R.I.P

It's a very sad tragedy and my heart goes out for all who have suffered this in any way,through their friends or Family ....May All Rest in Peace...

The Sweet Sugary Addiction :) (Mini Mini Shakkar Paaray)

Some times boredom can be dangerous :I I am the best example for it today :)

The weather was grey gloomy and rainy the whole day, my plans of going out fell in water. Well then what, i started Surfing on my site and found these yummy Shakkar Paraay so droolicious that i just could'nt resist.

 

 

 

I recalled how my Mama Darling used to make them, she used to make the dough ,then make tiny small stripes and then roll it round her finger and slip it out and then fry.

 

I remember we used to sit and help her and try out on each finger,starting from the smallest size till the thumb lolz

 

 

 

We had a very dear Aunty who always had the Eid Milaad gathering at her place and then we used to sit together and make them in tons, on one Hand a pot full of sugar syrup being boiled and on the other hand we girls sitting and rolling out these one after the other.

 

 

I have used a different way this time using baking Soda in it.

I avoid using white refined sugar but some things simply are unavoidable :(

So i thought when you are doing something , then do it BUT at least try to minimize the negative effect lolz

 

So i used baking Soda, which lessons the aciditiy of the white sugar and Ooooo La La , these are so so yumm i cannot describe it, i have already gobbled haof of them, God help me not to put on weight :)

 

They are so very crispy (khasta) they just melt in mouth and what a taste i tell you....

 

 

 

I was ccraving for some so i made a small portion and that is really enough or else the hand won't stop grabbing them....

 

I took:

 

100gr plain flour (nearly i heaped Cup)

2 tbs full of soft butter/Ghee ( i used ghee)

1/4 tsp of baking Soda

 

-mix al with fingers and knead, you need really very little water as the ghee already does the most part, just make a soft silky smooth dough

 

I made the sugar syrup and kept it aside so it can cool down

100 gr sugar

50 ml water

 

-let it cook on high flame, it will start to get thick and turn a bit White,

-take it aways from the stove and keep aside.

-don't make it too thick as it will turn hard!

 

-Now i took really small portions of the dough, roll between the palms like thin stripes,then flatten a bit and then roll it around your index finger, slip it out and plac ein a plate

 

 

.I made around 30 with this recipe

-heat oil in a broad pan and fry till Gold brown

-put all in any metal bowl as you have to pour the warm syrup over them

-as you pour the syrup start mix all very gently with a spatulla so all does not stick into a ball

-Keep twisting and turning slightly and you will see the sugar drying up so fast

 

 

 

Viola! it's ready

 

Munch them with tea Divine, Yummy, Irresistible!!!

THE White Choc Duplo Cake and A Happy New Year :)

Hello my dear readers, viewers, and friends, hope you all are fine and doing well at your Ends.

As it is my first post in this New Year, so here’s wishing you all a peaceful

*Happy New Year*

ahead. May it be a blessed one in every way for all of us. Amen

As I opened my site today I thought Oh God its ages since I uploaded here :( The reason, I had been really busy with a lot, some personal events, and some health seminars and different other issues…
will come up with them and let you all know soon

(click on the pic for a larger Image)

 So here I am with another really yummz cake which I made for my Hubby’s Birthday. I wanted to make something different as the normal ones.
I had planned to make a white Choc Cake and then I came up with the idea of the White Duplo Cake.

 

(click on the pic for a larger Image) 

There started the first problem, we don’t get White Duplo here the whole year, I literally searched for them a whole day, from one super market to the other and finally found them at one store. I had to calculate how many I need for a huge cake. The sales girl was so friendly that she opened a packet and took a packed cake from the shelf and started placing them on the edges to count. How sweet na

 

 

Well so in the end I needed 5 packs of them with 12 each!

I took extra as I wanted to crush some for the icing  : )

 

 

The making is not difficult; it’s the preps that need a good amount of time, and then the setting of the Duplo one by one, first cutting them equally.

I did not pay so much attention at the perfection, as I love the uneven way, after all it is handmade and not bakery made J

 

 

So this is how I prepared this delish cake:

You Need:

1 cup soft butter

2 cups sugar

125 gram white baking chocolate, (melt and let cool down)

4 eggs

1teaspoon Vanilla essence

350 gram all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

125 ml buttermilk

¼ cup water

(click on the pic for a larger Image)
 

Frosting:

500 gr cream cheese (Philadelphia)

220 gr soft butter

125 gram white baking chocolate (melt and let cool down)

250 gr of Raspberry jam (jelly) 

1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

5 level cups of confectioners' sugar (extra fine sugar/Icing sugar

 

 

-take a big bowl and beat the butter till it is creamy white

-add the sugar and beat again till all mixes up

-pour in the melted chocolate and beat all again

-now add the egg one after the other and keep beating

-add the vanilla essence and mix all

-in a separate bowl, combine the flour and the baking soda and sieve it thrice, this is good to give you a very fluffy spongy cake.

You may think just 1 teaspoon of soda, yes you've read it right :) Soda expands and is the best for deacidification,and so the best to use in all bakes and cakes!

- now add the butter milk and the water slowly into the batter and keep beating till all creamy and smooth

-pour this batter into a 28 cm round cake pan and bake in the pre heated oven on 180°C for around 25-30 minutes.

Check with a tooth pick if the cake is done, I use a shashlik stick as it is long and you can prevent your hand against the extreme hot oven : )

Now let the cake cool down completely as we have to cut it in three layers, so it should be really cold and firm.

I let it stay for nearly half the day, covered in the cake box

 

(click on the pic for a larger Image) 

In the mean while prepared the frosting and the cutting of the Duplos

The duplo bars should not stand too high above the cake so I measured it with the cake and then cut all accordingly.

I crushed 5-6 bars to mix it in the icing for the layers, this gives a nice duplo Choc flavor and increases the taste.

 

 For the Frosting:

-take a large bowl, mix in the cream cheese and butter and beat till fluffy-add the icing sugar gradually and beat till you have a smooth creamy texture

-mix in the confectioners ‘sugar, this is not the normal castor sugar, it is mixed with some corn starch so the cream stays settled for long.

-now take out some cream in an extra bowl and add in the crushed duplo and mix all well

(click on the pic for a larger Image) 

-cut the cake very carefully into three layers, first spread the jam all over a bit thick layer as it absorbs, then spread the duplo mixed cream on each layer and place them back evenly

-Spread the rest cream evenly on the top and the sides of the cake, the sides will hold the duplo sticks.

-now start placing the duplo round around,  take care that all are equal high, a bit of difference doesn’t  really matter!

 

I tied the duplo bars with a ribbon, so it kept a tight hold of it, I decorated with simple edible sugar flowers on the top, makes it look elegant.

Allow the cake to set well and chill at least over night.

 

It is a divine cake with a really nice rich touch of white Chocolate, you cannot eat a whole big piece of it, so save it for the next day and then enjoy with your coffe or tea : )

 

Do give it a try, it’s not a daily eat cake, but well surely some ones birthday is knocking on your door in the next weeks or months :)

                                                        (click on the pic for a larger Image)

 

   

**Raffaello Gateau**

This Snow-White Gateau is a dream for all coconut lovers like I am ; if you are one of them then it is the ultimate Gateau for you :)

This time I did not make the typical Zarda for Eid as I wanted something different something creamy something exactly like this : )

 

You can make it for your loved ones on their special day and believe me they will ask for it again and again.

The cake batter I used here is the one I make for the Victoria Sponge Cake, it is important that the sponge is soft and thin and airy, you can follow this link on my site here:

Use the round form for it so you get a lovely grand outcome.

http://www.raniazohaib.com/2013/07/victoria-sponge-cake.html

This is how it should Look

 

Now we need to know the things for the layering and the topping.

I use a lot of things for layers and fillings, I just think what would taste good and then I act accordingly.

I do not fill the layers with cream as it gets too heavy, but well this doesn’t mean that it won’t be heavy with the things I have used in it, you will realize after reading the ingredients :D

 

Okay here it goes;

25-30 Raffaello balls

(It’s important that you keep 7-8 Raffaellos in the fridge!!)

1 tin of condensed milk

1 tub of cream Fraiche or heavy sour cream

200 grams of Apricot cream/paste/jam

100-150 desiccated coconut

250 ml whipping cream

1 tbs soft butter

1 sachet of cream stabilizer

 

It is better if all things are prepared ahead, I always start after I have set and laid all out, so I can use them one after the other when I have my hands in the making of the cake.

First of all bake the cake and let it cool down completely, I made It a day before

Then cut the cake either in two or three parts as you wish, I used the easy cake wire, for the even cutting

Separate all layers and place on flat plates

Beat the cream Fraiche slightly with a whisk, mix in the condense milk and let aside

Now open the wrappers of at least 20-22 Raffaellos and put in a nylon bag, now roll over with the rolling pin or crush them gently with the wooden hammer we use to flatten the steak

 

The cream will spread in the bag, never mind, I left some almonds half crushed as i like the crunchy bites ; )

Now mix these crushed Raffaellos in the cream/condense milk together into a smooth cream

Empty the Apricot paste/ jelly in a bowl and whisk smooth

Now spread the condense milk mixture on the first piece of cake, let it sink in the cake, wait 1-2 minutes and then spread the apricot paste/jam on it

Carefully lay the second cake piece on it and repeat the same procedure : condense milk, apricot cream, 1-2 rest time

Now cover the last part, and now just spread the apricot cream on it.

 

Now whisk the whipping cream, add the stabilizer, whisk till it is firm, gently mix in the soft butter and whisk on a low speed so all forms a smooth creamy mixture

Now you can cover the whole cake with this cream starting from the top, to the sides round around

Sprinkle the coconut on the top, then cover all sides.

Now take the rest Raffaellos from the fridge and cut them in halves using a good sharp knife so they don’t break.

Now place them on the top, as many as you like : )

Keep the cake over night COVERED in the fridge, so that it does not absorb the smells of all the other foodstuffs kept in there.

 

The ultra delicious Snow-White dream is ready to serve

Enjoy baking and eating it and I’ll wait for your feedbacks : )

We can make the Ferrero Rocher and the Ferrero Küssen cake the very same way.