Category: Desserts

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Mango Ice-Cream

One of the precious childhood memories is eating all sorts of mangoes in every possible way during summer. And one such delicious way is mango ice cream that is creamy, full of flavor and goes with everything. You can make milk shake or smoothies or use it as base for making other desserts as well. Or save the effort and just devour the ice cream as soon it is done in the freezer. So let’s get to it.

Ingredients :

  • 3-4 cups Mango puree
  • 2½ cups Heavy cream
  • 14oz Condensed milk
  •  1 tsp Yellow food color
  • ½ cup Icing sugar (optional)
  • ½ cup Pistachios
  • 1 cup Mango chunks

Tip:

  • Use fresh and room temperature ingredients except heavy cream.
  • If you want creamier ice cream just add more heavy cream or reduce the mango puree.
  • Pistachios, mango chunks, food color and icing sugar are optional. You can add these things to add a little flavor that will go with the mango but mango as we know is enough on its own as well.
  • Better to store ice cream in an air tight glass bowl with lead.
  • When making whipped cream use a freezer chilled bowl, blender blades and heavy cream just out the refrigerator.
  • When you take ice cream out of the freezer let it seat for a couple of minutes before you dig in.

Directions:

  • In a glass bowl, mix mango puree and condensed milk well. Keep aside.
  • In a separate glass bowl, pour heavy cream and icing sugar(optional) in a bowl and whisk it on high speed for about 8-10 minutes till it can hold stiff peaks to get fluffy whipped cream.
  • Gently fold whipped cream in mango puree and condensed milk mixture. Add yellow food color and mix well.
  • Divide the mix in equal parts and pour them into two different bowls.
  • Fold pistachios(optional) in the first bowl and mango chunks(optional) in the second bowl slowly so that the air of the mixture does not escape.
  • Cover both the bowls with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
  • Take bowls out of freezer, get rid of the plastic wrap and enjoy the ice cream.
Mango Ice-Cream
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Cocoa-Banana Treats

These are quick to make healthy treats for snack time, dessert time or chocolate cravings. Do not let those overripe bananas go to waste and make this easy, one pot recipe. You can eat it as it is or add it to your smoothies for some sweetness and chocolate flavor. If you do not like coconut flavor, add some nuts to the mix or on top. Try it once and you will get addicted.

Ingredients :

  • 4-5 medium sized ripe bananas
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp cocoa nibs (optional)
  • 3 tbsp desiccated coconut powder

Tip:

  • Use fresh and room temperature ingredients.
  • Make sure the coconut oil is melted and room temperature.
  • If possible use parchment paper lined cupcake liners so, it is easier to get them off.
  • After taking out of the freezer, give it around 5 minutes before eating.

Directions:

  • Add bananas, cocoa powder, coconut oil and avocado oil in a blender and make a smooth, pourable liquid .
  • Line cupcake tray with cupcake liner.
  • Fill the cupcake tray with pourable liquid and top it off with coco nibs and desiccated coconut.
  • Put the tray in freezer overnight.
  • Take the tray out and treats are ready to eat.
  • Put treats in an air tight box and store them in freezer.
Cocoa-Banana Treats
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Cocoa-Mocha Pudding

Pudding is one of those comfort desserts for me that I don’t have often but when I do, I feel why don’t I make it more often because it’s so easy to make, not as sweet and a very wholesome dessert. This recipe needs very few ingredients and makes almost 6-8 servings. You can make pudding for a date night, for a fancy dinner or a kid’s party. Try it.

Ingredients (Pudding):

  • 2/3 cup Sugar
  • ¼ cup Corn starch
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 tsp Instant coffee
  • 2 ½ cup Milk
  • 4 large Egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp unsalted Butter
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Ingredients (Whipped cream):

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup icing sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Tip:

  • Use fresh and room temperature ingredients.
  • Precisely follow the procedure step by step, timing is everything.
  • Always keep stirring the mixture and don’t be impatient.
  • After the pudding is off the heat and strained, add butter quickly so it melts better.

Directions:

Cocoa-Mocha Pudding
  • In a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk sugar, corn starch, cocoa powder, instant coffee and salt together.
  • Add milk to the mixture in small quantities at a time and whisk slowly to get rid of any lumps.
  • After the milk is well incorporated, add egg yolks and whisk everything together.
  • Switch on the gas stove at medium flame and keep stirring the mixture continuously, until it starts to bubble and gets more thick.
  • As soon as mixture bubbles at the edges and becomes thick, put on a timer for 1 minute and keep on stirring.
  • After the minute is up, take saucepan off the heat and put the pudding through a strainer to get rid of any lumps.
  • Then, add butter and vanilla extract to pudding and mix well.
  • Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 5-6 hours or overnight.
  • Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream using a hand mixer and  when it starts to get fluffy, add icing sugar and vanilla extract and again start whipping until it can hold peaks.
  • Put the whipped cream in a piping bag and refrigerate.
  • Take the pudding and whipped cream out of the refrigerator.
  • Serve pudding in a dessert bowl after adding whipped cream, some cocoa powder and chocolate chips on top.
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Carrot Pudding / Gaajar Halwa

This is a very classic Indian dessert. It is a winter special delicacy. This recipe is full of sugar, fats and all things delicious. So, just a little is enough to savor the good flavor. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Milk Solids
  • 2 tbsp Clarified Butter
  • 1 cup Shredded Carrot
  • 3/4 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Raisins and Almonds
  • 1 tsp Cardamom Powder

Tip:

  • Use fresh and room temperature ingredients.
  • Do not heat anything at high flame and be patient with the pudding.
  • To check whether the carrots are cooked before adding milk, taste them and make sure they are not crunchy anymore.
  • Make sure to follow exact steps so as to not spoil the pudding.

Directions:

Carrot Pudding
  • Wash, dry, clean and shred carrots. Keep aside.
  • Add shredded milk solids to a pan on low flame.
  • Keep stirring and roasting milk solids till it starts to leave oil.
  • Take roasted milk solids off the flame and put it in a bowl and keep it aside.
  • Add clarified butter to a pan on medium flame, once it melts add shredded carrots to the pan.
  • Stir the pan occasionally till the carrots are cooked then, add milk to the pan.
  • Once the milk comes to a boil, let the milk totally be absorbed by the carrots .
  • Reduce the flame to low, then, add sugar, cardamom powder, raisins and almonds.
  • Stir the pudding till the sugar syrup is totally absorbed, take pan off the heat.
  • Let it cool and enjoy.
  • Store it in an air tight container and refrigerate.
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White Chocolate covered Strawberry Tulips

These are very classic and beautiful looking strawberry tulips. Strawberry and the sweetness of white chocolate goes together very well. Using colored chocolate gives a very beautiful marble effect on the strawberries. You can try a lot of different colors and chocolates to dip strawberries. This recipe is super easy and totally worth the effort. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups clean strawberries
  • 15 oz white chocolate
  • Red food color
  • Sprinkle sugar to decorate

Tip:

  • Use good quality chocolate and food color.
  • Wash strawberries with cold water before coating them with chocolate.
  • While mixing chocolate with cream cheese let chocolate cool to room temperature.
  • If the white chocolate thickens while covering the truffles just reheat it in the microwave for 15 -20 seconds.
  • Sprinkle sugar to strawberries as soon as they are covered with white chocolate otherwise it won’t stick.

Directions:

White Chocolate covered Tulips
  • Wash and dry strawberries. Keep aside.
  • Take cake pop sticks or lollipop sticks and put strawberries on top of them.
  • Melt white chocolate in microwave and divide it in two different bowls by adding 10oz chocolate in one bowl and 5oz chocolate in another bowl.
  • Add 3-4 drops of red food color to the bowl with 5oz chocolate bowl and mix well.
  • Once the chocolate is at room temperature add the colored chocolate to a piping bag and cut its tip.
  • Make some horizontal and vertical lines with colored chocolate on top of the white chocolate.
  • Take one strawberry stick, pull all its leaves downward, dump it in the chocolate, twist the stick and take it out and let the chocolate drip. This will give a beautiful marble effect.
  • Sprinkle colored sugar on top and keep the stick upright until chocolate solidifies. It will give a tulip like appearance to the strawberry.
  •  Repeat process for each strawberry stick.
  • After all the strawberry sticks are done wrap them with a gift paper to look like a bouquet.
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Cake Pops

This is very easy and simple recipe to make cake pops. You can even use leftover cake or cupcake and frosting to make it. I am making these especially for coming Valentine’s Day but you can change the flavor, shape or colors and “go bananas” with the possibilities. Cake pops are an amazing treat for any occasion birthday parties, anniversary parties or just special weekend dessert needs. Try it.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups red velvet cake or any other cake
  • 4-6 tbsp cream cheese frosting or any other frosting
  • 12 oz Red colored candy melts
  • 12 oz White colored candy melts
  • Cake pop sticks
cake pops

Directions:

1. In a big glass bowl, add cake and mash it to make crumb like mixture.

2. Add frosting to the mixture 1 tbsp at a time to adjust the consistency so that the dough holds together but is not too soft.

3. Take a baking tray, line it with parchment paper and spread the dough on the tray.

4.Keep the dough ¾ inch thick at least so the cake pop stick can hold the cake together later.

5.With the help of a cookie cutter cut dough in the desired shape. Make balls of the remaining dough. Try to make edges of the cake dough clean so there are no crumbs.

6. Arrange all the cake dough on the tray and put it in the refrigerator for 20 mins. Don not refrigerate any longer otherwise it will thicken the melted chocolate too fast later.

7. Meanwhile, melt the red and white candy melts in a microwave at 30 second intervals and put them in a glass separately, where it is easy to dip the cake pops.

8. Take the tray out of the  refrigerator.

9. Take one cake pop stick and dip in the melted candy, put it inside the cake dough deep enough to hold everything together and then dip the cake pop in the melted candy and wait till the excess candy is dripped off.

10. If the melted candy thickens, put it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to melt it again.

11. Arrange them on the tray and put in the refrigerator for 10  mins.

12. Put small amounts of remaining red and white candy melt in separate plastic bags and cut their tips a little. Then, decorate the cake pops.

13. Enjoy.

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Devil’s Food Cake

As the name suggests, this cake is devilishly chocolaty. The cake has a chocolate base, chocolate frosting and a chocolate garnish. It’s a very indulgent dessert but once in a while you deserve it.

Ingredients:

These are the ingredients to make one round 9-inch cake. But I wanted to make a 9-inch 2-tier cake for which I had to repeat the process and make this cake twice.

  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ⅓ cup superfine sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 1 tbsp instant coffee
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

Ingredients for the Fudge Frosting:

  • 12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 ¾ cup whipping cream
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Baking Directions for the Cake:

1. For the cake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a    9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl and add butter to it.

3. Stir the hot coffee, milk and vanilla together and add it all at once to the flour mixture, blending until smooth.

4.Break the eggs and add them to the batter. Mix well until well blended.

5.Pour the batter in the prepared pan and tap it on the counter to eliminate any bubbles.

6. Bake the cake for about 30-35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake completely to room temperature before putting the frosting.

Directions for the Fudge Frosting:

  1. For the frosting, place the chocolate and cream in a metal bowl and place it over a pot of barely simmering water.
  2. Stir the chocolate and cream occasionally and gently until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
  3. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the sour cream, vanilla and salt. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature, stir occasionally.
  4. Once cooled to a thicker consistency, whisk by hand to thicken just until spreadable consistency.  
  5. Place the cake on your serving plate and, if needed, trim the cake to level it. Spread a generous layer of the frosting over the top of the cake.
  6. Spread frosting over the top and then the sides of the cake. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours.