Sugar Cookies Decorated with Fondant

Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on cookie cutter size.
Ingredients:
2 cups- All-purpose flour
¾ cup- Butter at room temperature
¾ cup- Powdered Sugar
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. vanilla essence
1 large- Egg
¼ tsp. Baking Powder
All Purpose Flour Extra for Dusting
For fondant:
2 cups- Mini marshmallows
2 tbsp. Water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pound- Confectioner’s sugar
Crisco or vegetable shortening
Corn syrup

Method:
1. In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and quite fluffy.
2. Add the egg, salt, baking powder and vanilla essence and mix until they are well combined.
3. Sift the flour. Add to the bowl and mix until all the ingredients are just come together you – do not over mix.
4. Put the dough into a container or cover with a Clingfilm and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. On a work surface lightly dusted with floor, roll out the cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle a little extra flour on the top of the dough as you roll to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin.
6. Cut out your desired shapes. Place on baking trays lined with wax paper and return to the refrigerator to rest for at least 5-10mins.
7. Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 170°C/325°F for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies will be pale on top and slightly golden on the bottom.
8. Cool them before decorating.

Notes:
1. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on cookie cutter size.
2. Keep baked and decorated cookies fresh in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week.
3. Cookie dough can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen up to a month.

For Fondant:
1. Grease a microwave safe bowl with Crisco. Pour marshmallows in bowl.
2. Pour water and vanilla extract over marshmallows.
3. Heat in microwave until marshmallows puff a bit, about 20 to 30 seconds. Stir well until fully melted and smooth and runny.
4. Put confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer with the flat beater (I greased the beater with Crisco).
5. Pour marshmallow mixture into the sugar and blend on low speed. continue blending until dough forms.
6. Knead briefly on a surface dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Wrap in plastic and let sit about 4-5 hours.
7. Divide the fondant and tint desired colors. (Tint fondant by kneading one or more drops of food coloring into a half of white fondant. For pastel colors, start with only one drop and add one additional drop at a time until desired color is reached.)
8. Roll out preferred color of fondant on a surface dusted with confectioner’s sugar to prevent sticking, and cut out the shapes.
9. Spread a small bit light corn syrup on a cookie and gently place the shaped fondant on top and smoothing the edges with your fingers.

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Vanilla Cake

Recipe by Habiba – Faisalabad, Pakistan
December 02, 2013

Ingredients:
150 gm. Flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
4- Egg
¾ cup- Milk
175 gm. Caster sugar
6 ounces (150 gm.)- Melted unsalted butter
1 tsp. Vanilla essence

Method:
1. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy.
4. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
7. Add the flour mixture and milk, beat well.
8. Pour the batter in a prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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Orzo Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Butter
1 small- Onion, chopped
1 small- Tomato, chopped
2- Garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp. Ginger, crushed
2 tbsp. Tomato ketchup
1 ½ cup- Chicken, chopped
2 cups- Orzo pasta, cooked al dente and drained
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup- Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup- Parsley, sliced

Method:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter, onion, garlic and ginger and saute until tender.
2. Add the tomato, lemon juice, salt and chicken and cook until the chicken is tender.
3. Add tomato ketchup, black pepper, orzo pasta and mix well.
4. Add grated parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.
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Mushroom Pulao

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Ghee
3-4 Cloves
Small piece of Cinnamon
3-4 Cardamom
1- Onion, sliced
3-4 Green chilies, chopped
1 tsp. Ginger paste
1 tsp. Garlic paste
1- Tomato, chopped
2 cups- Mushrooms, sliced
½ cup- Carrot, chopped
1.5 cups- Rice
3 cups. Hot water
½ tsp. Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1- Chicken stock cube
½ tsp. Red chili powder
½ tsp. Garam masala powder
2 tbsp. Mint leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Soak the rice for 30 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in the pressure pan. Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon followed by onion, green chilies and salt. Saute until the onions are done.
3. Add the tomato and saute until tomatoes become mushy.
4. Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for few minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and carrot. Saute till the mushrooms shrink.
6. Add turmeric powder, chicken cube, red chili powder, garam masala powder and water. Add salt if needed.
7. Add rice, cover and cook until rice is done. (Simmer for 10-15 minutes after the water starts boiling.)
8. Garnish with chopped mint leaves, yummy and tasty mushroom pulao ready.
9. Serve with onion raita and enjoy!
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China grass Pudding

Ingredients:
1 litre. Full fat milk
1 can (430ml)- Condensed milk.
½ cup- Sugar
10 to 15 gm. Agar agar
½ cup- Water
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
for topping:
25 gm. Almonds, Cashew nuts and Pistachios, sliced
¼ cup- Grated coconut powder
3 tbsp. Sugar

Method:

1. Soak the agar agar in water for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Heat milk in a sauce pan and add sugar to it, stirring to dissolve. At the same time heat the soaked agar agar along with the water in another pan in medium to low heat.
3. When the milk starts to bubble, add condensed milk, reducing the heat to low and stirring continuously.
4. Add dissolved agar agar into the milk through a sieve and remove any undissolved residue. Stir well and remove from heat.
5. Add the vanilla essence and transfer to setting tray. Refrigerate after cooling until set for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Meanwhile prepare the topping: Roast the coconut in a pan, until light brown and fragrant. Add the nuts and roast for a few more minutes. When it becomes crispy, add sugar and mix well. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.
7. Serve topped with the coconut and nuts mixture.
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