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.

Stained Glass Cookies- Holiday treats

These sugar cookies are buttery, crisp with a candy center. This tastes as good as it looks. A perfect holiday classic. This is the first time I am trying to make these cookies. Actually my daughter made these from scratch for her youtube channel as Christmas cookies. She decorated the cookies using royal icing and the second time, I thought of giving it a try by making them as stained glass using Jolly Ranchers. This was a hit among family and friends.

You cut a shape from the cookie dough, transfer it on the baking sheet and cut a smaller shape and fill it up with crushed jolly ranchers. Bake them and when the sides turn light brown in color, take it out of the oven and an evenly baked striking cookies are ready to be served.

This is a perfect treat to make and gift to your friends. For making the perfect stained glass cookie is the time. I kept them exactly for 12 minutes a minute her or there it would end up over cooked or under cooked. These cookies make beautiful Christmas tree ornament by just hanging them using a ribbon. My kids enjoyed making these and they also enjoyed eating them.

I have only seen these cookies in magazines and other blogs but now these cookies are here in my blog which I never thought I could make. If I can make these, so can you. Try this out and let me know how this turned out.

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose Flour- 3 Cups
2. Baking Powder- 1 tsp
3. Butter- 1 Cup
4. Sugar- 1 1/2 Cup
5. Egg- 1no
6. Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

For Stained Glass Effect:

• Jolly Ranchers- few

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a baking paper on the tray and keep this aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar till they blend well. Then add the egg and vanilla essence and beat well.
3. Mix the baking powder to the all purpose flour and add this little by little in the wet mixture and beat slowly.
4. When all the flour mixture is added to the butter mixture, it will form a dough. Roll these using a rolling pin and using a cookie cutter shape cut into desired shapes. Cut a smaller portion in the center and arrange them in the baking tray.
5. Keep this tray in the refrigerator for 15- 20 minutes, then crush different colored jolly ranchers in a zip lock bag and add this in the middle of the cookie and bake for about 12 minutes.
6. Enjoy the stained glass cookie.

Stained Glass Cookie Ornament:

• Before placing the cookies in the refrigerator, make a small hole in the top of the cookie by using a straw, then follow the next steps to bake.
• When the cookie is baked, hang it as an ornament by tying with a rope on the Christmas tree.

Mint Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This is a great recipe for all those who like mint chocolate chip pancakes. We usually make the regular pancakes as my kids are big time pancake lovers. I just tried these as my son likes the mint chocolate chip ice cream. There is nothing delightful as towering a stack of fluffy pancakes.

The green food coloring and adding the ground mint leaves are optional as you can add the mint essence. Making pancakes from scratch is easier and doesn't take much time. As toppings you can have whipped cream or chocolate sauce or cut berries or maple syrup. 

If you like pancakes, you must try this recipe....

 Ingredients:

1. Whole Wheat Flour- 1/2 Cup
2. All Purpose Flour- 1/4 Cup
3. Baking Soda- 1 tsp
4. Egg- 1 
5. Milk- 1/2 Cup
6. Butter- 2 tbsp
7. Sugar- 1 tbsp
8. Salt- 1 pinch
9. Vanilla Essence- 1 tsp
10. Mint Leaves- 1 Cup
11. Green Food Coloring- 1-2 drops
12. Chocolate Chips- 1/2 Cup

Method:

1. Grind the mint leaves adding little water to a fine paste.
2. Add this paste along with the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, egg, baking soda, milk, butter, sugar and salt.
3. Mix well and add little water and vanilla essence until it becomes a pouring consistency. add the chocolate chips and stir.
4. Heat a griddle and pour/ scoop the batter onto the griddle. Serve hot with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Chocolate Lava Cake- Easy Peasy....

Avery easy, simple, delicious, fudgy and a gooey recipe with just 6 ingredients and baked in a very less time is what is required to celebrate any occasion. This chocolate lava cakes are enjoyed by every chocolate lover with the desired toppings. These chocolate lava cakes made in ramekins are perfect for single servings. A perfect chocolate lava cake is the one with gooey in the middle.

I made these in ramekin bowls, you can also use muffin tray if you don't have ramekin bowls. This is made within 25 minutes. These cakes are easier than you think. These became famous because they are cakey on the outside with an irresistible center of dark warm chocolate flowing. This will be a super hit among guests and no need of spending too much time for preparation.

Ingredients:

1. Chocolate Chips- 6 ounce
2. Unsalted Butter- 1/2 cup
3. All purpose Flour- 1/4 Cup
4. Sugar- 1/2 Cup
5. Eggs- 2 nos
6. Egg Yolk- 1 no

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray the ramekins with oil and dust with cocoa powder. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the butter and chocolate chips together on a double boiler and let it melt. Mix well until smooth consistency. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs and egg yolk until combined. Add the flour and sugar in the bowl along with egg mixture. Stir everything together using a spatula without any lumps.
Spoon the batter in the ramekin bowls. Bake for about 12 minutes. The side appear firm and the top will look soft.
Allow to cool for a minute and invert on a pan and enjoy the steaming hot lave cake along with icecream.

Best Chocolate Babka Recipe

The first time I heard about Babka was at my friend's place during Christmas. It was store bought and I tasted it for the first time and fell in love with the layers of chocolate and dough, which was a perfectly amazing combination. From then on it was in my mind that I should make this chocolate babka one day. But the process seemed tiring so where ever I found babka, I used to buy.

My kids love this and so I thought this is the best time while staying at home, to make the kids involved in baking and so here am today with this babka post. They enjoyed melting the chocolate, spreading the filling on the dough and last but not least licking the bowl of filling.

Babka is a sweet buttery yeast bread which has swirls of chocolate running through the layers. Those swirls pull apart into delectable, irresistible layers.We can make it the same day. But usually it is made in two days, to proof the dough and to bake the dough. The process of making babka is not difficult but it is time consuming.

With the measurements I gave we can make two big loaves of babka, but I made it into a huge one. This is a hit in my family. I am assuring that this will be everyones favorite dessert. Hope you will try this and let me know how this turned.

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose Flour- 2 Cups
2. Egg- 1
3. Yeast- 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Sugar- 1 tbsp
5. Salt- as required
6. Milk- 1 Cup
7. Butter- 4 tbsp

Chocolate Filling:

1. Chocolate Chips- 1 1/2Cup
2. Butter- 4 tbsp
3. Cocoa Powder-3tbsp

Method:

1. In a stand mixer, drop all purpose flour, egg, sugar, yeast, salt and milk. Mix on low speed until mixture comes together, scraping down the edges add the butter 1tbsp at a time until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. We will get a soft dough.
2. Place this dough in a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and keep this overnight in refrigerator.
3. The next day remove the dough and prepare the chocolate filling.
4. meanwhile line a baking tray with parchment paper and grease with oil. Keep this aside till everything gets ready.
5. Place the butter, chocolate chips, cocoa powder and melt on a low flame. Stir in between. Once the chocolate chips start melting take it off from the stove and stir well till everything gets melted well.
6. On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling evenly on the surface and start rolling tightly from the closest end. Cut the roll lengthwise into half, dividing the log into two long even halves, with the layers of dough and filling visible.
7. Cross the one half over the other and holding one end of the dough in each hand, start twisting tightly and nestle into the prepared tray.
8. Keep this covered for about 30 minutes and meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Place the proofed dough into the oven and bake for 30- 40 minutes or a skewer inserted comes out clean.
10. When done, take it out and let it cool and cut into desired pieces and enjoy with evening tea.

Double Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

As nowadays the kids are at home because of quarantine , they want something to eat all the time. I am running out of ideas. Daily I will be googling for new snack ideas and recipes. I got the idea of making brownies as the zoom classes are going on and my son's teacher told him to do a "show and tell" session, where they can make something on their own and show it to their classmates.

I got the idea of making brownies along with him as he likes to cook along with me. He added all the ingredients in the bowl and I mixed and made the yummy, delicious brownies, which require only few ingredients within less time. He enjoys cooking/ baking along with me. When am cooking, he sits on the side to get a better view of what am adding in the dish and asks me the names of the ingredients that goes in the dish.

Here am today with a new post of these brownies, which can be made with your kids during the #stayathome times. They will enjoy it. The name as double chocolate brownies are because, we are adding chocolate in two different ways in the recipe. I hope you will try this recipe and please let me know how it turned out.

Ingredients:

1. Melted Butter- 1/2 Cup
2. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- 1/2 Cup
3. All Purpose Flour- 1/2 Cup
4. Sugar- 1 Cup
5. Eggs- 2 nos
6. Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
7. Chocolate Chips- a handfull

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, grease a square baking tray and keep it aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the butter and eggs till creamy. Add the sugar and beat well.
3. In this mix the vanilla essence, cocoa powder, flour, combine well and take care not to over mix the batter. Add the handful of chocolate chips, mix.
4. Pour in the greased tray and bake for about 15- 20 minutes or a skewer inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool completely and cut into squares and enjoy.

Chocolate Truffle Cake- A birthday treat...

Chocolate Truffle cake is the birthday cake which I made for my husband's birthday. We all like chocolate a lot and so I planned to make this. This cake was pending from so long and because of  my busy schedule I couldn't try it out. Birthdays are best to try new cakes and so here it is today in my blog for all my dear readers.

A chocolate layer cake is a dense and moist cake with a silky whipped ganache filling. this cake is to die for. Totally melts in your mouth. This chocolate cake is perfect for the chocolate lover in your life. It is seriously so good, nicely balanced and not super sweet. this cake is ultra chocolaty. Head on over to bake this cake.

Ingredients:

1. All Purpose Flour- 2 cups
2. Baking Soda- 1 1/2 tsp
3. Baking Powder- 1 1/2 tsp
4. salt- a pinch
5. Cocoa Powder- 3/4 Cup
6. Sugar- 2 Cups
7. Milk- 1 Cup
8. Egg- 2 nos
9. Oil- 1/2 Cup
10. Instant Coffee- 1 Cup
11. Sugar Syrup- 1/2 cup water and 4tbsp sugar.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" round cake pan.
2. Make instant coffee by adding 1 cup warm water and 1 tbsp of coffee. Keep this to cool.
3. In a bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt along with cocoa powder. Mix well.
4. In a mixing bowl, crack the eggs and blend it well. add the wet ingredients like the oil, cooled coffee, milk and mix well till everything gets well blended.
5. Add the sugar and let it mix till dissolved. Pour this into the flour mixture little by little and fold well using a spatula.
6. When everything gets mixed well pour this in the greased baking pan and bake for about 20- 30 minutes or till a skewer poked comes out clean. Let the cake cool.

For the Whipped Chocolate Ganache:
Ingredients:

1. Chocolate Chips- 1 cup
2. Whipping cream- 1/2 Cup

Method:

1. Heat the cream on a low flame and pour this hot cream onto the chocolate chips and after 5 minutes mix well till everything gets blended.
2. Let it cool for an hour. Blend the mixture using a hand blender till the mixture doubles.

Assembling the cake:

• Take out the cake from the cake pan, Place the cake layer on a serving plate, spread with half of the filling and top with the remaining cake half. spread ganache on top and sides of the cake
• Decorate it as you like. I have used roasted almonds.