Achappam (Kerala Rosette Cookies)

My pregnancy this time reminded me of many things that I loved to eat while I grew up. Fried Sardine-eggs , Jackfruit & many snacks made with the it & Indian Coffee House special "Masala Dosa"
I am grateful to all my dear friends who brought special food for me all these 8 months, I didn't miss my home much because of you guys  & am so glad that I have you all :)
Since Achappom is my all time favorite snack decided to try making it , I haven't made it before. 

Glad it came out really good for me, though It didn't come out well the first batch was wasted. Correct temperature of Oil and Achu/ mold is the key. 

To make "Achappam" you'll need this special "Achu" specially designed mold, I brought it from Kerala,  but it came out really well, these are available in Amazon, there's variations of these and Non stick varieties too which would be great especially if its your first try 

Yes , again it tested my patience initially while frying'em, but was determined to make it alright until I mastered some tricks while making the same,

Temperature of the oil while frying, getting  used to some "not so good" properties of Iron mold "Achu" , the consistency of batter etc are important, we learn with experience, may be I found it difficult because I haven't seen the way its made.
But I must write it tasted better than any Achappam that I had anytime in my life :)

Please note the lines given in "Bold" in the description given below, if planning to make these. 

Ingredients 

Rice flour - 2 cups
Maida / All purpose flour - 1 tbsp (Optional)
Thick Coconut Milk - 3/4 cup (Approx, adjust as per need)
    (may use full fat Cow's milk too though its not used traditionally)
Egg - 1 small beaten
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Black Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
A pinch of Salt

Oil for frying

Method 

* Mix all ingredients listed above for the batter, in a bowl , adjust the quantity of coconut milk to make batter thin in consistency, thinner than Dosa batter (or pan cake batter). Keep this for 20 to 30 minutes.

* Heat oil in a deep wok or saucepan, dip and keep the "Achu" Iron mold in the oil while its gets heated (at least for 5 minutes) until the oil and the "Achu" is really hot, bring down the heat to medium high.

* Transfer a small amount of the batter to another steel or aluminium bowl, so that each time you dip the hot "Achu"in to the batter, it doesn't make any changes to the whole batter, also its good to make these in batches especially if making these for the first time. You may make any changes to the next batch if its not coming out well with the first attempt.

* Check if the oil is really heated by frying few drops of batter in to the oil and it should bubble up fast. Once the oil is ready, take out the "Achu"/Iron Mold from the oil, shake off excess oil from the "Achu" and dip it to the prepared batter, immediately drop this "Achu" to the oil.
Do not dip the whole Achu/iron mold into the batter , then the batter wouldn't come out of it while frying. 

* Once the Achu/iron mold is in the oil, wait for few seconds and then shake it lightly so that the Achappam comes out of it and gets fried, turn to the other side after few more seconds. Should be light brown in color on both sides.
If the Achappam doesn't get separated from the mold, use a fork to help separate it slowly,

* Ensure that the Mold/Achu is really hot every time you dip it to the batter or else the batter wouldn't get stick to it, also shake off excess oil from it before dipping the same in to the batter each time, its good to keep the Achu/Mold dipped in the heated oil after each Achappom is made, so that its temperature is maintained.Fry the rest of the Achappam's similarly.

* These Achappam's would be soft just after frying , place the fried Achappam's on to a tissue-paper and allow to cool and get crispy. Once cooled, transfer'em to an air tight container or Ziploc bag, it stays for a few weeks.

 Enjoying Crispy Achappoms
:D

Notes : Please note the lines given in "Bold" in the description above if planning to make "Achappom"

Cheers
TN

Kerala Plum Cake / Rum/Brandy - Fruit Cake - Step by Step Recipe. Merry Christmas !

With few more years of experiences making cakes I feel I should be updating posts in my blog one at a time from now on. This Christmas cake recipe was posted in 2014 but there's some tips and tricks that I learned over these years which made this cake better. Updating recipe to have all the tips included 

I would now call it a matured cake :D

Christmas cake I made few years ago :) the next picture is after the transformation :D
Experience does make a difference!  

By the way Merry Christmas 2025 !!

Some years back this time of the year, my Dad( Achachen ) was diagnosed with Cancer, it was an unforgettable event in our family during this season, he lived barely a month after Christmas that year
and from then Christmas feels different for me. Just a reminder to think about people around us who is in need of some love and caring during this time.

Getting to this rich Fruit cake also called the Plum cake in Kerala ,is a Christmas specialty.

 There has been no Christmas for us without this cake, I am sure this would be the case in most houses in Kerala.

I follow my  Amma's recipe to make this cake, it was passed on to her from her Amma 😍 + some tips and tricks that I learned by myself during the many years that I made these.  

The quantity given here makes  one 8- inch sized cake.

But there's  no specific measurement cup you will need to make this cake unlike other cakes as they say it is equal measurements of All purpose Flour + Sugar + Butter/oil (I use little less) + Dry fruits + Eggs (Approximately weighs same) 

Ingredients



For Batter

All Purpose Flour/ Maida - 1 and 1/2 cup

A pinch of salt.
Baking Powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1/2 cup and  Oil - 1/2 cup  (May use Butter only I think Oil makes the cake little lighter and not too dense) 
White Sugar - 1 cup (Powder sugar along with the spices given below) 
Egg - 4 No's
Orange Juice and Orange Rind/ Skin grated - from 1 Orange. May use Lemmon instead of Orange too.
Mixed Fruit Jam - 1 Tbsp.
Vanilla essence - 1 Tsp

For Dry Fruits and Soaking 

Mixed Fruits - 1 and 1/2 cup (Same as Flour Qty. May add more or less per preference) 

Rum/Brandy or Wine - 2 Cups (Approx.) 

Update - I have stopped adding nuts to soak but add it only when the soaked dry fruits to the cake batter. 


Spices Needed. 

It is easier to grind the spices below with the sugar to powder it so you don't need to grind these separately 

Cardamom - 2 to 4 No's
Nutmeg - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 2 no's 
Cake Jeera/ Shahjeera - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Dry Ginger Powder - 1/4 tsp (Optional) 

For Color / Caramel  - For the Dark Color

White Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water -  1/2 cup 

Cocoa Powder - 1 tbsp  + 1/2 cup milk (optional) 

if not using (milk +Cocoa power ) add cocoa power to 1/2 cup Yogurt. 

I add both (plain) Yogurt and the milk + cocoa powder mixture

Pre-Preparation 

* Chop dry fruits and soak them in Rum/ Brandy or Wine for at least a day. I soak these during the first week of December to make cakes few days before Christmas. 

If you are planning to make non alcoholic version, soaking dry fruits in Orange juice or grape juice would be a good option. Keep this soaked for a day in the refrigerator. Soaking makes the fruits soggy and flavorful. 

Prepare the Batter 

* For caramelizing Sugar (see ingredients under - For color ) - Heat sugar in a thick bottom pan (keep heat in medium to low )  when it starts to melt, add 1tbsp water to it and wait to completely melt the same and turn color, tilt the pan in between to melt sugar evenly, when color is brown, pour rest of the water to it and allow to boil, then switch off the heat.

* If using cocoa powder - heat up about 1/2 cup milk and mix in the cocoa powder. 

* Grease Pan with butter or Non stick spray. Preheat Oven to 310 F (Lower temperature is best to bake this cake since the ingredients in this cake is dense, it needs some extra time in low heat) 
 

*  Sift Flour with salt and Baking Powder. Keep aside.

* Separate the Egg whites from yolk. Beat Egg whites till light and fluffy and keep aside. 

If you want the cake to stay thick and dense and less airy then you may skip this step and beat eggs together (whole) instead of separating it also use only Butter (instead of the Vegetable oil)

 I liked it the Bakery style - airy cake -for which we'll need to beat the egg whites and yolks separately.  

* Beat Butter (Room Temperature), Oil  with powdered sugar  (sugar powdered with the spices)  till well combined. Add in egg yolks one at a time and beat till the mixture looks light and fluffy.

 * Add in Vanilla essence , Orange Rind , milk & cocoa mixture and yogurt (if using)

* Mix  Jam and the soaked  dry fruits to it (May add some extra chopped nuts). 

 Slowly add in the sifted flour Mixture and caramel mixture and orange juice alternately, stirring the batter in low speed if using a cake mixer. 

* Last but not the least - fold in the beaten egg white to slowly mix it into the cake batter. Do not over mix. 

* Pour the batter to the greased pan (May place a paper liner to the bottom and sides of the cake dish just in case) Pour batter to almost 3/4th of the Pan as this cake wouldn't rise much. 

Bake in preheated Oven in 310 F for 45 to 50 Minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. 

* Keep cakes  to cool , allow the flavors to set for a few days  before you cut the same, initially it will be little more moist than the usual cake , when it sits it transforms to become a nice rich fruit flavored cake and the aroma at home is Christmassy :)  

Notes :

            : Always bake this cake in low temperature -   slow and steady wins the race :D

            : Adding butter alone would be good if you like the cake to be dense and thick 

           

      
  

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !! 

Cheers
TN

Stained Glass Cookies / Butter Cookies

Holiday spirit in the air , breezing that wonderful feeling of holidays  - the feeling of December.

People have decorated their houses with as much lights as they can afford,
when ever I see those decorated houses, I am reminded of a "Bride in India" with all her ornaments and that sparkling look.

Strange comparison isn't it ? I sometimes think funny I know ;)   

Anyways its fun time, lets think funny and keep our self's happy as I see all happy people these days.

Lights and Music everywhere lifts our spirit to keep pace with the Holiday Mood,
no matter what.
One more funny thing that I notice during December is the appearance of  " Santa- Like People " every where. I mean people who look like Santa. I feel like I see everywhere that  Merry Old Man , with long white Beard. May be because I too am waiting for my Gifts from Santa this Christmas ;)

Have a special Cookie recipe for this Christmas, though not a new idea.
These cookies looks gorgeous when hung on your Christmas tree also taste yummy.
Am sure Kids would love it as its so much fun when they can eat something which is hung on the Christmas tree. Wish I was a kid too :(

Its not that hard as it seems, only thing is the cookie cutters that you need and that perfect consistency of the Butter Cookie dough which you get with the same measurement of ingredients listed here.
Do give it a try this Christmas.

Recipe for the Cookie Dough adapted from Land O Lakes.com - Butter Cookies

Ingredients 

All Purpose Flour - 2 and 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Egg - 1 no
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
Orange Juice - 2 Tbsp (Approx)
Baking Powder - 3/4 tsp

For the Glass - 10 to 20 Hard Candies (Any flavor and Color, I used Butter Scotch Candies)



Method - for the dough.

* Preheat the Oven to 360 Degree F , Grease parchment paper with some Butter and place the paper to a cookie baking tray or any flat tray.

* Sift Flour and Baking powder , Keep aside.

* Combine Butter, sugar and egg , beat in medium speed till well mixed, add orange juice and Vanilla essence to it and beat again to combine well.

* Add the sifted flour to the above mixture , beet for 2 minutes, then with your hand work to combine the dough to a ball (if the dough looks dry add few tsp of orange juice to it)

* Wrap this dough in any plastic sheet and Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.(May keep these in the fridge for up to 2 days)

Shaping the Dough

* Place the candies in a bag , and use any hard tool or rolling pin to crush the candies and powder'em.
Keep aside.

* Roll out the dough using a rolling pin (may sprinkle some powdered sugar on the pin and on the surface) roll'em thin , about 1/4 inch thickness approx.

* Using cookie cutter , shape cookies, I used 2 star/tree shaped (one bigger and one smaller) to create some space in between to fill each space with the powdered candies. Also if planning to hang them use a straw to make a small hole on top of the cookies.

* Bake these in 360 Degree F for 5 to 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies.Bake until the sides turn brown. Take these out of the oven, wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the cookies to cool down a bit and to set before you pick'em from the tray.

* May hang these on your Christmas tree or else store in Air tight containers, then these last long.

Or pack these and gift'em to your friends for Christmas.

Notes

           : Make sure the powdered candies are just in the space as if spread outside it tends to stick and it may make the cookies also stick to the bottom. Also after baking , do not remove the cookies from the baking tray before its cooled, as the candies need sometime (5 to 10 Minutes) to set.

            : This is a basic recipe to make butter cookies.Decorate these with any cookies writers (Icing) instead of the glass effect (Omit the candies then) they look equally good :)

Merry Christmas :)


Cheers
TN

Strawberry Chocolate Dip

That was a Beautiful Christmas , till last year I had my Achachen (Dad) with me for Christmas , the only thing and the biggest thing I missed during this Christmas was " His Presence " I really wished Santa would show me a dream of my Achachen's smiling face and also a hug from him...I didn't want to write all these here but then I don't want to delete what I have written. 

The beautiful thing I enjoyed this Christmas was my NA's expression after she saw her "wish - toy" under the Christmas Tree , she was dumbstruck for a few seconds ....moments which made me very happy and satisfied.....

The funniest thing was her question to me " why Santa forgot to take the gift wrap " OMG I really didn't notice that gift wrap - roll lying in the room anyways that's a lesson learned now.

These Strawberries here was the centerpiece this Christmas , its a super easy and attractive way to decorate your table , insert these in skewers/ toothpick and place it in a glass or insert the other end of the skewers/tooth pics in a cake or any other edible stuff or fruits like Pineapple or Melon. 

Ingredients 

Strawberries - A few 

White Chocolate chips - 1/4 cup or less 

Green color - a drop (Optional) 

Method 

* Wash and dry the strawberries , insert a toothpick or skewers (if you have it ) in to the strawberries through its leaf end.

* Melt 3/4rth of the White chocolates (of how much ever taken) in a microwave for 7 seconds , take out , touch to see if its all melted , if not ,place it back again and microwave for another 5 seconds , to melt it completely , do not over heat it ,  as if over heated it becomes thick  (other option is to double boil the chocolates to needed liquid y consistency ) .  

* Dip the strawberries when the chocolates are hot and liquidy . Freeze these strawberries for a few seconds to keep the coating intact.

* Melt the remaining white chocolates in the microwave with a few drops of water. Need'em to be more flowing , mix green color to the melted chocolate and pipe these on to the strawberries how ever you want it , can be creative here. (I used a plastic storage bag , cut its ends off to pipe these chocolate)

I know its not neatly done , excuse is that I was tired after the Christmas Cooking :( 

Happy Day After Christmas :) 

Tip :  Use fruits of your choice to dip.

Cheers

TN

Christmas Jello

Its a Snowy day today, extremely lazy to do anything but it reminded me that the Christmas is near. Snow has something to do with Christmas that's what I have heard , all those stories about the Santa coming in the sleigh,  sitting near the fire place ....

I thought to start with some Christmas cooking.Saw this one in my favorite blog of (Ree Drummond) a few months ago and was waiting for Christmas to come to try the same, I was the most excited one here to see these jello's all set though my NA came rushing to eat these, didn't have the patience to wait till I finish taking pictures.

All you need are these 

Hey but mine was a small square shaped dish , I used One packet each of these colored jello's and 3 sachets of Gelatin and also half a tin of sweetened condensed milk.

The mixture is the same , just follow the procedure given below 

* Butter the pudding dish preferably glass ware and wipe with a tissue paper to remove any excess butter.

* Prepare 1 cup of red jello (Cherry Flavored ) first 

For 1 cup jello - put a little more than 1/2 portion of one Gelatin sachet in to a glass or cup , mix with little cold water, once its mixed , add boiling water to it to fill the cup ( I used a  glass ) add less than half portion of a cherry flavored jello powder to the glass , mix nicely till all the powder dissolves , pour it to a glass dish or pudding tray and freeze.

* Next is the white mixture 

For 1 cup White mixture - put the rest of the gelatin (from the sachet used for the above mixture ) mix with a little cold water , then pour hot or boiling  water , and stir , followed by the condensed milk ,add about 2 to 3 table spoon of condensed milk , mix well and keep in a warmer place like some where near the stove , wait till the above mixture (Red mixture) solidifies , takes less than 10 minutes. Pour this white mixture over the red one  , but first check if the red layer is nicely set.

* Prepare the green Jello as you do for the Red one (given above) and pour over the white mixture, make sure the white mixture is all set or else it would ruin the whole dish. Repeat ,  till the glass container is filled or till you think you should stop , three layered with just red , white and green looks good too. 

Poke the bubble's with a toothpick before pouring the next layer.

Thought to keep the dish outside to set , just for the fun of it 

The End 

Cheers

TN