Wholewheat chocolate chip scones

During the pre-pandemic times, the demand and request to bake something used to be during the vacation time. But with the onset of the pandemic and the online classes, with kids being home through the year, keeping their eating habits healthy has been a challenge. So I started baking quick bites that last for a couple of days, and they started loving the home baked goods, that they started asking for newer baked goods. And I picked up this recipe for scones from my goto website for tried and tested recipes - joyofbaking.com

I just substituted a cup of wholewheat, to make it healthier and was keeping my fingers crossed that it would turn out fine and it did! So without further ado, here is the recipe.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup - whole wheat flour

1 cup - maida or all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (113 g) - cold unsalted butter

1 tsp - baking powder

1/2 tsp - baking soda

1/4 tsp - salt

1/4 cup - granulated white sugar

2/3 or 3/4 cup buttermilk 

1 tsp - vanilla extract

Method 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Mix the whole-wheat, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Cut the cold unsalted butter into the flour mix. Blend the butter into the flour mixture with your finger tips. Use a light touch,  the mixture should look like coarse crumbs. 

I used curd and water in equal proportion to make the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk and vanilla essence into the flour-butter crumb mixture and lightly make a dough. Again do not knead, if you want the scones to turn out flaky. Mix in the chocolate chips. 

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into disc about an inch thick. Lightly flour, a cookie cutter and cut into circles and place on a baking sheet. Brush the top of the scones with milk. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees C for about 18-20 minutes.

                                                    

Allow to cool on a baking sheet for about five minutes and let them cool completely on a wire rack. 

These are best when they are served a bit warm. But they do store well for a couple of days in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Verdict

These turned out so good that my daughters downed about two each when they were cooling down. And they wanted me to bake these frequently. They are mildly sweet and flaky. You could slice them in half and add butter or peanut butter spread if you prefer.

Flourless Eggless Banana Brownies

I came across this recipe on the google feed one day on my phone. Totally healthy, made with few ingredients - that is what made this recipe attractive. And I immediately book marked it.

Now all that was left was to have six ripe bananas to try it out. And about a month later, I had about 14 small yelakki bananas that I had to use up. So I decided to try this bookmarked recipe out.

Recipe (Makes 25 small bites)

Ingredients

6 - large ripe bananas (I used 14 small bananas - yelakki) 

1 cup - peanut butter (I used natural unsweetened peanut butter)

1 tbsp - honey

1/2 cup - cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)

Topping (optional)

1/2 cup - Chocolate chips

2 tbsp - Nutella/Hershey's spread

Method

Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. 

Measure and blend all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Add a dash of water in case the peanut butter gets stuck. Natural peanut butter is sticky and can be very tricky to blend. 

Once you have a smooth paste, pour into the prepared 8 inch square pan. Spread the nutella/hazelnut spread if using. Sprinkly the chocolate chips if using. 

Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C. 

Remove from pan only after it has completely cooled. 

Cut into 5 cm square pieces. Store in an airtight container preferably refrigerated for a couple of days. 

                                          

Verdict

When just pulled out of the oven, the brownies look like they are not done. However as the pan cools down, it does harden up. These have a fudgy chewy texture. I think if you were to use Robusta Bananas, you can skip the honey.

I also think the Nutella/hershey's can be skipped. I plan to try with Robusta banana and skipping the Nutella spread on top. 

Carrot halwa

I am always fascinated by these slow cook recipes. But I am very reluctant to try it out. Take carrot halwa or Gajar ka halwa for instance. There is so much effort involved in grating the carrots, frying and then cooking them in milk until the milk reduces. Takes an hour or so. And at the end of all that labour and sore wrists with the stirring, you get about six servings which just vamooses as soon as it is served. Happy that all the effort has paid off, but there is nothing left for a second serving. Bittersweet feeling, right? 

Somehow I decided to bite the bullet and try this recipe. The trick to making good carrot halwa is to cook fry the carrots in ghee and cook them in the milk. I have a universal rule. All slow cook recipes, and those that need extensive cleaning, are to be tried out on Saturday afternoons. Not any other time, not any other day. It has to be a Saturday afternoon. That is the only time that works for me. 

So one Saturday soon after lunch, I started gathering the ingredients needed. Still butterflies in my stomach on embarking on this elaborate recipe. Bite the bullet, remember. 

Recipe (adapted from this recipe)

Ingredients

Carrots - 8

Ghee - 1/2 cup 

Milk - 1 litre

Milkmaid - 1/2 tin

Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup + Ghee 2 tbsp for frying

Mawa/Khoya - 1/2 cup

Method

Peel and grate the carrots. Heat a large frying pan and add the grated carrots. Add the ghee and saute until tender. Then add the milk and stir in. Keep stirring every now and then so the milk cooks the carrots and also reduces in the process. Have patience, it takes about half an hour to come to this consistency. 

Add the Mawa and the condensed milk. Keep mixing until all the milk is absorbed. Swich off the flame. 

Heat a couple of tablespoons of ghee and add the cashews. Roast the cashews until they are golden brown. Garnish and serve either warm or cold. 

Verdict

Truly worth the stirring and waiting, even if it leaves you with sore wrists. Totally worth it!

Homemade Peanut Butter

Peanut butter! That healthy awesome spread, a spoonful of that buttery goodness that is great for a snack. and that with bread makes a  proper meal. 

I have spent so much on buying jars and jars of these from the supermarket in the past year. I was always under the impression that you need a very powerful blender to make nut butter at home. I was wrong. Only for very smooth creamy peanut butter, you need to blitz it in the food processor or blender for about 5-6 minutes. 

However if you are good with slightly coarse peanut butter and don't want it as smooth as the store bought one, you can make it at home in your blender. 

Recipe

Ingredients

Raw Peanuts - 200g

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Olive oil - 1/2 tbsp

Honey - 1 tbsp

Groundnut oil - 1 - 2 tsp as needed

Method

Place raw peanuts on a roasting tray and sprinkle some olive oil and some salt. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Roast the peanuts on the high rack for about 8-10 minutes. 

Allow the peanuts to cool. I like to keep the skin on for atleast half the roasted peanuts. That gives the peanut butter a lovely brown shade. 

Place the cooled, roasted peanuts into the smallest blender jar (chutney jar). Use the pulse function if available to make a coarse powder first. Then turn the blender on and grind to a fine paste. If the peanuts or the peanut paste sticks to the sides of the jar, stop the blender, open the jar and use the spatula to push them back. Add a teaspoon of groundnut-oil and start blending. Add a teaspoon at a time and keep blending, to ease the peanut paste into the blender jar blades. Avoid adding more than three teaspoons, else the spread will become too thin. Add the honey at the very end. 

Store the peanut butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 Use it as a spread for bread, roti. Or just eat a spoonful as an evening snack. Works for me!

Verdict

I don't think I am going to buy peanut butter from the store anymore. Once roasted and cooled, it barely takes a few minutes to blend this at home. And you get to choose how sweet or salty you want your spread. 

Brigaderio aka candy crush bombs

Brigaderios - Nah! Candy crush bombs is what we prefer to call them at home. My daughter came up with that name. 

Basically chocolate fudge rolled into whatever topping you prefer - sprinkles, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, dessicated coconut, nut flakes. 

Looks grand and awesome, but it is extremely easy to make. You just need three ingredients for the fudge balls. And use whatever topping you prefer. 

At my home, with kids around it is probably going to be sprinkles for a long time. But I am not complaining 😏

Recipe

Ingredients

Condensed milk - 1 tin (400g)

Cocoa powder - 4 tbsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Greased plate or shallow bowl

Mini cupcake liners 

Method

Grease a plate or shallow bowl with some butter and keep aside. Heat a nonstick pan on low flame and add the butter. When it melts, add the tin of condensed milk and stir it slowly, adding the cocoa powder. Keep stirring to dissolve the cocoa powder into the condensed milk. Keep stirring as it gathers together and leaves the sides of the pan.

Switch off the stove. Transfer the fudge mix into the greased plate. Allow it to cool for about five minutes or so. When it is cool enough to touch, pinch about a table spoon of the fudge, and roll into a smooth ball. Roll the fudge ball into the sprinkles and place on the mini cup cake liners. Store at room temperature for upto a week. 

Verdict

Condensed milk is yummy as such. Anything you make with it turns out yummy too. But this one is extra special. It is so pleasing to the eye, makes a great display at parties.