White Butter Cake w/Raspberry Filling & cream cheese frosting AND a blogging break

Before I leave for India, I planned on posting a few desserts but time did not permit.My packing and shopping left me with little or no time to blog hop or post a recipe.I will be leaving this week and will be back in the third week of April.I may blog hop occasionally but I have no idea how much access I will have to internet and if I can gather some time to do it.So before I leave, I thought of posting a white butter cake recipe from Joy of Baking.

I cant wait to go to India, see my parents and I really am looking forward to my brother's wedding.Until I am back, don't have too much fun and miss me every time you are eating something sweet!!I will miss you all and your fun reads very much!The weather is getting pleasant, at times that is and Spring is just around the corner.Enjoy the weather!
I made this cake for one of my friends' baby shower and everyone really liked it.I made a few changes like making a raspberry whipped cream instead of jam.

1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs separated
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Milk
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Filling
1/2 cup Raspberry Jam
4 oz of Whipped cream (Light)

Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp Pure Vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 350F.Grease 2-8 inch round cake pans.Line the bottoms with parchment paper
• Separate the eggs while still cold.Place egg yolks in a bowl and the whites in another.Cover them with plastic wrap for about 30 min
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt
• Beat the butter until soft and add 3/4 cup sugar.Beat until light and fluffy.Add egg yolks beating after each addition .Using a spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl.Add vanilla extract
• With mixer on low speed, add flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour
• In a separate bow,beat the egg whites until foamy.Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar (1/4 cup) and beat until stiff peaks form
• Fold the egg whites into the batter until combined.* Do not over mix as this will cause the batter to deflate*
• Pour the batter evenly into the 2 prepared pans and bake them in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 min or until a tooth pick comes out clean
• Cool the cakes completely and wrap the cakes in a plastic wrap and place the cakes in the refrigerator for about an hour.
  

Filling
You could use just any jam of your choice but for some reason I love this filling
Combine the whipped cream and jam well.Do not use any blender or hand mixer.Do it with hand as you would egg whites.

Frosting

• Cream the butter and cream cheese without any lumps
• Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, making sure it is mixed in well
• Add the zest and Vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the frosting is fluffy
  

Place one layer of cake on a plate.Spread the cake with the Raspberry whipped cream .Place the other cake onto the filling.Spread the frosting on top and on the sides.

Take care and lots of love
Shri

Breton Biscuits

The cookies get their name from a region in France, Brittany and are known for their buttery taste.
Recipe: Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour and some for dusting
1 cup Cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1large egg +4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature

• Preheat the oven to 325F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
• Sift the dry ingredients-All purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar until it doubles in volume about 2 to 3 min
• Add the butter in four parts and beat until well combined
• Add the flour on low speed and beat until well combined
• Place the dough on a lighly floured surface.Divide the dough in half and flatten them and wrap in plastic.Refrigerate for about 30 min
• On a lightly floured surface, place one of the discs and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.Do the same with the other one and place the discs on the prepared baking sheets.Refrigerate for about 15 min
• Remove from the fridge and using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place the rounds about 1 1/2 inches apart
• Whisk the egg and a table spoon water and brush on top of the cut out rounds.Using a knife, score a lattice pattern and make sure you don't cut all the way through
• Bake until the edges are golden, about 18 to 22 min
• Transfer them to a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool completely
  

Love,
Shri

Potato-Broccoli Curry

As you all know, my brother's wedding is in less than a month and I will be leaving for India the next week.I can't wait!I wanted to post desserts this week but it is late in the night and I am feeling lazy to write an elaborate recipe. So definitely the next post/s will be biscuits and cakes.I have a new found addiction these days- Farmville! My cousin got me into this and I am loving it.I know a lot of blogger friends are my neighbors now and it is really fun! Do you play Farmville too or should I ask are you addicted too?

3 Russet Potatoes peeled and cubed
1 Broccoli Crown, florets separated and boiled
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Curry Powder
2 tsp Cumin-Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder, Optional
Salt to taste

Seasoning
1 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
3-5 Curry Leaves, washed and chopped

• Boil Potatoes in a microwave for about 5 min or on the stove till tender.Drain the water
• Heat 2 tbsps of Olive Oil in a wide bottomed pan
• Add Urad dal,cumin seeds and curry leaves
• Add the boiled potatoes into the pan.
• Add Turmeric, cumin coriander powder, curry powder, Ginger-Garlic Paste and salt
• Combine them well and cook for about 5 min
• Add the boiled broccoli and continue cooking until potatoes start to turn brown.Don't let them turn brown though.
• Serve with roti or rice.My daughter loved with plain roti:)

Have fun,
Shri

Tagliarelle/Pappardelle with White Truffle Butter

Tagliarelle pasta is extra thin pasta which usually cooks in about 3 min and if it is Pappardelle, a slightly wider noodles, it takes about 4 min.
I initially got the Tagliarelle (which you can see in the pic below) but the final dish has pappardelle.Any guesses why? I over cooked and it was no longer the ribbons that I was dreaming about.It was a big lump and it could no longer be called pasta, definitely not the gourmet dish that I was venturing to make.It was more or less like a dough.So I used up the pappardelle that I had with me.



I put the pasta in the water and I totally forgot as one of my friends called after quite a long time, a very long time and I did not realize that this pasta is so delicate.So be extra careful and when the directions say 3 min..that is EXACTLY 3 min.And not to mention a box of these cost about 8 bucks.So yes, for pasta that is a lot of money but it is so worth it.
And for the white truffle butter, you can get in the refrigerated section along with milk and juices of any gourmet food stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Market.
This is one of the best pastas I have ever eaten!

Recipe:Ina Garten

1 box of Tagliarelle or Pappardelle pasta(I have used Cipriani)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
3 oz White Truffle Butter
3 tbsps Fresh Chopped Chives
3 oz Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp Salt + 1tbsp for boiling pasta
1/2 tsp Pepper

• Bring a large pot of water with a tablespoon of salt to a boil
• Heat cream in a pan until it comes to a simmer.Add truffle butter, salt and pepper and stir it until the butter melts
• Add the pasta and cook for 3 min or as per the directions on the box
• Drain the pasta after reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water
• Toss the pasta in the pan with the truffle butter sauce
• Add just enough water to the pasta just to make the pasta creamy
• Garnish with chives and parmesan cheese

Note:You could add a half cup of mushrooms which you can saute and add to the truffle butter sauce

Hugs,
Shri