Eggless Butterless Date Cardamom Squares

Every happy event in life becomes happier if it ends on a sweet note. And this baking journey all of April, there have been 26 baking posts by the participating members of Baking BM. For me , it’s a personal milestone of having posted 26 baked treats in a row – thank you Valli and the entire Blogging Marathon for a wonderful run this Marathon. It was amazing to see some wonderful bakes which were awe-inspiring. Hope to clear out those bookmarks pretty soon J

From Orange Almond Meal Cake on day 1 to these Eggless Butterless Dates – Cardamom squares today (day 26), its been a sweet journey of learning and sharing. I made it for no other special occasion than to end the baking marathon and here’s raising a toast to all the BMers.

Baking Marathon Day 26 : Dates Cardamom squares (Eggless & Butterless)

Recipe type : Cakes / Tea Cakes

Course: Dessert / Tea cake 

Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time : 22-25 mins

Recipe Inspiration : DIvya’s recipe

Ingredients:

• All Purpose flour – ½ cup
• Wholewheat flour – ½ cup
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – a pinch (about 1/8 tsp)
• Baking powder – 1.25 tsp
• Cashewnuts – 2 TBSP (chopped coarsely)
• Black dates – pitted – about 25 pieces (you could use normal dates too)
• Milk – 80 ml
• Custard powder – 2.5 tsp
• Brown Sugar – 2/3 cup (powdered)
• Oil – 1/2 cup
• Water – 150 ml

Method:

1. Sieve the flours with salt & custard powder. Pit the dates and grind them with, add 150 ml to these dates , whisk well & heat this mixture till it becomes gooey, take it off the fire and add in baking powder and cardamom powder. It would froth quite a bit so take care. Let this mixture cool down.
2. Into the flour mixture, add cut nuts .. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, oil and milk well. Add this to the flour mixture, along with the cooled date puree.
3. Fold gently till you get a thickish cake like batter without any dry flour between the folds. Pour into a greased and lined pan, bake on a preheated oven for 25-30 mins (mine was done exactly 27 mins) and a tooth pick comes clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack, unmould , cut and serve. You may also frost if you wish. I just added a stencil cut icing sugar topping and glazed cherries 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

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Turkish Pide | Turkish Pizza

As with the Cajun Spiced Aubergines, today too I had a different recipe. But Pavani’s Turkish Pide (Turkish Pizza like bread) was so captivating that I had to make it as soon as I read it. Call me tempestuous or a lady in a hurry, but I keep realizing that this is the only way I can clear my bookmarked recipes …

As always, her pics are stunning and this was no expection. With a homemade-pizza loving family even Little one  loved it. My husband likes eclectic food, and loads of veggies in his pizza and if possible only veggies and no cheese on his pizza . 

This was the perfect fit and the only thing was I made it  , baked it but cudnt have even a bite as I rushed off to class. So there are no final “plated” pics.. But for a runaway success like this, I am sure we will make it more often. What’s more, I added finger millet (Ragi flour) for the first time with wholewheat and it was so tasty J

I divided the dough and had two different toppings – roasted peppers and cheesy tomato and spinach – corn – cheese. Both I was told were polished off the plate. Thanks Pavani for a superb idea and a great recipe J

Baking Marathon Day 25  : Turkish Pide (Turkish Pizza)

Recipe type : Pizza – Italian Cuisine with a Turkish Twist 

Course: Main Course / Snack 

Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time : 18-20 mins

Ingredients:

• Wholewheat flour – 1.5 cups
• All purpose flour – 0.25 cups
• Ragi / finger millet flour – 0.3 cups
• Instant yeast – 1.5 tsp
• Warm water – 1 cup (adjust to flour type)
• Salt – to taste
• Sugar – 1 TBSP
• Olive Oil – 5 TBSP (divided use) 

Toppings:

1)    Spinach – corn  - cheese topping:

1. Spinach – ¼ cup – finely chopped
2. Par Boiled corn – 1/3 cup
3. Coriander walnut pesto – 2 TBSP (optional)
4. Mozarella cheese – ½ cup
5. Salt – to taste (adjust as mozzarella is quite salty)
6. Black sesame seeds – to top

2)    Roasted Pepper – Tomato Cheese Topping :

1. Roasted Bell pepper – sliced into juilennes – ½ cup
2. Cheese –grated – 1/3 cup
3. Onions – sliced thin – ½ cup
4. Dried herbs (oregano / basil) – to taste
5. Chopped Black Olives – few
6. Tomato slices – 2 to 3 nos
7. Salt – to taste

Method:

• Sift all three flours with salt. Keep aside. Proof yeast with sugar and warm water. Once done, make a dough adding as much water as required to make a dough.Oil the dough and keep it aside for 1-1.5 hours till doubled. Punch down a bit.
• Divide dough into 2-3 portions (depending on how big a pizza you need). On a floured surface, roll the portions into a rectangle.
• With the help of your fingers, fold the edges and the tips to make a boat like structure.  Brush oil on top, cover and let them rise for 30—40 mins more.
• Now preheat oven towards end of the second rise, place the ‘boats’ gently on the baking sheet (silicone mats are great for this purpose).
• Mix the toppings without the cheese and keep it ready .
• Brush the edges with milk if need be (I didn’t do) & sprinkle sesame seeds.
• Top with the two kind of toppings and cheese, and bake for 15-18 mins.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

An InLinkz Link-up

Welsh Pecan Apple Cinnamon Wholewheat scones

Scones were on my to-do list for a long time, but somehow refined flour and sugar and butter put me off. I was looking around for a healthy recipe, when I chanced upon Harini’s recipe, which was a winner right from the word “go”.

I made a couple of modifications: altered the flour ratio and also needed a lil more butter and milk and added in a handful of chopped pecans. And voila ! We had a warm nice scone drizzled with some honey. Apple-cinnamon combo is a treat for those who love the spice.  

My family does and this is one of the few recipes that mom loved & kept talking about it a lot. We keep teasing her that having born around the Indian Independence , she has a lot of “British” culture left in her J Whatever your reason, this is one healthy scone that you cant afford to miss. 

And if you have a sweet tooth, it’s a pleasing after-dinner snack too . Stays on the countertop for upto a day, and you can freeze- microwave for the next few days.

Baking Marathon Day 24  : Welsh Pecan Apple Cinnamon Wholewheat scones

Recipe type : Quick snack / Dessert  

Course: Dessert  

Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time : 18-20 mins

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat bread flour – 1.25 cups
• All purpose flour – ½ cup
• Sugar – 2 TBSP (adjust to taste)
• Salt – 1/8 tsp
• Cinnamon powder – 1.5 tsp
• Baking powder – 1.5 tsp
• Cold butter – 3 TBSP
• Apple – 1/2 large (peeled and diced)
• Pecans - about 8 (chopped) - this is optional
• Yoghurt – ½ cup
• Milk – 4 TBSP

Topping:

• Cinnamon powder, honey – to glaze

Method:

1. Sift the flours, cinnamon powder, salt, baking powder, sugar powder. Now added cubed cold butter (I grated cold butter as that’s easy to mix it in).  Rub the butter in till it resemebles bread crumbs. Mix in the chopped apple and chopped pecans . Whisk milk-yoghurt and leave for 2-3 mins. When the apples sweat a bit, add the milk-yoghurt mixture and make a firm dough.
2. Oil your fingers a bit and pat this dough directly onto a baking sheet. Cut into wedges (adjust size acc to preferences – Mine made 8 largish sectors). Brush a little milk and some cinnamon powder and bake in a preheat oven for 18-20 mins,at 180 Deg C.
3. Broil for 2 mins if you need a coloured top (I skipped this coz it naturally browned while baking)
4. Cool for 4-5 mins and serve warm with honey drizzled over

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51/a>

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Wholewheat Eggless Butterless Tutti Frutti Biscotti | Kids Treat

During this Baking Marathon, it gave me the courage to try out different kinds of cookies and biscuits like Custard powder Coconut cookies,  Carrom seed (Oma) biscuits, and the wonderful Baked Onion Crackers . So this biscotti looked like a natural extension. Biscotti is a doubly baked cookie - simply put it resembles our Indian rusk (popular in Indian Bakeries). Wholewheat,healthy and made with very little ingredients, these were much liked by both the kids. 

I didn't cut the biscotti the usual oblong oval shape , but nevertheless we liked them a lot. I would increase the sugar slightly the next time round as I wasnt sure if the tutti frutti would be overpowered. With a good shelf life, this can be a good car snack for those long drives.

Or if you are like me, make these and then ask the husband for a long drive with the kids in tow :)

Baking Marathon Day 23  : Tutti Frutti Biscotti

Recipe type : Quick snack

Course: snack

Prep time : 10 mins | Bake time : 25 mins

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Tutti Frutti - 1/4 cup
• Oil / butter - 4 TBSP (I used oil)
• Salt - a pinch
• Milk - 1/3 cup (use almond milk if you want it vegan)
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Sift the flour with salt and baking powder. Add tutti frutti and mix well. Now whisk the sugar and milk well, once dissolved, add oil and mix. Add the flour with tutti frutti to this wet mixture.
2. Knead well. Cling wrap and refrigerate for 45 mins. Towards the end of this resting period, preheat oven to 180 C
3. Once done, unwrap the dough, Bake for 12-15 mins on one size. Cool for 10-12 mins
4. Now with a sharp knife cut into thick slices (shape doesnt matter). and with the cut side down, bake for further 4-5 mins till crisp and slightly browned at edges
5. Cool on rack and serve with tea / milk.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 51

An InLinkz Link-up