Cashew Brittle

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 ounces roasted salted peanuts, cashews, pistachios and/or pecans

• Toast nuts and keep aside to cool (I toast these in the oven at 350 F, for 10 minutes).
• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and corn syrup and bring to a boil. 
• Cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is light brown and registers 300° on a candy thermometer. 
• Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble. 
• Stir in the nuts, then immediately scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, nonstick baking sheet. Using the back of a large spoon (oil it lightly if it sticks), spread the brittle into a thin, even layer. 
• Sprinkle with salt. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break the brittle into large shards.

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Pound Cake with Nutella Swirls

1 cup butter, softened
  1/2 cup shortening
  1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  2-1/2 cups sugar
  5 eggs
  3 cups cake flour *
  1 teaspoon baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 cup buttermilk
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Substitute for cake flour : For every cup of cake flour, take one cup of all purpose flour, remove two table spoons of flour, and add two table spoons of corn starch.

Optional : 
 1 13 oz jar of Nutella
OR
  1 13 oz container of any fruit preserves
OR 
  Any fruit/ chocolate spread you like

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening, cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
• Warm nutella (if using nutella) for 30 seconds in microwave.
• Pour one third mixture in a bundt cake pan, apply a ribbon of nutella/ fruit preserves in the layer, pour another layer of cake mixture, apply the rest of nutella/ fruit preserves and scrape off all the cake mixture into the bundt pan.
• Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Optional : serve with fresh strawberries or ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Truffle center

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 ounces butter, melted, not hot
7 ounces (1 packed cup) brown sugar
3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
8 ounces (1 1/3 cup) chocolate chips

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 C). Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside for now.
• In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the melted butter and both sugars, and mix them on medium speed with a paddle attachment until the sugars are moist. Add the egg and mix until it is well-incorporated, then add the yolk and mix well again. Add the vanilla extract. 
• With the mixer running on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until they are almost fully incorporated and there are just a few streaks of flour remaining. Add the chocolate chips and stir them by hand, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula until everything is well-mixed. 
• For the best results, chill the dough for 45 minutes, until it is firmer but still able to be rolled into balls. If it’s too hard straight from the refrigerator, let it warm up on the counter for a few minutes once you’re ready to use it.
• To form the cookies, use a cookie scoop or a large tablespoon to form a 1.5-inch ball of dough. Press your thumb in the center to create an indent and spread the cookie out a little bit. Set a chilled truffle in the center of the cookie, then place a little more dough—about the size of a quarter—on top of the truffle. Pinch the bottom and top of the cookie dough together, then roll it between your palms to make it round. Place the cookie on an ungreased parchment-lined sheet, and repeat until the sheet is filled, leaving 2-3 inches between the cookies.
• Bake the cookies at 325 F for 17 minutes, rotating halfway throughout. They’re done when the cookies have spread, have a touch of color along the outer edge, and the raw sheen is off in the center. They should still be soft in the middle.

Mounds Bar

Ingredients

* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1/2 brown sugar, firmly packed
* 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 cups flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
* 1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips, melted
* 1 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F .
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Mix and pat into the bottom of one 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes. (Bake at 350 F if you want a hard graham crust. I prefer baking to 325 F). Remove from the oven
3. Wait for 20 minutes until the graham crust is less hot, sprinkle flaked coconut and then pour condensed milk evenly over the graham cracker crust + flaked coconut.
4. Bake 15 minutes @ 325 F. Remove from the oven and let cool.
5. In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate chips is preferable since it evens out the sweetness of the graham crust and the condensed milk. (Use milk chocolate otherwise).
6. Spread the melted chocolate chips over the top. Let cool and cut into squares once the crust + condensed milk + chocolate achieves a harder consistency.

Louki ka Halwa/ Payasam

Ingredients :
* 4 Cups grated Louki/ Milk gourd.
* 1 Cup Khoya
* 1 can condensed milk (about 250 gms)
* 1 Tsp sugar
* 5/6 cardamom pods.
* 3 Tbsp ghee

(For payasam - optional)
* 400 ml milk

Preparation:
1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Once the ghee melts, add the grated louki and saute until the louki turns transparent.
3. Add khoya to the sauteed louki and mix well. The khoya tends to form small chunks which ought to be broken apart and blended into the louki khoya mix. Heat the mixture in medium flame for about 5 minutes.
4. Now slowly add the condensed milk while mixing it thoroughly. The louki-khoya-condensed milk will now form a semi-solid mix.
5. Powder the cardamom seeds with a tsp of sugar and add it to the mix and keep stirring until it thickens.

For Halwa :
6. Pour the solidified mix into a dish and cut into square cubes and serve chilled.

For Payasam:
6. Add some milk once the mix has thickened (and not before it, because the louki will not get the milk flavour if diluted too early).
7. Chill the payasam and serve.

Sweet German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
• 4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 egg whites

For Frosting
• 12 fluid ounces evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8 ounce) package flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line bottom of 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
2. Microwave chocolate and water on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir halfway through. Stir until all is melted and smooth.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add 4 egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat after each addition until smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Gently fold into batter. Pour into 9x13 inch pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely, then frost with coconut-pecan frosting.
7. Combine milk, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup butter, 4 egg yolks and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla in large saucepan. Cook and stir on medium heat for about 12 minutes, or until thick and golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature, and spreading consistency.

Black Magic Cake

Ingredients
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.

Gulab Jamun from scratch

Ingredients:
Khoya – 1 pkg
Sooji – 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Oil/ Ghee – enough for frying

For the syrup:
Sugar – 2 cups

Preparation:
1. Thaw khoya by leaving it in the refrigerator overnight and resting on the counter for couple of hours.
2. Add water to sooji and knead till it resembles roti dough. Cover and let it rest for about 1 hour. Knead again for another 5 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water to sugar and simmer till the sugar melts about 15-20 minutes.
4. Crumble khoya in the food processor and add sooji dough & cardamom powder. Pulse until it almost comes together, about 3-5 minutes. Remove into a bowl and knead well for at least 10 minutes.
5. Roll them into small balls.
6. While the jamuns are being made, heat oil/ ghee; when it is hot enough, slowly slide in the first batch of jamuns and fry on medium flame till golden brown. Do not over crowd the pan; always fry in batches. Also keep an eye on the oil temperature; too hot jamuns burn.. not hot enough jamun centers are uncooked. Remove the fried jamuns onto a plate and let them cool for couple of minutes, before sliding them into the sugar syrup.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
6. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
9. Bakes 60 Cookies

Rogaliki (Polish Crossiant-like dessert)

Ingredients
• 1 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 (8 ounce) box Philadelphia Cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups flour
• jam or preserves (your favourite kind)

Directions
1. In a medium bowl mix egg yolks, philly cheese and baking powder using a hand held mixer. Carefully start adding the flour. When the mixture will not be mixing well, and will look like wood chips, put away the blending mixer and using your hands knead the dough.
2. Create a roll and cover in foil and freeze for 15 minutes. At this time preheat the oven to 375.
3. Take the dough out and separate into two. Roll and cut out 3 inch trangles.
4. Make as many as you can and on centre of each put a small spoon of jam. Roll them into a croissant shape.
5. Place the croissants onto a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
6. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
7. When you take them out, put aside and sprinkle with powdered sugar on top.
8. This makes about 3 batches of 20 cookies each.
9. Total count about 60 cookies.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.