This is the time for baking, especially in Shillong. As the falling mercury level ushers in the festival season, many people in the city who are passionate about baking have already started experimenting with new recipes or are adding twists to the traditional ones. Renowned baker Deeba Rajpal can help you add an extra crunch to your recipes for a special treat. So follow her to the kitchen and bake to your heart’s content.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Walnut Oat Pudding
Ingredients
250ml of low fat cream (20 per cent)
75g of pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
30g of cocoa powder
40g of quick cooking oats
150 g of 52 per cent dark couverture chocolate
chopped; 75g of brown sugar
50g of honey
75g of roasted California walnuts chopped
Topping
Roasted California walnut halves
Persimmon slices; organic rose petals
Direction
Place all ingredients, except the walnuts in a heavy-bottomed pan and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Once it becomes as thick as custard, take off heat, allow it to cool. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Allow it to cool, then ladle into serving glasses, bowls and chill for 2-3 hours, or overnight. Top with roasted walnut halves, fresh seasonal fruits like figs, persimmons and candied pumpkin. Sprinkle over a few organic rose petals or pomegranate pearls for a pop of colour.
California Walnut Chocolate Pumpkin Tart
Ingredients
For walnut tart biscuit base
50g of toasted California walnuts
50g of digestive biscuits
50g of ghee (or melted butter)
For chocolate pumpkin filling
200g of 72 per cent dark couverture chocolate,
chopped
50g of single cream warmed but not boiling
100g of fresh pumpkin puree (made from roasting
approximately 200g pumpkin)
Zest of one orange; 25ml of maple syrup (or honey)
15g of walnut butter; 5g of pie spice
(or cinnamon powder/garam masala)
Direction
For tart biscuit base, chop walnuts in a processor jar and then add the digestive biscuits and process again until finely chopped. Stir in the melted ghee. Turn into a 7” loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing the sides into place, and then the base. Chill for 10 minutes in the freezer while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to
180°C. Bake the base for 10 minutes. For the chocolate pumpkin filling, heat chocolate in a large heatproof bowl for one minute in microwave. Pour over the cream and leave for five minutes and whisk all ingredients. Pour over baked walnut biscuit tart shell and level out with an offset spatula. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, then leave to cool in oven. Chill for a couple of hours, grate over with dark chocolate and top with California walnut halves. Slice and serve.