Jalebi

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup yogurt
• Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
• 1 cup sugar
• Few strands saffron
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 drops orange food colour
• 2 tbsps rose water

Preparation:

• Mix the flour, baking powder and yogurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.
• Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.
• To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and genly tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
• Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
• Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
• Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.
• Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
• Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
• Serve warm.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

This is definetly a “special occassion” dessert. I usually serve this at my annual holiday party (along with a cheese cake), with rave reviews. It is very rich but a small piece is very satisfying and very chocolately. You can make this a day ahead.
Use the best chocolate you can afford.

Ingredients: -

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, cut up
1 pound of butter
1 cup whipping cream
1-1/2 cup sugar
9 eggs (at room temperature)
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup whipping cream (yes, another cup)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)

Method :-

Grease bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Line a baking sheet with foil.

In a large sauce pan combine the one pound of bittersweet chocolate, the butter, one cup of whipping cream, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl whisk eggs and vanilla together. Slowly stir half of the chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Return egg mixture to remaining chocolate mixture and stir all together until combined.

Place greased springform pan on lined baking sheet. Pour chocolate batter into springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 60 minutes or until evenly puffed and a knife inserted near center comes out clean. (The sides puff up first. Some times this has taken up to 90 minutes for it to be completely cooked.)

Remove from oven and cool on rack. Chill several hours until firm (or overnight). Set torte on a serving plate. Use a knife to loosen torte from sides of pan and then remove springform ring. Place torte on serving plate back in refrigerator.

In a small sauce pan heat the other cup of whipping cream until very hot (but not boiling). Place the 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate in a medium bowl and add the hot whipping cream, and stir until chocolate is melted. Cool chocolate to room
temperature.

Spread cooled chocolate on top of torte allowing some of it to decorately drizzle down the sides. Chill until chocolate topping is set.