Tiramisu

This is one dessert that I loved when I first came to US and wanted to try ever since. Finally this Christmas, I decided to give it a whirl. And it came out very nice...and yummy..

Preparation Time: 20-30 min
Cooking and assembling Time: 30 - 45 min
Serves: about 15

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Ingredients: 8 egg yolks 1/2 cup + 2 tblsp sugar 1 1/2 cups Marsala wine 500 ml cream 750 gm mascarpone cheese (you get Tiramisu Mascarpone too) 3 cups espresso coffee 3 tblsp Kahlua 4 pkts lady fingers (2 packets if fingers are thick. I found thin ones) 2-3 tsp coacoa powder 1 hersheys chocolate (optional)

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Cream Layer

1. Carefully break eggs and separate egg yolk from whites. We only need the yolks.
2. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar using a beater.
3. Boil this egg mixture using a double boiler. I boiled this in a bowl on top of another pan of boiling water. The upper bowl should not be immersed in water but kept above it. Keep the heat on medium or else the eggs will start cooking. Keep stirring.
4. Add 1/2 cup marsala wine during boiling.
5. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes smooth and creamy with no sugar granules (about 10 min).
6. When done keep in a pan or sink of cold water for cooling. Keep stirring in between.
7. Beat cream till thick and heavy peaks form.
8. Add cold egg mixture to cream. Mix gently.
9. Take mascarpone chese in a separate bowl and mix gently till smooth.
10. Add this mascarpone cheese to the cream. Mix well but gently. This is the cream layer.

Assembling

1. Mix 2 cups espresso coffee, 2 tblsp sugar, 1 cup marsala wine, 3 tblsp Kahlua in a bowl and stir.
2. Dip ladyfingers in this liquid and make a layer in the 9 X 13 serving tray. The ladyfingers can get very soggy, so dip quickly and layer immediately.
3. Spread cream layer.
4. Top it with another layer of ladyfingers and cream.
5. Cover with aluminium foil and refrigerate overnight.
6. Dust cocoa pwd using a tea strainer.
7. Spread a few chocolate shavings on top. To make chocolate shavings, peel the hersheys chocolate with a peeler.

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Tips You can make espresso coffe at home. I was in a hurry and so picked it up from dunkin donuts.

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Pongal

This year for Sankranti I was in a mood to make Pongal... the kind my mom makes. She boils rice in milk instead of water. So I called mom and this is the recipe I got and made. It came out yummy.

Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 60 min
Serves: 5-6

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Ingredients: 1 cup rice 1/2 cup dhuli moong dal 1 1/2 lt milk 1/4 tsp cardamom 1 1/2 cup gur/jaggery or more if you want it sweeter 1 cup water little almonds, cashews, raisins (optional)

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Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal. Add milk to this and boil on slow to medium heat till rice and dal are cooked thoroughly. You want it slightly mushy.
2. Mash rice and dal a little. Add elaichii.
3. Boil gur/jaggery with water till melted.
4. Add this melted gur-water to boiled rice and milk. Do not mix.
5. Let this cool completely. Mix the mixture well.
6. Sprinkle almonds/cashews/raisins etc on top.

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Barbie Doll Cake

My daughter is a big fan of barbie and I came across this Betty Crocker's Doll cake which would be just perfect for her upcoming 5th birthday. So I followed the directions as mentioned at their site and the cake turned out amazing. My daughter was very excited to have a barbie cake and it was a big hit at the party. The link also has a video showing the making of the cake which helps. The picture below is of my cake.

Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 35 min
Serves: about 30

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Ingredients: 2 boxes Betty Crocker cake mix oil/unsalted Butter as per box water/milk as per box eggs as per box 4 containers Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting Red food color 1 barbie doll Betty Crocker star-shaped candy decors

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Method:

1. Mix the cakes according to instructions on the box. Both the cakes can be made at the same time. I use butter instead of oil and milk instead of water.
2. Divide the batter equally among the 3 8-inch pans and pyrex 1 1/2 qt baking bowl. The bowl will have a little more batter than the pans.
3. Bake the cakes as per instructions. The pyrex bowl cake takes about 15 min more than the cake pans.You can check its completion by inserting a toothpick that would come out clean when done. Cool a little and then remove the cakes carefully. Place on a cooling rack to cool.
4. Once the cakes are completely cooled, cut the rounded top dome of the cake using a serrated knife to flatten it. Cut bowl cake into half horizontally.
5. Cut a 2-inch-diameter hole in the center of all 5 cakes. You can use a round cookie cutter or a serrated knife. Ensure that all cake centers line up when layered.
6. Take frosting into large bowl. Carefully add 7-8 drops of red food color until desired pink is obtained. Place one 8-inch cake on serving plate. Spread frosting over the flat top. Layer the second cake and spread frosting on top. Layer the 3rd 8 inch cake, spread frosting. Layer with the flat cake of the bowl cake and spread frosting. Top with the bowl cake upside down. This complete structure is the dress of the doll.
7. Spread thin layer of frosting all over side and top of layered cake.
8. Wrap barbie doll from under arms with cling wrap. Insert wrapped doll into the center of cake.
9. Starting at the waist of the doll, spread frosting liberally all over. Use a knife to make random swirls on the dress. Use a star tip in an icing bag and make the dolls top. Gently press star decors into frosting to decorate dress.

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Tips Make a wand with a tooth pick.. I mixed 2 containers of frosting at a time. used about 3-4 drops red color for each.

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