You will need:

1¼ cups Plain flour
¼ tsp Salt
1/3 cup Butter/Margarine, cold
4 to 5 tbsp Cold Water
Small tart pans
Round cookie cutter
1/3 cup jam or lemon curd (any flavour jam you like!)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter or margarine into small cubes and add to the flour. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, combine butter into flour mixture till it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle a tablespoon of cold water and combine with a fork. Slowly add a tablespoon of water at a time till the mixture is moist and comes together. Shape into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Cut dough using cookie cutter and line the tart pans with a circle each, pressing gently with your fingertips to help the dough line the ridges of the pan. Prick dough with a fork on the base and sides, line with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 6-7 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 4 more minutes.

Fill tart pans with a teaspoon of jam/curd each. Try not to over fill the tarts as once the jam/curd starts to bubble in the oven it will become runny and start to spill over the pastry, leaving the tarts looking messy.

It happened to me, so dont let it happen to you! even the best cooks make mistakes XD

Bake for 10 minutes.

You could use extra dough to make a criss cross pattern on top of each tart or make a letter of your first name. 

Cool tarts on wire racks completely before unmolding from pans.

You will need:

3 cups Whole milk
2 tbsp Vanilla custard powder (Brand: Brown & Polson)
2 cups Sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup Mango Puree
2 Cups Double cream
½ tsp Clear vanilla extract
¼ tsp Orange Red colour (powder preferably)
Hand-held electric beater, the one which can withstand heavy whipping.

Make a smooth paste of the custard powder and ¼ cup of milk. Bring remaining milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. When the milk comes to a rolling boil, reduce heat and slowly stir in the custard mixture. Keep stirring till the milk thickens. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

While the custard is cooling, take a large bowl (which will fit into your freezer) and blend the mango puree with the condensed milk. Stir well to combine. Once the custard has cooled, add it to the puree-condensed milk mixture. Also add the double cream, the vanilla extract and food colour.

Cover and freeze for an hour.

What follows next is the important step…the ‘churning’ or whipping part. Since this ice-cream is made without an ice-cream maker, doing it right manually determines the final quality of the resulting ice-cream.

Remove bowl from freezer and using a hand beater, whip the mixture for 10 minutes at the highest speed on your beater. The mixture will begin to bubble because of the whipped cream. Return to freezer for another 30 minutes.

Repeat the whipping process, but reduce time to 5 minutes. Return to freezer for 30 minutes.

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This needs to be done 2 more times(once every 30 mins). By the third time your mixture would have thickened and would be harder to ‘churn’. Let your hand-mixer do its thing.

After the last churn, you can transfer ice-cream to containers and then freeze or return the same bowl to the freezer. Freeze overnight or for atleast 6 hours.

You will need:

Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups plain flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed coffee, at room temp

Chocolate frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Use an electric beater on low speed to combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Chocolate frosting (icing)

Since the chocolate cake itself is very rich and strong tasting I wanted to make a light frosting that tasted chocolatey but not too sweet.

You will need:
1 cup Double cream
½ cup Icing sugar
3-4 tbsp Cocoa powder

Sift the sugar and cocoa separately and keep aside. Pre-chill the bowl and the beaters before whipping the cream. Whip cream on low speed for 3-4 minutes only till its thick. Do NOT over beat, it turns to butter…you don’t want that! While whipping the cream halfway add the sugar and cocoa powder slowly. The final result should be a smooth spreadable mixture. It should not be in a liquid state. Taste frosting for sweetness and add more Sugar if required. For a darker richer colour, use more cocoa powder.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Some people dont have a steady hand, I do but for some people it might be hard to write across a cake so I drizzled Chocolate sauce (recipe below) and grated dark chocolate on top. It’s totally up to you how you decorate it.

Chocolate Sauce

3 tbsp Dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp Double cream
1 tbsp Water

In a microwave safe bowl place the chocolate chips and heat on HIGH for 25-30 seconds. Stir once halfway and keep a close watch because it doesn’t take long to melt. Let cool a little and then fold in the cream and water and stir to make a thin sauce. Add more water if required

You will need:

For the Cake: (Makes two 9” size cakes)

2 cups Plain flour
1 ¾ Cups Icing sugar (Powdered Sugar)
6 Eggs
2 tsp Baking powder
2 tbsp Cocoa powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Filling:
1 cup Double Cream
½ cup Icing sugar
Glace Cherries (or canned cherries,drained)

For the syrup:
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tbsp Sugar
½ cup Water

Preheat oven to 300F.

Separate the white from the yolks. Beat each separately adding vanilla extract and little sugar at a time to make a stiff froth. Fold yellow into white. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder thrice and fold into the egg mixture.

FOLD: Means to slowly turn dry ingredients into the wet in a circular inward to outward motion. Do not beat or mix vigorously. The main purpose of folding is to allow more air into the mixture and also to avoid flattening the frothy eggs.

Pour mixture into two greased 9” pans. This makes a thin cake, if you want it thicker then use 8” pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes till cake is done and springs back on touching or a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then on the cooling rack.

Chill the electric beater blades and the bowl in which you will use to whip the cream. Whip cream while slowly adding sugar to a spreadable consistency. Do not overbeat, it turns to butter!

Mix lime juice, sugar and water in a bowl. Stir till sugar dissolves. Place one cake over a cake pedestal or plate, poke holes with a fork in a few places on the cake. Pour the syrup all over the cake in a spoon, till cake is moist (but not soggy). Spread an even layer of the cream, and place cut cherries. Place the other cake on top of this and repeat the moistening procedure. Again spread a even thick layer of cream, decorate with cherries and grated dark chocolate.

Chill before serving and refrigerate remaining cake (if there’s any left!)

If your using a American cookbook the following information will be helpful, since many of the common cooking ingredients are called by different names:

British                  American

Plain flour             All-purpose flour
Strong flour           Bread flour
Single cream         Light cream
Double cream       Whipping cream
Caster sugar          Granulated Sugar (10X)
Demerara sugar    Brown Sugar
Treacle sugar         Molasses
Dark chocolate        Semi-sweet chocolate

You will need: (Yields about 60 cookies)

½ cup Vegetable Shortening
½ cup unsalted Butter, at room temp
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ tsp Baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 ½ cups Plain flour
4 oz Milk chocolate chips
4 oz White chocolate chips
4 oz Dark chocolate mini chips

Preheat oven to 375F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Beat the shortening and butter using a stand up mixer or a hand-held electric beater till smooth and well blended. Add the brown sugar, white sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined; then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour using a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate chips and give one last stir to combine. Using a teaspoon, drop rounded mounds of the dough on prepared baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Let cookie sheets cool between batches so the dough doesn’t spread too much while baking. Cool cookies completely before storing in air tight containers.

These cookies are irresistibly good while still warm.

Tres Leche or “three milk” cake is a Mexican dessert. A spongy cake, soaked in three types of milk and topped with lots of Double cream and fresh fruit, this is the ultimate dessert to beat the summer heat. Its good for any occasion and will surely have your family and friends clambering for seconds

You will need:

For the Cake:
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 cups Plain flour (Maida)
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream topping:
1 (14 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Whole Milk

Topping:
1 (12oz) tub Cool double or 1 cup Double cream
Fresh fruit – mangoes/pineapple/strawberries

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the egg whites on low speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually with the mixer running and till stiff peaks are formed. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after the addition of each.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. (Do this quickly so the batter does not lose volume.) Add the vanilla. Bake until golden, 25 minutes.

To make the cream topping: In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and milk, blend on high speed.

Remove the cake from the oven and while still warm, pour the cream mixture over it. Let sit and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

To assemble: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread the cool whip evenly across the top. Arrange the cut fresh fruit (whatever you are using) and serve. If you are using Double cream, beat the cream till it forms peaks and then spread it over the cake. Refrigerate for an hour or two so that the topping can set and then serve.

Pastry is a term used in India to refer to any cake made with a fresh cream filling or frosting. The most popular ones are the Black Forest and Pineapple pastries.

Pastries are usually made with fat-free sponge cakes where all the sponginess comes from the eggs.

You will need:For the Cake: (Makes two thin 9-inch cakes)

2 cups Plain flour plus more for pans
1 ¾ Cups Icing sugar
6 Eggs
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Pineapple Extract (or Vanilla) For the Filling and Frosting:1 ½ cups Heavy Double Cream
½ cup Icing sugar
1 Cup Pineapple chunksFor the syrup:1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Icing sugar
½ to ¾ cup Ice-cold water

Preheat oven to 300F. Prepare the baking pans. For this cake you will need two 9-inch round baking pans. This step is very important for easy removal of the baked cakes. Since this cake has no fat in it, ie no butter, the chances of it sticking to the pan are more if pans are not prepared well. Grease the insides of the pan evenly with butter or solid vegetable shortening using a pastry brush. Sprinkle each of the pans with 1 tbsp of plain flour. Tap pans gently on the kitchen counter to ensure the flour spreads and covers the pan. Remove the excess flour. Set pans aside till ready to use.

Separate the white from the yolks. Beat each separately adding pineapple extract and little sugar at a time. The whites should form stiff peaks and the yolks should be pale and thick. Fold the beaten yolks into whites. Sift flour and baking powder thrice and fold into the egg mixture.

FOLD: Means to slowly turn dry ingredients into the wet in a circular inward to outward motion. Do not beat or mix vigorously. The main purpose of folding is to allow more air into the mixture and to avoid flattening the frothy eggs.

Pour mixture into prepared pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes till cake is done and springs back on touch or a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert cakes onto cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

Chill the beater blades and the bowl in which you will use to whip the cream. Whip cream while slowly adding sugar till cream is thick and stiff. Do not overbeat, it turns to butter!

Mix lemon juice, sugar and water in a bowl. Place one cake over a cake pedestal or plate, poke holes with a fork in a few places on the cake. Spoon the syrup all over the cake in a till cake is moist (but not soggy). Spread an even layer of the cream, and place pineapple chunks and sliced glace cherries. Place the other cake on top of this and repeat the moistening procedure. Spread an even thick layer of cream on top. To finish decorate with remaining pineapple chunks and cherries.

This pastry is light and before you know you will be reaching out for another slice!

You will need:

8 (1 oz) chocolate squares
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups plain flour
2 cups of sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Truffle Filling:

1 oz Dark Chocolate squares, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons double cream
1 to 2 (oz Dark Chocolate squares, finely grated

Stir together the 8oz chocolate squares, milk and butter in a large heavy saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, and let mixture cool slightly (about 10 minutes).

Whisk together eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in melted chocolate mixture until blended and smooth.

Combine flour, sugar, soda and salt; whisk into chocolate mixture until blended and smooth.

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. (I used an 8″ square pan which made two layers)

Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Microwave coarsely chopped darkchocolate squares and cream in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute and then every 30 seconds until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Let cool slightly (about 15 minutes).

Spread 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chocolate Truffle Filling evenly on top of 1 cake layer. Top with 1 cake layer; spread 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Chocolate Truffle Filling evenly on top, reserving remaining 1/2 cup Chocolate Truffle Filling. Top with remaining cake layer.

Spread warm dark chocolate mixture over top and sides of cake. Chill cake 30 minutes or until chocolate glaze is firm. You can press a metal spatula against the still warm glaze to create a rippling effect. Sprinkle grated dark chocolate evenly over top of cake and serve.

Enjoy the chocolatey goodness!

A crepe is a type of very thin pancake.

For the crepes:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup plain flour
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter

For the filling:
4 bananas
3 tbsp butter
2 lemons, juiced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup tangerine juice
½ cup Raspberries fresh/frozen
½ cup Strawberries fresh/frozen
1 small jar hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Icing sugar, for serving

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt. In a small pan over low heat melt the butter and cook it until it is light brown.

Add the egg and milk mix to the flour and salt and mix well so that there are no large clumps. Add the browned butter and mix to incorporate, being careful not to overmix batter. The batter should just coat the back of a spoon. If seems too thick, thin it out with a little more milk or water. Let the batter rest for 1 hour prior to making crepes.

Prepare filling:
Peel bananas, cut into big bits.In a large pan melt the butter and cook until lightly browned, add the lemon juice and sugar, stirring so that the sugar dissolves. Add the bananas and tangerine juice and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes so the flavors incorporate and the bananas are hot but not mushy. Add the raspberries and strawberries. Stir gently to combine. Set this mixture aside and let cool slightly.

After the crepe batter has rested for 1 hour, heat 1 (10-inch) nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 ounces of the crepe batter to the pan, remove pan from heat and tilt slightly to spread the batter over the entire pan.

Cook for about 1 minute until the bottom side is lightly browned. With your fingertips and a spatula, carefully flip crepe and cook the second side for about 15 seconds. Remove crepes and continue with remaining batter.

Lay the crepes out on a flat surface. Spread each crepe with about 1 tablespoon of hazelnut spread.

In one fourth of the crepe, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the banana mixture and fold the crepe over in half and in half again so that it has a triangular shape. Repeat this with all of the crepes.

Serve the crepes on a plate with the sauce spooned over the top and sprinkled with the icing sugar.

These crepes are very light and make a great dessert for any occasion. They are easy to make and are surely good eats with all that fruit!