How to Make & Store Breadcrumbs

I always have a day old or stale bread laying around in my kitchen counter. And the best you can do with it is made some Breadcrumbs. I have never liked the store bought ones. I find them to be too fine and sweet. I like how I can control the texture of the crumbs.  I can make it fine or a bit coarse; seasoned or just plain. 

How to Make Breadcrumbs?

Take some day old bread. It can be white bread or whole wheat or brown bread. I even use a combination of both white and whole wheat bread. But Never use sweet bread. Just roughly tear it and throw it in a food processor. Close the lid and just process until how you want them to be. Transfer it to an air tight container or a Ziploc bag and use according to the recipe.

Freezing Breadcrumbs:

Once the breadcrumbs are done transfer them to a resealable bag or an air tight container and simply place it in the freezer. These can be freezed up-to 3 months. At the time of using it let it thaw in the fridge and use accordingly. 

Refrigerating Breadcrumbs:

Breadcrumbs can be stored in the fridge for just few days.  

How to Make Seasoned Breadcrumbs:

• Add some ground cumin, salt and paprika to the breadcrumbs for a spiced crumb.
• Add some garlic powder, finely grated Parmesan or cheddar for a cheesy twist. 
• Add some finely chopped thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, sage, oregano for a herb crust. Alternatively you can also use dried herbs.

Happy Cooking!

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Perfect Vanilla ButterCream Frosting

I bake a lot of plain cakes. My family is not a fan of sweet rich frosting and they prefer to have simple no frosting cakes. But I have a terrible sweet tooth and I jump at any opportunity to whip up something sweet. Now I know this space has been quite for a very long time. And thats because little A is just growing naughtier by day and did I tell you he just turned 1!!!! And I have been wanting to bake a birthday cake for long and I just baked one for little A. Its a three layered two tier cake with handmade cake bunting by my daddy! 

The bottom tier is two layers of chocolate cake with one layer of buttermilk cake and the top tier is three layers of buttermilk cake filled with strawberry mousse and frosted with vanilla buttercream. The cake was yum! And the buttercream was super fluffy and delicious. 

It was perfect. There are a million buttercream recipe out there and each has their own. But I loved the buttercream recipe from Cooking Classy. To crumb coat and cover this 8" and 6" tier cake I had to double this recipe. 

Buttercream frosting is the easiest of all frosting. Just few tips and it turns out so perfect and yum. Its a really sweet frosting unlike Swiss / Italian Meringue. 

Tips for a smooth and fluffy frosting:

• Use good quality butter at room temperature. Butter should be soft and not runny or overly melted.
• Sift the powdered sugar couple of times to make sure no lumps are there.
• Homemade powdered sugar also can be used but store bought ones are convenient and gives that smooth consistency. 
• Beat the butter really really pale. It should become almost white and fluffy.
• Make sure to scrap the side of the bowl every time you add icing sugar and beat. Once all the icing sugar is added keep beating for 3 mins. 
• If adding color add few drops at the end and mix to combine.
• Bring frozen or chilled buttercream to room temperature and beat for a min or two before using. 

You Will Need:

Makes enough frosting to fill and cover a 3 layer 8 inch layer cake

1 1/2 Cups or 340 gm of Unsalted Butter, room temperature 

500gm Icing Sugar

3 tbsp of Heavy Cream 

1.5 tsp Vanilla Extract

A Pinch of Salt

Direction:

Step 1:

Place the unsalted butter in a large bowl and cream using a hand mixer till the butter is fluffy and really pale in color. Almost white. This will take around 5 - 7 mins approx

Step 2:

Add a cup of icing sugar and beat again scraping the sides until the sugar is well combined. Continue the process till all the icing sugar is used up, adding one cup at a time. 

Step 3:

Add the vanilla extract, salt and heavy cream and beat another 3 mins. The frosting should be fluffy and light when you run your fingers onto the buttercream. Use immediately or you can store in the fridge in an air tight container. 

PS: No need to scrap the bowl clean. Leave some behind he lick off later. Its that Yum! 

Happy Frosting!

Home Made

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Homemade Ghee / Clarified Butter

When I was a child I remember my mom churning butter at home. She used to buy fresh cow's milk for me and collects the malai to churn butter. I remember sitting next to her while she churns the butter and I used to stick my finger in, scrape off the butter and lick it. It was so delicious. And with that freshly churned butter she made ghee. Ah the entire house would smell divine. This is my first HOMEMADE GHEE. I never bothered making it home. Store boughts were too convenient. Since Little A is on solids now I wanted to make ghee at home for him. 

                  

But, Its super easy making at home. You let the butter melt and turn off the gas after the crackling stops. That's it no stirring or no techniques really.  When you heat butter, it melts and begins to boil which makes the crackling sound. Then the milk solids separates forming a white split layer on top and then it sinks to the bottom and gets toasted. That's the sediment. Final product is this beautifully amber colored Ghee / clarified butter. I loved picturing this actually. The color was so beautiful nothing like I have seen before and I just wanted to capture it. That's you will find lot of pictures in this post. Its just too beautiful not to share. 

You Will Need:

500gm Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature or chilled it does not matter

A Heavy Bottom Pan

A Fine Strainer, Metal / Cloth (metal works better)

Clean & Dry Air Tight Container

Some Curry Leaves or Drumstick Leaves (Optional, But recommended)

The Cooking:

Place a heavy bottom pan on low heat and place the butter. Let the butter melt fully and you will begin to hear some crackling noise while the butter is melting. Once the butter is fully melted it will begin to gently bubble and soon you will notice the butter splitting. They are milk solids separating from the butter. After 10 - 15 mins the crackling noise will subside (add curry leaves / drumstick leaves at this stage) and the melted butter will begin to foam up slowly raising from the pan. Turn off the heat and let the ghee rest for few mins.

Then simply strain them into an air tight container.

NOTE:

• You don't have to keep stirring the melted butter at any point. It wont stick or get burnt in the bottom. Just let it be on a low heat.
• Once the crackling noise stops, your ghee is done. That's the key indication.
• Do not discard the sediments. They are just fried milk solids and they taste yum. I just had them with a spoon.
• Also add some rice to the pan and mix it with whatever is sticking to your pan. It tastes divine. You really don't want to waste anything.

Have you checked out this Month's Event + Giveaway on the blog! Do take a peek HERE!

Happy Cooking!

Vegetarian

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Freezing Fresh Herbs

I have always been mesmerized by herbs. There are so many of them and each one have their unique scent and flavors they give to a dish. My favorites are mint, coriander, thyme, basil and chives. But I rarely buy non Indian herbs and when I do I generally dry / freeze them to use later. I actually like freezing more than drying the herbs. Freezing keeps the freshness and flavor intact and its much easier than drying. Few simple pointers to remember while freezing is to use a ziploc bag. Air tight / plastic containers will just spoil the herbs in a day. And the air dry / pat dry the herbs before you do the first freezing. Don't place them in dripping wet.

I froze parsley and basil this time. There will a slight discoloration after freezing but thats ok. 

You Will Need:

Some Fresh Herbs

A Baking Tray / A Large Plate

Ziploc Bags

The Freezing:

Step 1:

Simply pluck the herbs from its stems. Place them in a colander and run under water. Let them sit on the colander for few mins.

Step 2:

Place the washed herbs on a cloth and gently pat them dry. Or you could leave them under a fan.

Step 3:

Arrange the herbs on to a baking tray and place them in the freezer compartment for approx 45 mins.

Before Freezing

After Freezing

Step 4:

Take the herbs out and transfer them into the ziploc bags immediately. Do not try to compress or squeeze together the herbs. The must be loosely placed in the bags.

Step 5:

Stick them back in the freezer. When you need the herbs you can simply take as much you want and place the rest back into the freezer. 

Basil Leaves Frozen

Happy Cooking!

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