Espresso Chocolate Truffles

I came across this recipe on the Sprinkle Bakes website.  And I just had to add it to my list! And now the day is finally here!

These make about 60 truffles, give or take a few! I made these smaller than those on the Sprinkle Bakes website since these are so rich! I also adapted the method a little.

• 24 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz package mascarpone cheese, softened
• 2 tsps of espresso (or 2 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 tsp hot water)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder for rolling the truffles

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler
2. Blend mascarpone cheese and coffee mixture
3. Fold everything together with a spatula
4. Refrigerate to chill until firm enough to scoop into balls (I used a tsp to scoop, and another one to shape)
5. Using a teaspoon, scoop a little chocolate (like how ice-cream is scooped - it's actually rolled into a tight curl) to make a ¾ inch ball. (You may need have make a few until you know how much truffle mix to scoop)
6. Gently roll into a ball with your hand and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. (It will stick to your hand. If it does, then chill the mixture for a little longer, or don't use too much pressure when rolling into a ball)
7. Chill for 15-30 minutes. 
8. Add a couple of tbsp of the cocoa powder in a bowl
9. Take the rolled balls out of fridge, and roll balls balls again to smooth them out (roll 3, then go to next step)
10. Roll the balls into cocoa, gently lift out, and place on parchment paper. I placed each one in a small foil candy case (like the ones Ferrero Rocher are in!).  Repeat steps 9 and 10! :)
11. Store in parchment lined container

Don't these look adorable?

You could also try coating the truffles in melted chocolate rather than a dusting of cocoa powder. Or how about some chopped nuts? Shredded coconut? And oh oh oh - instead of coffee, how about some orange and orange rind? :))  The possibilities are endless!

Jalebi

Jalebi. This is the second time I'm making this recipe. Jalebi is a deep fried (thin) pretzel, which is then coated in a sugar syrup! These are fun to make! And so So SO easy! The original recipe and video can be found here. I've made just a little change to the recipe and method, based on what I found worked well with me!

Prep Time: 5 minutes plus 30 minutes fermentation time
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes approx 35 jalebis

Jelabi Batter Ingredients

• 1 cup All purpose flour
• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
• Several strands of saffron
• 2 tsp Corn Starch
• 1 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast (Regular yeast can be substituted but must be proofed in the warm water for 5-10 minutes, until foamy, before adding it to the flour)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp Yogurt
• ¾ cup warm water

Jelabi Sugar Syrup Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 cup Water
• A pinch saffron
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder

Jelabi Batter Method

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, cardamom powder, rapid rise yeast and corn starch and mix thoroughly. This becomes the dry mix.
2. Heat the saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool for 2 minutes, then crush completely until its a powder (in a mortal & pestle, or as small as you can get it)
3. Whisk the oil, yogurt and water, and mix well until there are no lumps. This becomes the wet mix.
4. Mix the wet mix into the dry mix well, 
5. In a larger bowl or pot, add very warm water and place the mixing bowl with the batter inside the larger bowl (be sure that the water does not fall into the batter). Cover the larger bowl and allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
6. After the batter has been resting for 15 minutes, start on the syrup and start to pre-heat oil for frying the jalebi. (See the method below.)
7. After 30 minutes, mix the fermented jalebi batter well and put it in a ketchup or mustard bottle with a spout (zipper bag or piping bag can be used too)
8. Squeeze out the batter into the hot oil in approximately small circular motions so that each Jalebi is about 2-3 inches in diameter.
9. Fry until the bottom side looks golden and flip once to cook the other side.
10. With tongs, remove the Jalebi, shake off excess oil and allow to cool for a few minutes, then place directly into sugar syrup, flipping over so that both sides are coated. Shake off excess sugar syrup and place in another plate. (I found that the first time I made the Jalebis, taking them out of the hot oil and then straight into the sugar syrup make the Jalebis go soft. Hence, I let them cool inbetween the oil and sugar syrup steps!)
11. Continue frying remaining jalebis.
12. Once all the Jelabies have been fried and cooled down, store in an air tight container.

Jelabi Sugar Syrup Method

1. In a heavy bottom pan, add water, sugar and saffron. 
2. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat or until the temperature reaches 200F and then switch off.
3. Reduce flame to a low simmer and add cardamom powder and lemon juice. Mix.

I just can't help eating these as soon as they are coated in sugar! They taste warm, crispy and sweet! I think I may have eaten too many though!

Badam-Pista Gulab Jambu (Gulab Jamun)

Gulab Jambus are milk powder dough balls which are deep friend and then soaked in a sugar syrup. "Gulab" means rose, and "Jambu" means balls. Jambu also refers to the fruit from the Jambul tree, which are dark in color too! Gujaratis from the Western part of India say call this sweet dish "Jambu" whilst Northern Indians call then "Jamuns". I think maybe the South and East Indians too! So anyway, here is the recipe for Rose Balls :)

Chasni (Sugar Syrup) Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 5 Cardamom pods, slightly opened
• Several strands of Saffron

Gulab Jambu  Ingredients

• ¼ lb Soji (semolina)
• 1½ cups milk warm milk
• 1 tsp level Bicarbonate of Sosa
• 1 lb milk power
• ¼ lb almond and pistachio powder (I like my nuts to be a little roasted)
• ¼ tsp saffron
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Oil for deep frying

To Make the Chasni (Sugar Syrup)

1. Heat the everything for the Chasni in a large pan (we'll be adding the fried Gulab Jambus into this, so the pot needs to be big) until the sugar has melted. You  may need to stir it a couple of times.
2. Switch off the stove, and allow the syrup to cool naturally

To Make the Gulab Jambus

1. Warm the milk, and add to the soji. There should be enough milk to cover the soji and allow it to expand into the milk  Leave aside for 20 minutes
2. Heat the saffron in the microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool for 2 minutes, then crush with your fingers so the strands are not long
3. Add the almond powder, pistachio powder and cardamom powder to the milk powder, and just mix.
4. Once the soji has soaked for 20 minutes, add in the crushed saffron and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well.
5. Add the soji mixture to the milk powder mixture, mix well and form a soft dough. You may need to add a little warm milk, if the dough is not soft.
6. Cover with a damp towel
7. Heat the oil on medium heat
8. Make small balls of dough (between the sizes of a dime and 5cents) and set aside. Make enough to cover ½ a single layer in your hot oil
9. Put one dough ball gently into the hot oil. If it floats up within 30 seconds, the the oil is hot enough, and add the rest of the dough balls
10. Once they have all risen to the top, keep rotating them continuously, so the balls start to brown evenly.
11. Once brown (after about 2-3 minutes) take out, and allow to cool
12. Repeat rolling balls / frying with the next batch
13. Just before you're about to take the current batch out, add the previous batch to the sugar syrup
14. Repeat 8-13.
15. Each time you add the fried gulab jambus to the sugar syrup, toss them gently, so the new batch is covered.
16. Leave for a couple of hours, tossing them every 45 mins, so that all the gulab jambus soak the sugar syrup up 

You can store these in the fridge, in an airtight container for a week or more! Just warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to get to room temperature, or leave out for a an hour or so until they are room temperature warm!

Til Sankari (Tilgul) - Sesame Snaps!

Today is Makarsankranti. It is one of the Indian festivals which always falls on January 14th. All our other festivals follow the lunar calendar and thus, are on different dates every year! :)

Makarsankranti has many significances for many people, and you can read about it here on wiki :) People fly kites in India, and you can listen to a beautiful song Kaipoche (it is cut) from the movie "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" (I Have Given You My Heart)

The recipe is really simple, and I watched it on Show Me The Curry (a delightful YouTube channel!)

• 1 tbsp clarified Butter (Ghee)
• ¾ cup grated/crumbled jaggery (Gud/Gor)
• 2 tsp milk
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 cup dry roasted sesame seeds (Til)
• ½ roasted unsalted p-Peanuts

1. Have a tray ready - (I used an 8x8), grease it or line it with parchment/wax paper. (If you're using parchment/wax paper, cut an extra square to go on top on the mixture when it is in the tray)
2. In a pan, add the clarified Butter and heat on medium heat until it melts
3. Add in the jaggery and stir continuously till it melts and starts to bubble
4. Add the milk and mix, take the pan off the flame and allow it to cool for just a couple of minutes
5. Add the cardamom powder, sesame seeds and peanuts and mix well
6. Put the mixture in the tray evenly, and place the other parchment/wax sheet over it, and press firmly using a flat spoon. If you've greased your tray, and don't have parchment/wax paper, coat the back of the spoon with some melted ghee and press...
7. While the mixture is still warm, cut it into shapes (I had 36 squares in my pan. One score down the middle, and then two scores either side. Turn the tray 45 degrees and repeat)
8. Allow it to cool and harden, then take the shapes out
9. Once it is hard it will easily snap and the pieces can be separated.
10. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container, and eat when you feel peckish!

Note: I found that my dish was very soft and crumbly - because of the jaggery. My pieces would not hold. So  I made a thick sugar syrup (½-tar) with about ½ cup of sugar and 2 tbsp of water. I added my mixture back into the pan of sugar syrup, and mixed everything up again, then repeated from step 6 onwards. My pieces are still soft, but they hold their shape this time.

"Meethe gud mein mil gaya til, Udi patang aur khil gaya dil, Har pal sukh aur har pal shanti, Wishing you all a Shubh Makarsankranti!" ♥

Which mean - "The sweet jaggery has met with the sesame seeds, The kite has flown high and my heart has swelled, Wishing you peace of mind and happiness and a happy Makarsankranti!"

Jallebis! :) - Coming Soon!

Diwali Mithai - Coming Soon!

Jambu - Coming Soon!

Colorful Coconut Barfi Balls - Coming Soon!

Penda People - Coming Soon!

Orange-Cranberry & Walnut Barfee - Coming Soon!

Roasted Almond Chocolate Barfi - Coming Soon!