Caramelized Rava Kesari

This is a direct contradiction to my previous post. Yes, Carb (sugar) rich sweet recipe. Those who are in HFLC, please stay away from this. It’s exclusively meant for sweet toothed people

I’m sure, many of you know how to make a rava kesari. The twist here it is “Caramelized”, to enhance the ordinary kesari. This was introduced to me by my aunt Manju, who lives in France. This Caramelized version of kesari, impressed me so much I thought of sharing it here……

Ingredient  :    1 cup of Rava (semolina)   ;        ¾ cup of sugar      ;       3 tbsp of ghee      ;        2 cup of milk  ; ½ tsp  cardamom powder        ;     10 no's of chopped cashews

In a thick bottom pan start to roast rava at low flame for about 10 – 15 min or until a slight colour change. Transfer the rava into a plate and keep aside.

In the same pan, add sugar and put the flame at medium allow to caramelize. (During the caramelization process, water will be released from sugar) Meanwhile, boil the milk and keep it aside.

Once, the sugar turns into light amber in color, add the milk and 2 tbsp of ghee. (Take care of splatters as water and fat are in different temp)

Continue to cook and keep stirring until the caramel mixture become smooth. Add roasted rava to the mixture and star cook at low flame until the kesari starts to leave the sides of the pan.

Meanwhile, in small pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashew to golden colour and add it to the kesari. As a final touch, sprinkle cardmom powder and serve hot or warm.

Walnut Caramel Ice Cream

Most of the so called ice cream manufactures are selling Frozen Dessert under the Ice cream label. Yes, it’s a Chilling Truth!  

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, (even FDA also claims almost the same definition) the definition of an ice cream means that the product is obtained by freezing a pasteurized mix, prepared from milk and /or other products derived from milk with or without the addition of nutritive sweetening agents, fruit and fruit products, eggs, etc. 

You name any brand, and read the ingredients label. You will find these chemicals in it for sure.      // Water, sugar, milk solids, edible vegetable oil, liquid glucose, vegetable protein, emulsifier - 471, stabilizers - 410, 412, 407 Acidity regulator - 330. Contains permitted synthetic food colors and added flavors. Nature identical and artificial milk and strawberry flavoring substances//

Why they need to use so much of so called edible chemicals? Just to keep the price low and for creamy texture.  One liter of heavy or whipped cream and two litters of “ice cream” are priced almost at the same price. How is that possible?  Two litters of  frozen dessert (labeled as “ice cream”) contains a less than 100 ml of heavy or whipped cream as milk solids rest is vegetable oil and edible chemicals.

Here, I am posting a REAL Ice Cream as per the standards. Since, we are not using any edible chemicals and stabilizers; it cannot be served or consumed directly from freezer. It needs to be kept out (at room temperature) for about ten minutes before you serve to get the same creamy texture of Frozen Dessert.

Ingredient  :   1 ½  cup of heavy cream      ;      1 /2 cup of full fat milk      ;     1/2 cup of dark brown sugar       ;        60 gms of butter       ;    2 tbsp of cream    ;     a pinch of salt     ;     1/2 cup of  chopped walnut        ;      1 tsp of vanilla essence  

First let’s caramelize the brown sugar.  Heat the brown sugar and butter in a heavy pan over medium heat, stirring with a spoon once sugar starts to dissolve, Add 2 tbsp of cream and stir further until the sugar completely dissolved. (if require add few tbsp of cream) Remove the pan from the heat and add chopped walnuts, salt and vanilla Transfer to a bowl and stir in salt and vanilla. Cool the caramel mixture in to room temperature.

In a separate bowl the boil the cream and milk and pour it into caramel mixture and whisk to combine. Transfer it to frozen canister and spin until it become thick and creamy consistency. (You may use hand mixer as well) 

Transfer the frozen canister (with closed lid) into the freezer.

Mother’s Day Special : Caramel filled Chocolate

In Mid 80’s Nutrine, Éclairs and Five Star chocolates are quite popular in India.  In fact, all these are called in a common name Chocolate.

But, Nutrine is a candy, to be precise Caramel Candy. Éclairs and Five star are Caramel filled Milk chocolates. 

I still remember, Nutrine is the choice for the schools to offer during independence and Republic days. Because it’s only 10 Paisa. Éclairs are tagged at 25 Paisa and Five star was wrapped in a Golden (premium ??) colored paper, bar shaped, sold at Rs.3 (300 paisa)

Most of (my class) the students, distribute Nutrine in the class during their Birthdays; the Close friends circle of the Birthday girl gets Éclairs! Intimate friend may get a Five star!! To express this in mathematical equation, Nutrine < Éclairs < Five Star   =   Friends < Close friends < Best friends

But, I had a privilege to taste Real Chocolates in my childhood. (Thanks to my aunts, who are living in France) I always had a question in my mind why these Nutrine, Éclairs and Five Star are taste (so much) different than those “Imported” chocolates. But, 80’s there is no internet to answer my queries. 

In 2000, my husband used to visit Europe frequently and treated me with a Variety of Chocolates on his return. I started to read, experiment about chocolates.

As I already mentioned in my earlier post, Chocolate are made in two different ways, expensive and inexpensive. What is the difference?:

If Large percent (60 and above) of coco solids, and 100% coco butter are used to make a chocolate then it’s called Real Chocolate. Both coco solids and Coco butter are made from crushed cocoa bean. These Chocolates can offer extraordinary rich, creamy and melt-in-your-mouth (at body temp) it often known as dark chocolate.  

Less percent (below 30) of coco solids, vegetable fats / Oils, and sweeteners (in place of coco butter) also used to make Chocolates. But, these are not real. Having waxy texture and over sweet, also doesn’t melt in the mouth. It often known as Compound chocolate.  

Now, you know why I’m mad at dark Chocolate.

Oh….If I start taking about chocolates, it never ends. But, I confidently say, this preparation (Premier version of Five star) will Challenge the EXPENSIVE and PREMIUM BRANDS in all aspects like texture, taste etc.  But made at your sweet home!

150 gms of Tempered chocolate (I used 60% coco)  ;    1/ 4 cup of Heavy cream    ;   10 no's of caramel candies

Heat a Heavy cream in a bowl, then add caramel candy stir until toffee is fully dissolved in the cream and keep aside allow it cool.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. (Smaller the pieces, the quicker the chocolates melt and temper). 

Set aside small amount of the chocolate and  Add the remaining   (large) amount of chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on half-power and stir the mixture every minute until it is almost completely melted (be careful while stirring) may take about  five minutes.  (Usually, I use double boiler. But, now I am using microwave because, it’s very easy)

Remove the bowl (of chocolate) from the microwave, and add the left over chocolate and stir to slowly till fully melted it will be glossy and shine. Allow it to cool slightly. 

Scope the chocolate (little) and pour it into mold and coat as a thin layer with spoon. Make sure you coat well the side walls and bottom of each compartment and gently tap the mold to remove air bubbles, if any. Keep the molds in the refrigerator about 30 min.

Remove the chocolate coated molds from the refrigerator and scope the caramel and fill about 90% of the mold and keep the molds in the refrigerator about 30 min. 

Again, remove the chocolate coated, caramel filled  molds from the refrigerator and cover the caramel filling by chocolate and scrape excess chocolate from the mold by running the long edge of your offset spatula along the surface of your mold. Refrigerate again for 30 min.

I dedicate these Chocolates to Not only to my Mother, All the mothers of the Beautiful Blue Planet.