Category: Summer


Jun
2017

No Churn Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice cream

categories: Desserts, Ice-creams, Summer

 

Hello beautiful people!

Hope you all had an excellent weekend. I have FINALLY exported all the content from wordpress blog to my own website (yayyy!) and I am ecstatic to be writing this first, fresh blogpost from here. There was a hiatus of 2 months over here due to all the work involved with the website building and understanding all the technical nitty-gritty for a novice like me (using wordpress was definitely a piece of cake!) along with my day job. Please bear with me for days to come (in case you face any technical issues around here) till I work on aesthetics and fine-tune the works. A lot of you had messaged asking for this ice-cream recipe I am sharing today after I posted this picture on my Instagram. So I decided to abandon beautifying the website for now and share the recipe with y’all immediately. So let’s talk about dark dark chocolate, shall we?

This Instagram-fame chocolate ice cream is abso-freaking-lutely delicious. Rich, creamy, decadent, not-over-the-top sweet and most importantly super-simple, no-churn piece of work. Yes sir, no ice cream maker required, just like all the other awesome recipes I have shared with you in the past. No churn does not mean the ice cream is not smooth or forms ice crystals upon freezing but makes utterly good-looking scoops too.

The base of this ice cream is made with the trio of coconut cream, Mascarpone cheese and fresh cream. To this, we add chocolate ganache made with 75% good-quality dark chocolate. Together it forms a fluffy, mousse-like mixture and trust me, you will want to eat it as is, even before it freezes so patience is a key here! Every bite of this over-the-top-chocolatey ice cream is bursting with fresh cherries which are first simmered with dark rum. A-M-A-Z-E-B-A-L-L-S! I urge you to make this ice cream at least once before Summer and cherry season pass you by. Pretty please?

 

Print Recipe
 No Churn Dark Chocolate Cherry Ice cream
Dark, decadent no churn chocolate ice cream bursting with fresh cherries in each bite.
Course Frozen Treats
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 6 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Boozy cherries
Chocolate mix
Ice cream base
Course Frozen Treats
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 6 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Boozy cherries
Chocolate mix
Ice cream base
Instructions
Boozy cherries
  1. Heat a medium sized fry pan on a medium-high heat and add cherries, rum/water and sugar to the pan. Let simmer for about 20 minutes until syrupy.
  2. Take it off the heat and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes on the counter and then refrigerate until cold, for about 2 hours at least.
Chocolate mix
  1. Put one large mixing bowl and whisk of your electric mixer in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
  2. After 10 minutes, take out the mixing bowl from the freezer. Without tipping, take out overnight chilled pack/can of coconut milk from the refrigerator. Gently scoop out the thick coconut cream from the top and put it into the chilled mixing bowl. Return the bowl to the refrigerator (not freezer this time).
  3. Take the reserved liquid from the coconut milk pack/can to a microwave safe glass bowl. Add milk, chopped chocolate, cocoa powder to this bowl. Microwave on low-power in the burst of 30-seconds 3-4 times, whisking in between, until chocolate completely melts. You could also do this step on double boiler instead. Whisk in vanilla extract at the end. Let the mix cool and in the meantime, proceed to the following steps.
Ice cream base
  1. Take out the bowl with coconut cream from refrigerator and whisk from freezer. Add Mascarpone cheese and heavy cream to the mixing bowl. Whisk with the electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes.
  2. Add confectioners sugar and whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, for another 3-5 minutes.
  3. Decrease the speed to low and slowly whisk in chocolate mix to it, until just combined. The ice cream mix will have mousse consistency at this point.
  4. Gently fold in syrupy cherries to the ice cream mix.
  5. Transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan and freeze. Freeze for couple of hours for softer consistency. Freeze overnight for firmer consistency.
  6. Set out for at least 25 minutes prior to scooping and use a scoop warmed under hot water for proper scoop.
  7. Ice cream will keep in the freezer for a week but tastes best when fresh.
Recipe Notes

If you are using water instead of rum to make syrupy cherries, then strain the liquid before folding the cherries to the ice cream base in step-4 (and discard the liquid) as it may form ice crystals after freezing.

 

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Apr
2017

2-Layer Rose Coconut Cake ~ Mini

categories: Baking, Cake, Cakes, Desserts, Spring, Summer

RoseCoconut-2

Spring is a time for rebirth and renewal, a time for change. I decided make a change this year with finally reviving this space of mine (yeah, not that profound I know) and in a world where we hardly have control over anything, changing up this little thing makes me super super happy. We have so much to catch up on and gazillion delicious recipes coming your way! But first, THIS! ☝

So end of last year, I bought myself a set of 6-inch cake pans and these are game changers (should have got them sooner!). Small batch baking has always been my thing (here, here and some more) so the smaller size pans were way overdue. I have baked at least 7 layer cakes in these not-so-new-pans-anymore this past 3 months (not hard to believe right?!). It’s just 2 of us in the house and I do like to eat everything I make (you bet it shows) hence small batch baking wins big time in my book so this was definitely long time coming. Not that we I need any occasion to eat cake around here but guys, these 6-inch layer cakes are so very perfect for small gatherings. Not to mention but they look so dang cute. If you are baking for more people then no problem. Just double the recipe and make 4-layers instead, tall cakes are in and they are here to stay! Well, you certainly don’t need to wait for any gathering to make this one right here. It can totally be you+couch+fork situation, demolishing the whole thing by yourself. Believe me, you would want to!

Rose Coconut Cake 4

So let’s talk about this particular cake here. This elegant looking, mildly flavoured, rose scented cake. The flavours will totally make you reminisce about the sweet smell of rose garden. The minimalist, semi-naked look is pristine for the spring season and is bound to make any brunch-table look chic and gorgeous. I have paired three different flavours for this cake but none overwhelms the other and are rather in complete harmony, even complimenting each other. Rose, coconut and cardamom seems to be a match made in spring heaven. So lush! I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we did!

Rose Coconut Cake 3

2-Layer Rose Coconut Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Total active time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp rose extract or 1 Tbsp organic rose water
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk, room temperature

Coconut Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 4 Tbsp coconut milk, refrigerated
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 tsp rose extract
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract (optional)

Directions:

  1. Grease 2 6-inch round cake pans with flavourless oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven at 180°C/350°F.
  2. In a small bowl, sieve all purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom and pinch of salt. Give it a whisk.
  3. In another mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla extract, rose extract, egg and whisk very well until incorporated.
  4. Now whisk in dry ingredients to wet ingredients alternating with coconut milk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
  5. Divide the batter in to the cake pans and bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes before demoulding. Let the cakes cool completely on wire rack and meanwhile get on the frosting.
  6. Coconut Buttercream Frosting: In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and coconut milk using electric mixer until smooth. With the mixer on low-speed, add confectioners sugar and salt and beat until just combined. Once incorporated, turn up the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Adjust the sugar until your desired consistency achieved. Briskly whisk in rose extract and coconut extract (for like 10 seconds).
  7. Assembly: Once the cakes are completely cool, place one layer of the cake onto the serving plate (bottom side up). Spread about 3 Tbsp of frosting on this layer, spread it uniformly and top it with the second layer (bottom side up). Spread about 2 Tbsp of frosting on top, spread uniformly and crumb coat the sides. Let the cake rest in refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. Frost with the remaining buttercream frosting and decorate as desired. I topped mine with fresh figs and fresh strawberry slices. The cake stays fresh for 4 days, stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

 

Rose Coconut Cake 1

Shop the recipe:

Here are some items I used to make today’s recipe.

 

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Apr
2017

No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Icecream

categories: Desserts, Ice-creams, Summer

 

strawberry icecrem-2

Hello everyone,

About 30 months ago, I took a break from blogging to pursue my dream of a Master’s degree in London. After returning to India and back to the nitty-gritty of life, the thought of reviving this space has crossed my mind every single day but I have been lazy procrastinating because Instagram made sure that I was still posting pictures, sometimes even recipes; of all the baked goods and smoothies (my new love) being whipped in my kitchen.

So you may ask why now? Well, there are few recipes which absolutely require they be documented because they’re too legendary to be forgotten as a mere Instagram post. They need to be made multiple times to be shared with your loved ones. Turns out I have accumulated tons of such recipes so it’s about time they get the recognition they deserve. Also, I am not a fan of long Instagram posts so I can’t bear my soul to you guys like I can here on the blog (think long future blog posts, not this though). For now nothing has changed around here as I am still clicking my pictures with iPhone (5s now, ancient I know!) and still want to share good food and things with you all. ❤

I posted a picture of this icecream on my Instagram and Facebook page and got so many requests for the recipe so this is the first recipe I chose to blog about. It’s summer and because last of the strawberries are still gracing the market, I don’t want you guys to not make this recipe at least once! This ice cream is THE BEST I have ever made and doesn’t require churning or icecream maker. It stays creamy and ice-free for about 5 days. The sweetest of strawberries give it an intense berry flavour without adding too much flavouring or colour (you could skip both). So get to it now, quick!

 

strawberry icecrem-3

 

No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Icecream

Yields: 1 litre icecream | Serves: 6-8 people

Hands-on time: 20 minutes | Chilling time: 6-8 hours | Total time: 7-9 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream, chilled in the refrigerator (not freezer) at least overnight
  • 1 cup (225 gram) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered white sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp strawberry extract (optional)
  • Couple of drops pink colour (optional)
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
  • Digestive biscuits, to serve

Directions:

  1. Put one large mixing bowl and whisk of your electric mixer in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. In the chilled bowl, add the whipping cream and whip with the electric mixer on medium high speed until the soft peaks form (about 5-7 minutes). Keep it in the refrigerator till you finish next step.
  2. In another large bowl, whisk together cream cheese and powdered sugar until light, creamy and thick. On a low speed, whisk in pinch of salt, vanilla extract, strawberry extract and pink colour for about 30 seconds. Then whisk in strawberry pieces for another 10 seconds.
  3. Slowly fold in whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and transfer the icecream mixture to loaf pan. Let it set in freezer for about 8 hours at least. Serve it scooped as is or topped with some digestive biscuit crumbs.
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Aug
2014

Zesty Peaches & Cream Mini Bundt Cake

categories: Baking, Cakes, Desserts, Summer

Zesty Peaches & Cream Mini Bundt Cake1

Hiya.. I hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day long weekend. Ours was relaxed and lazy and juust perfect. Monday was tough indeed. Today was only bearable because I had this cake in my life. First bite into it and I instantly regretted making a mini version because this was over in seconds!! So to save you from regret I suggest you double the following recipe and make 2 mini bundts! 😉

The combination of orange, peach and cream cheese is blow-your-mind-off-amazing! This mini bundt is supremely moist unlike the dry, crumbly pound cakes we all dread. It turns into a piece of heaven drizzled with the vanilla glaze. Isn’t this mini size so cute! Give this a go before the peach season officially ends.

Enjoy & eat it all up! 🙂

 

Zesty Peaches & Cream Mini Bundt Cake4

 

Zesty Peaches & Cream Mini Bundt Cake

Yields: 1 6-inch bundt | Serves: 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Bake time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
For Cake:
  • 1/4 cup peach cubes (about 1 medium /2 small peaches, peeled & pitted)
  • 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Zest of 1 Naval orange
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp orange extract
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

For Glaze:

  • 4 Tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp milk or cream (add more to adjust the consistency)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven at 160°C / 325°F. Grease 6-inch mini bundt pan with oil/butter. Set aside.
  2. Put the prepared peach cubes in a bowl. Sprinkle the peach cubes with all purpose flour. Stir lightly, just until peach cubes are coated with the flour.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, add orange zest and sugar and rub it together with your fingers to release the natural oils from the zest. Add butter and egg to the bowl. Cream together butter, egg, sugar & zest with the whisk or using hand held mixer. Whisk in cream cheese, orange juice, vanilla and orange extract. Slowly and carefully, mix in all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Do not overmix.
  4. Fold in the prepared peach cubes to the cake batter and pour the batter in the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 26-28 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 5 minutes before inverting on a cooling rack to cool completely.
  5. For glaze: Combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk, adding a teaspoon of milk at a time until glaze reaches desired consistency.

 

Zesty Peaches & Cream Mini Bundt Cake2

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Aug
2014

Skinny Summer Popsicles

categories: Desserts, Ice-creams, Summer
Skinny Summer Popsicles1
I love popsicles any time of the day. Be it for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert. I mean who doesn’t, right?! This one here is so refreshing and healthy without addition of any sugar, be it refined or unrefined. Just some fresh fruit pieces blended along with little bit of fruit juice. It’s a perfect pick-me-up treat using all the gorgeous summer bounty on offer. I bet you can’t stop at just one!
Hope you all are having a great Monday!
xx
Skinny Summer Popsicles
Yields: 4 popsicles | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 0 | Freeze time: 4-5 hours/overnight
Ingredients:
Puree 1:
  • 6 slices fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice (freshly squeezed or packed)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Zest from 1/2 orange
Puree 2:
  • 1/4 cup cherries, pitted
  • 1 medium nectarine, cored
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 1 orange)
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. Puree 1: In a blender, blend together pineapple slices, pineapple juice and salt. Stir in orange zest to it and divide the puree among 4 popsicle moulds.
  2. Puree 2: Wash and wipe the blender dry. Add all the ingredients mentioned under puree 2 in a blender and process until smooth. Top the popsicle moulds with puree 2, dividing equally.
  3. Insert stick in the centre of each mould, cover and freeze for about 6-7 hours. To demould, run the moulds under warm running water for 30-50 seconds. Enjoy!

*Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled or quadrupled!

 

Skinny Summer Popsicles2

 

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