Dark chocolate fudge brownies - Christmas/New Year Recipe

This recipe is my dear friend Sheritha Ravi-Neeraj's creation. I must say I enjoyed making these brownies and the taste is impeccable. My daughter Izzy could hardly contain her joy to try them out as soon as it came out of the oven. Sheri always made the best brownies I have ever had!

I made this batch of brownies for Izzy's school Christmas party. She has been excited about Christmas since the last 6 months. Probably since her birthday is exactly a month after Christmas, she was involved in her mama's Christmas preps even before she arrived in the world! :)

These brownies are special because not only are they fudgy when cooled, if you cut into them right away, it actually gives the effect of chocolate lava cake. The surface is nice and crispy as well.

This is an amazingly simple recipe as well. Hats off to you Sheritha. Most of the work goes into the resting time which is really no work at all for you! So if you are thinking of making these brownies for New Year's, I would say go for it as there is hardly any work needed to make these delicious brownie bites and your family and guests are sure to love it.

I doubled the quantity below as I planned on sharing some of these brownies with my friend Sireesha who requested my first ever cake order. Her son loved the Chocolate Cake I made him and expressed his interest in brownies/choco lava cake. So I think these brownies would be perfect for them. I am waiting for him to try these brownies.

You need:

• 200 gms Dark cooking chocolate
• 200 gms Butter
• 3 Eggs
• 50 gms plain flour
• 350 gms Brown sugar

The Make:

Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Yield : one 9"X8"

Adapted from Sheritha Ravi-Neeraj's recipe

1. In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate.
2. Beat eggs separately, add the sugar and whisk well.
3. Add the choco-butter mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly.
4. Next add the flour bit by bit and whisk well. You may need to fold in the flour to the mixture and stir briskly with a wooden spoon before you whisk with a beater as the flour may spray all over.
5. Prepare a cake tray of 9" X 8" and grease well on all sides. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
6. Pour the batter in the prepared cake tin and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C.
7. When you see the top surface of the batter nice and crusty and feel the center less gooey and more fudgey (not fully cooked), turn off the flame and allow to cool down for at least 10 minutes.
8. Once cooled, cut into equal squares. The center of each slice would be fudgy and still warm.

Hope you enjoy making these lovely fudgy brownies. Happy New Year 2014 everyone!

Hope you have enjoyed the 2013 ride with G'Gina's Kitchenette. I would like thank all my loyal readers who esp. helped to promote not only the G'Gina's Kitchenette blog site but also the Facebook and Twitter pages. I hope to see you all back here in 2014. Wish your family and you a wonderful year filled with sweet surprises ahead! God Bless!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

G'Gina's Kitchenette would like to wish your family and you a very Merry Christmas 2013! Remember Jesus is the reason for every season! God Bless you all...

Sharing with you some of the bakes for Christmas 2013 from G'Gina's Kitchenette...Hope you have had a fabulous year and hope you have enjoyed trying some of the creations of G'Gina's Kitchenette...

I have tried something slightly different with Mummy's Special Christmas Cake this year (thanks to feedback from friends and family) ...in fact I remember now that when we first used to be Mummy's lil helpers (school days) over Christmas we used to make the cake batter the way I made it this year! Later it changed....the end result is not much different and is delicious in its individual ways. So will share updates to that very soon! Anyways, just wanted to wish you all...

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS...Stay tuned to G'Gina's Kitchenette (https://www.facebook.com/gginaflavorspalatte , https://twitter.com/gginak , http://www.networkedblogs.com/blog/gginas-kitchenette ) for more delicious treats...sweets and savouries....Only 7 days to the New Year 2014! Can't wait :)

Choco chip cookies and Gems or M&Ms or Smarties cookies

I had made these cookies first when I was all of 12 yrs old :) It is such a super easy recipe to make. You can involve your little ones in the making of these cookies as well. The baking time is also quite short and no additional syrups, etc are required in the making of these cookies.

You need:

• 2 cups of plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cup of choco chip cookies or gems (You can also divide the dough in 1/2 and add 1 cup of choco chips to one batch and 1/2 of gems to the other batch like I did)

The Make:
Cooking Time: 10 minutes per batch | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Makes about 20-30 cookies (depending on the size)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside. You can avoid the salt if you are using salted butter.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
5. Blend in the vanilla essence.
6. Thoroughly mix in the flour mixture until combined well.
7. Using a spoon, fold in the choco chips and gems in batches or together or either one or as per your choice until evenly distributed across the batter. Don't fold in too much as to cause the chocolate to melt.
8. Scoop about 1 heaped tbsp or teaspoon of the batter and place on a well-greased baking tray  or directly on a baking sheet. Continue doing this with sufficient spacing between the cookies to allow it to expand.
9. Cook for 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden and crispy. Turn to a rack to cool down.

You can serve hot or cold as desired. The kids would enjoy these cookies at Christmas time and it isn't too late yet to try them out!

Golden Syrup

Golden syrup is not readily available everywhere but can be used in quite a few recipes. It is a very simple ingredient to make with such limited ingredients I am sure you can find in your pantry at home. I used this syrup for the Gingerbread men biscuits that I made recently. This syrup has a long shelf-life so as long as you follow the instructions well.

You need:

• 100 gms sugar
• 3 tbsp water

Additionally,

• 1/2 kg sugar
• 300 gms boiling water
• 1 sliced lemon (Large or small lemon)
• 1 sterilised jar

The Make:
Cooking time: 45 minutes | Resting Time: 5 minutes | Makes about a medium sized jar
Adapted from Todd's Kitchen

1. In a saucepan, on medium heat, add the sugar and 3 tbsp of water and mix well. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves. The sugar becomes a nice dark caramel colour. This process is similar to the one I did for the Ginger Wine and Mummy's Christmas cake as well with the burnt sugar.

2. Next turn the heat to the lowest and add the boiling water carefully, a bit at a time to avoid spluttering. Stir it well.
3. Add the remaining sugar on medium heat and stir it through until the sugar is completely melted.
4. Lower the heat to the lowest and let it simmer to about 45 minutes and add half a lemon to avoid it from caramelising  any further and preventing any sugar crystals from forming lumps. Do not stir during the 45 minutes.

5. Turn off the heat and take out the lemon. You can consume the lemon as a candied lemon or use it in another recipe.
6. Let the syrup cool down for about 5 minutes only and transfer to the sterilised jar and let it cool down further in the jar without the lid on.
7. The syrup would thicken as it cools down to about the same consistency as that of honey. Use the Golden Syrup as you wish in your recipes like in the Gingerbread men biscuits.
As long as you use a sterilised jar, this syrup would last you for months on the shelf.

Gingerbread men biscuits

"Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the Gingerbread man"! 

This was from one of the tales we (My sister Liz and I) listened to growing up. Back in the days my sister was gifted a tape of various fairy tales and one such one was 'The Gingerbread Man'. Following to that Liz received a birthday gift from our uncle Thampipapa for her birthday 'We can cook'. I am guessing that because she wasn't as keen on baking and cooking as I was, I ended up inheriting the book or simply nabbed it from my darling sis Liz :D Well I am assuming as she tells me she can't recollect how I ended up with it. When I turned 12, I began to show a keen interest in cooking and baking and was pretty much burning down my mum's kitchen with my tries. One thing I diligently did then was not to follow a recipe to the 'T'. If ever I did so, I would follow the recipe once and then did my own shenanigans during mom's afternoon naps :D.

The book that Thampipapa gifted Liz had the recipe for Gingerbread men and I have always wanted to try it since I heard the tale of the Gingerbread man. I must admit I was always intimidated by the shape of the Gingerbread men but I have to say it was actually fun. Also, most of the heads of the gingerbread men in the first batch were rolled out by Izzy :) I have made several cookies and biscuits since I was 12. Last Christmas, I had made some shortbread cookies for Izzy's school. This year owing to health reasons I had to keep it simple! So this year it had to be the Gingerbread men biscuits. These biscuits go very well with tea.

Trust me when I say this is the most simplest biscuit you can make (with the exception of the golden syrup. If you make the golden syrup in advance, you would be able to make these biscuits at ease and could even involve the kid(s) in the process of making these biscuits. Unless ofcourse you get to buy the golden syrup where you are at! Golden syrup can actually be used to so many recipes).

The men could take the shape and form of anything you like, they could be standing still, dancing in a circle or even sitting. Take it as far as your creative sense can take you.

I would also like to include a review of a product used to make the Gingerbread men's eyes, mouth and buttons. SmartEats promotes Delicious, Unique and Healthy eating and had sent me a box of their preciously handcrafted ingredients and healthy snacks for a review. One of the items in this lovely box of healthy goodies is the Black Grape Fruit, which is a specially dehydrated fruit with all the micro-nutrients intact and is said to be 'Great for having around the year' as black grapes is not available throughout the year. I used these wonderful black grapes to make not only the eyes but mouth and buttons of the Gingerbread men. Review from a toddler: When the gingerbread man was sent in her snack box the next day at school both her friend Abhiram and her picked out the grape fruit and snacked on it first. She said, 'Mama it so very nice!How did you make it'. So thumbs up SmartEats, it doesn't get any better than that -straight from the honest mouth of a toddler. Please accept my apologies for the slow movement in writing the reviews for your products, I will be bringing the same as soon as I can!

On with the recipe...

To make these deliciously simple biscuits,

You need:

• 100 gms plain flour (maida)
• 1/2 level tsp soda bicarbonate
• 25 gms brown sugar
• 50 gms of butter/margarine
• 75 gms (about 2.5 tbsp) Golden syrup
• 1 level tsp of ground (or finely grated) ginger
• Currants / Black Grape fruit for decoration (eyes, mouth and buttons of the gingerbread men)
• 50 gms plain flour for shaping 

The Make:
Adapted from source: We Can Cook (Lynne Peebles)

Cooking Time: 30 minutes (3 batches) | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Makes more than 12 gingerbread men (depends really on the size you make for the gingerbread men)

1. Preheat the oven at 190°C.
2. Cream the butter and sugar well and add the golden syrup and grated ginger. Mix well.
3. Next sift in the flour with the soda bicarbonate and mix well.
4. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and work the dough well on the board. The resultant dough would still be slightly sticky which would also work well. If you are using cutters, then suggest using the whole quantity of dusting flour in parts.
5. Next divide the dough into equal sized pieces. Work each piece to roll out a small round for the head, a longer sausage shaped body and legs. A shorter shaped sausage for the arms.
6. Assemble the pieces on a buttered baking tray and flatten the dough, bending the arms and legs as you wish. Keep altering the legs and hands in various bends and twists to give appearance of moving or dramatic gingerbread men. :)

7. Add the currants or in my case the black grape fruit for the eyes, buttons and the mouth. The black grape fruit was really helpful as such to make a nice U-shaped mouth which may not be possible with the smaller currants unless u slice them open and make a smaller mouth.
8. Turn the gingerbread men tray to the oven and bake for a good 10-12 minutes until the men turn golden brown and the edges are nice and firm. Remember that the center will remain soft until cooled.

You can make different shapes of men and with a tad bit of imagination even make animals or house, nature like trees and flowers etc. You can even turn in a board of different shaped gingerbread men and animals with nature. Children would particularly find this fanciful.

Hope you enjoy making these Gingerbread men biscuits as much as I did. If you do try them out do send me pictures of the same on gginazkitchenette@gmail.com or post the same on our facebook page.Even if you don't get the pictures, do leave a comment below on how they turned out...Happy Baking and wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope to bring you another interesting recipe and simple recipe of a friend of mine tomorrow. Stay tuned!







http://www.gginaflavorspalatte.blogspot.in/2013/12/golden-syrup.htmlhttp://www.gginaflavorspalatte.blogspot.in/2013/12/golden-syrup.html

Fried Rice - Mummy's recipe

As I mentioned in the Duck roast post, this Fried Rice would be an excellent accompaniment to the Duck Roast. Not only is this a simple to make accompaniment, it is also goes well with the Duck Roast Gravy! I used to always resign myself to the fact that rice was something I was never good at making esp. Fried Rice, Biriyani, etc. Well not until I followed mum's instructions to the 'T' and also had a televised encounter with Jamie Oliver :) So all it takes is good listening (and might I add obeying) skills to get it right (after a few tries).

This one is mum's recipe so it turned out pretty fab (Thank God as I had guests to feed).

To make this simple Fried rice,

You need:

• 3 coffee mugs (about 600 gms) basmati (long grained) rice 
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 large onion, diced finely
• 1" ginger, diced finely or ground
• 1" cinnamon stick
• Veggies of your choice - carrots, green peas, beans, etc., diced finely
• 6-7 cups of drinking water
• 1-2 tbsp of cooking oil
• 1 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter (optional)
• Drizzle of oil (optional)

Method:

Serves 7 adults | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Preparation Time: 15 minutes (to 1 hour)

1. Clean the rice and then soak for at least for at least 15 minutes to 1 hour. The reason for this is that the more you soak it, the lesser water would be required to be added during the cooking process which means lesser possibilities of turning up with a less than fluffed rice.
2. Boil 6 cups of water with salt and cardamom powder and a drizzle of oil (optional) to avoid the rice from sticking (I did not add any oil at this stage and it turned out fine) in a non-stick pot.
3. When the water comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat and take out a palm full of the soaked rice bit by bit, add it to the boiled water and discard the soaked water. Cover and cook until the rice comes to a boil. Turn off the flame and leave covered.
4. Heat the oil in a wok/non-stick pot and toss in the onions.
5. Saute the onions with a pinch or less of salt until translucent and then add the ginger and saute for a minute.
6. Toss in the cinnamon stick and saute for another minute.
7. Next add in the veggies and saute for a few minutes (with ghee - optional) until translucent.
8. Transfer the sauteed veggies to the half cooked rice and add another cup of water if required. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on medium flame*.
9. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving. Serve hot with your favourite dish or Duck Roast.

*Tip: Medium flame as it would get too stodgy and take more time on low flame.

These pictures are again from a time before my blogging adventure began. I will replace them once I make this dish again. Just had to share the recipe as its only 4 days to go to Christmas :) 
Merry Christmas all!

Duck Roast Gravy (Tharavu Roast curry) - A Christmas Savoury delicacy

In the spirit of the festive season, I am trying to bring to you as many recipes as possible to help you prepare for your big Christmas lunch or dinner! If you are a member of my Facebook page, you would have seen some of the posted recipes related to Christmas. If you have not yet seen our facebook page, please visit here and 'Like' the page so as to have it bookmarked. Spread the word with your family and friends as well.

Duck roast is often taken as an option to the western Christmas tradition of Turkey Roast especially in Christian families in the South of India in the state of Kerala. Duck Roast would often be accompanied with Appam,  either 'KallAppams' (Indian Toddy Pancakes) or 'PaalAppams' (Milkhoppers). You could also serve this with Kappa Vevichathu (Tapioca Steamed and Fried) or Rice of your choice or Rice Iddiappam (which looks like miniature rice noodles). Hopefully I will post the Kappa Vevichathu recipe very soon :) Although Duck Roast is normally accompanied with Appams or Fried Rice even during Christmas.

I hope you enjoy this creation of mine. Sorry I don't have better pictures of the process as this was taken way earlier than I had intended to start this blog. I will definitely upload better pictures should I try this again. Hope you are having a great Christmas season!

I meant to post this recipe last week but my system decided to have some technical issues at about the same time. It is resolved now so hope I get time (amidst all the baking and cooking) to post as many recipes to Christmas and even the New Year 2014 to help you design your dinners/lunch/desserts :)

You need:

• 1 kg Duck, cleaned well (soak for at least 20-30 minutes in turmeric, salt and vinegar), fat removed, skinned and cut into medium pieces*

These ingredients are required for the Marinade:

• 2 tbsp Red chili powder
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Remaining ingredients required for the recipe:

• 2 roughly torn  long dried red chilies
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 6-8 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil (although you should use coconut oil if you want it to taste as close as possible to the traditional version)
• 2-3 large purple onions, diced finely
• 10-12 small red onions, diced finely
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1" ginger, finely diced
• 6-8 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 3-4 tbsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp  Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp Coriander powder
• 3 tbsp of Red Chili powder
• Coconut milk - 2 extracts : 1st extract 1 cup and 2nd extract 2 cups. You can try the Homemade version here as I did for this recipe. Just make sure to adjust the water accordingly as required for this recipe.
• Salt to taste

*Optional: you can leave a few pieces with skin on possibly the wings or even portion of the legs/breast

The Make:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 1 hour | Serves: 5-6 adults

It is best to leave a few pieces with the skin on and you can opt to take it out later to add some flavour of the duck fat in the dish. I have tried it without as well and I can vouch for the former. You can take off the excess oil off the top of the finished dish. Make sure before marinating to drain out any water content from the duck meat.

Marinate the duck meat for 4-6 hours. You can choose to do it for longer or lesser. The more you marinate the duck meat, the more flavourful the end result. I ended up marinating my Christmas duck roast for 8-10 hrs. I had a huge banquet of dishes for this particular Christmas :) Trust me not a drop of the gravy was left to the next meal let alone the next day.

1. Heat the oil in a clay pot or deep-bottomed wok or even a pressure cooker and splutter some mustard seeds.
2. Toss in the curry leaves, red onions, dried red chilies, ginger and garlic and saute well for 2-3 minutes.
3. Next add the diced purple onions and saute till translucent.
4 .Toss in the green chilies and saute till the onions turn lightly brown.
5. Add the marinated duck meat and salt. Cover and cook for 40 minutes on medium-low heat. If you are using the pressure cooker, make sure to add enough water to just about cover the meat or about a cup lower as the duck fat would also release making the gravy very watery. It should cook for about 5 whistles on medium-high. You would have half-cooked duck meat at this stage using either of the methods.
6. In a bowl, mix the turmeric, red chili, coriander powders and garam masala and add the 2nd extract coconut milk bit by bit mixing well.
7. To the half-cooked duck, add the 2nd extract spiced coconut milk on low heat and mix well. Cover and cook until the gravy has just thickened and the meat cooked.

If the duck meat is of good quality it would be soft and tender.

8. Lastly but more importantly add the thick 1st coconut milk extract and mix gently. Bring to almost a boil and set aside.

Serve with hot Appams or Fried Rice or Kappa any other flatbread/rice of your choice.

Bon Appetit! Tis' the season to be jolly falalalalalalala....Seasons Greetings all!