THE BAKING SKILLET - Page 4 of 6 -

Spices in Desserts – a revelation

November 11, 2016 1 Comment

I think there will be a lot of spicing up going on here. A bit of heat is called for in the chilly months. Right? It is so strange my relationship with spices in desserts. When I was a kid, I hated it when I found whole cardamom pods or little pieces of nutmeg in Gajar Halwa or Rice Puddings or Mango pulp (Aamras) or Gulab Jamuns. It would put me off completely. I suppose that is how my love for chocolate and cakes began. There was no threat of hidden spice ‘landmines’ waiting to explode with every other bite! It was safe. Chocolate, vanilla and black-forest pastries along-with jam rolls fashioned after lamingtons was my idea of what comprised of western desserts. And that was good. They were all safe. Ofcourse as I grew older and especially once I moved out of India, the scope of ‘western desserts’ started to broaden and to my utter dismay I found out that spices (read Cinnamon) are extensively used. There were pies, and crumbles and fruit crisps, muffins, carrot cake (!)and what not and I ran away from them as soon as the scent of cinnamon hit my nostrils. I remember in my […]

Desserts, Indian Inspired

Gajar Halwa Cookie Cups

November 1, 2016 2 Comments

Many Indians get nostalgic at the thought of Gajar ka Halwa I suppose. It is a common dessert made at home and served at restaurants. I am not sure if the same goes for ‘nankhatai’ though – a kind of crumbly, melt in your mouth eggless cookie aromatic with ghee and cardamom. I am Trick or Treating right now and trying to write about Diwali. This is bizarre, I can’t wrap my brain around it. The two worlds are so far from each other. To me, this seems unusually quiet for a celebration that involves morbid costumes, dark house decoration and sugar highs – and it is busy on our street – I have handed out candies to atleast 100 kids and expecting a hundred more. Back in India, wherever you are in the city, you can hear fireworks going off. The sound of celebration in the air. Homes are decorated with strings of light, colourful lanterns and diyas. Those who celebrate Diwali, are dressed up in silks and chiffons, sequins and gold embroideries, the beautiful saris, vibrant lehengas and elegant kurtas. Of course, there is the sugar rush and food coma, mainly due to several fried foods, ghee laden […]

Desserts, Indian Inspired, Pies & Tarts

Phirni – Indian Rice and Coconut Pudding Tart with Granola Almond Crust

October 20, 2016 2 Comments

Coconut Phirni recipe Rice Coconut pudding

It is Diwali season in India – the festival of lights and crackers and sweets and gifts and pretty clothes. A rich, creamy rice pudding or Phirni is one of the popular desserts back home. This version is a take on the classic, served in a granola tart base. My head has been full of Halloween, just like the blogging world is full of Halloween desserts. Then the other day I was Skyping with my mom and she mentioned Diwali holidays coming up soon and I realized that it is indeed Diwali season back home. And just like there is thanksgiving and Halloween and pumpkin talk everywhere in this end of the world, plans for Diwali – shopping for clothes, crackers, lighting, home décor, sweets making, invitations – are being laid out in India. It is easy to forget when you are away from home, busy immersing yourself in a new culture, learning its ways and discovering new things; it is fun, but it is also equally fun to celebrate your own culture in small ways in a different country. To share the spirit from back home with new family and friends here. And although the two celebrations are as […]

Cakes

Vanilla Cake with Apple Pie Filling and Vanilla Italian Buttercream

October 13, 2016 No Comments

Vanilla Cake with Apple Pie filling and Vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream

A fall cake because there are apples everywhere and you’ve got to buy bags of apples and put them in everything. So I sandwiched a classic apple pie filling in between layers of simple vanilla cake and covered it up with a rich silky vanilla Italian meringue buttercream. If I have not sufficiently expressed my love for fall on Instagram with ‘lovingfall’ hashtags, I will say it again here! I am totally #lovingfall. It is now officially my most favorite season and I can’t get over how pretty the trees look and how many shades between yellow and red can be seen. Are there North Americans who have grown up with all the fall colours and still find it breathtaking? Toronto trees have been slow on the colour update and seeing how excited it made me to see an occasional fashion forward tree in its full blazing glory, Steve took me to Gatineau Park for a hike during our stay in Ottawa for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. And it was stunning! Although fall seems to be late everywhere and the leaves were still turning, the park offered some beautiful views and some very red leaves. And while I was taking […]

Cakes

Spiced Carrot Cupcakes

September 27, 2016 No Comments

These super easy to make carrot cupcakes are moist and pack a punch from the candied ginger and spices. I am back to blogging! Yayy. Now the hard part is – I have a backlog of recipes but I have forgotten the stories around it because I have goldfish memory. Maybe I should not say that anymore because it has been proven that fish can remember things for upto 5 months! Its more than I can say for myself. I made these carrot cupcakes a couple of months back when we were still living out of suitcases in airBnbs and I actually had access to a decent oven and I was carrying around my plastic laundry box full of ingredients and kitchen equipment! We must have visited a farmer’s market and picked up a big bunch of grubby carrots because they looked pretty and were cheap. Yes, that story sounds about right. I remember it was still summer and sweltering hot! And yet, I chose to spice up these Carrot cupcakes. This is a mystery to me. I guess, I knew I will only get around to posting it in fall. Lets credit that to my excellent judgement. The spices […]

Cafes and Bakeries

Mamie Clafoutis – Montreal

September 8, 2016 6 Comments

Ok, so on my first trip to Montreal, I had to try a Montreal bagel, a smoked meat sandwich, a French bakery café and basically lots of food. How many trips would it take to check off all the good restaurants and eateries? We had time for one bakery café. The magic word was ‘croissant’, since we had slotted the café for breakfast. After a good amount of research, I decided to try Mamie Clafoutis. They have a few locations around the city. Don’t turn your nose up! It is all baked fresh in an adjoining kitchen and yes the croissants are buttery and flaky and oh so rich! Pure delight – the pistachio croissant @_mamieclafoutis #montreal . . . #latebreakfast #frenchpastry #patisserie #cafe #croissant #mamieclafoutis #feedfeed @thefeedfeed #huffposttaste #foodstagram #instapic #foodporn #latergram #indulgence #travel #mtlfood #mtlmoments #eeeeeats #thebakingskillet A photo posted by Thebakingskillet (@thebakingskillet) on Aug 24, 2016 at 10:36am PDT Name and Location – Mamie Clafoutis, 2660 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal. Great for – Freshly baked French pastry – you can peep into the kitchen. ‘real butter croissant’ breakfast. Popular treats – the Pistachio Croissant, The pain au chocolat called “Oh mon dieu” filled with chocolate ganache, the […]

Cafes and Bakeries

Slickers – Prince Edward County

August 21, 2016 No Comments

You know how some places / hangouts become institutions in certain places. Slickers is one of those. You don’t have to believe me. You can read up all the reviews on Tripadvisor, Yelp, other blogs. Or you can simply make a trip, line up in a fast moving queue, get into a crammed little ice cream parlor, quickly sample several delicious flavors, decide you like them all then randomly pick one, get out of the crowded nook, go sit on a bright red Muskoka chair and enjoy your pick. Then believe. Us big town folks, we have had our mile-high ice creams at Sweet Jesus, we have tasted the whacky flavors, wrapped in waffles, wrapped in churros and what not! But, sometimes you just want an old-style cone of single serve (or make it double) hand churned, smooth, rich lusciousness. You don’t have to visit Prince Edward County for the ice cream! Go visit the small local vineyards, which are pretty, take tours of cellars, sample lots of wine and then trust me the ice cream will taste even better. Some great Vineyards to check out – Karlo Estates, The Grange and Rosehall Run. Name and Location – Slickers County Ice Cream, 271 […]

Desserts, Pies & Tarts

Summer Galettes

August 1, 2016 No Comments

Make this super easy dough and keep it in your freezer. When you find yourself with lots of fruits that you got at the farmer’s market, make little galettes or one big mixed fruit tart and enjoy summer in its true lusciousness. I think what I really want to write is “10 tips for great Airbnb living”. I think that it has the potential to become a great post. Once I write it. Once I figure out those 10 tips. We are on our 5th BnB right now since we moved to Canada in January this year, and besides the packing and unpacking and the poor quality of beds, we manage rather well I must say. Right now we have settled ourselves in the first capital of Canada – Kingston, also known as the “Limestone City” due to the many buildings constructed using local limestone. This quaint little city, with its beautiful waterfront with hundreds of boats and thousands of seasonal tourists is our first pit stop on our summer escape from Toronto. They have a lovely farmers’ market at the Springer Market Square which is in the heart of downtown and very hard to miss. The quality of produce […]

Desserts

MioGelato – Kingston

July 30, 2016 No Comments

A string of sweaty people – kids and adults alike, sitting on the porch licking away happily on their gelato cones was what I registered even before I saw the sign for this Gelato shop. Right in the heart of Downtown Kingston facing the waterfront, this frozen treats shop seems to be the preferred choice for tourists after long walks, post lunch/dinner crowd, and too-hot-to-have-coffee folks. Name and Location – MioGelato – Ontario Street – Downtown Kingston Great for – Something cold and delicious on a hot summer day. Wide variety of flavors in the gelatos, sorbets. Ever changing flavor of the week. Lots of vegan options. Popular treats – Gelatos. Small and regular sized cups or cones with two scoops. Mix it up with a scoop of gelato and a scoop of sorbet for a killer creamy/tart combo. I am totally digging the – mini frostbites – basically a gelato on a stick dipped in crunchy chocolate coating and sprinkles indicating what flavor is hidden within. The ‘Meh’ – I don’t see the need to sell macarons and cakes when the gelatos are great. What you will shell out – $10 – $20 for 2 people depending on how […]

Cafes and Bakeries

Forno Cultura – Italian Bakery

July 23, 2016 No Comments

Peep in through the long rectangular glass window and your interest may be piqued by either the many people lining up at the counter or the glass counter itself, filled with Italian goodies. Forno Cultura has been around for a while, it is not an “on trend dessert place”. It is where you go if you crave for the classics. Or maybe to taste a bit of nostalgia when you are reminiscing that trip to Italy. Who else is in Thursday mode?? We all deserve treats for making it to #almosttheendoftheweek @fornocultura A photo posted by Thebakingskillet (@thebakingskillet) on Jun 23, 2016 at 6:03am PDT Name and Location – King and Bathurst –occupies the ground floor/basement beneath WVRST Great for – true Italian desserts, freshly baked bread, a quick Italian lunch What the experts say – “Forno Cultura is one of the city’s most essential food shops, a must-try on any Toronto food tour, run by one of its most naturally talented bakers” – The Globe and Mail Popular treats – Almond Cannoli, Biscotti, pistachio cookies, the breads I am totally digging the – The high ceiling, the industrial basement look, the variety of baked goods, the breads (must pick […]