Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting - India Flag Special Cupcakes for Republic Day

Wish you all a very Happy 64^th Republic Day to all my Readers, bloggers, friends!!!

I thought I would enhance this year Republic Day celebrations with tri colors of our India flag and baked these delicious vanilla cupcakes with awesome colors of frosting 

A recipe for vanilla cupcakes and butter cream frosting is a perfect pair for model cupcakes. These are very simple to make and taste so yummy

Srav’s Culinary Concepts turns ‘3’!!! With Coffee Cake

Three Cheers for Three Years!!!! I am celebrating three years of blogging and I am totally overwhelmed with this journey J

A Big Thanks to everyone who supported me in my journey of blogging and many thanks to all my blogger friends for all the encouragement with your valuable suggestion.

Celebration is not complete without sweets & treats. So here is a sweet treat ‘Coffee Cake’ for this wonderful fest.

Coffee Cake is a simple sweet moist rich cake usually made with nuts and spices. This Coffee cake with its rich crumble topping tastes great as a morning treat with a cup of coffee.

Mango CheeseCake

Mango CheeseCake is always fantasized me as I didn’t have it anywhere. So I was wondering how it could taste. This is my first trial of a cheesecake and it came out so well. As the season of mango is in and I am all set that I made this dessert.

My love for mango cannot be frazzled enough and tried this scrumptious cake which tasted so heavily. This recipe doesn't require any baking.

Its light silky texture, smooth creamy is fun to make and tastes so delicious which impresses everyone and everyone will surly ask for another lovely bite!!

Strawberry Choco Chips Muffins

Strawberry picking season has begun!! Last weekend we went for strawberry picking and wanted to do something with all the strawberries, seriously these strawberries were so fresh, juicy and craved to bake something right away after returning from picking. So last Saturday evening after picking baked these Delicious Muffins!! 

Strawberry and Choco Chips go so well in muffins. They tasted so yummy where the strawberries made the muffins moist and the chocolate chips gave sweet taste. We loved these Muffins!!

Pound Cake

Happy Mother’s Day !!

Moms are the sweetest gift from god to us.They are so lovable and fill our hearts with love and laughter. Mummy you are the best. Love you !!

For this Mother’s day I made Pound Cake which is one of my Mom’s favorite dish.

Pound Cake is a soft buttery cake with a lovely golden brown crust. This is the most basic cake which is prepared by flour,butter,eggs and sugar.

Srav’s Culinary Concepts turns ‘2’!!! With Lamingtons

Happy Second Anniversary to My blog!!!!!

Two years already? I am still amazed when I think about it. I can’t believe it's been 2 years since I started this blog. Blogging helped me to know different cuisines, cultures and ingredients. It helped me to attempt various recipes that I haven't heard or tasted before.   

A big Hug to my lovely hubby who helps me in my cooking and tasting all my dishes!!!

Huge thanks to each and every one of you for giving me all the support and encouragement that has kept me going these wonderful two years.

Sago Payasam – Diwali Special

With gleam of Diyas

And the Echo of the Chants
May Happiness and Contentment Fill Your life

Wishing all my readers, friends, bloggers a very happy and prosperous Diwali!!

To celebrate this diwali occasion prepared this sweet – Sago Payasam.

This is one of the simple and easy sweet which can be prepared very easily and takes very less time. When we were kids my mom used to prepare this Sweet quiet regularly and I used to love it a lot.

Spooky Witch Finger Cookies – Halloween Threat

Hey everyone!! Boooo!!!! Happy Halloween!!!!!!!

For this Halloween I made these Spooky Witch Finger Cookies.  Well this is one of those spooky desserts that I have always seen, but never actually made until for this Halloween.

A little creepy and scary, but really fun to make, these finger cookies are actually very delicious and great spooky decoration and sure a smash hit for Halloween party!!! The ingredients in the cookies are basic ingredients like almonds, flour, sugar and vanilla extract. Almonds act as fingernails for these spooky finger-shaped cookies that kids and grown-ups like and will enjoy!! As the finger cookies expand so make them as thin.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti – My 150th post

This is my 150^th post which is quite exhilarating!! I am really thrilled!!

First thing a very big bow/thank you to all my fellow bloggers, friends, family and readers for visiting/reading/following my blog and for your sweet and wonderful comments and hugs to my lovely hubby who tastes all my dishes and helps in all my cooking.

On my journey of my blogging I really started learning many new recipes/baking in spite of my busy work life which really makes me proud of myself.

Apple Upside Down Cake

Couple of days back I had bunch of apples lying in my fridge then I decided to bake a cake. Immediately a thought came to my mind is Apple Upside Down Cake the recipe which I bookmarked from Vardhini’s blog.

There is something special about an upside down cake. I and my husband loved this cake a lot !! Delectable one !!

I was so excited baking this Cake as this is my first effort trying upside down cake. It came out so perfect.

Carrot Kheer

Carrot Kheer is milk based dessert which is very easy to make and full of nutrition. Although it is a kheer it does not need any ghee, it is just prepared by using carrots, milk. The main ingredient of this dish is carrot which is rich in vitamin A. This kheer reminds me of badam milk that I used to have at my grandmom’s place when we were kids. I miss those days :(

I learnt this recipe from my husband’s friend Tulasi he is really a good cook and he prepares a lot of varieties. I learn many recipes from him. My husband made that floating cute smiley. 

Carrot kheer serves best any time of the day, and is a perfect nourishing summer drink which can be prepared in less time. If you want to have a healthy dessert this is a great option.

We can also add nuts like almonds, cashews (raw ones) to get a nutty flavor.  But in my preparation I used just carrots, milk, sugar and flavored with cardamom.

Ingredients:

Carrot – 4 no Big ones

Milk – 1 liter

Cardamom – 3 pods

Sugar – ½ cup or as required

Preparation

• Peel the skin of carrot, cut into chunks and boil for 15-20mins
• Cool and grind to a smooth paste. While blending we can use the boiled water until the paste gets blended well or if boiled water is not sufficient we can use little part of milk to blend them if required.
• Bring milk to boil and add sugar.
• Reduce the flame and add carrot paste to it and stir continuously.
• Cook on low flame for 10-15 mins or till the raw smell of carrot goes away. 
• Lastly add cardamom and serve.

Sending this to Bookmarked Recipes hosted by Priya, Veggie/Fruit of the Month - Carrot hosted by Reva originally started by Priya , HCC - Healthy desserts hosted by Jolly Vindaloo originally started by Smita, MMK- Indian Mithai Mela hosted by Kalyani.

Orange Pound Cake

This is a nice basic pound cake which I prepared last weekend came out so well. It was soft and light cake with perfect texture and beautiful color.

Used all natural orange flavor to make this pound cake which was rich in citrus flavor. I used orange icing to decorate.  Easy to make and it is perfect for summer picnics.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour – 1 ½ cup

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Sugar - ½ cup

Orange juice – ¼ cup

Orange Zest – 1 tsp

Melted Unsalted butter – ¼ cup

Milk – ¼ cup

Eggs – 2 no

Preparation

• In a mixing bowl take sugar, eggs, melted butter and mix well till it forms smooth mixture.
• To this add vanilla extract, baking powder, orange juice, orange zest and mix well.
• Now add all purpose flour and mix well till the mixture turns smooth.
• Add milk to it and combine well.
• Preheat the oven for 350 F
• Meanwhile grease the round baking pan with butter.
• Pour batter into the greased pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Place on a rack to cool, slice and serve at room temperature.
• Can use chocolate sauce or powdered sugar or any fruit icing to decorate it. 

Sending this to Celebrate Sweets - Cakes hosted by Sonia originally started by Nivedita.

Rasmalai Using Ricotta Cheese

Rasmalai is one of popular sweet in North India (Orissa, West Bengal). It consists of sugary, white cream or yellow colored balls (or flatten balls) soaked in malai and flavored with cardamom. The milk is flavored with pistachios, saffron or rosewater.

I learnt this recipe from my friends. Prepared by using Ricotta Cheese which makes the recipe simpler and the taste is very close to the original.

I usually make this sweet when we have guests. And also it is one of my favorite sweet.

Ingredients:

Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese – 15 oz

Sugar – 1 cup

Saffron – a pinch

Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp

Whole Milk – 4 – 5 cups

Almonds/Pistachio chopped

Preparation

Rasmalai Syrup

To make syrup take a pan and on low flame simmer whole milk, ¾ cup sugar, cardamom powder, saffron. Heat for few mintues and let it cool.

Rasmalai

• In a bowl take ¼ cup sugar, with Ricotta cheese and mix well.
• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• Take oven safe dish. I used muffin pan and add 2 spoons of above cheese mixture in each cup.
• Bake them for 40-45 mins or until it turns light brown. Or insert a tooth pick into the cheese and if it comes clean then remove from the oven.

• Remove from oven and allow them to cool.
• Remove them from dish safely using spoon or hand and place them into a bowl
• Add the rasmalai to above syrup and garnish with almonds and pistachios.
• Keep them in the refrigerator for 6 hours before serving. Serve Chilled.

Sending to Flavors of Bengal hosted by priya originally started by Nayna. 

Easy Mango Nut Icecream

Mango Nut Icecream  is very easy to make that satisfy our cravings for dessert in this hot weather. This does not require any cooking just add and mix.

This Icecream is Prepared using Mango Puree, Condensed milk, Cool Whip. Also added nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios to get the nutty taste in the Icecream. I learnt this recipe from my husband's friend in a party and also saw the same in aipi's blog.

I love this Ice Cream!!!!

Ingredients:

Mango Pulp or Fresh Ripe Mango Puree (2 Mango) – 1 cup

Sweet Condensed Milk – 1 cup

Cool Whip – 2 cup

Almonds chopped into pieces– 3-4

Cashews chopped into pieces – 3-4

Unsalted Pistachios – 3-4

Preparation

• In a Air tight Container/Bowl add mango pulp and sweet condensed milk and mix well
• Add Cool whip and mix thoroughly
• Add chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios and fold in well

• Cover the container and keep it in freezer for 6 hours
• Take out from freezer and enjoy this yummy ice cream 

Sending this to Healing Foods - Mango hosted by Reva originally started by Siri With this also sending my other mango entries

Simple and Easy Mango Mousse

Mango Coconut Ladoo

Ugadi Pachadi and Paramannam ( Sweet Rice pudding)

శ్రీకర నామ సంవత్సర ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు!!!!

Wishing all my readers and dear friends a very happy ugadi!!

Ugadi is a Telugu New year and on this day predictions are made for the New Year. The panchanga shravanam is done traditionally at temples.

Today I made Ugadi Pachadi and Paramannam (Rice pudding) as naivedyam (prasadam).

Ugadi Pachadi 

Ugadi pachadi is prepared of six tastes which consist of:

Source : wiki

• Neem Buds/Flowers for its bitterness, signifying Sadness
• Jaggery and ripe banana pieces for sweetness, signifying Happiness
• Green Chilli/Pepper for its hot taste, signifying Anger
• Salt for saltiness, signifying Fear
• Tamarind Juice for its sourness, signifying Disgust
• Unripened Mango for its tang, signifying Surprise

Ingredients:

Raw fresh mango  cleaned and chopped – 1 cup

Neem flowers – 1-2 tsp ( used dry flowers)

Jaggery grated – 1 cup

Fresh coconut pieces chopped – ½ cup

Tamarind paste – 3 -4 tsps

Ripe banana mashed – 1 no

Red chilli powder a pinch

Salt a pinch

Putanalu pappu/ roasted channa dal– 4 tsps

Preparation

• Mix all the above ingrediants well to form a fine mixture

Sweet Paramannam ( Rice pudding with jaggery)

Paramannam is a sweet rice pudding made using rice, jaggery and flavored with cardamom. This is prepared at the time of festivals  as naivedyam ( prasadam).

Ingredients:

Sona masuri Rice – 1cup

Milk – 2 1/2 cups

Water – 1 cup

Cashews and golden raisins – 1 cup

Ghee – 2 tsps

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Sagu – 2 tsps

Preparation

• In a pan add ghee and fry cashews and raisins to golden brown and keep aside
• Boil milk and water in a cooking bowl along with sagu.
• Add rice in above boiled milk and water and cook it to very tender.
• Melt the jaggery in water and simmer to plain syrup.
• Add jaggery syrup to cooked rice.
• Add fried cashews and raisins to rice mixture.
• Cook on medium heat until whole thing thickens and comes together.
• Add cardamom powder and mix well.
• Serve warm or cold.

Nutty Chocolate Coffee Brownies

Yesterday Evening I spent a relaxing day baking Brownies with Chocolate and Coffee. Brownies are an American dessert that is half cookie and half cake. They’re easy quick to make and are so moist and chewy.

I made them with the instant coffee and semi-sweet chocolate chips which really brought out the chocolaty and coffee flavor. Added nuts on top of the brownie mixture. The brownies puffed up more than what I expected. They were incredible and inside were just what I love in a brownie.

Here is the recipe for the Nutty Chocolate and Coffee brownie!!!!

Ingredients:

Semi sweet chocolate chips – 3 tsps

Unsalted butter – 2 tsps

Instant coffee Nescafe ( ur choice of coffee) – 1 ½ tsp

Sugar – ½ cup

Eggs – 2 no

Baking powder – ½ tsp

Vanilla extact – 1 tsp

All purpose flour – ½ cup

Walnuts –1 tsp (optional)

Salt a pinch

Preparation

• Melt the butter, chocolate chips and coffee in microwave for 1min by stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl take sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract and mix well.
• Add eggs and mix well for 2-3 mins
• Add Flour to the eggs mixture and beat until fluffy.
• Now Add the chocolate, coffee mixture and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• In a square cake pan line with a parchment paper.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan
• Garnish with walnuts on top of the batter of brownie.
• Bake for 20minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
• Cut them into squares.

Sending this to Brownie event hosted by divya, Food palette Series brown hosted by Akheela and Heart and Soul Hop hosted by kankana

Simple & Easy Mango Mousse

Mango Mousse is a creamy dessert with tropical flavor. This recipe is made with

Mango pulp gets its shape from gelatin, its lightness from whipped cream.

This easy recipe of mango mousse is wonderful on a hot day or after a meal.

Enjoy this very quick and simple dessert!!!

Ingredients:

Mango pulp – 15 oz or ½ can

Sugar – 2 tsp

Gelatin (vanilla/orange flavor) – 4 tsps

Whipped cream – 2 cups

Water – ½ cup

Preparation

• Heat mango pulp on medium heat by adding add water.
• Now add the gelatin and heat for some time till the gelatin gets dissolved.
• Add sugar to it.
• Take off from heat.
• Add whipped cream to mango mixture and mix well.
• Take the mixture in separate bowls and keep it refrigerated for two hours.
• Garnish with fruits.

Mango Coconut Ladoo

I prepared these ladoos using mango pulp, coconut and flavored with cardamom. They were really good with subtle of mango flavor with coconut which was wonderfully bright and refreshing taste experience. These delicious ladoos can be made very quick.

This year I missed to make snow man but managed to do it with these ladoos :)

Ingredients:

Shredded Coconut fresh/dry – 2 cup

Mango pulp – 1/2cup

Sugar – 4tsp

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Ghee – 1tsp

Water

Preparation

• In a cooking vessel mix sugar with little water and make simple sugar syrup.
• When syrup becomes think add shredded coconut and cook for 10-15 mins.
• Add mango pulp and mix well and cook for 5 mins. 
• Make small rounds while the mixture is warm, do not allow to cool.
• Cool and store in air tighter box.

Pala Talikalu

To all my readers and friends, Wish u a Happy and Blessed Shivaratri!!!!

Pala talikalu, is one of the dishes my mom used to prepare for Vinayaka Chavithi as  naivedyam (prasadam). Today as a shivarathi special I prepared this delicious dish.

Pala talikalu is prepared with rice dough strings ,these  are slowly simmered in milk, coconut, jaggery, flavored with cardamom and garnished with cashews and raisins.

Ingredients:

Milk – 2 cups

Rice Flour – 1 cup

Jaggery – ½ cup

Grated Coconut – 2 tsps

Cardamom powder a pinch

Ghee – 2 tsps

Cashews, Raisins

Water 1 cup

Preparation

• Roast rice flour powder in a vessel for 2-3 mins and keep aside.
• In a bowl take 2-3tsp of  rice flour powder and mix with water like a thick paste and keep aside.
• In another separate bowl mix the rest rice flour with water and make dough(like chapathi)
• Take the dough in janthikalu maker with medium size hole plate and press the flour in a vessel.
• Pressure cook these rice strings without whistle for 10 mins.

• Boil milk in microwave for 2mins.
• Boil ½ cup water, add the above boiled milk, once it comes to full boil add the prepared cooked rice strings  and let it boil for another 10mins.
• In the meantime, take ½ cup of water and mix jaggery and boil till it dissolves in water.
• Add this jaggery water to the boiling milk.
• Add granted coconut and cardamom powder and let it cook for 2 -3 mins
• Fry cashew nuts and raisins in one tsp of ghee and add it palathalikalu.
• Remove from Stove and garnish with nuts.

Sending this to "Lets Celebrate Sweets - Warm Desserts" hosted by Priya originally started by Nivedita