Chocolate Truffle Cake with Dark Rum and Strawberries!!!

Chocolate and Strawberries and whipped cream sounds and tastes sinful. Well I made a cake with all this combination on Valentines Eve. Perfect occasion and perfect Cake makes everything just right. I surprised my husband by making  a photo cake by adding one of our pictures to the cake. Nowadays photo cakes are in vogue so i tried to make it but in a totally different manner.
Though Valentine's Day was 2 months back i am posting this recipe a little too late as the photograph of the cake was lost due to some error. now gt them back so I am posting it finally.

Chocolate Truffle Cake with Dark Rum and Strawberries

Ingredients:
1 chocolate sponge cake
100gms Dark Chocolate
100gms Milk Chocolate
1cup Cream
100gms whipped cream
5-6 Fresh Strawberries
Sugar Syrup
20ml Dark Rum (optional)

Procedure:

• You can refer to the chocolate sponge recipe in my previous post. 
• You can make the sponge on the same day or 1 day before.

To make the sugar-syrup

• Mix together 10ml water + 10ml Dark Rum along with 2tbsp sugar.
• Stir well so that the sugar dissolves well.
• Keep it aside.

Marinate strawberries in sugar syrup and rum mixture for 1 hour before decorating the cake with it.

To make the Chocolate Truffle:

• Chop both the milk and dark chocolates. Keep it in a bowl.
• Now in a pan, heat the cream until it starts boiling.

• Do not overcook
• Switch off the gas, pour the boiled cream in the bowl of chopped chocolates.

• Fold it with spatula.
• Truffle is ready for the icing.

To whip the cream:

• Make sure the cream is really cold.
• Whip the cream with a beater till it forms stiff peak.

Assembling of the cake:

• Divide the cake horizontally into 2 parts keeping the lower part thicker than the top one.
• Keep the lower part of the cake on a cake board or on a tray place over a turn-table.

• Now sprinkle some liqueur (sugar+ rum) mixture over it. 
• Now spread the truffle sauce evenly.
• Now place the other part of the cake over it.
• Sprinkle some liqueur (sugar+ rum) mixture over it. 
• Pour in the truffle sauce spreading evenly.
• Decorate it with strawberries.
• Take a icicng syringe of ur choice. decorate it with whipped cream.

Rum Truffle Balls

An exotic flavour of rum and chocolate makes you crave for this truffle balls. if u r making for kids then you can exclude the rum from it.

Rum Truffle Balls

Ingredients:
30gms Butter
200gms Dark Chocolate
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
2tbsp Rum
1 cup Cake Crumbs
50gms Chocolate Sprinklers

Procedure:

• Heat butter and cream together. (You can use double boiler or microwave it for a minute)
• Finely chop the dark chocolate.
• Pour the cream and butter mixture on top of the chopped chocolate.
• Mix well
• Now add in cake crumbs and rum.
• Mix it well.
• Refrigerate the mixture for 5-6 hours or if u r in a hurry you can keep it in the freezer for 1 hour till it becomes stiff.
• Now make it in the shape of a ball.
• Roll it over the chocolate sprinklers.
• Serve.

Basil Pesto Paneer Sandwich

I had this awesome sandwich, on the Indigo flight to Pune. Indigo has in my point of view the best assortment of foods and beverages. Basil Pesto Paneer sandwich was one among them.
Fresh basil pesto mixed with fresh homemade cottage paneer makes it a sandwich to die for. Its served cold along with ketchup or some may dressing.

Basil Pesto Paneer Sandwich

Ingredients:
3/4cup Basil Pesto
100gms Cottage Paneer
50gms Mozzarella cheese
1tbsp Chilly flakes
1tbsp Oregano
8-10 Sandwich bread slices


Procedure:

• Cut the Paneer in small cubes. 
• Take a bowl add in Basil Pesto + Mozzarella cheese + chilly flakes + Oregano + paneer cubes.
• Take bread slices apply 1tbsp full of basil pesto and paneer batter on one slices.
• Place a bread slice on top of it.
• Do the same with remaining bread slices.
• Serve with ketchup or cheese dip.

Basil pesto

Pesto is a green sauce originating in the Northern Italy. Made from Basil it gives a great flavour and a great smell too. The Pesto can be used as a dressing for salads, pasta, Sandwiches.
The pesto tastes great when made from fresh basil leaves. Its little difficult to get hold on fresh leaves, but few supermarkets do stock them.  Originally Pesto is made from Basil, but there are other variations also. You can use spinach also if Basil is not available.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:
3cups Basil
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Oil
3/4cup Parmesan Cheese
2 cloves of Garlic
1tbsp Black Pepper
1/2cup Pine Nuts
Salt to taste













Procedure:

• Take a processor, grind Pine nuts + Garlic.
• Now add in fresh bail leaves + Parmesan cheese + olive oil + black pepper + salt.
• Grind it well.
• If its too thick add in little water.
• It is ready
• You can store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• If pine nuts are not available u can use walnuts.

Makhane ki kheer

Makhana an ingredient which has no taste of itself but when added with namkeen it tastes great or if u make some desert out of it. The is especially made during Navratras. but it can be made as otherwise also as it is very light unlike the rice kheer.

Makhana Kheer

Ingredients:

1kg Milk

2 Cup Makhanas (Coarsely grinded)

1tsp Cardamom Powder

1/2 cup Mixed Nuts (Almonds + Chironji + Raisins + Cashews)

1/2 tin Milkmaid or 1/2 cup Sugar

 

Procedure:

• Coarsely grind the makhanas. Keep it aside.
• Now heat a pan , boil milk in it.
• Lower the flame after one boil.
• Let it simmer on low flame. 
• Add in cardamom powder.
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Now add in the mixed nuts.
• Follow it with makhanas.
• Mix well.
• Let it cook for another 10 minutes.
• Remove from flame.
• Serve chilled.

Kuttu ki Puri ( Navratri Vrat Special)

For Navratri Fast we have the special Flour (Aata) available in the market which is the Kuttu, Singhada and many others.

Kuttu ki Puri

Ingredients:

250gms Kattu ka Aata
1tbsp Oil
1 Boiled Potato
1tsp Aijwain
Sendha Salt to Taste
2 Green chilies
Water to knead


Procedure:

• Take a vessel, put in the dry flour in it.
• add in green chilies + aijwain + oil + salt in it.
• take some water and knead it into a soft dough.
• divide the dough into small balls.
• roll each ball into disc shape.
• heat oil to fry the puris.

Navratri Thali

I have learnt to celebrate Navratri since my childhood days. My father used to follow each every rituals relating to it. though I am a punjabi but still we have this long 9 day rituals that takes place in my house. We makes special vrat thalis for this occasion. I  hope you all will enjoy making and going through the recipe.

Navratri Thali

Ingredients:
For Aaloo Tamatar ki sabji:

5 medium sized potatoes (Boiled)
4 medium-sized tomatoes (Finely Chopped)
2 green chilies
1tsp Ginger Paste
Sendha namak to taste
1tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Red chilly powder
1tsp Cumin powder
1tbsp Coriander powder
Fresh Coriander
2tbsp oil or Ghee


For the Lauki Ka Raita:
250gms Yogurt
1/2 cup Lauki (Grated and Boiled)
Sendha Salt (Vrat)
1tsp Cumin Powder
1tsp Red Chilly Powder
1tsp Black Pepper Powder
1 cup Water
 (in total)


For the Kadu ki Sabji:
500gms Pumpkin (Kadu)
1tbsp Mustard Seeds (Rai)
2 Whole Red Chilies
7-8 Curry leaves
2 Green Chilies
1tsp Ginger Paste
2tbsp Desi Ghee
Sendha Salt to taste
1tbsp Cumin Powder
1tbsp Coriander Powder
1tsp Garam Masala powder
1tsp Sugar
1tsp Mango Powder (amchur)
Fresh Coriander


For the Kheer:
1kg Milk
100gms Swaang ke chawal
50gms Sabudana
1cup Sugar
1/2tsp Cardamom Powder
1/2cup Mixed Nuts(Almonds+ Pistachios+ Cashews+ Raisins)

For the Puri:
250gms Kattu ka Aata
1tbsp Oil
1 Boiled Potato
1tsp Aijwain
Sendha Salt to Taste
2 Green chilies
Water to knead

Procedure:
For the Aaloo tamatar ki sabji:

• Heat ghee in kadahi, add in cumin seeds, when it stops cluttering add in chopped tomatoes.
• Add in green chillies and ginger.
• Mix well. Saute till the tomatoes starts to leave oil.
• Add in salt + cumin powder + coriander powder + turmeric powder + red chilly powder.  Mix well.
• Cook until the tomatoes are cooked well.
• Now add in the cubed potatoes. 
• Add in 3 cups of water and the chopped coriander.
• Let this cook on low flame.
• Remove from flame.
• Serve with poori.

For the Lauki Ka Raita:

• Peel the Lauki.
• Grate it.
• Now take a pan, add in grated lauki and 1/2 cup water in it.
• Let it boil.
• After 8 minutes remove lauki from water and keep it aside to cool down.
• After 10 minutes when lauki is cooled down take a bowl.
• Add in yogurt + sendha salt + cumin powder + red chilly powder + black pepper powder.
• Whisk all this well.
• Add little water if you think that the consistency is too thick.
• Add in the boiled grated lauki.
• Mix it.
• Serve chilled.

For Kadu ki Sabji:

• Clean and wash the pumpkin.
• Now chop it into thin slices.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add in mustard seeds + curry leaves + whole red chilies.
• Then add in chopped Green Chilies + Ginger paste.
• When it stops to clutter, add in sliced pumpkin into the kadahi.
• Mix well.
• Now add in sendha namak.
• Let the pumpkin cook on low flame.
• It will take around 20-25 minutes to cook the pumpkin well.
• Keep stirring from time to time.
• After 25 minutes add in Cumin powder + Coriander powder + Garam Masala powder + Sugar + Red chilly powder + Amchur.
• Mix all this well.
• Let it cook on low flame again for 10-15 minutes.
• If required add little water.
• Put fresh coriander.
• Serve hot.

For the Kheer:

• Soak Sabudana and Swang ke chaawal in water for 3-4 hours before making the kheer.
• Boil milk in  a pan. and lower the flame.
• Add in cardamom powder. Let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Then add in the soaked rice and soaked sabudana.
• This rice will take time so be patient and keep stirring the kheer for 25-30 minutes.
• If it gets too thickened then add in more milk.
• After it is cooked add in mixed nuts and sugar.
• Mix it well.
• Let it be on low flame for another 10 minutes.
• Remove from flame. 
• Serve chilled.

For the Puris:

• Take a vessel, put in the dry flour in it.
• add in green chilies + aijwain + oil + salt in it.
• take some water and knead it into a soft dough.
• divide the dough into small balls.
• roll each ball into disc shape.
• heat oil to fry the puris.

Assembling of the Thali:

• Take a steel thali, place four steel bowl on it\
• Pour in aaloo tamatar ki sabji in onw katori, kadu ki sabji in another one. 
• Raita in one and kheer in the remaining one.
• Serve the Thali hot with Katu ke Aate ki puris.