BURGER BUNS

My Husband is a great fan of burgers.He asked me once ,why,when I bake so many cakes and cookies,I cannot bake a burger bun.So I grabbed this opportunity to learn bread making.I have experimented in the past,with bread making.I used recipes that came at the back of flour packs.Finally,I found this recipe which makes excellent burger buns.


Ingredients:1/2 cup warm water

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar+1/2 tsp for proofing yeast

90 ml warm milk

1 tsp salt

1/8th cup melted ghee(can also use shortening)

1 tsp Horlicks

1 1/2 +2/3 cups bread flour(can use normal all purpose flour)

Butter/milk to brush the buns

Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

Method: Add the sugar and yeast to 1/2 cup warm water and let it sit in a warm place for 15 mins till it froths.

Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour with 1 tbsp sugar,melted ghee,warm milk,horlicks and salt.Add in the frothing yeast liquid.Mix with a large fork.Now add some more of the extra flour and mix till you get a ball that comes together.

Now,put the dough on your kitchen counter and knead till you get a semi - sticky,soft dough.You may need to add more flour as required.But take care not to add too much flour as the buns may become dense.You may need to smear your hands with some butter/ghee to knead the dough so that it will not stick to your hands.

Let the dough rest on your counter (You can also use a clean large bowl) covered with a kitchen towel or paper towels so as not to dry out the dough.After 10 mins,knead the dough gently 8-10 times,not more.Now coat a large bowl with oil and put the dough in it.Cover with a clean tea towel and put it in a warm place.Let it sit for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.The dough will have risen and doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Gently punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal sized balls.Roll withthe hand to make smooth buns and flatten a little.Put them on a greased baking tray and cover again with a tea towel.Let it rise.This will take about 30-40 mins.

Brush the tops and sides of buns with butter or whole milk and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake the buns for about 20 mins.Keep checking after 15 mins.


I used skimmed milk and a little ghee to knead the dough smooth.The dough will get sticky,so smear your hands with a little oil/ghee/butter before kneading.

VICTORIA SPONGE CUPCAKES

Hello everyone,

I made cupcakes today with the victora sponge cake batter.I have made this cake many times before, and I can tell you it is a no-fail recipe.Use it to make gateaus,sandwich cakes, or even trifle.So,without further ado,here is the recipe:

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients:

150 gms butter

150 gms self rising flour

150 gms sugar`

3 eggs

2 tsp Vanilla essence

Method:Preheat oven to 375 F/180C.

Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy and creamy.Add the eggs one by one and beat well after each addition.

Add vanilla essence at this point.

Now add flour,mix until incorporated.Pour into two 8 inch round pans which have been greased and floured.Bake for 30 mins.Keep checking and cake is ready when a skewer inserted comes out clean.Cool .

MARBLE CAKE

Some months ago,I bought a new heart shaped heavy aluminium bundt pan.A bundt pan has a tube in the centre, and high sides.Mine is about 3 inches in height.I so wanted to bake something in it, and this cake,that I got from joyofbaking seemed the perfect recipe for it:

Ingredients: 2 oz(55 grams semi-sweet chocolate

1 Tablespoon brewed coffee

2 ¼ cups (290 gms)cake flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup(113 grams)unsalted butter

1 ¼ cups white sugar(granulated)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence/extract

¾ cup(185 ml)sour cream

1/3 cup(80 ml)milk

Method: Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Grease a 10 inch tube pan.A tube pan is one which has a central tube to facilitale even baking.The capacity of the pan must be around 12 cups.In order to check the capacity,pour water into it upto the rim and measure how much water it takes.

Boil water in a saucepan.Over the boiling water,place another bowl and melt the chocolate with coffee in this.Make sure the water does not touch the chocolate.

Sift together flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Cream butter until soft, and then add sugar.Keep beating until light and fluffy.I like to powder the sugar as it dissolves much easier and the creamed mixture becomes much fluffier.

Beat each egg and add to the creamed butter.Beat well after each addition.Add vanilla essence to this.

Mix milk and sour cream.I used normal home made yogurt/curd.Incorporate flour into the butter mixture in three additions alternating with the milk and sour cream mix.

Remember to start with the flour and end with it as this makes for a much smoother mixture.

Pour half the batter into a separate bowl and add the melted chocolate to it.Stir well.

Place alternate spoons of white and chocolate batter in the pan.Pour the whole batter into it.Using a blunt knife or the handle of a long spoon,swirl the mixture once or twice.Don’t over do it,or the marble effect will be lost.

Bake for about 1 hour.Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 mins before removing the cake from it to cool completely.

This cake has a nice texture.I used normal All Purpose Flour/Maida as I could not find cake flour.Cake flour is a finer flour which is low in protein than normal all purpose flour.To substitute with all purpose flour,use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of maida for 1 cup cake flour.

I served this cake as it is.This would go well with ice-cream too.

BUTTER CAKE

BUTTER CAKE

Ingredients:1 ½ cups all purpose flour,

1/2 tsp salt,

2 tsp baking powder,

1/2 cup butter,

1 cup sugar,

2 eggs,

1 tsp vanilla essence,

3/4 cup milk

Method:Preheat oven to 350 F/175C.

Cream butter and sugar till light and creamy.Add eggs abd beat till light and fluffy.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt.Add vanilla essence to the butter mix

.Now add flour,alternately with milk.Start with flour and end with flour.Batter will be smoother.

Pour batter into an 8 inch round pan (which has sides of atleast 2 inches) which has been greased and floured.Bake for 50-55 mins.Remove from pan,and cool completely.

You can add nuts,candied cherries,raisins, even fresh blueberries.Just remember to coat them with flour before adding to the batter.Otherwise,they sink to the bottom.

I I baked this cake in a pan measuring 6 inches by 9.5 inches,and I also used fresh blueberries in the cake instead of nuts. It was fabulous.