Mango Cheesecake (No Bake)

The simplest & the quickest cheesecake ever! I've used the same recipe of the Oreo CheeseCake which my mil shared with me to make this one ;)
I have 0% artistic skills, please ignore the mango flower on the top, I  had a tough time making it, my hands were literally trembling while making that mango flower.

Ingredients 

1. 1 can of condensed milk tin(375 gms)
2. fresh cream 200 gms
3. 2 tbsp gelatin (3tbsp hot water to dissolve gelatine)
4. 12 marie biscuits
5. 1½ cup fresh mango puree
6. 4 tbsp melted butter, 
7. Paneer made from 1 liter milk, 2 tbsp vinegar to make paneer

Method

1. Bring the milk to boil & add vinegar to make paneer.  If you are using a cheese cloth to make paneer make sure you wash the paneer to remove the sourness from the vinegar. Keep aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
2. To make the crust take marie biscuits & grind them in food processor to make a fine powder. Pour crumbs in a bowl & add melted butter & combine the mix until it looks moist & buttery. Press the mix firmly into the base of a spring form pan or wide glass bowl(you can use baking dish). Leave this in the refrigerator for 10 min.
3. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water and keep aside to cool.
4. In a bowl of the grinder add the paneer, fresh cream, fresh mango puree, gelatin dissolved in water and give it a quick spin to make a smooth paste, this will make the mixture a smooth texture, now add the condense milk to this mixture and mix it properly.
5. Pour this cheesecake mixer over the biscuit crust. Cover the spring form pan with a plate or the wide bowl (baking dish) with a cling film& transfer it back to the refrigerator for 6 hrs or overnight.

Notes

1. I used 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin. 
2. Bakers gelatin which is available in India also works well for the above recipe
3. If you don't have spring form you can use a baking tray to make the cheesecake
4. Follow any YouTube for making the mango flower. Tons of videos available on the net. 
5. Mix the gelatine 2 minutes before you mix all the ingredients, otherwise it will become lumpy and go waste.
6. Use exactly the same recipe to make strawberry cheesecake. Make 1½ cups  strawberry purée.
7. This is the strawberry cheesecake made by my twin sister. Thank you mini for sharing the pictures and this cheesecakes so divine !! ♥️
   
   
   
   

Oreo Cheesecake (No Bake)

Sharing recipe of Oreo Cheesecake which my mother in law gave me. This is an easy No Bake Oreo Cheesecake with Oreo biscuit crust- which makes a perfect dessert!

Ingredients 

1. 1 can of condensed milk tin(375 gms)
2. fresh cream 200 gms
3. 2 tbsp gelatin 
4. 4 packets Oreo white cream biscuits (** check notes)
5. 4 tbsp melted butter, 
6. Paneer made from 1 liter milk, 1 tbsp vinegar to make paneer

Method

1. Bring the milk to boil & add vinegar to make paneer.  If you are using a cheese cloth to make paneer make sure you wash the paneer to remove the sourness from the vinegar. Keep aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in hot water and keep aside to cool.
3. To make the crust take 3 packets of biscuits & grind them in food processor to make a fine powder. Pour crumbs in a bowl & add melted butter & combine the mix until it looks moist & buttery. Press the mix firmly into the base of a spring form pan. Leave this in the refrigerator for 10 min.
4. In a large bowl add the paneer, condensed milk, fresh cream, gelatin dissolved in water and use a hand mixer to make a smooth paste. If you don’t have a hand mixer use a blender/ mixer. 
5. Roughly crush the remaining Oreo biscuits (remaining 1 packet) and add into the above mixture.
6. Pour this cheesecake mixer over the biscuits crust. Cover the spring form pan transfer it back to the refrigerator for 5-6 hrs or overnight.

Notes

1. I used 1 envelope of Knox gelatin. 
2. Bakers gelatin which is available in India also works well for the above recipe
3. **Use the 10 X 120 gram pack of Oreo Biscuit.
4. If you don't have spring form you can use a baking tray to make the cheesecake

Homemade Chikoo Ice Cream

In our recent India trip M got hooked onto Chikoo Ice cream from the popular ice-cream parlor near our house. I got 8-10 scoops of ice cream packed in small containers n kept them in the deep freezer, he was thoroughly enjoying them each night. After we came back from our short trip back home, M was missing the Chikoo Ice cream the most, I promised him I'll try my hands at making it at home.This is very simple recipe adapted from the mango ice cream Aai used to make, but the only difference is I added cooking cream and there's no need to boil the milk in this recipe. Enjoy the Chikoo Ice-Cream.

Ingredients

1. 1 dozen Chikoos
2. 250 gms Cooking Cream (little more than ½ cup)
3. 2½ cups full fat milk

4. ½ cup Milk powder

5. 1 cup sugar

Method

1. Peel the chikoos, deseed and make blend the fruit to make a smooth pulp, keep aside.
2. Take a big steel vessel, add the cooking cream, milk powder, sugar & milk, using a whisk mix together to remove lumps if any formed by the milk powder.
3.  Add the chikoo pulp and using a blender, whisk it for 1 minute untill all the ingredients are incorporated. Taste the chikoo milk if needed add more sugar.
4. Transfer the chikoo milk to an air tight container (I used the Tupperware Ice cream box), Let the ice cream set for 2 hrs, remove it again and churn it for 2-3 minutes, transfer it to the air tight box again.
5. This procedure is done to avoid crystallization of the ice cream. Refreeze the ice-cream for 12-15hrs. Remember the freezer should be at maximum temperature & the ice-cream is made in air tight box.
   
   Chikoo Ice Cream recipe in Archana's Kitchen
   Notes-
   1. When you blend the ice-cream, it should be of the same consistence of that of a softy.
   2. If the ice-cream is not similar to softy, please leave it in the freezer until it reaches the correct consistence.
   3. If the ice-cream is too hard, leave it outside to melt for a while. 
      

      
      
      
      Recipe for Mango Ice cream

Mango Muffin with Mango frosting

These gorgeously looking Mango muffins with a little crunch of walnuts are to die for. The mango frosting will add extra richness & creamy taste for this mango dessert. To add more vibrant orange colour I added the mango pulp with the batter; you can try different variations like adding mango pieces instead of the pulp- Surely they will be delicious & full of flavour.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup walnuts
2. 1¾  cups cake flour (I used wheat flour)
3. ¾  cup powdered sugar
4. 1 teaspoons baking powder
5. ¼  teaspoon baking soda
6. ¼  teaspoon salt
7. 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
8. ½ cup unsalted butter
9. 1½ cups fresh mango puree (i.e "Amras")
10. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
11. 1-2 spoon of milk if the batter becomes very thick

for frosting

1. ½ cup butter (room temperature)
2. 4 tablespoon mango puree
3. 2 cups icing sugar
4. few drops of vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
2. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet & bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop roughly
3. In a medium-sized bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy, combine the mango puree, melted butter, and vanilla with spatula. In another large bowl combine the wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, & walnuts.
4. Now lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (Do not to over mix the batter. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffin.) Add milk as required if the batter becomes too thick.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
6. Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature. Prepare the mango frosting by mixing all the ingredients, pipe it with a regular mango flavoured buttercream frosting using the star tip.  

the batter looked yummy, i felt like eating it raw :-)

 

Yields- 20 medium sized muffins. 

Orange Delight or Oranges - Two Ways

As a child I remember helping Aai, to peel the oranges, set the jelly & help her to make this dessert during orange season. We used to call it Orange "souffle" then (back in early '90s when we had no internet, no masterchef on the telly), now when I think of the name I feel quite silly about calling it "souffle", so I decided to call it Orange delight or Orange-Two ways ( that surely sound gourmet-ish). So here's the recipe of Orange Delight or Orange-Two ways.

Orange Delight Or Orange two ways

Ingredients

1. 6 fresh oranges (peel them, remove skin of each piece, remove seeds. its quite a process but worth it)
2. 1 pack Ready made orange jelly
3. 2-3 powdered sugar (add more if oranges are sour)
4. 1 bar of chocolate (roughly chopped) OR 5 tbsp chocochips
5. 2 tsp fresh cream

Method

1. Make orange jelly as per instructions on the pack. Keep in fridge to set.
2. remove the skin of each oranges segments, remove seeds, add in a bowl.
3. Roughly cut the jelly & add in the oranges, add sugar & fresh cream and chopped chocolate (or chocochips)
4. Set in fridge before serving.
5. Dont mix the jelly as it may become too watery if you stir it. also set the jelly as per the instruction on the pack, if it says use 500mls of water use 400ml because the jelly should be thick and not too watery.
6. Serve cold with  roughly chopped chocolate pieces.

Eggless Pancakes

A very simple & easy recipe to start the New Years:- Soft, fluffy & spongy egg-less pancakes, served with maple syrup & strawberries.you can also replace maida with wheat flour

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour (maida)

1 cup milk

1 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp melted butter

Few drops of vanilla extract
pinch of salt

2 pinches of cinnamon powder

Maple syrup & few strawberries for serving.
Chocolate sauce (optional)
Method 

Combine the dry ingredients (Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & cinnamon powder) and mix well. Add the milk,melted butter & vanilla extract  With the help of a whisk mix everything together. See to it that there are no lumps formed.

Heat the non-stick pan on a medium flame and add a spoonful of batter. you will see some bubbles forming on the pancakes, flip the pancake after 5 minutes. Cook until done.

Serve it with the maple syrup & strawberries.
My son had his pancakes with chocolate sauce & strawberries and he loved it!

A perfect weekend breakfast!

Molten Chocolate cake

It's my blog's 3rd birthday, and to celebrate this occasion I baked Molten Chocolate cake. A shout out to all my friends for your constant support & encouragement, hope you all would continue to support me throughout this journey. My special thanks to KD & my family, without them I could not achieve so much.

Ingredients
5 tbsp cooking chocolate
2 tbsp butter
1 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour, sifted
½  pinch of salt
½  tsp vanilla essence
Icing sugar & Strawberries for serving.
Vanilla Ice cream (optional) - for serving
Method 

Preheat your microwave at 200°C

Melt the dark chocolate & butter together using a double boiler, you can also use the microwave to melt it. Keep aside to come to room temperature.
Grease 3 individual ramekins with butter

Use hand blender to mix together the eggs, egg yolk along with the sugar, a pinch of salt & the vanilla essence, until eggs triple in volume.

Slowly fold the melted chocolate in, add the flour on top and fold in, making sure to keep the batter light.

Fill the ramekins with the chocolate-egg batter
Place in the microwave & bake for 10 min and take out. Keep aside to cool, you can also demould the ramekins before serving the molten cake. For this you have to line the ramekins with baking sheet.
Sprinkle with icing sugar & serve with strawberry.
The above measurements will serve 3 people.

For baking the Molten Chocolate cake in a baking tray, take 4 times the above measurements for serving 12 people & you will need 2 baking trays for baking.
You can also serve the Molten Chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble recipe on Spice Wok, Pune http://www.spicewok.com/recepie_detail.php?id=316&cuisine=Easy%20desserts

Ingredients

6 apples
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1½ cup self raising flour
4 tsp honey
6 tbsp butter (room temperature)
1 cinnamon stick
vanilla ice cream for serving
Method
Peel, core the apples & dice them into chunks.
Cook the apples. Add the apple chunks into a pan, add honey and the cinnamon stick and cover with the lid.
Stew the apples by cooking them gently until soft. check the apples by stirring occasionally with a spoon.
After ½ an hr check that the apple is cooked by mashing it a bit with the spoon. The apples should be soft but not pureed. Set aside & allow the cooked apples to cool to room temperature.

To make the crumble topping mix the flour, sugar and the butter gently with your fingertips in a bowl to resemble a breadcrumb.
Preheat the oven to 150º.
Add the stewed apples to the baking dish & cover the apples with the crumble topping.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown and crunchy.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Serves-6-8 adults according to portions taken. Please adjust the quantity accordingly for more or less people.

Strawberry & Oats Smoothie

Fibre, minerals, calcium, vitamins, what more could you ask from a meal??Indulge yourself in a glass of strawberry & oats smoothie! Enjoy
please note-  If you are lucky to get sweet strawberries, no need to add sugar.
Ingredients
1/4 cup oats
1 cup yogurt
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 small ripe banana
2 tsp sugar (Add more if the strawberries are too sour)
1 cup milk
Method
Mix the oats & yogurt and let sit in the fridge over night.
Puree everything in a food processor. Serve chill
the above quantity serves 2 adults (Served in a tall glass)

Strawberry Cheesecake

A million thanks to my friend Mrunalini for her recipe of rasberry -strawberry cheesecake. I made some changes in her recipe & made a strawberry cheesecake for the first time and it turned out just the way I wanted!

Ingredients

250 gms mascarpone cheese
250 gms hung curd
Sponge cake
200 gms- powdered sugar
1 tbsp- gelatin
½ cup hot water
egg whites of 2 eggs
½ tsp-Vanilla essence
1 pack of strawberries

Cake pan (spring bottom pan)
Method

To make hung curd, tie 2½ cup curd in a muslin cloth for 4hrs or until all the water is drained.
Let the mascarpone cheese be at room temperature.
Dissolve the gelatin in ½ cup hot water. keep aside to cool
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla essence to egg white and beat it with a hand mixer till it forms soft peaks. (Tip: if you hold the bowl upside down the peaks shouldn't fall)
Mix the mascarpone cheese & hung curd together. After mixing it well, add it to egg white- sugar mixture. Add dissolved gelatin to it and mix it well.
In a cake pan, apply some butter to a bottom. Put 1 layer of sponge cake on it.
Pour half of the cheese batter on it and place 2nd layer of cake on it. On top of it, fill up the whole top portion with halfed strawberries. Pour remaining cheese batter on it. Garnish with fresh strawberries, let the cake set in fridge for 2 hrs.

Demould the base from cake tin. 

strawberries in chocolate

Ingredients
1 pack strawberries (remove the green leaf,wash & pat dry)
1 small cup choco chips
1 tsp milk
toothpicks to hold strawberries
Method
melt choco chips in microwave (power high) for a min,  remove add milk, stir.
when the melted chocolate cools, insert toothpick in strawberries & holding the toothpick, swirl the fruit in the chocolate in a clockwise direction. let the excess chocolate drip off.
Place the strawberries in refrigerator for 30mins