Veg Puffs:

Have always wondered if we could make puffs at home during the school days where I used to grab a puff before getting on to the school bus to home. Here the conventional oven makes it easy to make all our crispy dreams come alive.

Though I have made this snack many times here, it dint survive long enough to tale a picture :) This time rolled my tongue till the photoshoot. Here it is; hope it tingles your taste buds too...

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheets

Potato – 1

Onion – ½

Tomato – ½

Chilli powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Salt per taste

Method:

• Cut the pastry sheets into three as per the folding. Two long stripes can make 4 puffs. You can make 6 out of them if it is a smaller puff.
• Boil the potatoes, peel their skin and keep it aside.
• Finely chop the onion and tomatoes.
• Heat the frying pan and saute onion till glassy. Then fry tomato by adding salt, chilli and garam masala for about 2 minutes.
• Add potato and mix it for a minute in flame.
• Now cut the sheets into two and fill it with masala.
• Close the pastry by wetting the edges with water and press it to close with a fork. It will look presentable.
• Preheat the conventional oven for 400F.
• Place the puffs on to the greased tray or covered with foil.
• Bake at 400F for 20 minutes till golden brown.
• Crispy, yummy, sizzling veg puffs ready to munch.
  
  
  
  
  

Carrot Cupcake with Vanilla frosting:

                                             
Finally hitting it right after persistant trials. Cupcakes has been my favorite for its beauty and of course taste. They are tiny and perfectly delicious snack. This is my first successful attempt in making a cup cake after many attempts of egg-less trials. This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.



Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus more for garnish

Procedure:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a muffin tin or line with paper liners.
- In a bowl, combine sugar, butter, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk it well until fluffy.
- Stir in baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour, carrots and coconut and whisk it for about 2 minutes.
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
- Let it cool completely. Frost cupcakes, and garnish with carrots /coconuts.
 
Tips from my learnings...
- Butter will give softness than oil.
- If the whisking is insufficient the cake will besticky.
- Use fresh Baking powder and check on its expiry.