Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients:

For Chocolate Ganache
4 oz of Semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 Cup Heavy cream
1/2 Tsp instant coffee granules (optional)

For Chocolate Mousse
8 oz Semisweet chocolate chip 
2 Tbs Butter 
2 Tbs Brewed coffee 
1 cup Cold Heavy whipping cream 
1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract

For Chocolate Cake 


Preparation:

For Chocolate Ganache
In a saucepan bring heavy cream to boil, switch of the flame and pour it into a bowl.
Add chocolate chips and coffee to cream and mix it until gets a smooth silky texture. Keep aside.

For Chocolate Mousse
Take semi sweet chocolate chip, butter and coffee in heat proof bowl.
Put that bowl on top of simmering water saucepan or double boiler. Make sure that water is not touching to the bottom of the top bowl. Melt the chocolate completely and stir continuously. Remove it from double boiler and let it cool completely for about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile whip the cream. Take cold heavy whipping cream in a bowl.
Whip it till you get soft peaks using hand mixer or stand mixer or by hand with wire whisk.
Add vanilla extract.
If melted chocolate mixture is cooled completely, add third of whipped cream to it and fold in gently. (We do not want to deflate the whipped cream.)
Then add another third of cream and fold. Then add remaining whipped cream and fold gently. It will be very airy in texture.

Now its time to assemble all three.

In a turn table keep the cake upside down, put half of the chocolate mousse and spread evenly.Then add rest of the mousse and spread again evenly creating a flat top.

Now pour the chocolate ganache on top it. If its require spread the ganache with a spatula.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 2-3 hour to allow the cake to set before serving.

Ravioli in Mushroom Walnut Sauce

Ingredients:

12 oz  cooked Ravioli

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

3tbs cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup whole milk

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms and walnuts until mushrooms are golden brown. Add heavy cream stir frequently for 5 minutes, until sauce has slightly thickened. When cream stops simmering, turn heat to warm. Add pepper and Parmesan cheese; stir until sauce is smooth. Do not boil.

Drain ravioli and place on a serving plate. Pour sauce over pasta. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Pizza

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough: Makes  three medium pizzas 

1 cups warm water

1 package (2 teaspoons) of active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Ingredients 

Olive oil

Parchment paper (to slide the pizza onto the pizza stone)

Tomato sauce (purée) or marinara sauce

Mozzarella, shredded

Mushrooms, thinly sliced

Bell peppers, stems and seeds removed, thinly sliced

Black olives sliced

Chopped fresh basil

Preparation:

In a bowl add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let that sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar.  Add water to the flour mix and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour.

Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with damp cloth. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours .After 1 hour remove the damp cloth from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in three parts. Form round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with damp cloth and let sit for another 1 hour (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, and then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas

Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F .

Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza.

Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Else roll the dough with a pizza roller. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip.

Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

  

Transfer prepared flattened dough to the parchment paper.  

Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

  

Place the parchment paper gently on the pizza stone. Bake pizza one at a time until the crust is browned and the cheese is golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you want, toward the end of the cooking time you can sprinkle on a little more cheese.

Ravioli

  Ingredients:

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, finely chopped

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh Italian parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup bread crumb

1 Package wanton wrap

Preparation:

In a medium skillet, cook fresh mushrooms in hot oil over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. Add parsley, and garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine egg yolk, bread crumb, ricotta cheese, and mushroom mixture.

Place 1 table spoon of the mushroom mixture in a wanton wrap. brush the four sides of wrap with water and gently fold the wrap to make a triangle shape ravioli. 

Boil enough water with enough salt. Add oil to the boiling water then place the ravioli in the boiling water for 5-6 minutes, or until they float.

Masala Chicken

Ingredients 

Chicken - 800 gm

Cloves - 4

Green Cardamom - 4

Cinnamon - 1 1/2''

Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Thick Cream - 1/4 Cup

Tomato – 1/2 small size, chopped

Onion – 1 small size, sliced

Sugar -1/2 tsp. for caramelize

Meat Masala – 1 tsp

Tomato paste – 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Few chopped coriander leaves

Grind to a Paste 

Onion - 1 medium

Ginger - 2''

Garlic - 7 flakes

Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry Red Chillies – 2

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation

In a grinder/food processor add all the ingredients mentioned under grind to a paste and make a fine paste by adding required amount of water.

Take half of the ground paste and marinate the chicken. Keep for 20 min  to 30 min.

Heat oil in a kadhai/pan, add sugar and wait until sugar gets brown in color, add clove, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel seed and let them splutter.

Add sliced onion and sauté until it turns brown.

Now add the other half of the ground paste and fry for 2-3 min in medium flame.

Add the marinated chicken pieces with marinade and meat masala mix well.

Add salt and stir fry for 7-8 min on high flame.

Add 1/2 cup water, mix well and let it come to boil.

Cover and cook n simmer for 20-25 min until the chicken pieces are cooked through.

Check in between to ensure the contents are not sticking to the bottom.

Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix and cook by covering the lid again for 5-6 min in medium flame.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice/pulao/roti/chapati/paratha/naan...enjoy..:-)

Mushroom Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 1 cup, washed and soaked for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Mushrooms – 8 oz, sliced thick
Water – 2 cups
Salt – 1 tsp
Lemon/Lime Juice – 2 tsp
Oil – 1 Tbsp
Bay Leaf – 1
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Green Cardamom – 2
Cloves – 4
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Onion – 1/2 cup, chopped
Ginger – 1 Tbsp, minced
Garlic – 1 Tbsp, minced
Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Biryani Masala - 1 tsp

Chicken Masala - 1 tsp

Fried Onion – 1 handful

Red Chili Powder – to taste
Frozen Green Peas – 1/2 cup, thawed
Red /Green Bell Pepper – 1/2, chopped

Direction:

 Bring Water to a boil in a sauce pan with a lid and turn off the stove.

 Add Salt and Lemon/Lime Juice and stir.

 Add sliced Mushrooms, stir, cover and allow to steep while working on the rest of the process  about 15 mins)

 Heat Oil in a non-stick pan with a cover.

 Add Bay Leaf, Cinnamon Stick, Green Cardamom and Cloves. Cook for 30 seconds.

 Add Cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle.

 Add Onions and cook for 1-2 minutes until translucent.

 Add Ginger and Garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

 Strain and reserve liquid from Mushrooms.

 Add strained Mushrooms to the pan and cook until Mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized.

 Drain water from the rice and add soaked rice to the pan.

 Add Garam Masala, Biryani Masala, Chicken Masala and Red Chili Powder.

 Mix well and cook for 1 minute until Rice is coated with the oil and spices.

 Add Green Peas and Bell Pepper and mix well.

 Time to add in Mushroom Water to the pan and put the whole rice mixture to the rice cooker. Add  fried Onion on top and let the rice cook.

 Serve hot with Raita, plain yogurt and/or salad.

Banana walnut bread

• Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork 
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl, set aside. 

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour egg and vanilla into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. The banana bread is best if served with vanilla ice-cream.