Opera Cake- A scrumptious French Dessert

I made an Opera Cake!!!! I was thinking of making this cake from many months and I thought our anniversary is a perfect occasion to bake this cake. This cake surprisingly came out perfect though this was a little time consuming. The delicious taste of coffee and chocolate make this opera cake recipe well worth the time investment. 

This cake has different layers of almond Joconde with buttercream and chocolate ganache which is topped with chocolate glaze. The effort you put into this showstopper is well worth the result. Authentic opera cake has opera piped on top of the cake but as this was our anniversary, I left it plain. This cake is a super hit among my family and friends and can be made in any occasion. This cake would be liked and loved by all. Here is the recipe, try this out and please let me know.

Ingredients:

For the Almond Cake:

1. Eggs White- 4
2. Sugar- 2 tbsp
3. Almond Flour- 2 cups
4. All Purpose Flour- 1/2 Cup
5. Sugar- 2 Cups
6. Whole Eggs- 3
7. Butter- 3 tbsp

Method for Almond Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat the egg whites slightly and add the 2 tbsp sugar. Beat till they form creamy and holds stiff peaks.
3. In another bowl, beat the almond flour along with the whole eggs and confectioners sugar till they become creamy.
4. Add this into the above made egg mixture, gently fold and add the melted butter at last. Mix and pour this in a greased square baking pan and bake till done, for about 30 minutes or a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Coffee Syrup:

1. Instant Coffee Powder- 4 tbsp
2. Sugar- 3 tbsp
3. Water- 1/4 Cup

Method:

• Add the coffee to the boiling water and add sugar. Mix well to incorporate. Keep this aside.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1. Confectioners Sugar- 1 1/2 Cup
2. Butter- 2 sticks (1 cup)

Method:

• Beat the butter and sugar with a tbsp of coffee syrup. Beat till smooth, fluffy and well incorporated. Add little cream or milk if the buttercream is thick.

Chocolate Ganache:

1. Chocolate- 1 Cup
2. Cream- 1 Cup

• Heat the cream and pour this onto the chocolate chips. Keep this for 5 minutes and stir well to form ganache. Keep this refrigerated until lightly set.

Method for assembling the cake:

1. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 thin layers of cake using a floss thread.
2. Separate the layers. place the bottom layer on a cake board, soak the coffee syrup all over the cake using a brush, so that the cake layer absorbs the syrup well.
3. Spread the buttercream on top of the layer using a spatula, Place the second layer on top of the buttercream and soak it with coffee syrup, spread the chocolate ganache in a smooth layer.
4. Place the last layer of cake over the chocolate ganache, soak this layer with the remaining coffee syrup, spread a thin layer of  buttercream frosting properly . Even if it drips to the sides no need to worry.
5. Chill the cake till you make the chocolate glaze.
6. For Chocolate Glaze, melt 1/4 cup of butter and pour this into the remaining chocolate ganache. Mix well.
7. Take the cake out of the refrigerator and pour the chocolate glaze on top of the cake. Spread evenly and refrigerate again for 30 minutes.
8. After 30 minutes, take the cake out of the refrigerator, cut the side using a warm knife and enjoy a rich and delicious opera cake.

Brewed Cacao Tea and Cacao tea Smoothie

One day I got a mail from my friend Jessica (who sent me Moscow Mule Cups last year). They have started a new company that sell cacao tea, which is not only delicious but also has many health benefits. This is a perfect healthy alternative for coffee. It is high in antioxidants and is completely sugar- free, gluten- free, and dairy free. This tea is 100% pure and organic. This doesn't have artificial flavorings, additives or preservatives. If you want to know more about this tea, here it is  www.cacaoteaco.com

As soon as I saw the message from Jessica, to review about their product, I was so happy and excited to try their new product. I received it and as I opened, the chocolaty aroma was too fascinating. If you like chocolate and coffee and worry about the calories and caffeine, then this is a perfect alternative. This is a good energy booster. Now a days instead of green tea, I will be having this cacao tea, so that my chocolate cravings will be satisfied. This has a subtle flavor of chocolate, unless you make it stronger by adding more cacao tea or boiling the water for a longer period.

As they suggested I tried the brewed cold cacao tea in my post workout smoothie. A slight chocolate flavored smoothie was ready within no time. You can use many different ingredients to make smoothie along with this cacao tea.

We can also add almond milk a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the brewed cacao tea for a nice milk chocolaty flavored milk tea.
Their links are
Instagram: @cacaoteaco
Facebook: #cacaoteaco

Ingredients:
For Cacao Tea:

1. Cacao Tea Powder- 1 tbsp
2. Water- 1 1/2 Cup

Method:

• Boil the water in a pan and when it starts rolling boil add the cacao tea and let it simmer for 5- 10 minutes.
• Enjoy a nice chocolate flavored tea.

Cacao Tea Smoothie:

1.  Almond Milk- 2 Cups
2. Spinach Leaves- a handful
3. Dates- 4 nos
4. Brewed Cacao tea- 1/2 Cup
5. Chia Seeds- 1 tbsp
6. Hemp Seeds- 1 tbsp
7. Peanut Butter- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Blend all the ingredients in a blender and enjoy an amazing smoothie within no time.

Apricot Energy Balls and Oats Energy Balls

These energy balls are so easy to make that it does not require any baking. Just process it, make it into round balls and enjoy these within no time. There are so many varieties in these energy balls. We can add many ingredients of our choice in these balls.

 I love apricots. Dried apricots from Costco are my favorite snack. And as we get them in a bulk, I made some delicious healthy energy balls which is a hit in my family. I was in a mood of making the energy balls, and as soon as I finished I finished making with apricots, I made some using oats. I ground the oats to powder, as I don't like to bite the oats in energy balls.

Energy balls or protein balls are so easy and packed with nutrients, that they are a very good to go snack. These soft, chewy balls are a perfectly awesome snack to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients:
For Apricot Energy balls:

1. Dried Apricots- 1 Cup
2. Almonds- 1/2 Cup
3. Chia Seeds- 1 tbsp
4. Dried Coconut- 2 tbsp

Method:

• In a food processor, blend all the ingredients till it forms a nice sticky mixture. Make round balls and store in an airtight container for almost 2 weeks.

For Oats Energy Balls:

1. Oats- 1 Cup
2. Cocoa Powder- 2 tbsp
3. Chis Seeds- 1 tbsp
4. Hemp Seeds-- 1 tbsp
5. Dates- 3/4 Cup

Method:

• Ground the oats to a fine powder.
• Add all the other ingredients along with the powdered oats to a food processor and process till everything combines well. At this stage the mixture will look like powder, but transfer to a plate and start rolling them into round balls. Store them in an airtight container in refrigerator and enjoy as needed.

Very Berry Smoothie

Smoothies are a great choice for breakfast, midday snack or after a workout. This very berry smoothie is delicious, healthy, and nutritious smoothie which is filled with all your favorite berries. It takes hardly about 5 min to prepare this smoothie.

I make different varieties of smoothies and I like to have it after a nice workout. Sometimes if I am lazy to make breakfast, this will be my savior. My 4 yr old is crazy about the smoothie. Any smoothie you give him,  he will drink it without any fuss.
A  refreshing, delicious smoothie is a tasty way to drink your fruits. This is a basic smoothie recipe and a very healthy and nutritious one. You can add spinach, Greek yogurt, bananas or anything of your choice. Whatever you add, this smoothie will turn out amazingly delicious and healthy. I would always experiment with the ingredients. A little bit of this, a little bit of that, whatever it is, the outcome would be a healthy smoothie.

Ingredients:

1. Strawberries, Blueberries, raspberries- 1 Cup
2. Red Currants- a handful
3. Almond / Soy Milk- 1 Cup
4. Flax Seeds- 1 tbsp
5. Chia Seeds- 1/2 tbsp
6. Dates- 4-5 nos
7. Hemp seeds- 1 tsp

Method:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth desired consistency. Enjoy.

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Healthy Overnight Oats for Breakfast

Recently I started liking these overnight oats for breakfast. I love to experiment by adding different toppings like chopped berries, crushed nuts, nut butter, coconut flakes, a variety of fruits and so on. These will make you full till lunch and is easy to customize the flavors.

I feel these easy make-ahead breakfasts are essential for busy mornings. Overnight oats are rolled oats/ old fashioned oats, which are soaked in a liquid overnight. By the next morning, the liquid is well absorbed by the oats and can be had along with a choice of toppings. Sometimes I will just have along with chopped bananas. A perfect no-cook breakfast which is loaded with nutrients, fiber, vitamins, proteins, and will be liked by kids.

You can add any sweetener like the honey, brown sugar, dates syrup, chocolate chips for the kids. A healthy option to take to school/ office. By mixing all the ingredients the night before, a creamy, hearty, healthy, satisfying and absolutely delicious dish will be ready the next day morning.
I like the soaked raw oats rather than the gummy texture of the cooked oats. If you give these a try, please let me know.
Ingredients:

1. Oats- 1 Cups
2. Almond Milk- 1/2 Cup
3. Greek Yogurt/ Plain Yogurt- 2 tbsp
4. Cinnamon Powder- 1/4 Tsp
5. Honey- 1/2 tbsp
6. Chia Seeds- 1 tsp
7. Peanut Butter- 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a bowl/ glass jar, add the oats, along with almond milk, yogurt, Chia seeds, cinnamon powder, honey, and peanut butter. Mix well till everything gets incorporated well. Refrigerate overnight.
2. In the morning, add your choice of chopped nuts, berries, and granola. Enjoy a healthy and delicious breakfast.

Home Made Easy Granola Recipe with Yogurt- Granola Bowls- A healthy Valentine's Day Gift

This granola recipe is so easy and a simple version, that you can make any time of the day. This is a perfect snack to munch on without thinking about calories. An ideal one to carry to work and to school. This will make an excellent healthy gift for someone special which is homemade and with lots of love and care.

In this granola, we can add chocolate chips, dried berries, a variety of nuts or anything of your choice or eat it plain. it's tasty any of the ways. These are so addictive and delicious that I made 3 batches in the last week. I make this and store them in airtight jars, but we don't know when it gets over as they are so scrumptious and yummy that we simply munch on. Kids will love them for breakfast or as a healthy snack.

I have added these granolas in the Greek yogurt along with blueberry compote and they were heavenly.

Nowadays I am so obsessed with the beautiful, cute pink flowers that have bloomed all over the town. In this valentines season, these flowers are a perfect feast for the eyes. As soon as the winter is over, there won't be any leaves and these cute little flowers will take over the trees. Such a wonderful sight it is, that they fill your hearts and you forget about all your worries. For my food photography, I have used these flowers as a prop along with my favorite granola and they both well blended together. Hope you all like this. try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

1. Oats- 4 Cups
2. Dried Raspberries- 1 cup
3. Almond - a handful
4. Cinnamon powder- 1 Tsp
5. Honey- 1/3 Cup
6. Coconut Oil- 1/4 Cup
7. Vanilla Essence- 1 tsp

Method:

1. Take the oats, dried raspberries, almonds, cinnamon powder in a mixing bowl. Add the honey, coconut oil and vanilla essence in this and mix well using the hand, so that everything gets well blended with each other.
2. meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the above mixture on a baking tray evenly and bake for about 10- 15 minutes. Using a wooden spatula, stir the mixture in between the baking time.
3. Take it out of the oven and when cool, enjoy along with your favorite yogurt or have it just like that.

Shahi Falooda using Homemade Rose Syrup

Falooda is a dessert beverage which we all like the most. In India, during summertime, we used to have falooda often. I never tried making this at home, as we will be getting falooda in India in almost all the restaurants.

Only after coming to the US, I realized that it is difficult to get falooda in restaurants and if we get also, it’s not the same as India. So I decided to make this at home. But to make this falooda, the main ingredient required is the rose syrup or rose milk. Many will use roohafza, but as we don’t like the taste of roohafza, I tried to make rose syrup, which we can use for other different beverages as well. I googled and got the recipe for rose syrup from Raks Kitchen. Which we can easily make and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Whenever required we can make it to our convenience.

Once when I made the rose syrup, the search for falooda sev/ corn sev started and I got it from the Indian store. The other main ingredient is the sabja seeds/ tukmaria which is soaked and added to juices. Which is also a perfect coolant.

Falooda is a combination of corn sev, soaked sabja seeds, chilled milk and rose syrup. No need of adding sugar as the rose syrup contains enough sugar for the falooda. All the other like the jelly, ice cream and nuts are optional.

This is a best-layered dessert in a tall glass which will be loved by all and enjoyed during a hot day. Just try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

For making Rose Syrup:

1. Sugar- 1 ½ Cups
2. Water- 1 ½ Cups
3. Rose Essence- 2 tsp
4. Red Food Colour- 2 tsp

Method:

1. Mix sugar in water and heat it up on a medium flame, till it boils.
2. When it starts boiling, check for a one string consistency. Slowly add the red food color. Stir.
3. Switch off the flame and add the rose essence. Mix and let this cool.
4. Once when it cools, store in a glass bottle in the refrigerator and use as required.

Ingredients for Falooda:

1. Corn Vermicelli/ Falooda Sev- 1 Packet
2. Sabja Seeds/ Basil Seeds/ Tukmaria- 2 tbsp
3. Milk- 3 Cups
4. Pistachios, Almonds, and Cashews- ½ Cup crushed
5. Rose Syrup- 3 tbsp
6. Jello/ Jelly- 1 packet (optional)
7. Ice Cream- 1 Cup (optional)

Method:

1. Prepare jelly according to packet instructions and cut into small pieces. Keep this aside.
2. Soak the sabja seeds in water till it blooms. Drain and reserve.
3. Boil the milk and keep this aside to cool. Add 4 tbsp rose syrup, mix well. When cooled, keep this in the refrigerator.
4. Crush the nuts and keep this aside.

Assembling:

• In a tall glass add 2 tsp soaked sabja seeds followed by jelly pieces, corn vermicelli, refrigerated rose syrup mixed milk and then again repeat the above process and at last add a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with nuts. Serve immediately.