Bhapa Doi (Bengali Cheese Cake)

Bhapa Doi is a dessert consisting mainly of yogurt/curd and condensed milk (and milk). It reminds me of Haldiram's sweets.

Ingredients:
Yogurt/Doi - 150 g
Sweetened condensed milk - 150 g
Green cardamom seeds - from 4 cardamom
Milk - 2 tbsp.
Saffron - 5 to 6 strands
Nuts and raisins - to garnish

Method (My style of preparation):
Take 400 g of yogurt and remove the whey water by using a coarse woven cheesecloth for 2-3 hours.
After the removal of whey water, beat the curd in a blender (the thick curd measurement was 150 g).
Mix the curd along with the same quantity of condensed milk.
Then add cardamom seeds and mix well.
Pour into the ramekins or any other oven-proof dish.
Garnish with nuts or raisins.
Soak the saffron in warm milk and keep aside.
Pre-heat the oven in 190C.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray.
In a baking tray, pour hot water halfway up the dish.
Carefully place them in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes. After that, pour the saffron-coated milk in each ramekin.
Bake for another 10 minutes or until the tester comes clean.
Let the dishes cool.
Then chill the desserts overnight and consume the next day immediately.



Sent off to "Flavours of Bengal" hosted by Priya and started by Nayna.

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Almond Chewy Macaroons

Ingredients:
Ground almonds - 200 gm
Superfine sugar - 200 gm
Egg whites - 2
Ground Cardamom seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Rose water (to moist the hands)
Blanched almonds - 18 to 20

Method:
Preheat the oven at 200°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, add ground almonds, ground cardamom seeds, sugar and egg whites and mix together. Knead with hand or with the mixer till you get a coherent paste. Moist your hands with rose water and form a walnut sized ball out of the paste. Place them on the paper and lightly press them flat. Place the balls each 1 inch apart. When you are finished with the paste, place one blanched almond in the centre of each macaroon. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (But mine took 15 to 18 minutes) and remove from oven when you see the golden color around the edges. Carefully lift them with a spatula (they're fragile) and place it in another sheet and cool completely.The macaroons at this stage will brown more at the edges.  After cooling, store them in an air tight container. Enjoy the chewy macaroons along with their crispy coats!

Recipe: Nigella Lawson

Sent off to Akila's Dish Name Starts with 'A' event.

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Carrot Halwa with Nuts (Microwave Version)

Ingredients:
Carrots - 400 gm (grated)
Fresh cream - 400 gm
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cahewnuts and almonds - 1/4 cup (mixed)
Ground green cardamoms - 1 tsp.
Almonds and pistachios - 2 tsp. (chopped)


Method:
Take carrot, cream and sugar in a casserole. Microwave high for 5 minutes. Stir in between.
Now microwave high for 20 minutes by stirring in between every 3 to 4 minutes until liquid is almost evaporated.
Blanch almonds and chop both almonds and cashewnuts.
Add the nuts and ground cardamom. Microwave medium for 4 minutes.
Take out and spread out in a serving plate.
Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.
Serve warm or chilled.

Sent off to Priya's "CWS-Cardamom Seeds" and "MEC-Kids Party Food" (hosted by asankhana and started by Srivalli).

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Badam Halwa

Ingredients:
Almonds/Badam - 1.5 cups
Sugar - 1.5 cups
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Saffron strands - 1 pinch
Yellow liquid food coloring - 4 drops
Garnishing - any nut

Method:
Soak the almonds in hot water for 30 minutes.
Peel the skin by pressing the edge of the almond.
Grind the almonds into a smooth paste using water (or you can grind with milk).
Add 1 tbsp. of ghee in a thick non-stick kadai.
Add the ground paste and start to stir.
After 4 to 5 minutes, add the sugar and stir continuously.
Add the food colouring & saffron strands and stir.
When the bubbles form, add the remaining ghee little by little in regular intervals.
When the halwa thickens, leaves the sides of the pan and looks shiny (ghee comes out) remove from heat.
Spread it in a ghee-greased plate.
If you want to make shapes, keep it in fridge for few minutes and make shapes out of them.

Sent off to Priya's Feast's "Diwali Contest 2009" event, Sireesha's "Sweet Series" event and Sanghi's "FIL-Ghee" event.

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