Fresh Figs Honey and Almond Mini Tarts

Light sweetness ,soft skin and crunchy seeds , these California grown Figs are perfect a mellow sensation. Rich source of minerals and vitamins, the sweetness and color intensifies as the fruit ripens.



Simple and elegant these free-form fresh fig tarts are incredibly easy to make.Most of the sweetness is from the luscious honey ,the almond filling at the base adds nutrition and heartiness to the tarts. Lightly sweet,I don't just reserve this for dessert ,but also enjoy them as a snack.




Recipe
Makes about 6 mini tarts.

Ingredients
For Pastry crust
2 cup Whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoon Organic butter or Vegetable Shortening(Trans fat free)or Virgin Pressed Coconut oil,cold
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
2-3 tablespoon cold water

For almond filling
1/2 cup almonds
2 tablespoon brown sugar


For Topping
8-10 Fig Figs ,hulled and quartered
1/4 cup Pure organic honey


Method
Prepare the dough
Sift the flour,salt and cinnamon in bowl. Mix in the butter or shortening,using a food processor pulse while adding the cold water ,until just combined in to a crumbly mixture. Or use 2 fork and break the butter in to flour and mix it up while adding the cold water.Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and allow to refrigerate for 30 minutes

Prepare the Almond Filling
Toast the Almonds in 350F oven for 5-6 minutes.Cool and finely grind it in a Vitamix or coffee grinder. Mix in the sugar.

Bake the tarts
Preheat Oven to 350F
Unwrap the dough. Spread some all purpose flour on work surface.Divide the dough in to 6 equal portions.Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough about 4 inches in size.Pinch the sides of the pieces ,place them on a baking tray and spread about a tablespoon of almond mixture on each and arrange the quarters of the figs over it. Drizzle about 1-2 teaspoons of honey over each of the mini-tarts.Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the edges of tart are lightly crisp and brown.Serve warm. Can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for 2 weeks.

Wild Blueberry Ice Cream

There are umpteen reasons to go wild about these wild blueberries. For starters ,its one of the best anti-aging and anti-cancer foods ,also known to promote healthy vision and maintain heart health.

Difference between Wild and Cultivated Blueberries
Wild blueberries are distinct from cultivated blueberries in several significant ways.Unlike cultivated (highbush) blueberries, Wild (lowbush) Blueberries are not planted. They are spread primarily by rhizomes or underground runners, which give rise to new shoots and stems. Wild Blueberry fields and barrens contain many different varieties of berries, which accounts for the variations in size and color that characterize the Wild Blueberry crop.
Other differences include:

Antioxidant capacity - Wild Blueberries contain more of the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin and demonstrate greater antioxidant capacity per serving than cultivated blueberries.
Taste - Wild Blueberries have a more intense, sweet and tangy taste than cultivated blueberries
Size - Wild Blueberries are naturally smaller and more compact (less water content) than cultivated, which means you get more Wild Blueberries per pound.
Performance - Wild Blueberries hold their shape, texture and color through a variety of baking and manufacturing process. They also freeze very well: IQF Wild Blueberries maintain their quality for more than two years.

Wild Blueberry Health
Source :Wildblueberries.com


One of my favorite ways to enjoy the wild blueberries is in an non-fat yogurt. Also this Wild blueberry Ice-cream is truly a sensational summer treat. The method remains same as other dairy-free healthy ice creams inspired by Rachel's original recipe.


Recipe : Dairy free Wild Blueberry Ice-cream ,inspired by Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.Find my review here.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
2 cups frozen Wild blueberries
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt


Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process the 1 cup of blueberries in a food processor or vitamix along with the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Mix in the remaining 1 cup of frozen blueberries.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.Garnish with fresh mango slices

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.

Baked Ricotta Cheese and Coconut Khalakhand

Khalakhand or Qalaqand , is one of the most celebrated delicacies in the Indian subcontinent. My recipe here uses low fat Ricotta cheese in addition with shred coconut ,the milk powder adds firmer texture ,sweetened with condensed milk and hint of aromatic cardamom ,this recipe is incredibly simple and easy when compared to the elaborate traditional method.
My sister shared this idea of baked ricotta to make khalakhad ,i tweaked her recipe a little by adding shred coconut. And one can always reduce the sweetness or replace with a healthier sweetener(I mention both in the recipe). And if ricotta cheese is not available ,you could definitely replace with equal quantity of Paneer(Indian Cottage cheese).

Ingredients
4 oz. low fat ricotta cheese
4 oz. unsweetened fine shred coconut (I use the frozen)
4 oz. low fat milk powder
2 oz. sweetened condensed milk or 3/4 cup Agave nectar.
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder


Method
In a large mixing bowl,bring together all of the ingredients ,mix until well combined. Transfer in an 8x8 baking tray ,lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven at 350F ,until firm about 25-30 minutes . For a darker brown khalakhand ,let bake another 15-20 minutes at 325F. Let cool (garnish with fine chopped pistachios/almonds or speck of saffron),then slice in squares. Can be refrigerated for about 2-3 weeks.

Apple Cranberry Crostata(Tart) with Almond Barley Crust.

Daring Bakers were invited this month to bake an absolutely tantalizing Italian dessert called Crostata,tart that has sweet crust(pasta frolla),filled with either fruity,cheesy,creamy or savory ingredients.

My trial here has hearty multi grain\nut crust that includes nutritious almond and barley flour besides the whole some wheat flour.You can finely grind raw almonds to make the almond flour ,the barley and whole wheat pastry flour are available in Indian stores or health food stores or well-stocked supermarkets.The filling was fruity with a perfect balance of sweet red delicious apples and season's fresh tart Cranberries.All in all this was a much easier challenge,not to worry if you don't have a tart pan,a pie pan would be equally good.


The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

Recipe : Apple Cranberry Crostata(Tart) with Almond Barley Flour Crust.

Ingredients
2 tablespoon pure cane sugar
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond flour, or almond meal, or coconut flour
1/2 cup whole-grain barley flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter(cut in pieces) or virgin pressed coconut oil or pure ghee
1 large Organic egg, lightly beaten
2-3 tablespoon cold milk.
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Fruit Filling
2 Red delicious apples,cored and chopped
1 1/2 cup cranberries
1 cup pure cane sugar


Method
Making the crust dough(Pasta Frolla) by hand:

Whisk together sugar, flours and salt in a bowl.
Rub or cut the butter or other fat used ,into the sugar and flour mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. You can do this in the bowl or on your work surface, using your fingertips or an implement of choice.
Make a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour the beaten egg and vanilla extract into it.
Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into mixture and then use your fingertips.
Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. You can refrigerate the dough overnight.
With a food processor:
Put sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl of the food processor and pulse a few times to mix.Add butter and pulse a few times until the mixture has the consistency of coarse meal.Empty food processor's bowl onto your work surface.
Make a well in the center of the mounded flour and butter mixture and pour the beaten egg and vanilla extract into it.Use a fork to incorporate the liquid into the solid ingredients then use your fingertips.Knead lightly just until the dough comes together into a ball.
Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. You can refrigerate the dough overnight.

Prepare the Fruit filling
In a non reactive pan add 1/2 cup of water,sugar,apples and cranberries and let cook until soft about 20-25 minutes.Cool and process in a blender until smooth.Set aside.

Heat the oven to 375ºF [190ºC/gas mark 5].
Shape
Take the pasta frolla out of the fridge, unwrap it and cut away 1/4 of the dough. Reserve this dough to make the lattice or other fun shapes on top of the crostata. Refrigerate this dough while you work on the tart base.
To help roll the crostata dough, keep the dough on top of the plastic wrap that you had it wrapped in. This can help rolling the dough and can also help when transferring the dough to your pan. You can also use parchment paper for this. However, you can also roll the dough directly on a work surface if you prefer.
Lightly dust the top of the dough and your work surface (if you’re rolling directly on a work surface) with flour. Keep some flour handy to dust the dough as you go along.
If the dough is very firm, start by pressing the dough with the rolling pin from the middle to each end, moving the rolling pin by a pin's width each time; turn the dough 180 degrees and repeat; when it softens, start rolling.
Roll the dough into a circle about 1/8th inch (3 mm) thick.
If you used the plastic wrap or parchment paper as rolling surface, flip dough over the pan, centering it, and delicately press it all around so the corners are well covered. Peel away the plastic wrap.
Trim the excess dough hanging over the edges of the pan. Press the remaining dough around the border into the sides of the pan making sure the border is an even thickness all the way around.
Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork in several places.
Take out of the fridge the reserved pasta frolla you had cut away earlier. Roll it with your pin and cut into strips or use cookie cutters to make small shapes (this is not traditional, but it looks cute); or roll with your hands into ropes.
Spread prepared apple cranberry filling evenly over the bottom of the crostata.
Use the prepared strips or rolls of dough to make a lattice over the surface, or decorate with the cut shapes.
Bake
Put the tart in the oven and bake for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, check the tart and continue baking until the tart is of a nice golden hue. (Note: Every oven is different. In my oven it took 34 minutes to bake the tart until golden.)
When done, remove the tart from the oven and let cool. If you have used a tart pan with a removable bottom, then release the tart base from the fluted tart ring. Make sure the tart is completely cool before slicing and serving.


Check out more creative Crostata's at Daring Baker's Blog roll

Pluot Galette

Galette is a French Pastry,which I think is more like a pie made without a pie pan.Its flaky crust is achieved by using good amount of saturated fat(here I use only the best kind) and not over mixing the dough.Any kind of fresh tart fruit makes an ideal filling.

Pluots(a cross between plums and apricots) are still in season before the pumpkins invade,I thought why not make a simple dessert requiring not much effort.Really needed only few minutes to put together and the oven does rest of the work.This is lightly sweetened like most of my desserts,the almonds and semolina form the delicious layer over the dough to soak in all the fruity juices,a very unique idea I borrowed from roopa's recipe.

Recipe : Pluot Galette
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 medium ripe pluots or plums or apricots,pitted and sliced
1/2 cup almond meal or fine ground raw almonds
1 tablespoon semolina
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoon Organic butter(cut in cubes) or pure green or virgin pressed coconut oil
3 tablespoon cold water
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method
To make the pastry dough ,sift together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.Add the butter or ghee or coconut oil to the flour mixture,combine well using hands or use a processor,add water and mix until the mixture comes together.Cover and set in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Mix the almond meal ,sugar and semolina in a small bowl and keep aside.
Unwrap and start rolling on lightly floured work surface,when about 10-12 inches wide along the diameter,spread the almond mixture leaving 2 inches near the edges clean.Now place the sliced pluot slices in a flower pattern and fold the edges,sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired.Transfer on to a baking sheet.
Bake in 375F oven for 25-30 minutes until edges are golden brown and fruit is tender.
Cool few minutes,slice and serve with more fresh fruit and dollop of low fat chocolate ice cream.


The galette is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #253 ,hosted this week by Simona from Briciole

Electrolux #Splits :Dark Chocolate Velvet Banana Split

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund(OCRF) was founded with a very straightforward: to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for ovarian cancer. The Board of Directors and dedicated staff of OCRF work diligently to educate women about ovarian cancer.They believe through educating a woman about ovarian cancer can make a difference in the lives of thousands of women who may be at risk.Every new research grant brings one step closer to finding a breakthrough.

To help fund the most promising work that is being done in the area of ovarian cancer by OCRF, Foodbuzz helped Electrolux and Kelly Ripa raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund by sending two Foodbuzz Featured Publishers to New York and giving them an opportunity to make banana splits with their kids.

To further support the worthy cause ,Foodbuzz is sponsoring a posting challenge and Top 9 takeover! In a Top 9 Takeover, Foodbuzz asks all Featured Publishers to construct a post about their ultimate Banana Split, and then for one day only, all Top 9 posts reflect that theme!.And Foodbuzz will donate $50(Up to $5,000) for every Banana Splits post by a Featured Publisher before Friday, July 16th.



For my delicious take on the decadent banana dessert,I use home made velvety dark chocolate ice cream(that has 1/2 the fat of a heavy cream ice cream),the topping of rich chocolate fudge sauce has no cream either,the nutty almonds ,juicy cherries and a crunchy whole grain berry cereal - all make it a healthier dessert, so fun to make and even more delicious to eat.

Recipe :Low fat Dark Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream and Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Ice cream yields 2 cups
Makes 4 banana splits
Ingredients
4 Ripe bananas
For Dark Chocolate Velvet Ice Cream
2 cups reduced fat milk
1 cup unsweetened Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1/2 cup bitter sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 1 teaspoon agar agar powder

For Chocolate Fudge Sauce
1/2 cup bitter sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoon reduced fat milk

For toppings
1/2 cup raw almonds,few chopped rest kept whole
1/2 cup low fat whole grain berry cereal
few fresh cherries

Method
Heat about 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan,add the gelling agent(gelatine or agar-agar).Let simmer for for 4-5 minutes until completely dissolved,turn off the heat and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Heat milk(both coconut and dairy milk) in another saucepan,turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips and the cocoa powder,whisk until mixture is smooth and glossy,stir in the sugar-gelatin mixture,blend in a food processor for a minute.Pour in freezer proof container and chill for 3-4 hours before churning in an ice cream maker as per the manufacturer's instruction.Serve the ice cream or store in freezer proof containers.
To make the fudge sauce
Just before assembling the banana split,combine the chocolate chips and the milk ,set in the microwave for 15 seconds,stir and return for another 15 seconds ,repeat until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.

To assemble the banana split,use either tall wine glasses or oval slightly deep plates.Sprinkle the cereal at the bottom of the serving dish,then place whole raw almonds,put halved bananas on the side,a scoop of ice cream between the bananas.Drizzle about a tablespoon of chocolate fudge sauce, some chopped nuts and cherries.And indulge!

Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse and Summer fruit

Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse.


The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

The fluffy sweet confection,Meringue is one those seemingly easy recipe with simple ingredients - Egg whites and Sugar.But not until the two are married with utmost care ,the result can be disastrous.To understand the chemistry behind the amazing dessert in short,breaking the egg protein until it can expand to about 8 times the original volume while whipping in the sugar to stabilize the multiplied volume.The glossy mixture when baked at moderate temperature results in an airy melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
Meringues gives a deliciously divine touch in some of the popular desserts - pies,cakes,pavlova,baked Alaska and macaroons(the meringue cookies)

Crucial tips to yield perfect meringue :
*Use clean, dry bowl,preferably a glass bowl, ceramic or copper.Even a minuscule amount of fat can ruin the meringue.
*Separate the eggs when cold and then let the whites reach room temperature before beating them.
*Besides the sugar,use either cream of tartar or white vinegar or lemon juice to stabilize the meringue. Add 1/8 teaspoon of one of these per egg white to the unbeaten eggs.
*Only super fine sugar works ,any kind of sugar substitutes fail to hold the meringue.
*The flavoring can affect the acidity of the meringue,be sure to use dry ground flavors- Cocoa,coffee,saffron,macha tea,dried shred coconut are some of the best.
*Bake at low temperature,200-250F is ideal.If the temperature is too high, the the top browns before the water inside has time to evaporate.


A lovable dessert - pavlova,is pure meringue confection.The daring challenge was to make it all chocolaty ,using cocoa for flavoring the meringue and topping with the rich mascarpone mousse.I was looking for a lighter pavlova,lower in calories.I could not possibly fiddle with the meringue ingredients,cause no sugar substitute works,plain white sugar is the only kind of sweetener fit for a perfect meringue.But for the topping could certainly be replaced with a lighter vegan Avocado mousse,chocolaty and guilt-free.


Summer Fruit Pavlova with toasted coconut.
My first trial was plain meringue.Kept the height in this one,the slice of this looked much prettier with myriad of summer fruits.How ever both plain and chocolate were equally sweet and enjoyable.
Believe it or not,I used a hand held whisk,that amplified the effort of making the meringue,takes about 10-12 minutes of effortful non-stop beating, compare that to 5-6 minutes in a machine whisk.My ever so curious toddler was excited at sight of cracking the eggs,thinking mom's making a special omelet,soon started wondering about the endless whipping.The glossy texture seemed like a delectable cream,but the baked result with an even exciting marshmallow-like treat.

Recipe :Low Fat Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse.
Ingredients
3 Egg whites
2/3 cup fine white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar(to stabilize the meringue)
1 tablespoon 100% cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
pinch of salt
1 cup Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse(Click the link to see the recipe already posted).
Sliced peaches and fresh mint for garnish.

Method
In an impeccably clean bowl,add the egg whites and using an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment or a hand held whisk, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.Add the cream of tartar and sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue is glossy and holds very stiff peaks.


Using a spatula transfer the meringue on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper,you could either spread it with slightly hallow center or keep it high.Alternatively one can use a pastry bag and pipe the meringue into whatever shapes you desire.

Bake for about 2 hours or until the meringue is dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To serve the chocolate pavlova,spread the avocado chocolate mousse,top with the sliced peaches,mint and slice.

For the plain Pavlova ,do not add the cocoa and the coffee powder.While spreading on the baking sheet,keep the meringue high.Rest of the recipe remains same.When done,garnish with toasted coconut.Sprinkle the cocoa powder on the serving plate,slice the meringue with a sharp knife, and serve with fresh fruits alongside.




Fall in love with more Pavlovas at Daring baker's blog roll.

Daring Bakers : Chocolate Berry Pièce montée(Croquembouche) with Mango Cream

Never in the deepest dreams did I think of putting together a spectacular French wedding cake.Thanks to daring bakers club for making the seemingly impossible bakes,possible.Every daring bake(17 so far) has indeed been a challenge,needs lot of planning ahead,thoroughly understanding the recipe before making any changes to it,allotting good amount of time for implementing the task,that could fail at first attempt but striving till succeeding should be the motto of a daring baker.The posting day is sure excitement in anticipation of fellow daring bakers creative takes on the challenge.I for one ,try not to deviate too much from the given original recipe while giving it a healthy make over,which is the best part of these challenges.

The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.



A sure delightful dessert,cannot be reserved exclusively for special occasions,the following recipe has been changed enough to make it often.The Croquembouche,also known as Pièce montée, recipe has 3 main components: the pâte à choux(the puff pastry), the crème patissiere(pastry filling), and the glaze(Sugar or chocolate) used to mount/decorate it.The main building block of the centerpiece are cream filled pate a choux ,mounted in to a conical shape using hot sugar or chocolate glaze as glue.I choose pure dark chocolate for its good benefits and filling is a luscious cream with one of my favorite fruits.And for the decoration,the berries were a fitting juicy garnish.Goes without saying,we loved every bite of this dessert,devoured it all for a dessert course of meal.
Recipe : Dark Chocolate Berry Pièce montée(Croquembouche) with Low fat Mango Cream

The recipe makes a medium piece montee,double the quantities proportionately for a taller piece.

Ingredients

For low fat Mango Crème Patissiere
1 cup reduced fat milk or soy milk or almond milk
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup unsweetened mango puree or 1 large mango,peeled and pureed

Method
Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup of milk. Combine the remaining milk with the sugar in a saucepan; bring to boil; remove from heat.Mix in the mango puree until combined,chill before filling in the choux buns.

For Pate a Choux (Yield: About 18)
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 large Organic or free range eggs
1/3 cup water
3 Tablespoon Organic unsalted butter
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Method
Pre-heat oven to 425◦F/220◦C degrees. Line a big baking sheets with parchment paper.

Preparing batter:
Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg.

Piping:
Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip or use a ziploc and snip off the tip. Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide.

Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top.

Baking:
Bake the choux at 425◦F/220◦C degrees until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 350◦F/180◦C degrees and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool.

Can be stored in a airtight box overnight.

Filling:
When you are ready to assemble your piece montée, using a plain pastry tip, pierce the bottom of each choux. Fill the choux with pastry cream using either the same tip or a star tip, and place on a paper-lined sheet. Choux can be refrigerated briefly at this point while you make your glaze.


For Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces/100 g. finely chopped best quality Dark chocolate(with at least 60% cocoa)
Method
Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Stir at regular intervals to avoid burning. Use the best quality chocolate you can afford. Use immediately.

For decoration
Fresh berries of choice


To assembly of your Piece Montée:
You may want to lay out your unfilled, unglazed choux in a practice design to get a feel for how to assemble the final dessert. For example, if making a conical shape, trace a circle (no bigger than 8 inches) on a piece of parchment to use as a pattern. Then take some of the larger choux and assemble them in the circle for the bottom layer. Practice seeing which pieces fit together best.

Once you are ready to assemble your piece montée, dip the top of each choux in your glaze and start assembling on your cake board/plate/sheet. Continue dipping and adding choux in levels using the glaze to hold them together as you build up.
When you have finished the design of your piece montée,dip the berries in chocolate and fill in along the gaps, you may drizzle with remaining glaze and use ribbons,almonds, flowers, etc. to decorate.



Explore more Pièce montée at Daring baker's blog roll.

Cardamom Mango Panna Cotta With Honey Peach Sauce

No other fruit says sunshine better than mangoes.Revered as king of fruits in the Indian sub continent(the birthplace of mangoes),the tropical fruit is the most desirous fruit of the jolly good summers.For the love of mangoes,I could not help myself buying a load of, first batch of this seasonal tropical fruit in the market.The mangoes sold here are mostly grown in Mexico ,Caribbean and some travel as far from India.

While the heat is at its peak in my homeland,it still spring and just beginning to warm up in Columbus.The blooming flowers have a magical beauty after long bare winters.

A dessert to glorify the beauty of the season,Panna cotta,the Italian dessert made with milk,cream,sugar and gelatin.I made mine dairy-free using light coconut milk,incorporated with luscious mangoes and hint of exotic cardamoms,for a complete tropical makeover to the Italian classic.The honey peach sauce add warmth and sweetness to the dessert,skip the sauce if on low-sugar diet.


Intensely aromatic cardamom, is a common spice in South East Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.The whole pods can be used to flavor the rice entrees and lentil stews ,the fine ground seeds are best in desserts and in spice mixes.Little goes a long way with the cardamom powder,adding extra does not yield a tastier dessert.
This special cardamom dessert is my entry for Priya's Cooking with seeds: Cardamoms.


Recipe : Dairy-free Cardamom Mango Panna Cotta With Honey Peach Sauce
Ingredients
For Mango Panna Cotta
1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes,peeled and chopped
2 cups light coconut milk(preservative-free)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon agar-agar * or 1 teaspoon unflavored Kosher\Halal Gelatin
1/4 teaspoon fine ground cardamom
1 tablespoon Agave nectar or 2 tablespoon brown sugar.

*agar-agar is a seaweed,vegan substitute for gelatin.Can be bought from Asian stores.

For Honey Peach Sauce
2 cups fresh or frozen peaches.
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup water.

Method
Puree the mangoes with coconut milk in a blender until smooth.
Heat water in a heavy bottom sauce pan,add the agar-agar or gelatin,stir to dissolve completely ,about 6-8 minutes.Turn the heat low.Add the sugar, mango mixture,cardamom and let it warm up for 4-5 minutes.
Pour the hot mixture in to 4 ramekins(4-6 ounce) or custard cups.Cover and
let set in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or over night.

Prepare the sauce by heating the water,honey and peaches on low heat for 4-5 minutes.Let cool for few minutes before drizzling on the panna cotta.

To serve,unmold the ramekins,run a small knife around to loosen.Then invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and pour about a tablespoon of the sauce over,top with the slices of peaches and more diced mango.

Orange Tian with Kumquat Marmalade and Saffron Citrus sauce

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.


Orange Tian is a dessert sure to tickle your taste buds with sunny citrus flavor shining through in every layer.The dessert is made of 4 luscious layers: a pate sablee with orange marmalade, a cream layer topped with fresh orange segments and served with an orange sauce.The dessert is assembled upside down and unmolded,so that the bottom layer (the orange segments) becomes the top layer.We had the liberty to use any kind of citrus and fortunately I had access to a range of citrusy delights,I went for distinct citrus element in each layer.With Orange and Grape fruit in the segment layer,followed by orange blossom in the cream,finally kumquat marmalade over the zesty pate sablee.


Recipe : Orange Tian with Kumquat Marmalade and Saffron Citrus sauce
A notable change I made for the cream layer is of use agar-agar(the extract from seaweed available in most Asian markets),vegan substitute for gelatin to stabilize the light cream,it worked perfect.Also I did not treasure any cookie cutters,so for molding ,the used olive tin cans were an economical substitute.Just had to carefully cut the other end of the can like the opening end.



Makes 8 round desserts(about 3 inches diameter)
Ingredients
For the Pate Sablee
All-purpose flour 1 /2 cup(200grams)
Baking powder(alum-free) 1 teaspoon(4 grams)
1 Organic Egg
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar or palm sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder(optional)
1 teaspoon Orange zest
Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon


Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
In a separate bowl, add the egg, orange zest and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.
Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogeneous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a 1/4 inch thick circle.
Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Kumquat Marmalade or Orange Marmalade:
Freshly pressed orange juice 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams
8-10 kumquats or 1 large orange
pectin 5 grams
1/4 cup brown sugar or palm sugar

Method
Finely slice the kumquats or orange. Place the slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water.
For kumquats no blanching is required ,cook 20-22 minutes until tender.
For Oranges ,Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them(kumquats or oranges).In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:
For this step you will need 4 oranges and 1 large Grape fruit or 6 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.


For the Saffron Citrus Sauce :
2 cups fresh squeeze Orange juice
2 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
pinch of saffron
1/4 teaspoon agar-agar(for thicker sauce)

Place the juice ,saffron and sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.Reduce to 1/2 its original quantity and dissolve agar-agar for a little more thicker sauce.Cool in fridge.


For the Light Cream :
Light cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams
3 tablespoons of hot water
2 tablespoon Agar-agar or 1 tsp Kosher\Halal unflavored Gelatin
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon Orange blossom water

Bring the milk to a slow boil,add the gelatin or agar agar,stir well and cook until completely dissolved.Turn off heat.Mix in blossom water.Let cool just until the mixture starts to set.Then proceed to layering it.

Assembling the Dessert:
Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snugly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of prepared cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.


Check out other daring beautiful attempts of Tian at DB blog roll.

Purely Chocolate Almond Meringue Cake with Dark chocolate Filling

For a toddler turning three,the pure chocolate cake was perfect to celebrate the special day and also accomplishing to his mom ,who shares the same chocolate passion.


His adventures seem to have gotten even more advanced since he was two.Jumping on the bed,fetching his favorite food from the refrigerator or kitchen counter,sliding down the stairs,wrestling with his big brother,examining all the closets and drawers,gladly after all that exploring, running and jumping around the house,he does settle for quite time reading and imaginative play. Considering his liking for an equally adventurous species in one his favorite books "Five little monkeys Jumping on the bed",I guess he got the most appropriate gift for this special day,the five little monkeys board game,and thankfully the imaginative toy kept him busy for most part of his special day.

What's so special about this chocolate cake? for one,this is mostly chocolate at its best,secondly the joy of almonds and finally its low in sugar ,free of any additives or preservatives.There was one mishap though ,the meringue did not keep tall due to less sugar used.Otherwise the taste was absolutely chocolatey despite changes to lower the calories.My trick here to keep the cake moist sans the extra fat,use some fruit puree instead.

Recipe : Chocolate Almond Meringue Cake with Dark chocolate Filling ,adapted from Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty's Chocolate Passion.

Ingredients
For Chocolate Almond Meringue Cake
4 Tablespoons unsweetened nonalkalized Cocoa powder
1/3 cup hot water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter(softened) or pure ghee
1/2 cup apple puree
1/4 cup reduced fat milk
1/2 cup dark brown sugar or 1/4 cup agave nectar
4 large Organic eggs,separated
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract(alcohol-free)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds

For rich Chocolate Filling
7 ounces bitter sweet chocolate,finely chopped(or use the chips)
3/4 cup Organic whole milk

Method
Make the Dark Chocolate Filling
Place the chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl.Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a small saucepan,pour the hot milk over the chopped chocolate,let stand for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate.Stir gently until the mixture is well blended and smooth.Cover and set it aside to cool for an hour until it has the consistency of frosting.


Make the Chocolate almond meringue cake
1.Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350F.Lightly butter the bottom of two 9-inch baking pans.Line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
2.In a small bowl,whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.Set aside to cool.
3.In a medium bowl,using a wire whisk,stir together the flour,ground almonds,baking powder,baking soda and salt until well blended.
4.In another large bowl,using a whisk beat the butter,3 tablespoon of sugar until light and fluffy.Add the egg yolks,one at a time,beating well after each addition.Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
5.In to this wet mixture now combine the dry ingredients one-half at a time,alternating them with the cocoa mixture.Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans.
6.In a clean,grease free glass bowl,beat the egg whites and the remaining 2 tablespoon of dark brown sugar until the mixture looks creamy ,continue beating until the egg white mixture forms a stiff,shiny meringue.Takes about 5-6 minutes.
7.Using a small spatula,swirl the meringue over the cake batter in the pans,making sure that meringue completely covers the batter and extends to the sides of the pans.Evenly distribute the sliced almonds over the meringue.
8.Bake the cakes until the meringue is puffed up and lightly browned about 25-30 minutes.Run the tip of a sharp knife between the edge of the meringue and the sides of the cake pans to loosen the cakes.Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Assemble the cake
When the cakes are cooled completely,peel off the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and immediately invert the cake on to a serving platter;the meringue side will be facing up.Spoon the chocolate filling on top of the meringue.Spread it out evenly.Do the same for the other cake from the pan,place over the chocolate filling,meringue side up.



The Cake is my entry for Divya Kudua's Best Chocolate Cake Event

Fruity Tiramisu

Among the top fantasy desserts,words can't describe this Italian delicacy.Spongy biscuits soaked in coffee,layered between delicate,light and fluffy creamy goodness and sprinkle of cocoa,tiramisu is heaven in every bite.

Thanks to the lovely hostesses(Aparna and Deeba) of the month, who made the excellent choice.I was overwhelmed to make(bake) it from scratch,after all that is the challenge of being a daring baker.While I was very satisfied with the result of this baking adventure,my sister and her family who visited, driving in winter ,despite all the odds,were overjoyed to feast on it.

So when, where and how was tiramisu born?
Tiramisu is said to have its origins in Treviso (Italy), and there are quite a few stories about how it came to be created.
One story traces the tiramisu as far back as the Renaissance claiming that it was first made in honour of the visit of Grand Duke Cosimo di Medici to Tuscany. Yet another one points to the tiramisu being an adaptation of the "Zuppa Inglese" referring to the sponge cake and cream layered English Trifle.
However, experts in this area generally agree that the tiramisu as we know it today, was born in the ‘70s.Some believe that the Tiramisu was created in the the Le Beccherie (a restaurant in Treviso). Ohters suggest that Tiramisu was first made in 1971 by an Italian baker named Carminantonio Iannaccone in a small bakery in Treviso, Italy.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.


The Lady finger biscuits light and spongy are easy to make ,as long you are good at whipping up a fluffy meringue.I don't do alcohol,the flavors are essentially coffee and cocoa.The homemade mascaporne cheese was not at all complicated like most other cheeses I tried making.Another change for dietary reasons,is light cream with no Zabaione or pastry cream,the cream mixture is just sweet mascaporne and whipped cream.For the extra fruity look to the dessert,garnish the slices of tiramisu with wild blueberries,fresh sliced pineapples and kiwis or any other fruit in season.Can also layer the fruit over the biscuits before spreading the cream.

Alcohol-free Tiramisu with Eggless Cream
Recipe adapted from 1000 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone:
Serves 6
Ingredients:
18-20 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits(Recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups/350ml brewed espresso, warmed
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
8 oz/226gms Mascarpone cheese(Recipe follows)
16 oz/473ml chilled Organic heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and whip at high speed for about 4 minutes or till the cream forms soft peaks when the mixer is lifted up.

In another bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and sugar till smooth. Add 1/3rd of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and fold it in gently. Carefully fold in the remaining cream as well.

Assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (8x8 inches).Mix together the warm espresso, and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.


MASCARPONE CHEESE
(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
Makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese
Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups Organic whipping cream(36 %), pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Method:Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)

This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.
Ingredients:
3 Organic eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)

Method: Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

A Saudi meal - Matazeez(Pasta), Date Dessert and Arabic Coffee

February was Saudi Arabian Cuisine for the Walima Cooking club.The sumptuous Saudi recipes were introduced to us ,by host of the month,Noor of Middle Eastern Cook.

Snippet - Saudi Arabia History and Cuisine
The birthplace of Prophet Muhammad,Arabia had stability and unity after the advent of Islam.The boom in economy opened the trade routes ,the spices imported enriched the aroma of the traditional cuisine.The growth of immigrants in modern times mainly from Asia and Africa adapted many more exotic dishes from the foreign lands.


Matazeez,the Saudi style pasta is commonly cooked with lamb in the spiced pasta sauce ,although one can use any kind of meat.The following recipe with fish is much faster to cook,ideal for quick weekday meals and also picking a fish rich in omega 3s like wild salmon is great for a change.If you choose to use lamb or goat ,cook the meat in the tomato sauce and add all the vegetables when the meat is almost cooked.

Recipe : Matazeez(Pasta) with Vegetables and Wild Salmon
Serves 4
For Pasta Dough
2 cups fine ground wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water

For Vegetable sauce
1 medium or 3 baby Eggplant ,sliced lengthwise
1 small zucchinis,sliced lengthwise
1-1/2 cups pumpkin or squash, cubed
1 big carrot,julienne
1/2 cup green beans,cut in 2 inches pieces
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 hot peppers or green chillies,chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper,freshly ground
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
2 dried lemons, cracked
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil


For Fish on Side
4 Wild salmon fillets(about 3 inch long)
2 teaspoon spice rub(I used mixture of ground cumin,coriander,pepper,cinnamon,hot chili powder and cloves)
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
Prepare the pasta dough
In a large bowl add flour, salt and oil. Add water small amounts at time enough to make a workable dough.Cover and place in bowl and allow to sit in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Cook the sauce with vegetables
Heat a large pan,add oil and onions, cook until tender about 3-4 minutes.Add the Vegetables ,tomato sauce,chillies and other dry spices. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are almost tender.
Roll the pasta and cook with the sauce

Sprinkle some all purpose flour on the work surface.Roll the dough thin and cut into small circles using a cutter about 2 inches wide. Drop the pasta in the cooking vegetable tomato sauce when the vegetables are almost cook.Cover and cook another 10 minutes until pasta is cooked through.

Cook the fish
Rub the spices on the fish and marinate for few minutes.Heat oil in pan on medium and sear the fish ,3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through.Serve on side with the prepared Matazeez(pasta) and vegetables mixture .

The Matazeez and Lamb Kabouli(posted last Walima Challenge) are my entries for Regional recipes : Middle East,hosted this month by Joanne of Eat well with others.

Saudi Date Dessert and Arabic Coffee
Saudis love to serve black Coffee at the end of the meal.Flavored with cardamoms or ginger ,the coffee is best served with the dessert,sweetened with the most abundant fruit of Arabia ,dates.

Recipe
Makes dozen date balls
For Date Dessert (Al-Harrisah or Al-haysah)
1 cups durum wheat flour
1 1/2 cups dates, finely chopped(I used soft dates)
2 tablespoon Puree Ghee(next best substitute is Virgin pressed coconut oil for coconut lovers)
1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom

Method
1.In a small heavy bottom pan or skillet ,melt the ghee on medium heat.Add flour, stirring until lightly brown and aromatic.Remove from heat, add dates and cardamom, blend together in a processor to prevent lumps.
Shape as desired,the round is traditional.Serve with Arabic coffee.


For Arabic Coffee(Qahwa Arabeya)
Makes 4 Arabic coffee cups or glass(2 ounces each)
3 tablespoon roasted ground coffee or Arabic Coffee
2 cups of water
3-4 cardamom pods

Method
Brew the coffee for 5 minutes along with the cardamoms.Strain and serve warm with the date dessert.