Black Forest Cake

Was quite destined to make a black forest cake that looks like the one from a bake shop and after 2 attempts i think i was close to my Goal.:-).I followed Emeril 's recipe for the Cake .check out this link for more detail. http://www.emerils.com/recipe/3088/Black-Forest-Cake.

This one uses 8 eggs.so the cake was really soft.

If you cant get Kirsch(Clear cherry brandy) for the filling.Pit some cherries and make a sugar syrup with it.Here's the recipe for the syrup.

Pitted cherries-2 cups

Water-2 cups

Sugar-2 cups

Rum-4 teaspoons.

Boil sugar and water in a sauce pan.Once sugar is dissolved add cherries.Cover over low heat stirring occasionaly.Once the cherries are really mushy remove from heat and add the Rum/brandy.Drain the syrup from the cherries ,cool and then store them in a closed jar.

After all the experment to make a picture perfect cake these were my learnings..

1. Make the froasting 1 day earlier and store in the refrigerator.

2.Soak the cake really well in the syrup.Because the cake as such does not have much sugar.

3.Allow the cake to cool off after you take them from the oven.You can refrigerate them for an hour so its easy to cut them into layers without breaking them.

4.Refrigerate the decorated cake for a miminum of 4 hrs so that its well set.

5.While whipping the cream for the frosting add Gelatin.It binds the frosting well and prevent from being watery.Boil 1/4 th of a cup of water and put 2 teaspoons of gelatine.Cool the mix and pour it to the frosting mix at room temperature.

Cabbage in Garlic and soy sauce!

This was an innovation by my MIL for her cabbage-carrot-beetroot baby..yes for my Hubby dearest:-)if not for this recipe i would have ended up making the same thorans again and again...but here's the break!

Cabbage cubed- 2cups

Onion cubed-1 medium

Garlic-5 cloves thinly sliced

Green chilly-4-5nos

Soy Sauce-4-5 tablespoon

Pepper-1 tablespoon

Salt-if needed

Oil for cooking

Heat oil in a saute pan until hot . Saute onions and garlic with a little salt over medium heat.Once done add the cabbage,green chilles and pepper ..then cover and cook. Once cooked add soysauce and stir just until the cabbage is wilted.Remove from heat.

Mango LASSI

Here's more with the queen of fruits..Mango lassi ..a great way to cool off and quench you thirst!!

Mango sliced and cubed-1 cup
Yogurt-1 cup
Ice cubes-5-6nos

Sugar-2-4 tablespoons
Cardamom crushed-3 nos
Pulse all the ingredients in your blender until pureed.Serve cold.
DONE:-).

Note:-We can add 1/4-1/2 cup of chilled water to the Lassi depending on our preference for thickness/consistency.

Another Veggie delight...

This is an interesting Veggie Combo prepared by my buddy 'Su' of Idayz....
.... just loved this!
Follow this link for the Cocktail thoran as she puts it http://idayz.blogspot.com/2008/04/cocktail-thoran-snow-peas-black-eyed.html