Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake and an early Christmas celebration

An anonymous writer once famously said, "Until one feels the spirit of Christmas, there is no Christmas. All else is outward display-so much tinsel and decorations. For it isn't the holly, it isn't the snow. It isn't the tree not the firelight's glow. It's the warmth that comes to the hearts of men when the Christmas spirit returns again."

I couldn't agree more and this is exactly  why we chose to celebrate Christmas yesterday, Saturday, the 21st.  Our weekend here in Muscat is Friday- Saturday,  so I chose Friday as the day for preparation, baking,  misc. other activities ( the Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake cake tastes best if it is kept for at least 24 hours ) and Saturday for the tea party at home.

At the outset, I must confess that my recipe for the Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake is not entirely original but a combination of a few recipes I'd seen in cookery books. A couple of months ago, I had tried out a recipe for a chocolate orange cake and my husband Avi had told me that it reminded him of a Christmas cake. So that really was the starting point for this cake and all I did was tweak that recipe a bit, added some rum, lots of fruit and there it was- my version of a Chocolate Orange Christmas Fruitcake which can easily keep in a closed box for two to three weeks.

All set for the Christmas Tea

• Our favourite corner at home
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• Ingredients

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• 700 grams  mixed dried fruit
• 175 grams unsalted butter
• 250 grams dark brown  sugar
• 500 ml dark rum
• juice and zest of 3 oranges
• Salt - a pinch
• 3 large eggs (beaten)
• 250 grams plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

• Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. Grease and flour the sides and bottom of a deep 20cm / 8-inch round cake tin, ensuring that no space is left un coated. 
  2. Put  the dried fruit, butter, sugar, range juice and zests into a large wide saucepan and bring to the boil gently, stirring as the butter melts. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, then take it off the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Now, add the beaten eggs, flour, baking powder and spices and stir to combine.
  3. Gently pour the fruit cake mixture  into the prepared cake tin.
  4. Place in the oven and bake for at least 1 hour. You will know if its ready when there is a beautiful citrusy, boozy aroma all over the house  and the top of the cake should be firm, dry and  have cracked somewhat. To ensure its cooked, insert a cake tester into the middle of the cake and it may  come out a little sticky.No problem - that really tells you that it is perfectly soft and moist from the inside 
  5. Put the cake on a cooling rack and leave it to cool for a couple of hours.Once it has cooled completely, un-mould it from the tin and wrap the cake well in a layer of grease proof paper till you want to decorate it.

Memories are made of moments like these

Decorating the cake

I confess to being lucky in the cake and pastry department. With a daughter who's a Pastry Chef, there are range of great handcrafted cake decorations that Neha has left behind at home and while I was looking into her cupboard,  I came across some beautifully made strawberries and leaves. Add to it some little decorative silver and pink edible balls, freshly grated orange zest and the cake was decorated in about 5 minutes. 

For your own take on decorations, use your imagination- you can use icing sugar, marzipan, chocolate  etc  but do it in the way that suits you the best.Always remember that half the fun lies in experimenting and that is exactly what will also set you apart from the rest.

Now that the Christmas cake has been tackled, its time to start thinking of something else. Cookies, mince pies, rum balls........my thinking cap is well and truly on.

In the meantime, here's wishing all of you a Merry Christsmas !  

Christmas comes to Paul Bakery, Muscat

The taste of Christmas 

Back home after almost a month, it was high time to take stock of how things are shaping up for Christmas in Muscat and a place that readily came to mind was Paul Bakery.For those of you who have followed my blog, you might have read my earlier posts on Paul Bakery  at the MGM Mall in Muscat, you already know that I absolutely love it, Chef Mohammed Kessrwani showed me how to make a great french milefoit and they bake glorious bread! 


It has also truly become the benchmark for what good food, service and a sense of 'joie de vivre' is really all about. From seating customers to bringing out the delightful and complimentary bread baskets along with the little bowls of unsalted butter and olive paste to taking the order and detailing what each dish is, the staff really do know how to meet and sometimes even exceed customer expectations!

My mid morning delight- A Paul Cappuccino

Meeting Andre, the friendly and efficient restaurant manager this morning  over coffee was  very interesting as he told  me about their  very special Christmas range.The bakery  is ready to hit the Festive Season with Raspberry and Pistachio Yule logs, Igloo cake (chocolate duo) or chocolate truffles, among many others. 

The Buche- incomparable!

Pictured above is the chocolate buche, a conoisseurs delight. According to Paul, the traditional shape and rich chocolate flavor make this bûche an ideal treat for any chocoholic. Even better, if it’s Christmas, how can there not be a touch of something snowy? Which is what is provided by the 'Igloo' a combination of dark and white chocolate mousse and delicious hazelnut croquant.

And this is what I came home with...

 Despite all that I looked at, I finally decided to go for my old  favourite at Paul, the assortment of macarons. You see, I actually have plans to make my very own Christmas cake and an assortment of other Christmas treats this year, so  do watch this space for more.

A Memorable Coffee and the real importance of food-A Personal Experience

Think about it just for a moment, what does food really mean to you?

Is  food just nourishment or is it something more? Is food linked with certain people in your life? Is food emotionally charged for you? Does food link you with certain places? 


And finally, how do you observe meals and meals times in your life? 

The answers to each of these questions, may actually surprise you and tell you more about yourself than you possibly realised.

 A well known speaker, Revd John Pritchard, (Oxford) says:“For me the importance of food operates at a number of different levels. Food is fuel; it keeps me alive and active (well, reasonably!). At the next level, food is enjoyable, particularly when eaten three times a day, breaking up the long hours with periods of refreshment.Food is an opportunity to demonstrate hospitality and to enable more serious conversation to take place. The final level for me is that food is a spiritual issue, seen in scripture, in many of the images of the Kingdom of Heaven, and in the central act of the Christian Church, Holy Communion.”

To all of the above, I will add that while food is sometimes impossible to eat when one is worried and anxious, it becomes a source of warmth and comfort after the immediate source of stress is removed. And its not that I haven't thought about or realised all this earlier, its just that this fact has been even more strongly reinforced after my mother's recent high risk surgery at Medanta Medicity.

Three of us my father, brother and myself had spent many anxious hours waiting while the surgery was on. I really don't remember if we ate or drank anything during those five hours, but I do remember the overwhelming sense of relief after we learnt that it was finally over and that Mummy had recovered consciousness. 

The memorable coffee and muffin shared by my father soon after Mummy's surgery

While Navtej chose to have a soft drink, both of us ordered a coffee each and shared a blueberry muffin. ''Manna from heaven'' would probably be a very cliched term in normal circumstances, but that's not what we felt then.

 It was all of that ..and more!'

Life goes on, Mummy is still in the ICU, making a slow but sure recovery, but this coffee and muffin will always remain one of the most memorable meals in our lives...

Striking the right balance- Love that burger? Treat yourself occasionally

I used to love a juicy Burger, accompanied by French fries and a Coke.But I've almost given  up this indulgence nowadays.That was because I became aware of what was really going inside my body when I devoured my burger and fries.

But then do we have to give up almost everything that we like to eat or drink, simply because.....?

Yet again, shouldn't we?

Such a dilemma and one for which every person will have to find his/her own answer.But this is what makes great sense to me and I've decided to share it.

Looks good and sometimes tastes even better!

Figuring out healthier options at one's favorite fast food burger chain can actually be quite tricky.A typical meal at a burger joint consists of a "sandwich", some fries and a drink, which can quickly come in at over 1700 calories for something like a  Triple Whopper with a large fries and a 16 oz. soda.

A better option, would be a regular single patty burger, small fries, and water, which is about 500 calories.

Alternately, you may enjoy a veggie burger smothered in grilled onion and mushrooms. Or if you really want a large beef burger, then skip the fries and soda and have a side salad and water instead.

Here's some more 'Food for Thought'

We also  love all types of sandwiches: hot, cold, wrapped, foot long, and usually eaten with a salad instead of fries. Most of the the ads promote the health benefits of sandwich shops. But this is easier said than done.Studies have found that many people tend to eat more calories per meal at a sub shop than at a regular Burger chain. But ironically, what  may happen is that  because people feel so virtuous eating “healthy” like the ads promise,  they go on and reward themselves with chips, sodas, or extra condiments.

So here's the thing- Eat that burger as an occasional indulgence, but let it  not be a regular way of life and living.As can then be the case for so many,other 'old favourite' foods or drinks.....

Quick ' n Easy Chocolate Chip Cake

My version of a Quick ' n Easy Chocolate Chip Cake 

Its the festive season and we are all looking for an easy treat that works well with just about anything.Lets  say its the weekend and one decides to go for a drive to a beautiful spot later in the day. Coffee of course is a given but it would be really nice to have something to go with it.

That's when you can think of baking this quick and easy chocolate chip cake.Like everything else, practice makes for a better cake, so the second/third time you make it, it will taste even better!


Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2  tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown cocoa( I use Hersheys)

1 cup( or 3/4ths) if you want to use less) brown sugar

3 eggs

1 small pot/cup  yogurt

1 small bag Hersheys chocolate chips

Icing sugar for dusting on top



Method

Put all  the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix  briskly with a fork. Ensure that it is a smooth mix without any lumps otherwise the cake wont be as good as it should.

Mix all the wet ingredients together and repeat the same process of mixing them briskly.

Finally add the wet mixture to the dry one and drop the chocolate chips in, stirring gently. Do not try to push them in- it looks more interesting if the chips are actually visible in the cake.

Gently pour the mixture into a medium sized cake greased cake tin and let it settle in.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 100 degrees c for 35-45 mins and check to see  when its ready by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out dry, it is, but if there is some liquid mixture on the toothpick, it probably needs a few more minutes.


Leave to cool on a wire rack then transfer it on to a plate. 

Dust with icing sugar and cut into pieces.

Wrap it in silver foil  or carry it out for your drive in a closed box. 

Eat it with the coffee and enjoy  the  great view!

A Diwali Special- Neha's Passion Fruit and Raspberry Tart

Neha's 'melt in the mouth" Passion Fruit and Raspberry Tart

We are now looking forward to Diwali  and while many of us are happy to make the traditional Indian sweets at home if we are actually able to, others usually head out to the sweet shops and pick up the beautifully wrapped boxes with ready made sweets and gift them to family and friends.

But if you happen to be hosting your very own Diwali 'do' and want a 'piece de resistance' for your party, there is nothing quite like this tart! I'm now  going to share the recipe for Neha Singh's special melt in the mouth Passion Fruit and Raspberry tart. While 'Commis' Pastry Chef, Neha  is currently further refining her  baking skills at the Bonnie Gordon School of Confectionary Arts in Toronto learning how to make Designer cakes, I've really had the benefit of watching her at work during her short stay at home and am happy to share it with all of you.

Believe me when I tell  you that its really easy- all you need is the right ingredients, patience and thats about all...

Getting the fruit ready to make the passion fruit cream 

Just like the Apple Tart recipe I shared some time ago, the base is made from scratch. Starting with rolling the all purpose flour mixed with some butter to make the pastry , she popped the ball into the freezer  to chill for about 15 minutes while she got the other ingredients ready.

Line the tart case with the pastry , fill it with beans and blind bake for about 20 mins

Use only the best and freshest raspberries to make the raspberry sauce

Make a thick sauce with a little sugar and leave to cool

Make the passion fruit cream by cooking the fruit with a little butter and sugar and stirring till a thick yet fluffy consistency is achieved. 

Leave to cool.

Layer the tart- first the raspberry filling and then the passion fruit cream

Finally decorate with a few raspberries , passion fruit seeds and a dash of icing sugar.

Cut into 6-8 slices and enjoy!

Thoughts on Approaching Autumn

Beautiful Mashobra

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a lustre in it's sky.
Which through the summer is not heard or seen.
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!" 

(Percy Bysshe Shelley)

And who would not agree?

Autumn- When summer leaves us, and we approach the year's end.

When the leaves on the trees start changing colour, and there is that very slight nip in the air...

Autumn in France

Or did we imagine it?

When sunsets become even more beautiful, and make us want to watch them just that much longer....

When we start debating, do we need to delve into our wardrobes again, for could winter really be far behind?

When a Caramel Machiatto with cinammon scones is just irresistible....

When festivities abound..... wherever you may be in the world.

When every photograph you take has just that "teeny weeny" sharper edge.....

And finally, as George Eliot once famously said, "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." 

Thirty minute Apple Tart

A warm slice of apple tart with coffee or better still, topped with vanilla ice cream- I couldn't think of a better way to  catch up with friends. In the past, I've tried to make a  simple version of an apple tart and succeeded reasonably well. 

But when I recently had the opportunity to watch my Le Cordon Bleu, Paris  trained daughter Neha Singh making this classic 30 minute apple tart from scratch, I knew that I was going to learn a lot. 

And I was right...

In the oven- Neha's 30 min classic apple tart

Starting with rolling the all purpose flour mixed with some butter to make the pastry from scratch, she popped the ball into the freezer  to chill for about 15 minutes while she got the other ingredients ready.

Lining the tart case and trimming off the edges 

This was then blind baked for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven after adding some beans to ensure that the case baked as close to perfection as possible.

Filled and almost ready to bake

For the filling Neha used Honey crisp apples.  This apple has exceptionally crisp, juicy, sweet-as-honey flesh with just a hint of tartness that makes it a tasty treat any time of the day.. As far as I'm concerned, its even more delicious when used to bake an apple tart.

Layered over with finely sliced apples 

The filling used brown sugar, cinnamon, water and was heated on a low heat gas stove till the mixture was tender.

Baked till golden brown for 30 mins

We had people coming over that day and Neha had yet another treat in store- a Passion fruit and raspberry pie which had been made the previous evening and left to chill in the refrigerator. 

But that's another story ...for another post.....

Memories are made of this

 

Try, Try, try and you will succeed.

Many years ago I read a story of Robert Bruce of Scotland and the spider.From what I recall, the Earl had been fighting the English for a very long time and at one point, was absolutely at his wits end-would he ever manage to defeat his enemies?

Delighted with what he found

Then one day in Rachrin, off the Irish coast while he sat terribly troubled in a small cottage where he was in hiding, he witnessed something that was to give him a new lease of life and victory. It was just something as small and inconsequential as a spider trying to spin a web and move from one beam to the next.He watched the spider try six times and fail in each of those attempts.He told himself, were the spider to succeed then he too would be able to fight the English, yet again, and win this time.( for he too had tried and failed six times already.) 

And miraculously, the seventh time the spider was lucky. 
His web held and he was able to

Add to it, his friend!

Life is good

get across to the next beam.And that was all that Robert Bruce needed.Never looking back thereafter, he went on to become King Robert Bruce of Scotland.

Something similar was witnessed by me some time back and I think the photographs will tell you  the story.

After finding this piece of thermacol, this  little boy and his friend, tried, tried and then some more, before they were able to ride these waves and how!

A lesson that I re-learnt, nothing ever really comes easy, ask those who have failed and then succeeded...

Gougeres, irresistible little cheese puffs in 20 minutes

Gougeres, the French version of the most irresistible little cheese puffs!

Then there are the days when you want some bite sized savoury delights to accompany a drink. Of course, you can run to the nearest store and pick up a pack of ready made ones. Or you can try out something new and interesting. Which is just what I did.

Gougeres are the French version of little cheese puffs, usually served as an appetizer with wine or cocktails. They are really easy as well as quick to make. I tried them out last evening and was quite pleased with the way they turned out, fist time around.

 Method-All you need to do is to whip up an egg and cheese batter, pipe it onto a baking sheet, and bake the gougeres until they are puffed and golden. 

I timed it for 20 minutes and my oven was pre heated to 120 degrees C.Sure enough, 20 mins later, they were done.

These  little pastries fill the kitchen with a fantastic aroma and are best eaten straight out of the oven. Try keeping them any longer and even the strongest resolve will break down- sooner rather than later!