Tag Archives: Chocolate

Chocolate Sponge Cake | Eggless, whole wheat, jaggery chocolate cake

February 6, 2021 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 19 Comments

As a kid, I was always excited about my birthday (was pampered a lot by my parents and my bday was celebrated the whole of December 😅). And now there is a “mini me” here, (everyone says she’s just like me – super hyper talkative 😂) who’s even more excited about her birthday. So much that she’s been waiting for it since last year. Everyday I used to get the same question, how long for February, Amma? 😄

So now, when Mr Feb is finally here, I decided to announce it to her that her birthday month has finally arrived (much to my relief 😅) by baking her favorite chocolate sponge cake. Just like me, she too loves chocolate cake very much and this cake tastes as yummy as the McCafe ones here in Qatar (my fav chocolate cake is theirs and I go mmm yummm when I take each bite 😂😂 When will I grow up? 😅). Baking a similar one at home was my goal but did not know I would get the exact same taste and texture even with wheat flour. One of the bakes that I am very happy about and the way my kids enjoy it, it increases my confidence in the recipe each time I bake it. ❤️❤️

My daughter loved this surprise cake and even took it in her snack box to school to show her friends. She’s now eagerly waiting for her birthday on Feb 15th (right after Valentine’s day😍) which she will celebrate with her small kiddo gang from our lane (her daily evening playmates, her source of joy ❤️). Now that Feb has arrived, her next question is when will 15th come (the never ending story 😁). My solution to that – I have made a small calendar and stuck it on the wall. Have asked her to strike off each day and countdown till her birthday. #momideas 💡😄

Anyhow while I find solutions to her queries, hope you bake and enjoy this cake. Do let me know if you have any doubts. Will be a pleasure to help. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { 1 Cup = 250 ml }

Dry ingredients:

1 Cup Whole wheat flour or Atta

1/4 Cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

Wet ingredients:

3/4 Cup Jaggery powder

1/2 Cup Hot water

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Ghee

1/2 Tbsp Vinegar

Step by step recipe:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl using a sieve.

3. Keep it aside.

4. In another bowl, add jaggery powder, hot water, milk (at room temperature), ghee and vinegar. Mix using a spatula.

5. Now add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix only till you can’t see any dry flour specks. Do NOT over mix the batter as it can lead to dense cakes.

6. Add the batter to a greased cake pan (or lined with parchment paper). My rectangular loaf pan is 20 cm * 4 cm. Level the batter using a spatula.

7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 to 35 mins in the center rack of your OTG or with both rods on or bake mode in conventional oven. In my oven it took exactly 30 mins. Might vary depending on your oven type. Once done, a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake must come out clear or with crumbs. Should not be wet.

8. Allow it to cool. Invert onto a plate. Frost with melted chocolate- milk mixture. Have shared the process to do it in this Chocolate brownie recipe. Then grate chocolate over it. Slice and serve.

I had cut it into two halves. This is one of the halve.

Notes:

* I use Pillsbury brand of wheat flour for all my bakes. It really comes well with Pillsbury. I have tried with other brands but the texture of cakes, bread, pav and cookies is best with this.

* Please use milk at room temperature and not cold.

* If you don’t have jaggery powder, you can also substitute with cane sugar or brown sugar. Else just grate and powder jaggery in a mixer.

* When you add vinegar to the mixture, it will curdle. Don’t worry about it as it will give very spongy cake.

* When the cake is hot, it will crumble easily on slicing. Allow it to cool well atleast for an hour and then slice for firm slices.

* If frosting, check this Dates Chocolate brownie for easy melted chocolate frosting recipe which I have shared at the end of the step by step pictorial.

* If you are new to baking, here are some tips:

# Always preheat your oven at 180 C for atleast 10 mins. Temperature might be 200 C also. It varies according to the recipe but for cake, it’s usually 180 C.

# For whole wheat cakes, do sift the dry ingredients using a sieve for a soft texture of the cake.

# Do NOT overmix the batter. Just mix till you don’t see dry flour specks. Over mixing can lead to dense cakes.

# Do NOT open the oven door atleast till 25 mins into the baking time. Opening the oven door in between can lead to temperature variations leading to uneven baking.

# Always insert the toothpick or skewer in the center of the cake for accuracy. It should come out clear or with crumbs. Wet means it’s not done yet.

I have tried to note down as much points as possible so that it’s easy for you all to follow but if you still have any doubts, either comment here or message me on my Facebook page Healthy cooking with mitha or on my Instagram handle and I would be happy to help.

You can also check my Healthy cakes and cookies recipe collection.

Update: I just baked chocolate cupcakes with this batter and it comes out perfect with flat top, super spongy, soft and delicious. It gets done in 20 mins at 180 C in my oven and yields 10 cupcakes with the measurement given above. Look at how excited my kids were to see their favorite cupcakes. They loved it a lot. ❤️❤️

Desserts

Healthy Biscuit Pudding | Easy 10 minute recipe using hung curd and Jaggery

December 17, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha Leave a comment

If you are amazed at the above picture, you are not alone. I too have been coming back to look at it every few minutes 😅. Can’t believe my hands holding the pudding over our Tulsi plants could look so beautiful 😂. Have to thank Mr Husband for his idea and also the captures (his plant love speaks!). The Tulsi bushes are also growing so well now due to winters here in Qatar which makes for a perfect backdrop. Doesn’t the pudding look so pretty? 😍

***An inside look of the deliciousness*** 😍

It is Qatar National day on December 18th and I dedicate this simple yet delicious dessert to Qatar 🇶🇦 where I am living since more than 9 years now. Sharing a collage of pictures which I took during my first year here, the 21 year old me, little silly, very naive, a cry baby, super talkative, amazed at the tall buildings, astonished at stylish people, scared of escalators (yes, that’s true 😬) and wondering if I will ever fit in here. 😅

These are two of my favorite places here. The view of the Doha skyline from Corniche with the gleaming blue waters in between and Villagio mall which has a small stream of water flowing right in midst of the mall with a boat taking you for small rides. There is also a park next to this mall which has a beautiful lake where I could just sit for hours looking at the ducks moving around freely (my bird love speaks 😍). There are also the goodies we got during our first visit to the Corniche on National day celebrations. I was as happy as a kid to get these stickers and notepad that I had clicked all this to show Amma. 😀

This country has really seen me changing. From the silly, naive, talkative girl (who wanted to chat with everyone around) to a woman now, who thinks more than she speaks, does not want many people close to her, happy in her own little world. I actually have only a handful of friends apart from my family and very few special ones whom I love to love, in my life. That’s my precious circle and I can do anything for them. 😍 (That’s me and I know only to love to the extreme and nothing less than that. ❤️)

I can go on and on but I guess it’s time to give a break to my thoughts and keep it for the next time. I don’t know how many of you are from Qatar but I wish all my readers from Qatar a very Happy National day 🇶🇦. We residents know how well our King has taken care of this country and it’s people, even in the toughest times of blockade and we are all proud of him. I don’t know how long I would be here but this country will be in my heart forever. 🇶🇦 ❤️

Now to the recipe finally. 😂 Do try this delicious dessert and you are sure to love it. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Serves 2 }

For Hung curd layer:

2 Cups thick full fat Curd/ Yogurt (to make about 1 1/2 Cups Hung curd)

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder/ grated Jaggery

For chocolate layer:

About 35 grams Chocolate (I used Lindt. You can use Dairy milk or any other brand.)

1 Tbsp Milk

2 Tbsp finely chopped Walnuts

For Biscuit layer:

2 to 4 Digestive biscuits (or as needed as per your container.)

1/2 Tbsp Instant coffee powder

2 Tbsp Water

Step by step recipe:

1. Make hung curd using 2 Cups Yogurt. You can see the full step by step pictorial here in my Jaggery Shrikhand recipe. Now, add jaggery powder to it and mix well. (Sieve if jaggery powder contains granules) Keep aside.

**This is Jaggery Shrikhand which tastes yummy as it is too!** 😍

2. Now take chocolate (your regular chocolate like dairy milk/ galaxy) in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 1 to 2 mins till the chocolate turns soft.

3. Add about 1 Tbsp milk to it. Also add finely chopped Walnuts to it. Mix well. Keep aside.

4. Mix instant coffee powder with water till it dissolves. Dip one of the digestive biscuit into it and keep in a bowl.

5. Add a layer of the Jaggery Shrikhand over it.

6. Top it with the melted chocolate- walnut mixture.

7. Again repeat a layer of biscuit dipped in coffee solution, jaggery Shrikhand and melted chocolate- walnut mixture. Garnish with biscuit pieces and a hint of Jaggery Shrikhand. Serve that time itself or chill and serve.

Notes:

* If you don’t have hung curd or don’t know how to make it at home, check my step by step pictorial in the Jaggery Shrikhand recipe. Once you make hung curd, the assembling of this pudding hardly takes 10 mins to make.

* Just make sure you use full fat yogurt which is not very sour.

* Use any biscuits which is available in your house. I wanted to make it healthy, so I used Digestive biscuits. But digestive biscuits dipped in coffee solution does give a wonderful flavour.

* Make sure you don’t add a lot of coffee solution in the pudding or the pudding can turn bitter (once I added a little of leftover coffee solution over it and it had a slight bitter aftertaste.). Just dip the biscuits in the solution and add to the bowl.

* The layers are:

1. Biscuit dipped in coffee solution
2. Jaggery Shrikhand layer
3. Melted Chocolate- walnut mixture

Repeat again as much as your bowl as hold. With the measurements I have given, it makes one small bowl of the pudding serving two.

* Walnuts give a wonderful crunch and flavour to the pudding. But you can skip or substitute with other nuts if you don’t have.

* I enjoy this pudding as soon as I make it but if you like it chilled, you can refrigerate for an hour. It also helps the layers set very well and turns firm.

* I sometimes add a layer of sliced bananas to this making it a Banana chocolate pudding.

* Makes for a great make ahead dessert for parties. A lot healthier than whipping cream and sugar based puddings too. You won’t know the difference too as hung curd gives it that creamy flavour.

Cakes and Bakes, Desserts

Dates Chocolate Brownie |Eggless, using wheat flour and Jaggery

November 15, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 24 Comments

Click on the image to save the recipe on Pinterest

As my readers know already, I love baking. It gives me some undefinable kind of joy and at times when I just want to hide myself, no longer wanting to talk to anyone (yes, there are days like that even for the talkative me 😬), I enter my baking world. It brings me peace of mind and the result of these delicious bakes too. The kids and their father (who is no less a kid too 😅) become happy at the sight of these goodies and that makes me happy as well. #bakingishappiness❤️

Coming to these brownies, they are so ultra moist as you can see from the pictures and also incredibly delicious. I wish I could share these with all of you. One of the bakes I am really proud of as it is eggless, uses wheat flour and jaggery instead of maida and sugar and also enriched with the goodness of dates. What’s not to love in these brownies? ❤️

I could not take many pictures as my kids were all set to attack them (😅) but when the brownies look so gorgeous, I am sure couple of pictures are more than enough to show how amazing they come out.

I also want to thank my reader Mamta Baliga Shenoy for requesting this recipe. I always make them but did not realize I had not uploaded in the blog. Thanks for the request, Mamta mai which made me add this one. Hope you and all my readers try this recipe. It really comes out amazing. Happy and healthy baking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { Makes about 8 brownie squares} ( 1 Cup = 250 ml )

Dry ingredients:

1/2 Cup Wheat flour/ Atta (yes, only half cup is required)

1/2 tsp Baking powder

A pinch of salt

Wet ingredients:

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder or grated jaggery

1/3 Cup Cocoa powder

1/4 Cup Ghee (use fully and don’t reduce)

1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

4 Soft variety Dates, finely chopped

For the frosting:

About 35 grams of any chocolate

About 3 Tbsp of Milk

Step by step recipe:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C for 10 mins. Meanwhile, Sieve half cup of wheat flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Keep aside.

2. Heat 1 Cup water in a pan and melt 1/2 Cup Jaggery in it. Add 1/3 Cup Cocoa powder and whisk well to remove lumps. Now add 1/4 Cup Ghee (don’t reduce the quantity. It is needed for the moistness). Mix well. Let it be very hot and a lump free mixture.

Note: Don’t reduce the water quantity while heating. Just melt the jaggery in the water, add cocoa powder and ghee. Mix once to remove lumps and remove from the flame.

3. Pour into a bowl while it’s still hot. Add vanilla essence and mix well.

4. Now add the dry ingredients mix to the wet ingredients while the wet mixture is still hot. Mix gently till the dry flour specks are not seen. Do not over mix as it leads to dense brownies. Just mix gently till both ingredients blend in.

5. Add chopped dates and mix well. I just cut them with my hands as the dates are so soft (khudri variety). I make 6 pieces from one dates.

6. Mix well and add to a greased loaf pan. (Mine is of size 20 cm length and 4 cm width.) Grease the pan well with ghee. Level using spatula evenly.

7. Bake in the center rack of a preheated oven at 180 C for 30 to 35 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clear. Do not over bake as the crust can turn crispy. Mine is an OTG and it gets done exactly at 30 mins.

8. For frosting, soften about 35 grams of chocolate in the microwave. I have used Lindt dark chocolate here as I had it. It took me about 2 mins of microwaving it at full power (I checked every half minute). Depends on your microwave. So keep checking.

9. When it becomes soft, add milk, 1 Tbsp at a time and mix well. It took me 3 Tbsp milk to get a creamy, thick frosting.

10. By then, the brownie would have cooled. Loosen the edges using a knife and invert it onto a plate.

11. Spread the frosting evenly over the brownie.

12. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes:

* Don’t be doubtful about the 1/2 Cup wheat flour required for this recipe. It really requires very less amount of flour. I use Pillsbury brand of wheat flour for all my bakes.

* Sieving or sifting of dry ingredients is very important as it leads to even mixing of ingredients. So don’t skip it.

* Make sure the wet ingredients mix is free of lumps and hot when dry ingredients are mixed in it.

* Do not over mix both the ingredients. Gently fold in and mix till dry flour specks are not seen.

* Always remember to Preheat the oven at 180 C for atleast 10 mins before placing the cake.

* Also, always place the bake in the center rack of the oven in OTG OR with both rods on in microwave with conventional mode oven. This leads to even baking.

* Do not open the oven door till atleast 25 mins into the baking time or else it won’t bake properly.

* Dates are optional and you can bake regular chocolate brownies too with this batter but Dates add an amazing moistness to this brownie.

* Do NOT over bake as the crust can turn crispy. At about 30 to 35 mins, when the toothpick comes out clear, it’s ready to be taken out of the oven.

* I highly recommend frosting this brownie as it tastes heavenly with it.

* I have used Lindt dark chocolate for the frosting as I had it. You could use dairy milk or any other regular chocolate available.

* Refrigerate if it lasts more than a day (mine never does 😅)

* For those who are new to baking, you can check my Baking basics guide for beginners.

* Find all my healthy cake and cookies recipes – Healthy Cakes and Cookies compilation.

Cakes and Bakes, Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies | Soft and melt in the mouth cookies using wheat flour and Jaggery

September 25, 2020 Healthy Cooking with Mitha 5 Comments

I am lucky and blessed to have few of my readers who are very encouraging and comment very lovingly. One among them is Rajee D Kurup aunty who is part of the food groups that I am in. She thanks me for the recipes that I post and always asks me to take care and stay safe. It might be a small thing but it means a lot to me. ❤️

So when she requested for a cookie recipe and that too to make for her pregnant daughter in law, I just had to post one soon, just for her. 😍

This recipe belongs to Bake with Shivesh whom I admire a lot for his healthy recipes and mouth watering bakes. Do check his Instagram handle and you are sure to drool.

So here’s presenting a soft cookie which you are sure to fall in love with. Happy and healthy baking!

RECIPE: {Credits : Bake with Shivesh}

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Ghee

1/2 Cup Jaggery powder/ Cane sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

1 Cup Wheat flour or Atta (I use Pillsbury brand)

1/2 tsp Baking soda

A pinch of Salt

1/4 Cup unsweetened Cocoa powder

1 tbsp Corn flour

1/4 cup Milk

Chocolate chips as required to top the cookies

Step by step recipe:

1. Take sieved jaggery powder, vanilla essence and ghee in a large mixing bowl and mix together using a spatula till it combines well and turns fluffy. (Takes about a minute. Important step to get perfect cookies)

2. Now sieve and add wheat flour, corn flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in the same bowl.

3. Combine well till they mix.

4. Now add milk and mix well till it forms a wet mixture. Refrigerate it for 15 mins.

5. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 180 C for 15 mins. After 15 mins of the mixture resting in the fridge, remove it and placed equal sized balls on a ghee greased oven proof plate at little distance from each other as shown.

Note: It is important to keep distance between the cookies as they expand while baking. Also, use ice cream scoop for scooping the dough for equal sized cookies.

6. Pat each cookie slightly with your fingers and place some chocolate chips on top as desired.

7. Bake in the center rack of the oven at 180 C for 12 to 15 mins. Mine took exactly 15 mins.

Note: Don’t open the oven door before 12 mins into the baking time or uneven temperatures can lead to the cookies not coming out right.

**Look at the perfectly baked cookies** 😍😍

8. Allow them to cool slightly. Remove and enjoy these soft cookies. Look at the inside. I absolutely loved the texture! ❤️

Notes:

* These cookies don’t turn out crispy but soft and melt in the mouth.

* For slightly crispy cookies, skip corn flour in the recipe.

* Remember to sieve all the dry ingredients to avoid lumps of any flour in the cookie.

* Also grease the oven proof plate very well with ghee so that the cookies don’t stick to the plate. You can use silicon mat or parchment paper instead but I prefer the good old method of greasing.

* Do remember to keep the cookies at a distance before baking as they expand well while baking.

* Use ice cream scoop for even sized cookies.

* You can skip chocolate chips if not available and make plain chocolate cookies.