White Chocolate Mousse With Strawberry Compote

Since a long time i have been wanting to make something out of white chocolate. I have been going through a lot of recipes which could make cookies, cakes, chocolates and mousses. So i decided to experiment with white chocolate and marshmallows and thus make white chocolate mousse..

Here’s some tips and facts about white chocolate:

Since many don't use white chocolate, i would like to tell them that, it is difficult to work with it, since, it contains more cocoa butter than dark chocolate does and therefore difficult to temper . Its a bit tricky and you got to be moving very fast while making anything to do with white chocolate. Also it is more sweeter compared to any other chocolate.

White chocolate has none of the cacao mass, hence the delicate, ivory-like color, which it gets from the cocoa butter. Instead it’s rich with cocoa butter, which gives it that suave, subtle taste, that I find compliments dark chocolate desserts and bolder flavors.

Both white and dark chocolates are emulsions. Adding small amounts of liquid, like water or milk, will cause the emulsion to break or seize. Therefore, any milk that’s added to white chocolate must be first either dried into a powder or cooked to a paste, removing the water, before it’s used. So you’ll often find the ingredient ‘milkfat’ on the label.

Because white chocolate contains a dairy product, it’s highly perishable. Purchase it in small quantities as needed. Store it in a cool, dark place, but not the refrigerator, since it’s high-fat content makes it a good medium for absorbing other odours…

Due to the higher fat and sugar content, white chocolate melts very easily and at a lower temperature than dark chocolate, but more care should be taken when using it. Avoid excessive or direct heat. I like to pour a hot liquid over it and use the heat from that to melt the white chocolate.

Did you know???

In the 1930s, a white chocolate bar was launched in Europe by Swiss company Nestlé.

In North America, Kuno Baedeker developed a white chocolate while working for the Merckens Chocolate Company in 1945.

The Dessert Summary!

Getting back to the dessert. This light and airy mousse will make you fall in love with white chocolate for sure. Where white chocolate and whipped cream play hide and seek with your tastebuds. Its silky smooth texture paired with strawberries its a delightful combo.

Ingredients:

• White Chocolate - 1 Cup
• Milk - 1/4 Cup
• Whipped Cream - 4-5 Cups
• Vanilla Essence - 1.5 Tsp
• Marshmallows- 6-8  large pcs (Optional)

Method:

Take a microwave safe glass bowl melt the chocolate and milk at a pulse of about 50 seconds interval. Usually white chocolate melts because of the heat of the milk and the bowl so keep whisking it after the first melt. You will see that there are no lumps and it almost looks and smells like condensed milk. Add vanilla essence to this. Keep this aside till it reaches room temperature.

Meanwhile whip the cream and refrigerate it for atleast an hour.

You can use marshmallows, as this gives a gooey fudgy texture to the mousse and they taste delicious.. Here you need to take a large bowl and add your marshmallows to it and microwave it. 

You will notice that they bloom up real quick so keep an eye on them so that they don't overflow.

Add your creamy marshmallows to the chocolate-milk mix. You will notice it forming lumps , do not panic. Just use a blender and blend this mix well and strain it to have a silky smooth flowy consistency.

Now fold in the cream to the chocolate mix a little by little using the cut and fold method. Now this will start to look creamy like whipped cream and setting faster as it has marshmallows in it.

Here i suggest to use fresh mashed strawberries or compote as the sourness of strawberries goes really well with white chocolate mousse.

Take your desired serving glass make the first layer of strawberry compote and pour the white chocolate mousse on this and do the top layer with fresh strawberries/compote.

Refrigerate this for atleast 6-8 hours and serve chilled.

A few tips:

• You can avoid marshmallows, it is optional.
• Vanilla gives a wonderful fragrance and enhances the taste of white chocolate.
• You could use this as a filling as well for your cakes or serve it with custard.
• You can also serve it with chocolate shavings or ganache.

Do try this and leave me a comment.

White Bread Loaf

All you bread lovers this post is definitely going to give you a reason to grin and make your guests super proud of you ..Your bound to impress your family...

A simple White Loaf Bread!!

I have been trying various recipes to make a ''purrfect'' loaf but let me tell you something honestly....i have failed miserably not 1, not 2 but almost 6 times....Every time i failed, i gave up..Naturally you feel let down and also waste a lot of money during the trial and error phase..But to my good luck my mother never questioned me , just said...try try you will succeed!!

I was so happy to hear that but also felt they would be thinking why doesn't she go to the local bakery and buy a pound, why does she waste her entire day behind 1 loaf... But i have this ''keeda''(insect) in me that i have to try no matter what...I have to get it right this time!!

So i know that one cannot beat "The Bakery Bread'' but once i made this loaf i was surprised by the looks and followed by the taste....

I got the best ever compliment from my father(who is btw very difficult to please when it comes to homemade bakes) . My house was filled with the aroma of the hot bread which was baking in the oven. First, my brother says i could smell something sweet right outside the house and then, once the bread was left for cooling my father just walks up to my bread and asked what's this? As i had experimented with the bread, i did not use a loaf pan. Instead tried it in  a cake tin with an aluminium glass in the centre so i could cut it into neat slices with the brown edges all around...And so my dad was pretty tempted and asked for a slice of the warm bread  while he was heading out ....While having the slice and walking down, he says...."This bread reminds me of my childhood, the bread i used to have at VB Bakery''........

 I had tears of joy as i couldn't believe what my dad just said...What an accomplishment!! Truly the joy of baking a perfect bread finally happened..And yes i did have a perfect satisfied sleep that night..

So here goes the recipe pls follow the measures religiously..Although i did make a few changes which i will mention in the tips section.

Recipe adapted from Sumod Tom


Ingredients:

• Water or Milk – 303g to 340g lukewarm (1 1/3 to 1 ½ cups), (I used 50:50 water and milk)
• Honey or  Sugar – 32g (2 tbs)
• Instant yeast – 2 1/4 teaspoons
• Salt – 1 3/4 teaspoons
• Butter or Olive Oil – 28g soft (2 tbs)
• Bread flour or All-purpose Flour or Maida – 482g  (4 cups)
• Milk Powder – 35g (1/3 cup)

Method:

Take ¼ cup lukewarm water, add 1 tsp sugar and the instant yeast, mix well and set aside to rise.

Mix the flour, milk powder and salt in a bowl.

In another large bowl mix all the wet ingredients, (except butter).

Add the risen yeast mix to this. Start adding the flour mix, a cup at a time, mixing well with a silicon or plastic scraper (if you do not have a scraper, mix with hand), till you get very wet dough, which starts pulling off from the side of the bowl.

Add butter little at a time to the mix and keep kneading.

Transfer this to a lightly floured work table, knead gently for 10 minutes (lift, spread and throw or stretch and pull), adding little flour at a time (if required only), till you get a very loose, but not sticky dough. (The dough may seem very sticky, but after the above kneading, it will automatically form smooth dough, do not add excess flour, and do not knead hard)

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Grease the dough also.

Cover it, with a wet cloth and let it rise at room temperature (preferably warm place) until it’s doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Gently deflate the dough, to shape the bread loaf, take the dough and just spread into a rectangular shape with a rolling pin. Roll up tightly into a log. Place the bread dough in lightly greased loaf pan with the seam area at bottom.

Cover with a wet cloth, and let the dough rise for 45 to 60 minutes (preferably warm place), till it has doubled.

15 Minutes before the bake, preheat the oven at 200 C.

Just before baking, brush the loaf with little milk or melted butter or egg wash.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200 C, for 40 to 45 minutes for the bread loaf. Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out onto a rack to cool.

When completely cooled, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature. Slice the loaf only after cooling.

A few tips:

• Water required may vary, Use the lesser amount in summer or humid climates; the greater amount in winter or drier climates.
• Baking time could vary from different ovens.
• I couldn't source instant yeast, so i used  Active dry yeast. Just follow the same process. Your yeast must rise and form a ring on your glass.
• I used extra honey as i like my bread sweet. 
• You can use salted butter but make sure you use salt as per your taste. 
• The dough may seem very sticky, but after kneading, it will automatically form smooth dough, do not add excess flour, and do not knead hard)
• You can brush with egg wash for getting a golden colour for the crown. Since i don't use eggs, i brushed the risen dough with butter just before baking  and once, when it almost baked for that golden color.
• If the crown of the loaf is getting too much browned, cover with a baking sheet after 25 to 30 minutes.

Do try this and leave me a comment.

Strawberries And Cream Cloud!!

This melt in your mouth dessert is going to mesmerize your guests and will definitely ask you for a second helping. This ice cream/ sorbet is a beautiful amalgamation of fresh strawberries and cream...This is a light and fluffy dessert where the first spoon will remind you of a cloud melting in your mouth...

I happened to bake a cake and had a lot of strawberries and cream left, so i decided to experiment using basic ingredients and said to myself why not an ice cream !!

Strawberries are the first sign of spring at our markets. I wait for the glorious day that the vendors arrive at the market with fragrant red berries that are so ripe they're red all the way through when you slice them in half .. Their texture and bright flavor are big parts of their appeal .

There's so much one can do with them. I made strawberry compote which is used for fillings and toppings.

So roasting the berries in sweetener is a way to get the sugar into the berries (sugar inhibits freezing) with a touch of balsamic vinegar. I was thrilled with the flavor, and did everything I could to keep my spoon away from them.( And this is how you make strawberry compote)

This recipe requires just four ingredients and is so easy to make especially if your on the go... This was the first time i made an ice cream without adding synthetic elements and its absolutely pure and fresh and tastes delicious...

Ingredients:

• Strawberries- 500 gms
• Sugar- 1/4 cup
• Vinegar or Lime- 1 Tsp (Optional)
• Whipped Cream - 1 Ltr
• Fresh Cream - 1 Cup

Method:

Make the strawberry compote or you can also use store bought crush/topping.

Heat the cream just until it starts to bubble, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Once its warm, mix the strawberry compote to it. You can start by adding 3Tbs and gradually increase if you want a dense flavor and mix well. Now start adding the whipped cream and fold the strawberry and cream mix. Once well incorporated it should be refrigerated for atleast 4-6 hours. After which remove it and start whipping it using a blender to make it smooth and creamy. Beat this for about 10 minutes and refrigerate again and repeat this process twice.. Now let it be in the freezer for one whole day...Your ice cream is ready to eat..Top it with fresh strawberries/chocolate/ compote or plain as it is..

A few tips: 

• You can add vinegar or lime to your strawberry compote if your making it at home, if you like your compote a bit tart.
• You can use strawberry essence to enhance the flavor.

Do try this and leave me a comment.