Banoffee Pie

The Sweet Punch baking adventure continues.... what I like most is the fact that we participate and bake a recipe which we would have always wanted to do , yet would put it off for another day. These Sweet punch recipes creates an initiative to bake.At the same time when we look at the round up its a whole new learning experience,not to miss the comments which is truly encouraging for a baker !
Happy New year everybody ....................!!
January Punch is Banoffee Pie adapted from Swapna's Cuisine. The origins of this amazing dessert is well explained in Wikipedia.

Banoffee Pie

Marble Cake

A Sweet Punch theme for this month is " Your Choice" - and I chose the Marble Cake. I just love this cake - the way it is - its always Yummmm....

Coffee and Chocolate Pudding

A Sweet Punch theme for November 2011 is the PUDDINGS - Hot/Cold.
Divya of Easy Cooking is hosting the event this month and she has chosen Coffee and Chocolate Pudding.
The recipe says to serve this delicious self saucing pudding with a generous scoop of Vanilla Ice cream.

I have baked this with all the ingredients on hand and did run out of brown sugar in the end. However, there is demand from the family to bake this another day.:)

JAM TARTS

I missed the September round up of the Sweet Punch as I was on vacation and too busy settling kids in school and getting over home sickness. Should try those Chocolate Almond Biscotti some day. Well,things brightened up eventually and here I am , all set to link this post to the October Punch - Jam Tarts by Ria.

Ria's recipes are never complicated ........therefore, baking tarts was way too easy and I have followed it to the T.

Ingredients:

Flour - 115g ( thats about 1 Cup of sifted APFlour)

Butter - 60g chilled

Baking powder - 1/2tsp 

Water - 4 to 5 drops 

Strawberry Jam for the filling

Method:

• Mix flour and baking powder together.
• Add the butter and rub it with your fingertips till it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Line the tart tins and fill 2/3 of the tart with jam. The crumbs bind together quite well while lining the tart pan.
• Bake at 180 degrees for 15 mins or till done.

Tarts straight out of the oven .............

Note/Tip - I have used salted butter here, so the family comments say that the unsalted butter would've tasted better !!! will keep that in mind for sure :)

STRAWBERRY BANANA MUFFINS

 A Sweet Punch have posted the August Punch &the  theme is Cup Cakes & Muffins. I have a few reasons to have completed this baking assignment ahead of time -
i. Am going on vacation - I enjoy the comfort of baking in my own space.
ii. Fresh Strawberries are available now , who knows if it would later.
iii. I still have time on hand , if ever my effort flops for any reason :))

And............the Strawberry Banana Muffin I baked turned out like this ....

 This recipe is adapted from Joy of baking and there is a step by step video tutorial available which made things too easy. I have made a slight variation from the original recipe - however, am quite impressed with the results.
Ingredients:
1 Stick Melted Salted Butter ( 113 gms)
2 Large eggs lightly beaten
2 Large Ripe Bananas grated
1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Chopped Fresh Strawberries ( bite sized pieces)
2 1/4 All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 180degrees Celsius ( gas oven). Line a Muffin pan with paper cake cases.

Step 2 :Mix the flour,sugar,baking powder,baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl.
Step 3: Fold into it the chopped strawberries,let them coat well in flour so that they don't sink in the batter.
Step 4: In another bowl - take the wet ingredients such as eggs,vanilla and melted butter. To this add the grated bananas and mix well.
Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture in batches and  fold gently with a wooden spoon / spatula until they all combine well. The mixture would look like this....

Step 6: Pour into lined Muffin pans with an ice cream scoop.

Step 7: Bake for 25 - 30 minutes , check with a skewer when done - if it comes out clean - remove from oven & let it cool....

When they are ready to serve .........you could see them fly out of the plates...

Cheers  for the Sweet Punch Girls  - looking forward for the next :)

PERFECT POUND CAKE

As part of the Sweet Punch baking team............JULY PUNCH - PERFECT POUND CAKE is the recipe for the month........



Lets start  with the ingredients all at room temperature:

Step 1 : Whisk lightly the following wet ingredients - Milk -Eggs - Vanilla.Set aside.

3 tbsp Milk

3 Eggs

1.5 tsp Vanilla Essence

Step 2 : Dry Ingredients -
i. Prepare cake flour - measure 1.5 cups of all purpose flour and remove 3 tbsps of flour from it. Replace it with 3 tbsps of Cornflour - sieve 3 - 4 times.
ii. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the flour.
iii. Add 3/4 tsp baking powder.
iv. Add 1/4 tsp salt

1.5 Cups sifted Cake Flour

3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

Step 3 : Scale butter to 184 gms.

i. In a stand mixer at low speed beat the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds.

ii.Add 184 gms butter to this and beat until it combines well with the dry ingredients.

iii.To this add half the egg- milk - vanilla mixture . Beat on high for 20 seconds to aerate the mixture.

iv.Scrape down , add the remaining mixture and beat well  for another 20 seconds. The batter will now look like this.............

Step 4: 

i.Preheat Oven to 170 degrees ( i use a gas oven and this is a safest temperature for cakes)

ii. I have used a Bundform pan here, prepare the pan with a coat of butter and dust with flour.

iii.Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan, and bake for about 45 minutes. Insert skewer , if it comes out clean remove from oven. Allow it to stand for about 10 minutes. Turn over and let it cool on a wire rack.

I have heard of Pound cakes , have eaten them too ..........but baking one for the first time, am absolutely delighted with the results. Now for the slice of the cake ........

The Slice..........

 This is my first entry to the Sweet Punch group. ...thank u Ria for taking me in...... i have learnt that baking a perfect pound cake is no rocket science:)... the look, the texture and the taste are all PERFECT just as the name goes .
Tip : If you could resist temptation, save some slices for the next day. After all the resting time - the cake is pure bliss the next day.

CHEERS TO THE SWEET PUNCH GIRLS !!!!