Baking Archives - Dees Platter

Baked Cinnamon Doughnuts

I consider doughnut as an another variety of sweet bread in a different shape which is deep fried and can be prepared in different flavors . And probably because doughnuts are fried, they are widely popular with all age groups of people. So when one of my neighbours came with a request to make doughnuts for her 80 years old mother in law, I suggested her to go for baked cinnamon doughnuts and she happily agreed!!

Well, there will be definitely a change in taste between the baked and fried ones, but if you don’t want to break your resolution to consume less oily food, then these baked cinnamon doughnuts are definitely for you.

To add a healthy twist here, instead of all purpose flour, you can use wheat flour and just follow the same recipe. Increase milk a little bit more while kneading, as wheat flour absorbs more liquid than maida (all purpose flour).

Do we really need to buy a doughnut cutter to prepare doughnuts?

Not at all.

Any sharp edged steel glass and one small bottle cap are sufficient. Even round shaped cookie cutter and one icing nozzle would do the same work as doughnut cutter.

So, now you have no excuse for not trying these wonderful cinnamon flavoured baked doughnut in your oven!!!

Ingredients:

Maida 2 cups
Milk powder 2 tbsp
Instant active yeast 3/4 tsp
Sugar 4 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg powder 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon powder 1+1/2 tsp
Butter (melted) 3-4 tbsp
Milk 3/4 cup (add or reduce 1-2 tbsp if required)

Prepare a mix of 1 tbsp cinnamon powder and 4 tbsp powdered and sieved sugar separately.

Some more melted butter would be required after baking.

Points to remember:

All dry ingredients should be on room temperature.
Milk should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot.
Dough would be slightly sticky because of extra sugar, but keep on kneading – it will become smooth with melted butter.
For more tips on kneading the dough, proofing time, temperature control etc, check the following link :

Basics of baking – bread/buns/rolls (Wheat flour buns with pizza spices-2)

Process:

Collect all dry ingredients in a big vessel.

Slowly start pouring milk and collect dry ingredients together in the shape of a dough. Don’t worry about loose or tight consistency of dough at this stage.

Now start adding remaining milk 1 tbsp at a time and knead the dough for 15 minutes by adding butter simultaneously.

Initially, kneading will be sticky due to lots of sugar but will soon smoothen.

Place the dough in a butter greased bowl for first proofing (bowl should be big enough to have extra space for doubled up dough). Apply some butter on top of the dough to avoid it drying. Cling wrap the bowl and keep it at a warm place for first proofing. I generally keep my bowl in a switched-off microwave. First proofing takes 1 to 1+1/2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

In the meantime, grease baking tin/tray with butter or spread parchment paper.

Mix powdered sugar and cinnamon powder in a separate plate.

Once dough doubles up, sprinkle some flour on clean kitchen counter or grease it with butter. Take out the dough and punch it softly.

Knead the dough very softly and roll it in round shape.

With the help of doughnut cutter/steel glass/cookie cutter cut out as many doughnuts as you can. Knead and roll again the rest of the dough and follow the same process.

Keep all doughnuts in a ready baking tray and apply melted butter on top of them to avoid them drying during second proofing. Proofing will be over in 20-30 minutes depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Just 10 minutes before proofing time is getting over, preheat oven at 185 degrees for 10 minutes. Give milk wash to all doughnuts and bake them at the same temperature for 25-30 minutes or till the top starts becoming brown. I like slightly crunchy top in doughnuts so I baked them a bit more to get nice brown colour. If you like smooth top then stop baking once they are light brown.

Aren’t you tempted enough to just gobble up one…😋😋😋😋

With the help of pastry brush apply melted butter generously on the top of the doughnuts so that sugar cinnamon mix can stick to them nicely.

Now with the help of a sieve sprinkle sugar cinnamon mix all over the doughnuts.

Now you are ready to give yourself a flavourful treat…!!!

I would love to hear from you all about this post…

October 20, 2019October 30, 2021

Deeksha Pathak136 Comments

Stuffed Baati (baked)

Stuffed Baati is a traditional Rajasthani savoury dish. It is prepared with wheat flour, and stuffed with boiled potatoes mix. Traditionally, stuffed baati is a roasted dish and later it is immersed in melted desi ghee (clarified butter) which gives it a wonderful combination of crispy outer layer and softer insides.

We get a separate baati oven to roast as now in our modern kitchen roasting baati in traditional way is not possible. For more information on traditional method of preparing plain baati, you can refer my earlier post Plain Baati (traditional Rajasthani food)

Generally, I prepare this complete traditional Rajasthani platter of besan ke ladoo (Besan ke ladoo), panchmel daal (Panchmel daal), baati and churma – wheat flour (Churma (wheat flour)) and besan (Besan churma) – on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi festival. But this time, after a few days of Ganesha festival there was a potluck arranged at my husband’s office. So I decided to send panchmel daal and stuffed baked baati. As I don’t have baati oven till now, I baked them in my OTG.

Oh, it was a lot of baati baking day!!

I baked stuffed baati dough in two batches – initial 60 baatis for potluck and another 30 in second batch for our lunch and some for my neighbouring friends.

It was a big tiring day, but in the afternoon my husband’s message refreshed me and I was re-energised!

My dish was appreciated by all and was ranked first under vegetarian dishes category 💃💃💃💃

Try these stuffed baked baatis once and feel free to at add any stuffing of your choice. It could be mixed veggies with paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, fresh grated coconut or roasted gram flour with spices too.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour 3 cups
Baking soda 1/2 tsp
Baking powder 1/2 tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Carom seeds (ajwain) 1+1/2 tsp
Water 1+1/2 cup (reduce or increase 1-2 tbsp as per requirement,normal temperature)
Oil/desi ghee (clarified butter) 4 tbsp
Melted Desi ghee 1/4 cup (extra)
Boiled Potato mixture with spices

Process:

Collect all dry ingredients in a big vessel so that kneading is easy.

Pour melted ghee and with the help of water knead smooth dough.

Peel boiled potatoes and add salt, red chilli powder, asafoetida, garam masala, dry mango powder, grated ginger, finely chopped green chillies and green coriander leaves. If you like the taste, can add little bit of chaat masala too.

Mash potatoes and mix everything together. Potatoes mix is ready.

Divide the dough in 40-45 gms balls and roll them smooth.

Flatten one ball of dough with the help of rolling pin or simply with your fingers.

Place in between little bit of potato mix and close it.

Roll this filled baati gently in between your palms to make it smooth. This way complete all baatis and place them in your ghee greased baking tray. Brush them with melted ghee nicely and bake in a pre-heated oven at 185 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or till they are nicely brown.

Once again apply melted ghee all over the baked baatis and relish them with panchmel daal or as a snack with your tea.

September 22, 2019September 22, 2019

Deeksha Pathak87 Comments

Sweet milk bread

Sweet milk bread is delicious, rich buttery bread. You can have it with jam or toast to accompany your hot cuppa.

A few months back I had baked sweet milk bread just to know the taste, as we had never bought that since no other family member likes sweet bread. I liked the taste of home baked sweet bread a lot and I posted a few pictures on my FB page.

Surprisingly, I got a lot of requests for the recipe. But somehow I became busy with some commitments and completely forgot about it. Recently, one day in a supermarket while shopping for groceries my friend bought sweet milk bread and now I had the urge to bake it again.

I will suggest that if you have never baked this bread till now, you should definitely try it once.

You are going to love it for sure!!

If you are not comfortable with extra sweet taste, just toast it and have it with salted butter to balance extra sweet taste. Your kids are definitely going to love this bread!!

Ingredients :

Maida 3 cups
Milk powder 2 tbsp
Instant active yeast 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Sugar 5-6 tbsp
Unsalted butter 4 tbsp
Milk 1 cup +3 tbsp (reduce or increase 1-2 tbsp if required)

Except milk, all ingredients should be on room temperature. Milk should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot.

For complete guide on bread/bun baking you can also check the following link :

Basics of baking – bread/buns/rolls (Wheat flour buns with pizza spices-2)

Process :

Collect all dry ingredients in a big vessel.

Slowly start pouring milk and start collecting dry ingredients together in shape of a dough. Don’t worry about loose or tight consistency of dough at this stage.

Now start adding remaining milk 1 tbsp at a time and knead the dough for 15 minutes by adding oil/butter simultaneously.

Initially, kneading will appear messy due to sugar but will soon smoothen.

Place the dough in an oil greased bowl for first proofing (bowl should be big enough to have extra space for doubled up dough). Apply some oil on top of the dough to avoid it drying. Cling wrap the bowl and keep it at a warm place for first proofing. I generally keep my bowl in switched-off microwave. First proofing takes 1 to 1+1/2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

In the meantime, grease bread tin with oil.

Once dough doubles up, sprinkle some flour on clean kitchen counter or grease it with oil. Take out the dough and punch it softly.

Knead the dough very softly and spread it in a rectangular shape according to the size of bread tin. Start rolling it tightly in the shape of a log.

Seal the sides by pinching it.

Keep this log into the tin by keeping seamed side at the bottom and apply oil on top of the log to avoid it drying. Keep it in the switched-off microwave or any warm place for second proofing. Second proofing generally takes 15 to 20 minutes.

Just 10 minutes before baking, preheat your oven at 185-190 degrees for 10 minutes. Give milk wash to proofed log and bake it in a preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or till the top of the bread starts becoming brown.

To check whether bread is done or not, tap the top of the bread; if it sounds hollow, it’s done! Be careful – don’t let the top of the bread become dark brown, so keep an eye.

Temperature of every oven varies – so you should be bit more careful and judge the baking time as per your experience.

Take out the tin from the oven, keep it on a cooling rack and apply butter on the top to keep it soft.

After 5-7 minutes take out the bread from the tin and let it cool down completely on the cooling rack. Don’t leave the bread for longer period in the bread tin. The heat of hot bread will turn it soggy from the bottom.

Later cling wrap the loaf and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 hours. Don’t slice the bread without keeping it in the fridge, no matter how tempted you are. Keeping in fridge will settle down its crumbs.

Later, slice the bread with serrated knife – you will get wonderful slices!!!

Break into a happy dance 💃💃💃

August 18, 2019October 28, 2021

Deeksha Pathak125 Comments

Tri colour sandwich bread

Wishing you all a very happy Independence day! Tri colour sandwich bread is just a tribute to all those warriors who made it possible for us to live in a free country!

Coincidentally, today along with this national festival, we are celebrating Rakshabandhan also. This festival, for those who are not aware of, celebrates bond between brothers and sisters. Those parents, whose kids stay in nearby cities, celebrate this festival with get-together of their family members, relatives along with festive food and sweets.

But instead of cooking something special for Rakshabandhan festival, I decided to bake something new which I have never done before and it fits perfectly with the spirit our Independence day!

I decided to bake a tri colour sandwich bread symbolizing our national flag. I could not get exact same colours of our national flag as I didn’t want to use any artificial edible colours. For green, I have used coriander chutney. Instead of corridor or mint leaves, you can use spinach puree also . It might give slightly darker green shade. For saffron, I thought of using soaked saffron water, but that was also not giving exact colour – it was kind of yellow shade. So I added turmeric powder. I was very excited to slice this sandwich bread to see tri colored swirls.

Isn’t it beautiful!

I loved these tri colored swirls!

No artificial colours used, and the addition of coriander chutney enhanced the taste. So, bread was completely safe to consume. Now I am really encouraged to do some more trials…

The measurement of bread tin in inches is – length 8 depth 3+1/2 width 3+1/2

Ingredients :

For green colored dough:

1 cup maida
1 tbsp milk powder
1/2 tsp Instant active yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp Oil
4 tbsp Water
3 tbsp Coriander Chutney
4 tbsp Water ( increase or reduce as per requirement)

Important note:

Don’t use cold chutney from the fridge. Add it in the water and heat it till it is slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot. I heated chutney till it was warm enough and used warm water separately. Cold chutney wouldn’t let the yeast activate.

For yellow colored dough:

1 cup maida
1 tbsp milk powder
1/2 tsp Instant active yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
6-7 tbsp Water (reduce or increase as per requirement)

Important Note:

Water should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot and rest of the ingredients should be on room temperature.

For white colored dough:

1 cup maida
1 tbsp milk powder
1/2 tsp Instant active yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
6-7 tbsp Water (reduce or increase as per requirement)

Important Note:

Water should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot and rest of the ingredients should be on room temperature
For a few more tips on bread baking you can check this link Basics of baking – bread/buns/rolls (Wheat flour buns with pizza spices-2)
As we are kneading three different types of dough, proofing time might vary for each. To avoid that and to get even proofing for all three types of dough follow this…

If you are kneading yellow dough first, don’t cover it with cling film or wet kitchen towel. Keep the dough in the bowl, brush up some oil on top to avoid it drying and leave it on kitchen counter.

Do the same after kneading second type of dough.

After finishing third dough, cover all of them with cling film or wet kitchen towel. Now you will get even proofing for all three types of dough.

Process:

Collect dry ingredients in three different bowls.

Prepare three different doughs by kneading and keep them in three different oil greased bowls. Cover them with cling wrap or wet kitchen towel and let them proof till the dough becomes double in size.

In the meantime, oil grease bread tin properly from all sides.

After proofing, punch the dough gently and roll all three of them one after another.

Place each rolled dough on top of each other and give it a proper rectangular shape by tapping as per the size of your bread tin.

Start rolling the dough by keeping it firm.

Seam the sides tight by pinching them.

By keeping the seamed side at the bottom, place this log in the bread tin. Brush up the top of the log with oil and let it rise for second proofing.

Just 10 minutes before second proofing time is getting over, preheat oven at 185 degrees. Give milk wash to the log and bake it for 40-50 minutes or till the time it sounds hollow while tapping the top of the bread. Take out bread from the oven and apply butter on it. Butter will give nice shine and will be helpful in keeping the bread soft.

Once tin cools down and is comfortable enough to touch, take out the bread and keep it on cooling rack till it cools down completely.

For better slices, wrap it now with 3-4 layers of cling wrap and keep it in the fridge for 4 – 5 hours. Later, take it out from the fridge, unwrap it, and slice the bread by holding the bread firmly with bread cutting serrated knife.

You will be proud of yourself witnessing these beautiful slices of tri color sandwich bread!!!

I would love to hear from you all about this post 😊😊

August 14, 2019October 29, 2021

Deeksha Pathak82 Comments

Mint flavoured Pinwheel Potato Rolls

We Indians are a lot obsessed with potatoes. Potato compliments so well with almost every vegetable. Other than using potatoes with vegetables, we have Aaloo ka Paratha (wheat flour flat bread with spicy potato stuffing) potato chips and snacks like samosa and Aaloo ki kachori which also have potato fillings. So when I thought of trying Pinwheel Rolls, I decided to fill them with boiled potatoes. But I felt that rolls with only potato filling would lack some flavor – might not be tangy enough. I had mint chutney in the fridge – so I flavored these rolls with mint chutney and there was this wonderful delicious savory baked tea time snack, Mint flavoured pinwheel potato rolls.

Isn’t this an interesting filling with complete Indian taste!!!

You can change the filling as per your taste and liking. Instead of potatoes, paneer can be added or we can shred some cheese on top of the rolls…

I have a post on Coriander Chutney in the blog. If you are interested, can go through this link as recipe for coriander and mint chutney is same. For mint chutney, just replace coriander leaves with mint leaves.

You should definitely try these mint flavoured pinwheel potato rolls. Not very complicated steps, and in pinwheel shape – rolls look really attractive!

Ingredients :

Maida 2 cups +2 tbsp
Milk powder 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1 tbsp
Instant active yeast 3/4 tsp
Water 1 cup minus 1-2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Mint chutney(thick) 5 tbsp
Boiled potato mix

Except water, all ingredients should be on room temperature.Water should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot.

Process:

Boiled Potato mix :

Boiled potatoes
Salt
Asafoetida
Dry mango powder
Garam Masala
Red chilli powder

Chopped green chillies
Chopped green coriander /mint leaves

Peel and mash potatoes and add above mentioned ingredients, mix well and keep this mix aside.

Rolls preparation:

Collect all dry ingredients in a big vessel and mix them. Add water/milk slowly and prepare the dough.

Be careful not to use all water/milk completely. Once all ingredients are together in shape of a rough dough, slowly start kneading the dough by adding one tbsp water at a time and knead it for 12-15 minutes. Keep adding oil during kneading. Initially, dough will be wet, but slowly it will be pliable and smooth.

Keep the dough in an oil greased pan covered with cling film at a warm place for first proofing. This might take 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how warm or cool your kitchen is.

In the meanwhile, keep your baking tray ready by greasing with oil or by spreading parchment paper.

After first proofing, take out the dough on clean oil greased kitchen counter and punch it gently.

Collect the dough together and roll it into rectangular shape. Apply mint chutney all over the dough with the help of a pastry brush .

Now spread potato mix evenly everywhere. As both my potato mixture and chutney were very spicy, I limited the quantity that I applied and so you can see some gaps in the photo below.

Start rolling the dough and keep it firm.

Once dough takes the shape of a log, seam the edges tight by pinching them.

Cut this log in equal size rolls and keep them in your ready baking tray by maintaining some gap between them so that during baking rolls have enough space to puff up. Apply some oil on them and keep them at a warm place for second proofing. Second proofing will be over in 20/30 minutes.

Just 10 minutes before second proofing time is getting over, preheat oven at 180 degrees. Apply milk on rolls to avoid them drying during baking and bake them for 20/30 minutes or till they are light brown. Apply butter on warm rolls and relish them with any sauce or chutney along with your tea/coffee ☕

August 9, 2019October 30, 2021

Deeksha Pathak63 Comments

Garlic Bread

Garlic bread! You just take the name and kids start jumping with joy. How about if we convert our simple sandwich bread loaf in flavored garlic bread loaf.

I love to bake and explore new variations in breads. To try any new variety, we need not worry about the recipe. Variety comes with technique and imagination. You just have to learn plain sandwich bread and then let your imagination flow. One can create so many variations in sandwich bread.

A few days back I was planning to bake cylindrical shaped plain bread, but suddenly I thought to change it into flavoured bread.

Which flavour is most popular with everyone in the varieties of bread…

Garlic flavour!
Done!!!

This was the best idea. Then to make it more delicious, I thought to add dried pizza spices.

This idea worked like a charm and during baking my house had wonderful aroma of garlic and spices.

Trust me, those bread coins with beautiful swirls of spices were so delectable.

Just toast the slices plain or grate some cheese on it and bake them for a few minutes till cheese melts… 😋 😋 😋

Now who needs garlic bread from Pizza Hut!!

Try this bread once and you will know that I am not at all exaggerating.

If you don’t have cylindrical shaped bread tin, don’t worry; follow the same process and bake in a rectangular tin. After all, shape of bread is not going to change its taste.

Before you start the process, just go through the post Wheat flour buns with pizza spices (2) (basic tips to follow if following a bread /buns recipe) to clear any doubts.

For a few more bread recipes in the blog you can check these posts:

Measurements for bread tin

11 inch – length
3 inch – diameter

Ingredients :
Garlic butter- You can use store-bought garlic butter or prepare garlic butter at home. Peel and mince 10-12 garlic pods. Heat 4-5 tbsp salted butter in a pan and add minced garlic. Saute this for 3-4 minutes and then sieve it. Home-made garlic butter is ready.

All purpose flour (maida ) 2 +1/2 cups
Milk powder 1/8 cup
Salt 1 tsp
Sugar 1+1/2 tbsp
Instant active yeast 3 /4 tsp
Mixed herbs/spices – as per requirement
Butter/Oil 1 tbsp
Water 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (should be slightly warmer than lukewarm but not hot)

Rest of the ingredients should be on the room temperature.

My 1 cup measures 250 ml

Process :

Take all dry ingredients except herb/mixed spices in a big vessel so that kneading is easy.

Collect all these ingredients in shape of a rough dough with the help of water. Don’t use entire quantity of water in this step.

Now keep adding water in small quantity along with oil/butter and knead the dough for 15 minutes or till it gets elasticity.

Transfer this smooth dough into a big size oil greased bowl. Apply some oil on top of the dough, cling wrap the bowl and keep it in a warm place for first proofing.

In between, make baking tin ready by greasing it with oil/butter. Remember to grease both the bottom and lid sides.

After first proofing, take out the dough on clean and oil greased kitchen counter and punch it lightly.

Collect the dough together, knead it very lightly to make it smooth and spread it as per the size of baking pan.

Apply garlic butter all over it very generously.

Now sprinkle spices/herbs of your choice.

From the top, start rolling it tightly and prepare a log.

Don’t let the edges be loose – seam them by pinching nicely.

Keep this seam side down and gently place this log in the baking tin.

Apply melted garlic butter on top of the log to avoid it drying and close the tin for second proofing.

Just 10 minutes before second proofing time is getting over, preheat oven at 180/185 degrees.

Second proofing will be over in 20-30 minutes.

Brush up the log with milk, close the lid and bake it at 180/185 degrees for 40-50 minutes or till the log gets beautiful brown colour. If top of the bread is not becoming brown by the end of the baking time, open the lid and bake it for 3-4 minutes extra. Take out the bread from the tin and keep it on a cooling rack. Apply butter on hot bread to keep it soft and let it cool down completely.

Once bread cools down completely, you can slice it, but to get neat slices wrap it in cling wrap with 2-3 layers and keep it in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours. Always use bread cutting serrated knife and slice bread by holding it tightly.

Isn’t this a gorgeous bake with beautiful swirls and awesome garlic herbs flavour!!

August 3, 2019April 28, 2022

Deeksha Pathak66 Comments