Lemon Cheese cake

Refreshing citrus cheese cake with lemon scent.Creamy smooth filling on a wonderful crunchy ginger biscuit base makes this cheese cake summery and fresh.

Ingredients:

For the base:

125grams digestive biscuits
125 grams ginger biscuits
100g butter melted
250g cream cheese (mascarpone)
100g icing sugar
100 ml pot double cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon essence or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest for adding to cream
1 teaspoon lime zest for garnish

Method:

Make the base:

1. Butter and line a loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Put the biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to make crumbs using a rolling pin.
3. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, then pour over the melted butter.
4. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are completely coated. Transfer them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer.
5. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour to set firmly.

Make the filling:

6. In a bowl add the cream cheese, the cream, the lemon essenceor the lemon juice , lemon zest and the icing sugar .
7. Whisk thoroughly till its thick, smooth and creamy . Keep aside in fridge until ready to use.
8. Remove the base from the fridge and spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the chilled biscuit base, working from the edges inwards and making sure that there are no air bubbles.
9. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with the back of a dessert spoon or spatula.
10. Leave to set in the fridge over night.

To serve:

14. Remove cheesecake from fridge and bring the cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 minutes before serving.
15. To un-mould, place the base on top of a can, and then gradually pull the sides of the tin down. Slip the cake onto a serving plate, removing the lining paper and base.
16.Garnish the cheese cake with lime zest.

Serve with Vanilla ice cream or just cream.

You may like:
Chocolate - Vanilla cheesecake

Submitting to ;
Cook .East.Delicious -Desserts Event by Raven

Marigold Flowers - Fruit and Vegetable Carving

Carving flowers from fruit and vegetables is something I am really enjoying, There are so many types of flowers with different petals and shapes. Each as  beautiful as the other.

Here I have tried a flower with a uniform petal shape, this is achieved using a u shape petal cutter rather than freehand method that is used on carving roses and carnations.You can use any vegetable or fruit such as carrots, radish, melon, potato, butter nut squash or pumpkin. My favourite vegetable to carve with is butternut squash as it has a wonderful texture and gives awesome results.
Here I have used butternut squash primarily for the orange colour.

Carving and making garnishes from fruit and vegetable is a simple and enjoyable hobby, it requires no special tools just a simple sharp paring knife and a video tutorial telling you how to do it.If you wish to have a go checkout the simple instructions here.

You have like:
Melon Rose carving
Submitting to:
Create n Carve ~ Fruit and Vegetable event by simply.food. guest hosted bySara of Saras Corner

To purchase the Bird beak carving knife click on the amazon link below.

White chocolate and strawbery tart.

A fast and speedy dessert that takes minutes to make but tastes absolutely scrumpticious.Crunchy biscuit base, with creamy white chololate topping  topped with luscious sweet strawberries and a generous scrapping of white chocolate.

Ingredients:

12 digestive biscuits
30 grams butter
240 grams white chocolate
125 ml double cream.
1 teaspoon vanilla essence.
240 grams fresh strawberries.

Method:

1.Put the digestive biscuits in a mixer and grind coarsely.(like breadcrumbs)
2.In pan add the butter and wait for it to melt. Add the biscuit crumbs and mix together.
3.Take four individual serving dishes and press the crumb mixture in the bottom of each dish and smooth with the back of a spoon.
4. Place these serving dishes in the fridge to chill.

5. Break up 3/4 of the chocolate  in to small pieces and reserve the remaining quarter .
6. Grate the remaining quarter and place in the fridge.
7. Place a bowl on a double boiler and put the chocolat to melt.
8. Once chocolate has melted remove bowl from heat and  add the double cream and vanilla  and whisk the mixture.
9. Take the chilled serving dishes out of the fridge and spoon over each biscuit base the white chocolate and cream mixture.
10. Slice the strawberries and place on top of the creamy topping.
11. Garnish with the grated white chocolate and serve immediately.

You may like:
Strawberry  Sundae

Submitting to:
Cook.Eat.Delicious.Desserts- Strawberries  event by Raven, guest hosted by Sizzling Tastebuds.

Rajasthani Sweet Rice

Delicious saffron scented  rice with a fragrant sweet flavour of cardamom and  almonds.

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
3 tablespoons jaggery (gor)
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 tablespoon almond slivers
1/2 tablespoons almond flakes
1/2 teaspoon saffron.
2 cups  boiling water

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.
2. Drain the soaked rice and keep aside.
3. Heat clarified butter in a pan and  when it is hot add the rice and stir fry till all grains are coated in ghee and slightly toasted.
4. Add half the saffron and  and 2 cups boiling water to the rice.
5. Cover and cook rice for 20 minutes on the lowest heat setting.
6. After 20 minutes of cooking time add the jaggery to the rice do not stir it in just cover and cook for another 5-8 minutes. The heat from the rice will melt the jaggery.
7. After the final cooking time, add the almond slivers and cardamom powder and gently stir the rice to separate the grains.
8. Transfer rice to serving platter and garnish with almond flakes and remaining saffron strands.
Serve hot.

You may like:
Mohanthal

Submitting to:
Flavours of Rajasthan event by simply.food guested by Sonu of Palatecorner

Cantaloupe melon carving.

Fruit and vegetable carvings can be as simple or as intricate as you would like to make it. One of the most popular fruits that is used for carving and making fruit displays is melon. There are many varieties of melon , some with white flesh, some with yellow flesh, some with peach flesh and of course the watermelon with red flesh.

Using the flesh and in some case the rind as well beautiful patterns can be carved.My carving here is using a cantaloupe melon with peach colour flesh. A design of a central rose with cascading leaf pattern surrounding it.

Carving and making garnishes from fruit and vegetable is a simple and  enjoyable hobby, it requires no special tools just a simple sharp paring knife and a video tutorial telling you how to do it.If you wish to have a go checkout the simple instructions here.

For some beautiful melon craving designs check therse vidoes.
Melon carving part 1 and part 2

Water Melon carving

Submitting to:
Create n Carve ~ Fruit and Vegetable event by simply.food. guest hosted bySara of Saras Corner

You may like:
Melon Basket

To purchase the Bird beak carving knife click on the amazon link below.

Carnation Table decoration ~ Create n Carve Fruit and Vegetable carving.

Using some of the carnation flowers I carved , I assembled them in a little table decoration using toothpicks . I made leaves and flowers from cucumber and used a lemon as the flowerpot.

For details on how to make cucumber leaves click here.

Carving and making garnishes from fruit and vegetable is a simple and  enjoyable hobby, it requires no special tools just a simple sharp paring knife and a video tutorial telling you how to do it.If you wish to have a go checkout the simple instructions here.

Submitting to:
Create n Carve ~ Fruit and Vegetable event by simply.food. guest hosted bySara of Saras Corner

You can buy carving books and tools by clicking on there amazon links.

Carnation Flower Carvings

My passion for learning to carve is strongly growing and I have now progressed to learing to carve Carnations Flowers. Using White Radish and Butternut squash I have attempted to carve these Carnation Flowers. These are my 1st Attempts and they need much more improvement.

The video here shows how to make a gardenia flower , but the concept to make a carnation is the same.

Fruit and vegetable carving  can produce really pretty garnishes and simple decorations. It does not need any specialist tools , just a simple sharp knife.
If you want to have ago check this link out for a beginners  videos.
To purchase a simple basic carving knife  click on the below amazon links to purchase.

You may like:
Radish Flowers

Submitting to:

July Create n Carve ~ Fruit and Vegetable event by simply.food guest hosted by

Sara of Sara's Corner

Mixed Dhal Pudlas (Pancakes)

Rich in protein and very light these pancakes with added vegetables makes them a wonderful and tasty snack.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons tuvar dhal
8 tablespoons chana dhal
4 tablespoons moong dhal with husk
4 tablespoons moong dhal without husk
1 small red onion finely diced
1 small carrot peeled and grated
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped fenugreek (methi)
1.5 teaspoons salt
4 green chilles finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
 6 tablespoons Oil (for cooking pancakes)

Method:

1. Wash and soak all four dhals  in hot water for few hours.
2. Drain access water and grind the dhal in a grinder.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl  and add the salt, turmeric, chilli powder and mix.
4. Add the finely chopped onion, grated carrot and the chillis and ginger paste.
5. Add enough water so make the batter of pouring consistency.
6. In a non stick frying pan , oil the frying pan and pour a adle full of the pancake mixture. Swirl around till mixture forms a  thin pancake .
7. Drizzle a little oil around the pancake, when it is set and bubbles begin to form, flip the pan cake over and cook bottom side ,drizzle a little more oil as required.
8. Remove pancake when it is cooked and  repeat for remaining batter.
Serve with pickle and yoghurt chutney.

You may like:
Moong dhal pudlas

Submitting to:
Healthy Snacks event by Foodblog news

Create n Carve ~ Fruit and Veg Event- June Roundup and announcing July Event

Create and Carve~ Fruit and Vegetable event June was hosted by Linda of learntocarve.Linda who is an expert carver herself has beautiful carving together with video tutorials on her blog.Thankyou linda for guest hosting this event  She had some amazing and very artistic  entries. Click here to check out the roundup.You will be amazed at the beautiful and very professional entries she received, they are afeast for the eyes.

Create n Carve is all about awakening our creativity.Using any fruit or vegetable you can make simple garnishes, salads, make pictures, carve leaves, flowers, cut pretty fruit and veg shapes, carve baskets or animals in fact any type of carving or garnish will be accepted for the event entry.

A plate of food that is colourful and pleasing to the eye can often encourage the fussiest eater to sample it especially children.

You can use cookie cutters, knives, fancy garnish cutters, graters any tool to help you create your piece of art.You may send entries where you have used your garnish or carving on a cooked dish but remember the main emphasis should be to show the carving /creation.
Please click here to get some helpful ideas ans see videos on how to start basic garnishes and carvings.

The July Create and Carve ~Fruit and Vegetable event is being hosted by Sara of Sara's corner.

To participate in this event please do drop by Sara's blog for more details.

Breakfast Club # 11 -Berries Roundup

This lovely event brought a wonderful array of delicious recipes. NOW brekfast never needs to be boring as we are all spoilt for choice from this awesome selection of 30 mouthwatering  recipes.

Breakfast Berry Smoothie  and Summer fruits Yoghurt by Nayna

 




Whole wheat banana  and berry pancakes by Krista

Savoury Oatmeal with Goji Berries, Nori and Ponzu Sauce by Janet

Strawberry Banana Pancakes and Mixed Berry toast bake by Sukanya

 

Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie and Eggless Whole-Wheat Strawberry Bread by Priya

 

Lime and Goji Berry Quick Bread with White Chocolate Drizzle by Sarah

Strawberry Summer Special Cake by Anamika

Blackberry French toast by Krithi

Wild Blueberry & Oatmeal Muffin - Eggless by Muskaan

Strawberry jam by Soujanya

Berry Bread and Berry Breakfast Trifle by Bea

Double Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze by Raven

Blackberry and pear milkshake by Shanavi

Berry crumble bars by Mel

Chocolate, blueberry and ginger scones by Johanna

Blueberry Crumble Cake by Jaqueline

Cranberry Orange Barley scones  and Blueberry Orange spelt mini muffins By Denny



Blueberry Coffee Cake by Adam and Theresa

Blueberry bread by Sravani

Finnish Blueberry-Filled Buns (Mustikkapiiraat) by Lauren

Banoffeeish-pots by Helen

Black Buckwheat and Blackcurrant Pancakes by Shaheen

Very Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins by Sarah

Strawbery  banana smoothie by C

Red, White & Blue Smoothie by Valerie

Thankyou to all the blogger friends who participated  in this event.Your support is very much appreciated.

The theme for Breakfast Club for July is Cereals, So get your aprons and do something innovative with the cereal. Click here to get more info and to send your entries.