Alice In Eatland

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Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons

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Paneer Hara Masala RangoonsPaneer Hara Masala Rangoons are a flavourful Pakistani style take on Panda Express’s popular cream cheese rangoons.

I have never had Panda Express so my understanding of the flavour profile of the chain’s cream cheese rangoons and their texture is based solely on the description and copycat recipes found online.

Paneer, cheddar and green masala ingredients along with dry aromatics make up the rangoon filling. Instead of wonton wrappers, I use samosa patti or spring roll patti cut into squares. A simple but punchy green chutney to dip the crisp Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons in rounds things off nicely.

My hardcore Pakistani tastebuds love desi-fying recipes wherever they feel that particular fusion will work. And I feel it works rather well here.

Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons

Make Ahead & Freeze Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons:

A stash of frozen Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons on hand means that you can fry, air fry or bake these in no time should you have guests over or should a craving for hot melty flavoursome cheese encased in a crisp filling suddenly arise.

Follow the recipe till you’ve completed the “Assembly” part.

Then freeze flat on a plastic wrap lined tray or cookie sheet overnight.

Once frozen solid, place in an airtight container in a single layer, using plastic wrap between layers.

Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons

Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons

 

Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons: crisp cheesy bags with coriander, mint, green onion & green chillies for a uniquely desi take on cream cheese rangoons!

 

Recipe Type: Starter & Snack

Author: Alice In Eatland

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 2-3

 

INGREDIENTS

Rangoons

  • 1 cup grated paneer, store bought or homemade
  • 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup very finely sliced spring onion (green part only)
  • 6 – 8 green chillies, deseeded & finely chopped 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt
  • 2-4 tablespoons cream or cream cheese

Slurry

  • 2-4 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1/2 – 1 cup water

Wrappers

  • Samosa patti, spring roll patti/wrappers or wonton wrappers (cut into 3” squares)

Green Chutney

  • Handful fresh coriander leaves
  • Handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4” piece ginger, peeled
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 2-4 fresh green chillies
  • 1/2 a slice of bread
  • Splash of white vinegar
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Drinking water

METHOD

Filling

  1. Mix all the filling ingredients, adding enough cream or cream cheese to make a sticky mixture that comes together.
  2. Divide into 12-14 equal portions and shape into balls with wet palms.

Slurry

  1. Whisk flour into the water until combined and heat, whisking until thick, opaque and bubbly.
  2. Cool completely.

Assembly

  1. Place a ball of filling in the centre of a samosa patti square (or spring roll patti or wonton wrapper, whichever you are using).
  2. Rub slurry along all 4 edges.
  3. Bring the opposite corners of the square to meet in the middle and pinch together, sealing the sides as well. (see image 2 above for reference).

Frying

  1. Deep fry till golden.
  2. To air fry, brush rangoons and your air fryer basket both with oil and cook 10 minutes at 200 degrees C or until golden.

Freezing

  1. To freeze, lay uncooked rangoons flat on a plastic wrap lined tray or cookie sheet and freeze 2-4 hours or till frozen solid.
  2. Place in an airtight container in a single layer, using plastic wrap between layers.

Green Chutney

Blend all ingredients together either with a stick blender or in a regular blender until the desired consistency is reached.

Tamatar Paneer Recipe

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Tamatar PaneerTamatar Paneer, a vibrantly spiced Hyderabadi-style tomato curry with “crisp-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside” grilled homemade paneer wedges.

A spring-summer favourite, ideal for cooking when tomatoes are in seasonal abundance and one of my top favourite ways to enjoy paneer.

This recipe has been inspired by the Tamatar Paneer on the menu of Patli Galli, a desi restaurant that I am very, very fond of.

During Lockdown 2020, the restaurant started offering takeaway vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis and Tamatar Paneer was one of the veg thali offerings. Notable mention: the Mirchi Ka Saalan from the veg thali was quite possibly, the best I’ve ever had.

The thalis have been discontinued but the delicious vegetarian options such as the ubiquitous Daal Maash and Palak Paneer are still available (both very good, actually). Thankfully, Tamatar Paneer is also still being offered and I believe, Patli Galli is the only restaurant in Lahore that has it on the menu. I hope they bring the Mirchi Ka Saalan back.

Tamatar Paneer Recipe

The phenomenal takeaway Vegetarian Thali (Tamatar Paneer in the centre) from Patli Galli Restaurant, during Lockdown 2020. They need to bring this back!

6 Tips For Making The Best Tamatar Paneer

  • Use ripe tomatoes for best results.
  • Tomato Paste adds great depth of flavour so please try not to omit it.
  • A small amount of sugar (preferably soft brown sugar, but regular white sugar is fine)  is essential to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
  • Please use the best quality paneer you can find for this recipe.
    Search for home-based vendors or small scale artisanal cheese makers. Commercially available cottage cheese is no substitute for paneer and is “highly NOT recommended” here!
  • I have used homemade paneer and would encourage you to do the same to make a really standout Tamatar Paneer. The recipe for homemade paneer is linked in the ingredients list (or just type in the search bar above).
    If you follow the recipe correctly, your paneer will turn out rich and creamy and will stay moist and velvety inside even after being grilled to a crisp outside.
  • Try Tamatar Tofu for a delicious vegan spin on this dish.
    Simply replace the paneer with firm or extra firm tofu.
    Slice tofu slab in half horizontally and  microwave 2 minutes on high. Much of of the liquid will get released.
    Drain and place tofu between heavy duty paper towels or a kitchen towel with a cutting board and a weight on top to press out as much moisture as possible.
    After 30 minutes, cut the pressed tofu into cubes or wedges and proceed with the grilling part of the recipe.

Tamatar Paneer is best served with garlic naan but a simple roti or a paratha will do in a pinch. Good with boiled white rice too. Surprisingly decent cold, straight out of the fridge as well.

Tamatar Paneer Recipe

 

How To Make Tamatar Paneer

 

Tamatar Paneer, a vibrantly spiced Hyderabadi style tomato curry with “crisp-on-the-outside-creamy-on-the-inside” grilled homemade paneer wedges.

 

Recipe Type: Main

Author: Alice In Eatland

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 2

 

INGREDIENTS

 

TOMATO CURRY

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds
  • Salt
  • 6 – 8 fresh or dried curry leaves
  • 1/2 tablespoon crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons gram flour
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • Good pinch brown sugar or white sugar
  • 500 grams ripe tomatoes, blended to a coarse purée
  • 3/4 cup hot water

 

GRILLED PANEER

  • 100 – 200 grams paneer wedges or cubes (find the recipe to make your own paneer at home here
  • 1 tablespoon oil


TEMPERING & GARNISH

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 dried red chilli
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
  • 2 fresh green chillies, quartered
  • 6  – 8 fresh or dried curry leaves
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Fresh red chillies (optional)

 

METHOD

 

TOMATO CURRY

  1. Heat oil.
  2. Add dried red chilli, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds and nigella seeds.
  3. Sauté until the seeds start crackling.
  4. Add curry leaves, followed by crushed garlic and grated ginger.
  5. Stir until fragrant and add the gram flour.
  6. Sauté until the gram flour doesn’t smell raw anymore and the colour deepens slightly, about 2 – 4 minutes.
  7. Add tomato paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder (if using, cumin powder, coriander powder and sugar.
  8. Cook, stirring and adding a splash of water if needed, till the masala thickens and the oil begins to separate from it.
  9. Pour in the coarsely blended tomato purée and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
  10. Cover partially and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato mixture thickens and begins to come together.
  11. Add water at this stage, stir and bring to a simmer.
  12. Let cook 5 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil begins to float on top in places and the curry is as thick as your preference.

 

GRILLED PANEER

  1. Heat a grill pan or heavy bottomed frying pan (non-stick works better here) on high heat and brush with half a tablespoon of oil.
  2. Coat the paneer wedges or cubes thoroughly with the remaining half tablespoon of oil.
  3. When the grill pan/frying pan is searingly hot (this is important, otherwise the paneer will stick to it), add the oil-coated paneer pieces. (Please follow the same instructions if you’re grilling tofu for a vegan Tamatar Tofu – see tip #6 at the top first though!)
  4. Let sit undisturbed 2 – 4 minutes or until you can see the bottom edges of the paneer browning.
  5. Turn carefully, prying gently to loosen with a spatula or butter knife if needed, and cook the same way on the other side.
  6. Remove paneer pieces to a plate.

 

TEMPERING & GARNISH

  1. Spoon the Tomato Curry into a serving dish or bowl.
  2. Arrange the grilled paneer pieces on top.
  3. Heat oil in a small pan.
  4. Add all other ingredients, except the mint and coriander leaves.
  5. Sauté until the garlic turns light golden and pour the hot tempering over the tomato curry and grilled paneer.
  6. Garnish with fresh min leaves, fresh coriander leaves and sliced red chillies, if using and serve.

Homemade Paneer: Made With Just 3 Ingredients

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Homemade Paneer Recipe

Homemade paneer, with its mild milky flavour and firm but creamy texture is the easiest cheese you can make with just 3 ingredients.

This lovely tasting non-melting cheese is a great source of vegetarian protein and is good either on its own or as an ingredient in vegetarian recipes.

Homemade paneer is pretty easy to make but there are certain things that need to be kept in mind if you want to make a really good one as opposed to just the okay-ish kind.

I have been making it myself for many years now and hope that the following tips will help you make excellent paneer at home.

Tips For Making The Best Homemade Paneer:

How To Make Paneer

  • Raw, unpasteurised whole milk is a must for good quality and decent yield.
  • UHT treated milk can be used but both the quality and quantity of your final product will be significantly lower.
  • Fresh lemon juice can be used instead of white vinegar in the recipe, though I find paneer made with lemon juice tends to have a very pale yellow tint compared to the bright white shade that paneer made with white vinegar has.
  • A clean muslin cloth (that you use exclusively for cheese making) placed over a sieve is excellent for draining the whey from the curds.
  • The handy dandy paneer press that I use and was sent to me by my maternal aunt from Karachi. It measures nearly 4” in diameter and is around 2 1/4” high.
    She purchased it from Bohri Bazaar but in case you wish to order one online, a couple of sellers on Daraz.pk are stocking stainless steel ones.
  • 1 litre of quality unpasteurised milk usually yields around 170 grams or so of cheese.
  • For a rich and creamy paneer, store it  submerged in drinking water in an airtight container in the fridge.
    The yield will increase to around 200+ grams within 24 hours.
  • It will not dry out should you grill or fry it, which seems to be a common issue with paneer.
  • Stored airtight, submerged in drinking water in the fridge, the paneer stays fresh up to 3-4 days as long as you change the water once daily.

Delicious Recipes Made With Homemade Paneer:

Paneer is a pretty versatile ingredient. Check out my recipe for Paneer Hara Masala Rangoons for the ultimate crispy, cheesy starter.
For a satisfying Hyderabadi style main course, have a look at my super delicious Tamatar Paneer.

Homemade Paneer Recipe

My Pac-Man style paneer 🙂

Homemade Paneer: Made With Just 3 Ingredients

 

Recipe Type: Homemade Cheese

Author: Alice In Eatland

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 60 Minutes

Serves: 2

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 litre raw unpasteurised whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

 

METHOD

  1. Add 1/4 cup water to a heavy bottomed pan.
  2. Pour in the milk and bring to the boil over medium heat.
  3. When milk reaches the boil, lower the heat and let boil for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir the white vinegar into the remaining 1/4 cup of water.
  5. Lower the heat under the milk and slowly stir in the vinegar solution.
  6. The curds will begin to separate from the whey (which will have a greenish tinge, ideally).
  7. Turn off the heat, let sit a minute or so.
  8. Line a sieve suspended over a bowl with a clean muslin cloth.
  9. Transfer the separated curds onto the muslin cloth with a slotted spoon.
  10. Alternatively, the curds can be transferred directly into a paneer press if using one.
  11. Let drain 2 minutes then cover with the cloth sides and place a weight on top.
  12. If using a paneer press, place the lid down firmly and place a weight on top (I usually use my small steel mortar).
  13. After an hour or so, remove the disc of paneer from the muslin or press and place in a container with a lid.
  14. The paneer is ready to be used though I find the texture vastly improves in creaminess once it is submerged in drinking water and stored airtight in the fridge for a day.
  15. Store 3-4 days in the fridge, changing the water once daily.
  16. This recipe makes a 3.5” – 4” paneer disc with a 3/4” thickness.

Harissa Hummus Recipe

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Harissa Hummus
Harissa Hummus: Of all the takes, spins and flavour additions on the classic hummus recipe, this one in particular may just be my favourite.

I like my hummus smooth, airy and as cloud-like as possible. Spike that velvety creaminess with fiery harissa and you have the kind of flavour profile that makes you wonder why it took you so long to finally getting around to making this. I speak from personal experience, naturally.

I have used a homemade harissa (recipe below) to make this Harissa Hummus recipe but you may use any canned or jarred variety of this sensational North African condiment you like or have on hand.

As with any hummus recipe, it is important that you use it as a guide and taste along the way using your own judgement in terms of adjusting the texture and the flavour.

My Harissa Hummus is reasonably fiery (pleasantly so though by no means unbearable) enough as it but since I like to go just a bit too far I drizzle chilli oil over the top as well. Not necessary at all but recommended if you’re a heat junkie like yours truly.

Tips For Making A Damn Fine Harissa Hummus:

-Use a blender (a high speed one if you have it) to make this Harissa Hummus recipe.

-Texture is a matter of personal preference but ideally, hummus is great when it’s smooth, creamy and not too thick, dry-ish or grainy.

-If you prefer a chunkier hummus, using a food processor may be a better idea.

-I find that the order in which ingredients are added and blended makes a real difference in the texture of the hummus.

-Cold water is necessary to ensure that your hummus is light and airy and not dense and heavy.

-For a smooth and creamy hummus, please follow the instructions as written.

-Skinning the chickpeas apparently makes for a smoother hummus. If you have the patience, try it.

-Rather than skinning the chickpeas, I prefer blending the hummus really, really well and then pushing it through a sieve for the smoothest texture possible.

Harissa Hummus

 

HARISSA HUMMUS

 

Recipe Type: Starter, Appetiser, Snack

Author: Alice In Eatland

Serves: 2

 

Harissa Hummus: airy and cloud-like with its velvety creaminess spiked with fiery North African harissa. A truly sensational flavour profile!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-2 tablespoons tahini
  • Juice of 1 -2 lemons
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled & grated
  • 1-2 tablespoons harissa
  • 1 cup well boiled or canned chickpeas
  • Cold drinking water
  • Salt
  • Chilli oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh parsley (to garnish, optional)
  • Finely chopped pistachios (to garnish, optional)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Blend tahini, grated garlic and lemon juice with a few tablespoons of cold water until thick and pale white in colour.
  2. Add harissa (starting with just a teaspoon or two), chickpeas (drained and rinsed, if using canned), salt (add sparingly, since the harissa is quite salty) and a little more water (only if required).
  3. Blend, scraping down sides occasionally, and tasting, until the Harissa Hummus is smooth and fluffy looking.
  4. Check for seasoning and add more harissa if necessary.
  5. Optional: Push Harrisa Hummus through a sieve for a creamier consistency.
  6. Serve topped with extra virgin olive oil or chilli oil and chopped parsley and pistachios, if liked.

 

Harissa

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried red chillies (Kashmiri, round red chillies, etc. whatever you can find)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • extra oil to pour on top

Instructions

  1. Slit the dried chillies and remove seeds.
  2. Place in a bowl and pour over enough boiling hot water to cover and let sit 10-15 minutes.
  3. Drain and blend with the rest of the ingredients (except extra oil), adding a couple of teaspoons or so of the soaking liquid if needed until a semi smooth paste forms.
  4. Cool completely.
  5. Transfer harissa to a container and pour over a thin layer of oil to cover the surface complainant.
  6. Store airtight in the fridge for around 2 weeks and up to a month in the freezer.

How To Make Moutabal

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Moutabal
Moutabal is a creamy, smokey and pleasingly textured Middle Eastern eggplant dip. Healthy, budget-friendly and delicious, it is a must add to your “dips” repertoire, if you have one.

When served with crudités, pita chips or crackers, Moutabal is a fantastic everyday snack and a fabulous mezze platter item.

What’s the difference between Moutabal and Baba Ghanoush?

Aren’t Moutabal and Babaghanoush interchangeable names for what is essentially the same dip? No.

While the star of the show in both dips is charred eggplant, the recipe for Moutabal calls for the addition of tahini as a key ingredient, that gives the dip it’s characteristic taupe creaminess.

Many recipes for Moutabal also call for the addition of a bit of yoghurt which balances out the slight bitterness that sometimes charred eggplant and tahini can have.

Babaghanoush, on the other hand, has no tahini and a couple of additional ingredients such as tomatoes, onions and capsicum/bell pepper. It is another delectable dip that’s a great addition to a mezze spread.

Here’s an easy recipe for Moutabal that you can whip up in no time. As long as you have the ingredients on hand, it doesn’t take long to make. No special equipment required either.

Tips For Making Delish Moutabal:

-charring the eggplant directly on fire with a pair of steel tongs gives the best smokey flavour.

-alternatively, the eggplant can be roasted in the oven under the grill/broiler.

-when the skin of the eggplant blackens, chars in places and the size of the fruit (yes, eggplants are technically fruits and not vegetables) reduces, it is ready.

-a butter knife works well here, allowing you to scrape off the charred eggplant skin without slicing off any flesh underneath.

-peeling the burnt eggplant skin may be a bit of a pain, but kindly do not give in to the temptation of giving the eggplant a rinse under running water or worse, submerging it in a bowl of water  to loosen every bit of skin *shudder*

-if your eggplant has been roasted to perfection, a fork is all you need to shred the eggplant flesh and mash it into a semi chunky purée along with the other ingredients.

-if using a food processor, pulse the ingredients in quick, short bursts so that the texture remains slightly chunky and you don’t purée everything into a gray coloured paste.

Moutabal

 

MOUTABAL

 

Recipe Type: Starter/Appetiser/Snack

Author: Alice In Eatland

Serves: 2

 

Moutabal, a mezze superstar! A creamy, smokey and pleasingly textured Middle Eastern eggplant dip that’s healthy, budget-friendly and absolutely delish!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large or 2 medium eggplants
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1-2 tablespoons dairy or plant-based yoghurt (optional)
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pomegranate seeds, fresh red chillies or pickled radishes (to garnish)
  • Fresh parsley (to garnish)
  • Black sesame seeds or nigella seeds (to garnish)
  • Crudités, pita chips, crackers (to serve)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place the eggplant(s) directly on the burner on a gas stove on medium high heat.
  2. Roast, turning and rotating the eggplant frequently with metal tongs, until it shrinks slightly and the skin blackens and chars with no purple areas remaining.
  3. Remove to a heatproof bowl or plate, cool and peel off the skin.
  4. Remove the stem and place peeled eggplant flesh in a colander or sieve with a bowl underneath for 10-15 minutes.
  5. Whip (either in a food processor, blender or using a hand whisk) the tahini with grated garlic, lemon juice, salt & yoghurt (if using) till pale and creamy.
  6. Add drained eggplant to a mixing bowl along with the with the tahini mixture and mash until a semi-smooth yet textured consistency is reached.
  7. Check seasoning and adjust if needed.
  8. Serve swirled with extra virgin olive oil and garnish as you wish.

White Blueberry Cake With Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

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White Blueberry Cake with Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

White Blueberry Cake with Stable Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting is the cake of the year for me. It was also my birthday cake this year.

My obsession with white cake means that I’ve pinned almost every white cake recipe on Pinterest onto my White Cake Board and tried and tested more than several white cake recipes over the years.

I adore the white cake recipe by Goodie Godmother and that is the one I’ve used here with a few alterations. You can find the original recipe and photos of her very pretty perfect white cake here.

Fresh blueberries are a fabulous addition, providing a bright, tart flavour and contrasting texture to this tender-crumbed milky vanilla cake.

White Blueberry Cake with Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Additionally, the deep purple of the blueberries dotting the pale white serenity of the cake in places is quite the visual treat.

I feel baking emulsion works really well for non-cocoa cakes (especially white cakes) and I have used LorAnn’s utterly gorgeous Butter Vanilla Emulsion in this recipe. Obviously any vanilla extract or your go-to vanilla essence is equally good too.

I use the reverse creaming method here created by ultimate cake authority and baking guru Rose Levy Beranbaum whom I hold in divine culinary reverence. Her “The Cake Bible” which my mother has owned since 1989, is one of my most loved and trusted books ever when it comes to baking and cake making.

Good fluffy cream cheese frosting is a thing of joy but can also be a nightmare when it comes to stability.

Add to that the challenge and despair of not being able to find brick-style cream cheese in Lahore and that equals grounds for a possible unstable cream cheese frosting situation.

White Blueberry Cake with Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I had the very rare good fortune of stumbling upon a couple of Philadelphia Cream Cheese bricks just once at Essajee’s (February 2015 to be precise). I joyously bought them to make the most stable cream cheese frosting ever for the Rainbow Cake at my birthday that year. Sadly I have never come across that product again in Lahore.

Luckily, I found a recipe by the baking perfectionist Cleobuttera, calling for cream cheese squares, easily found at many grocery stores here. The result is a super stable, slightly tangy and ultra creamy frosting. Her original recipe and close ups of her beautiful cream cheese frosting swirls on a delicious carrot cake can be viewed here.

Since special frostings call for special extracts, I have added Nielsen-Massey’s dazzlingly heady Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract to the frosting. I am equally happy adding any other vanilla extract or a beloved vanilla essence to the frosting.

The edible pansies I have decorated the cake with are from Macroorganics, who grow a frankly staggering selection of edible flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs, both the local and the exotic varieties. The variety of their produce grown in Okara and shipped as fresh as can be to other parts of the country is unmatched.

Thank you if you’ve read the post so far. For those wanting to skip directly to the recipe, I am quite obviously behind times and will upload the “Jump To Recipe” button as soon as I can figure out how to add it.

On to the recipe.

White Blueberry Cake with Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

 

White Blueberry Cake With Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting 

 

Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Alice In Eatland
Serves: 8 -10

 

Milky tender white vanilla cake dotted with fresh blueberries & filled and topped with a stable fluffy lemony cream cheese frosting + edible pansies

 

WHITE BLUEBERRY CAKE 


INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar or fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2 teaspoons LorAnn’s Butter Vanilla Emulsion OR vanilla extract OR vanilla essence
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • 2-4 cups fresh blueberries
  • 3 cups flour
  • 6 tablespoons cornflour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 2/3 cup oil

 

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F.
  2. Line (either with grease proof paper or foil), oil and flour two 8 inch round cake pans (the heavy and deep kind will give the best results).
  3. To make the sour cream, stir vinegar or lemon juice into the milk and then stir this buttermilk into the cream.
  4. Lightly combine the sour cream, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using) and egg whites.
  5. Toss the blueberries in a couple of tablespoons of the flour until evenly coated. Set aside.
  6. Combine the remaining flour, cornflour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  7. Beat in the oil and the remaining 3/4 cup milk till combined followed by the egg white mixture in 3 batches.
  8. Finally fold in the flour-dusted blueberries.
  9. Divide the cake batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans.
  10. Bake 30 – 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near centre of the cakes comes out clean.
  11. Remove cakes from oven, let cool 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
  12. To frost, thinly trim away any crusty tops and brown bottoms of the cold cakes if you wish.
  13. Slice each cake into 2 horizontally.
  14. Sandwich the layers with Stable Fluffy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).
  15. Trim sides with a serrated knife (optional).
  16. If you choose to leave the sides of the cakes unfrosted like I did, you may have leftover frosting which can be frozen in an airtight container for another use.
  17. Decorate the cake with washed and dried edible pansies or any other edible flowers.
  18. Keep refrigerated but serve at room temperature.

 

STABLE FLUFFY LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 – 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 150 grams Lurpak Slightly Salted Butter
  • 3 cups icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar, well sifted
  • 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract OR any vanilla extract OR vanilla essence
  • 400 grams cream cheese squares such as Kiri or Almarai, cool & not at warm room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon rind, very finely grated (optional)

 

METHOD

  1. Combine the lemon juice and milk and stir into the cream to make sour cream.
  2. Beat butter until pale in colour and fluffy.
  3. Add the sifted icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
  4. Beat in the sour cream.
  5. Add the cream cheese squares, one at a time, beating very well after each addition and scraping the bowl from time to time.
  6. Whip the frosting until smooth, lump free and fluffy.
  7. Add the very finely grated fresh lemon rind, if wished.
  8. Use.

White Haleem

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White Haleem

White Haleem is a delicately flavoured grain and lentil based stew that makes for a delicious, nourishing and satisfying meal.

Dubai based food blogger Tasneem Rajkotwala, and her beautiful blog “Thoughts Over Chai” introduced me to the wonders of White Haleem.

She refers to this haleem as her “Dadijaan’s Morning Haleem” and you can head to her blog for the original recipe and accompanying post here.

Tasneem’s blog is a treat and a great place to check out if you’re looking for traditional Bohra recipes.

I am always on the lookout for a good meatless Haleem recipe and this is a lovely vegetarian and vegan friendly version.

White Haleem is kind of like a milder sibling of traditional Haleem, the spicy meat, lentil and grain stew popular in Pakistan and parts of India.

White Haleem

Regular Haleem is meat based and generally packs quite a punch whereas White Haleem is meatless and fairly mild.

The lack of fire in this delicious stew however, by no means denotes any lack of flavour.

The absence of strong spices means that the actual flavour of the lentils and grains themselves really shines through.

The final damm of ground spices infuses the haleem with the pleasingly heady aromas of caraway seeds, nutmeg, mace and green cardamoms.

I love White Haleem and honestly, it reminds me more of Shorba, a light non-spicy Yemeni Haleem than of Pakistani Haleem.

I had Shorba over a decade ago at a school friend’s home in Sana’a, Yemen. It was made by her Mother and I have never been able to forget it’s tastiness.

White Haleem

I am hopelessly addicted to spicy food. But there are some recipes that work so well without being fiery that I don’t miss the bite of spices at all.

With White Haleem, I feel that an inclusion of heavy flavours would actually intrude on its deliciously soothing taste.

Traditional haleem toppings such as fresh herbs, green chillies, caramelised onions and roasted nuts provide a pleasant textural contrast to the creaminess of the haleem, the ghee or oil and garam masala add additional flavour and the lemon juice imparts subtle tartness.

To make this vegan, simply substitute the ghee called for in the recipe with oil.

Perfect for any meal or any time of the year really.

White Haleem

WHITE HALEEM

 

Recipe Type: Main    Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 15 Minutes (plus 2 – 4 hours soaking time)    Cook Time: 60 Minutes    Total Time: 2 – 3 Hours
Serves: 2 – 4

 

White Haleem, a satisfying, aromatic  grain & lentil stew. The topping of fresh herbs, ginger, cashews & caramelised onions add additional flavour & textural contrast.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup white basmati rice
  • 1/4 cup barley porridge / barley cereal (jau ka dalia)
  • 1/2 cup split black gram (maash daal / urad daal)
  • 1/4 cup split yellow mung (moong daal)
  • 1/4 cup split Bengal gram (channa daal)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds / caraway seeds (kaala zeera / shah zeera)
  • 1/4 of an inch or so piece of nutmeg (jaiphal)
  • 1 – 2 blades of mace (javitri)
  • 2 – 4 green cardamoms (hari elachi)
  • 2 medium onions, peeled & thinly sliced
  • Oil to deep fry
  • 2 – 4 medium fresh green chillies, roughly chopped
  •  1 medium onion, peeled & roughly chopped
  • 1 MSG free vegetable stock cube / vegetable bouillon cube (optional but recommended)
  • Salt
  • A few tablespoons of desi ghee (omit if making the haleem vegan)
  • Fresh ginger, peeled & cut into thin batons
  • Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • Fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • Fresh mild green chillies, seeded & chopped
  • Lemons, cut into quarters
  • Roasted cashews
  • Garam Masala

 

METHOD

  1. Place the rice, barley porridge and lentils in a large bowl and wash in several changes of water until it runs almost clear.
  2. Finally fill the bowl with enough water to come a couple of inches up the sides and let the grains and lentils soak for 4 – 6 hours or overnight.
  3. Grind the black cumin seeds, nutmeg, mace and green cardamoms to a fine powder in a small spice / coffee grinder. Set aside.
  4. Heat oil for deep frying and when hot, fry the sliced onions until golden. Remove fried onions to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Set aside.
  5. Reserve about 4 – 6 tablespoons of oil after deep frying.
  6. Boil a kettle of water and set aside to simmer on a very low heat.
  7. Drain the soaked grains and lentils and rinse one more time with fresh water. Place into a pan along with 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil, stock cube (if using), chopped onion, chopped green chillies and around 4 – 6 cups of water.
  8. Bring to the boil on a high heat, then lower the heat to low and let cook partially covered, stirring occasionally until the grains and lentils are completely soft and mushy.
  9. The mixture can take anywhere from 1 hour to more to soften to a mush. If you feel the haleem is getting too thick, add more water from the simmering kettle to thin it down.
  10. When cooked, the haleem will be thick but the consistency should also be slightly on the looser side.
  11. Sieve in the reserved ground spice mixture, cover and simmer on a very low heat for 10 minutes.
  12. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and blend in a blender or with a stick blender until somewhere between smooth and grainy.
  13. It is best not to overblend because you want some of that grainy texture to remain.
  14. Check salt and adjust if needed.
  15. White Haleem can be frozen airtight at this point, if wished.
  16. When ready to serve, ladle out hot haleem into serving bowl (or individual serving bowls, if wished).
  17. Heat ghee if using or the leftover reserved oil until hot and pour all over the surface of the haleem.
  18. Garnish with ginger, coriander, mint, green chillies, cashews and reserved fried onion.
  19. Sprinkle garam masala and squeeze lemon juice on top.
  20. Eat.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

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Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Post Updated: 04.12.23

The one and only Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles – I am salivating while updating this post.

Also, I am mentally going through the contents of my fridge and pantry, hoping I have all the ingredients to make these noodles after I’m done with this post.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: The Legend

Restaurateur David Chang, creator of Netflix cult favourite “Ugly Delicious” and founder of the Momofuku Group of Restaurants writes in his book “Momofuku” (written with Peter Meehan) that “Our ginger scallion noodles are an homage to / out-and-out-rip-off of one of the greatest dishes in New York City: the $4.95 plate of ginger scallion noodles at Great New York Noodle Town down on the Bowery in Chinatown.”

I agree with Chang when he says, “You need ginger scallion sauce on your noodles, in your fridge and in your life. For real.”

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: The Real Star Of The Show

The real star of this Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodle dish is the Ginger Scallion Sauce. There is absolutely nothing like it.

Also, the sauce in question is more solid than liquid, more like a chunky condiment or a chutney than a pourable flavouring concoction.

This Ginger Scallion Sauce is also a perfect demonstration of how the correct combination of just a few simple ingredients can result in astoundingly astonishing flavours.

I use it not just for this noodle recipe but also to top fried rice, mashed potatoes and soups. The possibilities are quite literally, endless.

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles: How Do You Serve Them?

The Ginger Scallion Noodles at Momofuku are served with things like bamboo shoots, pickled cucumbers, pan roasted cauliflower, sliced scallions and toasted nori.

I eat mine unadorned, except for a few fresh spring onions tops chopped into bits sometimes. But mostly with nothing else.

These noodles taste great at room temperature but somehow I love them cold straight from the fridge more. Cold buckwheat soba noodles would also go pretty well with this sauce.

Thanks to fellow foodie blogger friend Monita Sen for introducing me to these incredible Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles – check out Monita’s luscious Instagram feed; it is insanely gorgeous!

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles

 

Recipe Type: Main, Snack
Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 10 Minutes   Cook Time: 10 Minutes    Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 1
Keyword: 10 Minute Recipe, Asian Noodles, Asian Recipe Easy, Dinner Ideas, Easy Recipes, Healthy Asian Recipes, Noodles, Quick And Easy Recipe, Vegetarian Recipes, Quick Recipes

 

 

Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles:

7 everyday ingredients & 10 minutes of your time are all you need to make David Chang’s ultimate ramen noodle recipe.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 100 grams (4 oz) cooked ramen or egg noodles
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped spring onions / green onions / scallions (both white and green parts)
  • 1/8 cup peeled, grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup oil*
  • Salt
  • A few teaspoons of white vinegar
  • A few teaspoons of soy sauce

 

METHOD

  1. Place the chopped spring onions / green onions / scallions and the grated ginger in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Pour the oil into a small saucepan and place over medium heat until the surface of the oil is shimmering slightly.
  3. Put a piece of chopped spring onion in to test the oil. If it sizzles immediately upon contact with the oil, your oil is hot enough.
  4. Remove pan from heat and pour the hot oil straight onto the chopped onions and grated ginger.
  5. Stir in salt, vinegar and soy sauce to taste.
  6. Let sit 10-15 minutes.
  7. Place noodles in a bowl and stir in a couple of tablespoons of your ginger scallion sauce.
  8. Top with some fresh spring onion green bits if liked.
  9. Store any leftover ginger scallion sauce airtight in the fridge for up to 2 – 4 days.

 

*David Chang recommends either grapeseed or any other neutral oil for this recipe.

I just use regular cooking oil from my kitchen.

Any oil would work alright except a strong tasting one like olive oil.

How To Make Hot Cross Buns

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‍Hot Cross Buns are just what one needs when Easter is around the corner. It would be very hard to imagine Easter time without these delicious dried fruit studded, fragrantly spiced sweet buns! (Post Updated: 25th March ‘23)

I can hardly remember any Easter from my childhood where Hot Cross Buns did not feature. Even when we were living in Daharki, with nary a Hot Cross Bun providing bakery anywhere, my maternal Grandmother would either send or bring us the buns from either Misquita Bakers or sometimes from Lawrence Bakers, both in Karachi, so we could have them for Good Friday.

 

Hot Cross Buns

Dough for the Hot Cross Buns after the first rise

 

Easter in Lahore meant that my paternal Grandmother would get Hot Cross Buns for the family from Mohkam Din Bakers. I believe Shezan Bakers too used to make Hot Cross Buns around Easter time though I’m not sure.

This year I decided to have a go at making homemade Hot Cross Buns and to make it a yearly Easter tradition, provided they turned out well.

 

Hot Cross Buns

The dough cut into pieces for forming the buns

 

I’m happy to say that my family and I quite loved my homemade Hot Cross Buns and I shall try to make these every Easter from now on.

I followed respected British food expert Delia Smith’s Hot Cross Bun recipe. Miss Smith’s cookery shows on BBC Good Food are some of my earliest memories of British tv cooking which is why I decided to follow her traditional Hot Cross Bun recipe.

 

Hot Cross Buns

The dough balls placed well apart in a buttered pan, to allow room for expansion

 

Thoughts And Tips On Making Hot Cross Buns

  • There are some very deliciously innovative variations of Hot Cross Buns now, including the savoury variety.
    I made a Savoury Hot Cross Bun Ring for Easter ‘22, using this same base recipe but by giving it a savoury twist. I will share that version soon hopefully.
  • This one here is perhaps one of the most traditional Hot Cross Bun recipes out there and it is spicy and fruity in that comfortingly old-fashioned sort of way that is hard to beat.
  • I like to bake these Hot Cross Buns until they are deep golden brown so that the pale pastry crosses show prominently against the dark bun tops in stark contrast.
  • The sugar glaze brushed on the buns at the end is essential in my opinion as it provides the final shining touch.
  • Hot Cross Buns can easily be frozen if you decide to make them in advance, thus leaving you time to do other things during the busy week leading up to Easter.
  • Simply thaw frozen Hot Cross Buns completely in the fridge and reheat in the oven for a few minutes before slicing.
  • Hot Cross Buns taste best spread with soft butter and enjoyed with a cup of hot tea.

 

Hot Cross Buns

The dough balls after the second rising; they have almost doubled in size, have the pastry crosses pressed onto them and are finally ready to go into the oven

 

The recipe has quite a few steps, but I assure you that it is not difficult at all and every point that has been listed down at each stage is just to make it easier for you and to ensure that your Hot Cross Buns turn out wonderful.

 

Hot Cross Buns

 

Hot Cross Buns

 

Recipe Type: Breakfast & Brunch    Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 1 – 2 Hours    Cook Time: 15 – 20 Minutes
Serves: 8

 

Fruity, spicy & utterly delicious, nothing says Easter more than these easy to make traditional Hot Cross Buns spread with butter & enjoyed with tea!

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BUNS

  • 2 (around 3″ each) cinnamon sticks
  • 6 – 8 cloves
  • 1 blade mace
  • 250 grams flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt OR regular salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
  • A good grating of nutmeg
  • 55 grams black currants, stemmed if necessary
  • 25 grams candied peel, chopped
  • 25 grams soft butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast *
  • Extra flour
  • Extra milk

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CROSSES

  • 20 grams flour
  • 5 grams butter, soft but cool
  • A few teaspoons cold water

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GLAZE

  • 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

 

METHOD

  1. Put the cinnamon sticks, cloves and mace in a small coffee grinder and grind as finely as possible. Sieve.
  2. Stir flour, salt, ginger powder, nutmeg, currants and chopped candied peel and sieved ground spices until combined.
  3. Heat the butter and milk in a small pan or in a microwaveable bowl until butter melts. Cool 5 minutes and quickly whisk in the egg. Make sure the liquid isn’t too warm or the egg might scramble in it.
  4. Heat the water until warm enough that you can comfortably submerge your finger in it (about 105 degrees F – 110 degrees F).
  5. Stir in the sugar and then sprinkle the yeast on the surface. Let sit without stirring 2 – 5 minutes or until the mixture smells yeasty and begins to form a creamy foam around the edges.
  6. Once that happens give a quick stir and let sit another 2 – 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to gently bubble up in places and the mixture begins to foam up. This stage is crucial and if it doesn’t happen, your buns may not rise.
  7. Stir yeast mixture into the butter, milk and egg mixture until combined.
  8. Make a well in the centre of the combined dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Mix with a large spoon or spatula or with a dough hook if using a stand mixer.
  9. When the ingredients are mixed, the dough should come together, be elasticky and the bowl should be clean. If the dough is too sticky, add some of the extra flour. If it seems too dry, add extra milk, a teaspoon at a time.
  10. Knead 1 – 2 minutes by hand on a floured work surface and then put dough into a large oiled bowl.
  11. Brush oil onto the entire surface of your dough ball to prevent any skin from forming, cover tightly with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft free place (like in a switched off oven or in an off microwave) for 1 – 2 hours or until dough rises to almost double its size.
  12. Turn out the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
  13. Punch out the air from the dough, roll it lightly into a longish oblong between your hands on the work surface and cut into eight roughly equal pieces.
  14. Roll each piece into a smooth round ball and arrange all the dough balls in a buttered baking pan, leaving enough room between the balls for expansion.
  15. Cover the dough balls in the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let sit again in a warm place until they almost double in size.
  16. To make the crosses, rub the butter into the flour until like breadcrumbs. Add a little cold water, a bit at a time, mixing until the dough comes together. Roll out thinly, using a little flour to stop sticking if necessary and cut into 16 strips, each strip about 3″ – 4″ long.
  17. Preheat oven to 220 degrees C / 428 degrees F.
  18. Once the dough balls have risen, brush the pastry strips with water to make them stick and place on top of each dough ball, making crosses and pressing lightly.
  19. Bake the buns until golden brown. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to more depending on your oven.
  20. While the buns are baking, make the glaze by swirling the sugar and water together in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved and a clear syrup forms. Remove from heat.
  21. When the buns are done, remove from the oven and brush immediately with the prepared glaze.
  22. Cool completely on a wire rack and store airtight. The buns can also be frozen airtight at this point.
  23. Serve warm, lightly toasted if wished, with butter.

 

* Proofing instant yeast may seem unnecessary but personally I have never had an entirely satisfactory rise using this type of yeast without proofing / blooming it in warm sugared water. Hence the additional proofing step in the recipe.

This step also ensures that you know that the yeast you are using is active and not dead, thus saving you from ruining your buns and wasting your ingredients, time and effort. Trust me –  I know from personal experience.

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

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Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

Post Updated: 07.12.23

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: come fall in love with the dreamiest doughnuts ever!

These romantically named little beauties really do live up to their name: stunning in appearance and a sheer delight taste wise.

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: The Discovery

I first came across Persian Love Doughnuts in the dreamy party and entertaining book “Celebrate” by the lovely Lauren Conrad and they had me intrigued so much that I decided there and then that these would be my next Valentine’s Day dessert.

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: The Inspiration

Turns out that these little doughnuts are derived from classic Persian Love Cake, a delicious pistachio and rose water flavored cake.

Add other additional variations to the mix such as cardamoms, saffron etc. and you have what I like to call “Eastern Exoticism” in dessert form. Bliss.

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: The Recipe

The base recipe for these is by Aimee Twigger of Twigg Studios in which she makes a Persian Love Cake recipe and instead of baking it in a cake pan, pipes it into doughnut molds – genius!

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

So I adapted the recipe for her Persian Love Cake Doughnuts (which you can find here) very slightly and I am very happy with the results.

The cake part has classic pound cake proportions of equal amounts of butter, sugar and flour that make for a universally pleasing cake.

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: The Flavours

The combination of pistachios, rose, cardamom and saffron take this simple cake to an entirely different level.

It may sound fanciful but honestly, these ingredients gives these little Persian Love Cake Doughnuts incredible depth and a pleasingly heady scent, both of which, conjure up images of what in my mind, were exotic, far flung places such as Isfahan and Samarkand that I would read about in books as a child.

 

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: The Adornment

The Lemon Glacé Icing provides a wonderfully tart contrast and helps the toppings stay in place.

The fresh rose petals on top obviously make things more aromatic and I’ve used homegrown roses from my garden to decorate the doughnuts and as “props” for the photos.

The chopped pistachios that these beauties are topped with give a nice extra nuttiness while providing vivid green adornment.

Savour these Persian Love Cake Doughnuts on Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion.

Make them with love and eat them with joy!

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

‏

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts

Recipe Type: Dessert    Author: Alice In Eatland
Prep Time: 30 Minutes    Cook Time: 20 Minutes    Total Time: 50 Minutes
Serves: 10 – 12

 

Persian Love Cake Doughnuts: easy recipe for these incredibly delicious, gloriously fragrant and absolutely stunning beauties.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

  • 50 grams pistachios
  • 1 tbsp warm milk
  • A big pinch of saffron strands
  • 100 grams flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 6-8 pods green cardamom
  • 100 grams salted butter, soft
  • 100 grams caster sugar or superfine sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp rose water OR 1/4 tsp rose essence

 

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
  2. Butter and flour a 12 hole mini doughnut pan.
  3. Grind the pistachios in a coffee grinder or food processor until finely powdered. Set aside.
  4. Add the saffron to the warm milk in a small cup and set aside.
  5. Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
  6. Grind the cardamom pods in a coffee grinder. Sieve.
  7. Cream the butter and sugar a few minutes until creamy. Add rose water or rose essence and eggs one at a time alternately with flour mixture.
  8. Add remaining flour, powdered pistachios, ground (and sieved) cardamoms and the saffron milk mixture.
  9. Put this mixture into a piping bag snipped at the tip or fitted with a plain round nozzle (I used a large Ateco 809 tip) and pipe the batter into the doughnut molds.
  10. You may have some leftover batter after filling all the mini doughnut molds. I used mine to bake a few Persian Love Cake Cupcakes!
  11. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the doughnuts comes out clean.
  12. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes.
  13. Loosen the edges with a small knife and invert doughnuts onto a wire rack.
  14. Re-invert and cool completely.
  15. Trim any edges if necessary to get a neat round shape.

 

To decorate with Lemon Glacé Icing:

  1. Stir 100 grams of icing sugar with 1 – 2 tablespoons or more of fresh lemon juice until of pouring consistency.
  2. Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper on a cookie sheet, tray or flat work surface.
  3. Place the cooled doughnuts onto the sheet.
  4. Drizzle the Lemon Glacé Icing with a spoon over the doughnuts.
  5. Decorate with fresh snipped or chopped rose petals (thoroughly washed and dried) and finely chopped pistachios.