Category Archives: Sweets

Cakes, Cookies, Squares, Dessert and Sweets

Cup Cakes

Sweets

Makes 15 medium size cup cakes           

Food Pictures Jan 2013 026Food Pictures Jan 2013 028 photo[1]

Ingredients

  • 8          oz butter 
  • 8          oz sugar
  • 4          eggs 
  • 1/2       tsp vanilla essence 
  • 8          oz all purpose flour 
  • 2          level tsp baking powder 
  • 1/2       cup warm water

Instructions

  1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees 
  2. Cream butter and sugar till it is light and fluffy about 5 min. 
  3. Add one egg at a time beating well after each egg. 
  4. Add vanilla essence and mix. 
  5. Add baking powder to the flour, fold in flour,  adding water to make a dropping consistency. 
  6. With an ice cream scope, half fill the lined cup cake pan. 
  7. Bake it on the middle self for 12 min or until done.  (the cakes are done when, if you put the tooth pick in the centre of the cake and the tooth pick comes out clean).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tal Sankdi

Sweets

Tal Sankdi is Sesame brittle made with sesame seeds and jaggery(palm sugar or natural sugar)

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Ingredients

  • 1            lb sesame seeds 
  • 1            lb jaggery 
  • 1            cup water

Instruction

  1. Roast sesame seeds. 
  2. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts. Strain with a fine sieve. Return to saucepan, and continue cooking on medium heat until thick. Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be at hard crack stage(150 degrees) on candy thermometer. 
  3. Add sesame seeds and mix well. 
  4. Quickly spread on 17″ x 15″ x 1″ cookie sheet. Roll thin with a greased rolling pin. 
  5. Cut into desired shapes while it is still hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jugu pak, Badam Pak

Sweets

Roller Badam Pak

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb jaggery
  • 1 cup water
  • 1-1/4 lb blanched roasted peanuts or
  • 1-1/4 lb slivered almonds

Instructions

  1. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts.
  2. Strain with a fine sieve.
  3. Return to the saucepan and continue cooking on medium heat until thick.Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be at hard crack stage(150 degrees) on candy thermometer).
  4. Add peanuts and mix well.
  5. Quickly spread it on 17 inch x 13 inch x 1 inch cookie sheet.Roll thin with a greased rolling pin or a roller.Cut into desired shapes while still hot.

Variations

You can use slivered almonds, crushed almonds, Pistachos, walnuts or a mixture of all.

 

Mixed Mithai

Special Occasion, Sweets

Top centre is  Sindhi Pak. (finely chopped almonds and pistachio in a sugar syrup) 
Right is Tal Sankadi(sesame brittle made with jaggery(palm  sugar) 
Topra Pak (also Known as Kopra Pak, Is a coconut Barfi)
Badam Pak(slivered almonds brittle made with jaggery)  
Kajoo Barfi(ground cashews in a sugar syrup) 

Mixed Mithai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sindhi Pak

Sindhi Pak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2                cup almonds 
  • 1/2                cup pistachio 
  • 1                   cup sugar 
  • 1/2                tsp butter

Instructions

  1. In a food processor finely chop the nuts.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt sugar on high heat until half the sugar has melted.
  3. Lower the heat to minimum and continue cooking until all the sugar is melted.
  4. When light brown, add nuts.
  5. Add the butter.
  6. Spread thinly on a greased cookie sheet.
  7. Cut into diamond shapes while still hot.

Tal Shankari

Tal Sankdi is Sesame brittle made with sesame seeds and jaggery(palm sugar or natural sugar)

Tal Sankadi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1            lb sesame seeds 
  • 1            lb jaggery 
  • 1            cup water

Instruction

  1. Roast sesame seeds. 
  2. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts. Strain with a fine sieve. Return to saucepan, and continue cooking on medium heat until thick. Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be at hard crack stage(150 degrees) on candy thermometer. 
  3. Add sesame seeds and mix well. 
  4. Quickly spread on 17″ x 15″ x 1″ cookie sheet. Roll thin with a greased rolling pin. 
  5. Cut into desired shapes while it is still hot.

Coconut Barfi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.
Almond Pak

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1                   lb jaggery
  • 1                   cup water
  • 1-1/4             lb blanched roasted peanuts or
  • 1-1/4 lb         slivered almonds

Instructions

  1. Boil jaggery and water until jaggery melts.
  2. Strain with a fine sieve.
  3. Return to the saucepan and continue cooking on medium heat until thick.Test by dropping few drops in cold water. It should be at hard crack stage(150 degrees) on candy thermometer).
  4. Add peanuts and mix well.
  5. Quickly spread it on 17 inch x 13 inch x 1 inch cookie sheet.Roll thin with a greased rolling pin or a roller.Cut into desired shapes while still hot.

Variations

You can use slivered almonds, crushed almonds, Pistachos, walnuts or a mixture of all.

Kajoo(Cashew) Barfi

The name is derived from the Persian word barf which means “snow”, since burfi is similar to ice/snow in appearance, this is why it is served cold. 
Burfi is a sweet confectionery from the Indian subcontinent.  Burfi is made from milk cooked with sugar until it solidifies.  Burfi is often flavoured with fruit(such as mango or coconut) or nuts(such as cashew, almonds, pistachio) and spices such ass cardamom, nutmeg and saffron.  Burfi is sometimes coated with a thin layer of edible metallic leaf known as Vark.  They are typically cut into squares, diamonds or round shapes.  Different types of Burfi vary in their colour and texture.

Burfi is one of the most popular sweet enjoyed at any Indian festival.

Kajoo Barfi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1              can 12oz evaporated milk
  • 1              lb ground cashews
  • 1              lb sugar
  • 1/2           lb unsalted butter
  • 6              cups powdered milk
  • 1/2           tsp cardamom powder
  •                 Few strands saffron

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter, add milk and sugar.
  2. Add cashews, cardamom and saffron.  Cook for about 5 min stirring constantly.  Add powdered milk and mix well until it becomes a thick paste.
  3. Pour mixture in a greased 10” x 12” pan and spread evenly.  When completely cool, cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Butterfly Cup Cakes

Sweets

 

Cup Cakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. butter 
  • 8 oz. sugar 
  • 4 eggs 
  • 8 oz. all purpose flour 
  • 2 tsp baking powder 
  • 2 oz. milk to mix 
  • 1 cup whipping cream 
  • 1 pt raspberry or blue berry

Instructions

  1. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs thoroughly.
  2. Sieve the dry ingredients and add them, with milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
  3. Put into paper baking cases or patty tins and bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 25 – 30 minutes.
  4. In a medium size bowl whip the cream till it is thick.
  5. When the cakes are cold, slice a round from the top of each, and cut each round in half to form the butterfly wings.
  6. Fill the gap in the cake with whipping cream, and place the wings in position.
  7. Pipe a decorative band of cream between the wings to hold them in position.
  8. Put 3 raspberry/blueberry on top to decorate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kajoo Burfi

Sweets

Kajoo Katri                        

Ingredients

  • 1               lb finely ground cashew-nuts 
  • 3/4            cup water 
  • 6               tbsp sugar
  •  1/2           tsp rose water 
  • 1/2            tsp freshly ground cardamon seeds 
  • 1/2            tsp butter 
  • 1/4            cup chopped pistachio for decoration

Instructions

 

  1. Grease a 10″ square platter. 
  2. Boil sugar and water until syrup forms one thread. (about 4 min) 
  3. Add the butter, rose water and cardamon. 
  4. Remove from the heat, fold in cashewnuts and pour it in the greased pan.. 
  5. Flatten out evenly with the back of a greased flat spoon. 
  6. Press down pistachio nuts. 
  7. Cool for 10 mins – cut into 1 inch pieces. Cool it completely before removing the pieces. 
  8. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pistachio Yogurt Cake with White Chocolate and Cardamom Frosting

Sweets

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Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

  • 7              oz pistachio, ground 
  • 1/2           tsp ground cardamom 
  • 6              oz unsalted butter 
  • 12            oz all purpose white flour 
  • 3              tsp baking powder 
  • 8              oz berry sugar 
  • 3              eggs 
  • 1/2           cup yoghurt

For the frosting

  • 3 1/2        oz white chocolate, chopped 
  • 7              oz cream cheese 
  • 1/2           tsp rose water 
  • 1              tbsp icing sugar
  • 1/4           tsp ground cardamom

For garnish 

  • 1               edible rose, petals only 
  • 1               tbsp icing sugar
  1. Instructions
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and line an 8″ cake pan with parchement paper.
  3. Using a food processor, blend the ground pistachios, cardamom, butter, flour, baking powder and sugar until it resembles bread crumbs.
  4. Transfer the mixture in a mixing bowl and combine with the eggs and yoghurt.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for hour. Cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking.
  6. Let it cool on a rack.

To make the frosting

  1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to cool.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese with rose water, then add the cooled chocolate.
  3. Add the sifted icing sugar and cardamom.
  4. Mix well until a smooth cream forms.
  5. Serve the cake accompanied by the chocolate and cardamom cream.
  6. Sprinkle with edible roses and dust with icing sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

Sindhi Pak

Sweets

Sindhi Pak

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2                cup almonds 
  • 1/2                cup pistachio 
  • 1                   cup sugar 
  • 1/2                tsp butter

Instructions

  1. In a food processor finely chop the nuts.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt sugar on high heat until half the sugar has melted.
  3. Lower the heat to minimum and continue cooking until all the sugar is melted.
  4. When light brown, add nuts.
  5. Add the butter.
  6. Spread thinly on a greased cookie sheet.
  7. Cut into diamond shapes while still hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ponderosa Cake

Sweets

This  recipe is the most popular cake and most sought after recipe at UBC.

I got the recipe from “Treats to Remember”  A collection of Special Recipe from the UBC Bakeshop.

Ingredients

  • 1             cup butter                        250 ml
  • 2             cups sugar                      500 ml
  • 2             eggs, beaten                       2 ml
  • 1              tsp vanilla                           5 ml
  • 3              medium ripe bananas         3
  • 3              cups flour                        750 ml
  • 2              tsp baking powder            10 ml
  • 2              tsp baking soda                10 ml
  • 1              cup sour cream               250ml
  • 1              tsp cinnamon                       5 ml
  • 1/2           cup brown sugar              125 ml
  • 1-1/2        cups chocolate chips        375 ml

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together butter and sugar.
  3. Add beaten eggs and beat until smooth.
  4. Add vanilla and bananas; mix until smooth.
  5. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, add to banana mixture alternately with sour cream, ending with dry ingredients.
  6. Pour half the batter into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
  7. Combine cinnamon and brown sugar.  Sprinkle half of this mixture over the batter in pan.  Top with half of the chocolate chips.
  8. Repeat layers.
  9. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Baked Thepla

Sweets

Thepla is a deep fried sweet crispy puri , very popular in parts of India and Pakistan. It is made with whole wheat flour and goor. Goor is natural sugar. Goor can be found in an Indian grocery store.
You will find many different recipes for thepla, I like this recipe which was given to me by my friend Gulzar.
I have added a few more ingredients and baked it to make it into a healthier snack.

Ingredients

  • 8             oz goor
  • 1             cup water
  • 4             cups whole wheat flour
  • 1             cup soji (wheatlets)
  • 1             cup brown sugar (dark brown)
  • 3/4          cup butter (melted)
  • ¼            tsp elchi(cardamom) seeds crushed
  • 1             tbsp viriyari crushed
  • 2             tbsp kas kas (white poppy seeds)
  • 2             tbsp flax seeds
  • 2             tbsp sesame seeds
  • 2             tbsp unsweetened coconut

Instruction

  1. In a medium saucepan boil the water and goor till the goor melts
  2. In a mixing bowl add flour, soji, brown sugar, elechi, viriyari.
  3. Rub in margarine till the mixture looks like bread crumbs.
  4. Add goor pani a little at a time and make a stiff dough.
  5. Divide the dough into 4 and make a ball.
  6. Roll the dough in kas kas and flatten it.
  7. Roll each ball on a floured surface to a ¼ “ thickness.
  8. Cut with a cookie cutter.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Variation

You can use:-

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
  • 1 cup oats

In a blend or coffee grinder grind the oats to a fine grind.