You've got to hand it to the French. Not only do they have one of the most salivating cuisines, they have a way of making the most down to earth delicacies sound like the most wonderful things on earth. Its almost as if they are doing you a favor by letting you enjoy the food of the french. I daresay, the entire french cuisine owes a great part of its almost mythic status to the way the dishes are named.

When you say Chocolate Mousse, you get images of a delicious, chocolaty-creamy dessert. But when you say 'Mousse au Chocolat', you experience a classic french dessert that has all the alluring sensuality of the food associated with romance the world over, chocolate whipped up to make a delicacy with a texture 'lighter than air' and the smoothness of cashmere.

"Mousse" is the French word for "foam", while "Chocolat" is of course French for "chocolate". Consequently, "Mousse au chocolat" translates as "foamy chocolate", and is one of a number of foamy desserts (many of which are fruit based).

It never ceases to amaze me that the simplest things are usually the best. Chocolate Mousse is an extremely simple mixture of whipped cream, whipped egg yolks, and melted chocolate, yet it's a classic french dessert loved all over the world. The classic chocolate mousse does not have any cream. The traditional french version actually involves a bit of work, but there are a lot of recipes out there that turn out a light and creamy dessert with very little effort like this one. You can even find egg-free versions, though I don't particularly care for them.

In a traditional recipe for 'Mousse au Chocolat', you make a 'pate a bombe', which is created when you add a cooked sugar syrup to egg yolks while they're mixing, and a basic merengue, and adding the lot of them to melted chocolate. You can save a lot of that work making a good chocolate mousse with the recipe provided. You'll never even notice the time you've spent in your kitchen!

As for me, I like my flavors to be particularly intense. The recipe after the turn does exactly that - create a classic 'Mousse au Chocolat' that is intensely heavenly.

Recipe : Intense Mousse au Chocolat
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 Minutes
Servings : 6

You need:
Dark Chocolate(70% chocolate) - 7 ounces (200 g)
Butter - 2 ounces (60 g)
Eggs - 2
Icing Sugar - 1.4 ounces (40 g)

You do this:
1. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and then melt it into gooeyness, using just enough heat to gently melt the chocolate. Keep stirring the chocolate with a wooden spoon as it is melting.
2. Slowly mix in the butter, stirring it in with the wooden spoon as it melts. Then dump the egg yolks of the 2 eggs, again stirring them in.
3. Separately, whip up the egg whites into a froth. Then gradually put in the icing sugar to the whipped egg whites, stirring the sugar in as you add it.
4. Slowly add the egg whites and sugar mixture to the chocolate and butter mixture, gently folding the egg white into the chocolate, using the wooden spoon.
5. Once the sugared egg white mixture has been mixed in fully, spoon the mixture into attractive glasses. Place the glasses in a refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, to allow the chocolate to cool.

You can serve the mousse as it is, but the real magic of the taste can be felt only when it is cooled.


Notes:
This recipe is for serious chocolate lovers. The taste is a very intense, dark chocolate variant which is enjoyed by some but will be found too strong by others. My tastes veer towards the more intense flavors.

For tips on avoiding common problems with Mousse au Chocolat, you can read the Guidelines to Making Chocolate Mousse.

Chocolate mousse or Mousse au Chocolat would make an easy and delicious dessert any day, night...whatever. Whenever possible, try scooping up the chocolate mousse with fresh pieces of fruits like apple, banana etc. Believe it or not, it tastes even better.

Now look here, we all know the real reason why cupcakes are so maddeningly popular, don't we ?

By themselves, as delicious as they are, them Cupcakes would never have reached such iconic levels as they do now. For all their yummy-ness, Cupcakes are basically delectable utensils for eating frosting, particularly when it comes to certain cupcake "flavors" like a red velvet. By the way, if you want to know what the hell a "red velvet" is, it's nothing but a really fancy excuse to shamelessly lick a quarter to half-cup full of Cream Cheese Frosting.

For my money, Cream Cheese Frosting, you see, is the best frosting out there till date. And judging by the number of blogs that praise this decadent bit of topping, I'm certainly not in a minority. I have had a lot of Frostings with my decadent eating habits, many different kinds and varieties, but I have fallen head-over-heels in love with the end-all, be-all recipe for the most Decadent Cream Cheese Frosting ever.

Continue reading the full story and the recipe for the most decadent Cream Cheese Frosting ever >>

yours truly, RA

The quality and type of icing nozzles that you use has the most direct impact on your baked treats. Poor nozzles give poor results. Yeah! big shocker there! Metal nozzles and screws are recommended, they are the most popularly used ones, but many also use the ones made of plastic with no complaints. However, if you are not the hobbyist type and more of a serious baker, then you'll find that high quality, durable metal icing nozzles are an invaluable investment.


Not to worry, it isn't remotely necessary to purchase the entire set at first. You'll do good to rather get the basic set(which are the ones most people eventually use regularly), master their use and become competent with them before investing in any of the more fancy icing nozzles. Examine each nozzle carefully to see that the shapes and edges of the openings are cleanly and deeply cut, and that there isn't any surplus solder on the inside to impede the smooth flow of the icing. Make sure that the join running the length of the tube is fast and secure.

The minimum number of tubes required by the beginner is six. These are the ones you'll find in most beginners icing sets...

There's more...find out what the Icing Beginner's Perfect Nozzle set is at the DeliciouslyD blog >>

yours truly, RA

For anyone undertaking cake decoration, before anything, you must learn to make an icing bag. Also called as pastry bags, they are what you fill with your choice of icing for your cake or pastry decoration and topping. They are especially ideal when decorating a cake with many colors. As with most things nowadays, you can buy ready-made icing/pastry bags, but again as with most things nowadays, you'll eventually find out that the home-made ones are the best to work with.


Learning to make an icing bag is one of the most basic skills of the baking arts. It is ridiculously easy to make, I cannot understand why anyone would want to waste money buying ready-made ones. All you need is a roll of Greaseproof Paper and a little practice. They can be fiddly at first, but are well worth perfecting.

Although several types of icing pumps and plastic icing bags complete with connectors are available, it is easier to use a nozzle with a home-made greaseproof (waxed) paper icing bag. In India, it is commercially known as 'butter paper'. This also makes it cost next to nothing.

There's more...Read the full story about how to make your own paper icing bags as the DeliciouslyD blog >>

yours truly, RA

The typical small neighborhood Sweet Shop that lies just by the corner will not have dim lighting, some random light background music, waiters in prim and proper uniform waiting for your order, professionally designed menu card, interior design that probably cost more than the total invested capital of a dozen small shop owners and cosy seating with cool comforts, but places like The Venkataramana Boli and Sweet Stall is proof that you don't really need all that 'shop dressing fluff' if you offer your customers sweets that let them experience their momentary piece of paradise.

For a good treat, the ambiance is largely irrelevant. If you have a hankering to satisfy your sweet tooth, then you will not get a better taste of sinful pleasure than their top selling treat, the traditional Sweet Poli. It is their signature product, wildly popular, and always in danger of being sold out, if the speed at which they are disappearing off their trays is any indication. Even if you're one of those people who come to a sweet shop and still want to stick hard to your diet, they don't disappoint. This wonderful little Sweet Shop makes Oil-free coconut and Dal stuffed versions of their mouth watering Polis for the health conscious.

Wait! there's more...
Continue reading the full story about the Venkataramana Boli & Sweet Stall at DeliciouslyD >>

yours truly, RA

I've eaten a lot of candy to date, quite regularly in fact, and I don't plan on changing the status quo. But till now, and I say this without any doubt whatsoever, the Snickers Candy bar has remained, and still is, my eternal favorite.

Charged up Snickers
Well, that all changed yesterday. One of my friends came back to Chennai, from New York recently and she came to visit me with a gift. Knowing my penchant for Candy, she brought a case, rather a big box (big enough to hold a regular TV), full of popular Chocolates and Candy bars sold in America. I'm not going to list all the candy in the box, it'll take me an entire day. But what caught my eye right away, were the limited edition Snickers Charged in a very shiny silver wrapper inside a shiny silver box.


Whats in it?
The new Limited Edition Snickers Charged packs 60 mg of caffeine, 250 mg taurine and other B vitamins (about 10% of your RDA). The bar is slightly smaller than the regular one, the same case with all the limited edition bars. It’s 1.83 ounces instead of 2.06. And a slightly smaller bar equals fewer calories. This one is 250 calories compared to the 280 in the regular bar. Not much of a difference, I say.

The Charged edition smells the same as the regular Snickers, has the same texture - the same crunchy peanuts, golden chewy caramel and damning-sweet nougat with just a hint of salt. Take a bite, you'll see it tastes just the same regular Snickers.

Then it comes, the kick of caffeine.

Continue reading the full story about the 'Charged-Up Snickers' at the DeliciouslyD blog.

yours truly, RA

I had the pleasure of watching 'The Illusionist' recently. I must say, it was one of the finest movies that I have ever seen. However, this post isn't about the Illusionist, rather about one of the things shown in the movie. In the early stages of the movie, one morning, the protagonist walks into a restaurant to meet his agent/manager after a particularly sellout show the previous night. When the Illusionist sits down at the table, he is asked by his manager, "STRUDEL ? they are very good".


I must admit, this is the first time I've heard of the strudel. For some reason, long after the movie had passed, the strudel became stuck in my mind. So I browsed the internet for some information about it, this is what the Wikipedia had:

"A strudel is a type of sweet layered pastry that became well known and gained popularity in the Habsburg Empire.

The word itself derives from the German word Strudel, which literally means "eddy" or "whirlpool".[1] It is most often associated with Austrian cuisine, but is also a traditional pastry in the whole area formerly belonging to the Austro-Hungarian empire (for example, in Hungary it is known as Rétes, in Slovenia as štrudelj, in Czech Republic as štrúdl, in Romania as ştrudel and Slovakia as štrúdľa or závin).

The best-known kinds are Apfelstrudel (German for strudel with apple) and Topfenstrudel (with sweet Topfen cheese, a soft quark cheese)."

Now, Rekha's mom and I have a pact between us. Whenever I come across a new dish, especially one which isn't familiar in our part of the world, especially with her, I research it and turn over all the information, photos, including the recipe to her. For my efforts, she'll make the said dish promptly and give me the first taste before anyone else has a go at it. A nice arrangement, don't you think? Well, Rekha doesn't think so. Hmph! Party pooper, I know why she isn't happy about me hobnobbing with her mother - Mostly, she doesn't get the first taste, that's why.

Rekha's Mom is very good at sweets, desserts and baking, especially cakes and pastries. I know, cos' I'm living proof of her skill in turning out fantastically delicious treats from her commercial-sized kitchen oven. Rekha is actually considering breaking off our friendship because I am getting too fat eating her mother's cooking. Goddamn beautiful skinny girls and their diets, let me have my pastry!

I gave the woman a recipe for the classic Apple Strudel, inspired by Ms.Paula Deen, from the Food Network website. The recipe is detailed, yet ridiculously easy to follow and churn out golden glazed Apple Strudels.

Continue reading the full recipe for Apple Strudel at the DeliciouslyD blog...

Rekha just came back from Hyderabad, after being gone for a very long 2 week vacation. I was very happy to see her yesterday at her house, I had been waiting for her return, no, scratch that! I had been lusting for her return. No, not because she is absolutely fucking beautiful, that she is, I tell you. I believe that she can make even God follow her around like a lovesick puppy. By all that is holy, that woman shouldn't be allowed to show her face in public: her beauty is a menace to society. Whew! I've gotten far off the point already, haven't I ?

For the first time in my life, I was not interested in a woman, supernatural beauty or otherwise. I was in desire for what she brought back from Hyderabad. Two weeks ago, when she left for her vacation, she promised me that she would bring a big batch of Pootharekulu for me. You see, her grandma, who is something of a cooking legend in her vast-enough-to-fill-a-small-country family, makes some of the best Pootharekulu in the world. And I'm not exaggerating this time.

Continue reading more about Pootharekulu and the full recipe for it at the DeliciouslyD blog...

yours truly, RA

Deepavali, or Diwali as it is more commonly known is the one Indian festival I enjoy the most. Normally, I don't make a fuss over whatever festival that happens to be around the corner, being that I enjoy them only for the sake of the Sweets and other mouth-watering dishes that are prepared in HUGE quantities. Man, I'll do just about anything for those festival dishes. Now, Deepavali (name for Diwali in southern parts of India, where I live) is to Indians, especially Hindus just as Christmas is to Christians all over the world. This is one of the very rare times you'll find me softening my regards about religion. I believe the only useful things to come out of all the religions, whatever it may be, are their respective festival food and dishes.

Anyway, the 8th of October, last week was the festival of lights, Deepavali. I had grown out of the 'i-just-have-to-burst-a-truckload-of-crackers-and-fireworks-otherwise-i'll-die' phase a long time ago. So, in recent occasions I wind up, most of the day with a rather disturbing amount of Deepavali Sweets and Snacks that is made in the family kitchen as well as those brought by friends and relatives (God bless those kind souls!), watching all the Special Programmes on the regional language channels on TV. But this year, I did something else. Yes, I still wound up with the load of food and TV, but not before.... huh? Hold up, will ya?

I came across a very good website called DiwaliFestival.org, and found it to be very very useful. The site contains all the information you would ever need about Deepavali/Diwali, and is very well maintained. There is a lot of information about the Festival, its history, traditions and customs, significance, celebrations and most importantly the FOOD. That is the only thing that matters to me, oh well.

The site features a rather good amount of extremely delectable Deepavali recipes for Sweets, Desserts and Snacks. The collection of recipes include popular dishes like Wheat Laddu | Soan Papdi | Mushrooms in Onion Gravy | Besan ki Barfi | Karanji | Chick Peas and Potatoes Curry | Sitaphal Rabdi | Almond Seera | Badam (Almond) Katli | Khoya Laddu | Gujia | Malpua and much much more.













My Sis and big ol' Me printed out those recipes and prepared just about every one of them. It was our little project, and we felt extremely generous and satisfaction while giving away a tiny portion of all the food we made to the others in the house. Yeah, i know what you are thinking, but both my Sister and I are extremely miserly when it comes to sharing food.
But its not such a bad thing, right?

This post is also featured on Deliciously D.

It's official, Twinkies have ruined my life.

I live in Madras City, in south India. And here we do not get many of the great American snack foods, like popular American Candies, Oreos, Cheetos, popular American ice creams, the Hostess range of snack foods, etc. Of course there are other major brands available that make those kind of any time snacks, but there in no company here that makes the greatest snack food of all time, Twinkies.

You see, I love snacks, and I absolutely fell in love with Twinkies when my cousin was visiting Madras and brought a load of this Golden Cream filled sponge cake from New York. Needless to say, I was hooked for life and permanently indebted to the Continental Baking company and their Hostess line of snack foods. But what does one do when you do not have that snack cake available in your community/area or city? I wish the manufacturers of the Twinkie would start a manufacturing unit in India, but till then there is only one option, Make Your Own Twinkies.

This is where the trouble starts, and this is not what you think.
For the rest of the story, click here...