Chocolate mug cake

Found a favorite chocolate mug cake recipe in a cartoon, and putting it here for safekeeping,. Only works for very small quantities (have not tried large quantities)

Wet ingredients:

Butter/oil: 3 tablespoon

Sugar: 4 tablespoon

Egg: One

Water/milk: 3 tablespoon

Vanilla: splash

Dry ingredients: 

Flour: 4 tablespoon

Cocoa: 2 tablespoon

Add:

One Small dairy milk in small pieces

And/ or crushed walnuts

Combine wet and dry Ingredients

Microwave for 2:30-3 minutes

Or bake for 25 minutes

1/4 cake

So now that I have taken to baking in very small dishes, I always find it a hassle that I have to convert the ingredients to fit my extremely small baking dish. So I have decided to convert the basic cake into small proportions, which I can then use to make any varieties I want. 

Here goes. 

For a normal cake, which can happily be modified by adding peaches and plums on top and sprinkling powdered sugar.

Wet ingredients:

Butter/oil: 1/8 cup

Sugar: 1/4 cup (I would ideally go for slightly less than 1/4 cup. Something between 1/8 cup and 1/4 cup)

Eggs: 1

Flour: 1/4 cup

Vanilla essence: few drops or 1/4 lid

Dry ingredients

Flour: 1/4 cup

Salt: a pinch

Baking powder: 1/4 tsp

Cream the wet ingredients thoroughly. Then sift the dry ingredients thoroughly. Combine then all. Bake at 175 degrees for about 25 minutes. 

This will give you a cake that roughly looks like this. (Though this is an oat cake)

Second easiest dessert

Gajar ko haluwa is the second easiest dessert to make, that is if you happen to have the ground carrots.(Kalakand is the easiest, in case you were wondering). If you have to grind the carrots, of course, then it makes the hardest dessert to make. I was lucky to have a grinder that could grind carrots. Grind the carrots and put them aside. 

Heat some butter in a pan and fry some nuts in it. I have used almonds and raisins, but cashews and raisins are great too. This step is actually optional, gajar ko haluwa tastes great without nuts too. Take the nuts out and store in a separate bowl.

Take the ground carrots and fry them in the butter. Fry for a few minutes until carrots change color and become slightly brown.

Add some milk and empty the bowl of nuts, The nuts may be sprinkled in the end, but I like it better this way. It's just a matter of taste, really.

Bring the milk to a boil, and let it simmer in low heat until the milk is absorbed. When all the milk is absorbed, add sugar to taste: and yummy gajar ko haluwa is ready. Can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients

Butter

Ground Carrots

Milk

Sugar

Cashews and Raisins

Best Bread Pudding Recipe

I recently made bread pudding. It came out so pretty that I had to put it up, even though the recipe is not mine :) I have tried several bread pudding recipes before, and this recipe by Paula Deen gave the best results:

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped pecans

For the sauce:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup brandy

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:

Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

Note : I did not make the sauce, and it still tasted great. 

Note 2: I added dried fruits. I just wanted to get rid of old stuff like dried peaches, apricots, dates, and plums. It tasted great and added to the flavor of the dish. But in ordinary times, I would replace them with raisins, dried cranberries, or fresh strawberries.
Note 3: I tried pecans because I never use pecans in cooking (they are not native to Nepal), and I wanted to see how it would be. They were good, but I think walnuts would be even better.
Note 4:: I repeat, this is by far the best bread pudding recipe among all I've tried.