Havana or Bow Biscuits

This is another X'mas savoury and also made by Anglo-Indians worldwide. I have not been able to upload any pictures right away because I haven't made this as yet (will do so a little before X'mas when my mum is here - she is coming to spend Christmas with us). I will certainly do so then :)

Havana or Bow Biscuits

Ingredients :

Maida - 1 and half kg ( 3 lbs [American flour] )

Eggs - 9

Sugar - 500 gms ( 1 lb)

Ghee - 4 tbsp (for kneading)

Oil - for deep frying

Salt - to taste

Method :

Mix the eggs with the maida, milk and salt.

Add enough water to make a soft dough.

Rub in a little ghee while kneading.

Make into balls, spread and cut into small rounds with a round article like the cover of a cough syrup bottle.

Use your fingers to join the centre together to form a little bow.

Pour oil into a deep kadai (wok). When the oil is hot, add a few at a time and fry till golden brown.

Spread out on a kitchen towel to soak up any excess oil.

Tip: Add baking powder (3 level tsp) if you like it soft and not crisp.

Simple fudge

A simple recipe for Fudge made by cousin's mother-in-law.

A SIMPLE FUDGE

Ingredients :

sugar - 2 cups

milk powder - 1 tbsp

saltless butter - 1 small square

cocoa powder - 2 tbsp

salt - a pinch

water - a little or milk - 2 cups

Method :

1. Cook all the ingredients together. To test if mixture is ready, drop a little into a saucer of water. If it becomes a ball, it is ready.
2. Lower heat and stir till thick. Empty on a greased plate. Set aside. Cut into squares.

FUDGE (made with Cocoa Powder)

- (quick recipe)

Ingredients :

Sugar - 3 cups

Full cream/evaporated milk - 1 cup

Butter - 250 gm

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup

Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Flour - 1 cup

Method :

• Place first 5 ingredients (sugar, cream/milk, butter, salt, cocoa powder in aheavy based saucepan and stir over moderate heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla essence.
• Fold in flour (a tablespoon at a time) with an electric beater until well blended.
• Pour into a 9" x 13" buttered pan and allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Chocolate Fudge

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

- makes 1 kg

Ingredients :
Unsweetened cooking chocolate - 250 gm
Water - 1/4 cup
Condensed milk - 3 tins
Sugar - 2 & 1/2 cups
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Butter - 120 gm
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp

Method :

1. Boil water in a double boiler or a vessel. When the water starts boiling, lower the flame to simmer, place the saucepan with the chocolate over the water and melt it. Remove when melted and stir with a spoon vigourously.
2. Add condensed milk, sugar and salt to the melted chocolate. Place over moderate heat and stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue stirring till a candy thermometer registers 120 degrees C or a soft ball.
3. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla essence.
4. Beat the fudge with a electric beater until smooth and creamy.
5. When it loses its gloss, turn fudge onto a lightly buttered pan. Spread evenly with a spatula.
6. Allow the fudge to cool before cutting into squares.

Kul-Kuls

Kulkuls - another great Christmas savoury. The recipe given below is as made by the Anglo-Indians as this is also a favourite with the Anglo-Indians at X'mas. This may seem lenghthy but it really isn't. Anyway the results will be delicious.

KUL-KULS

Ingredients:
450 g - maida
250 grams - semolina (rava/suji)
1 tsp - baking powder
125 gm - powdered sugar
6 eggs - separate whites from yolks
1 small teacup - milk (or coconut milk)
125 gms - ghee / butter / margarine
2 tsp - vanilla essence
Oil - for frying
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Frosting :
250 gm - sugar
1 & 1/2 cup - water
1/2 tsp - cardomom powder (if desired)

Method:

1. Sift flour and semolina/suji/ rava separately. Mix the flour, semolina, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Rub in butter gently into the flour mixture.



2. Seperate egg white from the yolks. Whip egg whites until frothy.



3. In a large bowl, place egg yolks and sugar. Beat until thick and lemon coloured.



4. Pour in the milk/coconut milk and stiffly beaten egg whites, slowly .



5. Add this to the flour and mix gently, adding slowly, a little at a time and knead the dough till soft and pliable.
6. Form into a ball and smear a little butter over the top. Cover with a tea towel and set aside leave for one hour.

To make kulkuls :

1. Grease the tunes of a fork/a comb/kul-kul board and pinch off a piece of dough, the size of a marble and press it onto the fork, to cover the back of the fort. Roll it upwards into a scroll.



2. Set formed kul-kuls on a lightly floured pan/paper/plate.

Frying the kul-kuls -

1. Place a deep fryer or wok over moderate heat and pour in oil enough for deep fying. When the oil is hot, lower the kulkuls into the fryer/wok and fry to a light golden-brown colour. Note - (If the flame is high, the kul-kuls will brown fast and the centres will remain soft).



2. Drain on a paper towel when cool. The fried kul-kuls may be sugared, if preferred.

Frosting for kul-kuls:

• Melt sugar and water in a deep pan and bring to a boil. When the mixture starts bubbling, lower the heat and watch till the bubbles become large (this indicates that the mixture is thickening). Reduce till the syrup is 1/3 height.
• At this stage add 1/2 tsp. cardomom powder if desired - this gives a subtle flavour to the kul-kuls.
• Immediately pour in the fried kul-kuls and stir quickly to coat all the kul-kuls with thick syrup evenly. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
• Allow to cool. The frosting will turn opaque. They will stick together, but when they cool, gently pull them apart.
• Cool thoroughly and store in an air-tight container.

Doughnuts

Christmas may be two months away but I came across these wonderful recipes for x'mas treats. Some of you may wish to try them out, others may already have them and are experts at making these savouries. So here goes !!

Doughnuts

Ingredients -

• maida (all purpose flour) - 2 cups
• ghee or butter - 3 tbsps / 4 - 6 tsp
• baking powder - 1 tsp
• eggs - 2
• sugar - 1 & 1/2 (half) cup
• milk or hot water - 2 tbsp / 1 teacup
• salt - a small pinch
• cooking oil - enough for deep frying

Method -

• Eggs - separate the yolk from the white. Beat the whites till frothy.
• Sift the flour with a pinch of salt and baking powder together.
• Fold in the egg white, sugar and ghee/butter. Mix well.
• Combine this with the flour and egg yolks. Knead well into a soft dough.
• Add the milk/hot water if necessary.
• Make into tiny ladoo/kofta size balls. Flatten each ball, make a hole in the centre with a bottle cap / or doughnut cutter.


• Fry in deep oil until brown.