in some water.2
8.      Cover with a tight lid and place on very low heat for about 15-20 minutes to steam.
9.      Mix and serve immediately with mint raita and fresh cucumber salad.
10.  Enjoy!
Notes
1.      Whole spices include: 1 bay leaf (tayz pata), 2 cinnamon sticks, 4-6 black cloves, 4-6 black peppercorns, 3-5 green cardamom pods (hari illachi), 2 black cardamom pods (bhari illachi), 1 tsp cumin seeds (sabat zeera)
2.      This is optional, it’s the way I do it. Alternatively, you can just pour the food color mixed in little water, in just one go over the rice.
Recipe source: The amazing Shireen Anwer

 

sas

The Return of the Blog + BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

Posted in Breakfast by

Hello world!

A lot has happened since I last talked to you.

For starters, I am well into the 3rd week of final year at college. Weeeeirddd. I know.

They aren’t joking when they say that your college years fly by, are they?  First year feels like just yesterday. Nothing has changed – except that a lot has changed.

Most of you might know that I’ve been gaga over donuts for the last three months or so. What started off as a class project has now turned into (dundundun) my life. Nuts about Donuts, a small homebased business selling artisan style donuts.

I’ve made over 500 donuts since I started Nuts about Donuts o.o (Check out its insta and Facebook and give it some love) 🙂

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My life has been pretty much donuts all day every day. I legit don’t have time for anything else. And that my lovelies is why I have been missing from Spatula for so long.

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I first started food blogging to share my love for food but over time it started to feel like a chore. The editing, the photography, the writing; all started to become too planned and systematic. It felt like too much for me to handle, what with the donuts and school work. This blog was all about doing and sharing something that I love.

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I took a self-proclaimed 5 day holiday from Nuts about Donuts just yesterday, announcing on the page ‘we’re closed for a bit’, just so I could do something else, like STUDY maybe!

And it’s during this so-called break that I decided that I shall return back to thy blog.

I MISS YOU GUYS. 😥

And what better way to make a grand return then on NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY.

If you’ve been following along for a while, you might have noticed that there is a fair share of pancake recipes on this blog.

Make use of the fresh strawberries this spring to jazz up your pancakes. Leftover compote is delicious drizzled over ice cream.

These pancakes are made using the same recipe I shared a couple of posts ago.

Make use of the fresh strawberries this spring to jazz up your pancakes. Leftover compote is delicious drizzled over ice cream.

Top those soft fluffy pancakes with a simple 3 ingredient strawberry compote and you have a killer combination.

pancakes

The homemade strawberry compote is super simple. Just three ingredients and a few minutes simmering on the stove-top. You can puree the compote for a smoother consistency or you can leave it chunkier as it is (like I did).

Make use of the fresh strawberries this spring to jazz up your pancakes. Leftover compote is delicious drizzled over ice cream too.

Make use of the fresh strawberries this spring to jazz up your pancakes. Leftover compote is delicious drizzled over ice cream.

Tomorrow I’ll be making biryani. Recipe to be posted veeeery soon, I know a lot of you have been waiting for it since ages.

See you in a month then. Just kidding. I’ll try and post a new recipe each week.

Love to you all. ❤

Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry Compote

Yields: 13-15 pancakes
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk1
1 egg
1 Tablespoon melted & cooled butter or vegetable oil
For the Strawberry Compote
250g strawberries, diced
1 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
 
Directions:
To make the strawberry compote: combine strawberries, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 6-10 minutes. Keep warm; set aside.
For the pancakes: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg and melted butter, just until all mixed together (small lumps are fine, DO NOT OVERMIX).
Heat a large, nonstick pan over medium-heat and lightly brush with oil or butter. Using an ice cream scoop (or any large spoon) add the batter to the pan. Cook the pancake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it’s golden brown on the bottom.
Slide a thin, wide metal spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
Serve pancakes immediately topped with strawberry compote. Enjoy!
Notes
1.  DIY Buttermilk: 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar. Mix and let it sit for 10 minutes. Mix well and use.               
*To achieve smooth brown pancakes, don’t grease the pan after every single pancake. Grease it after every third pancake. Hope that makes sense.

Make use of the fresh strawberries this spring to jazz up your pancakes. Leftover compote is delicious drizzled over ice cream.

NUTELLA CINNAMON ROLLS

Posted in Breads, Breakfast by

Bread, in any form, always has a special place in my heart (ok belly). Be it:

–This hearty, moist banana bread dotted with ooey gooey chocolate chips

–This easy braided chicken bread

-Or these sumptuous pumpkin muffins swirled with Nutella

I could eat bread all day long.

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

And there’s nothing more satisfying than making your own bread, your own dough, from scratch. Especially tear and share breads. Especially cinnamon rolls. Especially “Nutella” Cinnamon rolls!!

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

Yes, I put Nutella IN the rolls and ON the rolls.

There’s no such thing as too much Nutella in my world. :3

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

These rolls are best fresh from the oven, but they also keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge.  Just place one on a plate and microwave for 10-15 seconds, and they’ll be just as good as the day they were made.

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

These cinnamon rolls are what dreams are made of! They’ll leave you scraping the plate clean and wanting more.

This light fluffy dough, is filled with Nutella and butter and cinnamon, then baked until gooey and brown, and topped with drizzles upon drizzles of cream cheese glaze and more molten Nutella.

Make these for friends and family, or just because it’s Tuesday and you’re wacked out —you won’t be disappointed.

Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

Prep Time: 40 minutes                                                                        Yields: 12-14 rolls
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients:
DOUGH
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 envelope instant yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)
1 egg, at room temperature
FILING
2/3 cup Nutella
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE ICING
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. milk (if needed)
NUTELLA DRIZZLE *optional
1/3 cup Nutella
Directions:
For the Rolls:
Combine milk and butter in a bowl. Heat in microwave, for 1 minute, then remove and stir. Continue heating in 20 second intervals, pausing after each to stir, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm to the touch but not hot. If needed, let the milk mixture sit for a few minutes until it is warm but not piping hot.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, sugar and salt until combined. Add in the yeast and the milk mixture. Mix till combined. Then knead dough onto a floured countertop till it forms a soft pliable ball, add ¼ cup flour at a time if dough is sticky.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a floured work surface. Then use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 14 x 9 inches in size.
Use a knife or spoon to spread the Nutella1 evenly over the top of the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch border at the bottom of the 14-inch edge (so that the Nutella doesn’t ooze out). Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly on top of the Nutella.
Beginning at the top 14-inch edge (the edge with the Nutella spread clear to the border), tightly roll up the dough. Then give the final seam a little pinch so that it seals. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
Place each of the cut cinnamon rolls into a greased pie plate or 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Then cover again with a damp towel, and leave the dish in a warm place to rise for 30-40 minutes.
When the rolls have risen, uncover the dish. Then place on the center rack of the oven and bake at 180 degrees C for 20-30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden and cooked through. Remove and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Drizzle with your icing and Nutella and serve warm.
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
In mixing bowl, whisk butter and cream cheese together until combined. Then whisk in powdered sugar until combined. If the icing is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin.
For the Nutella Drizzle:
Warm Nutella in the microwave for a few seconds to help make it more spreadable. Then use either a piping bag to pipe it onto the cinnamon rolls, or use a fork to drizzle it on.
Notes:
1.       Microwave Nutella for a few seconds to make it easier to spread.
Recipe source: Gimme Some Oven

These cinnamon rolls are what dreams are made of! They’ll leave you scraping the plate clean and wanting more.

Meringue Ghosts [Halloween Special]

Posted in Cakes, Cookies, Desserts by

“By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.”

-William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

It’s finally Hallow’s eve!

This post is quite accidental to be honest. I hadn’t planned on doing a Halloween special this year what with being swamped with college stuff, cake orders, and buddy nonsense.

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

I had an ignored Chocolate Cake lying in my fridge; plain top, frosted with chocolate buttercream, and chocolate drips on the sides. If you have ever tried my classic chocolate cake, you’d know that you end up with one lone egg white because the recipe calls for 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk.

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

 

And that one egg white is the reason why we have a Halloween post this year!  😀 It’s nothing like last year’s grand spectacle where we murdered a Red Velvet Cake and loved every minute of it. :3 But its awesome nonetheless!!

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

That one egg white has been used to make ghosts to adorn the cake with. Cute little meringue blobs together with their chocolate ball eyes made for adorable ghost toppers. The whole idea came out exactly as I had pictured.

The meringue ghosts were super easy to make; just three ingredients, four if you want to stretch it. The only thing I’d impress upon is ‘patience’. Patience when:

-beating the meringue to make it stiff and glossy, takes 3-5 minutes.

-baking the meringue till it easily peels off the parchment paper, round 60-90 minutes

-letting the meringues dry, round 2-3 hours

Other than that, they’re a breeze to make. This recipe only makes 10-12 meringue ghosts, just enough to top a cake with. But you can easily double the recipe to make more. Just remember the meringue code; for each egg white, use 1/4 cup caster sugar.

That is, if you’re using:

  • 1 egg white: ¼ cup sugar

  • 2 egg whites: ½ cup sugar

  • 3 egg whites: ¾ cup sugar

  • 4 egg whites: 1 cup sugar

And so on…

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

 

Do give these tiny ghost buddies a try. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

Happy Halloween!

Meringue Ghosts

Prep Time: 10 minutes                                                                        Yields: 10-12 cookies
Cook Time: 60-90 minutes
Ingredients:
·         1 large egg white
·         Pinch of cream of tartar, optional
·         1/4 cup caster sugar
·         1/4 tsp vanilla extract
·         Mini chocolate chips
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 105°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, cream of tartar and vanilla on medium speed until frothy.
  3. Gradually add in sugar and increase mixer to medium-high speed. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; about 3 minutes.
  4. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.  Pipe a blob on blob of meringue onto prepared baking sheet (three blobs in total). Add mini chocolate chips for eyes.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for about 1.5 hours or until the meringues are dry and crisp to the touch. Turn off the oven and allow the meringue ghosts to continuing drying in the oven for a few hours.
  6. Ghosts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Meringue Ghosts. They’re crunchy on the outside, and soft and mallowy on the inside.

Dhaba Dal

Posted in Savoury by

Eating out is fun and adventurous. You get to try yummy new dishes without the hassle of cooking, table setting and washing up. It’s exciting to dress up and watch the waiter go by with trays laden with food that isn’t yours.

But sometimes the overpriced plates of pasta drowning in white sauce just don’t cut it. Sometimes what you need is good ol’ dal chawal.

Dal (curried lentils) is comfort food in all its comforting glory! It comes together in minutes and is very healthy and filling.

Dal (curried lentils) is comfort food in all its comforting glory! It comes together in minutes and is very healthy and filling.

It’s perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters (especially after Bakra Eid) alike.

Dal (curried lentils) is comfort food in all its comforting glory! It comes together in minutes and is very healthy and filling.

 

 

If you’re a newbie to lentils, fear not. This was the first dal recipe I ever made, and I’ve made it a dozen times since. It’s super easy to cook. It involves none of that pressure cooker hassle. I’ve never used a pressure cooker and never intend to use it in the future either. That thing gives me the jeepers! Its the fault of all the horror stories told about the pressure coolers exploding.

Lentils cook beautifully well by simply boiling them in spiced water.

Dal (curried lentils) is comfort food in all its comforting glory! It comes together in minutes and is very healthy and filling.

There’s two parts to this recipe: the cooking of the lentils and the tempering. I’ve tried to explain each one of the steps involved as clearly as I could.

It’s a classic Shireen Anwer recipe (bow down for the queen). So you can’t go wrong with that!

Do give this recipe a try. It’s spicy, creamy, and reminiscent of the dal you get served on the roadside restaurants.

Coupled with roti hot off the tandoor or plain boiled rice, this dhaba dal is sure to become a family favorite in your house.

Dhaba Dal

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
250 g chana dal/split chick peas
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi powder)
½ cup ghee or cooking oil
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp red chili flakes
¼ tsp garam masala (all spice powder)
Green chilies, finely chopped
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Directions:
Soak the dal in water for 3 to 4 hours. Then wash and place in a pan along with; 3 cups of water, salt, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Cook on medium high flame till dal is soft and is cooked completely.
For the tempering/tarqa:
In a small pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions till brown. Then add in the tomatoes, garlic and the chili flakes. Cook on high flame, mixing continuously, till tomatoes turn mushy and the oil comes on top of the surface. Add in the chopped green chilies, and garam masala powder. Mix well.
Pour the tarqa on top of the prepared dal and mix the two together.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
Serve hot with plain white rice.

 

Dal (curried lentils) is comfort food in all its comforting glory! It comes together in minutes and is very healthy and filling.

Stuffed Italian Pirazo Pie

Posted in Savoury by

Remember how I ranted on about college starting in my last post? Well, it did start and so much has been happening since then that I haven’t had the time to post anything. Group problems, project dilemmas, frenemies, general steering clear of some evil people, and what not.

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

If there’s any recipe fit for a mighty comeback it would be a pie. Nothing beats a good ole pie!

A savory pie to be exact. Made with meat and cheese and dough and carbs.

It is so so good! I kid you not.

This recipe consists of two separate recipes.

  • one is for the pie filling,

  • the second is for the base and top of the pie which is essentially a tweaked up recipe of my foolproof pizza dough

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

It makes for two pies. I made one with the beef filling, and stuffed the other one with a random shredded spicy chicken mix.

You can go wild with the filling;

  • sub the ground with chicken or sausages

  • add in corn, beans, mushrooms

  • drizzle in some Sriracha

  • or a dash of paprika

This is YOUR pie and the world is your pickle. Add in anything and everything your heart desires!

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

 

How this pie works?

You fit half of the dough onto a pie plate, spoon on the filling, and then top with another piece of rolled out dough; plain or go fancy like I did with some rusty lattice work.

If you want to learn how to do proper pie lattice, check out this tutorial.

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

This pie does take time to come together.

  1. Make the dough. Let it proof.

  2. Make the filling. Let it cool.

  3. Assemble the pie.

  4. Bake. Let it cool.

And THEN you get to dig in.

But it’s all well worth the time and effort…for this pie really is scrummy. You’ll find yourself going in for second And third helpings. Maybe more. :3

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

I’m sure you’ll love this Italian Pirazo Pie; it’s a twist on the classic meat pie, easy to make and deeply comforting.

If you have any questions or comments let me know in the comment box down below. 🙂

Stuffed Italian Pirazo Pie

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
For the Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 standard packet (1/4 ounce) or 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup whole milk
Lukewarm water, as needed
For the Filling
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
250g ground beef
½ tsp red chilli flakes
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
¼ tsp garam masala (all-spice powder)
1 green chilli, finely chopped
Fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Sesame seeds
1 egg, for egg wash
Directions
DOUGH
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, the egg, oil, and the milk. Slowly mix in the water with your hands till all the ingredients are mixed well and dough starts to form.
Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes on a floured counter top till the dough becomes smooth and is no longer sticky. Add more flour if it is still sticky.
Bang the dough on the counter top 7-8 times for elasticity.
Shape the dough in a ball and place in a greased bowl. Brush the top lightly with some oil. Cover with plastic or a kitchen cloth, and allow the dough to rise somewhere warm until doubled in size, around 2 hours. In the meantime, prepare the filling.
FILLING
Heat oil in a pan, and fry the ginger garlic paste till golden brown. Add in the ground beef. Cook till the beef changes color, stirring constantly, for around 3-4 minutes. Add in the red chilli flakes, salt, black pepper, cumin powder, chopped tomato, and the tomato paste along with a ¼ cup of water. Mix. Cover and let it simmer on low heat for 10-12 minutes.
Then, increase the heat, and let excess water evaporate, stirring constantly. Add in the ketchup, bell pepper, coriander, garam masala, and the chopped green chilli. Mix well.
Set aside, and allow to cool.
ASSEMBLING
Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll both halves, onto a floured counter surface, in the shape of two circles around 10 inches wide or according to the size of your pie plate.
Place one half of the rolled out dough onto a greased pie dish. Spoon on the filling. Top with shredded cheese. Place the other rolled out half of the dough on top. Crimp the edges. Brush with a beaten egg. Sprinkle on a few sesame seeds.
Bake at 200 degrees C for 25-30 minutes till its golden brown.
Enjoy!

 

Italian Pirazo Pie; a twist on the classic meat pie.

Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Muffins

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Cupcakes, Random shizz by

It may not feel like fall yet but summer is definitely over. College starts tomorrow and I am, needless to say, already heading towards depression.

Last year of college! Can you blame me?

Oh the jitters. Which would justify why I’ve been hankering down in the kitchen everyday all day long. Nothing like some good fall baking to make everything better.

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist. You won’t be able to stop at one!

 

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. Bursting with fall flavors, these muffins will make your house smell like the most glorious bakery in Italy.

 

Pumpkin and Chocolate were meant to be together and when that chocolate is in the form of luscious Nutella, you know the muffins are bound to be out-of-this-world good.

They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist.

.

.

.

You won’t be able to stop at one!

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist. You won’t be able to stop at one!

For my fellow Pakistani peeps who aren’t accustomed to the pumpkin ecstasy, let me tell you that it is d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s!

Pumpkin puree makes everything silky, soft and extremely moist. It doesn’t have a very distinct flavor which is why you add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to amplify it.

I have yet to see pumpkin puree being sold here in the supermarkets of Islamabad, which is why I made my own pumpkin puree from scratch. I’ll do a step by step post on it if you like. It’s very simple, just slice a pumpkin up, de-seed it, and roast in the oven till fork-tender. Cool and then scoop out all the soft bits. Chopperize or blend till smooth. Fill up disposable Ziploc bags with it and freeze. It lasts for up to a year.

Be it the classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread or Pumpkin Fettuccine, homemade pumpkin puree can be used for all sorts of things; both sweet and savory.

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist. You won’t be able to stop at one!

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist. You won’t be able to stop at one!

Give pumpkin a try. You won’t regret it. 🙂

Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 18 muffins
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (read description above)
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Nutella spread
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease the tray well with cooking oil.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, and oil until well-combined. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture and milk to the pumpkin mixture alternatively, starting and ending with the flour, until everything is just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Spoon batter into the muffin tray cavities, filling about 3/4 of the way full.
Place the Nutella into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds or until it thins out. Using a teaspoon, drop a spoonful or two of Nutella onto the top of each muffin and swirl with a knife.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set and golden brown. Best served warm!
*Store leftovers in an airtight container. Warm in microwave before serving.
Recipe source: Inside BruCrew Life

These pumpkin Nutella swirl muffins are the BOMB. They’re soft, tender, and extremely moist. You won’t be able to stop at one!

The Fluffiest Pancakes You Will Ever Eat

Posted in Breakfast, Cakes by

Thick, fluffy, downright delicious. This is the only pancake recipe you need!

The Fluffiest Pancakes You Will Ever Eat

What’s better on a weekend than to sit home in your pajamas and eat a stack of fluffy pancakes doused in chocolate syrup?

 

The Fluffiest Pancakes You Will Ever Eat

And could there be anything better than pancakes to start your Eid holidays with?

Not really.

 

The Fluffiest Pancakes You Will Ever Eat

These pancakes are so light, so fluffy I could die!

A whole batch takes just minutes to whip up. Serve them smothered in Nutella, maple syrup, or jam; they’re awesome either way. Make these today, tomorrow, every day!

xoxo, Noor

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Yields: 13-15 pancakes
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk1
1 egg
1 Tablespoon melted & cooled butter or vegetable oil
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg and melted butter, just until all mixed together (small lumps are fine, DON’T OVERMIX).
Heat a large, nonstick pan over medium-heat and lightly brush with oil or butter. Using an ice cream scoop (or any large spoon) add the batter to the pan. Cook the pancake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it’s golden brown on the bottom. Slide a thin, wide metal spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
Serve pancakes immediately topped with a drizzle of maple or chocolate syrup. Enjoy
Notes:
1.        DIY Buttermilk: 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp vinegar. Mix and let it sit for 10 minutes. Mix well and use.
*To achieve smooth brown pancakes, don’t grease the pan after every single pancake. Grease it after every third pancake. Hope that makes sense.

 

nnnn

Peach Crumble Pie

Posted in Desserts, Puddings and Pies by

Pie makes everything better.

That’s what I snapped last week when I was baking this peach pie. The therapeutic value of making a pie really is just bazoom!

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

Last week wasn’t a particularly good week (refer to last post).

What kept me from going over the edge was baking. And cooking. All day long. I would start my day with pancakes, moving onto pasta, naans, pizza, and ending with iced tea.

But nothing could beat the making of this pie. It was so SO relaxing and stress relieving.  Even if it was just for a few minutes, I stopped worrying about everything else and just enjoyed the feel of the cold butter in my hands, and the wonderful aroma of the juicy peaches and the cinnamon.

Thank you Sally for this wonderful recipe!

I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without making an actual pie (these tiny things don’t count).

 

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

 

This pie involves a flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble.

It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

If that doesn’t scream summer to you, I don’t know what will.

 

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

I’ve used the same pie crust I used for the Apple Hand Pies. It’s buttery, flaky, and everything a good crust should be.

*As mentioned, the vegetable shortening in the recipe is Crisco and it’s easily available in every big supermarket.

 

A few pointers before we head straight to the recipe:

  • Use very very cold butter and shortening. Cold fat when melts in the oven causes the pastry to puff up creating little air pockets which makes the end result so tender and flaky.

  • Be gentle with the pie crust. Unlike pizza dough, it doesn’t require kneading. Just mix till it comes together.

  • Use fresh peaches that aren’t too ripe nor too hard.

  • Walnuts are optional in the crumble but highly recommended.

  • Ice cream is NOT optional >> You must serve this pie with vanilla ice cream.

A slice of fresh homemade peach pie and a nice big scoop of vanilla ice cream, it might just be a slice of heaven!

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

And there you go. Peach Crumble Pie.

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

I did it. I made a pie from scratch!

Peach Crumble Pie

Yields: 1 pie
Ingredients:
FOR THE PIE CRUST
1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoon (45g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoon vegetable shortening, chilled
¼ cup ice water
FOR THE FILLING
6-8 medium sized peaches, cut into chunks
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
FOR THE CRUMBLE:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 (75g) cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, lightly roasted *optional
Directions:
For the Pie Crust
In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the butter and shortening. Using two forks, or with the help of your fingertips, cut the butter and shortening into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs, some bigger bits of butter are perfectly fine.
Drizzle in the icy cold water little by little, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the dough begins to form large clumps, do not add more water.
Flour a work surface and transfer dough on it. Using floured hands, fold dough into itself till it comes together, and the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form a ball. Flatten it and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours
For the Filling
Peel the peaches and chop them into 2 inch chunks.
In a large bowl, combine together the peach chunks, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
For the Crumble
In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Stir in the butter and chopped walnuts. Mixture will be thick. Set aside.
Assembling
On a floured work surface, roll out one of the chilled dough until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough onto a greased 9×2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Cut off any excess dough from the edges. Prick the base using a fork.
Spoon the peach filling onto the crust, leaving any liquid behind in the bowl.  Sprinkle over the peaches the prepared crumble topping.
Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on your oven, till golden brown and bubbly.
Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up and the sugars and juices to settle.
Serve with vanilla ice cream. Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes:
I use and recommend Crisco as the vegetable shortening. It is easily available in all large superstores.
Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Baked pie can be frozen for upto 3 months.
Recipe source: Sally’s baking addiction

Peach Crumble Pie. A flaky crust filled with juicy peaches and topped with a walnut cinnamon crumble. It’s sweet. It’s juicy. It’s delicious.

Creamiest Chocolate Pudding

Posted in Desserts, Puddings and Pies by

“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not.”

–Pablo Picasso

Have you ever wanted something so bad you think you’d die if you don’t have it? And when you think you’ve finally gotten it, its snatched away from you?

If yes, then this chocolate pudding is especially for you.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; it provides comfort like no other.

 

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Chocolate pudding is just one of those things that never fails to bring a smile on your face or warmth to your toes.

Its rich, its creamy, and it is so so SO easy to make even my fogged up brain can whip it up. Just needs a little bit of patience and whole lot of whisking!

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

To start, combine sugar, cocoa, salt and cornflour.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Whisk in 2/3 cup milk and an egg.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Heat the rest of the milk to a scalding temperature.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Then whisk in the egg cocoa mixture and cook over high heat until the pudding thickens into a luscious, silky consistency.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Then remove the pudding from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Pour the chocolate pudding into a big bowl to chill. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding, so a skin doesn’t form.

Eat it warm, eat it cold; chocolate pudding provides comfort like no other.

Then, chill the pudding for an hour or two in the refrigerator or eat it warm. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pudding

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 4 servings
Cook Time: 12 to 15 minutes
Ingredients:
·         1/2 cup sugar
·         1/3 cup cocoa powder
·         1/4 cup cornflour (cornstartch)
·         1/4 tsp salt
·         2 2/3 cups  milk
·         1 large egg
·         1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornflour, and salt. In another bowl, mix together the egg and 2/3 cup of milk. Gradually add milk mixture over the cocoa mixture and whisk to dissolve well. Set aside.
In a sauce pan bring the rest of the milk (2 cups) to a boil.
Remove from heat and gradually add the egg mixture over the hot milk whisking the whole time. Place it back over the heat and cook whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes on medium heat.
Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour the pudding into 4 individual or one big bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding so a skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate for an hour or two until chilled or serve warm drizzled with chocolate syrup.
Notes:
Good quality cocoa powder is paramount to this recipe otherwise you’ll end with a Milo like tasting bland pudding. For intense chocolate flavor, add in a couple tablespoons of melted dark chocolate.
Recipe source: Home Cooking Adventure

Eat it warm, eat it cold; this Chocolate Pudding provides comfort like no other.

Garlic Naan

Posted in Breads, Savoury by

What do you do when you find your favorite naan shop closed on a Sunday morning?

.

.

.

You make your own naans!

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

The idea may seem daunting at first but I hope by now I’ve got you well acquainted with handling all sorts of dough. Be it: my foolproof recipe for pizza dough used to make not just this beautiful braided chicken bread but also these cute little mini pizza pies. Or this super easy and frugal recipe for flour tortillas which makes these BBQ taquitos all the more delicious. And how can we forget, my all-time favorite, the soft puffy puri…O’so good!

Homemade garlic naans are much easier than you think and irresistibly delicious! It’s the same foolproof pizza dough with certain key changes that makes it all the more yummy and garlicky.

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

The dough is incredibly forgiving. If it’s too dry, add more water. If it’s too wet, add more flour. A soft dough is what you want in the end.

Softer the dough; softer and pillowy the naans are.

 

 

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

I cooked half of the naans on a grill pan, and the other half on a plain non-stick pan. It doesn’t matter whether or not you own a grill pan. Both result in gorgeous looking naans, and they taste just the same!

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

Cook for a minute or until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Brush with butter mixed with chopped coriander.

Place the naan in a kitchen towel and repeat with the rest of the naans.

Then serve warm, sprinkled with some fresh coriander or sesame seeds.

And get ready, because these garlic naans will blow your mind! Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets. 

You may never go back to buying store-bought naan again. 😉

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

Some of my favorite ways to enjoy these naans? Soaking up the masala from this Chicken Karhai or with this sumptuous kebab masala.

Garlic Naan

Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
Additional 2 Tbsp. melted butter mixed with 2 Tbsp. fresh coriander leaves, chopped
(optional topping: sesame seed)
Directions:
Place the yeast, lukewarm water and sugar in a bowl. Let it sits until foamy, around 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add yeast mixture, garlic, and yogurt
Stir the dough using a wooden spoon. Then take out the dough from the bowl and start kneading it on a floured counter-top till it becomes smooth but still slightly sticky, about 10-15 minutes.
Lightly grease the mixing bowl with oil, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic clingfilm.  Place in a warm location and let it rise for 1-2 hours or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
Once doubled in size, punch it down. Knead for a few more minute and then transfer it to a floured work surface.  Cut the dough into 8 large or 16 small separate pieces. Roll each into a ball with your hands, then place on the floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large circle) until the dough is a little less than 1/4-inch thick. THE DOUGH IS VERY STICKY so keep adding more flour while rolling.
Heat a large non-stick pan or grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle a bit of butter or oil.  Add a piece of the rolled-out dough to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns lightly golden.  Flip the naan and cook on the second side for 1-2 minutes, or until the bottom is golden. Brush naan lightly with the coriander-infused butter on both sides. Then transfer it to a separate plate, and cover with a towel.  Repeat with remaining dough until all of the naan pieces are cooked.
Keep the naans covered with the towel until ready to serve to prevent drying.  Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds, if desired.

 

Buttery and garlicky, these naan are incredibly soft with all those giant air pockets.

 

Kebab Masala with Homemade Puri

Posted in Savoury by

I’ve been meaning to make kebab masala for so long. I’d always liked the sound of it…soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

Easy, comforting, and packed with flavor!

Made using fresh herbs, garam masala, fenugreek leaves; this is a true South Eastern feast. And what’s better than to enjoy it with some good ole puris.

Soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

What I love most about this kebab masala is how quick it is to put together.

It has two steps to it;

  1. The kebabs

  2. The masala

Soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

You start off by making the kebab mix, shaping it, and then shallow frying till golden brown. Set aside.

Next you make the masala; everything cooked together till onions and tomatoes mush up. I did end up grinding the whole mixture just because I don’t like bits of onion in my gravy. It’s up to you though. You can leave it as it is or grind it till smooth like I did.

Lastly, add the fried kebabs to the masala and let it simmer on low heat till kebabs are cooked all the way through. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with puris, and voila, you’ve got a sumptuous dinner ready in no time!

Soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

And now the Puris.

.

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Would you believe me if I told you that these puris too take NO time at all to make and devour?

I got the idea of making them halfway through while I was frying the kebabs. I just mixed together all the dough ingredients, kneaded it for a few minutes and let the dough rest for round 20 minutes. Then made balls and rolled them till very thin, fried in very very hot oil.

A few tips to keep in mind while making puris:

  • The dough must be kneaded to a hard consistency. Don’t be tempted to add in more water

  • Yogurt helps in making soft puris, so don’t skip it

  • Oil for frying must be Hot. Very very hot

And that’s it! Soft, flaky homemade puris ready in no time at all.

Soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

This will make for a perfect Sunday brunch meal. Make this for your family tomorrow and remember me in your prayers. 🙂

Gola Kebab Masala with Homemade Puri

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
For Kebabs:
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 small bunch coriander leaves, chopped
  • 3 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 slice white bread soaked in milk
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 2 Tbsp. gram flour/ chickpea flour, roasted lightly
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
  • ½ tsp. Shan Karhai Masala, optional
  • ½ tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
For Masala/Gravy:

 

  • 3 medium onions, chopped finely
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 5 small fresh tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/4 cup yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1 green chilli
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. coriander powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp. dried fenugreek leaves
  • 1 tsp. salt, or to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnishing
For Puris:
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp. yoghurt
  • 3 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • pinch of baking powder
  • a little bit of warm milk and water for kneading
  • oil for deep frying
Directions:
For the Kebabs
Place the onion, coriander, ginger, garlic and chillies in a grinder and grind until smooth.  Add this to the minced meat in a large bowl along with all the rest of the ingredients.
Mix well with your hands for about 3-5 minutes until everything is very well combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Shape the kebabs like small balls, make sure they are very smooth, and then lightly shallow fry, just for a couple of minutes on each side till golden brown. Drain and set aside.
For the Masala/Gravy
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions till golden brown, then add the cumin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom. Fry. Then add the tomatoes and the ginger garlic paste. Mix well. Add in the tomato paste, a little bit of water, and the sugar, salt, cumin, chilli, turmeric and coriander powders Cook together until the oil is released from the sides. Then add the yogurt and the green chilli. Mix and let it cook on low heat until the gravy is thick.
Next, add ½ cup water and allow to simmer. Gently add in the kebabs and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Every once in a while, open the lid and gently swirl everything together so that the gravy coats the kebabs and they get turned over so that they may cook evenly on all sides.
Once the kebabs are fully cooked, add the garam masala and the dried fenugreek, garnish with coriander and serve hot puris!
For the puris
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, yogurt and oil. Gradually add in the warm water/milk mix and knead till a hard ball comes to form. Let it sit, covered with a kitchen towel, for about 20 minutes, and then divide the dough into 10-12 pieces. Roll each one out till thin.
Heat your oil, make sure it’s quite hot. Put in a puri in the hot oil and immediately start splashing hot oil over the top of it with a spoon.
Gently press down on the puri with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, and you will see it start to puff up. Flip the puri over and cook the other side until golden brown.

 

Notes:
For a smoother gravy, blend it before adding the water and kebabs. Make sure the masala is cool before you blend it.

 

Soft, succulent kebabs smothered in a rich spicy tomato gravy.

1st Blogiversary + CHOCOLATE CAKE

Posted in Cakes, Cupcakes, Random shizz, Uncategorized by

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

This time last year, I sat with my laptop; editing, tweaking, hesitating and finally hitting ‘publish’on the first post on spatulainmypocket.com. *dundundun*

With that one click, I gave permission to everyone in the world to read what I had written and see what I had made. That’s the day Spatula in My Pocket was truly born. It started as a hobby and in the space of an year, has become a part of my identity. A part that I am immensely proud of. So, in this post I am going to indulge myself and talk about my magnificent journey so far (lots more to come, InshaaAllah!)

There is special surprise at the end for you, so start scrolling!

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

Spatula in My Pocket has opened new worlds to me, found me new friends, a sense of purpose, and above all, it has given me confidence to overcome the crushing fear of failure and TO TRY.

The year has passed by so quickly.

From interviews, shoutouts, being mentioned in Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, winning the Foona best blogger competition and baking bazillion cakes. This year has been a roll coaster ride.

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

Some of my favorite posts from this year have been:

This decadent red velvet cake with whipped cream cheese frosting + its Halloween rendition

An all-time family favorite, Chicken Karhai

S’mores. Brownies. PIE. >>> S’mores Brownie Pie

First post, the rich gooey molten lava cake

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, also involving a mention of my first ever attempt at a Wedding Cake

First Bake Stall!! Sigh. Memories.

This to.die.for Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

The ultimate comfort food…Fettuccine Carbonara

My brother’s birthday cake: strawberries and cream cake

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

Also can we just admire these pictures?

I threw myself a little blogiversary party.

Nothing much.

Just some mini cupcakes, normal cupcakes, donuts, and a giant pink ombre cake topped with MORE DONUTS. ^.^

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st BlogiversaryClassic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

Lastly, thank you all so much for your continued support and love!

I appreciate everyone who visits this humble website even when weeks go by without any new posts (guilty as charged).

Spatula in My Pocket is for you guys.

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

I hope and pray with all my brownie-loving heart that the next year and the years to come bring endless prosperity and joy and rainbows and sprinkles to the domains of Spatula in My Pocket. I vow to be a better blogress and update more exciting recipes and answer all queries diligently!

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream on Spatula in My Pocket's 1st Blogiversary

And now, without any more sentimental words, here’s the recipe for THE CHOCOLATE CAKE my inbox gets flooded with requests for. MUCH LOVE!

Classic Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Serves 12
Ingredients:
For the Cake
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 ½ cups whole milk, at room temperature
1 cup hot strong-brewed coffee
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
250g softened unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
Directions:
Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and flour two 8-inch cakes pans and set aside.
  2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
  3. In the bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on, add the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
  4. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, stream in the coffee and mix just until combined.
  5. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
  1. Place the egg whites and sugar in an extremely clean heatproof bowl. Place over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water and whisk with a hand whisk until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture is warm to the touch, if you rub some of the mixture between your fingers it should be smooth and you shouldn’t be able to feel any graininess, this will take about five minutes.
  2. Remove the bowl from the heat and attach it to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment or use an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites until it forms a thick, glossy, bright white meringue and is completely cool, the bottom of the bowl should feel cool to the touch, this will take about 10 minutes.
  3. Once the meringue is cold, switch the mixer to a low speed and begin to add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, make sure that each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next; the meringue will deflate a little and may begin to look curdled. This is normal, just keep adding the butter gradually and whipping away and it will come back together. If, once all the butter has been added, your mixture is runny, the butter may have been too soft or the meringue still warm, just put the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes or so then carry on whipping.
  4. Once the buttercream is completely smooth and silky and all the butter has been incorporated, whisk in the vanilla extract. Keep cool in the fridge till ready to use
Assembling
  1. Place the bottom layer of cake on a cake plate or serving dish. Spread on about ½ to ¾ cup of the buttercream with an offset spatula. Top with the next layer of cake.
  2. Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream. Refrigerate until set, about 15 to 20 minutes.
*For the ombre effect; divide the buttercream into three bowls. Color to of the bowls with varying shades of pink. Starting from the bottom, spread the darkest color frost. Then spread the lighter pink above it. Cover the top layer with the white frosting. With a cake scraper, smooth the sides.

 

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Taquitos

Posted in Savoury by

Remember that killer recipe for Homemade Tortillas that I posted earlier this week? Well, I have the perfect recipe to make using those very tortillas.

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HAWAIIAN BBQ TAQUITOS

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

I seem to be on a Hawaiian roll right now. Hawaiian pasta, now these taquitos.

What’s next?

Hawaiian pizza, maybe?

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

For those of you wondering what a Taquito is…it’s a tortilla filled, rolled and then baked to perfection.

They’re super easy, tender, and incredibly delicious!

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

You can go wild with the fillings.

I went for the classic Hawaiian flavors that I know and love…pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

I’ve used my own homemade tortillas, the recipe for which I posted yesterday. You can use store bought ones but trust me when I tell you that homemade ones are 100xxxx better.

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

These taquitos have become a family favorite at my place. I’m sure you’ll love them just as much. 🙂

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 15 minutes                                                                        Yields: 5 servings
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts, halved
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced pineapple
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
10-12 Flour Tortillas (recipe HERE), softened
Directions:
Marinate the chicken in black pepper, salt, paprika, cumin, and lemon juice. Leave for atleast half an hour or overnight. Then grill on medium heat till charred well on both sides. Allow to cool, then shred using a fork.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add onion and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, chicken, cheddar cheese, pineapple, BBQ sauce and coriander; season with salt and pepper; to taste.
Working one at a time, transfer a tortilla to a work surface; place BBQ chicken mixture in the center of each wrapper. Bring the bottom edge of the tortilla tightly over the filling, rolling from bottom to top until the top of the tortilla is reached. Repeat with remaining tortilla and filling.
Place taquitos seam side down onto prepared baking sheet and bake until taquitos are crisp and cheese has melted, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve immediately with mango salsa.
Adapted from: Damn Delicious

Hawaiian BBQ Taquitos. Filled with pineapples and mangoes, paired with a spicy tangy BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and loads of fresh cheddar cheese.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Posted in Savoury by

Don’t you just love Mexican food? Enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas, tacos, burritos, taquitos… the list is endless. Fresh, spicy, and tangy Mexican food. All of which require one essential ingredient…. tortillas!

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

 Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

The thing is, tortillas are a bit hard to find here in Pakistan. Supermarkets in Islamabad have only just recently started stocking the brand Old El Paso. And even if they are available, they can be quite expensive, a pack of 8 for Rs. 400 something.

 

Why not take some time out and make them yourself?

Trust me, they are way wayyy better than the lifeless store bought ones which you have to reheat again and again to make them soft enough to be edible.

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

 

Homemade tortillas require just a handful ingredients;

  • Flour

  • Baking Powder

  • Salt

  • Hot Water

  • Shortening

The term “shortening” in the recipe may raise a few eyebrows. But not to worry. Shortening is a saturated fat similar to butter but with a higher melting point. It makes for the most delicious and flaky pie crusts. And it makes for the softest pliable tortillas ever! But like tortillas, shortening too is hard to find here, I was lucky enough to buy it off from a friend who found Crisco in a small wholesale shop tucked away in the narrow alley of Raja Bazaar, Rawalpindi. But it’s now available in large supermarkets like Al-Fatah or high-end stores like Essa Jees in Islamabad. You can sub with butter, but the result just won’t be the same.

 

These tortillas are literally SO easy to make.

  1. You make the dough using very very warm water.
  2. Let it rest.
  3. Form small ping pong sized balls.

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

4. Cover and let them rest.

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

5. Then roll out each ball as thin as possible. Thinner you roll= flakier the tortilla!

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

Roll out so thin that you can see the counter beneath

6. Then cook each tortilla on a hot griddle till light golden brown on both sides.

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

7. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep them warm and retain moisture.

Then use them to make whatever crazy Mexican creation you have in mind. Or place in a disposable bag and freeze.

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

 

Once you try these homemade tortillas, trust me, there’s no going back.

Oh and check back here for a recipe using these tortillas! 😀

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Yields: 35-40 tortillas
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup PLUS 2 Tablespoons (extra) vegetable shortening
1 cup hot water
Directions:
Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together.

Add spoonful’s of shortening, then use a fork or your fingers to combine the ingredients and cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough until it becomes a ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour.

Roll into small ping pong sized balls, place on a tray, cover, and allow to rest for another 30 minutes.

Heat a pan to medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Cook tortillas, 20 to 30 seconds on each side, till soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Use immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container.

Notes:
1.       Water used in the dough should be hot.
2.      Roll out each ball very very thin.
3.      To freeze: Store tortillas in a disposable bag and freeze for upto 2-3 months. When ready to use them, take out and heat in the microwave.
4.      To warm: heat in the microwave for a mere 10 seconds.
Recipe source: Pioneer Woman

 

Baking 101

Posted in Random shizz by

Today, instead of a recipe, we are going to do a Bake Like Noor 101. (Three cheers! Woohoo!)

Finding the perfect recipe (only on Spatula in My Pocket, yo) is only the first step in the magical world of baking. Since I know the struggle of a beginner baker, I’ll be guiding you through the basics, There is a lot to know and I am really excited to share all! So, I’ve divided it into various sessions:

  • Basic Baking Tools

  • Bakeware

  • Baking ingredients

  • Baking hacks and DIY stuff

First off, we have the basic baking tools that every single one of you should have; regardless of the fact that you’re a die-hard baker like me or just an occasional one timer. It’s a small list of relatively inexpensive items that will be an investment for years to come. You don’t need fancy equipment for baking, sometimes just a faithful whisk and a good ole bowl does the work. I still use my mum’s shaadi-wala (more than 25 years old) hand beater and cake tins. Plain and simple. Nothing fancy and over the top.

Baking 101

I am not saying that you should go all out and buy all of these tools at once. When I started baking, I admit, I hardly had any of this stuff and didn’t even know about them. It’s with time that I learnt and started investing.

All these tools are brought from either Pakistan, Saudi Arab, and America. I will give you an in-depth detail of each tool. Links to where I bought them and the prices are mentioned at the bottom. Hopefully you’ll find them or even better alternates.

Measuring Tools

Basic Baking Tools

I started off using mugs that we use for tea as the measuring cups and the normal tablespoons and teaspoons that we use to eat as measuring spoons. It is with baking over and over again that I leaned that baking is not art but more of a science. Precision and accuracy in measurements is paramount to a good baked product.

Basic Baking Tools

I used to use the measuring cup for wet ingredients too, and that is so so wrong. Liquids are different from dry ingredients. They weigh different, and if you forget that, it can all go wrong from there. So use a pyrex measuring cup for liquid ingredients. Proper measuring cups for dry ingredients. And for smaller quantities use actual measuring spoons and not the spoons you use to eat dinner with.

Basic Baking Tools

This measuring jug is plastic, which I wouldn’t recommend. It’s near to its end, doesn’t clean up that nice either. A nice pyrex one is on my to-buy-list. It should be on yours too.

Electric Hand Mixer

Basic Baking Tools

An electric hand mixer for all the mixing and beating, yielding perfectly smooth and fluffy frostings and batters. It dates back to before I was even born. It’s my mum’s and I’ve been using it for years, and it works perfectly fine.

Spaaatooolas

Basic Baking Tools

YOU MUST BUY THESE. These beautiful, magical, man-made creations. They wipe your bowls so clean that not a spick of batter is left hanging there. They glide ever so smoothly, making mixing a dream; smoothing and delicious. And they cost near to nothing! My favorite is the orange one. It broke. Split in two. Like my heart.

Silicone Brushes

tbrushes-3

Excellent for greasing pans with butter or oil, perfect for egg-washing and glazing, easy to clean; overall perfecto!

Cupcake liners

Basic Baking Tools

No you cannot grease a cupcake tray and then pour in the batter and bake cupcakes straightaway. You need paper liners. Why? Because cupcakes are not muffins. Cupcakes are soft and moist and much more delicate than muffins. They’ll stick like glue to your cupcake tray and you’ll be left with trying to scour out each cupcake out and scratching it while scrubbing it clean. Cupcake liners not only help make eating a cupcake easier, they also help the make the handling of the cupcakes so much easier. Also how pretty do they look… Tiny polka dot, bright pink ones with hearts, pink check boxed ones… totes adorbs.

Offset Spatula

Basic Baking Tools

An angled or an “offset” spatula is very useful for frosting cupcakes and cakes, and loosening cakes and cookies from their pans. I have a large 10” one for smoothly frosting large layer cakes and a non-stick one of loosening cookie and brownies from the parchment paper.

Basic Baking Tools

A palette knife like seen here is also helpful for the same reasons.

Baking pans

Basic Baking Tools

Baking pans are obviously a necessity. Round pans for cakes. Loaf pans for breads. Loose-bottom pans for cheesecakes. Muffin trays for cupcakes. Donut pan for donuts. You name it, you need it. There a pan out there for everything and IWANTTHEMALL. Baby steps. Start with a basic 8-inch round cake pan, a square 8-inch pan for brownies, and a standard 12-sized cupcake tray for cupcakes. Also, if you’re into homemade pizza, then a round pizza tray would be needed.

Prestige and Wilton are the top-notch brands for baking ware. Prestige is easily available in every big supermarket here in Pakistan. Wilton bakeware can be ordered online (link mentioned at the end of the post).

Parchment Paper

Basic Baking Tools

It not only helps prevent cakes or anything for that matter from sticking to the pan but also for stacking and storing cookies or even frozen parathas in the freezer.

Ice cream Scoop

Basic Baking Tools

An ice cream scoop is not just meant for scooping ice cream. Trust me when I say I’ve hardly ever used it for ice cream. This is the most versatile tool in my baking tool box. I use it for:

  • Scooping out perfectly proportioned cookies

  • Scooping out cupcake batter leading to same sized cupcakes

Sifter:

Basic Baking Tools

For light airy cakes, and smooth frosting without any sugar or cocoa lumps…that’s where a sifter comes in.

Piping Tips and Piping Bags

Basic Baking Tools

Wilton piping tips and plastic piping bags for those beautiful swirls and piped roses on cupcakes and cakes. Bought them from Amazon, got them shipped here through a friend. A set of four basic tips, comes with 12 piping bags. Extremely good quality. I recently bought more piping tips through a Facebook page (I’ll leave the link down below), and let me tell you that even though they are nowhere near Wilton, they are pretty darn good.

Whisk

Basic Baking Tools

One of the most inexpensive tools I reckon in my kitchen and most definitely in yours too. It is the most effective and invaluable. Perfect for mixing both dry ingredients and liquid ingredients. If you don’t have an electric beater, then the whisk is the way to go.

Basic Baking Tools

If you bake, you will need a cooling wire rack. Great for:

  • Cooling cookies and cakes

  • Catching the drips off of donuts and cookies

Wooden spoons

I swear by these. They’re hard and sturdy. Make mixing cookie dough so much easier. Perfect for dealing with hot caramels as well.

Basic Baking Tools

All these products have been bought from either:

  • Al-Fatah, Islamabad

  • Hyperpanda, Madina

  • Amazon, Seattle

  • Baking Tools, Facebook Page

Prices: all below Rs. 1500 excluding the electric hand beater (which in my mum’s time, I’m sure, cost below Rs. 1000…but they’re pretty dang expensive now)

Basic Baking Tools

 

Hawaiian Pasta

Posted in Ramadan, Savoury by

Running a Ramzan recipe streak on the blog without having a pasta recipe in it? How could I! 😮

Pasta is the most eaten, loved, and yearned thing at my household. Every other aftari will see to a bowl of either spaghetti or penne.

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

And if you follow me on Snapchat, then you won’t be surprised by how cray cray my family is over pasta.

This pasta is nothing like the others. As its name indicates, it’s Hawaiian! Albeit with a cheeky (cheesy) twist on it. The perfect mingle between spicy and sweet.

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

And as you might have guessed, it has…pineapples in it!

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

It is SO simple. I know I say that every single time. But trust me. Just a handful of ingredients, and presto, you have an entire meal in front of you.

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

 

Put your pasta on a boil, and start slicing them sausages. Make this pasta for aftari today. I know you’ll love it. 😀

Hawaiian Pasta

Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 packet uncooked pasta
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3-4 chicken sausages, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt, leveled
½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
1 cup canned pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
1.       Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2.      In a large pan, heat the oil until hot. Add the onion and fry until they start to soften and become transparent. Add the garlic and the sausages, cook till golden brown.
3.      Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, oregano, sugar, salt, ground black pepper, and red chili flakes. Stir. When it comes to a boil, add in the pasta and pineapple.
4.      Stir until incorporated. Top with cheese and cover with lid. Cook until the cheese melts.
5.      Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
6.      Serve immediately.
Notes:
Adjust the salt, black pepper, and chili flakes according to your taste.

Spicy chicken sausages paired with the sweet syrupy pineapples…makes for one delicious pasta.

Mini Pizza Pies

Posted in Puddings and Pies, Ramadan, Savoury by

The recipe I am sharing today is a Family FAVORITE.

All families have certain dishes they love to cook and eat. Mine goes gaga for these mini pizza pockets! Put 12 dozen in front of them and they’ll still demand more.

I am sure you will face the same situation with your siblings, cousins, random guests when you try these magical pockets of dough and cheese and everything nice. (unless they are gluten intolerant. Oops)

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

 

This recipe is especially handy because it makes A LOT of mini pizzas pies (3 dozen to be exact). So they are the perfect, fuss-free party food. Easy to make, fun to eat.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

The chicken mixture is a scaled down version of the filling in the Chicken Bread I posted eons ago. A very simple, creamy chicken filling made with loads of butter, milk, and cheese. Divine. (calories, what calories?)

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

 

Also, these pies feature:

  • fresh bell pepper

  • sweet corn

  • tomato

You can customize the vegs according to your own taste. Leave out the corn if it makes you gag. Add mushrooms instead, or even olives would be lovely.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

The recipe is super fun to make. Get your kids or siblings involved and make a kitchen party out of it like we did!

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

 

I rolled out the dough, got my sisters to cut it out in circles, place them in the cupcake tray, and then fill em up.

First the pizza sauce or chili garlic sauce, then comes the chicken filling, then the vegetables, all topped with shredded mozzarella. Bake till the dough is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly on top.

Dip into a bowl of this sweet and sour imli chutney and I dare you to stop at one.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

 

If making for a party, you can prepare them beforehand, cover the cupcake tray with foil, and keep refrigerated till you’re ready to bake them. They take literally less than 20 minutes to cook. They also freeze well. Line the unbaked versions in a airtight container or a ziplock bag and freeze for upto 3 months. The day you need to use them, leave to thaw till the oven gets preheated and then bake as you would normally.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

You’ll be the Queen/King of the household after you make these… Or their pizza pie slave forever.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!

 

Try the recipe and let me know how they turn out by sharing a picture on Instagram with this hashtag #spatulainmypocket!

Happy baking!

Mini Pizza Pies

Yields: around 3 dozen
Ingredients:
Homemade pizza dough (for the recipe click HERE)
CHICKEN FILLING
1 Tablespoon butter
4 Tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
1 Tablespoons flour, heaped
½ teaspoon salt, leveled
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
¼  cup whole milk
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 Tablespoons ketchup
2 green chilies, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
Storebought pizza sauce
TOPPINGS
Tomato, chopped
Sweet corn
Green Bell Pepper, chopped
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions:
Prepare the dough and allow it to rise according to the instructions mentioned HERE.
For the filling: In a pan melt the butter and add the onion. Fry till the onions become soft and transparent. Add the chicken, flour, salt, black pepper, and mustard powder. Mix till combined. Take the pan off the heat and add the milk. Turn on the heat again, at low to medium flame, and stir constantly with the help of a wooden spoon. Add the oregano leaves, ketchup, green chilies, and coriander. Allow to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C and grease a cupcake tray lightly with cooking oil.
On a floured counter top, roll out half the dough in a rectangle. Cut out circles using a round cookie cutter.
Fix each round of dough in the cupcake tray. Add a dollop of pizza sauce in each, followed by a spoonful of the chicken filling, the vegetables. Top with cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes till its golden brown.
Repeat till all the dough and filling is used up.
Notes:
·         Best served fresh out of the oven. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm in the microwave before serving.
·         You might end up with leftover dough. You can freeze it or use it to make pizza pockets filling them up with sausages and cheese.

Mini Pizza Pies. The perfect snack idea!