Strawberry hibiscus cake

Here we are, in the dregs of summer, a few call it desert terrain's most blah time of the year. Suffice to say, most of us searing living here are not fans of mid year weather. We make the best of it, owning the season with a vengeance as fierce as the heat. A climate declaring three digit temperature readings a way of life can, apparently, be quite boastworthy. These 3-4 months, when folks mere miles across State lines enjoy blissful backyard barbecues, we sweat, burn, and Tiktok our way by frying eggs on the sidewalk. 

On brighter notes, I'd set up birdhouses/ feeders/ a veritable living area for feathered buddies to keep cool. It gives a semblance of the airy summers reminiscent of a Midwest life too long ago. In addition, the flower beds I planted in early Spring did not incinerate and the zucchini garden actually yielded squash as big as my arm. Greenthumbwise, within our habitat, that's a notable feat, and since my planter skills are so limited and rarely thrive, the said zucchini sits in my fridge as a monument for posterity.

Coming to point, some time ago, my social media feed was infiltrated with a lineup of globe cakes. Bakers of all sorts celebrated Earth Day with desserts  that looked like the world atlas. It was not exactly the do or die project I had on my baking bucket list. Yet, after careful consideration, and because my day job is teaching English and History, I came to the conclusion an edible 3D map could make for a fine visual aid. I mean, what better way to have students excited about learning other than bribing them with an object lesson they can slice and eat?  

Pulling the project off and later waxing poetic about it is one of the reasons for the manuscript. Although,  it's the contents inside I'd like to expand upon. Even if it took a couple of months to bring to surface.

Strawberry cake with a surprise element should definitely be a thing. Performatively in contrast from the fault line production featured a couple of years ago, this recipe is a derivation sourced off an extensive Google search( read: cycling the web for hours and losing focus) and slightly different owing to the surprise ingredient. 

Most of us agree berries are fairly delicious solo. Likewise, a sticky reduction imparts pure fruit flavor, and sets the line between cakes made with chopped fruit and those expansively infused. In addition, experimenting with a harmonious accent or two could take it to another level. 

So, before we forward on, let me introduce you to today's game changer. In case you'd never come across powdered hibiscus, come over and say hi!

The burgundy powder has amazing cranberry -like notes. Tart and ever so floral, a spoonful results in a hmm... factor, leading you to speculate whether strawberries alone can reach such depth. The synthesis of the two create deep rosa-pink and the prettiest crumb, worthy of grand centerpiece glory.

These are dimensions we don't normally predict in baking, where vanilla and chocolate run the flavor gamut. Such interventions from techniques/elements render unique and rather lovely compilations, breathing life into routine cake menus.

In all hopes, today's script should encourage you too, maybe in similar manner, to model your own rendition of the earth from the list below.

Although, I'll tell you, the blueprint can be just as enjoyable in a 13x9 sheet cake and/or layered round.

Cake~

Ingredients:

(Adapted from Live Well Bake Often)

• 3 ¼ cups quartered fresh strawberries with stems removed
• 3 cups cake flour 
• 1 tbsp hibiscus powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup  buttermilk (at room temperature)
• ¼ cup canola (or vegetable) oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 drops red liquid food coloring (optional)
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)

Directions:

• Make the strawberry puree: place quartered strawberries in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Pour the  puree into a large saucepan and stir over medium heat. Cook until the mixture has reduced to ¾ cup, stirring so it doesn’t burn. This will take about 8-10 minutes. 
• Remove from the heat, scoop the reduced strawberry puree into a heat-proof bowl, and set aside to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the flour, hibiscus powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
• In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 3/4 cup of strawberry puree, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, food coloring(if using) together until well combined.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy and pale.
• Beat in the eggs, scraping bowl between each addition.
• In three increments add in the dry ingredients with the wet, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix between additions until just combined, avoiding overbeating.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Place pans on wire racks for 10 minutes then invert onto racks to cool completely.
• Once cooled decorate as desired or wrap in plastic wrap  and freeze until ready to assemble and frost.

Strawberry- hibiscus buttercream frosting~

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp strawberry puree
• ½ tsp hibiscus powder
• 2-3 tbsp heavy cream

Directions:

• Mix butter and sugar on medium in a stand mixer. Beat until pale.
• Add strawberry puree, hibiscus powder and cream. Beat mixture on medium- high beat until light and creamy.
• Mix in cream by tablespoons and beat to preferred consistency.

Assembly:

If doing a layer cake, smooth frosting on the tops of one cake and stack the second one over the other. Frost the sides and top of the layered cake with the remaining icing. 

Notes: No cake flour? No problem. Start with one level cup of AP flour, remove two tablespoons of the flour, and add two tablespoons of cornstarch in its place.

Cutting cake. If you look closely, you can see the the cutest "Don't Touch " sign one of my students made .

Layered in whipped cream and Oreo crumbles.

For instructions on making an earth cake, click here.

I hope to be on track in sharing some of the cakes I've done in the past months and portions from the unremitting flow of recipes in mental queue.

2020: vanilla cake with rasgulla filling

2019: cake with caramel fudge filling

2018: easy butter chicken

2017: coconut ice cream

2016: oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

2015: steamed dumplings with chili dipping sauce

2014: homemade pastry tarts

2013: baked chaat masala fries

2012: tender coconut lychee pudding

******

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

    the world, and all who live in it;

2 

for he founded it on the seas

    and established it on the waters."- Psalm 24:1-2

Caramel cake/Chess cake

For those of you who sense a lack of design and artistry skills, particularly in the baking department, this might be a project to consider. mentioning not, the terribly good fluff of crumb the above structure beholds.

In actuality today's guide is about fashioning caramel cake, together with two frostings, that make it worth writing love letters into the ethos to. The grandmaster exterior housing is justly furnished with an interior of plush cloud.

Furthermore, we can agree it's the inside that matters, a reasoning that extends to innumerable life principles/people/places/ things and the like. 

In my unrelenting opinion a baked good is way better when caramel infiltrates it in multiple ways. Burnt sugar condiments are a stupendous way to create dessert  magic.

If anything, please don't see it as an exhaustive task. I suppose it would seem so, once you glance at the product list of things to gather, whip, bake and assemble. Fear not, they're nothing more than pantry staples; collab-ing to produce stupendous results.

Alternatively, this could b a minimalist baker's paradise, in that it's excellent in naked form. Though, I would goad you to go the whole nine: cake, frosting et all, in finale releasing your fiercest pastry van Gogh.

Baking and assembling chess cake was unforgettable, in my experience. We were in the throes of Covid and I had too many things on my plate(literally :)). Default survival mode was directly in line with the impact of leftover prospects and cake shaving quantities.

For the caramel~
Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 can condensed milk

Directions:

• Place sugar  in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Using a spoon or spatula, gently whisk the sugar.
• Allow the sugar mixture to come to a brown and turn a dark amber in color( Coca-cola color is how I like to describe the end result)
• Take off heat and stir in butter.
• Mix in condensed milk. Stir until combined.
• Return to stovetop and cook on medium for a further two minutes.

For the cake~

Ingredients:

(cake recipe adapted from Liv for Cake)

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs 
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup caramel
• 1 cup milk 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease and flour 2 9" inch cake pans. I used 2 12"'x12" pans for the cake here and doubled the recipe.
• In a large bowl, sift together, flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and beat on high until creamed and well combined.
• Beat in the vanilla and caramel until incorporated.
• Add flour and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with milk. Scrape bowl with spatula as and when needed.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, ur until toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.
• Leave cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Vanilla caramel frosting:
I added two tablespoons of caramel to my vanilla buttercream and added 1-2 teaspoons of cream.

Chocolate caramel frosting:
I added three tablespoons of caramel to my chocolate buttercream and reduced the amount of cream to 1 tbsp.

Notes: 

Caramel thickens as it cools. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Heat in the microwave before each use.

The top portion of the game board was made of white chocolate/black candy melts. However, I spent so much time on molds and fondant/gumpaste, that I could not leave those pieces out.

Chess molds can be found on Amazon. The pandemic situation caused delay in shipments, and I was forced to make gelatin molds. By the time, I engineered king to pawn, my Prime parcel arrived a day prior to cake delivery.

Check out Rosanna Pansino's  tutorial on how to make a chess cake

Grandmaster customer

 Checkmate and eat cake. The smart chap who ordered this cake has been a faithful client three years in a row.

  Hopefully, I'll work my way up to being his wedding baker.  

Rubik's Cube and The Pig...a few of his favorite things.

2018: Caramel fudge filling

2017: Jalapeno cheese bread

2016: Spaghetti with scallops and salami

2015: Steamed dumplings

2014: Pastry tarts

2013: Chaat fries

2012: Battenberg cake

******

"You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins." Psalm 85:2

Vanilla cake with rasgulla filling

With the innumerable cake stories told here, and throngs, in cue, waiting to be published, whipping up a cake on impulse, is quite genuinely, a piece of cake for me (yes, I'm having fun, please)).

Furthermore, if you're like me and give in to the fact that every day of life warrants a cause for such treats, you can never really hold back from delivering. In addition, when your eyes and ears are open to diverse methods, modes, and means on how you can achieve this goal, with evenly matched fortitude and fervor, nirvana takes on a whole new meaning.

Cake and rasgulla should definitely be an essential part of fusion food conversation. It's an intriguing combination of two potent forces in dessert culture, one of world renown, the other making its way to it from the Indian subcontinent. The one does not exalt itself over the other. As a young taster explained, "there could not be a more necessary pairing."

Three ingredients is all it takes to create fancy mithai from soured milk, and save you one less grocery commitment.

Insert Tisa's master tip here: make the rasgullas at least a day in advance of cake baking. It solves major stress issues stemming from way too many tasks and no time to do them, despite the fact that these days you have all the time in the world. 

For assembly purposes, any complementing flavor of cake would do. The idea of a fluffy, yellow cake saturated with the juice of the gulla is highly appealing to me. Moreover, subtle, vanilla scented layers responsibly housing gobs of moist confection to enliven its crumb is unbeatably epic. 

Mind you, this is not a rasgulla flavored cake See it as the grandest calling for cake, in gateau- ish frame, with a bevy of paneer meat gutting it's soul.

Subsequently, it takes well to a spritz of syrup and rum and serves substantially tasty as a leftover staple.

Let it speak to you...as one that guts your soul could only and invariably do. 

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ tbsp baking powder
• ½ cup salted butter
• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain yoghurt 
• ¼ cup water
• about 15-20 rasgullas, separated from syrup
• ½ cup rasgulla syrup
• 2 tsp rum
• 1 batch vanilla frosting

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 8" round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment.
• Whisk flour and baking powder in a large bowl. 
• In a stand mixer, on medium- high speed,  beat, butter, oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Reduce mixer speed, add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla.
• In a large measuring cup, whisk together yoghurt and water until combined.
• Beat the flour mixture into the batter, alternating with the yoghurt mixture, in three batches, beginning and ending with flour.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly golden on top and toothpick inserted in centers come out clean.
• Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.
• In the meantime, cut about 7 rasgullas into halves or thirds.
• Stir together syrup and rum. Lightly drizzle the syrup mixture over the tops of both cakes.
• Allow the syrup to fully seep through before spooning on more.
• Frost the top of one cake with buttercream. Place 6-8 halved rasgullas on top of the frosted cake. Top with the second cake.
• Fully frost sides of stacked cake. Decorate as desired. Garnish with remaining rasgullas.

Vanilla buttercream: 
Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• 3-5 cups confectioner's powdered sugar, sifted (depending on stiffness and consistency)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 tbsp heavy cream

Vanilla buttercream:

Directions:

• Place butter in a bowl. Beat on high until softened and pale in color.
• On lowest speed, gradually add your powdered sugar, until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
• Increase to medium speed again and add vanilla extract.
• Pour in cream, one tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency.

 Notes~
I do not add the cardamom when I make the rasgullas for this purpose, because I don't like its flavor in cake.

There are a variety of cakes that would work in this dessert on dessert scheme. Look here, here, here, here, and here. Or just click on the recipe index tab on my home page and scroll through the "Cakes, Cupcakes, Cake Pops" section.

Roses, using Wilton 2d. The recipe for the the cashew praline( crushed and glass) right here.

2019: Caramel fudge filled cake
2018: Easy butter chicken
2017: Coconut ice cream
2016: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
2015: Like Hostess chocolate-cream cupcakes
2014: Homemade pastry tarts
2013: Upside down sticky toffee pudding
2012 : Fish pie

******

"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 

At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand" Proverbs 8:1-2

Project cake: caramel-fudge filling

This. In queue simply because I had another full time gig for much of the year. Which is why I am punching the words that came straight to my head about 90 days ago onto the screen today, before they leave me forever.

Not that I will forget how staggeringly good the combination of what I am about to report on really is.  It would be a story of how an awesome piece of cake possessed the ability to transform into something even more astounding, it deserved several repeat visits. The frosting, the filling, the flowers participate in too grand a party that you'd never ever wish to sit out on.

Getting down to the real of it, I wanted to construct something that combined two of my very favorite things onto one single plate. So this would be my ode; to cake and the decadent caramel sugar-condensed milk-butter fudge that I once fell in love with, a few many years ago that might have you gasp...wow, is she really that old(!).

As said, the cashew studded filling comes from a place of nostalgic admiration. Forged with mainly 3 ingredients, yet not a real reduction, it is simmered to a toffee-ish quality which makes everything it touches just right. 

The cake, as such, is incredibly accommodating to the thick middle that it sandwiches. Whole eggs and liquid whites evidence for a similar-to-cloud texture. In turn, you get an almost airy crumb which yields beautifully to the butter cream and fondant gild that are called to adorn it.

Take it as your cue; to flavor up/try/test/ mix/match/experiment on things that could and would spin your future cake baking endeavors out of orbit. Release that beast chef within. 

And remember to come back to tell me all about it.

I created this meadow cakescape at the onset of what I seasonally infer to as "Spring". With too many months in our Southwest Inferno-esque summer, I might consider cooking cake on the sidewalk next time. I'll tell you about it, if I don't turn to ash myself😎

Fondant not only makes things pretty, the homemade marshmallow kind actually lends nice flavor. Since I have two of the pickiest cake testers on the planet to vouch for this,  I can tell you each and every modicum of display counts and had them fighting for pieces post picture taking.

For the cake-
Ingredients:
(Adapted from Sally's baking Addiction)

• 3 and 2/3 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 cups salted butter, 
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs + 2 additional egg whites, at room temperature*
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 
• 1 and 1/2 cups well stirred buttermilk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 3 8" round cake pans.
• In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy. 
• Reduce speed and add eggs and egg whites, and vanilla extract. Increase speed and beat until pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. 
• Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with flour and fully incorporating after each addition.
• Pour into pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out  clean.
• Allow to cool in pans for 5-7 minutes, then turn onto wire rack. 

For the vanilla frosting-

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups (1 1-pound box) powdered sugar, sifted
• 4 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla 

Directions:

• Beat butter, on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
• Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.
• Pour in cream and vanilla and beat.

For the fudge filling-

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp caramel syrup
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 cup raisins(optional)
• 1/2 cup salted cashews 

Directions:

• Put first three ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan  and bring to a boil on moderate heat
• Boil for 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened, a scoop-able, but, not too dense consistency.
• Take off heat.
• Add raisins and cashews. Stir to combine well.
• Allow to cool slightly.

Assembly.

• Spread fudge filling over one cake and top with second. Spread evenly and decorate with buttercream.

Notes:

Butter, eggs, milk, cream should be at room temperature

Past Junes~
2018: Butter chicken
2017: Coconut ice cream
2014: Pastry tarts
2013: Chaat masala french fries
2012: Cannelloni

******

After reading Ruth Reichl's (food writer and past editor-in-chief of now shuttered Gourmet magazine)book, "Delicious", I think I will continue on to "Save Me the Plums." This summer I am aiming towards 10 books, 2 thus far read, one a mystery that had me sleep with lights on for several nights. I intend to visit with you more often here, maybe download a smidge of the gazillion recipes that crowd my head, to pages of my white screen. Wish me luck and, always, thank you for reading.

"And He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together." Colossians 1:17

Pineapple sponge cake with cream and cashew praline

There's some excitement when I am beginning to share with you hidden treasures and untold secrets of lifelong loves. Today might be deep. Perhaps even scandalous. Do I have your attention, please?

Remember those first stories that gave you peeks of my obsessiveness for baked cups of caramel fudge, and an ever consuming penchant for tarts. Fruit-mimicking mithai, pudding that toffees onto the mouth as well as the heart, have become staple constants throughout life. Just like some other BESTS

For more than a few years, I've known two imminent truths; 1) with my love of recipe writing-forget the wide shadows between- confessing my weaknesses on the WWW for posterity will always be a certainty. 2) the adoration for lovely, sugar bound things would increase exponentially with age and, of course, subsequent waistline- both of which have reached digits that totally freak me out. Add to this, that, if I were were thrown a choice for my last meal on earth,  no doubt, I would take cake. 

Pineapple gateau. It's gorgeous. And, I, to the day, am so very glad, that following one fateful chance encounter multiple decades ago( Ann's bakery, Kottayam, to be exact) this remained one of the absolute loves of my life- don't judge, I have several. 

It is stacked pastry, of cloud-like crumb, tossed with fruit to liven it up and and, ultimately, the catch-all of stellar desertdom. It's not as elaborate and fancy as it displays itself to be. Though, perhaps, after initial bites, you know for a fact, that the combination of components do such an A class job that it should have it's own pedestal.

In constructing your gateau, let's consider the like-ability of wet cake. I, for one, am a wet cake lover. The moist, melt-in-your-mouth feels of slightly drenched crumb is something indescribable, totally get-able and one you crave for, much of your existence.

That being said, splashing cake with liquid has its downfalls. No one wants glue-y, streaked cake. For this reason, moisteners should be sprayed or, lightly brushed on. I do the latter. For the fondant and marzipan coverings, slight dampening need to be mandate to keep any cake from getting grainy and totally dried out. 

Ideal moisteners are almost always simple sugar syrup,  maybe fruit juices and, if you're adventurous, possibly rum or brandy. You could use one or a combination of a few. Note of caution: go light on the alcohol- when eating dessert; a boozed out cake could mean a very boozed out you.

Pillowed up fresh cream takes to the show like the perfect long lost lover. It's in such situations, that a buttercream, Italian meringue, and eehhh, the gelatinous fluff in plastic tub could simply never suffice.

Golden sponge possesses a surprisingly, light interior, because - ahhh- there's not an ounce of butter in it! Health and fitness purists, are you listening?

My biggest testimony would be from The Two at home. With the stingiest appreciators on the planet, this is the most requested dessert in our home. 

Beautiful. Quite simple. Decadent enough to fancy up your life a couple notches forward. SO, then, don't you think it's worth the try?

Ingredients:
cake

• ¾cup plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tbsp cornflour
• 4 eggs
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp orange juice

 cashew praline:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup chopped cashews
• 1 tbsp softened butter

whipping cream:

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp sugar

Directions:
cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cornflour.
• In a stand mixer, using whisk attachment, beat eggs on medium, until thick, glossy and voluminous, about 2-3 minutes, on medium.
• Into the egg mixture, beat sugar, vanilla, orange juice.
• With a wooden spoon, very gently, stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, being careful not to overmix.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on depth of cake pan.

whipped cream frosting:

• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer (thoroughly cleaned and dried) fitted with a whisk attachment. 
• Once it starts to thicken, add the sugar, beating the cream until firm, stiff peaks form. 
• Don't overbeat. You may end up with homemade butter

 cashew praline:

• Line a 9 X 13 baking sheet with parchment paper
• On stovetop, over medium heat, place sugar and water in a deep sided saucepan. Melt sugar and cook stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
• Increase heat to medium-high, bring to boil, without stirring and allow sugar mixture to reach a deep golden brown.
• Remove from heat and swiftly mix in the cashews and the butter.
• Spread out evenly onto lined baking sheet. Cool completely until hard.
• Break or crush the now hardened sugar praline into small pieces.

cake assembly:

• Using a pastry brush, brush and moisten cakes with pineapple juice. If cutting into layers, spread frosting between each layer. Top one with pineapple, spread evenly, leaving a half inch off outer rim of cake. Sprinkle some of the crushed praline over this mix. Stack with next layer. Repeat. Cover entire cake with cream.
• Before it sets, sprinkle top with crushed praline, press on to sides.
• If you have leftover cream, pipe rosettes or swirls and decorate. 
• Garnish with pineapple.

notes: 
I chill my whisk and beater bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping cream. It prevents the mixture from becoming butter.
I made a double batch of whipped cream for 4 layers of cake.

******

What is strength? Often we limit the word strong to the physical or to be visibly bold, outspoken, sometimes, hurtfully so. In truth, strength can define you at your emotional, mental and physical weakest. It could mean facing your deepest fear with trembling knees. Attempting to get up. Every. Single. Morning. In the face of extreme pain, and adversity, with no glimpse of hope or human help. Yet still, the greatest show of strength is on trusting The One who knows us most. It's through that blinding valley walk, when we are at our weakest, God works in us His greatest.
Our frailty becomes ground for a limitless Almighty. Your broken becomes restored, the supernatural is more visible and viable, and your walk becomes straighter and bolder each moment, each step, each day.  You can be strong and courageous, despite where you are. You just have to know whose you are.  

"And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, most gladly, will I boast of my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 
2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Fudge tarts

During my college years, a particular bakery in our hometown (map it to India's Southernmost Kerala) was, by far, the happiest place on earth- was way before I discovered Disneyland. From an array of sweetmeats to fantastic finger foods, housed behind shiny glass displays, this spot was where you wanted to be in order to get fed well. Additionally, it was the hang to meet friends, to sip a "Sip Up" or two and supplant a week's meals with bags of rolls, pastries and sandwiches.

Ann's Bakery introduced these incredible shortcrust mini pies, known as fudge tarts,  to the Kerala bakehouse scene. 
They were the dessert epitomy of decadence for a college kid's budget.

I'd gleefully walk off with at least a dozen of these gems, at the time costing me less than Rs. 50 for a box of 12 and few decades worth of lightning metabolism.

Though not exactly what the Western world knows as fudge, the velvety chocolate candy that's sold in blocks, the "fudge" in today's tart is actually a toffee-like caramel, embedded with raisins and cashews. 

Moving far from the Kottayam original only made me long for my favorite dessert more than I could ever admit. The necessity to feed my craving led in creating my own tart of fudge.

Till date, I have made and consumed hundreds of batches.

It may not be the same, but poses as a fine imposter, and an incredibly good must try.

So, from the magic ovens of Ann's to mine, which may possibly be transferred to yours, I bring you the famous fudge tart.

Fudge Tart  Recipe:

Tart Shell:
 Readymade pie crusts work great when you're in a hurry. If you're really pressed for time you can substitute with the frozen/refrigerated tart shells. Just follow the directions on the back of packages. But if you're feeling ambitious, here's a recipe for a basic pie/tart dough.
Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 8 tbsp cold butter (1 stick)
• 2- 3 tbsp cold water

Method:

• In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt and baking powder.
• Cut butter in tablespoons and into flour mix  and pulse at 1 second intervals until butter is scattered throughout and mixture resembles cornmeal consistency.
• Sprinkle in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse with each addition until dough forms.
• Knead slightly and shape dough into two equal sized discs. Wrap individually in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for half an hour or up to one day.
• Once chilled, take one disk out of refrigerator and roll to a thickness of 1/4 ' thick. If dough is tough, allow to soften a few minutes before rolling 
• Preheat oven to 370 degrees.
• Using a medium size glass or cup with a mouth 3 inches in diameter or a cookie cutter, press into flattened dough to  make  3 inch discs.
• Press discs carefully into individual wells of muffin pans. Make sure to cover the bottom and press along 1/4 of the sides up. Repeat with remaining disc.
• Prick  a few holes in the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork.
• Bake 8- 10 minutes or until light brown in color.
• Allow to cool slightly before filling.

Fudge filling:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tbsp caramel syrup
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup salted cashews 

Method:

• Put first three ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan  and bring to a boil on moderate heat
• Boil for 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened, scoop-able, but, not too dense consistency.
• Take off heat.
• Add raisins and cashews. Stir to combine well.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Dollop a tablespoon into the baked tart shells.

These were the first pictures published with the post. Taken from my then Panasonic camera( and I'm not blaming the camera here), my abilities to frame and click food were quite limited.

Notes:

Caramel syrup:

Heat 1 cup of sugar  in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a high heat. Without stirring, just swirl pan a few times to combine. Let the sugar dissolve . Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, continue to simmer  for 8-10 minutes.Slowly swirl pan or stir with a spatula, to even out color and to keep mixture from burning. Bring the color of the melted sugar to a deep amber color( I like a near Coca Cola tint).
Turn off heat. Cool a bit and use 3-4 tablespoons for this recipe.

Leftover fudge can be refrigerated for unto 2 weeks. Once refrigerated, heat in microwave or thin out with a few drops of warm milk or cream and use as topping for ice cream, cheesecake. From spoon to mouth is quite the awesome experience too. Try not to share the spoon.

***Pictures and slight ingredient updates made 6/29/2020

The few hideous pictures I've kept on publish is just so you can see the difference in my picture taking capabilities. Though, I still have a long way to go, I think my skills have improved somewhat satisfactorily.***