Smash a Strawberry 🍓

After a looooong break I am back with few strawberry recipes. 

In Australia, we came across with ‘Strawberry Sabotage’ recently. To overcome this situation and to stand with strawberry farmers, ‘Smash a Strawberry’ Challenge  is going on. Myself along with our friend Emie Roy took up the ‘Smash a Strawberry’ Challenge and did these recipes for SBS-Malayalam. We can smash strawberries (or cut it) and use it for making few yummy dishes. ☺☺☺

SBS Malayalam audio link: Easy Strawberry Recipes

Thank you Emie for your support. You can read more details regarding this in Emie’s post. Smash a strawberry and shoot it!

Strawberry Muesli

Ingredients

Rolled oats :​1 cup

Apple, coarsely grated(or chopped) : ​1/2

Vanilla flavoured yoghurt :​1/3 cup

Strawberry flavoured yoghurt : ​to serve

Apple juice :​1/3 cup 

Coconut milk : ​1/4 cup 

Vanilla essence : ​1 tsp

Ground cinnamon :​1 tsp

Sliced strawberry: ​to serve

Quick strawberry jam

Strawberries :​250g, chopped

White sugar :​2-3 Tbsp (depending on the sweetness of the strawberries) 

Lemon juice :​1 Tbsp

Method

Combine oats, apple, vanilla yoghurt, apple juice, coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge overnight to soak. 

Meanwhile, to make the strawberry jam, combine the strawberry, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-8 mins or until strawberry breaks down and releases its juice. Cook for a further 2 mins or until mixture is a jammy consistency. Remove from heat. Set aside for 30 mins to cool. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill. 

Add 2-3 Tablespoon Strawberry Jam to each glass. Top with oats mixture. Arrange the Strawberry slices around side of each glass. Top with strawberry yoghurt. And addfewdrops of strawberry jam on the top and serve. 

Strawberry Pancake

Ingredients

All-purpose flour :​1 cup 

Brown  :​3 Tbsp

Baking powder :​2 Tbsp

Salt :​1 tsp

Egg :​1

Milk :​1 cup

Vegetable oil :​2 Tbsp

Vanilla extract :​1 tsp

Strawberries :​1 cup chopped

Strawberries: ​to serve

Method

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, oil, egg and vanilla, and mix until well blended. Stir in the strawberries. 

Heat a pan over medium heat, and coat with butter or cooking spray. Pour batter into desired size of pancakes. Flip with a spatula when bubbles appear in the centre. Cook until golden brown on the other side. Serve with fresh strawberries, honey or maple syrup

Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

white sugar​: 3-4 Tbsp

paprika​:​1 Tbsp

vegetable oil:​ ​4 Tbsp

Vinegar :​ ​4 Tbsp

Red Capsicum :​1

Baby spinach leaves  1 handful washed and dried

Strawberries:​10, halved

Nuts : 1 handful

 

Method

Whisk together the sugar, paprika, oil and vinegar. Refrigerate until chilled.

In a salad bowl, combine the spinach and strawberries. Drizzle with dressing, toss lightly and serve.

Strawberry Cream Popsicle

Ingredients

4 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

3 tbsp water

3 tbsp sugar or honey

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the strawberries, water and sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the berries soften and remove from the heat.

Allow the strawberries to cool completely and then crush it using a blender (don’t puree it too much).

Once the mixture is cool, whip the cream and vanilla together for about two minutes to make a soft peaks. Fold in the strawberries and then pour into the moulds.  Freeze for 4 hours or until set.

Notes

Whipped cream can be replaced with flavoured yogurt. When grinding strawberry add 1 cup flavoured yogurt and blend it together. 

Tutti Frutti Bread

Ingredients

Self Raising Flour: 1 Cup
Wheat Flour: 2 Tbsp
Fine semolina (Rava): 1Tsp
Milk Powder: 2 Tbsp
Corn Flour: 1 Tsp
Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Sugar: 1/3 Cup
Butter (at room temp): 80gm
Yogurt(lightly beaten) : 1/2 Cup
Sweetened condensed milk: 1/2 Cup
Baking Soda: 1/2 tsp
Tutti Frutti : 1/2 Cup (different colors)
All purpose flour : 1 Tbsp (for coating the tutti frutti)
Rasins/Sultanas: 2 Tbsp
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp
White vinegar: 1 Tbsp

Yellow Food Color (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare a loaf tin by spraying oil/butter on it and dusting with flour.

Sift together the dry ingredients- self raising flour, wheat flour, semolina, corn flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Take a big mixing bowl and add butter, condensed milk, sugar, yogurt, vanilla essence and mix it well until it forms a creamy texture.

Now sprinkle some plain flour over the tutti frutti and spread it well (Dusting the tutti frutti with some flour before incorporating them into the batter helps in even distribution preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the cake).

                          

     

Now add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix very well. If the batter is too thick, add little milk. Add tutti frutti and raisins and then add white vinegar and then mix it well. Add food color if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and tap well. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. The top needs to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center should comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 1 hrs then slice.

Coconut cake

Ingredients

Fine semolina (Rava): 250 gm

Fine desiccated coconut: 250gm

Salted Butter: 250gm

White sugar: 400gm

Water: 1 cup

Eggs: 6

Baking powder: 2tsp

Vanilla essence: 2tsp

Method:

In a large saucepan combine water and sugar and melt the sugar in medium heat.  Add butter now and when butter melted completely add semolina and coconut. (Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter) cook over low heat for 5 more min.

Let it cool completely

In another bowl beat eggs for 2-3 mins. Then add baking powder and vanilla essence.

Add this mixture to the coc-rava mixture and mix well.

Preheat oven to 180C.

Prepare two 8” cake tin (I made one 9” cake and 12 cupcakes with this measurement) and pour the batter to it.

Bake for 30-40 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

                    

 

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

All-purpose flour : 1 1/4 Cups
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Granulated white sugar : 2 tablespoon
Unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces : 1/2 cup
Ice water - upto 1/4 cup

Apple Filling:

Apples  peeled, cored, and chopped to medium size : about 5-6 Medium size
Granulated white sugar : 1/4 cup
Light brown sugar : 1/4 cup
Lemon juice : 1 Tbsp
Cinnamon powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter : 2 Tbsp
Corn flour : 1 1/2 Tbsp

Method:

Pie Crust:

In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Pour cold water little by little and process until the dough just holds together when pinched. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 9 inch circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll and always roll from the center of the pastry outwards) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 7inch (18 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Gather the remaining dough and roll it to 9inch circle. cut the pastry into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. You need almost 10 strips.

Apple Filling:

In a large bowl combine the sliced apples with the sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and salt. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to three hours. Then, place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes. Pour in the collected juices to a microwaveable bowl and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Place in the microwave and boil the liquid, on high, about 5 to 7 minutes or until the liquid is thickened and lightly caramelized.  (Alternatively, you could place the juices and butter in a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat on the stove.)

Meanwhile transfer the drained apples slices to a large bowl and mix them with the corn flour. Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine. Pour the apples and their syrup into the chilled pie crust.

Remove the pastry strips from the refrigerator and, starting at the center with the longest strips and working outwards, place half the strips, on top of the filling. (Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges.) Then, gently fold back, alternate strips of pastry. Take another strip of pastry and place it perpendicular on top of the first strips of pastry. Unfold the bottom strips of pastry and then fold back the strips that weren't folded back the first time. Lay another strip of pastry perpendicular on top of the filling and then continue with the remaining strips. Trim the edges of the pastry strips. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place the baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the baking sheet to catch any apple juices. Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and the apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Ultra Moist Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil : 1/2 cup
Brown sugar : 1/2 cup (Firmly packed )
Egg : 2 (lightly beaten)
All purpose flour/Maida : 3/4 cup
Baking powder : 2 tsp
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
Grated carrot : 1 cup (Firmly packed)
Chopped nuts : 1/4- 1/2 cup

Method:

Preheat oven 180 degrees C. Lightly grease and line an 8 inch cake tin.

Combine oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into egg mixture. Stir in grated carrots & nuts and mix all together.
Pour the cake batter into tin and bake for 25 mins or until browned and skewer comes out clean.
Stand in tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Jam filled cookies:

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour : 2 cups
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Unsalted butter : 1 cup, room temperature
Powdered sugar(confectioners or icing sugar) : 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence : 1 tsp

Filling:
Jam : 1/4 - 1/2 cup ( you can use any jam, I used Plum Jam )
Powdered/confectioner’s sugar for dusting cookies

Method:
In a bowl whisk the flour with the salt.
Beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick. Using a cookie cutter cut out the dough.  Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Place the unbaked cookies, on the baking sheet, in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked. By this time preheat oven to 170C with the rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Let it cool in the baking sheet for 5 min and Cool it completely on a wire rack.

To Assemble Cookies: 

In a small bowl, using a spoon stir jam so that the jam will be softened.
Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a piece of aluminum foil and very generously dust with a thick coating of powdered sugar.

On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread with about a 1/2 - 1 tsp of jam. Place the cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. If required using a small spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.

Note: You can store the un-assembled cookies for several days in an airtight container.

Zebra Cake

Ingredients:

Eggs : 3
Granulated sugar : 3/4 cup
Milk : 3/4 cup
Oil  : 3/4 cup
All-purpose flour : 1.5 cup
Vanilla essence : 1 Tsp
Baking powder : 3/4 Tbsp
Dark cocoa powder  : 1.5 Tbsp

Method:

 Prepare an 8" round cake tin.
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Using a hand-held electric mixer or wire whisk beat until the mixture is creamy and light in color
 Add milk and oil, and continue beating until well blended.
 In a separate bowl mix flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth and the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Add vanilla essence.
 Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Keep one portion plain. Add cocoa powder into another and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

The most important part is assembling the cake batter in a baking pan. This is what you do. Scoop 3 heaped tablespoons of plain batter (you can also use a ladle that would hold 3 tablespoons) into the middle of the prepared baking pan.
Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter. IMPORTANT! Do not stop and wait until the previous batter spreads - KEEP GOING! Do not spread the batter or tilt the pan to distribute the mixture. It will spread by itself and fill the pan gradually. Continue alternating the batters until you finish them.

Bake in the pre heat oven for about 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door at least the first 20 minutes or the cake will shrink and will not rise. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean when ready.                      

             

Remove from the oven. Immediately run a small thin knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack.

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Granulated white sugar : 1 cup
All-purpose flour : 1 cup
Cocoa powder : 1/3 cup
Baking powder : 3/4 tsp
Baking soda : 3/4 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Egg : 1
Mashed ripe banana : 1/2 cup (about 1 medium sized banana)
Warm water : 1/2 cup
Milk : 1/4 cup
Vegetable oil : 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract : 3/4 tsp

Method : 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and place rack in the center of the oven. Line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray and dust with flour.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, mashed banana, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. (The batter is quite thin.) Pour or scoop the batter into the muffin cups, about 3/4 full, and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour : 1 ¼ cup
• Baking soda : 1 tsp
• unsalted butter : 1/2 cup at room temperature
• Salt : ½ tsp (omit this if using salted butter)
• large eggs : 2 at room temperature
• vanilla extract : 1/2 tsp
• Sugar : 3/4-1 cup
• Very ripe bananas : 3, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
• Crushed walnut and broken cashews : 1/2 cup

Method:

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt (if using unsalted butter) into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together, set aside. Prepare the bread pan. Preheat the oven to 350 F/170 C.

With an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. The banana bread is best if served the next day.