Zebra Cake

Everybody like vanilla cake and chocolate cake, but mix together is this zebra cake. Yesterday was one of my friend’s birthday and thinking of what to bake, suddenly this cake came to mind so tried this.

                                This cake is so moist just you will finish all the cake at the time, no remaining for tomorrow. This cake taste good as it is if you want you can add chocolate glaze. Anyhow you are going to have it is your choice how you want to enjoy this cake.  

  

Ingredients:-

• Eggs - 4 Nos.
• Sugar - 1 cup (200g)
• Butter - 1 cup (200 g), at room temperature
• Milk - 1 cup (240 ml)
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Flour - 3 cups (375g)
• Baking powder - 2 tsp (10 g)
• Salt - 1/4 tsp

For the chocolate batter:-

• Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp (25g)
• Milk - 1/4 cup (50ml)
• Sugar - 1 tbsp (15g)

Procedure:-

1. Grease and line with parchment paper, a 24 cm (9 in) round cake pan. Preheat oven at 180 (350 F).
2. Whisk together in a large bowl the dry ingredients, flour salt and baking powder. Set aside
3. In another bowl mix the cocoa powder with 1/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp of sugar
4. Mix butter with sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract.
5. With the mixer on low, alternate adding gradually milk and flour mixture until all is well incorporated.
6. Remove half of the batter and mix them with the chocolate mixture
7. Use one tablespoon for each batter to create the layers of batter on the prepared pan. Begin from the middle of the pan, take one spoon of white batter then over it add a spoon of chocolate batter and repeat this steps until all batter has been used. (If you don't have the patience to make these layers just add one batter on top of the other and create swirls with a knife or fork to create the marbled effect)
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pan.
10. Serve as it is or top with chocolate glaze.

Notes:-

• Round cake pan is the best, so that you can get the swirl shape.
• Parchment paper is compulsory so that it won’t stick down or if you are using springform pan  it will leak from down.
•  For the exact zebra or swirl pattern add equal portion of batters i.e. if one spoon each continue the same pattern till the end.
• Cool the cake before removing from the cake pan.

Sholez zard

Sholeh zard is a veg rice pudding. It is commonly served during important days. It is literally means loose yellow. It tastes yummy.

• Basmati rice – 400gms
• Water – 1 litter hot water
• Unsalted butter – 100gms
• Sugar – 500gms
• Almonds – 100gms, slivered
• Saffron threads – 3tsp, ground, dissolved in 4 tbsp water
• Rose water – 80ml
• Cinnamon – 2tsp,to dust
• Unsalted pistachios – 2 handfuls, crushed

1. Wash the rice in cold water till the milky water begins to run clear, and soak for at least 1 hour or minimum 24 hrs. Thereafter, place the rice in a large, heavy bottomed pan with water and bring to a boil. Cover with lid and turn heat to low. Allow rice to cook for 30 minutes. The grain should appear short and broken.
2. Add butter, sugar, almonds and the saffron water to the rice. Stir gently over a low flame.
3. When all the ingredients are incorporate, replace the lid and allow cooking for 20-25 min. when ready, taking off the burner, adding rose water stir gently.
4. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature with a dusting of cinnamon or mix well. Add crushed pistachios.

AMANDE CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Don't be afraid! Its written in french i.e. Almond Creme Brulee or Almond burnt cream, which mean a baked custard dessert, topped with caramelized sugar crust. Actually brulee is made of egg yolk but I don't like egg in chilled form, so I tried this one in which they had used custard powder.

•  China grass - 10 gms
• Custard powder - 2 tbsp
• Milk - 6 cups
• Sugar - 6 tbsp or 100 gms
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Sugar - to caramelizing
• Almond - Few (finely chopped)

1. Soak the china grass in a cup of water for 5 - 10 min. Heat the pan, add the mixture and stir it continuesly till the grass dissolves completely. Keep aside
2. In the deep bowl, combine the custard powder in cold milk. mix it well and keep it aside.
3. In another pan, boil the remaining milk and sugar. When the milk starts to boil add the custard mix and the china grass mixture and stir it continually until it boil and cook well. 
4. Keep this mixture aside till it cools. 
5. Now add the almond and mix well. Divide it into different bowl and refrigerate it till it sets.
6. Now in a pan heat a teaspoon of sugar till it caramelize and the colour changes to light brown.
7. Now pour this over the set custard and sprinkle some almonds on top and serve it immediatly. 

NOTE: If you want to reduce the calories, you can use low fat milk.