Ombre Layer Cake

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     This is the cake I made for my daughter's birthday when she turned 3. When I asked her, what was her favorite color she said "orange" hence the color of the cake(she kept changing the color). She loves chocolate(who doesn't) & I wanted to make her a chocolate cake but as I  badly wanted to bake an ombre layered cake, knowing very well that my daughter wouldn't like it I went ahead with my plan. After all there was another birthday coming up next month. As I was in a hurry I was unable to take step by step pics. Please be sure to read the notes given at the end of the post.

Ingredients:(Makes a 8"inch 4 layer cake)
For the sponge:
Caster sugar -     335 g. (*)
All purpose flour  -  315 g.
Cornflour              -   35 g.
Baking powder     -   1¾ tsp.
Salt        -   ¾ tsp.
Unsalted butter, at room temperature  -  335 g.
Eggs, large   -  6
Milk    -  5 Tbsp.
Vanilla extract  - 2 tsp.
Orange gel food coloring - 3 tsp. (*)
For Buttercream Icing:
Unsalted butter   -  230 g , at room temperature
Milk  -   120 ml.
Vanilla extract   -  2 tsp.
Icing sugar - 1 kg. (*)
Orange gel food coloring  - 2 tsp. (*)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Grease four 8" cake pan & line with parchment paper. (or bake in batches).
2. Put the sugar, flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and beat with a hand held beater for 30 seconds(to combine all the ingredients). To this dry ingredients add the butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract & beat  for  few seconds(50 sec.). Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula, then beat again for another 5 seconds.(Do not over beat)
3. Divide the batter equally between four bowls. Add about 1 ½ tsp. of gel food color to one bowl and reduce the amount gradually (1 tsp., ½ tsp., ¼ tsp.) and add it to each bowl of batter.
4. Pour each bowl of batter into a separate prepared cake tin and spread  it out evenly with a spatula. Bake for  about15 minutes  or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer the baked cake to wire racks  to cool completely before assembling.(*)

 For the buttercream icing:
1. Beat the butter, milk, vanilla and half the icing sugar in a bowl using an electric hand mixer until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in the remaining of the icing sugar to a smooth consistency.
3. Take about ¼- ½ cup of icing in a separate bowl and beat in about ¾ tsp. of gel food color with a  whisk until well incorporated. Beat in more food coloring if you want a darker color. Divide the rest of the icing and follow the same procedure (gradually decreasing the amount of food color). This icing can be stored in the fridge for 2 days.(beat it well before using)

To Assemble the cake:
1. Peel the parchment paper off all the cakes. Trim of the domed tops if any.
2. Place the first cake on a cake stand or a serving plate, starting with the darkest shade(the order of stacking is up-to you) Just make sure you have them in one order of shading or another, not all jumbled up.
3. Spread a thin layer of vanilla icing(i used a lighter shade of orange for both layering & crumb coat) on top of the first cake. Then carefully place the second cake on top. Continue like this until all four cakes are stacked one on top of each other. Place the whole cake in the fridge for  about 20 minutes to allow the icing to set.
4. After the icing has set, crumb-coat the cake by spreading a thin layer of icing down the sides and on the top of the cake. Place the crumb coated cake in the fridge for another 30 min. for the icing to set.
5. It's up to you to decide on how to decorate the cake with different colored icing. You can just apply a single colored icing all over or you can also decorate the whole cake in ombre layers like I did. You can pipe ombre rosettes or a petal ombre etc.
6. Go to this site for the type of icing I have done ombre effect
7.  I piped buttercream roses for decorating on top of the cake with the extra icing I had.

Notes:
* I used a food processor to ground raw brown sugar. You can also use white sugar.
* Use a gel based food color, If you dont have gel food color use a very good quality liquid food color(use very little as it might change the texture, taste and the baking time too)
*I baked the cakes one day ahead and iced the cake the next day.
*Adjust the quantity of icing sugar and milk for making the icing.

Blueberry Muffins

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Ingredients:
All Purpose flour  -  360 g.
Caster sugar       -  360 g. *
Salt    -   1 tsp.
Baking powder  -    1 tsp.
Baking soda -  ½ tsp.
Buttermilk    -  375 ml **
Egg    -    1
Vanilla extract    -   ½ tsp.
Butter, melted    -    70 g.***
Blueberries       -    250 g.

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170°c.
2. Combine the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl.
3. Put the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and beat on a low speed using a beater.
4. Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and beat until all the ingredients are incorporated.

5. Pour in the melted butter and beat until it has just been incorporated,gradually increase the speed of the beater and beat until the mixture is even and smooth.
6. Gently fold in the blueberries with spoon/spatula until evenly spread throughout the mixture.

7.Spoon the mixture into a 12 hole muffin tray lined with paper cases until each case is 2/3 full.

8. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean and the muffins are golden brown in color.
9. Leave the muffins to cool slightly into the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Note:
* Caster sugar is nothing but finely ground granulated sugar(not powdered).
** Make your own buttermilk by mixing equal quantities of water and curd/yogurt.
*** The melted butter should be bought to room temperature before adding it to the batter.(melt the butter before proceeding with the other steps)
# I halved the recipe as I did not have enough blueberries & I made 12 muffins as my muffin tray was smaller in size.
# If not stored properly, the muffin tops will become sticky.

Chocolate Bread

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This recipe is from the cake bible by rose which is a must have book  for all bakers(this is my first/only book on baking I own). I have baked a fair number of cakes before, and the procedure were almost similar like cream the butter and sugar..add eggs..flour etc..But in this book the steps are different, the author explains the reason too..I have made several cakes from this book and I have always had a perfect cake. I can just go on and on ..about this book, trust me this is one of a kind 
book. 

Coming to this recipe..this is a very simple recipe, easy to follow. This was a big hit with my family and I'm sure it will be the same for you too. Rose recommends to weigh your ingredients for best results. I have given the recipe in both grms. & Tbsp. in case you don't own a weighing scale.

Ingredients:
Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed)   -      21 g.  (3 Tbsp.+1.5 tsp.)
Boiling water                                                         -      44g.   (3 Tbsp.)
Vanilla extract                                                        -      1 ½ tsp.
Large eggs                                                              -      3
Sifted cake flour                                                    -       125g.(1¼cup)
Sugar                                                                      -      175g.(´¾cup+2 Tbsp.)
Baking powder                                                        -      ¾ tsp.

Salt                                                                          -       ¼ tsp.
Unsalted butter, softened to room temp.               -       184g.(13 Tbsp.)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.(heat your oven for 15 to 20 min. at 180°c). Grease with butter and line the bottom of a loaf pan(8*4* 2.5 ") with parchment paper.(I used a non.stick pan, so I did not do any of this)
2. Whisk together the cocoa powder and the boiling water until smooth, let it cool to room temperature. Lightly whisk in the eggs and the vanilla extract.
3. Add the remaining dry ingredients to a large bowl, and using a electric beater mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend them together.
4. Add half of the chocolate mixture from step 2 and the butter and beat on medium speed for a minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
5. Gradually add the remaining chocolate mixture in 2 batches and beat for 20 seconds each time. Scrape down the sides & Spoon the batter in to the prepared loaf pan, smooth the surface with a spatula.
6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. (refer notes below)(Mine took 50 minutes). If the cake starts browning too much, then cover it loosely with an aluminum foil. If you want to have a nice slashed look on the loaf, make a cut with a lightly greased sharp knife 25 minutes into baking time(must be done quickly)
7. Once the cake is done, allow it to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then loosen the sides of the cake  & invert onto a greased wire  rack, re-invert it again so that the top side is up(this is to prevent the cake from splitting) .
8. The cake should be stored only after it has cooled completely. Dust with powdered sugar if needed.

Note;
* If you don't have cake flour, use all purpose flour+ corn flour..when weighing the flour first add 2Tbsp. of cornflour then add the required all purpose flour. ( as cake flour is not available where I live, I use this method)
in short------1 cup AP flour - 2 Tablespoons AP flour + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch = 1 cup cake flour.
* DO NOT over-bake the cake/bread. The baking time varies with oven, check the cake at 50 min.
* this is the first time I am making a slash on a cake, I was so nervous..hence a sloppy slash :D
* Feel free to drop any suggestions/questions about the recipe..I am not an expert but i will try to help with any doubts ..

Toasted Walnut Banana Bread

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Ingredients:
All-purpose flour                          -              1 ¼ cup
baking soda                                   -              1 tsp. 
salt                                                 -              ½ tsp.
cinnamon powder                          -              1 tsp.
eggs, large                                     -              2
vanilla extract                                -              ½ tsp.
unsalted butter                              -              ½ cup
sugar                                             -              ¾ cup
ripe bananas, peeled & mashed     -              3 (1 cup)
toasted walnut pieces                     -              ½ cup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease lightly with butter a  9 x5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and the sugar with a electric beater until fluffy and the sugar has dissolved. Add one egg at a time and beat well.
4. Add the mashed banana combine well & slowly add the flour mixture & toasted walnuts and mix with a spatula until just combined.(Do not over mix)
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 50 to 60 mins.
6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool on a wired rack.
7. Click here for another banana bread recipe.

Notes:

• Check the bread after 50 minutes(time may vary). Use a tooth pick to check.
• Cool the bread completely before cutting(which i didn't & as u can see the bread was crumbling).

Recipe source: mykitchenintherockies

Baked Flan

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  There are so many ways to prepare flan & this is the easiest method. Flan is prepared using a bain marie method or hot water bath method. For that you will need 2 baking  dishes, one in which you will be baking the flan and another dish which is big enough to hold the baking dish with the flan mixture. I used a 9 inch round cake pan for the flan and bigger square cake pan filled with hot water.

Ingredients:
Sweetened Condensed Milk            -        14 oz. (1 can)
Evaporated Milk                               -       12 oz.  (1 can)
Eggs                                                  -        3
Vanilla essence                                  -       1 Tbsp.
Granulated sugar                              -        ½ cup

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180° C.
2. For the caramel, heat half a cup of sugar on medium heat. Shake & swirl the pan until the sugar is dissolved and turn a light golden yellow in color. (Refer notes)
3. As soon as the color changes to golden yellow lift the pan above the flame (about 4 or 5 inches) & continue caramelizing until the sugar turns dark golden in color. 
4. When still hot pour the prepared caramel into a baking dish(in which you will be making your flan) & swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. I used a 9 inch round cake pan (coz. that's the only size I have). Set it aside.
5. Take a blender and blend the condensed milk(notes), evaporated milk 3 eggs and the vanilla extract until well combined (wont take more than a minute). Strain it through a sieve to remove the tiny bubbles if necessary.
6. Pour the mixture over the caramelized sugar in the pan. 
7. Place the pan with the flan mixture into a bigger pan & place it in the preheated oven(middle rack) and pour 1 inch of hot water in the bigger pan(bain marie method). 
8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the flan is set(insert a knife to check if it comes clean)
9. Do not over bake. (the flan should be creamy and smooth )When set remove from oven and let it cool . When the flan is still warm place a serving plate over the pan with the flan & gently flip it over. The flan will slowly fall on to the plate.
10. Refrigerate before serving.

Notes:

• Making caramel for the first time might be a bit difficult, don't  worry just follow the instruction as such.
• Do not use a spoon to stir the sugar.
• Take care not to over caramelize the sugar(it will give a bitter taste).
• Adjust the quantity of the condensed milk according to your desired taste, mine was a tad bit sweet. I will not use the whole can next time.
• I used a mixie to blend the flan mixture. I did not strain the flan mixture, may be that's why my flan had tiny holes :P
• I  had to bake for 65 minutes. Time may vary with the type of oven used.

French Toast Roll Ups

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                                                This is a simple tasty snack  with customizable filling. I used nutella and banana filling. You can use a combination of cream cheese and strawberries or any other fruits, peanut butter & banana, Its up to you.

Ingredients:
White Bread slices     -              6
Egg                             -              1
Milk                            -              2 Tbsp.
Sugar                          -              ¼ cup
Cinnamon powder     -               1 tsp.

Method:

1. Lightly beat the egg and milk together in a wide bowl and set is aside. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in another dish and set aside.
2. Cut the crusts  of the white bread slices, and flatten each bread slices with a rolling pin.
3. Spread the desired filling on one side of each slice of bread as shown and tightly roll up the slice of bread. (you may seal the bread using little milk & egg mixture if needed)
4. Repeat the same for the remaining slices.
5. Melt  little butter(just enough to coat the inside of the skillet) in a skillet on medium flame..
6. Dip each rolls in the egg mixture and place it in the skillet. You can do it in batches of 3 or 4.
7. Gently roll the bread roll so that all the sides are browned. Remove from skillet and roll it in the sugar- cinnamon mix until completely covered and serve.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

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          I made this cake for my Hubby's Birthday. As you can see I am not good  at writing on the cake(need more practice, obviously). This recipe has been adapted from loveandoliveoil. I have used red wine instead of blackberry.

Ingredients:
For the cake:
Sugar                                   -          2 cups 
All-purpose flour                 -         1¾ cups 
Cocoa powder                      -         ¾ cup  
Baking soda                         -          2 tsp. 
Baking powder                    -          1 tsp. 
Salt                                      -           1 tsp.
Eggs                                    -           2
Buttermilk                           -          1 cup
Red wine                             -          1 cup
Olive or vegetable oil          -          ½ cup 
Vanilla extract                     -          2 tsp.

For the frosting:
unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes  -   2 cups (4 sticks)
powdered sugar, sifted                                   -   3¾ cup
heavy cream                                                   -   ¼ cup 
vanilla extract                                                 -   2 tsp. 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter and line three 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, sift the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and combine well. Add eggs, buttermilk, wine, oil, and vanilla and combine well with a beater. Divide evenly among the prepared pans.
3. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
4. Run a small knife around the edges of the pan and gently invert the pan onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. 
5. To prepare frosting, beat the butter until creamy, add powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add cream and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Add more cream or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
6. To assemble, level each cake layer by cutting of the domed top. Place one layer, flat side down, on a serving platter and spread half a cup of the prepared buttercream on top. 
7. Place the second cake layer again flat side down on top and press gently, spread another 1/2 cup of buttercream.
8.  Place final cake layer, flat side up and cover the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream. This "crumb coat" will make frosting the cake easier. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow this crumb coat to set. 
9. Remove cake from refrigerator and frost with remaining buttercream. Return cake to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• I decorated the cake with berries and Lindsay used chocolate glaze.
• It is better to freeze the cake before applying the frosting.
• If  decorating the cake with berries then do it just before serving, (coz.  fresh berries weep when thawed, lesson learnt!)

Butter Cake

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                   We used to call this as tea cake during school days, my dad would buy this cake atleast once a month. I like this cake compared to the Kerala Plum Cake. The cake is so soft & spongy and easy to make. I got the recipe from Wendy who got it from a Mrs NgSK. This is a very basic cake recipe & you will certainly get the desired output if you follow all the instructions to a T. This is a must try cake!

                      Make sure all your ingredients are in room temperature before using.(This goes for almost all kinds of cakes unless specified otherwise). It took me about 30 mins just for the preparation as I had to check my LO  each and every  time I was using the beater(she is a very light sleeper). The only step that is time consuming is beating the egg whites, which took me about 10 minutes on the whole (may be more).  The flour mentioned here is self rising flour if you do not have it you may substitute it with all purpose flour and baking powder. Combine one teaspoon. of baking powder to 200g of all purpose flour.

                         People who are baking a cake  for the first time might not understand the term "beat until stiff peaks are formed". When you beat the egg whites make sure you are doing this in a clean and dry  big bowl and the egg whites do not have any yolk in them. Soft peak means after beating the whites for some time the egg whites will become opaque & when you lift up the blade of the beater from the egg whites, they will form soft peak  that just falls slightly over to the side. Stiff peak means the peak formed will hold its form and will not slump, it will be erect.

Ingredients:
Salted butter, softened at room temp              -        230 g.
Eggs                                                                -        4
Sugar (for egg whites)                                    -       50 g. 
Sugar                                                               -       150 g.
Self rising flour, sifted                                    -        200 g.
Milk                                                                -         60 ml
Vanilla extract                                                -          1 tsp.

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180 C. Grease a 8 inch square pan with butter and line it with parchment paper.
2. Separate the eggs. And place the white in a big  bowl. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed and then gradually add the 50 g. sugar very slowly as you continue beating the egg whites. Beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
3. Beat the butter and the remaining 150 g sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla extract to the butter sugar mix and beat for a minute or two. Add the egg yolks one by one and beat well after each addition.
5. Now add the flour and the milk alternatively, starting and ending with flour.(in 2 or 3 batches). Beat on low speed after every addition.
6. Now beat half of the egg whites in the above batter on low speed and using a spatula just fold in the remaining egg whites slowly.
7. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and level the top with a spatula. Place in the oven (i placed in the middle rack) and bake for 45 mins. or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool on a wire rack and serve or store in a air tight container.

Notes:

• Combine one teaspoon. of baking powder to 200g of all purpose flour, if you do not have self rising flour.

Blueberry Puff Pastry Pies

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                                  Well I had a packet of blueberries and a packet of puff pastries, googled and I found this recipe, which is pretty simple to make and was pretty looking too. The original recipe used  whipped cream, i used vanilla ice cream. It is not that sweet, so the ice cream went well with the pies. This recipe makes 4 pies.

Ingredients:
blueberries                       -       1 cup
sugar                                -       3 Tbsp.
cornstarch                        -       2 Tbsp.
lemon juice                      -        1 Tbsp.
cinnamon                         -       ½ tsp.
salt                                   -       a pinch
frozen puff pastry, thawed  -   ½ kg.
butter                               -       1 tsp.
Egg                                  -       1
sugar, for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. In a small bowl, stir together the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry (it should still be cold) into a 10-inch square(the puff pastries i had was square shaped so it did not roll it out). Cut into four quarters and place each piece on a parchment-lined sheet.
2. Divide the blueberry mixture between the pastry, dot each with a bit of butter, and fold the edges of the pastry about ½ inch over on all sides to contain the berries. Brush the pastry with some beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden(I had to bake for 30 mins. Every Oven differs). Serve warm, with whipped cream(or ice cream). 

Red Velvet Cake

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                                     I wanted to make a red velvet cake for a very long time. Well finally I made it for our wedding anniversary. The cake is super moist and dense. The red color of the cake is from the red food coloring. I heard about a healthier version using beets from a friend off mine, the recipe worked for some did not work for others. Since I don't have the time to experiment I made the one using food color. This cake is perfect for a valentines day, got the whole idea from another blog, sprinkle-bakes.

Ingredients:

all purpose flour       -       2 ½ cups 
salt                            -       1 teaspoon
sugar                         -       2 cups
butter, softened         -      1 cup 
eggs                          -       2 
cocoa powder           -      1 tablespoon  
Red food coloring    -       2  tablespoons
buttermilk                -       1 cup 
vanilla extract         -       1 teaspoon
baking soda             -       ½ teaspoon
White vinegar           -       1 tablespoon

Cream cheese frosting:

cream cheese, at room temp.      -     2 ounces 
butter, softened                           -     1 cup
vanilla extract                             -     2 teaspoons
confectioners sugar                     -     2 cups


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and lightly flour 2  round 9" cake pans.
2. Sift  the flour and salt together a couple of times , set aside.  In a bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition.
3. Add the flour mixture to the bowl alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend in vanilla.
4. In a small bowl, mix the red food coloring and the cocoa powder until a paste forms. Add this to the sugar and butter batter and combine  well.
5.  In another small bowl stir together the baking soda and the vinegar add it to the batter immediately and combine well on medium speed setting until it has a smooth consistency.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the floured pans, level  the top of  the batter and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake comes clean. Turn out on wire racks and cool completely.
7. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Gradually add the confectioners sugar and beat until light and fluffy(add little milk if too thick & add sugar if too thin)
8. If your carving the cake and coating it with crumbs, be sure to put the crumbs on when the icing is fresh.
9. For a heart shaped cake as shown, first cut the baked cakes in the shape of a heart(for perfect shape, carve out the heart making use of a  paper cut out in the shape of a heart and use it as reference. First draw a circle using the 9 inch  round pan used for baking the cake on a piece of paper, draw a heart inside the circle).
10. Place the heart shaped paper on the baked cake and cut out the shape. Crumble the cut off pieces and keep aside.
11. Apply the frosting evenly on the topside of the cake, place the other cake on top and apply the frosting on top and the sides of the cake.
12. Now press the crumbled mixture all over the cake(This is not a pretty job you can clean up later).(Place the cake on the serving dish before decorating)

Notes:

• I made this cake on day one and made and applied the frosting the next day.
• Freeze the cake, if your planning to make a heart shaped one with the crumbled topping. It will be easy to cut.
• Adjust the quantity of the frosting according to your requirement. I ended up with so much left over frosting.
• The cake is delicious as such without the frosting. 
• The topping on my cake as you can see is in crumbled form, whereas if you see the original recipe by heather it had a powdery texture.

Serradura

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       Serradura also known as sawdust pudding because of the sandy texture of the biscuit in the pudding. This pudding is believed to have originated from Macau. This is one of the easiest pudding I have ever made to this day, takes no more than 10 or 15 mins. to make. The pudding is layered with condensed milk and cream forming one layer and powdered biscuit the alternate layer. I have used a combination of cashew with the biscuit, which is optional. 

Ingredients:
Whipping cream or thick cream   -    250 ml 
sweetened condensed milk           -     50 g.
vanilla essence                             -      1 tsp.
Marie biscuits                               -     100 g.
cashew nuts                                 -      20

Method:

1. Powder the biscuits and the cashews using a mixie.
2. Whip the whipping cream until soft peaks are formed, add in the condensed milk and vanilla essence and beat it until stiff peaks are formed. 
3. In a glass or the serving dish, add a spoonful of biscuits-nuts mixture evenly. Then spoon in the cream then alternate with the biscuit and the cream alternately. 
4. Refrigerate till set for 2 hrs. and leave in room temperature(10 mins) before serving so that the creamy layer is smooth.

Notes:

• This is a heavy dessert so fewer the layers the better.
• You can also use a pipping bag to pipe the cream for a neater finish.
• Thick cream can be used in the place of whipping cream, just make sure not to over beat the cream.
• Adjust the amount of condensed milk according to your taste.

No Bake Pineapple Bread Pudding

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                       This is a very simple recipe as it does not require to be baked. The pudding consists of alternative layers of cream, bread, pineapple and praline. I prefer using fresh pineapple rather than tinned. 

As I have used fresh pineapple I increased the quantity of sugar for the syrup. I made this pudding for a family get together and they all loved it (well almost all). Unfortunately it did not please my in-laws(too much cream). Well if you have a young group this will do. I would  tweak the recipe to suit the taste of everyone though, like decrease the quantity of cream in each serving and increasing the quantity of the praline. I used the small nutella jars for serving. 

Recipe Source: Marias Menu
Ingredients(Serves 6):
White bread        -  14 slices         
Whipping cream -  500 ml            
Thick cream        - 500 ml             
Icing sugar          -   4 tbsp.          
Chopped pineapple -  2 cups             

For sugar syrup:
 Sugar      -    1 cup          
Water      -     1¼ cup         

For Praline
Chopped nuts (i used almonds)  -   1 cup             
Sugar                                           -  ½ cup 

Method:
To make the praline
Heat the sugar in a non stick pan with 2 tbsp water, when it caramelizes, add the chopped nuts. Reduce the flame and mix well so that the nuts are coated well with the caramel. Pour the praline onto a baking paper. Allow it to cool and crush them using a rolling pin.(refer notes)

To make sugar syrup
 Mix together water and sugar. Heat it till the sugar dissolves and allow it to boil. Remove from fire. Let it cool completely. 

For the pudding

1. Beat the whipping cream and thick cream together gradually adding icing sugar, until the cream has doubled. Spread a thin layer of cream on the base of your serving dish.
2. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut each slice into four squares. Dip the bread slices in the sugar syrup and squeeze it. Make a layer of bread on top of cream, without any gap.
3. Cover with another layer of cream. Sprinkle chopped pineapple and praline on top of that. Repeat the layering process once more starting with cream and finish it off with sliced pineapple and praline.
4. Refrigerate for a  min. of 3 hours, before serving.

Notes:

Use a pipping bag for spreading the cream if using nutella jars.
The praline might stick to the parchment paper(Might help if crushed when still lightly warm)
Do not over beat the cream.(else it will taste of butter)
Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.
Two sets of layering is more than enough.