Carrot Coconut Laddoo ( Truffles)

I am posting a recipe of Indian sweet in a form of truffles or laddoo, Carrot Coconut Truffles..Its preparation of similar to Carrot Pumpkin Halwa, as I post earlier..As in a name, this sweet is a combination of both grated carrot and desiccated coconut,which is shaped into balls..Its easy to make and tastes delicious..Lets go to the recipe :)

                                                           Recipe adapted from here

      Ingredients

• Grated Carrot - 2 cups
• Desiccated Coconut - 1 1/2 cups (can use freshly grated coconut too)
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Condensed milk  - 1/2 to 3/4 tin
• Rose water - 1 tbsp
• Ghee/Unsalted butter - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Almonds sliced - few for garnishing

      Method

• In a heavy non stick pan, heat ghee in a low flame and add grated carrot and saute it till cooked i.e  it should change colour and turn soft..It may take about 10 to 12 mins..

• Add condensed milk 1/2 tin at a time and let the carrot cook for a few minutes..

• Then add dessicated coconut, rest of condensed milk, cardamom powder and rose water and saute all together till the mixture is well combined..

• Saute till the liquid evaporates..Be patient at this step..It may take around 5 to 8 mins to evaporate..Can adjust the flame from low to medium..

• Once the mixture forms thick mass, switch off the flame and transfer the mixture into plate to cool for few minutes..

• Grease your hands with ghee..Take out small portion of the mixture and shape it into ball..Continue the step and make it into equal sized balls..You can roll the balls in desiccated coconut as you wish,but I ignored this step..

• Decorate with sliced almonds..Serve hot or cold as your wish..Remaining can be refrigerated..

• Enjoy :)

Carrot Pudding

I am sharing a recipe of one of the dessert, Carrot Pudding..As in a name, this pudding is rich in carrot and its tastes delicious..I prepared for my family after Friday lunch few days before..This is my own experiment which turns successful..Everyone in my family loved it very much..Nothing much to say, Let us go straight to the recipe

      Ingredients

• Milk - 2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup
• Carrots - 2 large
• Fresh Cream - 100 ml
• Condensed milk - 1 tin
• Sugar - 3 to 4 tbsp (adjust according to your sweet level)
• China grass - 10 gm
• Water - 3/4 cup

          For decorating

• Ghee - 2  tsp
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Carrot shredded - 1/4 cup
• Cashew nut chopped - few

    Method 

• Soak China grass in a 3/4 cup of water for 30 mins

• Pressure cook the carrot till cooked and soft. Take out the cooked carrot and set aside to cool completely.

• Blend cooked carrot with 1/2 cup milk in a blender/mixi till it form puree.

• In a sauce pan, mix together 2 1/2 cups of milk, condensed milk, sugar, fresh cream and carrot puree and cook in a low flame for few minutes..Do not heat at high flame as fresh cream will curdle.Make sure to stir at intervals.

• Another sauce pan, add china grass along with a soaked water and heat at high flame till it dissolves completely..Make sure to stir in between..switch off the flame..

• Immediately pour melted china grass through sieve into the milk -carrot mixture and mix thoroughly..Taste and add little more sugar if needed..Switch off the flame..

• Pour the mixture into the wet pudding dish and set aside to cool completely..Lets make decorat ingredients 'For Decoration' as mentioned below..

• In a fry pan, heat ghee in a low flame..Add chopped cashew nuts and saute till light brown..Drain and keep aside..

• In same ghee, add grated carrot and saute at a medium flame till carrot changed colour and turned soft.

• Add sugar and mix well..Cook for few seconds and saute well..Off the flame

• Decorate the top with ghee sauted cashew nuts and carrot carefully..

• Wrap the pudding dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hrs or overnight till pudding is set..

• Cut into square shape and enjoy

Nutella Brownies

I am sharing the recipe of one of the easiest and yummy baked dish, Nutella Brownies. As in a name, the main ingredient of this brownie is Nutella ( Chocolate Hazelnut Spread).Unlike cake, brownie does not need seperate bowl for wet and dry ingredients.Its done everything in one bowl.I read some of the brownies might use leaving agents like Baking powder and Baking soda.I saw the recipe somewhere from google,but I changed a bit.When I read this recipe, it mention to have l cup of Nutella, but I used half cup of Nutella and half cup of cocoa powder..It does not require any leaving agent..I have a doubt regarding this.To my surprise it baked perfectly and its texture is soft..It tastes so yummy..My son loved it very much..Its finished two days itself..My son told me to bake again..So I baked again for him :)..Let us go straight to the recipe

      Ingredients

• Melted Butter, cooled slightly - 1/2 Cup
• Eggs - 2 no.s 
• All purpose Flour - 1/2 Cup
• Nutella - 1/2 Cup
• Cocoa powder - 1/2 Cup
• Brown Sugar - 1/2 cup 
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

      Method

• Melt butter in a microwave or in a stove top..Keep aside to cool slightly.

• Grease a square pan with butter/oil and keep aside..You can use butter paper instead of greasing..I use Silicon square pan,so no need to grease it..

• Preheat oven to 180 degree C..

• In a bowl, beat eggs with a whisk or beater till pale..

• Add vanilla essence and sugar and beat again till sugar dissolves..

• Add cocoa powder ,Nutella and salt together and beat well..

• Add flour and melted butter slowly and beat again..

• The consistency of batter should be pour able..If batter is too thick, add few tbsp of water and beat well..

• Pour this batter in a baking dish and bake for about 35 to 40 mins,when fork insert in the center comes out clean..Otherwise bake 5 mins more..

• Keep this in a wire rack to cool for few mins...Then invert the brownies on a wire rack and let it cool completely..

• Cut into squares and enjoy it with a cup of tea or coffee..

Custard Apple Pudding - Seethapazham/ Seethaphal Pudding

Today, I am posting a recipe of one of the tasty and delicious pudding, Custard Apple/ Seethapazham pudding...You might be thinking how do I make pudding with this fruit, even though it is difficult to eat t :P...I think most of them might have known that, custard apple pulp contains lots of seeds, when you cut into halves, the pulp is stuck on seeds itself..We have to suck the seeds in order to get pulp..This fruit itself is very tasty,but its difficult to eat as told earlier:P:D..Believe me,it is not difficult to take pulp while making pudding..I will show you with step by photos,which is mentioned in 'method' section..Let's go to the recipe :)

     Ingredients

• Milk - 2 1/2 Tea Cups
• Ripe Custard Apples - 2 no.s
• Condensed milk - 200 gm ( 1/2 tea cup)
• Sugar - 3 tbsp ( according to your sweetness)
• Agar agar ( China grass) - 8 gm
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Coarsely powdered Almonds - for garnishing

         Method

• Soak the china grass in a half cup of water for 30 mins..

• Cut the custard apples into halves and scoop out the pulp with a spoon..

• Transfer the pulp into mixi grinder and add very little milk about 1 tbsp...

Custard Apple image by google

• Grind into paste by quick pulse, two times..Do not grind too much as seed will also grind along with that,which will not taste good..You can see the seeds that separates from pulp..Transfer the pulp into plate and take out the seeds and throw it...

• In a saucepan, add milk,condensed milk and sugar and mix well thoroughly..Then switch on the flame and heat it in a low flame..No need to wait for bubble to appear..Stir well at interval to avoid burning at bottom..

• In another sauce pan, add china grass along with soaked water and heat at high flame and stir at intervals..Heat till china grass dissolves completely..Off the flame..

• Off the flame of milk mixture and add custard apple puree and mix well...

• Add melted china grass quickly into the sieve and mix thoroughly..

• Taste and add sugar if needed..

• Pour the mixture into the wet pudding dish and allow the mixture to cool completely..

• Cover it with a plastic wrap ..Refrigerate till six hours or overnight till set..

• De mold the pudding into the plate ( this step is optional) and decorate it with powdered almonds.

      Note

• Make sure to use a ripe custard apple i.e it should be soft when touch outside,in order to make this pudding..Otherwise pudding will not taste good..

• You can also make this custard apple pulp into milk shake..