Avocado Naan (Oven Version)

My earlier Naan (also,Sheermal or Shirmal) was not up to the mark in terms of the texture. Naan is my son’s favorite and he always insists to make at home with the restaurant finish. Imm……In restaurants’ it’s done with tandoor. At home, I tried my level best to recreate the restaurant texture, but in vain.

Lately, I realized that in tandoor, the heat applied on the Nann sides are not the same. (as one side stick at the clay wall of the tandoor and the other side exposed to the dry heat. this is the reason for the texture) where as in the (electrical) Oven, the heat distributed all around the chamber uniformly. 

So, if we could create the two different temperatures on the sides of the Naan, probably the texture can be like the tandoor version. How to do this ? 

Just by keeping the cast iron plate / tava / pan (used to make dosa or chapatthi) on the oven! The plate absorbs the heat and transfer to the one side of the naan. which is more than the oven's chamber heat. this is good enough to create the texture as well to cook / bake the naan.

Usually, Naan is made with 100% Maida (A P flour). But, I go with 50-50 combination with Avocado pulp to reduce the oil / butter. 

Ingredients’ :  1cup of all purpose flour    ;       1 cup of whole wheat flour       ;     1 ¼ tsp of instant yeast       ;     1 tsp of salt     ;     2 tsp of sugar      ;     1/2 tsp of baking powder     ;    2 tbsp of olive oil    ;      Half avocado scooped mashed & add 1 tsp of lime juice (lime juice to prevents the colour change)      ;      3/4 cup of warm water      ;        1/4 cup of sesame seeds       ;        butter for brushing (for butter naan!!!!)

In a bowl, add warm water, sugar, oil and then sprinkle yeast over the top and whisk and keep aside.

In separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder and keep aside.

Now add the yeast mixture to the flour bowl and mix well until a ball of dough forms.

Add the mashed avocado into the dough and Knead with floured hands until to form smooth, elastic dough.  Cover the bowl with damp cloth and leave at room temperature for about 3 to 4 hours.

Start to preheat oven to 250° C with cast iron plate in.  Meanwhile, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes and divide into 6 - 7 small balls.

Roll into an oval shape with 1/4″ thickness. (Once the oven and stone are preheated) dip hands in water and wet each piece of dough slightly and sprinkle the sesame seeds and transfer the naan to the preheated plate, placing the wet side on the plate. 

Bake at 250°C for 4- 5 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the pan and brush with melted butter. 

Mexican Cemita Buns

 Mexican Cemita Buns were made for are We Knead To Bake #30. Thanks to Aparna for introducing new sandwich buns. As name suggest, it’s quite popular in Puebla, Mexico. 

Though it’s slightly sweet Crackly thin crust with sesame seeds toppings, still perfect for sandwich. This is sort of a cross between challah and brioch.

Original recipe is adopted from here. As usual, I go with all purpose flour & whole meal flour combination with just three servings, instead of six.  I kept my figure crossed because, wanted the bun should rise like a ball and sponge. Usually the all purpose flour & whole meal flour, may not give a good rise and airy / sponginess, like the original. but, Cemita Buns turns out the way I wanted, I am glad.

Ingredients:     1 cup of all purpose flour    ;  ¾   cup of whole meal flour      ;     ¼  cup of warm milk      ;     ¼  cup of cream     ;       1 egg       ;      ½ tsp of instant yeast      ;        1/2 tsp salt        ;        ¾ tbsp. of sugar       ;      milk for brushing     ;  sesame seeds to sprinkle on top.

Combine (both) all the flour, the cream, milk, egg, yeast, salt, and sugar with the  food processor, until a ball of homogenous dough that rides around the blade is formed. Make sure the dough should be in a very sticky consistency. 

Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover it with damp cloth and leave it at room temperature for about 2 hours until it is about 1 1/2 times its original size.

Dust the working surface and lightly flour the dough. Gently  press down the dough and shape it into a thick “rope” like shape. Cut this into 3 equal portions with a scraper.

Shape the balls into smooth rounds by stretching the tops to form a smooth “skin”. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray, leaving a little space between them for expanding as they proof. Cover again and set aside at room temperature for 45 - 60 minutes or until they have risen a bit.

Brush the buns with milk and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds. Gently press them down into the dough. Bake at 230°C  for about 15 minutes until they’re done and the tops are a deep golden brown.

Cool them completely on a wire rack.  Prepare your sandwich of your choice, I am sure you will enjoy.

Chocolate Truffle cake

 it’s a combo. Truffles are placed on the choco-cake top to decorate.  While, the chocolate lava flows out from hard shell truffle and mix with spongy choco-cake, chewing them……..imm…..its divine and the best way to celebrate Independence day !

Bake the chocolate cake  (without Icing part) 

Now prepare the Chocolate frosting with the following Ingredient’s: 

3/4 cup of whipped cream    ;            1/8 cup of light corn syrup       ;          1 cup of chocolate chip        ;         1 tsp of vanilla essence.

Procedure : In a medium heavy saucepan bring whipping cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove the pan from heat and add chocolate chips and vanilla; let stand for 1 minute. Whisk mixture until it becomes smooth. Cover and chill about 60 - 90 min. 

Meanwhile, prepare the coconut milk truffle. Now, remove the frosting from the fridge and blend (at low speed) with an electric mixer until fluffy.

Assembling the cake : cut the cake into half and crumb coat the cake with frosting all around and top and keep it fridge for 10 to 15 min and do the second coat of frosting to make richer and again chill for 30 min.

Using the melted dark chocolate, plot (free hand) the tree and branches with piping bag, on top of the cake and decorate with the prepared coconut milk truffle.

Avocado & Dates marble Cake

Both Avocado and Dates are Fruits of belongs to flowering family. But, Avocado is packed with mono saturated fat and Dates packed with Sugar. 
 

I thought this would be a perfect combination for a cake, because Avocado can give pretty close consistency of butter (once it blended with milk). Dates used as a sweetener. 

Here, I am not avoiding the butter and sugar. I am suing avocado and dates to enhance and create marble effect on the cake, without compromising the softness, texture and the taste.

Ingredient  :    ½ cup of all purpose flour      ;       ½ cup of wheat flour       ;      Half Avocado (scooped and blended with 1/4 cup of milk)       ;       110 gms of butter        ;        6 dates soaked in the water and blended with   1/8 cup of milk       ;          1/2 cup of sugar       ;         2 eggs       ;        3/4 tsp of baking powder         ;        1 tbsp of  coco powder         ;         1/2 tsp of vanilla essence      ;       a pinch of salt 

Procedure :  Mix the dry ingredient wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and keep aside.

In a bowl beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence and then add the dry mixture to the butter mixture till fully cooperated.

Separate the above mixture into two equal half’s. 

Add the date’s paste & coco powder with one half and mix well.  Similarly, add the mashed avocado into another half and mix well.

In a grease loaf tin spread the avocado mixture then spread the dates mixture repeat the process and tap the mixture to make it level.

Transfer the loaf tin into a 180°c preheated oven and bake it till done or for about 35min.