Desserts, the easy way

You can create exotic desserts right in the comfort of your kitchen. Here's how...

easy italian tiramisu

egg-free mango baked yoghurt

CITRUS RAGI & BANANA CAKE

Ingredients: 225 gm ripe banana, 225 gm brown sugar, 225 gm ragi flour, 2 eggs, 9 gm baking soda, 100 gm milk, 70 gm vegetable oil, 5 gm orange zest.

Method: In a food processor, beat banana and brown sugar to a fine paste. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Add eggs slowly, and then add milk. Fold in the dry ingredients and at the end mix oil and orange zest. Pour the batter in a greased and dusted mould. Bake at 180 degree Celsius in the oven.

EASY ITALIAN TIRAMISU

Mascarpone filling

Ingredients: 250 gm mascarpone cheese, 2 eggs, 50 gm sugar breakfast, 25 gm whipped cream, 20 ml Baileys (optional). Baileys is a cream-based coffee liquor, you can use other coffee liquor also like Kalhua.

Coffee soaking syrup

Ingredients: 100 gm water, 50 gm sugar breakfast, 8 gm Nescafe Instant Coffee, sponge fingers (readily available in departmental stores).

Method: For the mascarpone filling: Foam eggs and sugar in double boiler. Make sure eggs are cooked well and do not curdle. Fold in mascarpone cheese and baileys well. Fold in the whipped cream.

For the espresso syrup: Warm water and sugar. Add coffee powder to it.

Assembly: Scoop some mascarpone mousse in a glass, add some saviordi biscuit soaked in expresso add some more mascarpone mousse and let it rest in the refrigerator. Dust cocoa powder before serving and some chocolate flakes (optional).

POTATO & ROSEMARY STRUDEL

Ingredients: Strudel dough: 500 gm all-purpose flour, 10 gm salt, 90 gm oil, 225 gm water, few drops Vanilla essence, potato and rosemary filling, 500 gm potato peeled and diced, salt as per taste, 5 gm garlic, 13 gm olive oil, 30 gm onion diced, 5 gm black pepper, chilli flakes as per taste, oregano as per taste.

Method: For the dough: Mix all the ingredients and knead just to combine. Do not knead much. Divide the dough into 100 gm each and place on oil greased tray. Grease the dough with more oil to avoid drying the dough. Keep in chiller overnight.

For the potato & rosemary filling: In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion and saute. Add half cooked potato. Mix all the seasonings and do not cook much. Cool it down. Put the filling on the thinly rolled strudel greased with butter. Roll tight and seal the edges. Bake at 150°C in a convection oven. Keep brushing butter in between to avoid dryness. Serve hot.

(The author is co-founder & executive pastry chef, Whitecaps International School of Pastry Arts)