Celebrating 1 year of blogging with Chocolate Caramel Mousse Cake & Giveaway!!!!!!

                                                     
                                 

Today my little blog marks its first Anniversary.It was exactly this day a year ago that I decided to share my recipes with the world and today I have some amazing friends from different places who shares the same passion for food and to know them and interact with them has been wonderful.I just want to thank each and everyone of you who had visited my little space here.This blog has introduced me to a whole new world of cooking and photography. I had no idea how many wonderful friends I would meet and how much I would learn. I could have never imagined how fantastic the food blogosphere is.

 In my facebook page i got 435 likes, 58 followers and 36,000 + page views in one year, I think I am so lucky to get all your support and love.Keep supporting me.Thanks to all you readers who have supported me and my blog over the past year!  I'm excited for another year of happy blogging! 

So on this special occasion I thought I would share with you a wonderful recipe.It's a yummy cake....

                 Chocolate Caramel Mousse Cake

A decadent moist chocolate cake filled with caramel mousse and glazed with dark chocolate ganache.This is a very rich,layered cake, perfect for any celebration.I am very very happy becoz  for the first time i made a perfect looking cake.Chocolaty cake,caramel mousse and chocolate ganache altogether makes it delicious!!!!!!

Ingredients

For the cake

All purpose flour – 1 ½ cup

Cocoa Powder – 2 tbs

Baking Powder – 1 ½ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp

Butter – ½ cup (softened at room temp)

Sugar – ¾ cup

Eggs – 2

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Butter milk – ¾ cup (substitute with 3/4 cup milk  with ¾ tbsp lemon juice and keep it for 5 minutes)

Baking soda – 1 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

For the Caramel

Condensed milk – 1 tin

For the caramel  mousse

Caramel – 1 tin (made from 1 tin condensed milk)

Unflavoured gelatin powder – 1 tbs

Whipping cream – 200 ml

Powdered sugar -2 tbs

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

For sugar syrup

Sugar – 5 tbs

Water – ¼ cup

Rose water – 2 drops

For chocolate ganache

Dark chocolate – 100g

Whipping cream – 3/4 cup

Butter – 1 tbs

Honey – 1 tbs

Method

Cake preparation

1.Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C. Grease and line the bottom of the springform pan with wax paper or parchment paper.
2.In a bowl sift  flour,cocoa powder,baking powder and salt and keep it aside.
3. In another bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy and add in egg one at a time and beat till light and fluffy. Then beat in vanilla extract.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients  little by little along with the butter milk.And gently fold in everything together until well combined.Don’t over mix it.

5. In a small cup combine the lemon juice and baking soda Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.

6. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.

7. Allow the cake to cool.

Caramel Preparation

1.Take condensed milk tin and peel the outer cover of the tin.

2.Immerse closed can on its side in a pot of water and bring to a boil.Leave on a simmer for 2 to 2 and a half hours, topping up with water as needed. Be careful and don’t let the water dry out or the can could explode.

3.Remove from heat and let cool thoroughly before opening can. Don’t open the can while its still hot, that can be very, very messy.

The condensed milk becomes thick and gets a nice caramel color.

Make the caramel a day before preparing the mousse cake.

 Caramel Mousse Preparation

1.In a small bowl take ¼ cup of of chilled water and sprinkle gelatin powder and leave it for few minutes.
2.In a bowl add the caramel and beat for 2 minutes.
3.Take another mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and stir to combine then beat the mixture just until stiff peaks form.
4. Microwave soften gelatin for 30 seconds and stir it until gelatin melts.Add it to the caramel and combine well.
5. Now gently fold in the whipped cream into the caramel mixture until completely incorporated.And place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.Keep it only for 10 minutes otherwise it will get set.

Sugar syrup preparation
1.Take sugar and water in a sauce pan and boil till sugar melts.
2.Then allow to cool and add rose water.

Chocolate ganache preparation

 1.In a bowl put the chocolate pieces and keep it aside.In a saucepan add heavy cream and butter,bring to boil over medium heat.Switch off the flame.
2.Pour the mixture over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 mins.Then stir it until smooth.Then add 1 tbs of honey for glazing and stir well.
Assembling the cake
1.Take the cake and cut the top portion to get a smooth surface and place it in a springform pan.Then apply sugar syrup on the cake.
2.Take the caramel mousse from the fridge and stir it and pour over the top of the chocolate cake and place it in the refrigerator for several hours(3-4 hrs )or until set.Then pour the chocolate ganache over the center of the caramel mousse and spread it evenly by sliding the pan.This gives shine and smoothness to the cake.Then refrigerate for few hours.Finally drizzle with caramel over the top.
3.Gently remove the cake from the springform pan,there you will get a well finished cake.

Slice the cake and serve it....
Note: After the caramel mousse has been completely set make the chocolate ganache.

Now it's time to know about the interesting thing...
GIVEAWAY!!!!
To know more about the giveaway theme,rules and prizes.Click here!!!

Sending To Cutchi kitchen

 Linking this recipe to Shruti’s ‘Sweet Celebration’ Event

Mango & Custard Verrines

Verrines can be sweet or savory and can be anything from an appetizer to a dessert which is layered in a small glass.This is a 4 layer dessert with vanilla custard and mango.A very simple delicious dessert.Custard and mango combo makes this dessert yumm!!!!

 

Ingredients

Milk – 1 cup

Custard powder – 1 ½ tbs (mixed with little water)

Sugar – 5 tbs( adjust according to your taste )

Unflavoured gelatin   – 1 tsp

Ripe mangoes – 2

Cherry -2

Method

1.In a small bowl take 2 tbs of chilled water and sprinkle gelatin powder and leave it for few minutes.

2.Take a sauce pan and add milk and sugar,bring to boil over a medium heat.When it starts to boil,add the custard mixture and stir continuously until mixture becomes thick.

3. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool.And pour half of the custard mixture into two serving dishes and keep it in the freezer for 5 mins.

4. Meantime take 1 mango and make mango pulp(make sure the mango is fully ripen and soft),blend mango with little water until smooth.(Use quality mangoes,it gives better taste)

5.Microwave soften gelatin for 30 seconds and stir it until gelatin melts.Then add the gelatin mixture into the thick mango pulp and mix it well.

6.Take out the custard from the freezer and pour half of the mango pulp on the top of  the custard and freeze it for 5 mins.Again do the same procedure.Thus it makes 4 layers.

7.Garnish with chopped mango and cherry and then refrigerate it.

Have this yummy dessert... 

Sending to saju's taste and simply tadka

Linking to :  Cook Yellow Event announced at Merry Tummy.

 Sending to Daily swad sugandh

Linking to 1st Anniversary Giveaway of Gujarati Zaika
 

Linking this recipe to Shruti’s ‘Sweet Celebration’ Event

Microwave Caramel Custard

This is a very simple and quick dessert which is very tasty and creamy.Caramel custard is also baked and steamed,but this is done in microwave.Within 7 minutes pudding will be ready.

With this ingredients you can serve for 2.

 Recipe source :  ochikeron

Ingredients

Sugar – 2-3 tbs

Egg – 1

Milk – 2/3 cup (160 ml)

Vanilla extract – a few drops

For caramel

Sugar – 2 tsp

Water – 2 tsp

Hot water – 2tsp

Method

1. In a microwavable bowl, combine sugar and water.Microwave  for 2-3 minutes until it melts and gets brown color ( please check it after 2 minutes).

2.Quickly mix 2 tsp of hot water and divide the caramel into two medium size microwavable glass dish and set it aside.

3.In a bowl combine egg and sugar,then add milk and vanilla extract,stir well.Strain the mixture and pour it on top of the caramel.

5. Put the pudding dishes  in a microwavable container with water. Make sure water is filled up to the level of the pudding and does not spill over into the pudding. Then cover the whole thing with a plastic wrap.

6.Microwave it for 5-6 minutes until it starts to bubble.Check after 5 minutes because power settings for each microwave varies.Sometimes it takes 7 minutes.

7.Take out the pudding dish from the microwave and allow it to cool and chill it for 1 hour.

To serve, place a plate over the pudding dish  and turn over 

gently.And enjoy the caramel creamy pudding...

Linking to :  Cook Yellow Event announced at Merry Tummy.

Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13