Plate full of xmas cheers

With only five days left for Christmas, it is time to whip up some tasty treats and bid adieu to the year on a sweet note. SUNDAY PIONEER brings you some exclusive recipes

MANGO LAVA CHEESE CAKE

Ingredients:

Milk                       Half cup

Corn flour                            1 tsp

Sugar                     1 tbsp

Mango pulp        1 cup

Gelatin                  1 tsp

Whipped cream 1 and a half cup

Mascarpone cheese       2 tbsp

Mango Essence two drops

Method:

• Mix cornflour in 2 tbsp of hot milk and 1 tbsp sugar. Add around one cup of mango pulp & two drops of essence into this mixture and keep aside.
• Melt gelatin in hot water and add the same to mascarpone cheese to make it into a mixture.
• Mix both the mixtures and add whipped cream.
• Pour the mixture in a mould (save a little for topping) and put it in refrigerator for 3 hours.
• Demould and make a hollow in between to fill the mango pulp.
• After filling top with the remaining mixture, refrigerate it for 40 minutes.
• Serve cold, topped with chopped mangoes or cheese crumble.

Courtesy: Gaurav Malhotra, Senior Sous Chef, The Ashok

DUNDEE CAKE

Ingredients:

Butter                                             1/½ cup

Brown sugar                                1 cup

Eggs                                            5

Refined flour                                1/¼ cups

Baking powder                               One and a half tsp

Orange marmalade                       2 tbsp

Crushed almonds                         1cup

Raisins                                         2 cups

Orange peel                                  Half cup

Orange rind                                  2 tbsp

Lemon rind                                  1 tbsp

Dark rum                                     4 tbsp

Blanched skinless almonds            Half cup

Method:

• Soak raisins, orange peel, crushed almonds, lemon rind and orange rind with rum for 4 hours.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until light.
• Combine flour with baking powder and put it into the wet mixture of step 2.
• Add in the soaked fruit.
• Spread the batter into a foil-lined round baking pan. Arrange the blanched almonds on top.
• Bake at 165 degrees C for about 1/½ hours, until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean.
• Remove cake from pan and serve hot.

Courtesy: Executive Chef Abhijeet Thakre, Taj City Centre Gurugram

CHRISTMAS PIES

Ingredients for Pie Filling:

Black Currants                                   Half cup

Sweet Bread Crumbs                         1/½ cup

Raisins Yellow                                   100 gm

Almonds Whole                                 40 gm

Candied Orange Peel                          5 tbsp

Candied Lemon Peel                          6 tbsp

Candied Mix Peel                               6 tbsp

Corondha                                          3 tbsp

Whiskey                                            1 tbsp

Wine Sula Red                                   2 tsp

Rum Old Monk                                  2 tbsp

Tart shells as a pie base                 As required

Ingredients for Sweet dough:

Butter   Half cup

Icing Sugar          18090 gm

Salt                                                    A pinch

Almond Powder                                  2 tbsp

Eggs                                                   2

Flour                                                  1 cup

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C and keep ready.
• In a clean bowl, soak all the fruit and nuts in alcohol for half an hour.
• Then add the sweet bread crumbs to it and mix well. Mix all of them to make a soft and clean dough.
• With a rolling pin roll the dough into a thin, cut out a disc of 6 inch diameter with a pastry cutter. Keep the disc in a plate and refrigerate for 5 hours.
• Now, use the tart shells as a base and fill the mix till the top. Keep it ready.
• Brush egg white on the edges of the tart shell and cover it with the sweet paste disc and place it in the oven for 12 minutes with the top heat 50 and side and the bottom heat should be zero.
• When the top crust is baked take it out of the oven and cool it on a wire rack.
• For serving, place lovely Christmas decorations on top and dust it with icing sugar.

Sweet Paste Method:

• Cream the butter and add a pinch of salt, almonds, icing sugar, eggs and 120g of flour. Do not beat it.
• When the mix is homogenous, add the remaining flour as short a time as possible.
• Refrigerate for at least 5 hours before using.

Courtesy: The Chocolate Box and Lounge, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida

Peppermint Mocha

Ingredients:

Espresso shot 30 ml, milk (one cup), unsweetened chocolate (one tbsp), mint extract (four to five drops)

Method:

• Heat milk and add unsweetened chocolate to it. Mix well. Once done, add four-five drops of mint extract. Take the mixture off heat, add the coffee shot and mix well.
• Serve it hot and garnish with mint leaves. Goes best with Rum Cake siders.

Courtesy: Renuka VS, Senior Barista at SLAY Coffee

OLIVE & TOMATO PASTA

Ingredients:

Spaghetti                                                                                             160 gm

Olive oil                                                                                               1.5 tbsp

Onions                                                                                                50 gm

Garlic ( finely chopped)                                                                        2 tsp

Capers                                                                                                2 tsp

Marinara Sauce                                                                                   240 ml

Parmesan cheese                                                                                1 tbsp

Cherry tomato                                                                                     5

Black olives                                                                                         1 tbsp

Parsley                                                                                               1 tsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, sauté onions for 10 minutes or till they turn translucent.
• Add finely chopped garlic and sauté until it turns brown, add capers (a form of Jalapeno) and marinara sauce. Bring to simmer, reduce heat and cook the sauce for 15 minutes.
• To boil spaghetti, take a heavy bottom pan, add half litre of water, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of olive oil. Let the water come to a boil and add the spaghetti. Boil for 15 minutes. Take out the spaghetti in a colander, run through cold water and drain the remaning water.
• Add the boiled spaghetti to the sauce and toss well.
• Place spaghetti nicely on a serving plate and garnish with parmesan flakes, olives and parsley. Serve hot.

Courtesy: Gaurav Malhotra, Senior Sous Chef, The Ashok