Saturday, February 26, 2011

Orange and Yoghurt Cake



This wonderfully moist orange infused cake comes from Zesty South Indian Kitchen a fun food blog filled with great Western and Traditional Indian recipes:


Ingredients:


  • All-purpose flour: 1½ cup / 210 g (I used Unbleached King Arthur flour)
  • Granulated sugar: ¾ cup/156g
  • Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoon
  • Canola oil: ¼ cup/ 46g
  • Yogurt: 1/3cup (I used home made one)
  • Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon
  • Baking powder: ¼ teaspoon (I used aluminum free one)
  • Salt: ¼ teaspoon
  • Vanilla extract: ½ teaspoon/2g
  • Orange Zest: 1 tablespoon
  • Orange juice: ½ cup (about 3 oranges)
  • Freshly grated ginger: ½ tablespoon


For orange syrup

  • Orange juice: 1/5 cup
  • Sugar: ½ tablespoon 
Method:



Preheat oven 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the sides and set aside.

Zest the orange and extract the juice from them and set aside. Grate ginger using a micro plane or a zester and set aside.

Mix the orange zest with sugar and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In bowl mix oil, melted butter and sugar and beat them until everything gets incorporated well. To this add orange juice, yogurt, vanilla extract and mix again for 30 seconds, to this gradually add eggs at time (I forgot this added two eggs at same time) and combine everything well.

To this add dry ingredients as two addition, mix well during every addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 28 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes and remove it and cool in the wire rack for another 1 hour.

While cake is cooling make orange syrup by reducing orange juice and sugar in medium heat for about 3 minutes. Pour the syrup over the cooled cake. 

Enjoy!

Friday, February 18, 2011

Orange, Basil Hibiscus Tea




Ingredients:


  • 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers 
  • 2 teaspoons of sugar
  • 2 slices of fresh orange
  • 2 leaves of Thai Basil
Method:

  1. add to a travel infuser tea mug with a filter with boiling water steep for 1-2 minutes 
  2. pour and enjoy

Sunday, February 6, 2011

A Fun Citrus Cocktail



I thought it would be fun to post a citrus cocktail in case you were wanting something a little special for a super bowl party this wonderful cocktail comes from Tomatoes on the vine, a fun Florida based food blog:



Ingredients:

recipe from Bon Appetit 

3 clementines or 1-2 tangerines peeled
3 dashes of orange bitters
1/4 cup Hendricks's Gin (A smooth Scottish cucumber infused gin-worth seeking out) or other good quality gin
1/4 cup Campari
3 tablespoons sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
2 clementines or one tangerine, sliced for garnish

Directions:
Place 3 whole peeled clementines or tangerine and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker and muddle until the clementines or tangerines are broken down.  Add gin, Campari, and vermouth.  Fill shaker 3/4 full with ice.  Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Strain into two martini glasses, dividing equally.  Garnish each with a clementine or tangerine slice.