Swiss meringue buttercream

So I have never really liked buttercream too much and I think most people who know me would know that! But cakes and cupcake seem to call out to it..."cover me cover me!" So did a bit of research online to check if I can make a smoother less sweet version and came across meringue buttercream. Now regular buttercream just has butter and sugar with little milk/cream, colour and flavour but meringue buttercream is based on well...meringue. 

Meringue is nothing but egg whites and sugar but different countries do it differently.

French Meringue : Eggs whites beaten and sugar added till dissolved and its light and fluffy
Italian Meringue : Egg whites beaten, sugar and water brought up to 'soft ball stage' and then incorporated into the beaten egg whites and beaten till light and fluffy
Swiss Meringue : Egg white and sugar heated on a double boiler and once sugar is dissolved it is beaten till white and fluffy

So to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients
Egg Whites 3
Sugar 200 gms
Butter 200 gms

Method
Egg white and sugar heated on a double boiler till sugar is dissolved, take off the heat and  beat till white and fluffy. Once cool add soften butter little by little. The mix will go a bit flat once the butter is added dont worry keep whisking it till it gets firm again. If it doesnt come together dont worry just cool the whole thing (keep on ice or keep in the frige for a few minutes) and then keep whisking. Add any flavour and colour to the mix. It can be piped onto cupcakes or used to cover a cake.

Cupcakes anyone?

It might seem silly to people that I share my recipes but what the f@#$. Its not like baking is this huge secret and people cant figure it out for themselves!

So the most popular Mango Cupcake!

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

Flour 110 gms

Sugar 110 gms

Butter 110 gms

Eggs 2

Baking powder 1 tsp

Milk 2-3 tsp

Vanilla extract

Mango Filling

Fresh diced mango 1

Sugar to taste

Mango Cream

Whipped cream 1 cup

Fresh Mango pulp 1/2 cup

Mango pulp

Fresh diced mango 1

Sugar to taste

Method

Cupcakes

Beat together the sugar and butter and add vanilla. Add the eggs one by one till fully incorporated. Sift together the flour and baking powder and whip into the wet ingredients.

Fill batter into a piping bag.

Mango Filling

Chop mangoes into small dice and cook in a pan with sugar to taste till softened. Cool and fill into a piping bag

Now the tricky part. Into a cupcake paper cup pipe a little of the batter right at the bottom. Then pipe a little of the mango filling in the centre. Now take the batter and pipe around the mango filling and cover the mango filling till the top of the paper cup. 

Bake in a 180C oven for 20 mins till the cupcake is firm to the touch and slightly golden.

Let them cool on a wire rack

 

Mango pulp

Chop mangoes into small dice and cook in a pan with sugar to taste till softened. Cool down. Add to a blender and blend till completely smooth.

Reserve a couple of teaspoons of the same.

Mango cream

Fold together whipped cream and the mango pulp till completely mixed. Do it very delicately and make sure the mango pulp is cold.

Assembling it!

Take some of the mango pulp and brush the top of the cupcakes with it. Pipe the mango cream on top in any design you like! Add sprinkles if you want and enjoy!!

Pork delights in South Bombay

Three little piggies

So pork is by far my favourite meat and my very Bong husband and friends agree with me. But the problem is getting hold of good quality pork meat and last Sunday was a classic case of wanting to make it but don't know where to get the damn meat! My very efficient husband made a quick trip to Marine lines and got me the best quality pork I have found in Bombay and so I thought I would share this little jewel of information with all fellow pork lovers.

For great meat I usually visit:

Francoise Maison at Kemps Corner opp Shamilar Hotel

Rochas Farm Products, BEST marg behind the Taj Mahal Hotel, Colaba

Meat Market at Dr.CW Street, Charni road (Map attached)

Pancakes anyone?

I adore pancakes I don't think there is anything more sinful that I could ever have for breakfast. So today I decided to completely indulge myself and make a batch of cinnamon banana pancakes and have them drowned in the amazing Pure Maple syrup my darling Mila has given me. 


Realized pancakes are probably the easiest thing to make (I don't think that's a good thing for me!) and I had them ready in 5 mins flat. They were soft and hot and smothered in melted butter and maple syrup they were divine!


Serves 3-4
Ingredients
Maida 1 cup
Egg 1
Milk 1/2 - 1 cup (quantity can vary)
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Cinnmom 1/4 tsp
Castor sugar 1 tbsp
Oil 2 tsp
Banana 1 (very ripe) 


Butter
Maple syrup/honey


Method
With a whisk just mix all dry ingredients. Add the egg and beat the same, it will be lumpy don't worry about it. Add oil and sugar and mix some more. Slowly add the milk and keep vigorously mixing till the mix is smooth and falls well. Add the mashed up banana and mix well.

Heat a non stick pan and pour one large spoonful of batter. Once the edges have started forming little bubbles you know its time to flip. Cook for a few mins on each side.


Smother the butter on when just off the pan and watch it melt into the pancake. Pour maple syrup and serve. Serve 2-4 pancakes per person

Left over roti

I hate wasting anything. As I child I used to get whacked for leaving even a morsel on my plate and as a result I never take anything more than I need, hence never waste. But sometimes there are left overs from the night before (not due to any fault of mine!) and I love using them the next day for breakfast or a quick snack.


Any subji automatically gets made into a stuffed paratha.
Dal gets mixed into atta and masala rotis are made
Leftover chappattis are either chopped and made into 'roti upma' OR...recipe follows


Besan nachos

Serves 2
Time taken: 10 mins
Ingredients
2 Leftover roti cut into triangles
Besan 100 gms
Salt 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds 1/2 tsp
Water to mix
Oil for pan frying


Method
Made a batter with the besan and add chilli, salt and ajwain to it. Dip the roti triangles and fry on a hot frying pan for just a few mins on each side. Serve hot with chutney or ketchup and garam garam chai!

Buttercream frosting

I have to admit I am not very fond of buttercream frosting but I seem to be in the minority so I do use it for cupcakes especially for kids.


Butter (go ahead and use normal butter it wont be salty) 100 gms
Icing sugar 400 gms
Milk 3-4 tsp
Vanilla essence 1 tsp


Sift the icing sugar and start incorporating the icing sugar slowly. Keep adding the milk in between. Adjust quantity of milk if you want it thicker or thinner. Add colour towards the end.


If you want chocolate icing add cocoa (about 4 tbs) and little milk to the basic icing.

Shortbread cookies

So here I am giving out the recipe for my cookies...wonder why I am doing it but lets just call it spreading wisdom and it really isn't some kind of state secret!


Flour 200 gms
Icing Sugar 100 gms
Butter 100 gms
Dahi 3 tbs
Baking Powder 1tsp
Cinnamon Powder 1 tsp


Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Rub the butter into this mix till it resembles wet sand. Add the dahi and bring it all together and knead till it just about comes together. Wrap in cling film and into the fridge till its cold. When you want to make the cookies remove from fridge and knead together some more. Roll on a well floured surface till about 5 mm. Cut with shapes and bake for about 15 mins.