Ingredients

• 8                 oz butter
• 3/4              cup half and half or homo milk
• 2                 cups  sugar
• 1/4              cup powder milk
•                    a few drops of pink food coloring
• 1/2              tsp elechi seeds(cardamom seeds)
• 1/8              tsp nutmeg powder
• 1                 lb unsweetened coconut

Decoration

• 1                 oz each coconut, chopped almonds and pista.

Instructions

1. Melt Butter.
2. Add the half and half and sugar and boil it till the mixture thickens about 5 min.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook till the mixture is thick and starts forming into a ball.
4. Set it in a 9 x 9 Square pan.
5. Sprinkle with coconut chopped almonds and pista and let it set.
6. When cool cut it in square or diamonds.

Serves 16

Ingredients

• 5                oz butter(room temperature)
• 2                large bananas, about 1 lbs
• 2 1/4          cup all purpose flour
• 1/3             cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4           tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4           tsp baking soda
•                    pinch salt
• 1 1/2          cups sugar
• 3                 eggs
• 1                 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3              cup buttermilk

Filling

• 1/4              cup all purpose flour
• 3/4              cup sugar
•                    pinch of salt
• 1 1/2           cups milk
• 3                 egg yolks
• 2                 bananas
• 1/2              cup heavy cream

Frosting

• 4 oz.           chilled butter
• 1/2              cup milk
• 12               oz semisweet-chocolate chips

Instructions

Cake

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9” cake pans.  Bring 5 oz. of butter to room temperature and keep the remaining 4 oz. chilled  Mash the bananas to make 1 1/4 cups puree.
2. Combine all purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.  With an  electric mixer at medium low speed, beat 5 oz. of the butter and 1 1/ cups of sugar until fluffy and light in color, about 5 minutes.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add 1 tsp. of the vanilla.  Reduce speed and beat in the mashed bananas.  Beat in flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, until just mixed.
4. Pour into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick stuck in the centre comes out clean, 30 – 35 minutes.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely.

Cream Filling

1. Combine the all-purpose flour, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan.  Beat together 1 1/2 cups of milk and the yolks.  Stir into flour mixture until smooth.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.  Continue boiling and stirring 2 minutes.
2. Pour through a sieve into a bowl.  Stir in the remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla.  Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the cream filling to prevent a skin from forming.  Chill at least 1 hour.
3. Beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and fold into chilled cream filling.

Frosting

1. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces.  In a saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and the chocolate chips and stir over low heat until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in butter, a little bit at a time, until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and let stand until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.

Assembly

1. Slice each cake layer in half horizontally.  Place 1 layer (bottom side down) on a serving plate.  Slice remaining bananas.  Spread cake layer with a third of the cream filling.  Top with a third of the banana slices and another cake layer.  Continue in the same way with 2 more layers, topping with the final cake layer.
2. Run a spatula around sides of cake to smooth the cream filling.  Cover sides and top with the chocolate frosting.

I found this recipe in the Vancouver Sun – food section.  The cake has sliced strawberries with a sweet coconut mixture.  The original recipe is from The UBC Bake Shop.

The cake is delicious with coffee or serve it as a desert with ice cream and/or whipped cream.

Ingredients

TOPPING

• 1/2           cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2           cup sugar
• 1/4           cup chilled butter
• 1/4           cup flaked or shredded coconut

CAKE

• 3/4           cup sugar
• 1/4           cup butter
• 1              medium egg
• 1/2           cup milk
• 1              tsp almond extract
• 1-1/2        cups all-purpose flour
• 2              tsp baking powder
• 1/2           tsp salt
• 1-1/2       cups sliced fresh strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

TOPPING

1. Combine flour and sugar.
2. Cut in chilled butter and mix in coconut.

CAKE

1. Mix sugar, shortening and egg thoroughly.
2. Stir in milk and almond extract.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Turn into greased and floured 9 inch square/round cake  pan.
6. Top with strawberries and sprinkle with coconut topping.
7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. 

The cake is done when, if you insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake and the tooth pick comes out clean.

A halwa is a type of dessert made from various kinds of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and lentils. The ingredients in Halwa are usually grated finely and fried in ghee and sugar. Nuts and milk may also be added. Halwas have the consistency of a very thick pudding.  Carrot halwa is made with fresh carrots.

Ingredients

•  2                  lbs grated carrots
• 1/2                lb butter
• 1                   can condensed milk
• 1/4                tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2                tsp cardamom seeds crushed
• 1/4                tsp saffron
• 1/4                cup sliced almonds and pistachio

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
2. Sauté the carrots till there is no liquid left about 15 minutes.
3. Add the condensed milk, nutmeg powder, cardamom seeds crushed,and saffron.
4. Put the lid on and put the saucepan in the preheated 350 degree oven for half and hour.  It should be thick and dry.
5. Garnish with almonds and pistachios before serving.

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

• ½          cup buttermilk
• 2           tsp baking soda
• 4           cups white flour
• 2           cups Sugar
• 1           cup walnuts (chopped)
• 3           bananas
• 4           eggs
• 8           oz butter

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix baking soda with buttermilk and leave it aside for about ten minutes . The mix should double.
3. In a large mixing bowl mix white flour and sugar.
4. In a blender or a foodprocessor blend 1/2 cup walnuts, add the bananas and egg and puree it.  Add this to the flour mix.
5. Melt the butter and add to the mix.
6. Add the buttermilk and mix everything together.
7. Divide this into 2 greased  loaf pans, sprinkle the chopped nuts and bake for 50 minutes.
8. The bread is done when a tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Caramel

• 1                 cup sugar
• 1/4              cup water

Custard

• 1/2             cups sugar
• 1                 Liter half and half (light cream)
• 5                 eggs
• 1/2              tsp crushed cardamom seeds
• 1/4              tsp nutmeg powder

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan  add the sugar and the water. Mix it and boil it till it turns to chocolate  brown.
2. Pour this in an 8” x 3” round cake tin.
3. In a large bowl  mix the sugar, half and half,  eggs,  crushed cardamom seeds and nutmeg powder.
4. Pour the custard on top of the caramel in the cake tin.
5. Put a baking tray in the oven.  Fill it half way with water and place the cake tin on the baking tray and bake for about one hour or when you put a tooth pick  in the centre,  it comes out clean,
6. Let it cool.
7. Before serving:  cover the cake tin with a plate (plate should be bigger than the cake tin) and turn it over.  The custard should come out.
8. You can make this dessert the day before and store it in the fridge.  To remove:  Fill a flat bottom bowl (the kitchen sink is perfect) with hot water.  Put the cake tin in the hot water for about 5 minutes and then transfer it into a plate.