Kheer - South Asian Rice Pudding

After a few culinary disasters in the area of Indian desserts, I had given up on this delicious area. However, after watching my Mom spin out this delicate pudding with no effort, I decided to give her recipe a try. Turned out to be quite simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup rice, cooked with 2 cups of water (for how to see Simple microwave rice)
4 cups 2% milk
2 pinches of saffron, crushed lightly
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 each of almonds, cashews, unsalted pistachios and raisins
Couple pinches of crushed cardamom
A small pinch of salt

Cook rice. While it's cooking, soak almonds, pistachios and raisins separately in boiling water. Chop cashews into small pieces. Pistachios take no more than 5 minutes of soaking to release their skins. Drain them, Peel them and chop them into small pieces. Do the same to almonds. Drain raisins and reserve all these dry fruits. Rice should be ready by now. Fluff it with fork and reserve.
Heat up milk in a heavy bottom pan or pot on a medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add crushed saffron and continue stirring. Milk should start to boil in 6-7 minutes. Add the rice and continue cooking for another 8-12 minutes. Rice will release starch and the Kheer will get thicker. When there is a thin layer of milk remaining at top and rice is visible, then the Kheer is ready. Couple lessons I learned from my earlier tries - Kheer continues to thicken as it cools, so cooking longer will yield a lumpy pudding, and remember to stir constantly or the milk will burn at the bottom. Reduce the heat, add sugar, cardamom, chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins. I usually reserve some of these chopped dry fruits to use as garnish while serving. Increase heat, stir and cook for another couple minutes and the Kheer is ready to serve. You can serve it hot or cold.

Crème Brûlée

Make 6 ramekins

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half and half
1 vanilla bean
2 tbsp sugar

3 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Warm cream, half and half, vanilla bean and 2 tbsp sugar over medium heat just until steam rises. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the bean and scrape the contents of bean into the mixture.
Whisk yolks, egg, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
Slowly add hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Strain into a cup with spout.
Put water to heat.
Divide into the six ramekins. Arrange ramekins into a baking tray and put the tray in the oven. Add hot water to the tray and hake for 35-45 minutes.
Remove ramekins from the water, cool, cover with plastic wrap and chill - preferably overnight.

Top with a mixture of brown sugar & plain sugar (2:1 ratio). Tap out excess sugar. Burn until the surface is caramelized. Let stand 3-5 minutes so the topping hardens.

Variation - Instead of vanilla, add 1/4 cup fresh ginger - chopped and blanched in boiling water for 1 minute and then drained.

Applesauce Cake

Another one of Martha Stewart's creation. I love baking this in Fall/Winter. Filled with intense cinnamon & cardamom flavor, it's sweetness comes from light brown sugar & honey (I used the Carolina spiced honey).

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled) + more for dusting
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups chunky applesauce
nonstick cooking spray
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon & cardamom and set aside.
In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter & honey until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Beat in applesauce.
Generously coat a tube pan with spray, dust lightly with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Spoon batter into the pan, smooth top & bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (but slightly wet), 50 to 60 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan on a baking sheet & then invert cake onto the rack - right side up. Cool completely. Dust with Confectioners' sugar before serving.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

This recipe is taken from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. I serve it cold, dusted with sugar; but I bet it will taste equally good when served warm or room temperature.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter + more for baking dish
10 slices cinnamon raisin bread
2 cups 1% milk
3 oz semisweet chocolate
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9-inch square or 11x7 baking dish.
Toast bread in toaster until lightly crisped.
In a medium saucepan, combine milk, chocolate & butter; place over medium heat, stirring occasionally until chocolate has melter.
Tear bread into large pieced (about 4 per slice) and scatter evenly in the the prepared baking dish.
Whisk egg, sugar & vanilla in a bowl. Whisk in the milk mixture until combined. Pour over bread.
Bake until the pudding has puffed and is firm, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes, and dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

PS: To chill, let cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.