Diabetic Cookies - Eggless

My dad has diabetes...Ever since he was diagnosed with diabetes he loves sweets even more...
So i though why not try something healthy, sweet(sugar substitute), low calorie too..

I took the recipe for yo yo cookies from sharmi's passion...do check out sharmi's blog...she has absolutely beautiful collection of recipes with lovely photos .

I transformed that recipe to make healthy cookies with sugar substitute :)

Here is my recipe :)

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Sugarfree natura - 4 tbspn
Amul lite butter - 125 gms
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Vanilla flavoured custard powder - 1/4 cup



Method

Bring the lite butter to room temperature
Cream the butter with sugarfree natura and mix vanilla essence
shift custard powder and whole wheat flour and add it to the butter mixture
Now chill this dough for 20mins
Take it out and make it into small balls and flatten into 1/2inch thickness
Preheat the oven at 170C
Bake the cookies for about 15 mins.
Cool them in a wire rack and enjoy :)


I added apple green color to the cookies :P
Trust me my dad loved these cookies to the core...These are for sure lite and healthy too :)

Love,
Varshini

Caramel Pudding

I love Caramel Custard(Flan) a lot but then it is a little long process and has to be left in the refrigerator to set...I don't have patience...
That too when i was craving for caramel...

I went to dear google to find for me and found this simple recipe...
Its yummiest..if you love caramel you will die for this :P

So i took it from here
Smitten Kitchen

I halved the recipe also replaced cornstarch with Vanilla Custard powder :)

Ingredients
milk - 2 cups
Vanilla Custard Powder - 3 tbsp
vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
salt - a pinch
sugar - 1/2 cup

Method

In a bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the milk with the Vanilla Custard Powder with vanilla and salt until smooth.

In a big vessel, add the sugar with 3 tbsp of water and bring to a boil.

Cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until a deep amber caramel forms.please don't move away from the stove at all till the caramel is ready

Remove from the stove immediately...Gradually add in the 1 1/2 cups of milk.

Now the mixture turns deep dark color..which is good

Now put the vessel back to the stove,till the milk boils and darkens even more.

Now mix in the custard mix and stir in till the the contents thicken and switch of the stove

Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve




I had it the condensed milk :D



Love,
Varshini

Its time to celebrate with Eggless Chocolate Almond Cookies

Yes its my Dear Bloggy's Birthday :) Haiya..Finally the day has come to celebrate.... When i started this blog i was all passionate and everything..but then i wasn't regular..I should say last year i posted just 4 posts 3 recipes and my Welcome Post. Only this year that too after March i was kinda regular... I started this blog for my passion for cooking so named it "COOKING WITH LOVE AND FOR LOVE "  This one year i have learned so many things but first and foremost be Regular and Patient to reap the result :) Just like every other blogger i want my blog to be famous but for that i need to be dedicated and regular...which iam trying to achieve ... I would really like to take this opportunity to thank my hubby a lot...Seriously without his encouragement and help..I would have never continued posting at all..seriously..coming back from work everyday at 9:00 PM and then cooking dinner is a big task for me(Lazy Lazy) ....I try to do most of my relaxed cooking/baking on Saturdays/Sundays... Also I received The Versatile Blogger Award from dear Ikky and Rids too :) Thanks to all my fellow bloggers for the encouragement ,who never miss to leave a lovely comment in my blog every time a new post appears..That gives so much motivation for the next post :) So i have decided not to find reasons to be lazy and be regular and make my blog Famous someday :P Also take better Photos.. Soon :D So here is my treat for the anniversary :) I took the recipe from dear priti 's Blog :) Ingredients: All Purpose Flour - 1 1/2 Cup Powder Sugar - 3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder - 3 tbsp Butter - 1/4 Cup [at room temperature] Yogurt - 1/4 Cup Baking Powder - 1 tsp Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp Almonds - Chopped 1/4 cup Method Whisk Yoghurt, Powdered sugar and Butter till creamy Sieve flour, cocoa and baking powder Now add the flour mix to the butter mix and fold well such that there are no lumps Now add the chopped almonds and vanilla essence. Preheat the Oven at 180C Bake the cookies for about 10 - 12mins Yummy cookies are ready :) Love, Varshini

Eggless Blackforest Cake

Its time to Celebrate ...
Today is my dear Hubby's Birthday also my 55th post....What more i want to Celebrate...

I started out this blog, the very same month last year and i posted about guess just 3 recipes and then just forgot the blog...I was very busy with work...Didn't have much time to do anything...felt really guilty....Then i wanted this blog space to be all about my favs...So then included my makeup & skincare addiction...But then i started out proper blogging only in the month of March and renamed my blogspot with a relevant name ...So i can call it a roller coaster ride with it shares of both ups and downs....So from now on i will be a regular and plan for the 100th post atleast before this year end :)..
So wish me goodluck..Coming back to the cake

I wanted to make Blackforest cake for my hubby's birthday...because that is the first ever layered cake i tasted :D

So i actually used the recipe for Eggless chocolate cake from here Also saw so many videos on you tube about assembling the cake and referred VegBowl


And I bought heart shaped cake tin just for this :) ...It was perfect :D

Ok now to the recipe


Ingredients

For the Cake

condensed milk - 1/2 tin (200 grams)
self raising flour -125 gms
cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
Baking powder - 1 tsp levelled Spoon
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
melted butter - 60 ml
vanilla essence - 1 tsp
water - 100ml


For the frosting:

dark chocolate - grated 2 cups
fresh cream - 400 gm
Sugar - 5 to 6 Tbsp

For the filling:

cherries - 1 cup pitted and chopped
Full cherries for final decoration - 10

To be mixed into a soaking syrup:

sugar - 4 tbsn
water - Sugar


Method

For the Cake

1.Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and soda bi-carb together.

2.Mix the condensed milk, flour mixture, 100 ml. of water, the vanilla essence and melted butter thoroughly.

3.Pour the cake mixture into a greased and dusted 150 mm. or 175 mm. (6" or 7") diameter tin.

4.Bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 10 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 180 degree C (350 degree F) and bake for a further 15 minutes.

5.The cake is ready when it leaves the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. When ready, takeout from the oven and leave for 1 minute. Invert the tin over a rack and tap sharply to remove.

6.Cool the cake.


For the Frosting

1. Cool the Bowl and the Hand Whisk in the freezer for about half hour
2. Now pour the chilled Fresh cream , Vanilla essence ,now add the sugar and whisk till peaks are formed
3.Refrigerate till use

For the Syrup

1. warm the water and dissolve the sugar and keep aside

Final Assembling

Now Cut the cake horizontally either 3 or 4 layers .

Take one layer and put it on the Plate and then sprinkle some 3- 4 tspns of sugar syrup .

Now spread the Cream on that layer and add some pitted and chopped cherries evenly

Now place the next layer and repeat the above steps till you place the last layer on the top

Finally decorate by applying cream all over the cake and decorate with the chocolate shavings/Strands and cherries..

And refrigerate overnight so that the syrup soaks the cake well :)



Can you see the layers..and the chopped cherry peeking out ?

Happy Birthday Dear Hubby :)
Thank you so very much...Without your support this cake would have never been possible...:D

Love,
Varshini


Info: I was unable to grate the chocolate due to clumsy hands...So i decorated with Chocolate Strands/Rice :)

Eggless Whole Wheat Butter Cookies

Cookies...Cookies...Cookies
"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." -Robert Fulghum

It was a Saturday afternoon and I was sitting in my balcony and gazing....saw the roadside biscuit seller ..When he saw me drooling at his biscuits & cookies ..he came towards my home with handful of samples....I thought what a lovely day..free cookies...but then my hubby has warned me not to let anyone in....especially these sales people..so i had to ask him to leave immediately...finally i was tempted...so rushed into the house...browsed through for eggless cookies.....

I wanted to bake(read eat) some immediately...So when i saw eggless butter cookies in Divya's Blog i had to make(read eat) them rightaway ...But then i ran out of All purpose Flour(Maida), so i replaced APF with Whole wheat flour ( Healthy snacking i thought...indeed forgot about dear butter)


So here is the recipe

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Cornflour - 1/2 cup
Icing Sugar - 3/4 cup
Butter - 3/4 cup(
Vanilla extract- 1 tsps
Milk - 2 tbspn(optional)

Method :

Preheat the oven at 180C
Sift Wheat flour, icing sugar and cornflour
Beat the softened butter with vanilla extract
Now mix the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
if the dough is very dry add little milk and make it soft


Divide them in to balls and flatten them with your palm
Place the them in a greased baking tray and bake it for about 18 - 20 mins or till golden brown

(I made the pattern using the table spoon :D)
Cookies are ready...your house would be filled with the lovely aroma :)




Love,
Varshini

Eggless Garlic Buns

As a kid i would wait for evenings to come...because in the evening my Dad would bring home yummy Bun Butter Jam ....or sometimes masala bun they would simply melt in my mouth....i still cherish those times....

Even after growing up still am fond of yummy jam buns, masala buns and pav buns...
So when i came across Eggless Garlic Buns in Rak's Kitchen i was simply transported back to those times...
I simply find reasons to bake...BAKING IS ADDICTION.....

Immediately baked them up and had them when they were still warm...as suggested by Raji :)

Since this was my first Bun baking attempt i dint wanna take risk so i just halved the amount of all the ingredients ....But then this bun baking has been my best experience ever ...right from the beginning....this a fool proof recipe....

For original recipe please visit Rak's Kitchen So here is the recipe...

Ingredients
maida 3/4 cup
Dried Yeast - little less than 1/2 tblsp
Water 1/4 cup
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tblsp
Olive oil 1 tblsp

For the garlic Spread:
Garlic chopped very fine 3-5 flakes
Butter softened 2 tblsps
Chopped coriander leaves 1 tblsp
Cheese grated - 1 tblp

Method

1.Add yeast , sugar and salt to warm water and dissolve the yeast well...let it stand for 5 - 10 mins...you will be able to see a frothy liquid ..this means the yeast is active

2.In a big bowl , add the flour make a dent in the centre and add the mixed yeast water.



3.Knead the dough with olive oil to smooth and pliable(add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if water is needed,the dough should not be too stiff and dry,it should be soft,smooth and pliable)





4.Keep covered the bowl with either a clean wet towel or a cling wrap(wrap the bowl to cover it,not the dough). Here i used wet towel method and let it stay for 1 hour

5.Now the dough should have raised double in volume. knead it again a little

6.Now divide the dough into 2 equal balls and arrange it with enough gaps in a greased baking tray.

7. Mix Butter, cheese, garlic and coriander for the spread

8.Make a small slit on top using a knife to fill the garlic spread and spoon in the spread but not too deep



9.Keep it aside in warm place for 45 minutes so that the balls double in size.

10.Pre heat the oven for 180°C

11.Bake for 20-25 minutes or till you get a golden coloured buns.Just cook for needed,over baking makes it harder! - Herei baked my buns for 20mins








Yummy,fluffy,garlicky, cheesy buns are ready


Love,
Varshini

Eggless Chocolate Brownie

I was actually droolinggggg when i saw pics of Eggless Almond brownie in Priti's blog...She is one of the sweetest blogger..very very friendly and off course a great cook ...Do check her blog to droooooooooollllll

So i wanted to try this immediately but then i can never stick to any recipe so i made little modifications....it came out really yummy...thank you priti for posting such a yummilicous recipe :)

Ingredients
White Granulated Sugar - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1/3 cup
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
Fresh Cream - 1/4 cup
All Purpose Flour - 1/3 cup
Cocoa Powder - 1/3 cup
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Curd/Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Diary milk - 1 bar/ chocolate chips - 1/3 cup [Original recipe used almond flakes]


Step by Step :

1. In a big bowl beat butter and sugar till the it becomes smooth

2. Now add vanilla essence and fresh cream and beat till sugar dissolves

3. In another bowl sift flour ,cocoa powder and baking powder.

4. Now add the sifted flour into the wet mixture and add curd/yogurt and fold the mixture



5. Now add bit and pieces of diary milk chocolate/ chocolate chips into the mixture and fold in swiftly



6. Now grease convection oven safe dish and pour in the mixture and microwave it for 4 minutes with Hi power (This depends on which brand microwave you are using).

7. Once done take it out and let it cool.

8. Cut it and eat it(This is the best part).



Hope you like this...Do try this for sure and send me the pics i will be very happy to publish .

I am sending this to Divya's Easycooking for her 3rd Anniversary celebration. Love, Varshini