Hot Milk Sponge Cake 2

 

This is a very light and airy cake..most probably due to the eggs beaten to fluffy ribbons. It's a recipe from taste of home . But I have cut down on the sugar because I felt that it was too sweet the first time I made it.

Ingredients 

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 

2 1/4 tsp baking powder 

1 1/4 cups full fat milk

140gm unsalted butter 

1/4 tsp salt

Prepare a 9inch cake tin by lining with parchment paper followed by greasing with butter. 

Heat the oven to 175 degree C.

Melt the butter in the milk. No need to boil, just hot.

Beat the eggs and sugar with vanilla on high speed until the mixture falls in ribbons from the beaters.

Sift the dry ingredients. Add to the egg mix in 3 parts mixing on low speed after each addition.  

Finally add the milk mix to it and mix well until smooth. The entire batter will be warm to touch. 

Pour in to pan and bake until done.. for me 1 hr and 10 mins.

Cool and serve. 

Coffee Ermine Buttercream / Cooked buttercream

    This is a coffee flavoured buttercream adapted from https://gfpatisserie.com/recipes/ermine-buttercream#/
      It is perfect for those who love coffee and a not too sweet buttercream. A cooked flour pudding is added to well beaten butter and again beaten to give a very smooth frosting.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 cup granulated sugar (can reduce up to 2 tablespoons if needed)
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
A pinch of salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter

Combine the dry ingredients in a thick bottomed  pan. Slowly add the milk to bring the mix to a smooth consistency. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil stirring continuously to avoid it from sticking to the bottom. The pudding should thicken like the picture given below.

Take it off the heat and stir for some more time. Let the pudding cool completely (will become like thick glue) and mix in the vanilla.

Take the cold butter and cube it in the bowl of your mixer. Wait until it has softened a little..maybe 15 mins depending on the climate. You don't want it going all soft and spreading. It should be firm. Start beating the butter on medium speed till the colour has become very light. 

Add the cooled pudding a spoon at a time and beat well till it has combined into a smooth and fluffy cream.

 This can fill and coat a 3 layer 8 inch cake.

Date Cookies

I got a big batch of dates recently and the first thing that I wanted to try was a cookie that can be sweetened with dates alone😀
So I have come up with this recipe..the results  might vary depending on the dates used. Anyway my cookies came out firm but not crisp. I added a tablespoon of quick cooking oats too.

Ingredients
130g pitted dates
120g unsalted butter room temperature
A pinch of salt
1/4  teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour

Make the dates into a paste.(I used soft dates blitzed in a processor so did not need to soak or cook.) Add the butter and beat well. Add the salt and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in one cup of flour first..followed by another half cup..try to bring the dough together without kneading.  It shouldn't be sticky but soft. The entire 2 cups may not be used. Cover with a cling film and allow to rest for 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 175deg C with both rods on.
Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick sheet and cut out the cookies with a cutter.
Lift them with a flat utensil as they might break . I used a spatula. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for **20 mins. Flip the cookies after 10 mins. They are a bit soft when out of the oven.
Cool them down..and enjoy.

Notes:
* I added a tablespoon of quick cooking oats to the first cup of flour. Not necessary if you don't like.
* I also added about 6 almonds when I made the date paste. It is also optional.
** PLEASE don't follow baking time in any recipe blindly. You need to know your oven, because what works in my oven may not work for you.
If you already use certain settings for cookies follow that. Keep an eye on the result when you are following a new recipe. The cookies get a toasted look..a bit darker than the unbaked one.
If you don't know your oven settings, try as I have mentioned and keep an eye on it after 10 minutes.
Happy Baking 😀