Sugar Craft workshop at Hyderabad

Glad to be back in Hyderabad - the city which molded me and which gave me a lot of treasured moments.
Had a wonderful 2 days Sugar Craft session at Menna's Cake Baking Classes Hyderabad

 — feeling thankful at Hotel Baseraa.

In the 2 day Sugar craft course, students get hands-on experience to make beautiful real life like Flowers with Gumpaste!

The flowers covered in the two day

1.Rose
2.Ranunculus
3.Tulips
4.Stargazer Lillies 
5.Orchids

Finally, you'll learn to make filler flowers to make a pretty bouquet! Also learn how to use the airbrushing techniques on gumpaste flowers

Setting the Students Table

Starting with the basics

Sugar Craft - Keeping it for drying

Slowly the flowers emerge

Creations 

One more to the mix

Rose - Close to Nature

Bouquet is Ready 

Team is Ready!

Chocolate Cake Indulgence - Little Luxuries To Savor

Does your heart melt, your knees go weak and you loose your defenses when you delve into chocolate?

Well, I'm not a die-hard chocolate fan, but there are times when I can't resist the temptation of a chocolate bite. But, I know many people are who are easily swayed and vulnerable to chocolate treats. For those of you who are embracing your love affair with chocolate, here's a proven chocolate recipe you've been waiting for.

From Recipe to Practice - Doing is Everything

Here's the chocolate recipe which you can blindly try it in your home. It's a simple recipe, and I can guarantee that you'll be happy with the cake outcome! And, I hope you'll enjoy making this cake more number of times and share the cake with your friends and dear ones. .

Fresh, delicious and tempting - Chocolate Cake

Ingredients to make Chocolate Cake:

• Cocoa powder         1/4 Cup
• Boiling water          7 tbsp
• Butter                      1/2 Cup + 1/3 Cup
• Caster Sugar           1/2 Cup + 2 tbsp
• light brown sugar    1/4 Cup + 1 tbsp
• Eggs                        4
• Vanilla essence       1 tsp
• Flour                       1 Cup + 4 tbsp
• Baking powder       1 tsp

Method:

1. Sieve flour and baking powder thrice
2. Cream butter ,caster sugar and light brown sugar well.
3. Add one egg at a time with essence.
4. Make a paste of cocoa powder and hot water without any lumps
5. Add the paste to the creme mixture.
6. Now fold in the sieved flour little at a time.
7. Preheat the oven at 180 degree for 10 mts and bake for 40 mts or till the skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool your cake and do the frosting.

Note: Increase the sugar if you feel you need more.

Frosting

Chocolate    200 gms
Butter          115 gms
Cream         100 ml

Slice of Temptation 

Method

1. Double boil the chocolate and butter
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.
3. Leave it to cool for 20 minutes, then chill in the fridge for 40-50 mts, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread.
4. Then spread on the top and sides of the cake.

Finally, share and enjoy the yummy chocolate cake!

Chocolate Cake - Treat for you!

Another chocolate cake recipe Check out the Chocolate Sour Cake recipe.

Kerala Appam and Stew Lessons

I wake up every morning happy for where I am in life. It's not all about the cooking, but the fact that I can  use my skills to teach people who equally like cooking and baking.

Had Kathyrn and her husband from UK who loves Appam and Stew after they went for a house boat journey in Allepey. They also learned coconut chutney, sambar and Idli, and dosa.

Had a good time teaching them the basics of South Indian cuisine and looking forward to meet them again.
Menna's Indian Cooking Class Bangalore

— feeling wonderful.

Cooking Lessons in Progress

Hands-on Cooking Lessons 

Fluffy Appam Ready

Appam is a very popular breakfast item make in most home in Kerala. The appam is simple to make with minimal ingredients. It's usually served with fish, or mutton or vegetable stew. For easy breakfast, we have it with egg roast. Fish stew ( sear fish) is made when we have guest in our house. 

If you're new to making appam, check out the appam recipe and follow the steps. If you have doubts while making this recipe, then you can contact me to clear your doubts. 

Sambar in Stove

Coconut Chutney

Enjoying the Meal After the Class

I like to share few more Kerala or South Indian recipes for those keen to try few from the endless varieties of South Indian dishes.

1. Ceylon Spinach
2. Appam ( Kerala special)
3. Idiappam

Cake baking and Icing workshop at Hyderabad June 23-28th 2015

Hyderabad City - Kindle your passion in baking - Learn baking or cake decoration or desserts and open the door to a whole range of opportunities Check for the class schedule given below. ‪#‎baking‬ ‪#‎Hyderabad‬

Menna's Cake Baking Classes Hyderabad at Basera Hotel, Secunderabad

— in Hyderabad.

Baking Lesson in Hyderabad

Cupcake Lessons for Beginners

Fresh Cupcakes ( Make it in your home)

Bread Making Workshop - Hyderabad

 Bread making for beginners on 26th morning, 10:AM. Join this session, to learn 5 types of bread and learn the important techniques to make bread.

1. Milk bread
2. Multigrain bread 
3. Buns
4. Stuffed Buns 
5. Dinner rolls
6. Cinnamon rolls

Bread Baking for Beginners

You will carry back home all the baked breads and buns along with the bread baking pan.

What about cookies? Kids will love it.

Cupcake lessons - on 27th June

 Baking lessons for beginners with hands-on experience in making cupcakes. June session, on 27th June, Saturday ( 10:AM). Come and learn the basic of baking, and get a strong foundation in baking. For more details, call at 09379398865, 08861389165

Students ( During and after the baking Class - Secundrabad)

Learn Fondant Icing ( Craft Your own Designer Cakes)

 Fondant Icing Class - Come and learn to decorate cake using fondant icing. This class is for beginner level and for those looking to perfect cake decoration techniques. Next class on 28th, June, at Hotel Baseraa, Secundrabad.

Popular Blackforest and Pineapple Pastry Cake

 Black Forest gâteau or Black Forest Cake are the English names for the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. Learn this German dessert is covered in the June class.

Location of the Baking : Baserra Hotel, Secundrabad

Sugarcraft Class ( For Serious Bakers)

Sugar Craft Workshop ( Make beautiful real life like Flowers with Gumpaste)

2 day Sugar craft course, 23-24th June 2015 at Hotel Baserra, Clock Tower, Secunderabad.

Learn the exclusive art of making beautiful real life like Flowers with Gumpaste in this hands-on workshop!

Place a single Rose for that loved one or make a magnificent arrangement for a wedding cake!

Flowers covered:

1. Rose
2. Ranunculus
3. Tulips
4. Stargazer Lillies 
5. Orchids

I will also be covering filler flowers to make a pretty bouquet! Also learn how to use the airbrushing techniques on gumpaste flowers.

Details:

Date: 23-24th June 2015 ( 2 days)

Time: 10:00am – 4:30 pm

Venue: Hotel Baserra, Clock Tower, Secunderabad.

Lunch will be provided. 

Contact : Marina 09379398865, 08861389165, 080-41715105

Ulli Thiyal (Shallots with Tamarind & roasted coconut)

Ulli Thiyal in Mud Bowl

I know this is a very common dish is Kerala with different variations in recipe. I love this tangy spicy thiyal. Love it more if is prawns thiyal.

So here we go, I have my mom's yummy thiyal recipe out here, let me know what are the types and variation you all do with the thiyal.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 12 red chillies
• 8 black pepper cones
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• One and half cup of water
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 cups peeled whole shallots
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/4 Cup tamarind pulp
• 1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Dry roast the grated coconut around 10 mts or till dark brown
2. Now add the crushed ginger and garlic, saute for another 4 mts
3. Add 10 pieces of dry chillies and peppercones to it and saute for some more time, make sure it does not burn.
4. Now add the turmeric powder and remove from the stove, leave it to cool and then grind it to a fine paste by adding little water.
5.Heat the same pan and add oil to it, add the shallots and saute till transparent.
6. Now add the rest of the red chillies and curry leave and the coconut paste.
7. Saute for few minutes and add 1/2 cup of water and boil well.
8. Now add the tamarind pulp and the remaining 1 cup water and cook for 2 mts or till the gravy thickens.
Serve hot with rice and fish curry.

Fish Curry with Ulli Thiyal