Ambrosia

Onion Garlic loaf has delicious flavours of onion and garlic. Every bite has the crunch of onions in the loaf. It tastes amazing with a little butter.

Spring has arrived and colours of nature are showing up in the hues of flowers, in the greenness of the vegetation that had turned brown during the long cold winters. Days are beginning to get longer and sunnier. The warmth of the winter Sun is a treat. It is soothing healing and feels like a warm hug.

The buds in the fruit trees are opening up to lovely flowers. The white of the Plum, the pink of the peaches and the light pink of the Apricot is so mesmerizing.

Our forests are flaming with red Rhododendrons. Forest pathways are lined with delicate flowers strewn on the path. It is like a celebration of colours.

Birds that migrated to the warmer climes are back. A Verditer flycatcher has repeatedly been visiting a corner of our roof. Perhaps it is looking for a nesting site.

Warm weather calls for baking bread. And we baked Onion Garlic Loaf. This loaf is full of onions and definitely a treat for onion lovers. The loaf has fried onions as well as chopped raw onions. A lot of garlic had been added for extra flavour. The favours in the bread are lovely and a little butter on the slice makes it a delicious snack. This is a vegan loaf. You may swipe half cup of water with milk to get a soft crumb.

Onion Garlic Loaf (Vegan)

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1 ½ onion chopped finely
3-4 cloves minced garlic
2-3 tablespoons oil
1 ½ cups warm water

Instructions

Heat oil in a pan. Add 1 chopped onion. Fry until translucent. Add minced garlic. Turn off the heat
In a large bowl, take water and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add yeast. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. It will become frothy.
In another bowl, take flour, salt, yeasty water, and fried onions with all the oil. Add remaining raw onion.
Knead for 6 to 7 minutes. Adjust the water to get a smooth dough.
Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover and keep in a warm corner for 1 hour or until double.
Punch dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Beginning at the short end, roll up tightly.
Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place the loaf in the greased tin (8 inches x4 ½ inches) with seam sides down.
Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for one hour or until double.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 25 to 30 minutes or till the top turns golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
Remove from the oven and cool on the rack.

Linking to #BreadBakers

#BreadBakers is a group of bread-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Our theme is the allium family with includes onions, garlic, and leeks. Many thanks to our host, Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories! Check out the list of lovely breads below -

French Onion Soup Rolls from Food Lust People Love
Garlic Cloverleaf Rolls from Passion Kneaded
Garlic Confit Focaccia from What Smells So Good
Gluten-Free Millet Chives Flatbread (Bajra chives Paratha) from Cook with Renu
Moroccan Rghaif from Sneha’s Recipe
Onion and Bay Loaf from A Messy Kitchen
Onion Garlic Loaf from Ambrosia
Onion Lover Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Scallion and Sesame Rolls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Whole Wheat Onion Kulcha from Magical Ingredients

Julekage has a lovely buttery crumb studded with candied peels, raisins and currants. The crust is sweet and a slice of Julekage pairs beautifully with a cup of hot coffee.

The air is crisp and cold. Moon peeps from behind the hill across and in no time rises up. It looks like a huge buttery ball. A thousand stars blink in the sky.

Morning is clear, bright and cold. There is frost on the leaves and grass. Chilly winds blow. Birds are huddled together in trees. Winter has arrived. Days are warm and the Sun is mellow and comforting. A great Barbet perches on the sides of the bird bath and drinks to its heart's content.

A group of Himalayan Magpies visit the bare orchards routinely in the evening. They give out loud calls, bathe, play, chase each other, and make our garden their playground.

We are ringing in Christmas by baking Norwegian Christmas Bread Julekage.

Julekage is a famous Norwegian Christmas fruit bread filled with candied peels, raisins and cardamom. It has a soft buttery crumb and a lovely glistening crust. Home smells heavenly when Julekage bakes.

I have made an eggless version of the bread. You may use one egg and reduce two tablespoons of water.

I have given the recipe for egg wash as well as milk wash. You may go ahead with either of the two.

A slice of Julekage with a cup of coffee is pure bliss.

Julekage (Eggless)

Dough

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cups + 2-3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup candied citrus peels
2 tablespoons black currants

Glaze (Egg wash or milk wash depending on your preference)

Egg Wash

Combine 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon milk

Milk Wash

Heat 4 tablespoons of milk until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon butter.

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Icing

½ cup icing sugar
½ tablespoon water
½ tablespoon butter (softened)
½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

In a large bowl, take 1 cup flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
In a saucepan, heat evaporated milk, water and butter until nice and warm (not hot) and almost all the butter melts. Add to flour mixture. Mix for about 3-4 minutes to get a smooth and homogenous mixture.
Add the remaining flour and mix with a spoon. Knead on the floured counter for 5-6 minutes to get a smooth and elastic dough.
Place dough in an oiled bowl. Turn to grease top. Cover and keep in a warm place to rise for 1-2 hours or until puffy.
Combine cardamom, raisins, currants and candied peels in a bowl. Keep aside.
Punch dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface.
Flatten the dough and spread the raisins, currants and peels across the dough. Fold the dough and knead fruits evenly throughout the dough. Cover and let the dough relax for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in the centre of the parchment paper-lined baking tray.
Brush glaze (egg wash or milk wash) over the top and sides of the dough. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until the dough almost doubles and indentation remain after pressing with a finger. Brush again with glaze and sprinkle sugar on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 30-35 minutes or until the top turns golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the rack.
Combine all the ingredients of icing to get a thick flowing consistency. Drizzle over the cooled loaf. Add some glace cherries.

Linking to #BreadBakers

Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Dinner rolls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Black Buns from A Messy Kitchen
Soft and Fluffy Croissants Bread Rolls from Sneha's Recipe
Julekage from Ambrosia
Sweet Coconut Almond Swirls from Magical Ingredients
Sourdough St.Lucia Buns from Zesty South Indian Kitchen

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

The theme this month is Christmas Breads

Recipe: Redstar Yeast

We are high on the colours of nature. Autumn has splashed the hills with beautiful pinks, gold, rusts, reds and browns. A wild Cherry Tree in the corner of our cottage has been the cynosure of all eyes. Its branches laden with profuse blossoms have been attracting millions of bees.

A constant hum is audible on walking under the tree. It’s the sound of nature, so soft, soothing and healing. Birds have been visiting the tree for their share of nectar.

The mornings are sonorous and colourful and the warmth of the morning Sun is an elixir.

A thin layer of mist looming over the hills perpetually indicates that we are inching towards winter. Gulping endless cups of tea and tisanes becomes the norm during cold days. And baking also shifts to flavours and tastes to suit the cold season. Spices like ginger, cinnamon and cloves find way into batters and dough. And for us, jaggery becomes the sweetener of the season. It is mineral rich and healthier and keeps warm.

Recently, a whole wheat Cake was baked with jaggery. The cake has cinnamon that imparts a beautiful aroma and flavour and jaggery further enhances the flavour and taste. It is something like cinnamon and caramel beautifully blending into each other.

Few things to keep in mind when baking this cake.

Use one 8 inch round cake pan. Or, bake in 8x8 inches square cake pan.

Use jaggery powder. Ensure all the lumps dissolve in the batter before baking.

Slice next day. The cake becomes soft and flavours come out beautifully.

Whole Wheat Jaggery Cinnamon Cake (Eggless)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 cup Jaggery powder
½ cup thick yoghurt (at room temperature)
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons milk (warm)
¼ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons vinegar
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line one 8-inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients (first four ingredients)
In a large bowl, mix Jaggery and Yoghurt. Stir, cover and let sit till Jaggery dissolves completely.
Add milk, oil and vanilla extract.
Add vinegar and mix well.
Keep a strainer on the mouth of the bowl with wet ingredients and pass all the dry ingredients through the strainer into the bowl.
Mix to get a smooth batter without lumps. Do not over-mix.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Level with a spatula.
Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top turns brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the rack. Slice the next day.

Gulab Jamun Cake has robust Indian flavours and a soft crumb. It makes an excellent dessert cake.

It is amazing how festivities infuse so much energy and enthusiasm in us. Even the tired feet and fatigued body can feel so peppy and fresh and undertake all the ritual chores with elan.

Diwali is around the corner and every Indian household is busy cleaning, decluttering and decorating homes. The clanking and clattering of pots and pans is audible amidst animated conversations as sweets and special meals are being curated to celebrate the favourite festival.

Living in the Himalayan forests with no one around for miles, festivals hold a special significance for us. It brings so much happiness, good cheer and good vibes.

A big Gulab Jamun Cake was baked to kick off the festivities.

The Cake is eggless with robust Indian flavours.

Dunk in syrup if you love a higher sweetness quotient. Or, just drizzle some rosewater saffron infused glazed. It is delicious and addictive.

Gulab Jamun Cake (Eggless)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup milk powder (not dairy whitener)
2 tablespoons fine semolina
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
6-7 green cardamom seeds powder
¾ cup boora sugar (or, powdered sugar)
¾ cup thick yoghurt
½ cup milk
1/3 cup oil
Some strands of saffron

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients. Keep aside.
Heat two tablespoons of milk until warm. Add saffron strands. Cover and keep aside.
Whisk boora sugar and yoghurt until smooth.
Add semolina. Mix well. Cover and keep for 20 minutes.
Add oil. Mix well.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add milk. Mix gently.
Add saffron infused milk and mix well.
Pour into the prepared pan. Level the batter with a spatula.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top turns a lovely brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

If you want to drench your cake in syrup, take slightly less than ½ cup of water, two tablespoons of rosewater and ¼ cup of sugar. Mix till sugar dissolves. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a toothpick and pour the syrup evenly over the cake. Poke holes in the base of the cake and pour the remaining syrup.

Glaze

¼ cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
4-5 strands of saffron
2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Add saffron strands to warm milk. Cover and keep for 5 minutes. Add saffron milk to icing sugar and prepare a thick and pourable glaze. Pour it over the cake once it is completely cold. Decorate with sliced almonds and rose petals.

Ghost Bread has crisp edges and a soft centre. A combination of different herbs and chilly flakes makes it an excellent snack bread. It pairs well with hot soup.

Autumn has flooded us with bright colours, pretty hues and delicate shades. Autumn in the hills is the season to savour the warmth of the Sun, the songs of the birds the nip in the air and the majestic view of the snow-capped mountains. Trees have begun to shed leaves. Dry Pear leaves have amazing patterns. Dots, streaks and pale colours from yellow to brown and even pink. The Forest floor is littered with leaves that will rot and enrich the soil. The smell of leaf litter has its own aroma that is intense and unique. The beauty of nature is nourishing for the body and the soul.

A wedge-tailed green pigeon often comes to a tree that has a creeper full of wild berries while the Mountain Bulbul enthrals with her lovely songs every morning.

The last few days have been wet and cold as it rained incessantly for almost a week. We were surrounded by fog and waterfalls.

There was a constant roar of the mighty waterfalls that sprouted in the forest adjoining our home. Every waterfall has its own rhythm and music. We strolled into the forest to enjoy the waterfalls and a majestic rainbow in the valley.

Being in the hills, we always celebrate festivals with enthusiasm It brings so much excitement and happiness and keeps us involved. This is the month of Halloween and we decided to bake Ghost Bread. There is no recipe for Ghost Bread as such. You may use the recipe of your favourite bread dough and shape it into Ghost Bread. Shaping is the most exciting part. Roll out the pieces of dough into an oval. Use a round cookie cutter for the eyes and mouth. Then flatten it with a rolling pin. You may stretch the eyes or mouth to get ghost-like features.

In fact, it is your creativity to get the ghosts right. My son got so excited that he ended up shaping the best ghost (the one with teeth)

We used the basic dough for Ghost Bread. We added minced garlic and dry herbs along with some chilly flakes. Our ghosts were delicious. We had them with tomato soup. Perfect dinner for a chilly night.

Halloween Ghost Bread (Vegan)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon dries thyme
2 teaspoon chilly flakes
½ cup -3/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the first seven ingredients.

In another bowl, mix water, sugar and yeast. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Add oil.

Now add the liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and make a soft dough.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Turn around once so that the dough is covered with oil all over.

Cover and keep in a warm corner until double.

Punch the dough, and divide it into six pieces.

Roll out each piece into a round. Once you have shaped all the pieces, cover them and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out each round into an oval. Use a round cookie cutter for the eyes and mouth.

Use a rolling pin to spread out the eyes and mouth. You may use your creativity to shape the Ghost Bread.

Transfer the shaped dough to a baking tray. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes or until puffy.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 30-35minutes or until golden from the edges.

Serve warm with hot soup.

Linking to #BreadBakers

#BreadBakers is a group of bread-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.