Cheesy Pizza Pie’s

Cheesy Pizza Pies this is nothing but good old pizza that is served with a bit of variation in its shape.  I find these as an excellent snack to serve at kiddie parties as its super convenient for kids to eat it without messing the whole place , and the portion size is just right for a kid.   These pizza pies freeze very well so you can always make these and freeze it weeks in advance so you can pop it in the oven just before the party starts and you have your snack ready with out much hassle on the party day.

I have used refined flour but if you wish you can alternatively use whole wheat flour either you can replace 50% of flour with whole wheat flour or even 100 % but this variation will may make the end product a little hard but then again its a cheesy pizza I doubt children will make out the difference . 

For the topping I have used onion, corn and capsicum but you guys can top the pizza pies with toppings of your choice olives, jalapeños,  baby corn , pander or if you like  a non vegetarian option then chicken sausages, salami etc .

The recipe for pizza dough and pizza sauce you find in my earlier blog post

http://veena-cakesbakes.blogspot.in/2011/10/foccasiapizza-bread.html


Ingredients

One Recipe Pizza Dough
One recipe Pizza Sauce
Pizza Toppings of your choice
Pizza Cheese











 
Method

Roll the dough with a rolling pin till its about 1 inch thick

You can use a round cutter to cut the dough in round shape.  I dint have the right cutter so I have used a round plastic container to do the needful.

Place the dough in mini pie moulds alternatively you may use muffin moulds.

Add the pizza sauce until its half filled

You can add the toppings of your choice.  I have  added onions, corn and capsicum.

Lastly add some grated pizza cheese easily available in any Indian supermarkets.  At this  stage the pies can be frozen until further use.  Remember to thaw the pies before you pop it in a oven
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius till done.

You can enjoy these pizzas either hot or cold

 

 

 

 

Eggless double chocolate chip muffins

I must confess I have never been a big fan of eggless baking, and if have to choose  among  egg based cakes and eggless cakes .  The hands down winner would always be Egg based cake but after this recipe I am forced to change my prejudice against eggless bakes .  If not better this recipe is definitely in par with my egg based muffins

As the name suggest my double chocolate chip  muffin as double dose of chocolate in the form of cocoa and chocolate chips which makes it sinfully chocolaty , soft and light with  just the right amount of sweetness and the best thing is this recipe is not just an egg free version but also its so easy even a child can make these yummylicious muffins

Ingredients

100gms melted butter or any unflavoured oil

400gms condensed milk

225 gms Refined  flour/ maida

2tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

45gms good quality cocoa powder

1tsp coffee powder

250 ml coke/pepsi/ thumps up

150 gms roughly  chopped dark chocolate/ milk chocolate

Instead of going for the store brought chocolate chips I prefer chopping a

regular chocolate bar because I like bigger chunks of chocolate chips as opposed to tiny chocolate chips we get in the market.  I know now coated with four it resembles an ugly pile of rocks but you will have to trust me on this chopping bigger chunks out of chocolate block will be the key to the best result for this recipe.
 
Tip: I have  Coated  the chocolate chips with the flour so the chocolate chips don’t sink in the bottom of the muffin

 

 

Method

 

Mix all the dry ingredients together

Mix together condensed milk and butter/ oil

 








Add the condensed milk mixture and

dry ingredients. and evenly mix the batter.

 

Next add the cola to it.

Lastly fold in the chocolate chips keep a few aside

Divide the batter in a muffin mould you can add reserved chocolate chips to garnish the muffins.

Bake in a preheated over for 20 mins .

 

You may serve this hot or cold.

Home Made Vanilla Extract

The fragrance of vanilla generally connects with pleasant childhood memories.  Vanilla is the basic of all flavour it not only has such a wonderful flavour of its own it also has a tendency to  enhance other   flavours in   product no wonder it such a huge favourite of mine .  It has a very calming effect on hence this flavour is dominant not only in my cakes but also in my beauty products.

You will see 90% of my recipes have a mention of vanilla extract.  Off course you can always buy the cheap synthetic vanilla essence which you can easily find everywhere but that vanilla flavour is a ssynthetic as its content it is basically a by-product of paper industry it also has a tendency to leave a bitter after taste.

Making vanilla extract is super easy and takes almost no effort at all. Vanilla beans are easily found in supermarkets.  Though it’s advisable to use good quality organic vanilla beans.  I have got these beans from my trip to Pondicherry, South India produces quiet good quality vanilla bean but If you can lay your hand on Tahitian  or Madagascar Vanilla bean then nothing like it.  As they are the best quality found but also they tend to be a little on a expensive side but believe me it totally worth it.

I found some good quality beans at a organic store in Pondicherry.   You just require two ingredients Vanilla beans and clear alcohol.  Vodka would be the best option as it’s a flavourless alcohol.  Now don't you worry about the alcohol content.  Once the spirit gets in contact with heat that is during baking all the alcohol gets evaporated and you are only left with the flavour.

Ingredients

500 ml Vodka

12 Vanilla beans

Method 

Split the bean n half and scrape out the tiny seeds inside.

In a glass bottle add the ingredients together

Now just store this bottle in a cool dark place for 48 days

Initially you see the liquid is clear but as and when the vanilla flavour is seeped inside it turns in to amber colour.

After 48 days just strain the liquid in a cheese cloth and, voila! vanilla extract is ready.