Food Art ~ Blondies

Aisha shares one more recepie from her treasures... Check out her pics on flickr and let me know if you'd like to see more... *smiles*

Blondies (White Chocolate Brownies)



Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup soft brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white chocolate chips



Directions:



- You will need a 9x13inch baking tin, buttered and lined with parchment paper.

- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350°F/gas mark 4.



1) Add butter, brown sugar and
white sugar in a large bowl and beat until it is smooth and fluffy, about 2
minutes.

2) Stir in the eggs, one at a time, and
vanilla and beat again till you get a smooth, satiny mixture.

3) Sift flour, baking powder and salt in
the egg mixture and mix with a big spoon until well combined. (the dough is
more like cookie dough rather than regular brownie mixture)

4) Stir in the white chocolate chips.

5) Spread the dough into the prepared tin
and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25- 30 minutes. (no more than 30
minutes)

6) Remove from the oven and let it cool in
the tin before taking it out and cutting to pieces.

Chocolate cake

Aisha (my friend)... shares a chocolate cake recipe.  This was made for her son Aaron's birthday... Hope you'll try it too.. . 

Chocolate Cake with 3
different types of icing


Chocolate Cake:


Ingredients:




2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cup plain flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil or sunflower oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

- Pre-heat the oven to
gas mark 4/350°F/180°C.

- Grease and line a 13x9 inch baking pan with baking paper.

1) In large bowl, stir together dry ingredients.

2) Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, beat on medium speed for 2
minutes.

3) Add in the boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon
(batter will be thin).

4) Pour into prepared pan and bake on the middle shelf for 35
to 40 until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

5) Cool for 15 minutes in the tin then transfer onto a wire
rack.

Chocolate Icing:



Ingredients:



1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

1/3 cup milk or double
cream

1 teaspoon vanilla
extract

And, choose ONE of the
following:

1/3 cup unsweetened
cocoa powder, sifted (for light) OR

1/2 cup unsweetened
cocoa powder, sifted (for medium) OR

3/4 cup unsweetened
cocoa powder, sifted (for dark rich)

Directions:

1) Cream the butter in a
bowl for about 2 minutes with an electric whisk and then blend in the cocoa
powder, vanilla and icing sugar.

2) Add in the double
cream/milk until the desired texture is achieved.

Butter Cream Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room
temperature

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

Food colouring
(optional)

Directions:

1) Cream butter and then add in the vanilla extract.

2) Add sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed. Add milk 1
tablespoon at a time and beat on high until completely blended and you got the
desired consistency.

3) Divide into§ portions to add in different food colourings of
your choice or leave it as is.

Chocolate Fudge Icing: (I use this in between layers when I slice the cake)

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

6 ounces semi sweet or regular milk chocolate, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Beat the butter in a
large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

2) On low speed, beat in
icing sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate and
vanilla, mix well.

Please note: Any of the leftover icing can be stored in the freezer since they
freeze well.

Halloween Cookies

I know all of you are in the Diwali mood... and are really not interested in my Halloween post... But I simply have to do this post.... coz I am sooooooooooooo proud of Aisha Yusaf... ~ my friend from school. To be honest, we weren't really friends in school and now thanks to facebook, flickr, email ... we've got to know each other a fair bit...



I've been eyeing Aisha's breakfast table for a while now... Breakfast, and tea are always so so beautiful in her home!! They really are!! And if you don't believe me... you've got to check her flickr images...



Anyway, here is something she made for her kids Halloween party... She successfully petrified a few kids.... (ha ha ha)... The moms and dads were super impressed.. And honestly, so am I!!

Ingredients:

- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2-4 drops of almond extract (optional, but I add it)
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour, sifted

For the Fingernails:
- About 20 blanched almonds, split in half
- Red food colouring

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

To make the fingernails:
- Simply put the split almond slices in a small bowl, add in the red food colouring, few drops at a time, and stir till they are all evenly coated and you have the desired shade of red. Set it aside.

To make the biscuits:

- Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white (for later) and whisk the yolk with the 2nd egg in another bowl, add in the vanilla and almond (if using) extracts and set aside.

- In another bowl, add butter, icing sugar, granulated sugar, and salt and beat on medium speed until well combined.

- Add in the egg mixture and beat until smooth, for about 2 minutes.

- Add the sifted flour and mix on low speed just until it is all incorporated (the dough will be very sticky)

- Wrap the dough in plastic and put it in the fridge to chill until firm for at least 1 hour. (I scrape the dough in a big ziplock bag, seal and into the fridge)

- Work with small portions at a time (I cut the dough in quarters and work with one quarter at a time, keep the remaining dough covered in plastic and chilled in the fridge.)

- Make about 12 balls from each portion.

- (I never had to flour my hands or the work surface but if you find your dough is still sticky to work with, which shouldn't be, then lightly dust your hands and surface with flour.)

- Roll each piece into finger shapes, about 3 inches long,  pinch dough in two places to form knuckles and score each knuckle lightly (I make 3 lines on each knuckle) with a table knife.

- Transfer the fingers onto the baking tray and work with the rest of the dough.

- Make sure you leave a bit of space between the fingers since the biscuits do spread out a bit while baking.

- Also, if you want thinner witch's fingers, then shape them extra-thin. (I still haven't mastered the shaping part yet though.. mine look more like big, fat toes than fingers.)

- Add in the almond nails to the fingers by gently pushing it into the dough so they don't fall off.

- Lightly brush the fingers with the reserved egg white (whisk before brushing).

- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. DO NOT OVER-BAKE.

- Remove from the oven and the carefully transfer the fingers onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

- Store in an airtight container.

And I'm hoping you'll try it too.. *smiles* ... I'm also linking this to the party at Met Monday...  Liven Things Up.. and a few other blog parties... 

Little Food Junction

Have you been to Little Food Junction?? The title reads... Ideas to feed little picky eaters.... and Smita is a total genius... with the brightest of ideas.... Here is her labour of love...

Would you like a shirt for breakfast??

How about some home made mango jelly?? Your little one... will never eat outside again.. *sigh*

I have a lot to learn from Smita.... What about you??

This one is my favourite.... Zoo Sandwiches...

Smita Srivastava is the name behind Little Food Junction!! The art of gorgeous food... She has a Master's degree in design and worked for ad agencies prior to opting to be a stay at home mom. Currently living in New Delhi with her husband and lovable daughter.... Apart from styling cute food, she loves to paint, bake, do craft and recycled art.. and a lot more.. Hop on to Little Food Junction for more!!

Are you as creative with food?? We'd love to feature you... if you are a food artist... email us.. on torresp27@hotmail.com