United in Orange Corduroy Overall Dress

February 9, 2016Leave a comment

I have been in the orange mood since the last week. Why “United In Orange”? Well simply because Orange is the color of my favorite football team “Denver Broncos” which just won the Super Bowl 50! So to continue with the spirit of the game and Denver, my latest outfit includes an Orange Corduroy Overall Dress. 🙂

I bought this dress for my last Halloween costume in October. At that time I wore it with a chocolate brown sweater. For this outfit I wore it with a cream colored top and cardigan. Don’t we like mixing different outfit pieces to get a new look!

For the actual game day we both wore the team T-shirts in orange, blue and white. Finally Vinay agreed to come in front of the camera for a Broncos picture, so I had to include it for the post. 😀

And now back to the outfit details!

ASOS Orange Corduroy Overall Dress pairs well with a contrasting cream high neck t-shirt and cardigan.

ASOS Corduroy Overall Dress (similar here, here, here and here) | Zara High Neck T-Shirt (similar here) | Long Cable Knit Cardigan (similar here and here) | AEO Mini Fringe Crossbody Purse (similar here, here and here) | Free People Johnny Tall Boot (similar here, here, cheaper here and here) | Free People Round Robin Over the Knee Sock (similar here and here)

Plaid on Plaid Wool Blazer

January 30, 2016Leave a comment

I love plaid pattern for outfits. They are so much fun and at the same time they are so versatile. You can go from a school girl plaid to a formal plaid outfit. But how about going bold with patterns by using plaid on top of plaid. For this outfit I paired my fine plaid pleated skirt with a big bold plaid wool blazer and it totally works!

I scored the blazer and sweater during Zara’s thanksgiving sales event. I just can’t get enough of white sweaters or tops! They are so good for layering or on their own. What sold me the plaid wool blazer was its classic cape like silhouette and of course the check on gray.

The skirt is actually a very old one from my closet, which I bought when I was in India. I love the muted plaid pattern and the pleated details of the skirt in the light camel color. The favorite of my outfit though is this bag. It has a super chic mini frame with the embossed leather detail. I have been wanting a bag in the dark brown leather and this was just perfect. What I like even more is that I can make it as a crossbody with the straps.

So here is my little take on the plaid or check pattern!

Mix patterns like plaid on plaid. Wearing a fine plaid pleated skirt with big plaid wool blazer.

Zara Plaid Wool Blazer (similar here and here) | Plaid Pleated Skirt (Old, similar here and here) | Zara Short Sleeve Knit Sweater (similar here and here) | Zara Mini Embossed City Bag (similar here) | Sam Edelman Penny Boot from Nordstrom (similar here, here, here and cheaper here) | Free People Round Robin Over the Knee Sock (similar here and here)

Spicy Green Hummus

January 26, 2016April 18, 2016Leave a comment

I had very little experience with Mediterranean food before coming to US. But pretty soon I was introduced to the world of Hummus, Falafel, Pita, Fatoush, Tabouli and more. Since then Mediterranean has been one of my favorite cuisines and turns out it is a healthy one too. Being an Indian I am used to making chhole masala which is a garbanzo bean curry or soup. So the first Mediterranean food I tried making at home was Hummus which is made mainly from garbanzo beans. For this Spicy Green Hummus recipe, I gave a slight twist to the traditional Hummus by adding some fresh greens to it.

Hummus is packed with protein, courtesy of its two main ingredients, garbanzo beans and tahini which is mainly sesame seeds. Adding the greens in the recipe not only adds nutrients to it, but adds a new flavor dimension to it. Every bite of the hummus is so smooth, refreshing and bursting with flavor. This recipe is also vegan and gluten-free, so everybody can enjoy it. It is also a healthy food for toddlers and kids. I usually double the recipe, as otherwise it just disappears so fast. 😉

For the first ingredient – garbanzo beans – I like to cook them from the scratch using dried beans, just because I am used to making it. Though it does make for a fresher and smoother hummus and has much lower sodium content than the canned ones. Also, they are more cost effective. But yes it does take time and preparation to make it. If you are running short on time then sure go ahead and used the canned garbanzo beans. The canned beans are available in 15oz cans which yields 1 1/2 cups, so for this recipe you will need to use 2 cans. If you are making it from dried beans then use 1 cup of the beans.

1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans => 1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans = 15oz garbanzo beans can

For the second ingredient – tahini – I follow a real short cut here. I am not a heavy user of Tahini, so I never have it ready. But as part of my Indian kitchen, I always have sesame seeds. And tahini is nothing but roasted sesame seeds and olive oil. So I just roast the amount of sesame seeds I need in a pan, and it goes along with all the other ingredients to the blender! 😉

Steps for making the Spicy Green Hummus

Cook the garbanzo beans

If you are planning to use canned beans, then skip this step. For dried beans you have to start preparing a day in advance. Soak the beans in water overnight. By the morning, the beans would have doubled in size, so make sure you use enough water to allow for expansion, maybe around 3-4 cups. The soaking makes the beans more digestible. You can also do a quick soaking of the beans, by boiling the water for 5 minutes and then letting it soak for another 1 hour. Place the beans in a large pot/bowl and cover with water.

Now for cooking, transfer the soaked beans into a pressure cooker / pot along with 3 cups of water. Add 1 1/4 teaspoon of salt. In general, for each cup of dried beans you will have to add 1 teaspoon of salt to the soaked beans. I also like to retain the water that the beans were soaked in, as I do not want to loose the nutrients in it. But if you are skeptical about the bacteria, then drain the water and wash the beans before cooking.

I like to cook in a pressure cooker as it helps in faster cooking with the steam pressure. If using a traditional pressure cooker then cook on high heat till the first 2 whistles, around 15-20 minutes. Then lower the heat to medium heat. By this time enough steam would have generated and you will not need all the high heat as that can result in burning at the bottom as well. Cook on medium heat for another 35-45 minutes, depending on your pressure cooker. If you are cooking in a pot then boil for 75-90 minutes till the beans get tender. I have never really cooked in an electric pressure cooker, so I cannot advise on that. I like softer beans for the hummus as they are easier to blend and to get a smooth dip.

Peel the garbanzo beans

For a really smooth hummus, I would highly recommend peeling the skin of the garbanzo beans. The skin peels out pretty easily by just pinching at the bottom of the heart shaped beans. But to me it is a lot of work, as it takes around 10 minutes to peel a cup of cooked beans. To me I would rather go for the more rustic chunky hummus. Also, if you cook using dried beans you have the control over how much tender you want the cooked beans to be. If you have cooked it long enough, even the skin blends in smoothly. Also, the skin adds to the fiber content of the hummus.

Peel the skin of cooked garbanzo beans for Spicy Green Hummus.

Roast Sesame Seeds for Quick Tahini

As mentioned above, I do a bit of a cheating here. I just roast 2 tablespoon of sesame seeds in a small pan, before adding it to the blender. I make the roasting even faster by adding 1 tablespoon oil to it. Hey both the oil and sesame seeds have to make it to the hummus! I am just trying to make things faster and easier 😀

Blend the ingredients

Drain the beans and save the water for blending. Place the beans in the food processor bowl with a S-blade. Add all the other ingredients – spinach, mixed greens, sesame seeds, garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno, olive oil, red and black pepper to the bowl. Now simply blend them together into a smooth mixture. The mixture might be too thick to start with, just keep on adding a tablespoon of water until you get the desired consistency. We added salt while cooking and the grabanzo beans already have the salt added. If you need more salt, then add according to the taste while blending.

Add the all the ingrdients in the food processor bowl for blending to make the spicy green hummus

Remember this is a spicy hummus, and if you are not sure about the spice levels, then I would suggest adding them in parts to make sure the taste is according to you. I like the kick of the chili flavor which I get from 1 tsp of jalapeno. But you can use any other pepper or reduce or increase the amount according to your taste. For me the flavor is perfect with all these ingredients, but feel free to adjust it.

Blend all the ingredients to get a smooth spicy green hummus mixture.

Serve it!

Once you have blended the mixture to a desired consistency, transfer to a serving bowl. (Well a lot of it was transferred directly to my mouth as it was so finger-licking good… ) The healthy spicy green hummus is all ready to dip in! I like my hummus with pita chips best, but at times I take the healthier option of having it with veggies. Or if I am in a fancy mood, I bake my own pita bread. 🙂

Spicy Green Hummus

Every bite of this spicy green hummus is so smooth, refreshing and bursting with flavors. The mixed greens in the recipe not only add nutrients to it, but also add a new flavor dimension to it.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 cup dried garbanzo beans (safed or kabuli chana) OR 2 cans of 15 oz cooked garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons sesame seeds OR 2 tablespoons Tahini
1 1/2 cups spinach, loosely packed
1/2 cup mixed greens or arugula, loosely packed
1/4 cup cilantro or coriander
1 teaspoon chopped jalapenos
1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic (1 small clove)
5 + 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt according to taste (around 1 1/4 tsp if cooking the garbanzo beans)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or according to taste

Instructions

Cook the garbanzo beans (optional) - Soak the dried garbanzo beans in 3 cups of water overnight. Once they double in size, drain and wash the beans and transfer to a pressure cooker / pot. Add 1 1/4 tsp of salt to it. If cooking in a pressure cooker, cook on high heat for 15-20 minutes and then another 35-45 minutes on medium heat. If using a pot then boil for 75-90 minutes.
Peel the garbanzo beans(optional) - Drain the garbanzo beans and save the water for blending. Peel the skin of the garbanzo beans for a smooth silky dip.
If not using tahini, then roast 2 tablespoon of sesame seeds in a pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Transfer the drained garbanzo beans to a food processor bowl with S blade. Add the rest of the ingredients - sesame seeds/tahini, spinach, mixed greens, garlic, jalapeno, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend to make a smooth creamy mixture. Keep adding a a tablespoon of water until you get the desired consistency.
Transfer the prepared hummus to a bowl. Enjoy it with pita bread/chips or fresh raw vegetables.

Notes

If unsure about the spice levels, then add the ingredients in parts to make sure the taste is in accordance with you.

https://www.fanciersworld.com/spicy-green-hummus/

Gluten-free and Vegan Spicy Green Hummus is power packed with nutrients and proteins. Enjoy it with pita bread, chips or veggies.

Playing with basics – Leather Skirt with Polo Neck Sweater

January 21, 20161 Comment

Alright! Finally the first outfit post of 2016. Last few weeks have been so busy with the Akira’s birthday, holidays and San Diego trip that I have not had time to blog much. Busy schedule kept me running for chores. So for this outfit I played around with the basics by pairing my leather skirt with polo neck sweater.

One of my weaknesses is high neck sweaters and tops. I have them in all possible sleeve lengths – long, extra long, sleeveless and quarter sleeves in most of the basic colors. They are so good for layering during the cold winter days. But for this outfit I chose to wear just the plain white polo neck sweater from Zara. The cute button and vent detail on the sleeves make it not so basic.

The whole outfit is form-fitting but flattering at the same time. The fitted polo neck sweater works well with the leather pencil skirt and elongates my body. I kept the accessories to a minimal to highlight the silhouette.

The clutch bag for the outfit is actually an old one from Sisley which I bought from India. I fell for the color and texture of the brown leather of this bag. I can use it as an envelope clutch for evenings and I like how it has a flap which converts it into a a holding bag, perfect for the daytime chores.

And I just needed these cute tall boots to do the walking. 😉

Playing with basics – Leather Skirt with Polo Neck Sweater

Zara Leather Tube Skirt / Pencil Skirt in Khaki (similar here, here and here) | Zara Polo Neck Sweater (Similar here, here and here) | Sisley Clutch Bag (Old, similar here, here and here) | Sam Edelman Penny Boot from Nordstrom (similar here, here, here and cheaper here)

The easy til ki barfi with goodness of Sesame Seeds and Jaggery, perfect for Sankranti!

Easy Til Ki Barfi {Sesame Seed Snack Bar}

January 14, 2016April 18, 20164 Comments

Happy Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Pongal, Uttarayan, Maghi, Khichdi everyone! Whatever the name be, it is one of the oldest harvest festivals which is celebrated throughout India. One thing common across the celebration of this festival is til (sesame seeds) and jaggery. Eating these ingredients signifies bonding and health. Both of these ingredients are heat producing and good to have in winter. For us, mom would ensure that the first thing we taste in the morning is Til. It was mostly til ki chikki, which we loved. But more recently I have started making this easy til ki barfi. This barfi has the goodness of til or sesame seeds and sweetness of the jaggery.

It is again one of my sweetened condensed milk recipes, which is quick and easy. Instead of khoya I used the milk powder and instead of reducing the milk, I simply use the condensed milk. These are the key elements for making this barf, besides til and jaggery! Easy right? But there is one more thing to it. The ghee or the butter. I made it using ghee this time to get the traditional Indian sweet taste, but for healthier snacking option I use almond butter. Personally I prefer the taste with almond butter, as it makes this barfi tastier and nuttier. It is more like an almond or peanut snack bar which I love. Maybe I will try it by adding some almond meal next time. What do you all think?

Steps for making the Easy Til Ki Barfi

Toast and grind the sesame seeds

Toast the sesame seeds over low-medium heat in a pan or on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 F, around 12 minutes. Stop it once the seeds become fragrant and start leaving some oil. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Coarsely grind the sesame seeds in a blender or food processor.

Coarsely ground toasted sesame seeds for Easy Til ki Barfi

Prepare jaggery syrup

Place the jaggery pieces along with 1/4 cup water in a non-stick heavy bottom pan over a stove on medium heat. I used the rough estimate of 3 2x4inch pieces, around 1/2 cup of powdered jaggery. You can also grate or slice the jaggery blocks to get a coarsely powdered jaggery. I usually take the lazy route of simply melting the blocks. But do it, if you need the exact measure. The mix will start simmering and the jaggery pieces will become soft. Using the back of a wooden spatula, crush the chunks to get smooth molten jaggery syrup. Keep stirring it to ensure that the mixture does not stick to the bottom, specially if you are not using a non-stick pan.

Prepare jaggery syrup for Easy Til ki Barfi

Combine all ingredients and cook

Add all the dry ingredients first – milk powder and sesame seed. Mix well after each addition to remove any lumps. Then add ghee/butter to toast the dry mixture. Mix again and then add the condensed milk. Mix until well incorporated, removing any lumps using the spatula.

Cook the mixture on medium heat for another 7-10 minutes to caramelize all the flavors together. The mixture will be very sticky and become one big lump.You will start seeing the butter ooze out. Try to remove as many lumps as you can.

Combine all the ingredients for Easy Til ki Barfi

Transfer for setting

Transfer the mixture to a lined or greased sheet or thali. Spread the mixture using a spatula and flatten the top. Let it cool down and set, another 45 minutes.

For Easy Til ki Barfi, transfer to a lined or greased baking dish for setting

Slice for Serving

Once the mixture is firm, cut into equal portion slices using a knife. Decorate each piece with a slice of almond.

Divide into equal pieces and decorate with almond slices for Easy Til ki Barfi
Now you are ready to serve Til ki Barfi as a dessert!

Easy Til Ki Barfi {Sesame Seed Snack Bar}

With the goodness of sesame seeds and sweetness of jaggery, this easy til ki barfi is a sure treat for Sankranti. It also makes for a delicious snacking bar.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 25-30

Serving Size: 1-2

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup powdered jaggery
14oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
9.6 oz(272 g) pack of instant dry milk powder
1/4 cup almond butter/ghee
1/4 cup water

Instructions

Toast the sesame seeds over low-medium heat in a pan or on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 F, around 12 minutes. Cool it slightly for 5 minutes and the grind it coarsely using a blender or food processor.
Place the jaggery along with 1/4 cup water in a non-stick heavy bottom pan over a stove on medium heat. Once the mix starts simmering, crush the jaggery chunks using the back of a wooden spatula to get smooth molten jaggery syrup. Keep stirring to ensure that the mixture does not stick to the bottom.
Add all the dry ingredients first – milk powder and sesame seed. Mix well after each addition to remove any lumps. Then add ghee/butter to toast the dry mixture. Mix again and then add the condensed milk. Mix until well incorporated, removing any lumps using the spatuala.
Cook the mixture on medium heat for another 7-10 minutes to caramelize all the flavors together. The mixture will be very sticky and become one big lump.
Transfer the mixture to a lined or greased sheet or thali. Spread the mixture using a spatula and flatten the top. Let it cool down and set, another 45 minutes.
Once the mixture is firm, cut into equal portion pieces using a knife. Decorate each piece with a slice of almond.

https://www.fanciersworld.com/easy-til-ki-barfi-sesame-seed-snack-bar/

Classic Yellow Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016Leave a comment

Happy New Year Everyone! The first week of the year is always busy for us, specially with Akira’s birthday. Our lil” cupcake just turned 2! It is a very special day for us and for Fancier’s World. This blog was started to capture our special memories and Akira’s first birthday was our first post. We hope to capture many such fond memories in the coming year!

To make this birthday memorable I baked these classic yellow cupcakes at home, the recipe adapted from my mom’s basic yellow cake recipe. Akira could not get enough of these yummy cupcakes. Once she had finished licking all the sprinkles and icing, she dashed for another one. Cannot blame her, this chocolate frosting is my favorite too. It is not cloyingly sweet but ooh so chocolaty! I made 3 batches of these cupcakes for her birthday celebration at school, and everybody loved them.

You can easily multiply the recipe for bigger batches, plus it is so simple to make that you will forget the store bought cupcakes. They are so much better and fresher than the ones bought at stores. Also, most of them are too sweet for me. These cupcakes are just perfect for me, with the cake like crust and buttery moist center. Top it with the chocolate frosting and it is totally irresistible! 🙂

Steps for making the Classic Yellow Cupcakes

Prepare for baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. The sifting helps in aerating the flour which creates a lighter cake.

Cream the butter with sugar and eggs

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Now the butter has become lighter and is ready to gel in with the sugar to create an airy mix. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes more. Again, this helps in creating a light textured cake. Add eggs one by one, and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as required.

Beat the butter with sugar and eggs to get a light and fluffy mixture for the classic yellow cupcakes.

Add the dry ingredients and milk

To ensure a smooth creamy batter, do not add all the flour mix at once, as it creates lumps. With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 iterations, alternating with milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix to combine after each iteration. Do not overmix, as it changes the gluten structure of the flour and makes the cake chewy.

Add the flour mixture and milk in alternate batches to make the smooth silky batter for the classic yellow cupcakes.

Transfer batter into the muffin cups

Using a spoon or an ice-cream scoop transfer the batter equally into each muffin cup, so that they are around 3/4 full. I got around 2 spoonfuls of batter for each cup. Do not overfill the cups.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups for the classic yellow cupcakes.

Bake in Oven

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, around 20-25 minutes. The top of the cupcake should be springy by this time. Mine took around 21-22 minutes. Do not overbake as the cupcakes will dry out. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for cooling completely before frosting.

The classic yellow cupcakes fresh out of the oven. They are springy to touch with nice crust and moist buttery interior.

Prepare the chocolate frosting

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, around 2 minutes. With mixer turned on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Beat until combined, around 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, add vanilla and milk. Once combined, beat on high speed to get a creamy frosting, another 1 minute.

Most of the traditional American buttercream recipes use 3 cups of sugar, but I found that for this frosting 2 cups was enough and the cocoa powder helped in thickening the frosting as well. The result was a perfectly sweet and spreadable frosting. But if you like it sweeter or if you want the frosting to be thicker, then sure use 3 cups of the confectioner’s sugar instead of 2.

Finger licking creamy and sweet milk chocolate frosting for the classic yellow cupcakes.

Frost it!

Frost the cupcakes using an offset spatula or a spoon. Decorate with sprinkles, before the frosting dries out to ensure that they stick.
If you want to get fancy, you can also use pipe the frosting using a pastry bag (if you can wait further to eat these cupcakes 😀 ). Personally I like the spooned frosting on these, as they give an inviting homemade look.

Classic Yellow Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Frosting

You don't need any occasion to bake these moist, fluffy and buttery cupcakes. Enjoy these homemade golden cupcakes with the finger-licking creamy milk chocolate frosting.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 12

Serving Size: 1

Ingredients

For Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
Rainbow Sprinkles, for decoration

For Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes more. Add eggs one by one, and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as required.
With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 iterations, alternating with milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.Do not overmix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups evenly.
Place the pan into the oven; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, around 2 minutes. With mixer turned on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Beat until combined, around 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, add vanilla and milk. Once combined, beat on high speed to get a creamy frosting, another 1 minute.
Frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles before the frosting dries.

Notes

Following are some tips for the super soft and moist cake:

1, Cream the butter alone before beating it with sugar or eggs.

2. Beat the butter to a light and fluffy consistency for smoot batter or frosting.

3. The cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for upto 3-4 days. The frosted cupcakes should be consumed within 1 day.

4. The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 3-4 days. Before using, bring it to room temperature or microwave for 20 sec. The microwave settings differ, so adjust the time accordingly.

5. Use whole milk to get the rich and moist cupcake.

https://www.fanciersworld.com/classic-yellow-cupcakes-with-milk-chocolate-frosting/

The moist, decadent and boozy Chocolate Wine Cake!

Chocolate Wine Bundt Cake

December 31, 20152 Comments

Ok, I have been trying to make this Chocolate Wine Bundt Cake for such a long time, but I never had a Bundt pan ! (Ya… seriously) Then finally my dear friend Meenakshi gifted it to us before moving to Austin. We miss you Meenakshi and you would have loved the cake! Thanks to her, I finally got the chance to bake this Chocolate Wine Bundt Cake.

I have already baked it 3 times now – one for the thanksgiving party, one for office Christmas party and one just because I felt like it. Everybody who tried this cake loved it, so you know that it has been tried, tested, approved and loved. What’s not to love – Chocolate + Wine – you just can’t go wrong with this moist boozy chocolaty cake!

And it does not just stop here. You have that perfect wine glaze drizzle on the top. 🙂

Akira too loved this cake. The alcohol content is low enough to be safe for kids, but it is a personal choice whether you want to serve it to them. I could only say that some of the fussy kids too, loved this cake. Though I would refrain from the glaze for kids.

Steps for making the Chocolate Wine Bundt Cake

Prepare the pan and oven

Get the oven going by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray or grease a 10-cup Bundt Pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and set aside. I actually used the original aluminium cast 12.5 cup Nordic Ware Bundt pan. Don’t forget, greasing is very important, otherwise the cake might not come out with a clean top. Since it was my first time baking in a Bundt pan, I learnt my lesson after the first trial.

Melt the chocolate

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or using microwave. Let it cool down, around 5 minutes. In a small bowl combine wine and milk and set aside. You can use any wine you have, but I would not use an expensive wine. I have used Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel and they both worked great.

Melt the chocolate and mix the milk & wine for the chocolate wine bundt cake batter.

Cream the butter along with chocolate

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, around 2-3 minutes. I usually cream just the butter first and then add the sugar to make it lighter. Next, add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. My third cake came out the best as I gave it more time for beating which made it lighter and smoother.

Cream the butter with sugar. Make light and airy batter by adding eggs and chocolate for the chocolate wine bundt cake batter.

Prepare dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift together flour, gelatin, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine using a spatula.

Sift and mix all the dry ingredients for the chocolate wine bundt cake batter.

Add dry ingredients and wine mix

Add to mixer bowl, along with the wine mixture, and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. You might want to mix a little of it using spatula before using the mixer to avoid some wine spill. 😀

Mix all the ingredients together to make the batter for chocolate wine bundt cake.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Transfer the chocolate wine cake batter to a greased bundt cake pan.

Bake in Oven

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let is cool in the pan for another 20 minutes. I was impatient for the first 2 cakes and did not get the clean top because of that. Next, using a plastic knife, carefully loosen cake from the pan. Invert onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely.

Chocolate wine bundt cake fresh out of the oven!

Prepare the wine glaze

Combine the butter, wine, and confectioners’ sugar in a medium saucepan. Reduce the mix by bringing it to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside until ready to serve.

Wine glaze for the chocolate wine bundt cake.

Serve it!

And there it is the moist, decadent, yummy cake. Dust cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Slice cake & drizzle with glaze. It feels and tastes like heaven! 🙂

Dust the chocolate wine bundt cake with confectioner's sugar. Drizzle with wine glaze before serving!

Chocolate Wine Bundt Cake

Chocolate + Wine = Moist, Decadent, Yummy Boozy Bundt Cake. What's not to like!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 10-12

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
1/3 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (10 2/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 box (.3 ounce) sugar-free black cherry gelatin
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

FOR THE WINE GLAZE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-cup Bundt Pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Melt chocolate using a double boiler or microwave. Let it cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine wine and milk; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
In a large bowl, sift flour, gelatin, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine using a whisk or spatula.
Add the dry mix above to the mixer bowl, along with the wine mixture, and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer batter into prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Using a plastic knife, carefully loosen cake from the pan; invert onto a wire cooling rack. Let it cool completely.

Prepare the glaze

Combine the butter, wine, and confectioners' sugar in a medium saucepan. Reduce by bringing to a boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Set aside until ready to serve.
Dust cake lightly with confectioners' sugar. Slice cake and drizzle with glaze.

Notes

Following are some !tips:

1. You can also use a 12.5 cup Bundt pan for this recipe.

2. Black cherry gelatin is recommended for the recipe, but you can also use regular gelatin for it.

* This recipe is from Martha Stewart's site

https://www.fanciersworld.com/chocolate-wine-bundt-cake/

Get Cozy in White and Tan

December 28, 2015December 28, 2015Leave a comment

Brrr… winter is here and so is the cold! For us in Denver though, we had snowfall starting from late October. So you definitely need your cozy sweaters and coats out here early in the fall. So out came my Zara coat which so soft, cozy & comfy, yet keeps the outfit stylish! I actually really like this fall outfit combination of white and tan, which transitions well into the winter too.

Another one of my obsessions for fall-winter season is high neck anything. I like my dresses with collar details. This mock neck dress from Free People is great as a sportswear, but can be dressed up as well that great pair of heels you have been wanting to wear. And you cannot go wrong with white. You can just pair it with any color, coat, shoes or boots.

To beat the winter here, you need a pair of good socks and boots and I found mine at Free People. I think they have the best collection of socks and boots which are unique and have character. These boots are actually my favorite purchase this year.

Suede + Lace-up + Knee-High Boots – It is really hard to beat the combination. The boots stand out against the socks.

Then there is the ubiquitous suede fringe bag in tan which you find in fall. I think it looks great in any season when paired with the right outfit. This was a great buy from American Eagle Outfitters. It is just the perfect size, the fringes look great and it is cross-body.

Oh! And the coat has hood too! After the pockets, my next obsession is with the hoods in my outfit. I have always preferred sportswear and fun outfits, and hoods are all about that.

But be it snow or rain, Colorado always has its sun shine out bright. That is what I love about Colorado 🙂
The sunshine breaking out between the pine trees brings out the white and tan of the outfit even more. What do you think?

Get cozy in winter, with shades of white and tan. Pair the tan fleece lined coat and suede OTK boots with white mock neck dress.

Free People Solid Mock Neck Mini Dress (similar here, here, here and here) | Zara Hooded Fleece Lined Short Coat (similar here, here, here and here) | Free People Johnny Tall Boot (similar here, here, cheaper here and here) | AEO Leather Fringe Crossbody Purse (similar here, here and here) | Free People Round Robin Over the Knee Sock (similar here and here )

DIY Mason Jar Waterless Snow Globe

December 22, 2015December 7, 20168 Comments

Happy Holidays Everyone! I have been trying to write this post for a long time, but did not get a chance to finish it. We actually made these cute little snow globes as a return gift for Akira’s first birthday party – Winter Wonderland theme. The Mason Jar Waterless Snow Globe looked so adorable and everybody at the party really loved it. They were just perfect for the Winter Wonderland theme party, but they can very well make a perfect holiday gift as well.

We had to make around 30 of the them, so had to take help from our dear friends Akshatha and Kishore who generously decided to help us with the other party arrangements as well! It was actually so much fun doing it together. We collected the pine cones together on a walk and then brainstormed on what is the best way to make it 🙂

P. S. I just gave the instructions for most of them. All the hard work was done by these guys.

Supplies for making Mason Jar Waterless Snow Globe

The best part of having birthdays during the holidays is that you find a lot of things on sale. If you have the basic supplies like glue and glue gun, then this snow globe is fairly inexpensive to make.

Mason Jars

You get packs of them on sale during the holidays. I bought 3 packs with each having 12 half pint jars @ $9/pack. (If you are a mason jar craft addict then this is the time to buy them :)) Just be careful not to buy the jars with lot of design on them, as you want the snow globe to show through.
Pine Cones

Free! It is Denver! You have pine trees all around. Just a walk with the friends and we had a bagful of fresh fallen pine cones. You can also buy them from the craft stores, but be careful of the size that you buy. I collected small and tall ones which would fit inside the mason jar. I actually liked the cones from the western white pine trees as they are taller and narrower. But you don’t find them in the stores.
Thermocol or Styrofoam sheet

Free! Well this came as part of the Thanksgiving shopping we did. 😉
Precision knife

I just used the ones I bought from the Dollar Store. You get 3 of them for $1.
Self-healing mat

I used this to cut the thermocol pieces for the base of the globe. If you don’t have it, you can use a cardboard piece or a box to protect the work area from scratches. I bought it for $6 on sale from crafts store.
Hot Glue Gun

I did not own a hot glue gun before, so I bought it from Joann @ $12.99. You could also buy it from any other store. I really like this one, and quite happy with it.
Glitter

I wanted to use them as snow sparkles on the pine cone trees. You can also use the glitter spray, but I like the effect of the chunky sparkles more than the extra fine one. These actually gave it a nice effect. I bought 2 of these for $1 each from Walmart.
Spray Glue

I used these to stick the sparkles on the cone trees. I bought it from craft store @ $7.
Miniature ornaments

You can buy them from any craft stores during the holidays. Since I had to order in bulk and had some time in hand, I ordered it from AliExpress(The delivery was faster than mentioned, but you need to give it 2 weeks). I also love the miniature ornament collection from Factory Direct Craft. I also bought some miniature candy cane decorations from Michael’s. In total I spent around $8 for it.
Fake snow (optional)

I used them to cover the base of the jar and trees to give snowy effect. This was again bought from the craft stores for around $3-$4. I think you can just work with cotton and glitter, but it added more texture and fun to the snowscape.
Cotton balls

$0 spent on it, as I already had them. I used them to cover the base of the jar. It gave more volume and nicer look than the fake snow.
Baker’s twine

I used this to decorate the snow globes. Spent another $3 on it.

So in total I spent around $70 on the project to make 36 snow globes, which is around $2 per snow globe. Pretty good for the party favor, right? They surely look more expensive and so much nicer than a store bought gift. Plus, I got to keep all the basic craft supplies, which I am still using 🙂