It’s my 6^th year of blogging with Pepper Delight! Also being the week of Valentine’s Day, I thought a delicious cake would be an apt dessert for the celebrations. So here I am, with a simple one pan chocolate cake which happened to be the one of most requested recipes from my readers.

Cakes are a desert unanimously loved by everyone. I already have a couple of cake recipes with chocolate on my blog, like for example my Chocolate Hazelnut Cake which is perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or any party for that matter. Also check out my Texas Sheet Cake which is one of the easiest n tastiest sheet pan cakes you can serve a large crowd.

This cake is deliciously soft and tender with a creamy rich chocolate buttercream frosting, and it is perfect for small gatherings or to share with friends and family as a dessert. You can use a 9-inch square pan or an 8-inch round pan for this recipe and customize with your choice of frosting. I personally love chocolate buttercream frosting, but a chocolate ganache would also be a delicious alternative.

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years’ Blog Anniversary Special Cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake
• 2020 – Key Lime Pie
• 2021 – Chocolate Meringue Cake

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chocolate Cake

A Simple One Pan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 pieces

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup freshly brewed warm coffee

For the buttercream frosting

• ½ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, apply butter to grease the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar and egg until combined, followed by adding vanilla extract and oil.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well. Add warm coffee and beat well for one last time, the batter will be loose/watery/runny.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cake carefully to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.

For the buttercream frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Add sifted cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and style as desired.

Notes

• If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.
• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

The post Chocolate Cake – Celebrating 6 years of Pepper Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This cake recipe is that of one I have experimented the most since baking with Pepper Delight.  Had been searching for a simple coffee cake recipe since a long time and that’s when I stumbled upon this jam filled delight on “#thebakefeed” and I’ve absolutely loved it ever since. The cake reminds me of honey cake from Iyengar bakery in its looks and style where it is topped with jam, whereas here the jam is a filling and that excited me more.

I have tweaked the recipe to compensate for some ingredients which I had ran out in my pantry and also to suit the likings of our palette (my husband is not a big fan of too much cinnamon in crumb topping). And boy! The cake came out so delicious with the jam filling in the center being the perfect match for the crumb topping. I’ve baked it so many times by now; each time adjusting the ingredients, covering the cake with foil and without, varying bake times, etc… lost count by now and ended up with this kickass cake! Trust me… it is definitely a FOOLPROOF recipe.

The cake is soft and tender with the perfect balance of sweetness from the jam, nutty flavors of the almonds, and the aromas of cinnamon & nutmeg, making it a perfect pair to enjoy with tea/coffee and family-n-friends.

Why it is called coffee cake but has no coffee?

This is a very common misconception many have and most of us don’t bother to check the recipe and think that coffee is an ingredient.

Well, the answer is pretty simple; Coffee cake is a cake which pairs up well with and can be relished with a cup of coffee or tea.

Few points to consider while baking this cake:

1. It is best to pipe the batter into the pan using a piping bag or ziplock bag, to create a well into which the jam filling can be poured and spread properly.
2. Ensure not to spread the jam to the edges as it will caramelize and stick to the pan, making it difficult to remove the cake.
3. You can use any berry jam of your choice, be it seedless or with seeds. They all work with this recipe.
4. Need a quick buttermilk recipe? Mix ½ cup whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until you start seeing curdling, its then ready.

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Interested in other cake recipes? Check these out:

1. Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam
2. Pear Loaf Cake
3. Pear Upside Down Cake
4. Chocolate Cake with Dulce de leche
5. Apricot Upside-Down Cake

This recipe is partially adapted from @thebakefeed.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Coffee Cake with Jam Filling

A simple one pan Coffee Cake with Jam Filling and an Almond Crumb Topping! The perfect companion for your evening cup of Coffee!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee cake, jam cake, tea cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 9 inch cake

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter (at room temp.)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs at room temp.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole buttermilk recipe above
• ½ cup berry jam of your choice whisked

For the almond crumb topping

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¾ cup slivered almonds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients; flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside.
• Prepare wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well.
• Prepare jam filling: Whisk the jam with a fork until it is slightly loose and spreadable. Keep it ready.
• Pour half the batter into the prepared baking pan and level it with a spatula. Pipe a portion of the remaining batter on top of it along the edge of the pan to create a well. Pour and spread the raspberry jam in the center.
• Pipe or pour the remaining batter on top of it to cover the jam, and smoothen with a spatula.
• Crumb topping: Whisk all the ingredients listed under crumb toppings, in a bowl. Sprinkle on top of the batter.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove from the pan, slice it and enjoy with a cup of coffee/tea.

Notes

1. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for 3 to 4 days.
2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
3. Make sure to use butter, eggs and buttermilk which are at room temperature.
4. Do not open the oven in the middle of the baking process. This allows cool air to enter which affects the temperature and the baking.

The post Coffee Cake with Jam Filling appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Time Flies!! It feels just like yesterday I started my blog, but 5 years have gone by! From a hobby turned into full-time, knowing nobody in the food industry to working with famous Food Bloggers, collaborating and sponsorships with renowned brands, and hundreds of recipes behind… it has been truly an exciting journey!

2020 was a tough year for many, but we were lucky enough to welcome a new much-awaited member into our family; our cutie pie Ishaan! Being pregnant in the middle of COVID wasn’t easy either but we survived, bought a house with my dream kitchen, cooked a lot, delivered a baby, and got to spend 5 months with my mom who flew all the way from India to meet her new grandson. Amidst all this and being MIA from blogging and social media for an extended period, I am immensely grateful to each one of you for all the love and support throughout. Thank you all for the likes, comments, shares, and of course the re-creations from Pepper Delight.

To celebrate my half a decade of blogging, I am sharing a special recipe which I’ve been planning for a long time; a 3-tier Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting, a Dark Chocolate Ganache drip and Meringue Kisses! This dessert is truly a chocolate haven, there are a lot of elements going on in the cake and it tastes absolutely delicious! The Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting is incredibly light n buttery with a glossy texture, and melts right away in your mouth.

So, what is Swiss Meringue?

Swiss Meringue is a common type of frosting which uses egg whites (cooked) along with the usual buttercream frosting ingredients. So why is it special? It’s glossy silky texture with the perfect balance of sweetness is what makes it stand out. Swiss Meringue is also much stable when compared to Italian or French Meringue and is good to pipe and decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Since its preparation calls for cooking egg whites in a double boiler, the steps can be a little tricky and error prone. But whatever goes wrong with the frosting, you can easily fix it with some handy tricks. Mistakes are bound to happen when making a Swiss Meringue Buttercream for the first time, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. First of all, use a clean bowl and whisker to prepare your frosting.
2. Ensure your ingredients (eggs and butter) are at room temperature (70 degree F). This is super critical, else your frosting can go either way depending upon the temperature.
3. While stirring egg whites and sugar over a water bath, make sure that the sugar dissolves completely in the egg whites. Otherwise, your frosting can end up with a grainy texture.
4. Slice the butter in advance for better time management and to keep up with the pace of the bake.
5. If your buttercream looks curdled, it’s coz it went cold. Heat it up in the water bath and whisk to get the right consistency.
6. If the buttercream looks thin or loose, then it’s too warm. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes and whisk away.
7. Once the frosting is ready, apply it at the earliest. If left idle for long at room temperature, it will lose its consistency.

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years’ Blog Anniversary Special Cakes:

• 2017– Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018– Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake
• 2020 – Key Lime Pie

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chocolate Meringue Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chocolate cake, meringue, swiss meringue

Prep Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For three 6 - inch chocolate cakes

• 1½ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 3 tsp milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

• 4 egg whites (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1¼ cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled)

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

For the Chocolate Meringue Kisses

• 3 egg whites (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup fine sugar
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar (optional)
• 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)

Instructions

For making three 6-inch chocolate cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to grease the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and milk.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar, whisk lightly until well combined.
• Set the bowl over a water bath (a saucepan of simmering water), whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the batter reaches a temperature of 160-degree F.
• Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and beat on high speed for 2 minutes using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks form and the bowl is cooled.
• Add sliced butter one tablespoon at a time while beating on high until smooth and creamy. Add the next slice only after the previous is completely blended.
• Once you are done with adding butter, beat for a few more minutes to get a smooth glossy frosting.
• Next, melt the chocolate in a microwave at 10 second intervals and whisking it until it is silky smooth (you can also use a double boiler for melting). Allow it to cool down for another 10 minutes (whisk continuously during this time).
• Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to the bowl of buttercream frosting, and beat on medium speed until smooth.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until the frosting is well combined and reaches a spreadable consistency.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate the cake 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the chocolate ganache.

For the Chocolate Ganache

• Combine chocolate chips with heavy cream.
• Temper the chocolate mix by either setting the bowl over a pan of simmering water, or microwave at a 30 second interval and stirring continuously until it completely melts.
• Ensure not to overheat or burn the mix as it will split and become unusable. Once melted, keep stirring to bring its temperature down until smooth and silky before pouring over the cake.

For the Meringue Kisses

• Preheat oven to 200-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites using the whisk attachment until foamy. Start by beating on low and increase the speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add cream of tartar and continue beating while adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time. Once the sugar has been completely added, beat for an additional 5 minutes until it reaches a glossy smooth finishing. Fold in sifted cocoa powder.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with your desired tips and pipe your kisses on to the parchment paper.
• Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and allow it to sit in the oven for an additional 1 hour to cool down.
• You can store meringues in an air tight container up to 2 weeks.

Notes

• If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.
• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Chocolate Meringue Cake – Celebrating 5 years of Pepper Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

A casual photo in Instagram turned out to be one of my most requested recipes, to the extend that I got tired of DMs and decided to post it right away on my blog. Kinnathappam was one of my favorite after-school snacks Amma used to make during my childhood days. A dish which requires simple pantry ingredients and equally enjoyed by kids and adults. Yet another easy recipe to keep your family’s hungry tummies at rest especially while staying indoors during this COVID-19 outbreak season.

Kinnathappam refers to the popular snack of Kerala and is also known as “steamed cake”. The traditional recipe is made with rice flour, sugar and coconut, and is required to be fermented. Swap rice flour / sugar with whole wheat / jaggery, skip the fermentation, and there you go! Another classic from the hearts of Kerala … simple and delightful!

What do we need?

• Whole Wheat flour – as the base
• Jaggery (grated/syrup) – for the sweetness
• Grated coconut – for the flavor
• Cardamom powdered – for the aroma
• Water – for the mixing
• Nuts and raisins – addon toppings

Pro-tip: Allow the dish to cool completely before cutting so that it doesn’t lose its shape. It should have a firm halwa consistency.

Storage: You can store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Interested in more authentic Kerala style recipes? Check it out here.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam

A Traditional Steam Cake with a Twist; made with whole wheat flour, jaggery, coconut and steamed to perfection! Gothambu Kinnathappam, an easy-n-tasty snack to savor with a hot cup of tea …!!

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian, Kerala

Keyword kerala snack, kinnathappam

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 1 pan

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup grated jaggery / ശർക്കര or equivalent jaggery syrup
• ½ cup grated coconut
• Pinch of cardamom powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
• Ghee/butter (for brushing the pan)
• Cashews & Raisins (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together wheat flour, coconut, jaggery, cardamom powder, and salt along with a little water, to make a semi thick batter. If you are using jaggery syrup, add water accordingly.
• Pour the batter into a ghee/butter greased pan and steam cook for about 35-40 minutes on a medium flame.
• Once cooked, remove from the steamer and allow it to cool completely.
• Slice it and serve with chai/coffee as an evening snack Enjoy!

The post Steamed Wheat Cake / Gothambu Kinnathappam appeared first on Pepper Delight.

If you are a fan of chocolate, then you will definitely love this recipe of the day – Chocolate Granola. Oats, along with cocoa powder, almonds, and tiny bits of chocolate chips, takes this dish to a whole new level of yumminess…where regular granola recipes come nowhere close by! It’s both chocolaty and crunchy with all the goodness from nuts and fruits.

This recipe works perfectly for your meal prep days, especially when you’re looking to whip up a quick and simple breakfast. If you prefer it with a glass of hot milk, then it would taste quite similar to chocolate milk, and that’s something kids would also love. Maple syrup and brown sugar provides enough sweetness to this recipe, which is not overpowered by the chocolate chips. Add some fresh fruits, and you have a perfect healthy breakfast ready in no-time!

You can also serve this Chocolate Granola as a post-lunch or post-workout snack, just what you need to stay away from that unhealthy bag of chips and at the same time packing you with fiber and nutrients.

Pro – Tip: After baking the granola and tossing it with chocolate chips, clusters start to form as the melted chips begin cooling down and binding the granola. Once cooled, try not to break the clusters as that’s what makes this recipe soo yum! The clusters are airy, pack the right amount of chocolate, and are so flavorful that you can literally snack on it.

Since this is a basic recipe for chocolate granola, you can customize it to your likeness by adding nuts and dry fruits of your choice, switching maple syrup with honey, replacing chocolate chips with chunks… the options are endless!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more healthy oat’s recipes? Check these out:

• Easy Homemade Granola
• Berry Yogurt Parfait
• Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle
• Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chocolate Granola

This easy 30-minute Chocolate Granola is made with simple pantry ingredients and is a perfect healthy treat for all chocolate lovers …!!

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chocolate granola, granola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients; oats, almonds, cocoa powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar, whisk well to mix properly.
• Now transfer the whisked wet ingredients into the large bowl containing the mixed dry ingredients. Mix all of it together.
• Transfer the mix to the prepared baking pan and level it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring it halfway through the bake.
• Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer the chocolate chips onto the tray. Stir to mix, the chocolate chips will start to slightly melt within the warm granola.
• Once it cools, the granola will harden and form clusters. Pro tip: Do not break the clusters as the granola tastes best when clustered!
• Allow the granola to sit for 1-2 hrs. to cool down completely. Transfer to a closed air tight container and store up to 3-4 weeks at room temperature.

The post Chocolate Granola appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Celebrating 4 years of blogging @PepperDelight with a Sweet Treat!! And this year I’ve decided not to do a cake and instead I present to you one of my favorite desserts of all time – a Key Lime Pie!!

I was initially hesitant to publish this recipe post as it wasn’t the right time of the year for Key lime pies, nor did I happen to recently live or visit Florida where Key lime pie is the official pie of the state. But it’s my blog anniversary and I don’t need a better excuse to share one of my favorite desserts! Right?

2019 at a glimpse

2019 was indeed a special year for Pepper Delight; a lot of authentic Kerala recipes and a big step into photography as a business! The exposure & reach, sponsored posts work & photography kit upgrades, are a few to name among the year’s highlights… and on top of that I was able to stay true to my roots by publishing many authentic Kerala recipes too.

Indian food and its culture are so diverse. The endless varieties, especially vegetarian is something majority of the rest of the world is not even aware of. Its not just Butter Chicken, Naan or Chicken Tikka, each and every State and Union Territory of India has hundreds of dishes of their own, many of which we haven’t even heard about. I just hope to be able to continue doing my part of sharing as many authentic dishes from my small State Kerala, and a huge Thank You to all my wonderful followers who follow, appreciate, and inspire me to go on. Lots of love…!

Now Let’s talk about Key Lime Pie

It’s a delight! Sweet, Tangy, Light, and a pretty easy dessert which is equally refreshing to your taste buds. Key lime pie is a dish I crave and order often at restaurants. It’s equally sweet & tangy flavors are a reminiscent of my blog’s 4-year journey, the initial struggles to all the fun & excitement till date.

Key lime pie is considered as the official pie of Florida, primarily due to its main ingredient Key lime being grown in the state. This pie is the combination of a crunchy graham cracker crust with a luscious creamy tangy filling. And to complement the taste, it’s topped with some whipped cream – a balanced mix of three different textures & flavors! The traditional recipe is a no-bake dessert made with condensed milk, egg yolks and lime juice, but nowadays since consuming raw eggs is considered as a major health risk, we bake this pie to cook it through and also speed up the thickening process of its filling.

This recipe calls for a lot of Key limes as the lime juice extracted from them is the core ingredient of this pie. Unlike regular limes, Key limes are smaller, slightly yellow colored, aromatic, and is difficult to find in your daily grocery stores. But don’t worry, you can use bottled lime juice (Nellie & Joes Original Famous Key West Lime Juice is an excellent option) or even regular limes for this recipe.

This classic recipe is super simple and is creamy smooth, just perfect for any occasions. I am pretty sure from the first bite; you will be closing your eyes and humming “yummmmm” as it all melts inside!

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Key Lime Pie

Buttery Graham Cracker Crust with a Sweet n Tangy Luscious Filling… this Classic Key Lime Pie is a Simple yet Flavorful Dessert, Perfect for any Occasions…!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dessert, key lime pie, pie

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 47 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)

For the filling

• 2 cans of 14oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup key lime juice (from 10 limes)
• Zest of one key lime

Garnish

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Lime slices (garnish)
• Mint leaves (optional, garnish)
• Grated lime zest (garnish)

Instructions

For the crust

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F.
• In a large bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Make sure all the crumbs are mixed well and moistened.
• Transfer the mix to a 9-inch pie plate and firmly press on it with the back of a spoon or a measuring cup over the base as well as around the edges to form an even layer of crumb base.
• Place the pie plate in the oven and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, make sure not to brown or burn the crust. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.

For the filling

• In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and grated lime zest.
• Pour the mix slowly onto the pie plate and allow it to spread and evenly cover the crust. Place the pie plate in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes until the center is set yet wobbly. Remove the plate from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack.
• Once cooled, refrigerate for 3-4 hrs. for the pie to set properly.

Garnish

• In a large bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract together to make the frosting. Transfer it to a piping bag and decorate the pie as desired.
• Other optional garnishes are mint leaves, grated lime zest, and lime slices.

Notes

1. If graham cracker crumbs are not readily available, you can instead buy graham crackers and give it a quick blend in a food processor to make the crumbs.
2. Key limes are hard to get especially when off season, and an alternative would be to buy bottled key lime juice; Nellie & Joes Original Famous Key West Lime Juice is an excellent product for this recipe.
3. When baking the pie along with the filling, keep an eye not to overdo it otherwise you will start to see the filling curdle around the edges.
4. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for up to 2-3 days.

The post Key Lime Pie – Celebrating 4 years of Pepper Delight appeared first on Pepper Delight.

December is here! The month of Christmas… the time of the year that we bake the most! I too had a lot of fun the previous years, baking some of my favorite Xmas desserts; Non-Alcoholic Christmas Cake, Alcoholic Christmas Cake, and Gingerbread Cookies. Although I do bake quite often, over the years I’ve started to grow a liking towards spicy flavors and took that as my inspiration for this Christmas. So here you go, a cupcake recipe from my pantry but with a twist of spicy gingerbread cookie flavors.

As I said before, these cupcakes are so different from the regular ones because they are spiced. The addition of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice gives it an aromatic flavor which reminds you of Christmas and the holidays. When you pull them out of the oven, your whole house literally starts to fill with the warmth and aroma of these spices, it’s pure bliss… I’m short of words to describe how good that feels!!

And to take the flavors of this beautiful dessert to another level, I have topped them up with Cream Cheese Frosting… a match made in heaven! A combo which keeps you craving for more…

Now if you want to impress your guests with some fun-filled theme-based presentation, top the frosted cupcakes with cute little gingerbread man icing decorations and Christmas sprinkles. The ones I’ve used were bought from Michael’s but you can also find them at Amazon here.

If you are in search for a good Gingerbread Cookies recipe, check out my Gingerbread Cookies post, it is a winner recipe and a definite crowd pleaser!

Merry Christmas & Happy Baking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Kick off this year’s Christmas Party and Impress your Holiday Guests with these Spicy Tender Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cupcake, gingerbread, gingerbread cupcakes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1½ cup flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 egg (at room temperature)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup molasses
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 block (8oz) cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Gingerbread man icing decorations (optional)
• Christmas sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Add the egg and beat, followed by adding molasses.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with milk and beat until they combine well and the batter turns out smooth. The consistency of the batter is thick.
• Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them a little over half way full.
• Bake in the oven for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool completely before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until smooth.
• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and decorate the cupcakes as desired.
• You may store any leftover frosting in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using it again.
• Decorate with gingerbread man and Christmas sprinkles as desired (optional).

The post Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This post is sponsored by Florida Crystals® and is also my entry to the Florida Crystals® “Pure Joy Blogger Recipe Challenge”. Although I have received samples of their products, all the opinions in this post are entirely my own.

A few more days to go for Thanksgiving and I’m already excited to shop, celebrate, & enjoy! So how are your preparations coming along? Is your menu for the big dinner ready? This year I’ve decided to team up with Florida Crystals® and present you a twist to the usual classic desserts, with a 3 layered surprise. An orange cake, in a creamy orange buttercream frosting, glazed with a cranberry drip, and topped with sugared cranberries! It’s an absolute delight of holiday flavors; moist, tangy, fruity and tarty…!

The base orange cake has Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar as one of its main ingredients, which makes a great substitute to regular granulated sugar. Its fine golden crystals with a delicious hint of molasses, make it ideal for all baking recipes. The orange cake alone without the frosting is itself a delight to savor.

For the buttercream frosting I have used Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar, which is perfect for frostings, icings, sugar cookies and no-bake cheesecakes. I’ve also used both of Florida Crystals® sugars in the cranberry drip, which is the highlight of this recipe. The tarty glaze complements all the other flavors and keeps you asking for more with each bite.

The sugar-coated cranberries are an optional element, but it surely adds to the beauty of the cake with a winter outlook. This cake is perfect for any occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Thanksgiving or Christmas Holidays.

Florida Crystals® are the only certified organic raw cane sugar grown and harvested in the US. You can check out their products online and order through your retail shops by visiting their Products page here.

You can also order through Amazon here.

Follow Florida Crystals for more recipe ideas and other updates on Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest.

Happy Baking & Happy Thanksgiving…!

Interested in more Cake recipes? Check out my Cakes & Desserts Archives here.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Orange Cake with Cranberry Drip

Layers of Moist Orange Deliciousness with a Creamy Buttercream Frosting, Balanced in a Cranberry Glaze … The Holiday Cake of your Dreams …!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot cake, cranberry, orange cake, thanksgiving

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the orange cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup orange juice
• Zest of one large orange

For the orange buttercream filling and crumb coat

• 1½ cup softened unsalted butter
• 1½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar sifted
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp orange juice

For the cranberry drip

• 1 cup cranberry
• ½ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup Florida Crystals® Organic Powdered Raw Cane Sugar sifted + more

For the sugar coated cranberries

• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 tbsp + ¼ cup Florida Crystals® Organic Raw Cane Sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Decoration

• Orange swirls
• Freshly sliced oranges
• Sugar coated cranberries

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and zest of one orange.
• Add the dry ingredients in 2 sets alternating with milk and beat until they combine well.
• Add orange juice and give the batter a one last beat on low or until mixed well. The cake batter will be slightly dense.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15-20 mins.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the filling and crumb coat

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and 1 tbsp orange juice, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add 1 tsp or more orange juice as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• For the sugar coated cranberries
• In a saucepan, combine 2 tbsp sugar with water and cook on a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add the cranberries into the saucepan and stir to coat them well in the sugar syrup.
• Transfer the cranberries onto a wire rack and allow them to cool for 30- 45 minutes.
• In a small bowl, take the remaining ¼ cup sugar and roll the cooled sticky cranberries in it until they are sugar coated properly. You can also do this in batches to carefully coat each one of them.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable / cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating and filling to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the cranberry drip.

For the cranberry drip

• In a medium saucepan, cook cranberries with cane sugar, lemon juice and water.
• Cook until the cranberries pop open, and then lightly mash them so that it turns into a thick sauce. Switch off the flame, strain the sauce and keep aside.
• In a separate bowl, add the powdered sugar and mix the strained sauce 1 tbsp at a time and whisk well. Repeat until it forms a thick pourable glaze. If the glaze turns out thick, add the leftover sauce if any or water to thin it out. And if thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken the glaze.
• Pour the glaze over the cake and allow it to fall through the edges to create that drip effect.
• Decorate the cake with sugar coated cranberries, orange swirls, orange slices if desired.

Notes

1. If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.
2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
3. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
4. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
5. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
6. Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.

The post Orange Cake with Cranberry Drip appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Goodbye Summer! It’s the first week of Fall 2019 and here I am with a treat for you guys, a Pear Upside-Down Cake !!

Although it is officially the Fall season, the weather doesn’t seem to be ready yet to let go of summer. It’s still pretty hot outside and the leaves are all green. But nevertheless, I am kick starting my fall baking with this delicious pear cake.

Pear is one of my absolute favorite fall fruits and I love baking with it. Last year I did a Pear Loaf Cake which became a hit among my family and friends, and so this time I thought to tweak the recipe and try out a Pear Upside-Down Cake. It came out really well; the soft textured cake topped with cooked pear in a caramelized crust… a heavenly combination of fruit & cake which takes the flavors to a whole new level!  Cooked pear is nothing like the raw fruit, its aroma in itself is satisfying and the sweetness is perfectly balanced and toned down, even if you use ripe pears. But if you are a cake lover with a very sweet tooth, bump it up by adding an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar along with the other dry ingredients.

This recipe calls for buttermilk and it was during my bake that I realized I did not have it in my pantry, so had to quickly prepare a homemade batch instead of my usual store bought one. In case you are interested in the recipe, here it is below:

Quick fix Homemade Buttermilk recipe instructions (½cup)

• Whisk 4 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp plain yogurt together in a bowl and allow it sit for 5-10 minutes. Your homemade buttermilk is ready.

Pro-tip: Since this is an upside-down cake, the base of the final dish will be the upper layer of the cake when coming out of the oven, which later would go to the bottom once inverted. As the cake rises in the oven, the top layer may not be flat creating an uneven surface once inverted and so the cake will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. So, you will have to level off the top by trimming the bulges with a knife.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with a cup of tea or coffee, Happy Baking…!

Interested in another pear cake recipe? Then don’t forget to check out my Pear Loaf Cake recipe.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Pear Upside-Down Cake

Pear Upside-Down Cake…Loaded with the Goodness of Pear in a Caramelized Crust, the Perfect Tea Time Cake…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pear cake, pear upside-down cake, upside down cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 pears (Bosc or Anjou pear)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)+ 3 tbsp (cubed, cold butter)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove the skin and slice into halves lengthwise along their stem. Scoop out the core and cut the stems.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim through its sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Into the pan, add brown sugar, cubed butter and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to allow the butter to melt. Remove from the oven and arrange the pear halves crosswise in the pan alternating their narrow ends with their cored side facing down flat. Keep it aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. Batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 30-45 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan for the cake to loosen. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface.
• Before inverting the cake, ensure its top surface is flat otherwise it will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. Level off the top by trimming of the bulges with a knife. Place a serving plate inverted on the top surface, and quickly n carefully invert the cake onto it.
• Remove the parchment paper and slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

The post Pear Upside-Down Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s Onam next week and how better can it get to post my first payasam recipe? So here you go, my Sadya dessert for this season… Ada Pradhaman!  As a Malayalee, payasam resonates festivity & tradition. Be it our festivals like Onam, Vishu or celebrations like marriages and birthdays, it is served as the dessert of happiness. Payasam is served as the dessert course in Sadya,  and is also served as the prasadam in temples (I’d drool for it!).  Payasam a.k.a Kheer is a term which commonly refers to authentic, syrupy, milk-based Indian desserts. Every state in India has their own version of this dessert, which varies based on spices used, type of milk, cooking method, the core ingredient like ada, vermicelli, lentils, fruits, and so on. Among them, vermicelli a.k.a semiya payasam is popular throughout the country.

Ada pradhaman is a sweet delicacy of Kerala which is made out of rice flakes simmered in a jaggery n coconut milk sauce, flavored with cardamom and dry ginger powder. The use of three versions of coconut milk with varying thickness is the highlight of this recipe and is key to the perfection of this dish. The cooking process is tedious, but is worth the effort. Traditionally, freshly squeezed coconut milk is used and tastes way better, but to ease the cook you can use store bought coconut milk or coconut milk powder and adjust its thickness with water.

There are different types of ada available in the market, some are made with rice flour and some with maida (all-purpose flour). Both works equally good for this recipe, however ada made with rice flour is my personal choice. Also, ada comes in different shapes; long strands, bite sized, thin granules, etc. You can also make your own ada (preferred), although that in itself is a time taking process. Instead you can buy store bought ones, I’ve used Nirapara brand’s thin granule sized rice ada which I personally do not prefer, but had no other choice due to the unavailability of other options in my town.

Pro tip: Payasam is delicious on its own, but also elevates it a level  further when savored with banana and pappadam… Ask any Malayalee!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Ada Pradhaman

Rich n Luscious Kerala Style Ada Pradhaman Payasam …!! Made with Rice Flakes, Jaggery & Coconut Milk, the Perfect Festive Delicacy!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword ada pradhaman, kerala, payasam, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 200 g Ada (1 packet)
• Water (as required)
• 400 gm (15 oz appro. ) ശർക്കര / Jaggery
• 2½ cup മൂന്നാം പാൽ / thin coconut milk
• 1¾ cup രണ്ടാം പാൽ / semi-thick coconut milk
• 1 cup ഒന്നാം പാൽ / thick coconut milk
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp ghee or more
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp ചുക്ക് പൊടി / dry ginger powder (optional)
• 2 tbsp Cashews
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 2 tbsp തേങ്ങാ കൊത്ത് / coconut bites

Instructions

• To prepare ada: Wash the ada 2-3 times in water until its rinses off clear, then drain and keep aside. Fill half of a heavy bottomed pan with water and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the washed ada and cook until it turns soft (should be mashable between your fingers). Drain and rinse the cooked ada under cold water (to prevent over-cooking) and keep aside.
• Prepare jaggery syrup: Add jaggery to a pan with 2 cups of water and heat on a medium flame. When the jaggery is completely melted into a lightly syrupy texture, strain it (to remove impurities and keep aside.
• Prepare coconut milk: You can use store bought coconut milk, coconut milk powder, or grated coconut, to prepare thin (മൂന്നാം പാൽ), semi-thick (രണ്ടാം പാൽ) and thick coconut milk (ഒന്നാം പാൽ). Keep aside.
• Prepare garnishes: Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews, raisins and coconut bites separately, keep aside.
• For the payasam: Onto a heavy bottomed pan / ഉരുളി, add the melted jaggery, cooked ada, and heat on a medium flame. Allow the ada to cook in the jaggery syrup until it is reduced and thickened, constantly stirring it to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add ¼ cup ghee while stirring the ada.
• Reduce the flame to a low and add the thin coconut milk (മൂന്നാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Now add the semi-thick coconut milk (രണ്ടാം പാൽ). Continue stirring and cook until it is reduced and thickened.
• Add the thick coconut milk, stir well and cook till right before it reaches boil, then switch of the flame. Ensure not to allow the dish to boil at this stage, so keep your flame at low.
• Add the cardamom powder, dry ginger powder, fried cashews, raisins and coconut bites. Add an extra 1 tbsp ghee (or more, if you like it’s taste), and give the dish a final stir.
• If the payasam turns out to be thick, you can add boiled n cooled cow’s milk to thin it out.
• Serve hot! Banana and Pappadam are malayalee’s favorite sides which are served Ada Pradhaman.

Notes

• I have used Nirapara brand’s ada (rice based) in this recipe as I have none other available locally. These are thin rice flakes and not my personal favorite, I would recommend using bigger sized rice ada.
• You can also use maida ada (all-purpose flour based) which works fine.
• You may vary the quantity of ghee used in this recipe per your palette.

The post Ada Pradhaman / Rice Flakes Jaggery Pudding appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is at its full out here in Missouri and we are enjoying every bit of that sunshine. With berries in season, it’s the perfect time to explore fresh and healthy berry recipes.

About this parfait; it’s a layered breakfast which is colorful, fresh, filling and soothing to your stomach! Yes…we are talking about parfait breakfast days. This simple 5 ingredient berry yogurt parfait is a light and healthy dish and has now become my new obsession.

Creamy Greek yogurt layered over berry sauce and crunchy granola makes a glass full of deliciousness which kids also enjoy. Including yogurt in your diet on a daily basis is really good for your health. The probiotics in Greek yogurt help to increase the good bacteria in your gut thereby enabling digestion, reducing bloating, and promoting better health.

The main advantage of this dish is that it’s a ‘make-ahead recipe’ and has endless options to customize. You can add a variety of fruits, like chopped banana, mango, & peaches, as your toppings. Also, if you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, substitute it with regular yogurt. For the berry compote, if not strawberry feel free to choose your favorite berries, which also works perfectly for this dish.

Making granola at home is simple, check out my Easy Homemade Granola recipe here.

All the ingredients can be prepared, layered (except for the granola) and refrigerated in advance. Addition of granola as the last step helps to keep it crunchy and fresh, otherwise it will turn soggy & cold when placed on the berry compote for a while. And when it’s time to serve, top with granola and enjoy it as breakfast or as a healthy dessert!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Berry Yogurt Parfait

A Creamy Berry Yogurt Parfait, layered with Greek Yogurt, Berry Compote, Granola and Fresh Berries! Perfect for a Healthy & Colorful Morning Breakfast …!!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword berry crumb bar, breakfast, parfait, yogurt bowl

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 pack Greek yogurt (5.3oz each)
• ½ cup granola
• 1 cup strawberries (hulled and roughly chopped)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Fresh berries (garnish)

Instructions

• For the strawberry compote: Combine strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the strawberries are cooked, mash them to form a thick consistency. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Switch off the flame and allow it cool. The sauce will thicken once it is cooled down.
• For the granola: Refer my post https://www.pepperdelight.com/granola/
• Assembling the parfait: Into a serving glass, spoon greek yogurt as the base, then top with a layer of berry compote (2-3 tbsp), and then top with granola. Garnish with fresh berries.

The post Berry Yogurt Parfait appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s Summer! The temperature is at its peak and in places like my hometown Kerala, the heat is unbearable. I was on vacation a few months ago and although it was way cooler, I struggled to survive. The drastic climate change in the recent years, recurring heat waves, lack of rains, sun burns, etc. take a toll on you and the foremost thing you need to keep yourself healthy is to stay hydrated. How better can it be than this wonderful granita recipe to cope up the heat, the perfect summer refreshment!!!

So, let’s talk about Granita!!

Granita is a semi frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar and other flavoring agents. The consistency is similar to shaved ice but with a coarse crystalline texture. Sorbet comes pretty close to a granita in terms of taste, but has a texture which is creamy and is made by a different freezing and churning process.

So how do you make a granita? The recipe is super simple with only three ingredients:

• A fruit puree – which acts the base. Use any fruits like watermelon, berry, mango, orange, cantaloupe, peaches… the options are endless.
• Sugar – you may add granulated sugar or honey for sweetness, although it is completely optional.
• Flavoring agents – like lime juice, lime zest, herbs, or even a dash of alcohol for that extra zing.

Blend all the ingredients together and freeze. The key to transform this frozen puree into a granita is the step which comes next; 3 to 4 rounds of scraping, shaving, and freezing until its turns into a crystalline granular texture.

Serve granita as-is by scraping it into your serving/dessert glasses, or top with whipped cream to make it extra fancy.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Interested in more Watermelon recipes? Check out this refreshing cooler Watermelon Cucumber Agua Fresca 

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Watermelon Lime Granita

A Light n Refreshing Watermelon Lime Granita… just three ingredients
and you have a Perfect Summer Dessert to keep you Cool…!!!

Course Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine Italian

Keyword granita, watermelon lime granita

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Freeze time 5 hours hours

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 4-5 cups of watermelon (cubed)
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• Grated lime zest from 1 lime
• Mint leaves (to garnish)

Instructions

• Puree watermelon along with lime juice and then strain to remove the seeds. Pour the strained puree into a 9*13 inch baking pan or any freezer safe container.
• In a separate pan, combine sugar with water and lime zest. Stir on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Pour the cooled lime syrup into the watermelon puree, and stir to mix it well.
• Freeze for 30 minutes (uncovered). Once it starts to set along the edges, scrape using a fork to break the ice into tiny crystals, and freeze again. Repeat this process at 30-minute intervals for the next 3-5 hrs or until it has formed a shaved ice consistency.
• Keep it frozen until ready to serve. Serve by scraping into the serving glass and top with mint leaves.

The post Watermelon Lime Granita appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I chose to try out this recipe purely for its fruity flavors. Its rich in pineapple, banana, coconut, and crunchy toasted pecans, spiced with cinnamon and all spice, topped with a delicious whipped cream cheese frosting… Voila! the Best Comfort Cupcake you can dream off…

So, why the name? This cake has its origins from Jamaica, and is considered to be sweet as the nectar hummingbirds hunt for, which happens to be the national bird as well and reminiscent to the tropical flavors of the Caribbean Island. Did you know? This cake is also known as Doctor Bird Cake, a nickname for the red-billed streamer tail which belongs to the hummingbird family.

The recipe gives you incredibly warm, rich, moist and soft cupcakes, with a sticky crust from the caramelized sugars in the fruits, and tastes amazingly good. If you are a fan of banana cake, then I am sure you’re gonna love this one. It’s also a party favorite which is why is popular as the “cake that doesn’t last”.

I know my piping skills have not been top notch for the recipe photos. I was in a hurry to pipe it, but make sure you refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 15 minutes at least before piping.

Pro tip: Use overripe banana and pineapple (with juices) for more flavor!!!

Happy Baking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Hummingbird Cupcakes

A Spiced Cake filled with the flavors of Banana, Pineapple, Coconut and Pecans… The “Cake that doesn’t Last”! A Southern Classic, and it’s a Hummingbird Cupcakes...!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cakes, cupcakes, hummingbird cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1½ cup flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp all spice
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup canned crushed pineapple along with juices
• 2 bananas (mashed)
• ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
• ½ cup pecans/walnuts (toasted & chopped)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 package 8oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 5 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Spread pecans onto a separate baking pan and toast in the oven for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Chop them into fine pieces. Keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking salt, salt, ground cinnamon and all spice in a large bowl. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until they combine well.
• In the meantime, mix mashed bananas, pineapple and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Whisk well to mix properly.
• Add this mix to the flour mix and beat in low speed to combine well. Remove the paddle attachment and add chopped pecans and fold well by using a spatula. The batter will be thick.
• Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them a little over half way full.
• 1Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the crust turns golden brown.

For the cream cheese frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate it for
  15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and decorate as desired.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The post Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

You might be wondering why would you need a snack bar recipe when every grocery store has a cereals aisle stacked full of endless varieties of snack bars? Well, I too am a huge fan of nut bars and have tried many store-bought ones; some are sooo good whereas the rest are just ok ok and at times I wished if they had substituted certain ingredients, or reduced the saltiness, sweetness, etc. That’s what actually got me going to try making them at home and perfect it to my choice of flavours. I mean seriously, if you love something so much then why buy it and not try making it yourself?

What’s great in learning to make your own snack bars is that, the options are endless. Tweak one ingredient and you have something new and unique. Prefer to make it healthy? Simple! Skip the high calorie sweetener/syrup and there you go.

This recipe is super simple and gluten & refined sugar free. I have used maple syrup along with brown sugar which acts as a binding agent to hold the nuts together and retain its shape. You can substitute maple syrup with honey, but I highly recommend the former as it is a good holding element and takes the flavours to a whole new level.

The nut bars are surprisingly easy to cook and turned out to be so delicious that my whole family loved it and finished it in no time. They are crunchy n chewy with the right balance of sweetness, Oh and so chocolaty!

It’s perfect as a healthy snack for kids, a post/pre-work out snack, or as a snack to munch between your meals. Feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients and create your own customized snack bar.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars recipe which is a whole wheat oatmeal crumb bar using fresh strawberries.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle

Crunchy Homemade Nut Bars… Vegan, Gluten Free, and Packed with All the Goodness! A Perfect Health Snack to satisfy your cravings…!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword energy bar, nut bar, snack bar

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews (unsalted)
• ½ cup walnuts (chopped)
• ½ cup pepitas
• ¼ cup pecans (chopped)
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup old fashioned / rolled oats
• ⅓ cup maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper extending through its sides, this will helps later in lifting up easily.
• In a large bowl, combine together cashews, walnuts, pepitas, pecans, dried cranberries, and oats. You can also add any leftover crumbs or powders from the prior chopping of nuts.
• In a small saucepan, heat the maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt and brown sugar. Whisk with a spatula until it is completely dissolved. When the syrup starts to boil and bubble up, remove the pan from the heat and pour it to the prepared nut mix. Using the spatula combine them together to mix properly, it will be slightly sticky.
• Transfer this mix to the prepared baking pan. Press down gently on it using the back a spoon or any flat bowl so that it forms an even layer. Make sure there are no gaps in the flattened mix.
• Bake by placing in the middle of your oven rack for 20 minutes. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
• Once the nut mix is cooled, remove it from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Carefully cut into even bar sizes of your choice using a sharp knife.
• Melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals until it is completely melted, you may also follow the double broiler method. Whisk the melted chocolate well until it is smooth, then drizzle it over the nuts. Transfer the bars to a refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.
• Your snack bars are ready to serve. You may also store them in an air tight container for up to two weeks.

The post Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Did a year just go by in the blink of an eye? It sure did for me indeed, time flies so fast! Three years back when I started this blog, it was all about turning my passion into a hobby. Never did I imagine the amount of support and motivation I’d receive from my friends, family and the blogging community, and that Pepper Delight would become my full-time job. The whole thought of it seriously amazes me and being a self-taught cook and baker, I’m so darn proud of myself looking back at all these years.

This beautiful space has gifted me so many achievements and of course some good relationships too. I am fortunate enough to find many talented and inspiring people through the online world; those who follow my social media, read my blog, message me about my photos, recognize me at stores and stop by to talk about food n recipes… those are surreal moments and truly the most rewarding…!! So, I take this opportunity to thank all my dear friends and followers for the unconditional love.

I would also like to take a moment to give a big shout out to my dear friend Makos from The Hungry Bites who has been a constant support and guide throughout my whole journey. If you love Mediterranean food, then you must definitely check out his blog.

I am so excited to see what 2019 has in store for Pepper Delight. Thank you all for supporting and following…Cheers to many more years of Yummilicious Food…!!

Coming back to the highlight of today’s celebration – the Cake!

An Ombre cake had been on my to-do list for a long time, but I was a bit intimidated on how the whole thing would turn out. You know, all of my usual confusions before trying out any new cake style! But I am so glad that I tried it, coz it did turn out pretty well…!!

So, what’s a Neapolitan cake? Well, I am not going to dig into its history at the moment, but visually it’s a tri-colored 3 tier cake with each layer being a different flavour; strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Even before I got to know about Neapolitan cakes, I have been inspired to do a multi colored cake and that arose from my love for Cassata ice-cream which we used to get in India; a 3-tier vanilla, strawberry and pistachio ice-cream layered over a sponge cake with candied fruits n nuts. In those days, a cassata slice was the ultimatum…I was in heaven!!

So, I guess the first question on your mind after seeing the cake pics and the recipe would be, “this is a lot of work, three sets of batter & frosting?” Well, not exactly. The three different flavors are incorporated using a single bowl of batter. First, you have to make a base vanilla cake batter and pour it equally into three cake pans. Leave one pan as is for the original vanilla cake, mix into the second pan the cocoa powder for making the chocolate cake, and into the third the strawberry jam with few drops of food color for a pretty pink strawberry cake. Fresh strawberry puree also works. Bake… and your cakes are ready!

Happy Cooking…!

Don’t forget to check out my previous years Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache 
• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Neapolitan Cake

A Neapolitan Ombre Cake with an absolute delight of flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla & Strawberry Cakes in a Pink Buttercream Ombre!

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword blog anniversary, cake, neapolitan cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup softened butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (sifted)
• ¼ cup strawberry jam (pref. seedless)
• 5-7 drops red food color (optional)

For the filling and crumb coat

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp milk cream
• 3 drops of red food color

For the outer ombre frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp milk cream (or more if needed)
• 6-7 drops of red food color
• Fresh flowers (for decoration)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350-degree F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The batter will be thick, creamy and smooth.
• Pour the batter equally into three prepared pans (approx. 3 ladle batter per pan).
• Add the sifted cocoa powder to one pan for making the chocolate cake and mix well using a fork or a spatula. Keep aside.
• Whisk strawberry jam until it is completely smooth. You can microwave it for 15 seconds if thick, and whisk it for a smoother texture. Add it along with 6-7 drops of red food color to the third pan for making the strawberry cake, and mix well using a fork or spatula.
• 10. Place all the three pans in the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. The cooking times may vary per cake, for me the vanilla and chocolate cakes took 30 minutes and the strawberry cake took 35 minutes to bake.

For the filling and crumb coat

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add red food color and milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable / cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating and filling to set properly.

For the outer ombre frosting

• Once the crumb coat is set, you can prepare the frosting for the outer ombre coat.
• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable. If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.
• Divide the prepared frosting into 4 pans; the 1st for the flat top surface coat in white, 2nd for the side top coat in white, 3rd for the side center coat in pink, and the 4th for the side bottom coat in dark pink.
• To the 3rd and 4th pans add the red food color as desired and whisk to make the pink and dark pink colored frostings respectively.
• Using a spatula, start applying the dark pink coat from the 4th pan on the side bottom of the cake. Using a scraper, scrape off excess frosting.
• Now move on the center side coat from the 3rd pan. Repeat applying coat & scraping, and continue to the top side and top flat coats using pans 2 and 1 respectively.
• Once your ombre coating is complete, refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes for the frosting to set.
• Decorate as desired with flowers, your cake is ready to serve!!

Notes

1. If your cake feels dry or crumbly after baking, brush some simple sugar syrup over the cake to retain it moistness and texture.

2. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

3. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.

4. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.

5. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.

6. Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.

7. Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Neapolitan Ombre Cake – Celebrating 3 years of Blogging appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello December n Happy Holidays…!! It’s been a month since I’ve blogged as I had to take a short break from all of social media due to some personal commitments, and boy have I been tempted so badly to post some delicious Christmas recipes. But better late than never & here I am… A refreshed me with a new addition to my taste buds. Guess what? I’ve started liking COOKIES!!!

It’s cookies everywhere; aisles of cookies in your grocery store, in every party, magazines, social media… wherever I go. I’ve been wanting to try them forever, but somehow, I never got around it and found my own excuses to skip, maybe coz I’m neither a cookie nor a biscuit fan. And that’s why you wouldn’t find any cookie / biscuit recipes in my blog either. Oh, by the way, unlike it being called “cookies” here, in India it is referred to as “biscuits”. And that’s totally different from the dish “biscuits” here in the US.

Ever since I started blogging, I’ve been watching how as the holiday season arrives its an explosion of cookie recipes all over social media; Christmas cookies, Gingerbread man and what not. And there I am, wondering how they all taste? Honestly, as I was reading through the ingredients of some of them I was surprised to know that gingerbread cookies had spices in it, and in spite it being one of the kids’ favorite…!!  All my fancying came to an end when I got a chance to taste them a few weeks back… I loved it!!! In fact, I was surprised that I just liked it on the first bite!

So, with no more doubting n full of excitement, here I am with my gingerbread cookie recipe! There are many things I loved about this bake; starting with the simplicity, ease, & fun… to the ingredients, aroma, flavors and texture of the baked goodies. The different spices used in this recipe reminds me of my favorite Christmas Fruit Cake or Plum Cake, very similar. And while its baking, your whole kitchen smells sooo good, it’s like a spiced room freshener! For this recipe, I have used a simple sugar icing, but you can also go with a royal icing or any buttery icing of your choice. Another fun aspect is the excitement of your kids and how you can engage them. I’m sure they would love to extent their tiny helping hands to make their favorite cookie man/animal shapes.

Enjoy!!

Merry Christmas n Happy Holidays…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Recipe partially adapted from here.

Print

Gingerbread Cookies

Festive Season is here & its time for some Fun Baking! Crunchy, Sweet n Spiced Gingerbread Cookies with the Flavors of Ginger, Cinnamon and All Spice… The Perfect Holiday Treat…!!

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Christmas cookies, cookies, gingerbread cookies, gingerbread man

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 45 cookies

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the gingerbread cookies

• 3¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup 1½ stick unsalted butter (softened)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup molasses

For the icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

For the gingerbread cookies

• In a large bowl, prepare the dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add brown sugar, beat until combined. Beat in the egg, followed by adding vanilla extract and molasses.
• Slowly add prepared dry ingredients, beat on a low speed until well combined. The dough should be thick.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts and transfer to a plastic wrap. Using your hands, shape it into a ball and tightly wrap in two plastic wraps. Refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours or overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before working on it.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and keep aside.
• Dust your work surface and rolling pin generously with flour. Roll the dough until its 1/8 inch thick. If its sticky, dust the dough with more flour and roll.
• Use your cookie cutters to cut out the dough as desired and carefully transfer them to the baking sheet. Place them with an inch’s gap in-between.
• Re-roll the leftover dough and repeat step 8; cutting and transfer to the baking sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges brown; mine took 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once the cookies have cooled, decorate with simple icing or sprinkles. Allow the icing to cool and set. The cookies can be stored in an air tight container for up to one week.

For the icing

• In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth. You can add more sugar if its runny or add more milk if its too thick.
• Fill the icing in a piping bag or squeeze bottle and draw/decorate your cookies as desired. Allow it to set at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Notes

1. Chilled cookie dough is easy to work with as it is firm and doesn’t stick to your rolling pin/surface. I recommend leaving the other half in the refrigerator till you are done with the first batch.
2. Being winter, your butter might not easily soften to room temperature and may still be lumpy while beating with the other ingredients. The hair dryer method is my goto trick to solve this problem, refer the Notes section under the recipe of my Matcha Cake recipe post for details.

The post Gingerbread Cookies appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Have you ever tried baking a pear cake without poaching? If not, I would highly insist you do. Honestly, I was intrigued to bake without poaching and confused with the cooking time, ingredients required, if wine or anything else had to be added, to get the flavors right. But to my surprise the pears cooked perfectly! A plain vanilla cake with pears and its aroma is just amazing, I would say it’s perfect to pair with a cup of tea for the cozy evenings of this Fall.

Like any other loaf pan cake recipe, this one also requires more than an hour to cook and the cake does not become dry in spite of its browned crust and edges. The juices from the pears infuse with the batter resulting in an insanely moist and soft cake. And the pears themselves become so tender and melt in your mouth.

You can use Bosc, Forelle or Anjou Pears which are ripe, (but slightly firm when you touch) to make this cake. Make sure to level the bottom of the pears so that they stand straight in the pan while baking.

Also, I definitely recommend lining your pan with parchment paper, which I regret not doing. Unlike other regular loaf pan cakes which have a flat top on which you can place a wire rack and invert, this once has the pear heads with the stems sticking out, making it really hard to invert and remove. In addition too, the pears make the cake heavy and susceptible to breakage, so unless you get into some serious acrobats (which I unfortunately had to), pulling out the cake in one piece from the pan without parchment paper linings will be a challenge.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with some warm tea, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Akhila Shekhar (@pepperdelightblog) on Nov 4, 2020 at 6:37pm PST

Print

Pear Loaf Cake

Celebrate Fall with this Vanilla Pear Loaf Cake to fill your Holiday Dessert Menu! Simple, Easy & Non-Poached… This delightful Pear-Vanilla Combo is a must try if you’re a Pear Lover. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword fall dessert, pear, pear cake, pear loaf cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 3 pears (Bosc pears with stem)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove its skin keeping the stem intact. Level their bottoms so that the pears stand straight with equal height.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim of the pan on all sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. The resulting batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Insert the pears vertically / standing up, pushing them all the way down to the bottom of the pan until they rest on their levelled bottoms.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 1hr plus 10-15 minutes until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface. Slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

The post Pear Loaf Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Finally, it’s here, my most favorite season… Fall! It’s a little late this year as the trees are yet to change their colors, but the weather has started to get cold for sure. Also, another beauty is that it’s the season of apples. I did not get a chance to go apple picking this year, but I’m sure most of you would have had a lot of fun. With bags full of apples in your pantry, it’s time to gear up your baker’s suit and start exploring some apple dishes. And that’s what I’m going on get on to, join me and read along!

Apple strudel is one of the easiest apple desserts you can make, with least efforts and the basic minimal ingredients available in your pantry. This dish tastes so damn good; its flaky, sweet, tangy & crunchy. Like I said, you can wow your guests with its taste, aroma and some fancy creativity by showing off your braiding skills.

For this recipe you can either make your own dough, or use a store-bought puff pastry sheet like I did, which will significantly reduce your work load. This is a simple dessert, but while you go through the recipe ingredients and instructions, I’m sure that you will have many questions popping up in your head. And so, here are my answer to a few:

1. Why roll your thawed sheets? Always roll your thawed puff pastry sheets to the right consistency and shape, this helps prevent the pastry crust from puffing-up too much.
2. Why add lemon juice? Always coat your apples with lemon juice (just like your avocados) as it prevents browning, plus it adds a slight tanginess to your strudel which very well compliments the sweetness.
3. Breadcrumbs, huh? Yep, you heard it right. Apples release juices while baking which the pastry dough tend to absorb preventing it from rising and making your strudel soggy. Breadcrumbs absorb the moisture keeping your strudel crispy n flaky. As a substitute, you can use plain flour too.
4. Fruit Substitutes? You can substitute Granny Smith apples with Honey Crisp apples as well, Pear is another good alternative to apples.
5. Nuts Substitute? Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds…

Serve these flaky apple strudels warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Apple Strudel

Wow your Fall Holiday Guests with this Flaky Braided Apple Strudel…! The Easiest Fall Season Dessert of your Dreams…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, fall dessert, strudel

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of a 17.3oz package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 2 Granny Smith / Honey Crisp apples
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Flour (to dust)
• Pinch of granulated sugar (topping)

Instructions

• Thaw your puff pastry sheet for 35-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg, and keep aside.
• Peel, core and slice your apples into small cubes. You can use 2 medium or 3 small sized apples.
• In a bowl, mix together the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, raisins and bread crumbs. Keep aside.
• Now let’s setup your work surface; Cut parchment paper large enough to fill your baking tray and place it on your work surface. Dust it with flour.
• To prepare the pastry wrap, unfold the thawed pastry sheet onto the dusted paper and apply some flour. Roll and stretch it using a rolling pin into a 16” x 12” rectangle shape.
• Now spoon the apple mix onto the center of the sheet, lengthwise. For preparing the braids, make ½” slits using a pizza cutter or a knife on both sides of the apple mix leaving a ½” space from the mix. Starting from one end, fold the braids one after the other, alternating sides, angled over the apple mix. Continue braiding till you read the other end, seal the ends properly.
• Brush the braids with egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Place it on your baking tray by lifting and transferring the parachment paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until flaky and golden brown.
• Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

The post Apple Strudel appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Pancakes are the real deal for us in India; the savory versions to be precise. We call it Dosa or lentil crepes, and is an unavoidable dish on the breakfast menu of every Indian. Unlike the sweet pancakes which I consider a lazy girl’s breakfast as it requires less effort, is fancy, and doesn’t need to be fermented…the lentil pancakes always requires some sort of pre-preparation.

Dutch baby pancakes (also called as German pancakes) can be defined as an old school pancake recipe with a little makeover. The batter goes straight into the oven, cooks for 20 minutes, and tadaaa…your baked pancakes are ready; puffed up with crispy browned edges, a golden fluffy center, and boy… so damn delicious.

The recipe is so simple and actually much easier than making a regular pancake. You can throw everything into a blender, blend and just pour it to your buttered iron skillet and bake. And while it bakes, you have all the time in the world to clean up your kitchen, and even make some coffee!

The main attraction of this pancake is, its Huge! I have used a 9-inch iron skillet for this recipe, which is enough to serve 2-3 people. Traditionally this dish is made on an iron skillet but you can use any oven safe skillets, just ensure that it’s atleast 2 inches tall which will help the batter to rise, otherwise it will overflow & burn creating a mess in your oven.

Dust these Dutch baby pancakes with powdered sugar and serve with a drizzle of honey/maple syrup/chocolate syrup. You can also top it off with fresh fruits or fruit sauce.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Dutch Baby Pancake

Golden Brown n Puffy Dutch Baby Pancakes for a Beautiful Morning!! This Foolproof Recipe is so easy to whisk up a quick Breakfast for your busy days…!! 

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, dutch baby pancake, pancake

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• Fruits, powdered sugar, honey / maple syrup / chocolate sauce (toppings)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425-degree F. Place a 9-inch cast iron / oven safe skillet with a 2-inch-tall side, in the oven to heat. You may also instead warm your skillet on a stovetop.
• Blend or whisk flour, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. The resulting batter will be thin, allow it to rest for 5-7 mins.
• Remove the hot skillet from the oven using an oven mitt and add butter. The butter should melt immediately if the skillet is really hot, else place it in the oven to melt completely.
• Pour the batter into the skillet and swirl the pan to spread it evenly, place it back into the oven immediately.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes until you see puffed & lightly browned edges.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and dust it with powdered sugar. Top with your favorite fruits, berries, or drizzle honey / maple syrup / chocolate sauce on top.
• Serve immediately, Enjoy.

The post Dutch Baby Pancake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love to have something to snack in my pantry always. Well… who doesn’t? Keeping it healthy and tasty is the tough part, but if you have got all that sorted out, there you go… you have a winner dish for sure! So, it was my hunt for a winner that finally landed me onto these deliciously healthy berry bars; my love for crumble recipes combined with the idea for a snack, a perfect choice I would say.

This dish has a wonderful buttery crust, made with whole wheat flour and oats sweetened with brown sugar. Oats being among the main ingredients in this recipe, is one of the healthiest whole grain and a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Unlike regular flour, I have used whole wheat instead, considering its benefits…but I can guarantee you that it doesn’t alter the taste a bit. You can also use your choice of fresh berries for the filling. These bars are crunchy and chewy at the same time, and seriously so addictive that you are not going to stop in one bite.

Keeping aside it’s health benefits, the preparation is even better. All you need are two bowls, one to mix the crust ingredients and the other to prepare the fresh fruits. And in no time your dish is ready!  This eggless snack is a great choice for kids & adults alike, perfect for any time of the day – breakfast, after-lunch, post work out, tea time, or even as a healthy dessert. And if you want to make your dessert fancy, just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream…Trust me, it would be heavenly!!!

Interested in more snack bar recipes? Check this out;

Healthy Nut Bars with Chocolate Drizzle

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Crunchy n Chewy… Healthy n Easy… Irresistibly Delicious Eggless Berry Bars. Made with Whole Wheat, Oats, Strawberries and Blueberries…...Perfect as a Snack or as a Dessert!!!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword berry crumb bar, crumb bar, healthy snack

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20 bars

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup melted butter
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)

For the fruit filling

• 4 cups of diced strawberries and blueberry
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Line a 9x13 inch sheet pan with parchment paper extending it a few inches over the sides. Grease the pan properly with butter and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract, melted butter and salt. Stir to mix together until it forms a crumble like texture. Divide the mixture and set 1 cup aside. Transfer the remaining to the prepared pan and press it gently with your hands or spatula to form an even flat base.
• In a separate bowl, toss berries with lemon juice, corn flour and sugar. Spread it evenly over the crust. Top with remaining crumble mixture and slivered almonds.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the fruit mix is bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow it cool in room temperature. Refrigerate for 1-2 hour before cutting into squares.
• You can refrigerate and store it in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

The post Berry Oatmeal Crumb Bars appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This Eggless Tiramisu is one of my favorite make-ahead desserts! In fact, it was one of my first trial-n-error dishes I had made long before I started cooking actively. Back to my Hyderabad memories, I still remember searching for mascarpone cheese and ladyfinger biscuits in vain, and then following Masterchef Pankaj Bhadouria’s Tiramisu recipe using sponge cakes, hung yogurt and custard…. Oh my, it was sooo delicious! That gave me the confidence to try it again, and after tasting the original version at various restaurants I absolutely fell in love with this dessert.

The authentic recipe of this classic Italian dish calls for ladyfinger biscuits drenched in an espresso coffee combined with a creamy mixture of eggs, sugar, mascarpone cheese, Marsala wine, and finally dusted with cocoa powder. Savoiardi/Ladyfinger biscuits is a pretty hard to find ingredient in a small town like mine, and so whenever I need them I head to the nearest World Market Store where you will definitely find it, or else replace it with Nila Biscuits which is an equally good alternative when making tiramisu, and quite commonly available in all stores.

In my recipe here, I have substituted Marsala wine with Baileys Irish Cream which is also a fantastic alternative and blends wonderfully with espresso and cream mixture. You can skip it altogether if you prefer an alcohol-free version. Also, for my vegetarian friends out there, this recipe is Eggless! Yes, you heard it…no raw eggs used!

This dessert is a definite crowd pleaser; perfect for your parties, can be prepared in a baking dish or in individual cups, & can be made in advance… If there are any leftovers, you can also refrigerate it for a few days!

For another Tiramisu flavored delight, check out my Tiramisu Swiss Roll recipe here. 

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Easy No-Cook Eggless Tiramisu

Velvety and Luscious... A Classic Italian Dessert with a Twist! No-Cook, No-Bake… Eggless Tiramisu… the Perfect Crowd Pleaser!!   

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword dessert, eggless tiramisu, tiramisu

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For making coffee

• 2 cups of water
• 5 tsp espresso powder

For making tiramisu

• 1 package (200 g ladyfingers biscuits (7.05 oz.))
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese 8oz. (softened)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp baileys Irish cream/Kahlua/Marsala wine (optional)
• Cocoa powder (for dusting)

Instructions

For making coffee

• Prepare a thick strong coffee by boiling water and espresso powder. Allow it to cool.

For making tiramisu

• Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• Beat mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract and sugar until creamy and smooth. Mix with the whipped cream and beat lightly for a smooth consistency.
• Combine the alcohol with cooled coffee. Keep everything ready near the baking dish to layer.
• Dip the ladyfingers biscuits in the coffee-alochol mix and arrange evenly on your baking dish . Do not soak the biscuits; quickly dip and take it out from the coffee, else it will become soggy.
• Spread a layer of the prepared cream mix on top of the biscuits.
• Repeat steps 4 & 5 on top of the cream layer, to create another layer of biscuits and cream thereby filling your baking dish its brim.
• Cover the dish and refrigerate for 5-6 hrs.
• Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Notes

1. If not available in your local grocery store, ladyfinger biscuits can be found in World Market, any international grocery store, or at Amazon. Nila Biscuits found at Walmart and other local stores is a very good substitute too.

2. You can refrigerate tiramisu for up to 2 days. Do not freeze.

3. Any coffee liquor, dessert wine, rum or brandy can be used for making tiramisu, or you can skip it altogether if you prefer alcohol-free.

The post Easy No-Cook Eggless Tiramisu appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love smoothies for breakfast…they are delicious, light, refreshing and of course easy to prepare on any busy morning. But I also prefer not to lose its goodness by compromising on the nutritional benefits & taste, for time. So, my solution… Chia!

Chia seeds have amazing health benefits. It is a grain free superfood, high in fiber, calcium, Omega-3, and a protein too. It’s high fiber and calcium content keeps you full for a longer time thereby controlling your appetite, and helping in weight loss. Chia is naturally gluten free, which makes it a great protein source for people with Celiac disease. In addition, it is found to boost your metabolism levels too.

In my home, chia is served as a smoothie topping, in puddings, and sometimes as an egg replacement (Yes, it works!). So, what does it taste like? Chia doesn’t have any taste, it’s basically a filler which easily blends with any core ingredient and at the same time packed with its own goodness. You can top it with yogurt, fruit puree, granola, nuts or fruits to make it taste even better.

The basic recipe of a chia pudding is extremely simple. All you need is to soak chia seeds overnight in any milk of your choice and a sweetening agent. The consistency of a chia pudding is a slightly thick, wobbly, gel like texture. There is hardly any recipe here for this dish, if you know the right ratio of chia pudding, you can top it with endless options.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Chia Breakfast Pudding

Brighten Up Your Day with an Overnight Chia Pudding with Fresh Fruits and Nuts…!! Vegan & Refined Sugar free… a Quick Breakfast and a Healthy Dessert...!

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword breakfast, chia pudding, healthy

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For chia pudding

• 1 cup almond milk
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp maple syrup

For pink layer

• 4-5 strawberries
• 6-8 raspberries
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

For green layer

• ½ cup frozen mangoes
• a handful of spinach
• ½ of banana
• ⅓ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

For yellow layer

• ¼ cup frozen mangoes
• ⅓ cup chopped pineapple
• ½ of banana
• ⅓ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or more)

nuts and fresh fruits (garnish)

Instructions

• Start with the chia pudding ingredients by mixing them in a glass container until well combined. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes and give another stir to avoid any clumps and mix evenly.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight in a closed container. The chia seeds will absorb the milk and swell up.
• Once the chia pudding is ready, prepare the different colored fruit layers. Blend each layer’s ingredients together until smooth, and keep aside.
• When ready to serve, add a layer of chia pudding to the serving glass. Carefully pour the colored fruit layer mix over the chia pudding with a spoon.
• Top with fresh fruits and nuts, Enjoy.

Notes

1. Substitute almond milk with your choice of milk. You can also use regular milk if you are not a vegan.

2. Vary the amount of maple syrup used to meet your sweetness needs. You can also substitute maple syrup with honey, dates, or any sweetening agent.

The post Chia Breakfast Pudding appeared first on Pepper Delight.

My blog turned 2… Happy Birthday Pepper Delight…!!

Two years of blogging, My My! Who would have thought about this twist in my journey into the world of blogs? There was never a moment in these two years I ever thought about quitting; in fact, it was one of the best decisions in my career. Life has been so beautiful with this blog on my side, a heavenly space where I can share my passion for cooking n photography, and opened for me a new world of knowledge; both food and styling, and of course an amazing pack of friends! So, Thank You my family, friends and my dear readers for the huge support you have showered me with… !

Every year for my blog anniversary, I bake something special to celebrate the big day, and an excuse to eat cake, right? Baking a matcha cake was on my list for a long time, but I was waiting for that perfect day. Last year for my blog’s first anniversary, I baked a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake which became the most popular recipe of 2017, and gifted me with so many features and shoutouts! Fingers crossed, let this matcha cake be another great beginning…

So, what is matcha? Matcha is the new sensational ingredient in the food industry; it’s powdered green tea leaves! The recipes with matcha are not limited to tea, but range from a wide variety of smoothies, cakes, to bread recipes. This green powder is a hot topic, the caffeine content of matcha is just half of that in a cup of black coffee and so makes it more favorable. Matcha is considered as a powerhouse of antioxidants, helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and also calms your body and mind.

And this cake? It’s the BEST!!! I know that I repeat this dialogue every time, but trust me guys…this cake is…OMG, seriously so delicious! The right balance of sweetness with a silky-smooth frosting, and a nutty white chocolate drip that just literally melts in your mouth. Don’t be intimidated by green tea, matcha not only gives the beautiful green color, the flavor too is amazing. This recipe is just perfect for any celebrations, birthdays, or anniversaries.

Don’t forget to check out my other Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2017 – Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Enjoy, Happy Baking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip

Super Soft & Moist Matcha / Green Tea Cake with a Velvety Smooth Vanilla Buttercream and White Chocolate Matcha Drip…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword cake, matcha, matcha cake, naked cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the Matcha Cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ½ cup + 3tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup milk (at room temperature)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup +4tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp heavy cream (at room temperature)

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• 2 tsp matcha powder
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 4 oz white chocolate

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6-inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder salt and matcha powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well. The cake batter will be dense, but that’s completely ok.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the matcha drip.

For the White Chocolate Matcha Drip

• Into a microwave safe bowl, sift the matcha powder and add 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream. Mix well until the powder is dissolved and there are no lumps.
• Pour the remaining heavy cream and mix well evenly.
• Now add the white chocolate to the cream-matcha mix and microwave for 30 seconds. The chocolate would have partially melted and using a spatula mix well till all the chocolate has dissolved and you get a thick sauce. If chocolate lumps exist, microwave at 10 second intervals and repeat till completely dissolved.
• Keep stirring till the sauce has cooled down, and then pour over the assembled cake. Refrigerate it to set for 15 mins.
• Decorate with fresh fruits or flowers.

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• The vanilla buttercream frosting should be of the right consistency and spreadable. If it turn’s out to be loose, refrigerate for 15-30 mins to thicken. During winters, butter may turn cold and not stay at room temperature. In that case your frosting can become thick/buttery; either microwave the frosting for a few seconds, or try out the hair dryer method (worked out for me), and beat again till the perfect consistency.
• Hair Dryer method – While whisking your thickened frosting on a medium to high speed, point a hair dryer at high heat to the outer bottom of your bowl. You will see that butter starts melting and the frosting turn creamier. Turn off your dryer immediately (as the bowl will retain some heat), and continue whisking till you get the perfect consistency.  
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Assemble / decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly before topping with the white chocolate matcha drip. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip – A Blog Anniversary appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Hello 2018… A New Year… A New Beginning…!

And I’m Starting this New Year with a single Mantra – Eat Healthy…!

One of the leading food trends of 2018 is sugar alternatives. So, let’s start with January on a positive note by avoiding that extra sugar which you don’t actually need, and still enjoy all the sweetness available from natural sources. Like these bliss balls for example, they are healthy, sweet and nutritious, totally a no-cook fuss-free recipe.

This dish is made by mixing different nuts, adding a sweetening agent like dates/chocolates/honey/maple syrup, and then rolled into little treats. It hardly takes 10 minutes to prepare with only 4 ingredients, and the best part is – you can customize it with endless choices. You can add hemp seeds, chia seeds, cocoa, chocolate chips, or your favorite nuts & dry fruits.

Moist n chewy, these bliss balls work best as a post workout snack, or as little treats to pop into kid’s lunch boxes, or even as an evening snack for that extra sweet craving. Store them in an airtight container and refrigerate, and they stay fresh and taste great for up to 2 weeks!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

Print

Bliss Balls

Healthy n Naturally Sweetened, Gluten free n Vegan, Made with Nuts n Dates… a 4 Ingredient, Perfect after-meal Snack… Bliss Balls…!!  

Course Dessert, Snack

Keyword bliss balls, energy balls, healthy, snacks

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16 balls

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup almonds
• 8-10 dates
• ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• Pinch of salt
• Coating: shredded coconut, matcha powder, cocoa powder, grounded walnuts

Instructions

• If your dates are dry, soak them in water for up to 5 minutes to soften. Drain the water and set the dates aside.
• Blend nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add shredded coconut, dates, a pinch of salt, and blend until they combine well and the mixture becomes sticky.
• Roll the mix into equally sized balls and refrigerate airtight for 20 minutes to allow it to set.
• To apply the coating, roll the balls in the coat mixture of your choice. Put a little mix on your palm and roll the balls one by one for a final finish.
• The Bliss Balls are ready to be served. For later use, store the balls in an airtight container and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Notes

1. If the mixture turns too moist, try refrigerating it for 30 minutes to firm up or add more grounded nuts or shredded coconut.

2. Roll them on your palm by moistening with a tiny drop of water so that the balls won’t stick to your hand.

The post Bliss Balls appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So, another eventful year is coming to an end with a lot of excitement over the time, and I am here writing my last recipe before the holidays; wrapping up on a sweet note with a Traditional, Old Fashioned Christmas Fruit Cake, aka Plum Cake. With a backdrop of my hometown, Plum cake races me back to my childhood days and memories, as it is a very famous dessert in Kerala, especially during Christmas. I do not know the history behind its origin, but I believe it was the Britishers who brought the original dried fruit variety of the cake to India. A common misunderstanding of the cake going by its name is it being made of the fruit Plum, but actually it refers to its plumped ingredients; the dry fruits which swell up over its soaking period. Funny, isn’t it?

The highlight of this cake is the aroma of the spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg), and the alcohol soaked fruits. The longer the fruits n nuts being soaked, the better it’s flavours. I recommend soaking them for a minimum of 2 days before baking the cake, so that the flavours sum up. This Christmas I started my preparations earlier, and hence got a chance to soak my fruits for a month. You can even keep them for up to 6 months; now that would be heavenly, right?

There is usually no icing on a traditional Christmas cake, but variations with Cream Cheese or Whipped Cream are also popular. The cake is intensely rich and moist and is a perfect balance of sweetness from the smoky caramel syrup and the dry fruits. This cake makes a great addition to your holiday table as a dessert, or as a Christmas gift for your family and friends.

And if you planned to go this year with a non-alcoholic version, check out my Non Alcoholic Christmas Fruit Cake recipe, Trust me…it’s the Best!

Here are a few ingredients options for you before you plan your bake, I highly recommend going through them:

• Dry Fruits varieties: Raisins / sultanas, apricots, dates (seedless), prunes, currants, figs, tutti fruit, glazed cherries, dried unsweetened cranberries.
• Nuts: Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans.
• Soaking liquid (alcoholic): Rum, Brandy, Cognac, Amarula, Baileys Irish Cream.
• Soaking liquid (non-alcoholic): 100% grape juice, apple juice, orange juice, or water.
• Spices: Dry Ginger powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamom.

Enjoy baking, Merry Christmas…!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Print

Christmas Fruit Cake/Kerala Plum Cake

Indulge yourself to a Holiday Treat, loaded with Fruits n Nuts soaked in Rum… an Old fashioned Christmas Fruit Cake aka Kerala Style Plum Cake…! Moist, Rich, and Luscious… just how you would have wished your perfect fruit cake to be…!

Course Dessert

Keyword christmas fruit cake, fruit cake, kerala plum cake, plum cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For soaked dry fruits

• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 6-8 apricots
• 5 dates (seedless)
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup almonds
• 1 cup rum (or more)

For caramel syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water

For cake

• 2 cup flour + 2tbsp
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter (1 cup) (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup powdered sugar
• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• zest of one orange
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp dry ginger powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp rum (from the soaked dry fruits)

Instructions

Preparation of fruits

• Chop dry fruits n nuts into bite size pieces, and transfer to a dry glass container. Pour the rum into the container and ensure that the contents are completely immersed in it. Place its lid and keep the container tightly closed.
• Soak the fruits for at least 2 days, you can even preserve them up to 6 months; I soaked mine for 4 weeks. Shake the jar every alternative day and keep refilling it with extra rum as the fruits start absorbing it.
• You can use 2 to 2 ½ cups of soaked fruits and nuts while baking a cake.
• For soaking instructions and other tips, refer the notes section below.

Preparation of caramel syrup

• Add the sugar and 1 tbsp water into a pan and heat on a medium flame.
• As the sugar melts, turns golden in color, and bubbles, lower the flame and give it a quick stir. When the color changes to dark brown, switch off the flame and take the pan off the heat.
• Now carefully add the rest of the water a tablespoon at a time and stir. Your dark colored caramel syrup is ready. Keep it aside to cool down, stir in between.

Preparation of cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9 inch nonstick springform pan with parchment paper; on the bottom and and along the sides extending 2 inches above the rim of the pan. Butter the paper thoroughly and set aside.
• Drain the rum soaked fruits and keep the liquid aside for later use. To the drained fruits, add 2 tbsp flour and mix to coat the fruits; this helps preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking. Keep aside.
• Separate egg whites and yolks. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, set aside.
• Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, this helps to mix it evenly.
• Add egg yolks followed by grated orange zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder, nutmeg and dry ginger powder. Beat well.
• Add the cooled caramel syrup, dry ingredients, and the beaten egg whites in two batches, beat lightly until well combined.
• Now add the flour coated dry fruits into the batter along with 2tbsp of the drained rum. Do not beat, instead fold in all the ingredients thoroughly with a spatula. The batter is ready, it will have a slightly thick consistency.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared baking pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and then unlock it. Move the cake to a wire rack keeping the lined parchment paper intact and let it cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar (optional).
• Once cooled you can remove the paper, and the cake is now ready to be served.
• To store, you can wrap the cake in an aluminum foil and keep in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.

Notes

1. Soak dry fruits in alcohol to enhance the flavour. I recommend soaking for at least 48hrs but you may do so for days, weeks, or even up to 6 months. The more it soaks, the better it tastes.
2. Chop the fruits to be soaked into bite sized pieces. Use a clean air tight glass container to soak and store. Shake the jar or stir every alternate day as it helps to rehydrate the fruits and not dry out. Fill with extra rum as needed.
3. After draining the soaked dry fruits before baking the cake, coat them in a few spoons of flour. This helps the fruits to stick on to the batter while baking and prevents from setting down to the bottom.
4. Be cautious while preparing the caramel syrup, the melted sugar is very hot and will boil intensely when water is added. It can burn you if not carefully handled, also ensure to remove the pan from the flame when adding water.
5. After removing the baked cake from the pan, allow it sit on a wire rack to cool down at room temperature. Do not remove the parchment paper from the pan when the cake is hot, it might crumble.
6. Wrapping the cake in an aluminum foil helps it to retain moisture and prevent drying out.
7. You can keep the cake in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.
8. If you want to make your cake boozy, you can brush the left over drained rum from the soaked fruits over the cake, once it is cooled from the oven. For those who prefer an aged/matured cake, you can bake it in advance and daily brush it with the remaining rum and wrap it back in the foil, until the day of serving / Christmas. 

The post Christmas Fruit Cake / Kerala Style Plum Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So that’s how I celebrated my weekend; with friends, family, a birthday, potluck, loads of fun, and this delicious cake! It was our friend’s birthday, a good friend of mine, my hubby’s colleague, and he also happens to be one of my critiques and taster of Pepper Delight recipes. Happy Birthday to you Apoorv!!

I baked this one pan Chocolate Cake for his birthday, which happens to also be one of the most requested recipes from my friends and followers. The cake is coated with a Chocolate Frosting and I topped it with slivered almonds for some crunchiness. And to finish it off, a drizzle of the delicious Dulce De Leche…!!

Dulce de leche is a popular Latin dessert which originated in Argentina and is made by caramelizing milk and sugar through a slow cooking process. It is amber colored, thick and a rich sauce similar in taste and consistency to that of caramel. If you like caramel, then you are definitely gonna love Dulce de leche, it’s a sauce to die for!

You can top it on cakes, cookies, toasts, or even in ice creams. Its preparation is a time consuming process but is surely worth it, you can make it at home or buy readymade from stores.

There are several ways to cook dulce de leche at home. The most common one is the stove top method, but oven cooking is also preferred. After doing some research I did understand that there are risks associated with stove top, especially if you are cooking unopened cans. As this is my first attempt I didn’t want to take any chances and so I chose the safest option which is the oven method. And I am happy that it turned out well.

The cake altogether is the right balance of flavours; the chocolaty from the cake, sweetness of the frosting, smoky caramelized dulce… it’s a Chocolate Lover’s Delight!

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

Print

Chocolate Cake with Dulce De Leche

Rich n Moist one pan Chocolate Cake… coated in Chocolate Frosting, Slivered Almonds, with a drizzle of Dulce De Leche…!!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, dulce de leche

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 11

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup oil
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)
• ½ cup boiling water

For the Chocolate Frosting

• ⅓ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup milk (or more)

For the Dulce de leche

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Toppings

• Slivered almonds

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9 inch round baking pan with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the egg, followed by adding vanilla extract and oil.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk and beat until they combine well.
• Pour the boiling water; beat on low speed for few seconds until it is mixed well.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-37 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

For the chocolate frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
• Add cocoa powder, powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

For the Dulce de leche (oven method)

• Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
• Pour condensed milk into a baking pan. Cover it tightly with foil.
• Pick a roasting pan big enough to water bath the baking pan, and place the baking pan in it. Pour hot water into the roasting pan till it reaches halfway up the baking pan.
• Carefully place the roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for a total of 1½ hrs. Check every 30 minutes to ensure there is enough water in the roasting pan and add more water if necessary. Bake until the milk thickens and gets a deep caramel color.
• Once cooked and removed from the oven, whisk continuously to smoothen and remove any lumps from the sauce. It will start to thicken as it cools down.
• To store, pour it into a closed container and keep refrigerated.

Spread the Chocolate frosting over the cake. Sprinkle some slivered almonds and drizzle Dulce de leche. Enjoy!

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.

• Make sure to use butter, eggs and milk which should be brought at room temperature.

• Do not open oven in the middle of baking time. This allows bringing cool air inside oven which eventually affects baking process.

• While cooking the condensed milk, you may vary the cook time depending on how caramelized you want your sauce to be. Usually it takes 1½ hours to get a light brown color. I baked it for an extra 30 minutes to get a darker color.

• To reuse refrigerated/stored Dulce de leche, microwave it to loosen the sauce.

The post Chocolate Cake with Dulce De Leche appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Summer is coming to an end and you can already find traces of Fall here n there with the greenery slowly turning orange and yellow. This summer was so eventful and packed with festivals & celebrations, but time flew so quickly that I felt I didn’t get enough of it. So before Fall starts, I would like to savor every bit left of this season and enjoy the last few weeks of the heat. What better than a lovely dessert with a delicious summer fruit… a Cherry Crumble!

Cobblers, Crips/Crumbles are a wonderful means to make desserts with summer fruits as it takes minimal effort, especially when serving a big crowd. Last year I made a Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler and a Peach Cobbler, both turned out great. But after trying out this recipe, I guess now Cherry Crumble is my new favorite! The juicy brown sugar sweetened cherries and the crunchy crust with oats and almonds, makes it seriously delicious.

I love to try different cobbler & crumble recipes, but with the baking marathon I was into for the past few months, I had to postpone it. Thanks to Shyam for reminding me to post this recipe, and I finally managed to before summer ended.

So what’s a crumble actually? Crumbles or Crisp are cooked fruits with a topping made with flour, butter and sugar, which is basically crumbled and crunchy. The best part of a crumble is, you can customize it in a million ways:

1. Use any summer fruits like Cherry, Berries, Plum, Peach, Apple or Rhubarb.
2. Replace the flour with whole wheat flour, tapioca flour or almond meal.
3. Vary the toppings with your choice of oats, cereal or desiccated coconut.
4. Vary your nut toppings with almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Enjoy this Dessert Treat …!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

Print

Cherry Almond Crumble

Cherry Crumble made with Fresh Cherries, Oats and Almonds…!! Crunchy on the Top n Juicy on the Inside... A Delicious Fruit Dessert...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cherry crumble, cobbler, crisp

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 7

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the filling

• 2 cups of fresh cherries (pitted)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp corn starch

For the topping

• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temp, cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Grease a baking pan with butter, keep aside.
• To prepare the filling, add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar and corn starch into a bowl. Toss pitted cherries in it, set aside.
• In another bowl mix oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the cubed butter pieces and mix together using your hands until the topping mixture turns into a coarse crumble form.
• Pour the prepared filling into the baking pan. Spoon the topping over filling evenly. Top with sliced almonds and sprinkle granulated sugar.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping turns crusty and golden brown, and the filling starts to bubble.
• Remove from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream (optional).

The post Cherry Almond Crumble appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The last few months were a baking frenzy for me, 8 cakes and that was a lot, don’t you think so? Well… I guess not for many of you but, for me it was quite different from my usual baking routine, which was no more than a cake a month. I usually bake when I have something to celebrate, and this time… YES, it was my Husband’s Birthday! And the best part about this birthday post was its photoshoot, he posed for my photos!! I couldn’t be happier… Unlike my usual style of photography which includes hand modelling at times, it was my longtime dream to try out something different and I’m glad he finally agreed.

To celebrate his birthday I baked this Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting (which is his favorite). Last year it was a Tiramisu Swiss Roll which was a big hit at our party and this year we kept it simple with a Vanilla cake and prettied it up with props and other decos.

The cake is unbelievably soft and moist, perhaps the best I’ve done so far. If you guys read my posts regularly, you would know that I repeat this sentence every time, but trust me…that’s the truth. I’m still an amateur at baking and each episode of baking is a learning in itself, the results amaze me… be it the texture, moistness and the sweetness. So for all the beginner and amateur bakers out there, just keep trying n experiment new flavors, and you will make wonders!

The frosting of this cake is thin between the layers and on its outer side. I preferred it to be thin so as to balance the extra sweetness of the caramel drip. But you can double the measurement of the frosting if you like; to give it a thicker coat, decorate with rosettes, or design other shapes & styles. Now talking about the caramel drip, this was my first time preparing a caramel sauce, and Sweet Lord… one finger lick of it and it took me back to my childhood memories; Alpenliebe, Parrys Caramel Candy, and all those caramel toffies just sprung back to my mind! Never realized it was so easy to make, I infact thought of buying some toffee wrappers and make a few homemade caramel candy. And the final topping to the cake was the fresh raspberries; Awwweee. I just loved it… perfect to balance the sweet tooth.

As you read through the ingredients and instructions, it may seem intimidating but just follow them as is. I’ve tried to explain the cake assembling, key points, and notes to my best possible. So if you have any questions, just let me know in the comment section.

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

Print

Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Caramel Drip

Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting, topped with a Silky Caramel Drip and Fresh Raspberries…!! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, caramel drip, naked cake, raspberry cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 18 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1¾ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup + 3tbsp unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup whole milk (at room temperature)

For the buttercream frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1½ - 2 cup powdered sugar
• 3-4 tbsp heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the caramel drip

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (cubed)
• pinch of salt
• ¼ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line three 6 inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with whole milk and beat until they combine well. The cake batter will be dense, but that’s completely ok.
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

For the buttercream frosting

• Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beat until it turns out smooth.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure your frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken.

Assembling the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand.
• Apply a little frosting on the center of the cake base and spread. This helps the cake to stay tight and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides, if any.
• Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and apply a thin layer of frosting on top of the third cake. Using a spatula, level the top and the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake to form a thin and evenly covered crumb coating.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes for the crumb coating to set properly.
• Now apply the final coat of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes before pouring the caramel sauce.

For the caramel drip

• Make sure all your ingredients are ready before you start preparing the caramel sauce.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat sugar and water on medium heat until it completely dissolves and begins to brown. Swirl the pan while it starts boiling so that it melts evenly.
• Turn of the heat and while leaving the pan on the stove, add the cubed butter. Whisk until melted.
• Once the butter has completely melted, turn on the heat back to a low and add milk cream slowly by whisking it in parallel. Bring it to boil.
• When the mix start to thicken up, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 15-20 minutes before using. For a later use, transfer to air tight glass bottles and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
• This recipe measurement is enough for a semi naked /naked cake caramel drip. Once it cools down and thickens, pour slowly over the cake to create the drip effect.
• Decorate with fresh Raspberries.

Notes

• Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
• Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
• Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
• Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
• Refrigerate the crumb coated and fully frosted stages of cake to set properly before topping with caramel. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
• Finally, ensure the cake is brought back to a room temperature before serving.

The post Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Buttercream Frosting and Caramel Drip appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This is a Chocolate Celebration straight from Heaven! Trust me, you are gonna say the same if you have a slice… this is the Best Chocolate Cake ever..!!

So, you might be wondering, how come a sheet cake all of the sudden? Well that’s right, my blog has all round pan cakes (except for one on a loaf pan) and the whole idea to do this came from my husband’s request. He wanted to treat his colleagues with some cake delight, and I knew that he had a decently sized team working with him. I started going through my cake recipes and the number of pans I had to bake a few at a time, and that’s when I saw this brand new sheet pan, unused and lying there since a long time. Silly me, that’s perfect for a crowd and was what I have been looking for … so that’s it, a Sheet Cake! My husband loves anything with chocolate, and also is fond of pastries, so thinking all that through, the Texas sheet cake recipe turned out to be the right pick for my bake.

This cake has many Wows; its aroma, the looks, moistness, gooeness, ease of preparation, and of course its taste…! Right from taking it out of the oven, to the time you open the lid of its box to grab the last bite, the cake is soo aromatic! The cocoa flavor, cinnamon and the butter toasted pecans, together emanate such a wonderful aroma that everybody around you inhales a deep breath in pleasure! Every bite of it is moist and feels like a light version of a brownie, and the credit for that goes to the hot cocoa mix used in this recipe unlike the other chocolate cakes.

This cake is so easy to prepare and requires neither fancy equipment nor any special decorating skills. Just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, bake, pour frosting and your delicious cake is ready!!!

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

Recipe adapted from Texas Sheet Cake.

Print

Texas Sheet Cake

Classic Texas Sheet Cake topped with a Gooey Chocolate Frosting and Toasted Pecans…! Intensely Moist and Incredibly Delicious, a Perfect Crowd Puller...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, texas sheet cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk

For the chocolate frosting

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1¾ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup pecans (chopped and toasted)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a 9x13 inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper extending it a few inches over the sides. Grease the pan properly with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
• Sift dry ingredients in a bowl; flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add granulated sugar into the mix and whisk together well. Keep aside.
• In a midsized saucepan, melt butter on a medium heat. Add cocoa powder and water; bring the mixture to a boil while whisking periodically. Turn off the flame and pour the mix over the flour mix and stir to combine.
• Add eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk; whisk well to mix everything to a smooth batter. The cake batter is smooth and loose.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the chocolate frosting

• Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa powder, milk cream, and bring the mix to boil by stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth without any lumps.
• Pour the prepared frosting over the warm cake, spreading it towards the edges using a spatula. Sprinkle pecans over the cake immediately so that it sets along with the frosting.
• Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Notes

Toasting pecans is optional, but I highly recommend it. Heat 1tbsp butter in a pan on a medium flame, add chopped pecans and toast it by stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes until it turns aromatic. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool. Make sure your nuts are ready before preparing the frosting.

The post Texas Sheet Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So officially summer is here, and so are the summer fruits! Cherries, Plums, Apricots, Peaches, Berries…and for me that’s the perfect time to bake yummy goodies with all the fresh fruits. If someone asks me what my favorite dry fruit is, I will say “Apricots”. I also love Apricot Jam, but my hubby hates it. In spite of our differences for this fruit, I managed to convince him to buy a big box of fresh apricots from Costco recently. He wasn’t going to eat any and I knew that I have to find a way to finish them before they rotten, or else he is going to kill me. For me, this would be the first time I taste fresh apricots and I hoped to try some new recipes with the rest.

Apricot belongs to the stone fruit family of Peaches, Cherries, and Plums. It tastes like a mix of sweet and tart, wrapped in a yellow-orange skin which is velvety, and strongly resembles peach.  So now since I have tasted it, the real question arises “What will I do with these beauties? “Pies, Galattes and Tarts were my initial thoughts and the easiest too. But my hubby suggested trying some sort of a fruit cake as I had already baked galattes a few times recently after my last strawberry picking trip. Now, an upside down cake was on to-do list from a long time but I kept on postponing it as I wasn’t keen on trying the very common pineapple version. So I finally heeded to his suggestion and baked this beautiful cake with apricots – my first ever upside down cake.  I was so excited to get to the nerve wracking step of flipping the cake and see the surprise beneath; thankfully it came out very well!!

What’s your favorite upside down cake? Let me know in the comment section below.

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

Print

Apricot Upside Down Cake

Celebrate the Summer with an Apricot Upside Down Cake… Moist and Tender, topped with Buttery Brown Sugar Sweetened Apricots! Perfect for the Holidays…!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot cake, apricot upside down cake, cake

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the fruit base

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 10-12 fresh apricots (pitted, sliced lengthwise)

For the cake

• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup flour
• 1¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk (at room temperature)

Instructions

For the fruit base

• Butter a 9 inch cake pan and keep aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. When it is completely melted and starts bubbling, add brown sugar. Switch off the flame and stir continuously until it turns into a smooth paste.
• Spread the paste onto the prepared cake pan. Layer the apricot slices over the paste and lightly press to sink in.

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, and keep aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar and beat well.
• Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with milk, mix well until the batter is combined. The batter will be slightly thick.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and layer over the apricot slices.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I baked mine for 50 minutes.
• Allow the cake to cool completely for 15-20 minutes. Carefully flip the cake into a cake stand/plate or any flat surface. Enjoy!

Notes

• Keep your apricot slices ready before preparing the butter/sugar paste, so that you can layer them immediately once the paste is poured into the cake pan. This helps the slices to sink to the bottom of the pan before the paste thickens, and would look pretty once the finished cake is flipped upside down. It also helps the sugar to coat the slices better making it sweeter.
• If you find any fruit pieces stuck to the pan after flipping, don’t worry! Just place it back on the cake to create the beauty as like before – no one will ever know!!!
• Apricots usually tend to be less sweet and may not taste ideal for cakes. So adjust the sugar as needed while making the fruit base.
• I prefer not to remove the skin of apricots as it may turn mushy without skin while baking.

The post Apricot Upside Down Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I hope you all remember the Strawberry picking trip from my recent Peach Strawberry Galatte post, we had an amazing day at the Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois and came back home with bags full of strawberries. After making a few galattes & smoothies, I still had some strawberries left and with summer around the corner we decided to finish them up in style by making this yummilicious Strawberry Ice Cream. Like any other gal with a sweet tooth, I too love Ice Cream…! And this is the time of the year you can eat it guilt-free. Homemade Ice Creams were always an un-accomplishable dream for me earlier, as we didn’t have a churning machine I thought we couldn’t make one without it. But, the success of my last year’s No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream gave me the confidence to make my summer Ice Cream batch for the year.

I have used graham crackers in this recipe to resemble the textures of a strawberry cheesecake, but the difference here is that I am not using cream cheese. Using graham crackers is purely optional; you can replace it with fresh strawberry slices, pistachios or any nuts. In a no-churn ice cream recipe, the condensed milk provides the sweet base while the whipped cream gives the creamy texture. When blending the strawberries, make sure not to do it too long as we do not want it to puree, instead do it just enough to break down the fruit. And the end result is an Ice Cream which is Creamy and Smooth…!

Make sure to store the ice cream in an airtight container before freezing or wrap the pan air tight. Allow it to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. This is one of the easiest no–fail fresh fruit desserts which can be prepared in advance for parties and get together.

Enjoy this delicious summer treat…!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog and rate to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Print

No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Beat the Summer Heat with this Homemade Cool Treat…! No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream with Crunchy Graham Crackers and Fresh Strawberries… Super, Easy n Delicious…!!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword ice cream, no churn, strawberry ice cream

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 graham crackers (crushed)

Instructions

• Wash and hull strawberries. Slice into half and blend the strawberries in a blender just enough to break it down, do not puree it.
• Crush the graham crackers and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold in condensed milk.
• Line a parchment paper to a standard loaf pan, add half of the whipped cream mix. Pour half of the strawberry sauce evenly as the second layer. Using a toothpick or chopstick, make a swirl (this is purely optional; I love that swirl style on my ice cream while I scoop it). Top with crushed graham cracker bits.
• Repeat the process by pouring the other half of the whipped cream mix, strawberry sauce and graham crackers.
• Wrap it tightly and freeze for at least 6 hrs.
• For best results, let it stand in room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

The post No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Strawberries, Apples or Peaches; be it any fruit season and that calls for a day to bake your delicious desserts! This is my first time preparing a galette even though I have baked pies before. Yeah I know what you might be thinking; unlike other newbie bakers, I went from complex to easy! Anyways, my first galette turned out to be awesome…

So what made me do a galette? It all started with my friend’s long time desire to go for a strawberry picking festival and every year she kept on missing it as the picking season is usually for a short span. But this time she kept on tracking the dates and finally was able to plan it out. Although my hubby is not so keen into these events, he surprisingly agreed this time to come along. We all visited Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois which was actually a nice drive, giving us a chance to go past St. Louis, the east of it, across Missouri all the way up to Illinois. The farm is vast & beautiful with many varieties of fruits and vegetables being cultivated, including peaches, apples, blackberries, tomatoes and many more. On the day we visited, they had a fair going on with lots of fun activities & kids rides. Also the food at their restaurant and deli were fresh & delicious. We really enjoyed our time there picking strawberries, taking pictures and left back home with bags full of strawberries. If you are in the St. Louis area, check out Eckerts Farms to spend a fun filled day!

I guess this happens to everybody and not only me; whenever I go for any picking I bring back a lot without realizing how much I really need, and then it’s a struggle to finish them. But on the good side, that gears me up to explore a bunch of recipes to finish the fruit in every possible way, be it a cobbler, smoothie, pie, strudel… or even an ice cream!! But I would still end up having leftovers which I finally freeze; I don’t want to see the same fruit thereafter for the next few months, Lol!!

So coming back to my recipe for the day, this galette is so easy to prepare and is nothing when compared to other baked desserts. I have used strawberries and peaches; their sour and sweet flavours complement each other and taste great when combined together. The crust is buttery flaky and its sweet with the fruits, tastes best if served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also try this recipe with other summer fruits of your choice, like Berries, Peach, Apple, Rhubarb, etc, they all make a wonderful Galette.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog and rate to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare.

Print

Peach Strawberry Galette

Buttery Crusted Peach Strawberry Galette… A Quick & Easy Peasy Summer Dessert...!! Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, YUMM… 

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword galatte, strawberry, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¼ cup flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold butter (cubed)
• 4 tbsp ice cold water

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced into half)
• 2 peaches (peeled, pitted and sliced)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flour

For decoration

• 1 egg (beaten)
• Granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

For the crust

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until it mixes well. Add the cubed cold butter, pulse until it looks like a coarse meal with some crumbles. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp ice cold water at a time and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Transfer it into a work surface; gently knead the dough to make a ball. Flatten it into a small disk shaped size, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs (or up to 3 days).

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• Combine peaches, strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract and flour in a medium sized bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.

For assembling the Galette

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• Place the cold dough between two parchment sheet papers. This helps to roll the dough neatly and it prevents sticking to the bottom. Roll the dough between the papers into a 12 inch circle, trim the edges if necessary to form a circular shape. Remove the top sheet and carefully transfer the dough along with its bottom sheet to a baking tray.
• Spoon the fruit mix on to the center of the dough leaving a 2 inch gap around the border. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp fruit juices from the mix (do not add more as it makes the dough soggy).
• Fold the edges over the fruit mix, pleating it as you fold to give a uniform circular shape. Gently press the edges to seal.
• For decoration and giving the final baked galette a golden crust, brush the beaten eggs on the outer crust and sprinkle sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the fruit mix starts to bubble up.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The post Peach Strawberry Galette appeared first on Pepper Delight.