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Chocolate rants part 1

You say potato, I say cacao!

I've been refrained from being intimate on this particular topic of enlightening  the chocolate lovers on the background and birth to every bite you take, every move you make to all the weight watching you fake. It'll be an attempt at a  intellectual yet entertaining journey of chocolates and ofcourse, the brands I love! It's going to be a series of yadda yadda on the life of our beloved cacao which we  very casually refer to as "Kuch metha hojae!"(let's have something sweet) Which is ironic cause I love my blend of 70% finest south american beans..my absolute bitter sweet indulgence with a massive cup of american breakfast tea..Oh dear...must control... emotions.

You know what they say...I'm sure you do. However, what you don't know is what I'm about to rant. Several years ago this earth was found bearing the beans from the tree call Theobroma cacao, the original source of chocolate. Theobroma literally  translates to "food of the gods"  in greek.
You hear me? no? I'm sure you don't. Try and feel it buddy..cause it only gets better on this blog. There are dozens of interpretations on what the three C's really mean. It started off from the olmec people which literally means rubber people (more on that someday at my house for tea?) which is now mexico and is believed as the original name of the plant. We will learn later on how chocolate's journey is traced from the land of the maya in central america to spain and rest of europe, and then back across the atlantic to the united states.
Cacao is the only word ever used in the hispanic languages to describe what english speakers thinks of as cocoa. Some say it was spelt wrong, others claim it was easier to pronounce which suprisingly  took over the original. This was for the left side of your membrane and now for the right side.. Cacao is the bean  from the cacao pods that look like large american football sized fruits grow off the trunk and limbs of the cacao tree inside which you find cacao beans.
The harvest,fermented and dried beans that are cleaned and roasted where the shells are then removed to make the cacao nibs. The nibs are ground to cocoa mass. Cocoa is also known for the processed.  The Cocoa mass which is usually liquefied then molded with or without ingredients is called chocolate liqour, which can be separated into cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
Chocolate is formed by combining the cocoa butter and cocoa powder in varies amounts with or without other ingredients.

Bored? I hope not!! cause here comes the recap!
Cacao for the plant and all it's products before processing, cocoa after processing and chocolate is the fine mama blend.

Sadly, I have no pictures of the initial processes  of chocolate making  of my own to share at the moment however, to thank you for getting through the  first post on chocolate without pulling your hair out.. below are some saliva teasing delicacies made at ICCA Dubai

Until next time

weight fluctuating-ly yours,

A xx

Photo credit: Pauline Benzon Tana

Photo rights reserved : ICCA DUBAI 2012

Sweet Victory- Crepe Suzzete

Beginners Delight

It was pretty clear how victorious my experience was with my last post. Crepes are probably one of the world's most desired delicacies. What's even more crazy interesting is the invention of crepes. Henri Carpentier a 14 year old assistant waiter during 1895 in Monte carlo Cafe was preparing a desert for then prince, King Edward VII of England where this delicacy that was originally called crepes princess was accidently made due to the burning incident of the chafing dish in which the dessert was being prepared, anxious Henri took a bite of his accidental dish and couldn’t believe what the flame had created. It was then served to the king with great feedback. During the meal the King had politely requested to change the name to Crepes Suzette. Just like the king, we are eternally grateful that his hard work caught on fire.

Start cooking!!

Crepe Suzette Ingredients:

Plain flour - 1.5 cups (shifted)

Eggs- 2
Butter- 50g

Pinch of salt

Caster sugar- 1tbsp

Milk- 200 ml

Orange- Half sliced

Sauce Ingredients:

Orange juice - 2 oranges

Orange zest - 1

Small lemon - 1

Caster sugar - 1 tbsp

Unsalted butter- 50g

Recipe:

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Poke your way in the middle to make a deep dent in your dry ingredients and break the eggs into it. then whisk the eggs and flour till its incorporated well.

While mixing add milk gradually into the bowl, mix till all the lumps break and the batter becomes thin and smooth. Add little drops of orange juice to the mix. (Avoid over adding the orange as the sauce already contains enough flavour)

Now heat butter at a medium flame in a small pan. Take any access flowing butter and add your batter into the pan. Start from the center and use your pan to spread it around the pan. Remember that crepes are much thinner than the basic pancakes. To make life easier you could use a spoon to help you level it.  It shouldn't take more than 30-40 seconds to cook. Flip and cook both sides till slightly golden. I love mine crisp and dark golden.

After you've made your crepes, time to make the sauce!

Sauce:

Mix all the ingredients except butter into a bowl. In a small pan melt your butter add it too the bowl with all the ingredients. Yup yup!We're ready!!

Plate up!

Take your crepe and pour your sauce in the middle. Spread it with the help of a spoon. Now fold your crepe into two halves which will inturn give you a beautiful fan like shape. Do the same with another crepe. Your crepe is now ready to be served!

Stack one crepe above the other. Garnish by sprinkling icing sugar with a shifter and some orange sliced up.

Enjoy!!!

Burning it and flipping it-ly yours-

-A

The day my baby flew back 9/11

My baby finally flew back safely.. 9/11

Another preceding day began, my mode of excitement for work is never constant as usual yet never less than gratified. I rushed to work knowing little what this day would bring to me. Truly said, expect the unexpected. The day progressed on working through certain new project. I was occupied with setting material up in the kitchen. No thought at all. Just going with the flow.

The day flew by effortlessly. At the end my colleague and I decided to make ourselves a little treat to celebrate the end of the project . We started working on making ourselves a little some thing to satisfy our appetite. Working through the treat process and that's when it happened, my baby flew right back! Over joyed and excited; I jumped smiling ear to ear. I couldn't believe it had happened, I proudly announced it to everyone who entered the room, "Look what the day brought to me!"

After all the staring eyes ,smiling and cheers that my baby spread across the room. I took a moment alone, which held still.. baby and I just gazed at each other. I slowly caressed my hand on the soft golden skin which triggered a certain indescribable spark inside of me. 

Like fat burger with double cheese, like a sip of cold coke with a huge bite of biryani, like cold air creeping in through your blanket in a winter night,like diet coke with stuffed crust pizza, like the new shoe in store, like a bucket of triple chocolate ice cream on a lazy night...Like harry met sally.. Yes! Like harry met sally.. Except this was the ending, I gently picked up the ganache pot that was prepared earlier as part of the "treat" and poured chocolate all over my baby... Lots of it, couldn't care less what anyone thought. I stared at how the ganache dripped from ends of the shoulders. My baby sat there gloriously.

My senses couldn't wait to get hold of every part that held that glazing chocolate. I stepped away a little, while my baby layed there smothered in rich creamy chocolat. I slowly moved towards my colleague, leaned over her to pick up the fork and a knife lying behind her... I nervously approached my baby and gently cut through my baby. Today was the day my baby crepe flipped tossed in the air and right back into the arms of my pan. After several tries, finally, here we are. What an end to my day.

I will forget you not 9/11


Watch out for diy baby in ganache ;)

-A xx

Beef / Chicken Gourmet burger

In one of my classes I made Beef gourmet and my classmate made Chicken gourmet burgers. For those who don't like Beef, you can follow the exact same recipe for a great homemade gourmet burger!:)

We also sauted Red Cabbage with a few other ingredient for extra flavors to our burger

Add Olive oil to a pan and pop in sliced red Cabbage,salt,red chili flakes honey,vinegar,lemon drops and coriander seeds to the pan.

Ingredients

150 g Mince- Beef or Chicken

1/4 onion- minced

cheddar cheese- Slice or shredded

1 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp red chili

1tsp salt

Mustard paste

Method

Add onion,coriander seeds,red chili,honey and mustard paste to you minced Beef/Chicken. Mix well.

Make a patty of your mix and make a whole right in the center and stuff your cheese in it for a suprise burst of cheese at half way through!:D. Do not go all the way through ,as that could lead to the cheese melting away while cooking(yes, happened to me:( ) Regardless, you could always cover with extra meat at the bottom. Even then mine broke, I'm a bit clumsy like that!

Fry your burger mix in oil. Cover with lid for the buger to cook in steam. Keep a check and flip the burger one its nicely cooked.

For sides:

French fries/wedges

Boil your potato, to make them soften. peel the potato. I'd liek a little skin on for a traditional flavor and texture. Cut them up the way you like it wedge style or french style. Deep fry and sprinkle salt,pepper and red chilli

Plate up!

Oh dear so much to choose from! the ketchup and mayo are essential . Take a look at my Mayo ozzing Beef burger in and out and My class mate's Beautiful Chicken gourmet with ozzing cheese in the middle!

Bonn Appetite

Dripping drooling ozzing -ly yours!

-A-

Chocolate Ricotta/ Paneer pot

If you remember how we made the mixture for the cannoli and if you've tried that,than this one will be almost ctrl + c and ctrl + v :)!

Traditionally this dish is usually cooked in an oven, but my post is alot easier and less time consuming. Recipe ahead

Ingredients

1/2 pat paneer

150g chocolate

1 Pear (slice quarter and mince half) eat the rest

2tbsps crea,

2tbsps honey

2 tbsps sugar

1 tbsps almonds (alternative: pine nuts)

2 tbsp flour

Dusting : Icing sugar

Method:

Caramalizing pear:

Add sugar and melt it in you saute pan.

Add your sliced pear with 1tbsp of honey and pinch of chili flakes and stir it and cover your pear and cook till it changes color.

Mixture:

First melt the 150 g unsweetned chocolate in a pan. Instead of using a ban-maire make your life easier by just breaking you chocolate into a pan and melt it on a medium heat and keep an eye on it to avoid burning it.

In a bowl add the half pat of paneer .(add lovely essence to the dessert) and mix it

Add your diced pear and 1tbsp of honey into the bowl and mix well

Add 2 tbsp of fresh cream

Add the melted chocolate into the bow and gentely FOLD. Don't worry about the chunky bits,try and break a little bit. rest will just add to the texture.

Add 2-4 tbsp of flour again depending on the texture you desire and fold everything together.

Now, add that to your pot and cover it with a newspaper and use a thread around it to hold it. My teacher helped me use a rubberband(Rubberbands creep me out...let's not go there) for those of you weirdos like me you could use a thread to hold the newspaper together.

Fill a saute pan with water and place your pot/pots in boiling water and cover with a lid. Let it heat and cook in steam. The newspaper will absorb all the moisture. Remove once you notice alot of  moisture releasing.

Plate up!!

I used cream in the center and almonds for garnish also used the caramalized pear as you can see. play with your creative senses and blow your self away! this dish is better served after it's chilled.

You can also bake it for a slightly harder and baked texture of your dessert. If you want a rising you could add 2 tsp of baking powder to your mixture and into the oven. You're garaunteed to get a rising finish

Cannoli a little devilish

Cannolo is a sicilian pastry dessert. They are also popular in Italian American cuisine and in united states known as a italian pastry. Cannoli are tube-shaped shells fried in pastry dough,filled with something sweet and creamy.Traditionally ricotta cheese  is one of the main ingredients in the filling along with whipped cream.

This recipe has a slight twist from how it's originally made and one of its special ingredient would be my biggest affair in life.

Making it is a slight lenghty process but yet again an easy one. I'd suggest when making anything specially desserts have your indgreditents measured out and kept ready for preparation.

Before we proceed to the recipe, let me introduce you to my guilty pleasure and like I said biggest affair in life. Meet Chocolate:) who's had a million billion affairs since  it first belonged to the ancient civilizations who considered chocolate as precious as gold.Well, almost. It found its way to Europe and thanks to Josephy Fry & son who invented the first chocolate candy bar; Since then bribing every age group has become so much easier!

That was a brief of it's history as for my affair...that would take an entire post which I will share sometime soon!:) Recipe time!!

Fusion Chocolate Cannoli

Ingredients:

Bowl of flour (method includes measurements)

1.5 tbsp butter

1tsp vinegar

100 ml water

oil for frying

1 pear (mince half)

150g unsweetened cooking chocolate

2tbsps honey

1.5 tsp red chili flakes

1.5 tsp cumin

1/2 pat of paneer (fresh cheese)

4 tbsps Fresh cream(recommended to keep more incase)

Icing sugar

Method:

Preparing the filling:

First melt the 150 g unsweetned chocolate in a pan. Instead of using a ban-maire(double boiler) make your life easier by just breaking you chocolate into a pan and melt it on a medium heat and keep an eye on it to avoid burning it.

In a bowl add the half pat of paneer .(add lovely essence to the dessert) and mix it

Add your diced pear and 1tbsp of honey into the bowl and mix well

Add 2 tbsp of fresh cream

Add the melted chocolate into the bow and gentely FOLD. Don't worry about the chunky bits,try and break a little bit. rest will just add to the texture.

You could add extra cream depending on the thickness you want. I used about 4 tbsp. You need not worry about mixing well, just fold. The bits of cream that you might notice will also at texture to the mixture.

Preparing the crust

Separate an egg white and beat it well

Add 4 Tbsp of flour to a separate mixing bowl

Add the beaten egg to the 4 tbsp of flour and mix

add 4 tbsp of flour and add 50 ml of water. Mix

Add 2 tbsp of icing sugar while mixing the dough

Add 2 tbsp of flour and rest 50 ml of water and mix

To examine if your dough is ready, poke your finger into the batter and make sure that the mixture doesnt stick to your finger. If it does add 2 more tbsp of flour.

In total I used 12 tbsp of flour

Essentially 4 tbsps are used but now you need to test your skills to make the right dough. Pull of little batter and roll it out on your board till you can see through the dough; Need not make it too large.. Specially for a first try don't stress on the shape too much, you'll get around to it.

Tricky one. How to maintain the shape of the cannoli. Don't have the cannoli shaper? Use something simpler and at home! We decided to make a cannoli shaper out of a disposal foil box and roll the batter on the foil shaping a canolo

See what I mean?

Take a deep frying pan. Let the oil heat up and careffuly place the roll in the pan. You'll see it browning, don't let it burn just try and get the crisp texture on it.

Canolo may fry very quick don't over fry it else it'll become soggy. You'd want to maintain the crisp texture for serving.

After taking out the cannolo from the fryer, carefully pull out the foil; Don't wait too long for the cannolo to cool completely, a fearless act and pull out the foil while it's still a little hot.

Fill your canolli with the mixture with a pipping bag or just by using a spoon. I used a spoon.

Plate up!!

Bon Apettite:)!

Chocolate drippingly yours

-A-