tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30318567842681758702024-03-16T11:52:20.631-07:00Beela BakesBeela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-44484687376660781822016-10-24T00:54:00.002-07:002016-10-24T04:35:40.850-07:00Healthy Peanut Butter, Cacao, Banana and Granola Toast with 'Chocolate Sauce'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyH9Rwk8gzv1xgjwQLZPFeIKA-ezz-lkHNu9j8HmSfdIBN_IoI21WMm_ciRrqP1vFSMv2YfDnQCvbHKVw-kZ1Q9Lh2tBnwyz6HPbEHfpNOuAOioS3VcNB1EvYnEMvthgT2Wvi61N02Rs/s1600/IMG_8571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyH9Rwk8gzv1xgjwQLZPFeIKA-ezz-lkHNu9j8HmSfdIBN_IoI21WMm_ciRrqP1vFSMv2YfDnQCvbHKVw-kZ1Q9Lh2tBnwyz6HPbEHfpNOuAOioS3VcNB1EvYnEMvthgT2Wvi61N02Rs/s640/IMG_8571.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Summer has felt like a pretty long one this time around in Dubai, and if I’m honest a pretty lazy one as well. I'm feeling more than ready to welcome the colder season, and with it more earthy, heart-warming inspired meals too. <o:p></o:p></div>
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By now you'll know breakfast is one of my favourite parts of the day, and I don't know if it's because of the ensuing change in season, but lately I haven't really been feeling my smoothie bowls as much. Instead I've been enjoying basing my breakfasts around the humble piece of toasted bread - from a simple strawberry jam on warm farm bread, to zaatar fried eggs with a buttered wholemeal slice, and lately this banana-peanut butter-chocolate style combo. </div>
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Of course, I'm always looking to see how I can make my breakfast more nutritious and filling, without labouring over something that takes too much effort. For a long time, one of my favourite ways to eat toast, is with a slather of peanut butter, topped with banana slices and drizzled with a little honey, and so recently I changed it up a notch. To make it a little fun I've added a sprinkle of cacao nibs and homemade granola, and replaced the drizzle of honey with a healthy chocolate sauce made by simply mixing together a little coconut oil with raw cacao powder. You simply can't beat a peanut butter and chocolate style combo, and this good-for-you toast version for breakfast doesn't disappoint either. The coconut oil based chocolate sauce lends a lovely hint of nuttiness but if you aren't a fan you can replace the oil with a few drops of water to mix with the cacao powder instead. All in all, it's so so easy to put together, and can be made with any type of bread you have on hand. If you're looking to try something other than your usual jam/egg on toast then this is the ultimate in a comforting bread-based breakfast that's almost dessert like, and yet made with good, honest ingredients. </div>
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<i><u>Peanut Butter, Cacao, Banana and Granola Toast with healthy 'Chocolate Sauce'</u></i></div>
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<i>Serves 1</i></div>
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<i>One slice of bread of your choice (I used a wholemeal slice here)</i></div>
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<i>Peanut butter, smooth and preferably organic</i></div>
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<i>Half a medium banana, sliced</i></div>
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<i>Raw cacao nibs</i></div>
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<i>Granola of your choice (homemade is best)</i></div>
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<i>Half tsp raw cacao powder</i></div>
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<i>Half tsp coconut oil, high quality </i></div>
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<i>1. Toast the slice of bread in a toaster to your liking. Meanwhile mix together the cacao powder and coconut oil in a small bowl until the powder has dissolved to form a runny sauce.</i></div>
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<i>2. Spread toast with a layer of peanut butter, and carefully arrange banana slices on top.</i></div>
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<i>3. Sprinkle over some raw cacao nibs and granola.</i></div>
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<i>4. Using a teaspoon drizzle the 'chocolate sauce' over.</i></div>
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<i>5. Slice toast in half if preferred and enjoy!</i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-16130778605636473392016-02-01T11:27:00.001-08:002016-02-02T05:51:58.489-08:00Healthy Peanut Butter & Strawberry 'Jelly' Smoothie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Be honest now, how many of you actually make the recipes you've saved on Pinterest, let alone give them a second look after you've pinned them? Myself included, probably not many, am I right?</span></div>
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I've recently made it a point, a mental resolution if you will, to go through all my saved pins on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/beelabakes/">Pinterest </a>boards and actually get myself to try out some of the recipes. For the past month or so, when I sit down to prepare my shopping list I set aside a few minutes to go through my boards and pick out a recipe or three, which I can then recreate during the course of the week. Most of the times its in the form of salads for lunch, but whether or not I stick to the recipe exactly, I like that it gets me thinking about why I pinned a certain recipe and that I can then say I've actually tried it. </div>
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That's pretty much how the inspiration for this smoothie came about. I came across the gorgeous image of this <a href="http://kirantarun.com/food/2014/09/17/mashed-berries-peanut-butter-shake/">Mashed Berries and Peanut Butter Shake</a> on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/beelabakes/breakfast/">Breakfast</a> board and knew it was right up my ally for morning breakfast. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwXBjEPO9psZ71qFvgZxC0eyZQyRc63lgh8H4CxlyNSWtWw8vLkLtxNl5MidYTPipFOqt6B2qLTCJ5GnNp7dSHqevavWuBrArPpdCc3rJ-j6rMj3C75_tT5tvWWOfDI49ZpH0Ab0KDvI/s1600/IMG_7372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwXBjEPO9psZ71qFvgZxC0eyZQyRc63lgh8H4CxlyNSWtWw8vLkLtxNl5MidYTPipFOqt6B2qLTCJ5GnNp7dSHqevavWuBrArPpdCc3rJ-j6rMj3C75_tT5tvWWOfDI49ZpH0Ab0KDvI/s640/IMG_7372.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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It literally takes two minutes to prepare, and although the original recipe uses sugar, salt and vanilla extract I decided to leave these out to make it more palatable and guilt-free as my morning fuel. I also added chia seeds into the mix to give it a little extra health kick. I have to admit the Brit in me has never been a fan of 'PB and jelly' as a combo so I was a little skeptical at first 'coz I personally think peanut butter and berries shouldn't really go together. And yet the reality is I actually couldn't believe how good this was. Every spoonful was addictive and it really was as good as eating an indulgent and moresome dessert, if not better. Creamy and salty, sweet and juicy all in one, and just so, so good. </div>
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Needless to say I'm definitely glad I went through my pins!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLSogUD7FxCpMLA_rumcZjOpb1inMZ9q_9-5rge2PJ3KqR2HQochH38R4pj4ggVpzfD1rAMQY4Gtt_4I9g03-xghLQQRcuLQRkms3bf4mcs_UIWIHx7akzbeupPZAmsq_tPu7wlJJdHg/s1600/IMG_7375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLSogUD7FxCpMLA_rumcZjOpb1inMZ9q_9-5rge2PJ3KqR2HQochH38R4pj4ggVpzfD1rAMQY4Gtt_4I9g03-xghLQQRcuLQRkms3bf4mcs_UIWIHx7akzbeupPZAmsq_tPu7wlJJdHg/s640/IMG_7375.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<u><i>Healthy Peanut Butter & Strawberry 'Jelly' Smoothie</i></u></div>
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<i>Inspired and adapted from <a href="http://kirantarun.com/food/2014/09/17/mashed-berries-peanut-butter-shake/">Kiran Tarun</a></i></div>
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<i>Serves 1</i></div>
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<i>8-10 strawberries</i></div>
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<i>1 tbsp chia seeds</i></div>
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<i>1 banana</i></div>
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<i>1 cup of milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)</i></div>
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<i>3 tbsp smooth peanut butter</i></div>
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<i>Strawberry and crushed roasted peanuts to garnish</i></div>
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<i>1. Blitz the strawberries together with the chia seeds in a blender for about 3-5 seconds, so that there are still chunks of strawberry left.</i></div>
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<i>2. Empty into a large glass, and give the blender a quick rinse with water.</i></div>
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<i>3. Add the rest of the ingredients into the same blender and blend until smooth.</i></div>
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<i>4. Pour over the strawberry mixture, and garnish with the strawberry and crushed peanuts before serving with a spoon.</i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-2202417131456712532016-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:002016-01-17T10:10:22.420-08:00Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potato with Tahini Labneh Dressing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECVGFyLbIc-rUgWCDchO5GYJqdi8xHEywzwqe79lCCm7XIR-8Gic-jivDkyPQIvkA16bLUcRcHWnQAA192RhfxcLDIYKO6s4HrmAFKtH9hTVL-xSXsMfuLpgZff3Wj4bFj9vEkuo4ScQ/s1600/IMG_6349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECVGFyLbIc-rUgWCDchO5GYJqdi8xHEywzwqe79lCCm7XIR-8Gic-jivDkyPQIvkA16bLUcRcHWnQAA192RhfxcLDIYKO6s4HrmAFKtH9hTVL-xSXsMfuLpgZff3Wj4bFj9vEkuo4ScQ/s640/IMG_6349.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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I've been seeing stuffed sweet potatoes around for a while now and immediately fell in love with the idea of them. At times when I'm feeling uninspired and/or lazy come lunchtime, I'll often grab a sweet potato, pierce it, put it in the microwave for 8 minutes (turning it halfway through), and once cooked through, I'll cut it in half length-ways and slather with lots of butter. Eaten with a spoon straight out of the skin its bliss and perfect for a cold day. But stuffed sweet potatoes are on a whole other level and coming across so many variations made me figure I could easily step it up a notch and make my own version. </div>
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On this particular day when I decided to try out a stuffed sweet potato I had some quinoa salad left from the day before, and it was the perfect quick fix I was looking for. I really liked this combo so decided to stick with it and share it with you guys. </div>
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With quinoa, roasted baby asparagus, sweetcorn and pomegranate this is a hearty, nourishing and complete meal in itself, especially if you use a large sweet potato and eat extra salad on the side as well. Pomegranate always adds that crunchy sweetness I love and when I made this a second time I added feta which gives a salty contrast to the sweetness of the potato. A generous drizzle of tahini, labneh, garlic and lemon dressing adds a delicious creamy kick. Dare I mention a trendy diet word or two and say this version here is gluten-free and vegetarian as well.</div>
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Don't forget to add a generous drizzle of tahini, labneh, garlic and lemon dressing for a creamy kick as mentioned in the recipe below. You could omit this and use a cashew cream instead if you wanted to make a vegan version. As with most vegetarian recipes I always say to feel free to swap out for different vegetables and make the recipe to your own taste. The quinoa really just forms the base of the 'stuffing' here. Infact you could easily make this a healthy weekday recipe too by adding shredded chicken or minced beef to the mix. </div>
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Even if you don't stick to the recipe here, next time you're stuck on what to eat for lunch or evening meal, try stuffing your sweet potato with a homemade salad. It will fill you up and the options you can fill them with are endless. </div>
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<u><i>Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potato </i></u><span style="text-align: left;"><i><u>with Tahini Labneh Dressing</u></i></span></div>
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<i>Serves 1</i></div>
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<i>One large sweet potato, baked or cooked in the microwave</i></div>
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<i>1 cup of quinoa, boiled and seasoned </i></div>
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<i>A small handful of boiled sweetcorn</i></div>
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<i>5-6 olive oil roasted & seasoned baby asparagus, sliced</i></div>
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<i>Crumbled feta</i></div>
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<i>Handful pomegranate arils</i></div>
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<i>Coriander, pepper and dried chili flakes to garnish</i></div>
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<i>Baby spinach, to serve</i></div>
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<i>1. Prepare the tahini labneh dressing as below.</i></div>
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<i>2. Gently cut the sweet potato in quarters, without slicing all the way through. so that the potato is still in one piece. Use your hands to prise the sweet potato open leaving space in the centre to spoon the quinoa into.</i></div>
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<i>3. Mix together all the rest of ingredients apart from the garnishes.</i></div>
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<i>4. Spoon the quinoa salad into the centre of the sweet potato.</i></div>
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<i>5. Drizzle the tahini labneh dressing over the stuffing, and garnish with the coriander, pepper and chili flakes.</i></div>
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<i>6. Serve with a side of baby spinach if desired. </i></div>
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<u><i>For the tahini labneh dressing</i></u></div>
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<i>1/4 cup tahini,</i></div>
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<i>3 tbsp labneh</i></div>
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<i>1 garlic clove, minced</i></div>
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<i>2 tsp lemon juice</i></div>
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<i>1. Mix all the ingredients together and add a couple of teaspoons of water to make the dressing slightly runny. Add a little more water if needed. </i></div>
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<i>2. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for upto a week.</i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-38193304001052681722016-01-13T12:31:00.000-08:002016-01-27T23:59:23.145-08:00Breakfast Smoothie & Yogurt Bowls 12 ways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you follow me on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/beelabakes">Instagram</a> you probably already know how much I like to post pictures of my breakfast. First thing in the morning I have the full day ahead of me, the most energy and all the time to be a little more playful and creative with my food, and of course to photograph it as well! I only really eat either one of two things for breakfast - a loaded smoothie, or a breakfast bowl. As a result, I've come to love trying out different versions of yogurt and smoothie bowls, sometimes planned and sometimes thrown together with whatever fruit I have that at the time, but I still never get tired of coming up with different combinations. I love the textures, flavour and aroma that putting together yogurt, fruit, granola and various toppings gives when you make a parfait. Cool creaminess from the yogurt or smoothie base, sweet juiciness from the fruit and that wonderful crunch which comes with granola, seeds and nuts.</div>
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I nearly always use full-fat natural yogurt because I find the texture of Greek yogurt too heavy and filling for me personally, but the great thing is you can substitute as you please - flavoured yogurt works just as well too. I also normally add a little local honey to my bowls - this usually helps to cut out any tartness from sour fruits, but of course you can choose to omit this or use any other sweetener instead such as agave. As you'll see below I use a lot of berries, mostly because they don't require any cutting up; just a quick wash and they can be tossed into the bowl. </div>
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To make things more healthy and nutritious I like to mix chia seeds and ground flax seed into the yogurt or smoothie base, add a few drops of natural coconut oil, plus a dash of cinnamon powder when I can remember!</div>
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There are no real rules. Switch out fruit toppings depending on whats in season and what your taste-buds prefer, and experiment with making your own granola mixes or toppings too. The combinations are endless. </div>
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Here are some of the ones I've created in recent months, and I hope they inspire you to create your own too!</div>
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1. My go-to and favourite smoothie is a banana base blended with coconut milk, raw cacao powder, ground flax seed and some peanut butter. I've been making this for a few years now and I can't get enough of it. Here I've topped it with some sliced banana, raw cacao nibs and chopped walnuts. See my post on <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2015/06/healthy-chocolate-peanut-butter.html">Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Smoothie</a> for the base recipe. </div>
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2. Yogurt with strawberries, papaya, and blueberries, topped with a drizzle of honey, slightly toasted almonds, dried goji berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon powder. Adding another fruit to my bowl of berries helps to switch things up slightly to keep me from getting bored. </div>
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3. I love to add figs into my yogurt bowls when they're in season and here I've added it with blueberries and pitted cherries too. The dried rose petals give a lovely floral hint. This is a great combination to enjoy during late summer.<br />
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4. The second smoothie I love to make often is a banana and coconut milk base with berries. Here I used mostly blackberries and raspberries, topping the smoothie bowl with homemade matcha granola, sliced strawberries, chia seeds and bee pollen.<br />
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5. For those days when you have a little more time on your hands, why not layer your ingredients (granola, yogurt and fruit) into glasses? This is especially nice for when you have guests or family staying around or over for breakfast, or even just as a little weekend treat. I blended some mango puree to compliment the sourness of using passion fruit pulp, and added raspberries to make presentable mini parfaits. </div>
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6. Another one of my favourite's to make when I want to make that extra effort is the <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/12/rose-orange-blossom-pistachio-breakfast.html">Rose, Orange Blossom and Pistachio Breakfast Parfait</a>. This Middle Eastern inspired parfait looks so pretty and the combo is heavenly. </div>
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7. Figs make a lovely addition to breakfast bowls when roasted in the oven for a couple of minutes with honey drizzled over. The caramelized aroma makes a great pairing with pistachios and they taste great added to a warm bowl of porridge too. </div>
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8. I love this combination of strawberries, pomegranate, orange rind and mint with yogurt for a cool and refreshing start to my mornings in the summer. </div>
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9. What I love about layered fruit smoothies is that its likes tasting two different types of smoothies in one. Eventually it all mixes up too so you end up with a mix of two flavour combos. Here I combined a layer of mango and banana with raspberries and banana. Another combo I really love is avocado and milk with strawberry and banana. Yum!</div>
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10. A great way to sweeten your breakfast bowl is by making fruit 'jam'. Simply boil together your choice of fruit (berries work best) with a little sugar and water. Once it has thickened slightly to a syrup like texture leave to cool for a few minutes before pouring on top of your smoothie or yogurt. Alternatively you can simply blend some berries to drizzle over. I've been loving 'strawberry chia jam' lately by blending strawberries and mixing in chia seeds. </div>
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11. Here is another example of a more colour-driven smoothie bowl I made recently - blackberry and banana smoothie base, topped with overnight chia coconut milk, berries, blood orange slices and bee pollen. How gorgeous is that orange?!</div>
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12. Last but not least, my go-to combination on most days - yogurt and whichever berries I can find in my fridge! I like to switch up the granola, add different nuts and seeds and a dash of cinnamon powder.<br />
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Do you enjoy smoothie or yogurt bowls for breakfast, and what is your favourite combination to make?</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-32361710202529973402015-12-13T12:42:00.001-08:002016-01-16T01:54:14.464-08:00Gourmet Doughnuts in London (and the UAE)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you love your desserts and baked goods like me, you might have possibly noticed that the popularity of doughnuts has been steadily on the rise (pun intended) in the past year or so. I don't just mean any doughnuts of course, but more specifically <i>gourmet</i> doughnuts.</div>
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Sure Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts may just be the thing when you're looking for a sugary sprinkle topped treat for a few dirhams, but visit a special artisanal bakery and you'll find the humble doughnut made with honest, preservative free ingredients, and filled and topped with all kinds of imaginative combinations and creative ingredients that will make you wonder why doughnuts were never made like this before.</div>
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And why you ask did I decide to write about the current popularity of the dough baked good? Well, last year when I visited London in October (yes this post is pretty late in the making), I made it a mission of mine to visit all the gourmet doughnut hot spots in the city. I've also been fortunate to handle the social media of the UAE's very own gourmet doughnut spot, <a href="http://www.lovedoughnuts.com/">Love Doughnuts</a> in Abu Dhabi, for over a year now. In fact if you follow me on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/beelabakes">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/beelabakes">Twitter</a> you'll have probably noticed I post a lot about them already. Regardless, with the addition of a few more high-end doughnut offerings already on the UAE scene its clear that the region is catching onto the bug too.</div>
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When it comes to gourmet doughnuts expect to pay a little bit more than your average doughnut and if you haven't actually tried a one yet you're definitely going to want to after this post!</div>
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<u>Crosstown Doughnuts</u></div>
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Although Crosstown Doughnuts now has a stand alone store in Soho, at the time I visited they had a concession in Selfridges and sold through weekly markets. I'd heard a lot of brilliant things about Crosstown and couldn't wait to try their offerings. I first visited them at the food hall in Selfridges (as this is also where St John's Bakery has a doughnut concession). It was the end of the day so a lot of their produce had already sold leaving me to only give their Vanilla Bean Glazed doughnut a go. This is their gourmet take on the classic sugar glazed doughnut and despite it being the end of the day, the sourdough bread was still soft, the glaze was still intact (how annoying is it when doughnut glazes melt away) and it proved to be a satisfying doughnut. </div>
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However I was keen to try their more creative flavours and after a couple of days I visited their stall at Leather Lane Market in Holborn, where I managed to catch them early whilst a lot of flavours were available. I picked the Sea Salt Caramel & Banana Cream, and Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble doughnuts, and proceeded to a nearby park to enjoy my treats on a bench. Both flavours couldn't have been more further from each other and yet both deserve a mention. In fact even a year on I can still remember how good they were. </div>
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The Sea Salt Caramel & Banana Cream is an ingenious combination of chocolate sourdough, fresh banana cream filling, and topped with sea salt caramel and chocolate 'soil'. Three words - I loved it. It's a doughnut I still dream about to this day. Ooey gooey banana cream, a lightly chocolate dough and that delightful hint of caramel sweetness.</div>
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I'm not usually one for warm fruity British desserts but I couldn't help but choose the Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble doughnut because of the time of year and for nostalgic reasons. I'm glad I did as the flavours pleasantly surprised me - the spices in the filling really came through and it tasted exactly like an apple and pear crumble actually does. </div>
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The doughnuts from Crosstown Doughnuts were definitely memorable. The flavours were sharp, the dough was soft and bouncy, and the fillings were generous (something I enjoyed with these flavours). Looking through their website they have some incredible drool-worthy combinations which I can't wait to try more of in the future. </div>
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<a href="http://www.crosstowndoughnuts.com/">www.crosstowndoughnuts.com/</a></div>
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<u>Dum Dum Donutterie</u></div>
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I made Dum Dum Donutterie my first doughnut pit-stop upon arriving in the city. I visited their concession at Harrod's and opted for their Zebra Baked Doughnuts - a butter croissant dough, filled with chocolate buttercream, topped with chocolate and sprinkled with more chocolate. Essentially a 'cronut', it was quite frankly everything you could imagine and want in a croissant-doughnut hybrid. Crispy and soft layers infused with ample buttery chocolate cream which oozed out with every bite. I thoroughly loved it.</div>
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I didn't have space to try their actual doughnuts so decided to leave it for a few days later when I visited their branch at Box Park in Shoreditch. Unfortunately it was an unexpectedly cold and rainy walk from Liverpool Street station to get there and by the time I reached I already wasn't in the best of moods and craved a refuge spot. This time I ordered their Creme Brulee and White Chocolate & Pistachio doughnuts. In stark contrast to their cronuts I really didn't enjoy these. The Creme Brulee doughnut had barely any custard cream filling at all and was simply topped with crunchy caramelised sugar. Similarly the White Chocolate Pistachio had no filling and both doughnuts left much to be desired. I was pretty annoyed from my experience of these doughnuts, and although my mood wasn't great already I'm still not convinced this would have made a difference to my experience of them.</div>
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I should note what makes Dum Dum Doughnuts different to the other gourmet doughnuts reviewed here is that they are baked, not fried. Still they've managed to take the London doughnut scene by storm and I'm hoping the next time I try them it will be much better. </div>
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Recently Dum Dum Donutterie announced they will be opening a branch right here in Dubai soon on Jumeirah Beach Road. </div>
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<a href="http://dumdums.co.uk/">dumdums.co.uk/</a></div>
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<a href="http://dumdums.ae/">dumdums.ae/</a> </div>
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<u>Bread Ahead Bakery</u></div>
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Bread Ahead Bakery is another gourmet doughnut offering I had heard a lot of good things about prior to visiting. Although primarily bread-makers, they've garnered a lot of attention for their doughnuts at their stall in Borough Market, just around the corner from their oven baking headquarters. When I visited the market on a Saturday there was definitely a lot of buzz around their booth. All you have to do is take a look at their doughnuts to know there must be something good about them. My friend and I decided on a Creme Caramel & Salted Honeycomb, and Hazelnut & Almond Praline doughnut. </div>
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Although they are not topped with anything on the outside, there is no scrimping on the filling which purposely oozes out and forms the base for crumbled toppings. In fact similarly to Crosstown Doughnuts, the dough is literally just enough to encase whats within. The doughnuts are rolled in sugar and have a rustic, old-school baked look to them. Sticky chins are inevitable! What you're getting here is really dessert, and for that I personally couldn't complain. </div>
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Just like Crosstown, I've been dreaming about these doughnuts ever since. </div>
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Bread Ahead have since opened an eatery offering an array of bites in Old Street.</div>
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<a href="http://www.breadahead.com/">www.breadahead.com/</a></div>
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<u>St John's Bakery</u></div>
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Conveniently next to the Crosstown concession in the Selfridges food hall I managed to catch the baker filling fresh doughnut's with vanilla cream when I arrived and I knew I had to try one. I also went for a fruit jam filled doughnut, although I can't remember now if it was peach or apricot filled. These reminded me very much of Bread Ahead's doughnuts, in dough taste, texture and style. </div>
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I would call these gourmet in the sense that they've clearly been made with high quality ingredients and by an artisanal bakery which has earned a reputation for its baked goods. If you're looking for simple sugar-rolled doughnuts with a good dough and classic jam and cream based fillings then these are for you. </div>
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<a href="https://www.stjohngroup.uk.com/">www.stjohngroup.uk.com/</a></div>
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<u>Love Doughnuts</u></div>
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London and the States may be in full swing of the gourmet doughnut craze now, but the Emirates, where new food spots regularly open up with lots of media fanfare, has been surprisingly slow to catch onto the trend.</div>
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However one such offering which did catch onto the gap in the UAE market is Love Doughnuts. Based in Abu Dhabi, the family run bakery slash coffee shop and gelateria opened up back in 2013 and was definitely the first to offer creative doughnut flavours using locally sourced and high quality, honest ingredients. </div>
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Handmade everyday Love Doughnuts has a variety of its most popular flavours which it sells on a daily basis, but also introduces two to three new flavours as specials every month. Some of the flavours they've had in the past include Red Velvet White Chocolate & Strawberry, Dark Chocolate Lotus, Date & Tahini, Earl Grey & Passionfruit, and Peach & Green Chilli to name but a few! </div>
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And yes I may be biased, but having tried a countless number of their doughnuts, they naturally come highly recommended. The quality is uncompromised and each doughnut is lovingly made from scratch. One look at their doughnut counter is enough to have your taste buds racing. Personal favourites include the Honeycomb Chocolate and classic Boston Cream, and I'm also partial to their gelato scooped between a warm sliced doughnut and topped with Belgian chocolate!</div>
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<a href="http://www.lovedoughnuts.com/">www.lovedoughnuts.com</a></div>
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<u>Jam Bar</u></div>
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Another doughnut offering in the UAE worthy of note is Jam Bar, which opened up about a year ago with a stall in Dubai Mall, and has recently opened a second outlet in Kite Beach. So far I've only managed to try a doughnut ice-cream sandwich, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Although I haven't seen them market themselves as 'gourmet' doughnuts they definitely do hand-made doughnuts made with real ingredients. Retro in style, their offerings range from the standard cream and jam filled, to the more playful Princess Jasmine - filled with rosewater cream, and topped with a rosewater glaze and pistachio praline. </div>
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<a href="http://www.jambar.co/">www.jambar.co</a></div>
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As I also mentioned above, Dum Dum Donutterie are due to open soon in Dubai. Although I didn't enjoy their doughnuts I'll definitely be visiting their branch here to give them another try, if not for their cronuts. </div>
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Have you tried 'gourmet' doughnuts yet? </div>
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Disclaimer: although I work with Love Doughnut's in no way are these opinions obligatory to my service to them. I chose to write this review and all views are my own. </div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-73536757281839672842015-11-20T10:30:00.003-08:002015-11-20T10:30:37.084-08:00Review: Hunny Bunny's Cake Factory cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRDeYQJskEFhv1O1S-8ZMdeVPPoYQuiA_fzszng988Tx1sIFoDLjXYxcwi70GbSvDalJg_ds0yuWmjro8E666gU-mKczjzFdZNsjrBTrAnVlUzI1LBKjzRgg_pU-NPDPT3ib2sOedSro/s1600/IMG_4717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRDeYQJskEFhv1O1S-8ZMdeVPPoYQuiA_fzszng988Tx1sIFoDLjXYxcwi70GbSvDalJg_ds0yuWmjro8E666gU-mKczjzFdZNsjrBTrAnVlUzI1LBKjzRgg_pU-NPDPT3ib2sOedSro/s640/IMG_4717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A couple of months ago I was invited by Hunny Bunny's Cake Factory, a newly opened cake business in Dubai, to try out their homemade cupcakes. As a self-declared dessert connoisseur I always jump at the chance to try out locally based baking businesses, and can understand how much work and effort goes into creating a good cake or cupcake - the base, the right balance of icing to cake, and flavour intensity are all factors which are crucial. Not that it means these factors ever go right for me!</div>
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As well as cakes, Hunny Bunny's has an extensive list of cupcake flavours to choose from, whether the more traditional or creative, both in taste and presentation. I decided to opt for their more original creations, going for the Absolute Arabian, Crazy Caramel, Happy Hi-Hat and Bombastic Banana. It had actually been a while since I had eaten any cupcakes at all so I looked forward to tasting them with enthusiasm. The verdict? They definitely did not disappoint! </div>
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<u>Absolute Arabian</u><br />
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With a coconut cake base and orange blossom and rosewater buttercream topped with pistachio slivers, this combination makes for a very pretty cupcake. By now you already know that I'm a sucker for anything rose water, orange blossom and pistachio flavoured. I also really love coconut so I couldn't wait to try this flavour the most and boy was it good. I absolutely loved it! There's something so good about the nuttiness in a coconut cake and together with the floral frosting it lent an amazing combination both in texture and taste! </div>
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<u>Crazy Caramel</u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUMn41dj8CA6eoWZ15GBVk7hx_Yoqn_KbiUakQ0AdWnztNBI9y1RHYQSqkafBqH78Rcyn51BOxuuI8zqsrvo-RTqml8lzu6mz-yUaX_3lFEwcFegMELzA9l7kefJ4_Uc9vzexeNuOSHY/s1600/IMG_4739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUMn41dj8CA6eoWZ15GBVk7hx_Yoqn_KbiUakQ0AdWnztNBI9y1RHYQSqkafBqH78Rcyn51BOxuuI8zqsrvo-RTqml8lzu6mz-yUaX_3lFEwcFegMELzA9l7kefJ4_Uc9vzexeNuOSHY/s640/IMG_4739.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This one is for the salty-sweet fans - salted caramel cupcake with salted caramel frosting and a pretzel on top. I had never tried a caramel cupcake before this and was really pleased that it wasn't as super sweet as you might imagine with most caramel flavoured desserts. The cake and frosting both had a pleasant caramel flavour, and the added hint of salt imparted that lovely contrast which makes salted caramel so irresistible! </div>
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<u>Happy Hi-Hat</u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz86mLbBdmmL-tgpPMfNHSXQ5MFGX8a4gUCoEX04JWmvHaNegt3YfcXlyWVahn86Iydpt77wJFQUDYxVCS_UeXeKnF5MWm4fUashuu012lc-FQH0tHwkNFJ3gvZ9TRN_Yo5tihOqti3L8/s1600/IMG_4735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz86mLbBdmmL-tgpPMfNHSXQ5MFGX8a4gUCoEX04JWmvHaNegt3YfcXlyWVahn86Iydpt77wJFQUDYxVCS_UeXeKnF5MWm4fUashuu012lc-FQH0tHwkNFJ3gvZ9TRN_Yo5tihOqti3L8/s640/IMG_4735.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<pre class="content" data-hook="product-page-description-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.5px; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is seemingly just a chocolate cupcake, but once bitten into the chocolate dome reveals a fluffy meringue frosting encased inside the crispy exterior shell. So cute, and the meringue frosting was a lovely alternative to buttercream - think marshmallow pillowy-ness on cake! I loved that it was a different way to enjoy a chocolate cupcake and the cake base itself was perfectly chocolatey.</span></pre>
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<u>Bombastic Banana</u><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLGfF1No6es-Fkyfb5DMSqzOzaQiKSJ0ynnV5lu2_cZ1HWFpwG-AqIQPcxJ8HdAApbonq4C0TzdqlvI6MjPHnD6yaFixo1_t-BeX-KZVOVn9DJZfTEMFojAvyL1Me0TKqXygrUYe1U_w/s1600/IMG_4737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLGfF1No6es-Fkyfb5DMSqzOzaQiKSJ0ynnV5lu2_cZ1HWFpwG-AqIQPcxJ8HdAApbonq4C0TzdqlvI6MjPHnD6yaFixo1_t-BeX-KZVOVn9DJZfTEMFojAvyL1Me0TKqXygrUYe1U_w/s640/IMG_4737.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This cupcake is Hunny Bunny Cake Factory's take on a banana split with banana cake, strawberry buttercream, chocolate ganache, whipped cream style frosting and a cherry on top. It not only looks party perfect but with all the classic layers of a banana split also tastes like a party! The banana cake didn't have any of the artificial banana flavour you often get with banana desserts, and considering the number of toppings added it was indulgent without being overly so. </div>
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Although my favourite's were the Arabian and Crazy Caramel it was hard to find any fault with all of the flavours I tried. They equally tasted how they read and none of the ingredients were crazily overpowering or too jarring. This went for both the cake base and the frosting as well as the toppings. </div>
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How often have you eaten a cupcake only for the buttercream frosting to be far too sweet making it difficult to enjoy more than one cupcake in a sitting? With these cupcakes this wasn't the case - the frosting had just the right amount of sweetness and in addition it didn't overpower the cake bases. Similarly the sweetness of the cake itself too was balanced, with the cake to frosting ratio just right. I easily enjoyed two to three cupcakes in one go (don't judge!). As for the texture and baking quality, the cake base's were all moist, fluffy and neither over nor under-done. I would have happily eaten them even without the added frosting!</div>
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I cannot recommend Hunny Bunny's Cake Factory enough - if you're looking for quality cupcakes in both traditional and unique flavours you can't go wrong in choosing them for your special occasion or just as a special treat.</div>
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Order straight from their website at <a href="http://www.cakefactorydubai.com/">http://www.cakefactorydubai.com/</a> or call/whatsapp on +971568460856</div>
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Follow them too - </div>
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Instagram: @hunnybunnys_cake_factory</div>
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Facebook: @hunnybunnycf</div>
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Twitter: @hunnybunnyscake</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-68946300297751388452015-07-04T14:41:00.002-07:002015-07-04T15:21:57.128-07:00Rose & Saffron Cream Kunafa Nests<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As soon as the countdown to Eid nears one of the first things we tend to think of in our household is what sweets to prepare. This is especially true when we know it's going to be a long day of welcoming guests and needing to make something that's quick yet still impressive to serve with that first post-Ramadan afternoon tea! And so the idea for these Rose and Saffron Cream Kunafa Nests was born.<br />
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One of my absolute favourite Arabic desserts is kunafa (otherwise spelt as knafeh) - typically a dessert made up of two crisp layers of vermicelli, stuffed with a light but sweet cheese, and then soaked or drizzled with a wonderful rose sugar syrup concoction. I love how it cleverly uses cheese for that sweet and savory combo, which personally makes it irresistible.<br />
Hence the idea behind this dessert came from my love of kunafa, whilst being inspired by a mix of those ingredients which are commonly used in Middle-Eastern and Asian sweets - rose petals, pistachio and saffron. All have long been used in a very festive way in both Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. Here instead of the usual akawi cheese, I decided to combine my beloved mascarpone (see previous recipes) with kunafa dough strands to create a dessert that, like the tradtional kunafa, is crunchy, sweet, creamy and aromatic all at the same time. Not to mention, it also looks very pretty once put together.<br />
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Using a cupcake tin also has its advantage as it means easy individual sized portions which aren't too filling, yet still worthy of seconds. Both the kunafa nests and mascarpone cream mix can be made ahead, so as to be assembled before serving.</div>
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<u><i>Rose & Saffron Cream Kunafa Nests</i></u></div>
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<i>Makes 12 nests. Preparation time 45 minutes.</i></div>
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<i><i>250g kunafa dough, defrosted</i></i></div>
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<i>1/2 cup water</i></div>
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<i>1/2 cup caster sugar</i></div>
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<i>2 & half tsp rose water</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp orange blossom water</i></div>
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<i>5-6 strands of saffron</i></div>
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<i>250g tub of mascarpone</i></div>
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<i>40g icing sugar</i></div>
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<i>Pistachio slivers, for decorating</i></div>
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<i>Dried rose petals, for decorating</i></div>
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<i>Persian fairy floss, for decorating</i></div>
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<i><i><i>1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C, and using a cupcake tray shape and roll the kunafa strands into each mould of the tray. Bake in the oven for about ten minutes, keeping an eye out until they are golden in colour. Remove and leave to cool.</i></i></i></div>
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<i><i>2. Meanwhile make the sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar together for about three minutes, until the sugar has melted. Leave to cool slightly and then add one teaspoon each of the rose and orange blossom water. Add the saffron strands and mix to get a yellow tint.</i></i></div>
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<i><i>3. To make the cream topping, combine together the mascarpone, icing sugar and remaining one and a half teaspoons of rose water.</i></i></div>
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<i><i>4. To assemble, drizzle one teaspoon of the sugar syrup over each of the kunafa nests, and leave to soak for five minutes. Now using a teaspoon, dollop the mascarpone cream mix over each nest, and drizzle a little more sugar syrup over. Decorate with Persian fairy floss, pistachio slivers and rose petals before serving.</i></i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com159tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-11960234185516023762015-06-17T18:59:00.002-07:002020-06-10T00:15:47.871-07:00Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Smoothie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When it comes to breakfast there are really only one of two things I like to make every morning - a generous <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/12/rose-orange-blossom-pistachio-breakfast.html" target="_blank">yogurt, fruit and granola parfait</a>, or a filling milk-based smoothie loaded with enough ingredients to take me through the till lunch time.</div>
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This smoothie right here has pretty much become my go-to smoothie on most mornings. Its so easy to throw together I could probably make it with both my eyes closed, and I love that there are days when I wake up craving it. Oh and if you love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, the salty with the sweet, then you'll forever want to make this on most mornings like I do. It's exactly like drinking a sort-of-dessert for breakfast, yet with no added sugar and just the right amount of sweetness. (For some odd reason I don't seem to have added enough cacao powder to the smoothies in these images, but it should look and taste chocolatey!)</div>
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The best part? It really is 'healthy'.<br />
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<u><i>Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Breakfast Smoothie</i></u><br />
<i>Serves 1</i><br />
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</i></u> <i>1 cup of milk of choice (I use <a href="http://www.tastethedream.com/products/product/5228/772.php" target="_blank">Coconut Dream Unsweetened</a> drinking coconut milk)</i><br />
<i>1 medium banana</i><br />
<i>1 level tbsp peanut butter (I use <a href="http://wholeearthfoods.com/product/crunchy-organic/" target="_blank">Whole Earth Crunchy Organic</a>)</i><br />
<i>1-2 tbsp raw cacao powder, depending in how chocolatey you want it (I use <a href="http://www.shipleyhealthstore.co.uk/of-the-earth-superfoods-raw-peruvian-cacao-powder" target="_blank">Superfoods Organic Raw Peruvian Cacao Powder</a>)</i><br />
<i>1 level tbsp ground flax seed</i><br />
<i>Pinch of organic maca powder</i><br />
<i>Pinch of cinnamon powder (optional)</i><br />
<i>A few drops of pure coconut oil (optional)</i><br />
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</i> <i>Put all the ingredients together in a blender and blend till smooth. Adjust consistency with more milk if preferred. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy immediately!</i><br />
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-557163276538498262015-03-16T02:18:00.003-07:002015-03-16T07:44:18.243-07:00Beela Bakes: Guide to Borough Market, London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Continuing on from my London Food Diary series, I knew I had to dedicate a post of its own to wondrous <a href="http://boroughmarket.org.uk/" target="_blank">Borough Market</a>. In all my twenty-three years living in the city, plus frequent trips back and forth since moving to Dubai, I had never visited the market before, and it ended up proving to be the most memorable food experience on this particular visit. Be prepared to queue and eat to your hearts content, but if there is at least one place you visit for food in London, I implore you to make it this.</div>
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Having done my research, I visited with my best friend on a Saturday afternoon which was deemed the best day to go, as although the market was pretty crowded we found stalls and stalls of food, with everything you can imagine to eat and such great choice. Whether you're looking to have lunch or dessert, Egyptian or Thai, or even artisanal products to take home, you'll be more than spoilt, and whats great is that the majority of stalls happily give out samples to try.</div>
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Our first stop was <a href="http://www.kosharistreet.com/" target="_blank">Koshari Street</a>. I was first introduced to koshari, the popular Egyptian street dish through ones of Antony Bourdain's shows and had subsequently heard lots about the London eatery opened by Middle Eastern cookery writer Anissa Helou, so I was super eager to try it. And WOW. What an absolute must try! Completely vegetarian, it consists of a mix of lentils, rice, pasta and vermicelli, topped with a spicy tomato sauce, chickpeas and caramelised onions. As random as it sounds it was totally out of this world. If you can't visit them at the market, Koshari Street has their main branch in Covent Garden.</div>
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Fresh, hot, batter-fried calamari served with chopped red chilies and sweet chili sauce on the side was a definite highlight. My mind escapes me as to whether this was from a Spanish or Thai food stall (I'm thinking the latter) but nevertheless it was seriously good and still has me dreaming about my next trip to the market.</div>
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I dare you to leave Borough Market without trying a sugary treat from at least one of the numerous confectionary and bakery stands. As brownie addicts, my friend bought a brownie from <a href="http://www.comptoirgourmand.co.uk/" target="_blank">Comptoir Gourmand</a> whilst I tried one from Artisan Foods. In the end we both decided the former had the best one. In addition we bought artisanal doughnuts from <a href="http://www.breadahead.com/" target="_blank">Bread Ahead Bakery</a>. If you are sweet-toothed I highly encourage you to try these, but much more on doughnuts in a follow-up post!</div>
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Hydration was found in the form of a smoothie from the Natural Smoothie Co. My forest green High Kick was a super blend of kiwi, pineapple, strawberry, banana, spirulina, linseed, apple and orange juice, and although I am weary of too many combinations in one smoothie, this one was faultless. </div>
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To take back home with me I bought granola from <a href="http://www.minimagoo.com/" target="_blank">Mini Magoo</a> which does 100% organic cereal and granola mixes. Having tried some samples to taste, I settled on a pack each of their Funstuff! Ginger Seeds and Nuts mix, which was gluten, oat and wheat free, and their lovely Christmas granola with white chocolate pieces, cranberries orange peel and dates. They've been a great addition to my morning yogurt parfaits!</div>
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If you missed it, see my London Food Diary <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2015/02/beela-bakes-london-food-diary-part-1.html" target="_blank">part 1</a> and <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2015/03/beela-bakes-london-food-diary-part-2.html" target="_blank">part 2</a> for more on where to eat and dine when in the capital. </div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-1708480428537085252015-03-02T11:59:00.000-08:002015-03-16T07:45:21.182-07:00Beela Bakes: London Food Diary: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<u>The Five Fields, Chelsea</u></div>
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Dinner here was planned by my husband as a surprise to celebrate our three year anniversary, and boy was it good. So good infact that it was easily one of the most memorable meals I've ever had. There is a waiting list for reservations to dine here which alone can take upto three months. Focusing on British cooking, but with a modern and playful twist, each dish at <a href="http://www.fivefieldsrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">The Five Fields</a> is made with native British artisanal produce and changes seasonally. The dining room itself is a small intimate space which made it feel all the more special and gave an air of what felt like a traditional English gentleman's private club.<br />
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I loved that they personalised the menu for our special occasion. I started with the simply named Garden - a playful combination of herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables which tasted just as colourful as it looked. I tried turbot for the first time for my main, and it was served with laver seaweed, razor clams and blackberries. Dessert options looked incredible and we couldn't hold back from ordering two - the lemon brulee with butternut squash ice-cream, and the cucumber basil white chocolate with dill. Even so, we were given a third complimentary dessert - an example of the attention and care taken by the restaurant to ensure a great experience. Every dish was perfection, beautifully presented and the service was stellar. Lots of delicate herbs, pretty colours and artfully combined flavours. At the end of the meal we were given a complimentary box of housemade confectionary. Truly ones of the best meals I've had and it definitely lives up to its reputation - just read its exemplary reviews.</div>
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<u>Joe and The Juice, Regent Street</u></div>
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Another spot which I discovered with friends during my last year of uni. The <a href="http://www.joejuice.com/site/" target="_blank">urban-style juice bar </a>which originally hails from Denmark offers a selection of fruit juices and smoothies, as well as snacks and sandwiches. It kind of has a very similar feel to Tom & Serg in Dubai in terms of the decor and ambience, and you can watch your juice being blended up on the open space counter bar. Seating comes in a variety of styles, including window seats, sofas, table and chairs and a more communal space in the upstairs area. It's a lovely spot to catch up with friends, or especially one to retreat to after a busy few hours most likely shopping on nearby Oxford Street (totally guilty)! Infact I also love it for people-watching. They do however have branches in Fitzrovia and Dean Street as well. On this trip I went for 'Joe's Sweet Kiss', a blend of raspberry, apple and ginger. It was fresh, zingy and frankly a better alternative to the usual Costa, Starbucks and Caffe Nero nearby. Saying that there is coffee on the menu too for those who still need their caffeine fix. I didn't eat anything this time round though I can vouch for their avocado sandwich being very good.<br />
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<u>Pret A Manger, all over London</u><br />
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Good 'ol <a href="http://www.pret.com/" target="_blank">Pret</a>. I simply can't tell you how many times Pret has literally saved my life. From A-Level school days grabbing a quick lunchtime sandwich during private study breaks, to university again where it practically made up for at least one less meal to worry about everyday. And of course this is precisely what makes it so good - its ethos is handmade, natural food without any preservatives or additives, and it truly caters to the everyday person; one looking to refuel with good 'fast-food' in a city where time is unfortunately always of the essence. In fact I don't think there is anything Pret does which could be considered 'bad' - sandwiches, wraps, soups, hot savoury pastries, freshly bottled smoothies and juices, healthy crisps, snack bars, dessert pots, everything it does it does so well. Oh and did I mention how amazing the avocado wrap is? Hand on heart, this is one sandwich I could eat everyday for the rest of my life. You can find a Pret on virtually every street corner in central London now and to be honest, with such good honest food I'm all the more grateful for it. Pret I love you.</div>
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P.S. I've now long heard whispers about Pret A Manger coming to Dubai, more specifically to the airport, and I really hope its true!</div>
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<u>Box Park, Shoreditch</u></div>
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Box Park is a pop-up mall concept in the hipper east part of London, which sees a mix of independent fashion brands, cafes and restaurants housed in shipping containers. Infact it's a concept very similarly adopted, if not copied (!), by the newly opened Box Park on Al Wasl Road in Dubai. I came here specifically on a hunt for gourmet doughnuts (something which I will be posting about soon) but enjoyed lunch at <a href="http://www.thaiandlaostreetfood.com/" target="_blank">Thai and Lao Street Food</a> which serves up a variety of South East Asian street food and uses fresh ingredients for meals which are cooked to order. I went for a steaming hot pad thai with prawns, which was just the thing I needed on a dreary damp day, and especially as the open containers don't allow much for keeping out the cold even when seated inside. The husband went instead for a Korean bulgogi beef salad box with kimchi from <a href="http://www.korrito.co.uk/" target="_blank">Korrito</a>. With a rooftop style garden its definitely a great place to check out in the British summer and enjoy al fresco style lunches and dinners.<br />
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<u>Roasted Chestnut's, Oxford Street</u></div>
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One of my absolute fondest memories from my childhood is enjoying hot roasted chestnuts from Victorian-style wooden carts in Knightsbridge during the winter months. There is something about the charcoally smell of chestnuts roasting, and the delight in peeling back the hot individual shells which is forever engraved in my mind. It romantically takes me back to trips into central London with my parents on the weekends, when my mum and I would buy a small crispy white paper bag of roast chestnuts each and sit on a side-street bench enjoying their soft rubbery sweet flesh one by one, or in our laps trying not to make a mess in the car ride back home. Today it is impossible for me to pass a street seller without stopping to buy a bag and I especially look forward to seeking them out when I'm in the city for winter. I'm not sure if they are sold in Knightsbridge anymore but I bought from a seller on Oxford Street this time and in the past have seen them sold on The Strand as well. Quintessentially British, to me they are a symbol of a bygone era of street-life still preserved in today's London.<br />
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Read Part 1 of my London Food Diary <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2015/02/beela-bakes-london-food-diary-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a> </div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-32070225571835760392015-02-04T13:14:00.000-08:002015-03-16T07:48:40.221-07:00Beela Bakes London Food Diary: Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Its already been few months now since I came back from a short trip to my beloved London. Still I've been meaning to share this post so here it is. Although the winter had already settled in when I was there, I'm glad to say I didn't let it deter me and I honestly had one of the best 'holidays' I have had since moving away from the city four years ago. Is it just me or is the city's food scene thriving more than ever before? Fine dining, cafe's, deli's, bakeries, markets, pop-up stalls - there seemed to be so much to discover everywhere I turned. Like most Londoners, I've always held a special place in my heart for the festive season, and I really think this contributed to my enjoyment of this trip even more. Hot street roasted chestnuts, the Harrod's window displays, and Christmas lights on Oxford Street are traditions which made winter in London what it was for me as a child. As I go back to visit over the years I'm always glad to see they are all traditions which are very much still alive, never failing to add that special atmosphere to this time of the year especially.</div>
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Obviously I arrived with a list the length of my arm of places I wanted to try, and even though I didn't get to try them all, there was certainly the odd day where I ended up eating three mini lunches just so I could fit in said places all in one go! Of course, as a self-proclaimed sweet-tooth there were also plenty of days when dessert naturally replaced lunch or dinner - the things we do as a food blogger! I admit, a few of the places I visited were based on other food blogger's recommendations, but I did try to add spots in of my own, and I also tried to visit some of my favourite places having grown up as a Londoner. Since there are too many to fit into one post, look out for a follow up post soon. </div>
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<u>GAILS Artisan Bakery, Portobello Road</u></div>
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I made a point to visit Portobello Road and the Notting Hill area as its a part of London I used to frequent often during my school years as a teenager, and hadn't explored in a while. Gails was on my list to visit and I am so happy I did. They have a huge selection of in-house freshly made sandwiches, beautiful baked breads, baked sweets and pastries. I had the mini sesame bun with avocado guacamole and plum tomato, and a mini poppy seed roll with smoked wild salmon and chives (as seen in the first image). Both were out of this world - so so fresh, and I for one am not even a bread person. My only complaint is that I couldn't try more of their selection as this was lunch no.2 for the day. This is somewhere I definitely plan on visiting again and again whenever I am back.</div>
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<u>Millies Cookies, Hammersmith Station</u><br />
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Foodies have always claimed Ben's Cookies as being the best, but I have never really understood this - if you ask me, Millie's Cookies is where its really at. As a school girl in Hammersmith, I had to navigate my way through the Broadway Centre everyday to get to the tube station, and buying cookies from the Millie's Cookies stall became a mandatory ritual. Sort of a welcome comforting respite after a long school day. So much so that an employee ended up giving me a special discount card reserved for ...shhh, Millie's Cookies staff. Guess who became the envy of all her friends? Fact.</div>
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So naturally when I found myself getting off at Hammersmith this time to change tube lines, I had to make a little stop to the same stall and reminisce over my favourite milk chocolate chip, and salted caramel and pecan. One each, just as when I was a school girl.</div>
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They're super soft, buttery, a little chewy but with an ever so slightly crunchy exterior. Whats great is they still taste exactly the same as they did all those years ago, and really, nothing made my tube journey home that much better.</div>
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<u>L'Eto Caffe, Knightsbridge</u></div>
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Having heard so much about L'Eto Caffe from friends, family and bloggers this was the first stop on my list. A visit to the Knightsbridge branch for lunch was made to refuel post a gorgeous walk in nearby Holland Park with the husband. I ordered the Pumpkin and Feta Cannelloni with Roasted Butternut Squash Puree & Baby Spinach off their menu. I wasn't expecting the portion to be quite so small, but I genuinely loved it and especially liked the way it was presented. However I was totally in awe of their fantastic platter display and in hindsight it was a mistake to order off the menu. I would definitely go for their seasonal salads next time! For dessert I got their popular Honey Cake which had also been recommended to me by many, and it was definitely the best version I've tried. The dessert display is a real spectacle (even when compared to Dubai brunch dessert displays!) and I lost count at how many passers-by stopped to glare in through the window.<br />
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<u>Tinseltown, Ealing Broadway</u><br />
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As a Muslim who only ever eats halal, it naturally became more difficult to find halal-friendly food that wasn't only Asian or Lebanese, once I was living away at university. So you can imagine how amazing it was as a uni student to discover Tinseltown, an American style diner which served halal burgers in the city. Tinseltown ended up becoming a great spot for birthday get together's as well as late night impromptu meals.<br />
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It only made sense then to make sure I brought my husband here during our trip. We decided to visit the Ealing branch, as it was closer to where we were staying, although my previous visits were always either to the one in Hampstead or Farringdon. We ordered a garlic chicken burger and a classic beef burger along with a side of fries, but no trip to Tinseltown is complete without a milkshake. They are especially known for these, which you can custom make from literally any popular chocolate bar you can think of. I know what you're thinking - aren't there lots of milkshake places like this now (Shakeism in Barsha, Dubai is my favourite) but back then (2007!) it was one of the only places to have this concept, at least in London. My milkshake of choice this time? The Wunder Kind - a Kinder Bueno and ice-cream milkshake topped with whipped cream, rich toffee sauce, chocolate sprinkles and a wafer. The perfect compliment to an American style diner meal.</div>
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<u>The Liberty of Norton Folgate, Liverpool Street</u><br />
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We stumbled upon this beautiful minimalist coffee shop whilst trying to seek refuge from heavy rain. The focus here is on serving a high quality selection of coffee and teas, as well as a variety of sweet treats. We both ordered a hot chocolate made with Koko Deluxe - a hot cocoa brand which uses some of the worlds finest cocoas and all natural ingredients. The result was a rich drink which certainly had a true chocolate taste, and was the perfect respite from the cold weather in the late afternoon.<br />
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<u>Novikov, Berkley Street Mayfair</u><br />
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I have to admit I had never heard of Novikov until we were invited out to dine here for my aunt's birthday during this trip, and I was hugely impressed. The Mayfair fine-dining establishment is divided essentially into two restaurants - the front half a pan-Asian mix serving Chinese, Japanese and Malaysian, and the back focused on Italian. We were booked in for the Asian, but what is great again here is that the food served in both rooms is halal. They have a huge market-like display of fresh seafood and vegetables, along with an open plan kitchen, and their waiters were extremely knowledgable in helping us select our fish for the mains. Being used to choosing mocktails off dining menus in the UAE also meant I was happy to see they had a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks to choose from, other than just the usual juices. These were visually beautiful in themselves.<br />
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For our starters we ordered a variety of dim sum including spicy prawn moneybags, chicken buns and sashimi. I was especially taken by their grilled asparagus and even the non-veg eaters amongst us were captivated by its seriously delicious marinade. The ginger and soy steamed seabass was the star of our mains, alongside pak choi, sweet and sour chicken wings, Singapore noodles and prawn fried rice. Although this is what we settled on, I honestly would have chosen pretty much anything from the menu as nothing makes me more happy than good Asian food. Everything was so well prepared, cooked and presented.<br />
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Yes it is on the expensive side, and it does mostly serve a 'certain' crowd but the food is stellar and its just the kind of place if you're looking to celebrate an occasion with good food. I can't wait to bring my parents here for our next trip to the city.<br />
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<u>Jaimie's Italian, Kingston</u></div>
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I'm ashamed to admit here as a foodie that I had never actually been to Jaime's before this visit. Apart from the huge faux pas made when the waiter served me and my friend alcoholic instead of the non-alcoholic drinks we had ordered, the food luckily made up for it. We started with the Italian Nachos - crispy fried ravioli stuffed with three cheeses and served with arrabiata sauce, the type of starter perfect for sharing and every bit as good as it sounds. For mains I had the Vegetable Rotolo Al Forno - seasonal pumpkin, squash and spinach rolled in fresh pasta sheets, baked with tomato and topped with herby parmesan crumbs, and it was perfection. My friend had the Prawn Linguine which she loved, and her young son had the fish fingers with crispy potato wedges from the kids menu, probably the most appetising version of the classic kids meal I've seen. Dessert was a beautiful Chocolate, Pear & Honeycomb Pavlova, one of those combinations you just know you have to try.<br />
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<u>Granger & Co., Notting Hill</u></div>
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Australian chef Bill Granger needs no introduction and this was a place I solely visited due to blogger recommendations. I went on a mid-afternoon weekday and yet the casual dining restaurant was packed and bustling with diners, so much so that I had to perch myself on the ample-spaced bar top, albeit quite happily. I ordered their Quinoa, Sunflower Seed, Beetroot, Chili and Feta salad, which was extremely generous, wholesome, filling and full of interesting textures and flavours like any salad should be. As odd as it may sound I had this along with a hot chocolate - the real reason behind why I was compelled to visit, its made with hot milk poured over Callebaut chocolate drops. Though it was definitely good, it probably wasn't the best combo with my salad, and also teaches me to maybe not so blindly always follow other blogger recommendations..! The dessert display here was another feast for the eyes and its a shame I didn't have space to try what was on offer.<br />
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Read part 2 of my London Food Diary <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2015/03/beela-bakes-london-food-diary-part-2.html" target="_blank">here</a></div>
Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-49624732531468980492014-12-25T00:08:00.001-08:002014-12-25T01:51:38.336-08:00Rose, Orange Blossom & Pistachio Breakfast Parfait<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The past month or so has been super fun-filled and packed starting with a trip 'home' to London, birthdays, anniversaries and ending with my first event selling my artwork under <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/p/biha-designs.html" target="_blank">Biha Designs</a>, at the Dubai Garden Centre Fashion Festival a couple of weekends back. Infact I've been so tied up that I didn't even get a chance to do a post for my 2 year <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2013/11/pistachio-layer-cake-with-rose.html" target="_blank">blogiversary</a>, but we'll see if I can do something about that soon ;) </div>
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In the meantime if you follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/beelabakes" target="_blank">Instagram</a> you'll be aware of my frequent love of posting my breakfast pics. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day (lunch is a very close second), probably because its when my energy is at its highest. I namely have one of two things pretty much every morning - either a loaded smoothie, or a fruit parfait with granola. I love to use whatever I have on hand, but I also like to be creative with my fruit and flavour combinations.<br />
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No surprise really then, that eventually my fondness for all things rose and pistachio would soon creep into my breakfast too. I'm not going to wax lyrical about how much I enjoy using these ingredients because my <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2013/06/rose-pistachio-turkish-delight.html" target="_blank">previous</a> <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/07/rose-saffron-baked-donuts.html" target="_blank">posts</a> are evident enough, but I can't believe I didn't come up with this Middle Eastern inspired yoghurt parfait sooner!</div>
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It has all the usual layered goodness of a breakfast parfait - alternating layers of yoghurt, granola and fruit, but its the rose water, orange blossom water, pomegranate, dried rose petals and pistachio slivers here which give it that Arabian touch. What's even better is that this parfait can equally double up as a healthy dessert treat. Mixed into the yoghurt, both the rose and orange blossom lend that subtle floral aroma which I so love in desserts - and it is quite subtle here, as you don't want it to be too overpowering for breakfast! Raspberries and pomegranate arils make up the fruit layer, because these complement the flavours so well both visually and in taste, and of course pomegranate carries on the Arabian theme. The pistachio and dried rose petal granola provide the necessary crunch we all need in a breakfast parfait, and can really just be mixed into whatever granola you already have on hand.<br />
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Since I don't believe something like breakfast should be made to the T, please feel free to change around the fruits, type of granola, or yoghurt you use. I used plain yoghurt instead of Greek as I find its less heavy on the stomach, and I also think strawberries would be a good substitute or addition to the fruit layer. There's no added or refined sugar here too - just a drizzle of honey for a touch of sweetness. </div>
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<u><i>Rose, Orange Blossom & Pistachio Breakfast Parfait</i></u></div>
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<i>Makes 1 large serving</i></div>
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<i>1 cup plain/Greek yoghurt</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp rose water</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp orange blossom water</i></div>
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<i>1/4 cup pomegranate arils</i></div>
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<i>8-10 raspberries</i></div>
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<i>1/3 cup granola (homemade or bought)</i></div>
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<i>2 tbsp pistachio slivers</i></div>
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<i>1 tbsp dried edible rose petals, crushed </i></div>
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<i>Honey, to drizzle </i></div>
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<i>1. In a small bowl mix the rose and orange blossom water into the yoghurt.</i></div>
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<i>2. Mix the pistachio slivers and dried rose petals into the granola.</i></div>
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<i>3. In a jar, glass or bowl scoop a layer of granola to the bottom. Next add a generous amount of the yoghurt, with a drizzle of honey, before adding the fruit on top. </i></div>
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<i>4. Repeat layers until the glass is full, and serve. </i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-2079304055395025992014-10-23T02:53:00.000-07:002014-10-23T02:53:02.056-07:00Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was looking through my blog the other day, and was shocked to see how infrequent my posts have become. The reality is I am forever planning my next blog post, even if I never actually find time to get in the kitchen to make my recipe, take photographs and then write up about it. I often feel like much of my day is spent preparing breakfast, eating it, preparing lunch, eating it and preparing dinner just to eat it too. Don't get me wrong, food is my passion. But perhaps that's why as my days have become more and more busier in recent months, I've found less time to bake and dedicate my blog to posting about what 'Beela bakes.'</div>
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Instead I've become more inventive with my meals, and one of my favourite things is to come up with creative lunch options for my husband to take to work with him. And that's exactly how this Moroccan inspired quinoa salad came to be. In truth, the recipe for this quinoa salad is already about a year old now, and I have to admit that it's not really made solely for the husband anymore. But rather it has since become one of my favourites, if not <i>the</i> most favourite lunch to make.</div>
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This recipe gave birth to my love of roasting veggies, as well as my love for this particular spice blend. It's become second nature to put the oven on whilst I quickly chop some carrot, beetroot and coloured peppers, and add in the amazing mixture of spices. In fact I don't really measure the spices out, and you don't have to stick to the measurements in the recipe below either. Sometimes I add some chopped broccoli or mushrooms too. For brussel sprout haters (me included) they work really well when roasted with the spice blend here - they actually become bearable, I promise! Regardless, the smell of these vegetables roasting in the oven makes this a lunch which I always look forward to, and which I'm pretty sure will have you wanting to make it a regular lunch too.</div>
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I've always loved strong spices and the combination of cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, paprika powders, as well as dried chilli flakes and a dried herb mix, really lifts the vegetables in this salad from just being an average quinoa salad into one that's special. Moroccan cuisine was definitely an inspiration here, hence the aptly named title, and I played on the idea of how cous cous could be swapped out for the quinoa. Feel free to also swap out the baby spinach for any salad leaves - I've often added mint, coriander or parsley too. </div>
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The recipe below makes enough to share between two, and tastes just as great eaten the next day. Its healthy, filling, and so relevant to the types of nourishing wholesome salads which are so regularly craved today. I think its even great served as a sharing platter for entertaining guests. If you do only one thing from this recipe, have a go at roasting the veggies mentioned here (beetroot, carrot & coloured bell peppers) in the spices mentioned too. I've always loved my veggies, but it's given me a whole new love for them, and it just might for you too. </div>
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<u><i>Moroccan Veg Roasted Quinoa Salad</i></u></div>
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<i>50g or half a carrot, peeled & cubed</i></div>
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<i>40g red, orange or yellow peppers, diced</i></div>
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<i>50g beetroot, peeled & cubed</i></div>
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<i>1/4 tsp cinnamon powder</i></div>
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<i>1/4 tsp cumin powder</i></div>
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<i>1/4 tsp turmeric powder</i></div>
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<i>Pinch of paprika powder</i></div>
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<i>Pinch of dried chili flakes</i></div>
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<i>Pinch of mixed dried herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary all work well)</i></div>
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<i>1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp extra</i></div>
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<i>80g quinoa (about half a cup)</i></div>
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<i>1 cup water (chicken or vegetable stock if preferred)</i></div>
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<i>Salt to season</i></div>
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<i>2 cups baby spinach</i></div>
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<i>Squeeze of lemon </i></div>
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<i>1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Meanwhile prepare to cook the quinoa in a medium pan with the water or stock, using your usual method. See here for <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-63344" target="_blank">how to cook quinoa</a>. (I don't always have stock on hand and add like a little dried stock cube to my pan if I'm only using water). </i></div>
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<i>2. Put the chopped carrot, beetroot and pepper into a small bowl. Add all the spices, season with salt and mix well so the spices are evenly distributed through the vegetables. Add one tablespoon of the olive oil and mix well until vegetables are coated.</i></div>
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<i>3. Spread the vegetables evenly on a baking tray lined with foil and put in the oven to roast. Switch off the oven after fifteen minutes, but leave the vegetables to sit for a little while. </i></div>
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<i>4. In the bowl used to mix the vegetables, add the remaining one teaspoon of olive oil, plus a generous squeeze of lemon, mixing to catch all the remaining spice residue. Keep aside.</i></div>
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<i>5. Prepare your serving dish by layering the spinach leaves first, and adding the cooked quinoa on top. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and add onto the quinoa. Use the reserved olive oil mix to pour over the salad.</i></div>
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<i>6. Serve straight away or enjoy as leftovers the next day! </i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-54811732826148984272014-09-28T11:59:00.001-07:002014-09-29T05:25:23.799-07:00Rose Mint Lemonade<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Gosh its been long since my last post. I didn't get to travel anywhere over the summer but I've been busy with the usual such as painting commissions, visits from family and relatives, as well as actually starting a part-time job (in the food business!). I know summer is pretty much over, but if you're lucky to live in warmer climes then a cool, refreshing homemade drink will be a welcome beverage at all times. I was inspired to make a rose mint version of lemonade simply because of my love of all things rose infused - and this recipe has been made two, three, four times over the past couple of months which is why I knew it was worth sharing. Its easy too as I just mix everything straight into the jug I use for pouring. </div>
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I also think its a very 'Dubai' drink - I am a sucker for lemon mint mocktails when dining out, and I'm always oohing and aahing about certain mixes which bring a different flavour to the table. So perhaps subconsciously I wanted to recreate a similar mindset with this drink - doesn't everyone love the idea of sipping on an ice cold citrusy juice (alcoholic or not) on a restaurant verandah, whilst relaxing and taking in their surroundings?<br />
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It might seem odd to some to add rosewater to a lemon and mint concoction, but actually this all blends together really well. As with most recipes where rosewater is added, the result is a mild yet pleasant aromatic hint of rose. Not too powerful but enough to stir the senses. It's definitely a very summery drink, and perfect for those warm balmy days in the garden.<br />
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<u>Rose Mint Lemonade</u></div>
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Makes 2 tall, or 4 small glass servings</div>
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1 whole lemon</div>
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Half a lime</div>
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2 tsp rose water syrup</div>
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1/2 cup sugar syrup</div>
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3 cups water</div>
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Handful of mint leaves, chopped</div>
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Dried rose petals</div>
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1. Make the sugar syrup, by heating half a cup of sugar with 3/4 of a cup water. Bring to a boil, stir and then turn the heat off once all the sugar has dissolved. You will probably have more than you end up needing.</div>
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2. Juice both the lemon and lime. Pour the juices into a small jug, and then add the cups of water, rose water, and a third to half a cup of the sugar syrup.</div>
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3. Mix well and taste, adding a little more sugar syrup and water if the mixture is too sour. Add the chopped mint and a few dried rose petals.</div>
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4. Leave to steep in the fridge for at least an hour.</div>
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5. When ready to serve add a little crushed ice if desired (I prefer without) to the mixture and pour into serving glasses.</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-20805435286493225542014-08-26T06:26:00.001-07:002014-09-06T04:51:57.906-07:00Dining Review: Sukh Sagar at the JBR Walk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Delightful Indian vegetarian fare in the JBR Walk, that will leave even meat-eaters wanting more...</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Subzi humjoli (r) & d</span><span style="line-height: 16.866666793823242px;">hal makni (l) with naan</span></span></td></tr>
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It’s been a while since I’ve
eaten out for Indian, and being invited by <a href="http://www.brandterminus.com/" target="_blank">Brand Terminus</a> to try out Sukh Sagar
my expectations are high. As much as I enjoy a good chicken curry, I am
secretly looking forward to trying out dishes from their vegetarian only menu -
I love paneer, I love thick lentil curries, and to be honest I just love
anything veg. The husband on the other hand would only choose to dine out at a
vegetarian establishment if it was the last choice on a list. Saying that, as
we set off for Sukh Sagar we conclude that if he was to choose any type of vegetarian
cuisine then Indian would most probably be it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sukh Sagar has a number of branches in Dubai, and we visit the JBR one. Located right opposite the Hilton and with The Beach across the road for ease of parking, we eventually get there after a multitude of wrong turns due to Marina area road works. With both upstairs and downstairs seating to choose from, we are seated near the entrance with prime view of the <i>teppanyaki dosa</i> station (yes you heard right, more on that later on!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Paani Puri</span></td></tr>
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The origins of Sukh Sagar start
in India itself, when the first branch opened back in 1962. Since then they have grown to more than 20
branches across the country, becoming one of India’s best known and loved
vegetarian restaurant chain. There are four branches in Dubai, including one in Karama and a central kitchen. The JBR branch is decidedly more quiet, although
enjoyably so. Throughout the evening we see mostly Indian families and groups
arriving, which is always a good sign. For first impressions I am slightly
surprised by how simple the interior is, as design and aesthetics have not been
made much of a focus here. Still, I encouragingly hope that what the atmosphere
lacks in, will be made up for by the food, and let’s just say it definitely
doesn’t disappoint…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Dahi Batata Puri</span></span></td></tr>
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Before even choosing our
starters, we are presented with a plate of <i>paani
puri</i> – puffed flour semolina discs filled with spiced moong, potatoes and
chilled lemon minted water. Indian street snacks like these are an absolute
favourite of mine, and as we eat and leaf through the mammoth menu, my eyes
light up at the variety and choice. We
decide to order a kebab sharing platter (veg of course) for starters. With <i>paneer tikka</i>, tandoori mushrooms,
marinated cauliflower and potatoes, and <i>hara
bhara</i> kebabs all served with a mint dipping sauce, it’s a feast for the
eyes. Everything is cooked delightfully, and I find there is nothing I can
fault. The husband absolutely loves how the mushrooms cleverly remind him of
barbecued fatty beef! We also order another favourite street snack, the <i>dahi batata puri</i> - semolina discs this
time filled with potatoes, topped with yoghurt, drizzled sweet chutney and lots
of crispy fried flour noodles. By this time I’ve lost count of how many times
I’ve already shot wide-eyed gestures of appreciation to the husband! However I
do order the chilli cheese toast based on an online recommendation, expecting
something original, and sadly getting something more closer to what is
essentially just spicy pizza slices. Saying that I probably would have
overlooked this dish, if I hadn’t been eager to order based on the suggestion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we chat to the head chef we
learn how the restaurant prides itself on keeping every recipe intact in all
its branches, whilst also accommodating to the needs of religious and health requirements,
for example by ensuring a meal ordered by a Jain customer doesn’t have potatoes
or onion, or offering more health friendly options. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Kebab sharing platter</span></td></tr>
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Up next is an opportunity to
sample the <i>teppenyaki dosa</i> station.
As we settle over at the bar-top like counter, the <i>dosa</i> chef proceeds to pour small rounds of batter over a hot <i>teppenyaki</i> style stove. The idea is to
be served a variety of mini <i>dosa’s </i>(a
traditional South Indian style crepe made with rice and lentils) and <i>uttapam’s</i> (a thicker version of the <i>dosa</i>) with your choice of fillings and
toppings as they are cooked live – just as you would encounter at a Japanese <i>teppenyaki</i>. Not only can you can repeat
a <i>dosa</i> but you can also have as many
as you like. This is an innovation of Sukh Sagar, only seen at the JBR branch
and certainly an experience you are unlikely to encounter at any other Indian
restauarant. We tried the <i>sada, masala,
mysore masala, pav bhaji, </i>Manchurian,<i>
rava sada</i>, and spinach and cheese dosa’s before declaring our fills worth,
but there were upto eighteen varieties including a chocolate version to end
with. A highlight was the <i>ragi dosa</i>,
made with millet – a delightfully nutty grain which aids weight-loss. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Teppanyaki Dosa</span></td></tr>
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Back to our seated tables, we
decide we have to order a dish or two to sample the more heavier mains. We went
with a classic <i>dal makhni</i> which is
popular all over India. The black lentils had been cooked overnight on a clay
oven, and then combined with Indian herbs and clarified butter to make a creamy
and filling dish - one of the best versions I’ve had. We also tried the <i>subzi humjoli</i>, a combination of both a
creamy tomato and spinach gravy served with two vegetable koftas. This was
equally good, and I loved the play of both flavours together with the veggie
but meaty kofta balls. We mopped both these curries up with warm buttered <i>naan</i> bread – always good! Last of all we
made sure to try the <i>pav bhaji, </i>a
speciality of Bombay street food, known for its warming and comforting
connotations. The thick chunky <i>bhaji</i> is
made up of a variety of finely chopped or pureed vegetables cooked with spices
including masala, cumin and turmeric, and is served alongside <i>pav,</i> small bread buns. I have to admit
it was the first time I had knowingly eaten <i>phav
bhaji</i> and I could see why this has become a much loved meal for those on
the go. What I also liked is how we could choose to eat the <i>bhaji</i> with either white or wholemeal <i>pav</i> buns. The buns were soft, and made the
perfect tool for mopping up the warm vegetable curry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We washed our meals down with
fresh mixed juices – ginger lime watermelon for my husband, and carrot beetroot
for myself. We only just about managed a bite or two of some traditional <i>gulab jamun</i> and <i>ras malai</i> desserts to end our meal, but I think if I were to visit
in the future I would skip the desserts altogether as the mains were just so
filling and satisfying by themselves.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Pav Bhaji</span></td></tr>
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Sukh Sagar takes inspiration from
both North and South classic Indian food, and here is absolutely everything you
can imagine from Indian vegetarian fare on the menu. From crispy dosas, to
lentil curries, street food to Chinese inspired dishes, and vegetarian barbecue
there is literally something to everyone’s taste and palette. We did actively
steer away from the International style dishes. However bar the chilli cheese
toast, I enjoyed every meal whether recommended to us or individually chosen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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None of the meals were overly
spicy, whilst the majority only had a slight hint, and we were asked on our
preference accordingly. Everything was flavourful, and the quality was definitely
more than notable. You won’t find curries doused in lots of unnecessary oil
here. The value for money too is highly reasonable. Every dish we ordered was priced
at between 20 to 40 AED, with the most expensive being the <i>teppanyaki dosa</i> station. Still for 50 AED, you can eat as much as
you want, even if we did only manage eight mini <i>dosas</i> on top of everything else! Waiters were very helpful and our
food arrived quickly too. It’s safe to say I now have a bigger appreciation for
vegetarian Indian cuisine, and my meat-loving husband definitely has much bigger
appetite for it too! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Watermelon Ginger Honey Lime juice</span></td></tr>
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Visit <a href="http://sukhsagar.com/" target="_blank">http://sukhsagar.com/</a> for more information or
follow their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SukhSagarSocial" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page<o:p></o:p></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-44000882570316039902014-08-05T06:07:00.003-07:002014-08-05T06:07:55.639-07:00Pastel White Chocolate Mousse Pots<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Kyiv0hOa_8sF_a2IwJiMIYt-S3rBUvzmfFD2B-0unpY5_VL58nEeBJFNeZpXkBYXyJ7b48AT8FETCJ6nb5nHMxJgOSZ-4bi__7gZh4z_qwKZRCRDMiWcUbHFfwHyjc-nZ3_zglA8wdA/s1600/IMG_7350+(1024x683)+(1024x683)+(1024x683).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Kyiv0hOa_8sF_a2IwJiMIYt-S3rBUvzmfFD2B-0unpY5_VL58nEeBJFNeZpXkBYXyJ7b48AT8FETCJ6nb5nHMxJgOSZ-4bi__7gZh4z_qwKZRCRDMiWcUbHFfwHyjc-nZ3_zglA8wdA/s1600/IMG_7350+(1024x683)+(1024x683)+(1024x683).jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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These pastel white chocolate mousse pots were made to serve as a treat for Iftar during the last few days of Ramadan. I am so glad I made them, because they went down so well and were loved by everyone. </div>
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I had initially planned on making chocolate mousse pots and set about making sure I had all the ingredients. But once the time came to make them I realised I had missing the one main ingredient I needed - chocolate! I nearly always have some form of cooking chocolate in my pantry and didn't think to check. All I had on hand was white chocolate but I really wanted to make the mousse so white chocolate it would have to be! I actually wasn't sure if the mousse would turn out the same way as if I were to used plain or milk chocolate, because of the butter to cocoa difference in ratio between the two. Still I didn't let this deter me. I also discovered I had little jars of pastel coloured chocolate curls, and so of course, a little light bulb went flashing on in my head telling me to make pastel coloured mousse!</div>
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The result? This mousse came out <i>perfect</i>. It was creamy, smooth, with little air bubbles and so delectable even the non-sweet toothed members of my family enjoyed it. Its fairly easy and simple to make, and if you want to make it less complicated or just want plain white chocolate mousse, you can definitely leave out the food colouring.</div>
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The pots I used were petite, and the right size for serving something sweet after a day of fasting without any food. It is a very sweet mousse, as white chocolate is definitely the sweetest of chocolates, though this did not make the mousse sickeningly sweet in any way at all. </div>
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And wouldn't these be really pretty to serve at a dinner or birthday party (just as I like to think a lot of my desserts on Beela Bakes are!). I already know this is another dessert I'm going to be making time and time again, and looking at these photos I'm already drooling and dreaming up the next excuse I have to make them!</div>
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<u><i>Pastel White Chocolate Mousse Pots</i></u><br />
<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/04/16/chocolate-mousse-recipe/" target="_blank">Brown Eyed Baker</a></i><br />
<u><i><br /></i></u>
<i>Makes 8 small portions, or 4 normal</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>228g white chocolate, chopped</i><br />
<i>5 tblsp water</i><br />
<i>2 eggs, separated</i><br />
<i>1 tblsp caster sugar</i><br />
<i>1/8 tsp salt</i><br />
<i>1 cup, plus 2 tblsp heavy/double cream</i><br />
<i>Pink and green food gels, for tinting</i><br />
<i>White or coloured chocolate curls to decorate</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>1. Combine the white chocolate and water in a medium bowl. Place the bowl over a small saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water, and simmer over low heat.</i><br />
<i>2. Stir the mixture continuously until it is melted and smooth, and remove the bowl off the heat.</i><br />
<i>3. In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, salt, and one and a half teaspoon of the sugar until it is smooth. Now pour the white chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk well to combine. Let the mixture cool slightly for about five minutes. </i><br />
<i>4. Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites until foamy for about one minute. Add the remaining sugar into the egg whites and now whisk for about two minutes until soft peaks have formed.</i><br />
<i>5. With a spatula gently fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold in until the white streaks have disappeared. </i><br />
<i>6. In the same mixing bowl used for the egg whites, add the heavy cream and whisk until it begins to thicken for about a minute. </i><i>Fold the cream into the mousse mixture, until no white streaks remain. </i><br />
<i>7. Separate two-thirds of the mixture equally into two smaller bowls, so that a third of the mixture still remains in the large bowl. Using a tooth-pick tint a very small amount of green gel food colouring, about two drops worth, into one of the bowls, and mix until a pale green colour is formed. Repeat with the pink food gel in another other bowl. You will now have three mousse mixtures - white, green and pink. </i><br />
<i>8. Spoon the mixtures into individual serving cups and cover with plastic wrap/clingfilm. Leave to set in the fridge for at least two hours and upto twenty-four hours. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>N.B. </i><i>Look for pasteurized eggs at your supermarket if you are concerned about using raw eggs here.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-84301256794176155482014-07-07T06:45:00.001-07:002022-04-22T06:04:47.302-07:00Ramadan Special Guest Post: Tropical Fruit Cheesecake Pots (No-Bake)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am so excited to share this amazing recipe for no-bake exotic fruit cheesecake pots over at Lubna's blog <a href="http://www.kitchenflavours.net/2014/07/ramadan-special-guest-post-exotic-fruit_7.html" target="_blank">Kitchen Flavours</a>. Every year Lubna posts a series for Ramadan called Joy From Fasting To Feasting, where for each day of Ramadan she shares a recipe from a guest blogger. I am grateful to have been asked to participate this year, not only because its for Ramadan, but also as it is my first time as a guest blogger anywhere! </div>
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Lubna asked me to share a recipe that is made for Iftar in my house, and since I love coming up with sweet treats to enjoy during Ramadan, I decided to share these cheesecake pots. You might recognise that they are a twist on the cheesecake recipes I have posted before, but this time I added a sublime layer of pineapple, mango and kiwi fruit for an "exotic" touch. Not only is it great to make in Ramadan, but also for parties, summer BBQ's, and any get-together. </div>
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To see my post with the recipe, head on over at <a href="http://www.kitchenflavours.net/2014/07/ramadan-special-guest-post-exotic-fruit_7.html" target="_blank">Kitchen Flavours</a>, and be sure to have a look at the other participating bloggers with their recipes! </div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lubnakarim/14303582779" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Joy From Fasting To Feasting - VII by Lubna Karim, on Flickr"><img alt="Joy From Fasting To Feasting - VII" height="400" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14303582779_0032257da0_o.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-3018371218807192212014-07-06T05:43:00.000-07:002014-08-26T06:18:22.150-07:00Dining Review: Café Blanc Lebanese restaurant at The Dubai mall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Growing up in London as a
young girl, my dad was always keen on exposing my mum, older sister, younger
brother and I to all types of different cuisines and foods. He would regularly
make it a point to take us out for lunch or dinner on the weekend, especially
during the warmer months. From when I turned about ten years old, my dad had an
Egyptian friend who introduced us to Lebanese food for the first time. I
remember feeling very tentative with every bite I took for that first Lebanese
meal, not enjoying the new sensations and tastes, and neither did my siblings. Still, my parents seemed to relish it, and it
soon became a regular occurrence for us to visit the famed Edgware Road for its
plethora of Arabic and Lebanese restaurants. Needless to say, I eventually grew
to fall in love with Lebanese food…<o:p></o:p></div>
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I happily feel at home now in
any Lebanese restaurant, and can easily order my favourites off a menu. What
I have always loved about this cuisine is its freshness, simplicity and
consistency. Piping hot falafels, smooth and creamy hummus, juicy and tender
grilled meats - I know what I am going to get, and I know I am going to enjoy
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s why I was delighted
recently when <a href="http://www.brandterminus.com/" target="_blank">Brand Terminus</a>, a branding agency in Dubai invited me to dine
along with my husband at Café Blanc, a Lebanese restaurant they look after.
Situated on the lower ground of Dubai Mall, with an outdoor seating area facing
the Dubai Fountain, Café Blanc is a restaurant which prides itself on combining
traditional Lebanese food with a modern approach. The interior is sleek and
contemporary, with pops of lively colour and geometry inspired décor - an
aesthetic which is carried through into its food too. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We were talked through the
ethos and history of the restaurant, before deciding to seat ourselves in the
entrance dining area of the restaurant. Rather than ordering off the menu, we
were presented with a variety of dishes to sample. For starters many of the
well known appetizers were offered, including <i>fattoush, hommos, tabbouleh, moutabel</i>. stuffed vine leaves, cheese stuffed
rolls, and fresh Arabic bread. In addition were a few hot dishes, most of which
I admittedly have never sampled before – small chunks of beef seasoned in soya
sauce and lemon juice, diced spicy fried red pepper potatoes, and delicious pan-fried
mini spicy beef sausages. All three were
tantalising highlights. Something else I had never tried was the <i>arayess halloum,</i> a combination of
halloumi cheese, parsley and onion, stuffed into flat Arabic bread and toasted
– exactly the type of bread which the term ‘good comfort food’ takes after. With
so many dishes to sample from there were those which I didn’t care much for,
found satisfying in the familiar sense, or enjoyed enough to help myself with
seconds. The <i>moutabal</i> was some of the
best I’ve ever had. Smokey and smooth, it was delicately peppered with
pomegranate arils, parsley and onion, and much creamier than most aubergine
dips I have tried before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Any true Lebanese meal is not
complete without grilled meat. Our mixed platter came with one skewer each of
chicken taouk, cubed beef and a minced lamb kafta. I was neither pleased nor
disappointed as I found the meat to be nothing out of the ordinary and thought
it could have done with being a little more juicy and tender. Once again, it
was the smaller unattested dishes which stole the show. A creamy tomato dish
with halloumi and chicken cubes was lip-smackingly good, as was the <i>ras asfour</i> – diced marinated beef with
sautéed onions. The <i>syadiet samak, </i>showcased a more traditional dish consisting of grilled
fish with rice and fried onions, accompanied with a fish sauce. <o:p></o:p></div>
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All of the food was beautifully
presented, in the same way that all regular diners would also receive their
meals. Even though traditional style pots were used, touches of individual
details and twists to the dishes are what made them stand out in a playful yet
modern way – I carefully noted the freshness of lettuce leaves and accompanying
sides such as olives. The custom-made tableware and cutlery added to the
contemporary take on otherwise traditional fare. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To finish our meal, we were
given a small glass of warm orange blossom water, important to note as this what the restaurant
takes its name after – Café Blanc, the drink beloved by generations of Lebanese
as the perfect ending to a meal. Of course dessert came too, and again we were
spoilt for choice. The familiar <i>knefe</i>
and <i>mouhallabieh</i> were presented
alongside <i>aysh el saraya</i> (soft juicy
bread topped with <i>kashta</i> and nuts,
and served with syrup) and <i>byzance</i> (a
cheesecake topped with a layer of rose <i>loukoum</i>).
As a huge fan of perfumed desserts (one only has to look at the recipes on my
blog!) all four treats were sampled with delight, albeit on full bellies. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As this was a little different
from the typical review style whereupon my dining partner and I would have
ordered off the menu by ourselves, I felt that some of my usual reviewing
crietira had to go out of the window. Instead I took the opportunity for what
it was, graciously accepting the experience offered by my hosts. Infact it
almost felt like having been invited around a friends house for weekend lunch,
where traditional Lebanese fare had been laid out for all to enjoy, and with
that touch of originality that comes with eating home-cooked food. By the end
of our meal, the restaurant was packed to the brim, by many of whom were Middle
Eastern customers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s often lovely to stop by a
dining venue where you are confidently secure the cuisine is one you are
accustomed with. With so many restaurants to choose from in the Dubai Mall it
is unlikely to be the type of place one would actively choose to dine at.
However if it is Lebanese you are after and you do chance upon it, Café Blanc
is a welcome retreat to stop by. Having also eaten at a couple of Lebanese
restaurants within the mall, this was definitely my favourite thus far. There is
something for all taste buds, and so much more variety to choose from than I
have seen at most Lebanese eateries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have always felt that
Lebanese cuisine is amongst the most ‘homeliest’ one can experience, and as a
Lebanese establishment Café Blanc does this very well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Photo credits – <a href="http://www.brandterminus.com/" target="_blank">Brand Terminus</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Website - <a href="http://www.cafe-blanc.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cafe-blanc.com/</a></div>
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Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CafeBlancDubai" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/CafeBlancDubai</a></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-43885033612911357542014-07-05T14:27:00.000-07:002014-07-05T14:27:03.400-07:00Rose Saffron Baked Donuts <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hope everyone's Ramadan is going well! It gets pretty hectic in the kitchen in the hours before iftar time, and with so many little dishes to prepare I often just want a really quick and easy sweet recipe to enjoy with a cup of tea for those later hours!<br />
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Naturally I scoured my blog for some ideas, and came across my post for <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2013/05/chocolate-glazed-baked-doughnuts-and.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnuts</a>. I loved how sweet and perfectly bite-sized these doughnuts were and thought I'd give them a little twist by turning them into something a little more suited to Ramadan.<br />
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These rose saffron baked donuts are great for fixing that sugar-craving after a day of fasting, and you don't have to eat too many, just one or two if you are trying to stay away from refined sugar. They are like little bite-sized pieces of cake - share them with family and guests over tea and watch them disappear as quickly as they were made!<br />
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<u><em>Rose Saffron Baked Doughnuts</em></u></div>
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<em>Makes 14-18 mini round doughnuts or 8-10 large</em></div>
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<em>Doughnut pan or small round moulded pan</em></div>
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<em>1 cup all-purpose flour</em></div>
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<em>3/4 cup sugar</em></div>
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<em>1 tsp baking powder</em></div>
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<i>Seeds of 2 cardamom pods, crushed </i></div>
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<em>Half a large egg, beaten</em></div>
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<em>3/4 cup milk</em></div>
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<em>1 tblsp butter, melted</em></div>
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<em>2 tsp rosewater </em><br />
<em>Few strands of saffron</em></div>
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<em>1. </em><em>Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Brush doughnut pan with oil, then sieve a little flour all over pan. </em><br />
<em>2. In a large bowl, sieve together the flour, baking powder, and mix in the sugar and cardamom. </em><br />
<em>3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter and rosewater. Mix in the saffron threads. </em><br />
<em>4. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, without over-mixing. Pour batter into the moulds of doughnut pan, until the moulds are only half full. You do not want to fill them too much as they will rise when baking. </em><br />
<em>5. Bake for about 15 minutes, until doughnuts are puffed and golden, using a toothpick to test for doneness. Leave to cool 5 minutes before removing from pan and adding sugar glaze.</em></div>
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<em><u>For the rosewater glaze:</u></em></div>
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<em>1 cup icing sugar</em></div>
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<i>3 tblsp water</i><br />
<i>1 tsp rosewater</i><br />
<i>Pink and/or yellow food colouring</i><br />
<i>Pistachios, chopped, for decorating</i><br />
<i>Dried rose petals, for decorating</i><br />
<i>Saffron, for decorating</i></div>
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<em>1. While doughnuts are cooling, make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, water and rosewater in a small bowl, until all the icing sugar has dissolved. The glaze should be a glossy white in colour, and </em><em>not too thick or too runny</em><em>. If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of water, or a little more icing sugar if it is too thin.</em><br />
<em>2. Divide the glaze into two small bowls, and add a drop or two of pink and yellow food colour in each bowl. Mix to achieve pale pink and yellow glazes.</em><br />
<em>3. Dip doughnuts individually into the glaze and sprinkle chopped pistachios, rose petals and saffron strands over the top. Glaze will set after a few minutes. </em><br />
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<em>Store glazed donuts in an airtight container, and eat within three days. </em></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-80139363556270360222014-06-24T02:01:00.000-07:002017-09-03T06:28:46.667-07:00Date & Walnut Loaf Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The holy month of Ramadan is only a few days away now, and as it was fitting, I thought it was about time I shared a more personal recipe closer to home. This is probably the first post where I am sharing a recipe which has been in the family for a pretty long time - across generations and continents, and for at least forty years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What makes this date and walnut cake so special, is that as a young girl growing up it was only made on Eid. I have vivid memories of waking up on Eid morning's to a huge celebration breakfast prepared by my mum. This cake was always a welcome feature on the table and readily, one, two, three slices would be eaten quickly in succession! Apart from the two Eid days in the year, it was rare for my mum to make this cake on any other day.</span></div>
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Since it has been in the family for a long time I wanted to find out how the recipe came to be, and also why, as it definitely is not traditional or native to my Indian/East African heritage! So I naturally went about asking those who I knew had made the cake the most - my mum, paternal aunt, and paternal uncle. It was soon clear there was a little contention as to its origins - it appears that though my great aunt (paternal grandfather's sister) was the first to start making the cake, it has since been adapted, tweaked and made to taste individually, as with any recipe which gets shared and passed down.</div>
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My uncle can clearly remember this cake being made when he went to stay with my great aunt in the late 1970's, in a small town called Mbeya on the mainland of Tanzania. She had tweaked the recipe from a little cookbook, and as dates were not readily available back then she would only bake it on Eid and special occasions. The dates were bought in the market, open in hessian sacks, where you would choose the amount you wanted to be weighed by the shopkeeper - markedly different from the variety of packaging and labelled dates we are used to buying now! Once bought the dates had to be cleaned, before being soaked ready for baking. On rare occasions you could buy little bars of good quality dates, packed in cellophane, which were cleaner but more expensive.</div>
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A few years later my uncle landed in the UK for boarding school, and happened to come across the same book in a sale at the school and bought it! As a result the book came to be shared with my mum on his visits home for the weekend, and thus the date walnut cake soon became a regular feature on our Eid breakfast table too. In the meantime my paternal aunt had also borrowed the recipe from my great aunt, and it similarly became a cake enjoyed in her own household. </div>
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Still when I spoke to my mum, she maintained that at some point she had bought an Australian published baking book in the supermarket, when she became interested in baking cakes, also containing a recipe for a date walnut cake. It had less flour and more dates than the original older recipe, and its this method which my mum started to use instead, and which I came to know and love.</div>
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Unfortunately since moving to Dubai, my mums version has become misplaced and so its the original inspiration for the date and walnut cake which I have shared here, kindly given to me by my aunt. Its just as delicious and moreish though, making a perfectly loaf sized cake to share with the family! If preferred, it can be baked in a larger square tin, adapting the baking time as below. Don't over bake it though, as I clearly did in these images! Quantities less or more, I don't think you can ever go wrong with dates and walnuts in a cake! My aunts version also comes with a warm brown sugar sauce for pouring over the cake, which the sugar-craver in me loved! </div>
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So there you have it, a cake born outside of tradition which has become tradition!</div>
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Special thanks has to go my aunt, uncle and mum for their insight, plus my great-aunt for bringing this cake into our family. To this day she is an amazing cook, and loved by all for her unique and interesting recipes. </div>
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I might have broken the tradition by making this cake for the blog, but I know come Eid day I will definitely be keeping the tradition alive by making it again. As for my readers, whether you make it only for Eid, or for a rainy day, definitely do make it!</div>
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<u>Date & Walnut Loaf Cake</u></div>
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250 ml boiling water</div>
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225g dates, chopped</div>
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1 tsp baking soda</div>
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75g butter</div>
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1 egg</div>
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1 tsp vanilla essence</div>
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210g soft brown sugar</div>
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275g self-raising flour</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp salt</div>
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50g walnuts, chopped</div>
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For the topping:</div>
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75g soft brown sugar</div>
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2 tbsp. milk</div>
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25g butter</div>
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50g walnuts, chopped</div>
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1. Preheat oven to 180 C, and grease a tin loaf pan, or square pan. </div>
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2. Pour the boiling water onto the dates, and stir in the baking soda. Leave to stand.</div>
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3. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla and mix well.</div>
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4. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt a little at a time, until all incorporated. Add the chopped walnuts, and then finally the date mixture, mixing to form a cake batter</div>
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5. Pour into greased tin pan and bake for 50-55 minutes if using a loaf pan, or 35-40 minutes in a square pan. Check for doneness.</div>
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6. Leave to cool in the tin. </div>
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7. To make the topping, heat together the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan. Boil for three minutes until all the sugar has melted.</div>
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8. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly before spreading on to the cake, and sprinkling with chopped walnuts.</div>
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N.B. For those who don't want the extra calories, the topping can be excluded. It is still just as yummy!</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-75489675995553572512014-06-11T01:19:00.000-07:002014-06-11T01:54:05.032-07:00Dining Review: Mo's at the Citywalk Dubai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Having
never done a restaurant review on the blog before, I have to admit I was a
little tentative at first when I received the offer to come and dine at Mo’s.
Do I want to go down this route on my blog? Am I upto the challenge of writing
a review? And what if I don’t like the food?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But
simply put I swept my fears aside and told myself at the end of the day I had
nothing really to lose by giving it a go. That and the tempting knowledge that
the restaurant has an extensive dessert and milkshake selection! It is also
part of the group that brings us Caramel in the DIFC – situated near my old work
haunt, and a place known for attracting city workers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Alas
I am not a complete newbie having written a review for a magazine before, and
thanks to being a part of <a href="http://www.fooderatiarabia.com/" target="_blank">Fooderati Arabia</a> I felt I knew enough about what I
was letting myself in for without completely throwing myself in at the deep
end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">So
about a week ago, off my husband and I went to Mo’s at the Citywalk Mall in Jumeirah,
to sample what was to be an admittedly fantastic meal and enjoyable evening.
Citywalk Mall itself is an outdoor lifestyle concept with various dining
options and fashion brands, and is only about six months old. It boasts great
cityscape views of the Burj Khalifa, and has a European piazza like feel about
it, which makes it a great place for meeting with friends in the evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We
chose to sit in a booth type setting by the wall, although the restaurant
itself was spacious and very open in plan. I was expecting a stereotypical
diner type décor concept, and was pleasantly surprised by how sleek and minimalist
the interior actually was. There are no brash or kitsch colours here, and even
the long milkshake bar didn’t stand out overbearingly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Looking
through their menu it was clear how highly extensive it is, ranging from a
large breakfast menu, to starters, salads, burgers, sandwiches, mains, and a
range of signature entrees too. And that’s not even mentioning the varied
dessert menu. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Knowing
that we wanted to leave enough space for dessert, we decided at first to order
only one starter to share, and went with the queso fundido – a velveeta cheese
dip with pieces of turkey chorizo, and served with crispy tortillas. I’m a
sucker for munching on nachos and cheese whenever I’m at the movies, and
dipping the perfectly crispy fresh tortillas into this dip was like dipping
into the mother of all cheese dips! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">However
as a number of salads feature on their menu, we ended up giving in to our one
starter rule, and were recommended to try their Chinese chicken salad. This was
a crispy concoction of grilled chicken pieces, sprouts, cabbage, tangerines and
an Asian peanut dressing. Give me a hearty, unleafy salad, and pair it with
Asian flavours and I am in love. My taste-buds delighted in every mouthful, and
my mind wanted to be able to recreate these flavours for myself. Even the
husband, (who will avoid a salad at all costs) gave a great seal of approval. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Being
the great burger lover that he is, it was only natural that the husband decided
to go for a classic burger for his mains. And well, admittedly having
overlooked the signature entrees and rather than ordering a sandwich, I went
with a burger too, but was swayed by the veggie option. My edamame burger patty
consisted of a mix of edamame, lentils, herbs and spices, and was served
between a toasted whole wheat bun with tzatziki sauce. As far as veggie burgers
go it was good – you could taste the quality, the bun was lovely and fresh. But
as someone who would almost always choose anything over a burger, I did wonder
if I should have ordered something different. Hubby’s classic burger came with
a kobe beef patty, signature sauce, all the salad trimmings, and a toasted
brioche bun. The quality here is also something he found worth remarking on,
especially that of the meat. Both of our burgers came with delicious thin seasoned
fries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As
if this wasn’t enough, we were soon guided towards the signature entrees and
persuaded to try their TNT shrimp tacos – I loved how these were mini, and each
taco could be eaten in three or four bites. Made up of battered shrimp, they
reminded me of wasabi prawns, and were served with guacamole, slaw and chipotle
mayo to slather on top. I enjoyed these much more than my burger, and made a
mental note to come back with my seafood-loving mum for a lunch date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We
had milkshakes with our meals, only in true American style. Whilst my husband
remarked that his vanilla milkshake was everything that it should be, I was a
little disappointed with how under rich my Rocky Road was, but perhaps this at
least meant I could consume my meal better! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Stomachs
near bursting we still knew we couldn’t leave without a slice of cake. We went
for Jim’s carrot cake, a gigantic three tier cake slice which would be enough
for even three or four to share. I’m not one to be disappointed easily by
dessert, and found the cake to be perfect in its entirety, taste, texture,
frosting and all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Would
I go back to Mo’s? Yes I would. I’m not a huge fan of eating breakfast out, but
I would definitely go back to sample more of their lunch/dinner dishes, if not
only to have that chicken salad and the shrimp tacos again. Portions were all
very generous, the quality was fab, and their service was understandably impeccable
and over-friendly, although I did notice attentiveness was met all round at
other tables as well. Having said that
their business seemed a little slow, which we were assured was due to the area
still being a grower. A dinner meal for two would probably set you back about
300-400 AED depending on the type of meals chosen. As an American casual dining
concept, Mo’s is easily accessible to both families and couples, but doesn’t
let you down in the way that the quality of most family restaurants do on food.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As
far as a first review goes, my experience at Mo’s will be one I look back on
fondly and I would only hope that their standards remain the same for all
dining guests. Fully replete, we left
deciding to take a short amble around the Citywalk and with enough time to
squeeze in a little shisha!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-11853049346650580402014-05-20T06:27:00.000-07:002014-05-20T06:27:48.592-07:00Musings: on Instagram & food photography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQLCTVZ5qJjr_vixUEVYg0eJqINJLsgQRCkm6LOCZikWDGwfrlAzt8cgMtIzwaxGMtFidpn1FNt0JlbEMR0fy6ygSXwcpvmUO7AKwr5CHJEpThNg2I5u6XJkxBG1SdawJaUM8-nlfZi8/s1600/IMG_20140515_120510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQLCTVZ5qJjr_vixUEVYg0eJqINJLsgQRCkm6LOCZikWDGwfrlAzt8cgMtIzwaxGMtFidpn1FNt0JlbEMR0fy6ygSXwcpvmUO7AKwr5CHJEpThNg2I5u6XJkxBG1SdawJaUM8-nlfZi8/s1600/IMG_20140515_120510.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stripy squid ink pasta with homemade pesto, grated beetroot & fresh basil</td></tr>
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Its been a while since my last post, and I haven't truthfully been regularly posting on the blog for most of this year so far. Perhaps its the inevitable direction that most personal blogs take - you start your blog in the midst of bordeom/a quiet/unbusy period of your life, and then eventually you become busy again and life takes over. </div>
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Busyness is definitely and obviously the reason here, but I've also found that I want to post more original recipes now, rather than how this blog started out in the beginning - recreating recipes from other blogs and cookbooks. Its still fun for me to try out the numerous recipes pinned on my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/beelabakes" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> board, but I save these for practicing my photography skills on, and I'm glad to say I think it has its benefits. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4uNhNS5eGL9ogmduRGKbLKkt8rsMEd-xkOV40NM9oRt3F8XW3QQFrIQGD62C16AyO_vVGimweBFg-PhbEY0brS-Bkal8J3SBEIBxCwgmPncrykk7beZZbLSi2XQrWGgwHswgPP79_5A/s1600/IMG_20140311_123145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4uNhNS5eGL9ogmduRGKbLKkt8rsMEd-xkOV40NM9oRt3F8XW3QQFrIQGD62C16AyO_vVGimweBFg-PhbEY0brS-Bkal8J3SBEIBxCwgmPncrykk7beZZbLSi2XQrWGgwHswgPP79_5A/s1600/IMG_20140311_123145.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast yoghurt bowl with papaya, assorted berries & almonds</td></tr>
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I'm quite proud and happy with how my photography has developed over the past year and a half. I still have days where I feel like I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to setting up and shooting, but for the most part I have a good idea of how I want it to turn out. I am still definitely trying out different styles, but I enjoy the process of trying to create a 'professional' food photograph look. </div>
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So although I haven't been posting much on the blog, I do like to post these 'practice shots' regularly on my <a href="http://instagram.com/beelabakes" target="_blank">Instagram account</a>. In fact I would go as far as to say I have become pretty addicted to Instagram! In the absence of recipe posts, I thought it would be fun to show you what kind of things I've been sharing on <a href="http://instagram.com/beelabakes" target="_blank">my account</a> (and yes, hopefully try and get you to follow!).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnz-pmsiQ1VmnMMWQP3m8aNCNmXjYouzs3Rg6EfIN31CXoLLmmjY636iARkpzFTK9Ft_PikqRB4wqV1JnayR-CbCvKgA3joQLtAPW5IlkHq4ZpILfO-0VR2qfBrHcB5fYpxD3zaQ3icw/s1600/IMG_20140502_105433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnz-pmsiQ1VmnMMWQP3m8aNCNmXjYouzs3Rg6EfIN31CXoLLmmjY636iARkpzFTK9Ft_PikqRB4wqV1JnayR-CbCvKgA3joQLtAPW5IlkHq4ZpILfO-0VR2qfBrHcB5fYpxD3zaQ3icw/s1600/IMG_20140502_105433.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose cupcakes with rose buttercream frosting</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9kxcjHIoZffrSYPTlMXOIKDZGaQ6AUUpyBKXVHs5x__2_flfZ3JNjWABbJQDvNhn2ZZXDG5ap_mvdSeGNMW2N22p8t7DKZYYKQmKVqvWlC3S6rfwMDA_Xh_TzOpsPkB_yD4uT-URms0/s1600/IMG_20140318_120823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9kxcjHIoZffrSYPTlMXOIKDZGaQ6AUUpyBKXVHs5x__2_flfZ3JNjWABbJQDvNhn2ZZXDG5ap_mvdSeGNMW2N22p8t7DKZYYKQmKVqvWlC3S6rfwMDA_Xh_TzOpsPkB_yD4uT-URms0/s1600/IMG_20140318_120823.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast yogurt granola bowl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjEU_qwiu_3sHqTZBMaSjm4lLEx-8b5Yq2QFhkmHMTFrT3STUZu_i950JGbRsdDZpYoaL7-toSEFCgrh274vuXU0NWxU_UJb-fsszeA7RROhsUVioJNENyxbjVzuKE7HMu1DJqzgWlxA/s1600/IMG_20140505_115745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjEU_qwiu_3sHqTZBMaSjm4lLEx-8b5Yq2QFhkmHMTFrT3STUZu_i950JGbRsdDZpYoaL7-toSEFCgrh274vuXU0NWxU_UJb-fsszeA7RROhsUVioJNENyxbjVzuKE7HMu1DJqzgWlxA/s1600/IMG_20140505_115745.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted cauliflower & lemon relish salad</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcG2ei9Dp0LGPxWOG7dYEQktaVK2lE9J_gSpJM6S1fUWFvsLYai8rjJb2DnFHeM8Q8jbM3Ys1qbVzLbIbeIrS_Li9mwPS0j6rZdOSeUbcG762lDpCSzCeab-9kTbxEVozn7CnsQj5ESk/s1600/IMG_20140427_100855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcG2ei9Dp0LGPxWOG7dYEQktaVK2lE9J_gSpJM6S1fUWFvsLYai8rjJb2DnFHeM8Q8jbM3Ys1qbVzLbIbeIrS_Li9mwPS0j6rZdOSeUbcG762lDpCSzCeab-9kTbxEVozn7CnsQj5ESk/s1600/IMG_20140427_100855.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked banana oatmeal </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4tWDxcZ8VIkyeVy-XhpWk4lsqya6uSDwL7Z1_bJ-OsaxYbSWGnPTtbi5IsPQK2QAnFlnTIF7noK1VyGJqeNSr-TLl7csWrF890U16HcGBmn8NV-TfrrneMI8FNNLPt-1e8X-KJ0gTGY/s1600/IMG_20140508_112320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4tWDxcZ8VIkyeVy-XhpWk4lsqya6uSDwL7Z1_bJ-OsaxYbSWGnPTtbi5IsPQK2QAnFlnTIF7noK1VyGJqeNSr-TLl7csWrF890U16HcGBmn8NV-TfrrneMI8FNNLPt-1e8X-KJ0gTGY/s1600/IMG_20140508_112320.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange blossom cake with Persian fairy floss</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolI-hIUewLCgSzxKSGsRCioUpPuPwBol26vGv7rD-7ehYTk1AJiHZBCTB7pT2l8sCP5NcOgUMk09oPXNWflBVrdVqe_WjMlWKiWoOORargtKPPIqGi6flgpfT7XgQ3kwVSRkgVVtoM3U/s1600/IMG_20140513_110258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolI-hIUewLCgSzxKSGsRCioUpPuPwBol26vGv7rD-7ehYTk1AJiHZBCTB7pT2l8sCP5NcOgUMk09oPXNWflBVrdVqe_WjMlWKiWoOORargtKPPIqGi6flgpfT7XgQ3kwVSRkgVVtoM3U/s1600/IMG_20140513_110258.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avocado, yogurt, honey, mango & strawberry smoothie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQNwnGu2cAbnBxwVOHK1mozAPwepedtD2zBUzjO-FDJoH-MeIKUCOt_xVYG4zhSfHiC9-FO4tOaaZozgiEIplaH4HOQeHZMZ4hauwcIZVXv1RIPfCITC6jKh-p55mbHLRefZalDf1cZI/s1600/IMG_20140518_113219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQNwnGu2cAbnBxwVOHK1mozAPwepedtD2zBUzjO-FDJoH-MeIKUCOt_xVYG4zhSfHiC9-FO4tOaaZozgiEIplaH4HOQeHZMZ4hauwcIZVXv1RIPfCITC6jKh-p55mbHLRefZalDf1cZI/s1600/IMG_20140518_113219.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry chocolate dipped cherries</td></tr>
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</div>
Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-55346773523827201112014-04-28T05:04:00.000-07:002014-04-28T05:27:23.862-07:002-Way Beef Mango Wraps with Hoisin Peanut Sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBuXT1O6y79I3cnCy1s8ZkJlTvphJp7OmzAVBKUTwhfkpxDSU_p2YqtUq0UWTMZP1KYy5NAYnNTE5QdtxmDMN7U7s6cuGT4TciPW45NEqW5EjSb87O1wdsotVCfSMwdMnRLZtU8qbh2w/s1600/IMG_6416+(1024x675).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBuXT1O6y79I3cnCy1s8ZkJlTvphJp7OmzAVBKUTwhfkpxDSU_p2YqtUq0UWTMZP1KYy5NAYnNTE5QdtxmDMN7U7s6cuGT4TciPW45NEqW5EjSb87O1wdsotVCfSMwdMnRLZtU8qbh2w/s1600/IMG_6416+(1024x675).jpg" height="420" width="640" /></a></div>
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I promise I will get back to posting baking recipes soon, but for now there is something about the warmer weather that makes me want to make lots of healthy, colourful and nourishing food. Its also been a while since my last post as I've been working on a side project which I'm looking forward to revealing soon! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnCkYkwn4-G-z6qRaI9sdQtBLERtO9zkb_H7wm_6MSCDdRBAHFAh1WgHvrMf-BpveYoWBYIcFCtJCsed4W0Vu6x-XBD09iGgjvyYYZAo4Ugt99QxtMFP4OnHO_msDAOMNRY5nKGzJRIw/s1600/IMG_6400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnCkYkwn4-G-z6qRaI9sdQtBLERtO9zkb_H7wm_6MSCDdRBAHFAh1WgHvrMf-BpveYoWBYIcFCtJCsed4W0Vu6x-XBD09iGgjvyYYZAo4Ugt99QxtMFP4OnHO_msDAOMNRY5nKGzJRIw/s1600/IMG_6400.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've always found I'm at my most productive in the kitchen during the afternoon whilst preparing lunch. With the sun streaming in through the kitchen window, and the whole afternoon still ahead of me, I busy myself with creating a vivid and satisfying lunch. And when there is company to share my lunch with its even better! This recipe for beef and mango wraps, prepared in two different ways, came about precisely on one of those afternoons. Since my first experiment with rice paper rolls was <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2013/08/vietnamese-rice-paper-rolls.html" target="_blank">a bit more traditional</a>, I decided to experiment a little more this time around. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq1_YjbPhdkkJ3xtLwQjyeUoX7-jsV6MMXxt_o3XMcz1toe2Qxso0Cnc9M8uiwISoaouXQtUYOHSLEsV8JIa6avfLQG1cOk8-pNJ1qoPQgPZt6X67hKDxrbqhFRgJQAGkFjJfnkMQyfY/s1600/IMG_6408+(675x1024)+(675x920).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq1_YjbPhdkkJ3xtLwQjyeUoX7-jsV6MMXxt_o3XMcz1toe2Qxso0Cnc9M8uiwISoaouXQtUYOHSLEsV8JIa6avfLQG1cOk8-pNJ1qoPQgPZt6X67hKDxrbqhFRgJQAGkFjJfnkMQyfY/s1600/IMG_6408+(675x1024)+(675x920).jpg" height="640" width="468" /></a></div>
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I love how versatile rice paper rolls can be - you can prepare them easily once you have prepped your ingredients, and the combination of fillings you can put in them are unlimited. In the same way, cabbage wraps are an easy way of making a filling healthy meal out of a variety of endless options. Saying that, they also make a lovely side or appetiser, and look great on the table at a barbeque. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZcF47hSWapQBuGcQiQGGoWjz93CLtFNmRjd1-lSOCjvMRzjI8zU53JgoewdXZbLOPv4PyHr4srA3ZpOXB0UwC7ip4m1v6Lp37PRYPFaBMwAVyFpvjANigOzsw_EY_BU2yiHguYgH32w/s1600/IMG_6435+(1024x679)+(1022x677)+(1022x677).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZcF47hSWapQBuGcQiQGGoWjz93CLtFNmRjd1-lSOCjvMRzjI8zU53JgoewdXZbLOPv4PyHr4srA3ZpOXB0UwC7ip4m1v6Lp37PRYPFaBMwAVyFpvjANigOzsw_EY_BU2yiHguYgH32w/s1600/IMG_6435+(1024x679)+(1022x677)+(1022x677).jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></div>
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The ingredients in these wraps seem fairly simple at first glance, but they definitely taste anything but! Juicy sweet mango pieces pair so well with beef, and I am still obsessing over adding pomegranate to <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/03/pomegranate-mint-orangeade.html" target="_blank">anything</a> and <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/03/my-uncles-recipe-pomegranate-white.html" target="_blank">everything</a> I can. Don't leave them out here, they really add that amazing sweet crunch and tang, just as they do to anything you add them to. I find that the fruit makes these wraps utterly refreshing. </div>
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You can leave out the vermicelli rice noodles from the rice paper rolls if preferred, but I recommend including them in the cabbage wraps to add a little more interest. The hoisin peanut sauce is literally the icing on the cake here, and if you love peanut butter its a heavenly pairing for both wraps. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAyHI1Ba43Vnx-BXFD8rmcTZmHxntzb86z-MXjYnzdbm_od7Xty9Gx13Wj9XUJ_wI2hmjl85N-TArpzEluHAZ7RTz99IAmHW3_X7thXw52g1eCaWUF7iqyID3yfCP8FkkyZF9DyRjKMA/s1600/IMG_6444+(743x1024)+(743x1024)+(743x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAyHI1Ba43Vnx-BXFD8rmcTZmHxntzb86z-MXjYnzdbm_od7Xty9Gx13Wj9XUJ_wI2hmjl85N-TArpzEluHAZ7RTz99IAmHW3_X7thXw52g1eCaWUF7iqyID3yfCP8FkkyZF9DyRjKMA/s1600/IMG_6444+(743x1024)+(743x1024)+(743x1024).jpg" height="640" width="464" /></a></div>
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Whichever way you choose to make them, they are perfect for the coming summer months, and I'm definitely going to be doubling the quantities to make them for the entire family soon! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwWhaRewc2JITuiO_JmZhil7pD0rfpFfezsWOah5O5x62jea49LGhZiksnrqfHDSjpB-_xACQNaEatGqg4KP7KHxWSlyVzFBNukGhh2dRqkl0FsEn1gWPufIINUIU0zRLZsPj7VIe7eQ/s1600/IMG_6426+(792x1024)+(792x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwWhaRewc2JITuiO_JmZhil7pD0rfpFfezsWOah5O5x62jea49LGhZiksnrqfHDSjpB-_xACQNaEatGqg4KP7KHxWSlyVzFBNukGhh2dRqkl0FsEn1gWPufIINUIU0zRLZsPj7VIe7eQ/s1600/IMG_6426+(792x1024)+(792x1024).jpg" height="640" width="494" /></a></div>
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<u><i>To prepare the beef</i></u></div>
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<i>200g beef (flank or sirloin work well), cut into thin strips </i></div>
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<i>1 tsp garlic, minced or finely chopped </i></div>
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<i>Half tsp ginger, minced or finely chopped</i></div>
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<i>2 tsp soya sauce</i></div>
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<i>2 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil</i></div>
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<i>1. Mix the beef with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and leave to marinate for 1-2 hours, or at least half an hour. </i></div>
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<i>2. Heat a little oil in a frying wok, and add the beef. Stir fry for 5-10 minutes making sure the beef has cooked through, or is cooked to your liking. </i></div>
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<i>3. Keep aside.</i><br />
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<i><i><u>Beef & Mango Rice Paper Rolls</u></i></i></div>
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<i><i>Serves 2</i></i><br />
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<i><i>Beef strips, cooked </i></i></div>
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<i><i>Half a medium mango (less than fully ripe is better), peeled and sliced thinly</i></i></div>
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<i><i>6-8 whole lettuce leaves, Boston or Bibb</i></i></div>
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<i><i>Vermicelli noodles, large handful, cooked</i></i></div>
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<i><i>Half cup pomegranate arils</i></i></div>
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<i><i>Lime, to taste</i></i></div>
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<i><i>6-8 rice paper sheets</i></i></div>
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<i><i>Hoisin peanut sauce (as below) </i></i></div>
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<i><i>1. Heat some water in a pan, and once slightly hot (not boiling) pour into a heat proof bowl, large enough to soak your rice paper sheets.</i></i></div>
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<i><i>2. Keeping all your ingredients at hand, take a sheet of rice paper and soak in the warm water for 20-30 seconds or until soft.</i></i></div>
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<i><i>3. Place on a surface and add a little of each ingredient along the centre of the roll, horizontally. Start with one lettuce leaf, then 2-3 beef strips in the centre of the leaf, a few mango slices, vermicelli noodles, and lastly a sprinkling of pomegranate arils. Squeeze a couple of drops of lime if desired. </i></i></div>
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<i><i>4. Fold the ends in if preferred, and/or carefully roll up the rice paper roll to enclose the filling.</i></i></div>
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<i><i>5. Repeat again with the other rice paper rolls and filling. </i></i></div>
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<i><i>6. Serve with the hoisin sauce for dipping. </i></i></div>
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<i><u><i>Beef & Mango Cabbage Wraps</i></u></i></div>
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<i><i>Serves 2</i></i></div>
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<i><i>1. Repeat ingredients as above, minus the rice paper. </i></i></div>
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<i><i>2. Taking the lettuce leaves, fill each leaf with ingredients, layering as with the rice paper rolls. </i></i></div>
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<i><i>3. Drizzle a few teaspoons of hoisin peanut sauce over and serve immediately. Eat them rolled up or with a fork if preferred!</i></i></div>
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<i><u>For the Hoisin Peanut Sauce </u></i></div>
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<i>4 tsp smooth peanut butter</i></div>
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<i>2 tsp hoisin sauce</i></div>
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<i>1 clove garlic, minced</i></div>
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<i>Half cup water</i></div>
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<i>1 tbsp brown sugar</i></div>
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<i>Peanuts, crushed for garnish</i></div>
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<i>1. Combine all the ingredients, except for the crushed peanuts, in a small pan over low heat.</i></div>
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<i>2. Mix well for about two-three minutes until smooth and thickened.</i></div>
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<i>3. Take off heat and serve straight away as a dip or over lettuce wraps</i>.</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-30412757867518405682014-03-24T00:12:00.000-07:002014-03-24T00:15:27.513-07:00Pomegranate Mint Orangeade<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week marked the beginning of spring in most parts of the Western world, but its more like the beginning of summer here in the UAE. The scorch of the hot sun is starting to feel pretty intense if you're out and about from midday. </div>
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Its definitely time for cooling, refreshing drinks which don't take long to put together, but make warm days all the more worthwhile, like this pomegranate mint orangeade. And if you're still in spring, then save this recipe for when summer comes, or make and take along on your next picnic. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFe9kmWU1NsyNSUY_6lzlaMXmymJKkVXfIdLKpaT1RTNfPObXZiOeqXP2t8W6W1mHKGi4NMbUzFHVrC7wSiqoRXwtoVioyI5yd6MjlkZLMmjELW6uG6B7ulbaFx-VqJe7FgSq6_Ms0a0/s1600/IMG_6147+(1024x689).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFe9kmWU1NsyNSUY_6lzlaMXmymJKkVXfIdLKpaT1RTNfPObXZiOeqXP2t8W6W1mHKGi4NMbUzFHVrC7wSiqoRXwtoVioyI5yd6MjlkZLMmjELW6uG6B7ulbaFx-VqJe7FgSq6_Ms0a0/s1600/IMG_6147+(1024x689).jpg" height="430" width="640" /></a></div>
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Like most people I can't think of anything more thirst quenching than fresh homemade lemonade in the heat. But its nice to play around with classic drinks and oranges are definitely one of those fruits that go really well together with lemons in a drink. </div>
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I'm also still having my little pomegranate moment, having used it most recently in <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/03/my-uncles-recipe-pomegranate-white.html" target="_blank">pomegranate white chocolate muffins</a>, and a <a href="http://beelabakes.blogspot.ae/2014/02/caramelized-peach-pomegranate-banana.html" target="_blank">caramelized banana peach pomegranate fruit tart</a>. I just love how it gives everything a delightful burst of sweetness whilst also giving a special pop of colour. And that's definitely what it does in this orangeade. Add a little mint and this drink is not only good to go but good to look at! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRfE9abtFIDVCh7kZ6bFMR5MzVClBTwJQ0EBGjnuPrAPIn12FXHHpsN_chq0k1L-Va8SysKFUSvrzor7gwti4DeHYwHodOOaix3M1iME3VpJHdXXjOryKmyVTVpJ971fqJshQEJUdJKw/s1600/IMG_6140+(674x1024)+(674x978).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRfE9abtFIDVCh7kZ6bFMR5MzVClBTwJQ0EBGjnuPrAPIn12FXHHpsN_chq0k1L-Va8SysKFUSvrzor7gwti4DeHYwHodOOaix3M1iME3VpJHdXXjOryKmyVTVpJ971fqJshQEJUdJKw/s1600/IMG_6140+(674x1024)+(674x978).jpg" height="640" width="440" /></a></div>
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One of my favourite things to do is to freeze pomegranate arils and mint leaves in an ice cube tray filled over with water. Its such an easy way to add pomegranate and mint to your drinks, when you need to use ice cubes. I didn't do that here but its totally an option for those who have to have ice in their drinks! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSvvCe47oqzxLVNM_eGee_AdP6kSrG8YQ2tXhHpgpJi-qAJLDzz9twoLQL78lO0dTu_LWZ7QQ7Qng6bmgpgaJs-XxXakSdQ_XNd5Bg2f2RohyphenhyphenrLexPcNniyX2G8tbepswhXFhCmLdHmA/s1600/IMG_6156+(679x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSvvCe47oqzxLVNM_eGee_AdP6kSrG8YQ2tXhHpgpJi-qAJLDzz9twoLQL78lO0dTu_LWZ7QQ7Qng6bmgpgaJs-XxXakSdQ_XNd5Bg2f2RohyphenhyphenrLexPcNniyX2G8tbepswhXFhCmLdHmA/s1600/IMG_6156+(679x1024).jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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<i><u>Pomegranate Mint Orangeade</u></i></div>
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<i>Serves 3-4</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>12 oranges, juiced, or 500ml fresh bottled orange juice</i></div>
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<i>3 lemons, juiced</i></div>
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<i>1 lemon, sliced</i></div>
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<i>1/2 cup water</i></div>
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<i>1/4 cup sugar</i></div>
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<i>1/2 cup pomegranate arils, or pomegranate ice cubes</i></div>
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<i>Large handful of mint leaves, or mint ice cubes.</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>1. Combine the water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Once the water starts to simmer stir well until the sugar has dissolved fully. Take off heat and leave to cool.</i></div>
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<i>2. In a jug, pour in the orange and lemon juices. Slowly add the sugar syrup and mix well.</i></div>
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<i>3. Add the lemon slices. Add the pomegranate arils and mint leaves, and/or ice cubes.</i><br />
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<i>N.B. </i><i>If preferred the sugar syrup can be added to taste.</i></div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3031856784268175870.post-87581584016520063732014-03-19T02:38:00.000-07:002014-03-19T02:38:29.715-07:00Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Ombre Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's time for another cake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimivFOM7VxMuzidLSAQTXmv8R0WaF_tU4J_a6U4PpZNtWlkFD0cSls5rjSPvBK1_M-HtrJOfV_7DZ_E1EY8xxnn0qjZhrlf-O7dJG3kW8bz-xHbnDhjlACdgl0BrVo5M0TzTaojK09aqA/s1600/IMG_6312+(670x1024)+(670x1024)+(670x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimivFOM7VxMuzidLSAQTXmv8R0WaF_tU4J_a6U4PpZNtWlkFD0cSls5rjSPvBK1_M-HtrJOfV_7DZ_E1EY8xxnn0qjZhrlf-O7dJG3kW8bz-xHbnDhjlACdgl0BrVo5M0TzTaojK09aqA/s1600/IMG_6312+(670x1024)+(670x1024)+(670x1024).jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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I absolutely love ombre cakes. They look really impressive and pretty at the same time, and make the cake be all about the inside of the cake too, not just the outside. I attempted a pretty pink gradient one for Valentines. Alas it didn't turn out that great. I used a raspberry jam filling for the layers and it just made the cake layers look too unclean once I cut through the cake. Probably because it was five layers and the jam was too moist.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Anyway, back to the drawing board I went. This time I came across a couple of ombre cakes with a difference. Just look</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1161646/chocolate-and-caramel-layer-cake" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">at</a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://themoonblushbaker.blogspot.ae/2013/12/most-delicious-failures-triple.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">these</a><span style="text-align: left;">! I fell in love with the idea of a chocolate/coffee/caramel ombre cake and knew this was going to be my next cake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrDKlT-uHKw1cLX8Olz1C62OKyzEwo7GFhhJN6If9azwg5aaQnd6T5cWLCrOxgkLqduiF62XMl1wqRQdQGOJYVjtpbowo6J4Vwr5MDn3fu4RUvu2TdOur8IUaJwXjrCJ7efVOM2lIr7M/s1600/IMG_6304+(663x1024)+(663x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrDKlT-uHKw1cLX8Olz1C62OKyzEwo7GFhhJN6If9azwg5aaQnd6T5cWLCrOxgkLqduiF62XMl1wqRQdQGOJYVjtpbowo6J4Vwr5MDn3fu4RUvu2TdOur8IUaJwXjrCJ7efVOM2lIr7M/s1600/IMG_6304+(663x1024)+(663x1024).jpg" height="640" width="414" /></a></div>
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But I don't just want to be a copycat, no. So <i>this</i> chocolate ombre cake had to become a <i>triple </i>chocolate<i> peanut butter </i>ombre cake. Four individually flavoured layers, sandwiched together with three different buttercream layers: we have a dark chocolate, chocolate, white chocolate and peanut butter cake layer each, and then to perfectly complement the layers I decided that one buttercream frosting layer wouldn't be enough. Oh no. The buttercream frosting had to similarly complement the layers, so white chocolate, chocolate and peanut butter frosting it was!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcu7RUS2ePnoiPsv3dG0_bLXfvEOWqEwJUlT1wtShFHEAYrrNFA83ly9kaWEIiDPg4GZsEkIxx9oxdbh-DVIMOCS6iejxQ1k5x0C0tPEBwDbyziGe0oqVVffj7jR3NzC9BCDlhrFGWMg/s1600/IMG_6298+(679x1024)+(679x1024)+(679x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcu7RUS2ePnoiPsv3dG0_bLXfvEOWqEwJUlT1wtShFHEAYrrNFA83ly9kaWEIiDPg4GZsEkIxx9oxdbh-DVIMOCS6iejxQ1k5x0C0tPEBwDbyziGe0oqVVffj7jR3NzC9BCDlhrFGWMg/s1600/IMG_6298+(679x1024)+(679x1024)+(679x1024).jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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But why stop there? The outside of the cake had to be just as spectacular and I really liked how <a href="http://themoonblushbaker.blogspot.ae/2013/12/most-delicious-failures-triple.html" target="_blank">The Moonblush Baker</a> frosted the outside of hers, so I thought a similar look would go down well. I used both the peanut butter and white chocolate buttercreams to create an ombre effect, but rather than adding a chocolate butter cream layer too, I went one step further and poured dark chocolate ganache over the top! The literal icing on the cake. And it really makes this cake amazingly good. Lastly sprinkled with some chocolate and peanut butter sweets for good measure, I don't know how to tell you not to make this cake!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgn3sR8_nQaFYmaf-WGGxzIMhlPJ1HdBrrbzoIbc3swqszsCcSeIk2QceaQKxrKn6mJCY4Iklw6mOl-ce-JZRprT-6pe6vU7_YyAWnTqSNDv-uTsglJIQs1egllm27ZqGNE6s1Binuyk/s1600/IMG_6315+%2528683x1024%2529+%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgn3sR8_nQaFYmaf-WGGxzIMhlPJ1HdBrrbzoIbc3swqszsCcSeIk2QceaQKxrKn6mJCY4Iklw6mOl-ce-JZRprT-6pe6vU7_YyAWnTqSNDv-uTsglJIQs1egllm27ZqGNE6s1Binuyk/s1600/IMG_6315+%2528683x1024%2529+%2528683x1024%2529.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Some might think the numerous different flavours are a bit much, and it isn't a cake for the faint-hearted, but rest assured my cake-testers all gave positive results. What is for sure, is that this cake will satisfy any chocolate and peanut butter lover. The dark chocolate cake is delightfully fudgy and brownie like, whilst the peanut butter cake is perfectly nutty. Paired with the white chocolate and chocolate cakes, you get a cake which takes you through a journey in every bite, but a smooth satisfying journey. You'll find yourself wanting to eat through the layers individually and then also wanting to try different ones together!</div>
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It is definitely a party cake, made to impress and be eaten by a number of cake-eating happy people. But if you feel you want to stick to one buttercream instead or omit a cake layer then feel free to do as suited. I also layered my cake so that no two same buttercream and cake flavour is next to the other, but you could do exactly this to make an altogether different visually appealing cake. Whatever you decide to do, remember you don't want to leave out the ganache topping!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6WM3MPBycv6hfjI6-UYlYphEMStQAo0mHcJzlpsXexv5KMtTf_Edbm16hzqi-RAG7qKxNLINlghRaa2bOOjOME1eGc8-sLTOT5F_TnVtnFByRUQpeXsVE5yvR7Of6JxTYcGSrVjYIWE/s1600/IMG_6332+(674x1024)+(674x1024).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6WM3MPBycv6hfjI6-UYlYphEMStQAo0mHcJzlpsXexv5KMtTf_Edbm16hzqi-RAG7qKxNLINlghRaa2bOOjOME1eGc8-sLTOT5F_TnVtnFByRUQpeXsVE5yvR7Of6JxTYcGSrVjYIWE/s1600/IMG_6332+(674x1024)+(674x1024).jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></div>
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Please make sure to check out my notes at the end of the recipe too!</div>
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<u><b>Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Ombre Cake</b></u></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Makes a medium-sized 7" cake</span><br />
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<u><b>For the chocolate and white chocolate layer:</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
225g butter, soft</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
125g caster sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
100g brown sugar</div>
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3 eggs</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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175g self-raising flour</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 tsp baking powder</div>
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150ml yoghurt</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5 tbsp cocoa powder</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
15g white chocolate, melted</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C, and grease two 7 inch cake pans.</div>
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2. Cream together the butter, caster and brown sugars, in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract, and mix well.</div>
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3. Add the flour and baking powder. Mix and then fold in the yoghurt.</div>
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4. Divide the batter into two. Mix in the cocoa powder to one and the white chocolate to the other.</div>
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5. Fill cake tins, and bake for 25 minutes, </div>
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6. Leave to cool completely before assembling.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><b>For the dark chocolate layer:</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
80g butter, soft</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
135g caster sugar</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 egg</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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90g self-raising flour</div>
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35g/9 tbsp cocoa powder</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
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100ml buttermilk, or milk with 1 tsp lemon juice</div>
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1 tbs yoghurt</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pinch of salt</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Repeat steps 1-3 as above, greasing one cake tin, and adding the cocoa powder and salt with the flour as well.</div>
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2. Add buttermilk and yoghurt, and mix well.</div>
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3. Fill cake tin and bake for 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.</div>
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4. Leave to cool completely before assembling.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><b>For the peanut butter layer:</b></u></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
80g peanut butter, soft</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
40g butter, soft</div>
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100g caster sugar</div>
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1 egg</div>
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1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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120g self-raising flour</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
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100ml buttermilk, or milk with 1 tsp lemon juice</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Pinch of salt</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and grease one cake tin.</div>
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2. Mix together the peanut butter and butter, making sure it is well blended.</div>
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3. Now add the sugar and cream together well.</div>
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4. Add the egg and vanilla extract until incorporated, then mix in the flour, baking powder and salt.</div>
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5. Add the buttermilk slowly to form a smooth batter.</div>
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6. Fill cake tin, and bake for 25-30 minutes, checking for doneness.</div>
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7. Leave to cool completely before assembling.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u>Buttercreams</u></b><br />
<b><u>White Chocolate:</u></b><br />
3 cups icing sugar<br />
3/4 cup butter, softened<br />
5 tbsp white chocolate, melted<br />
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<b><u>Chocolate:</u></b><br />
1 cup icing sugar<br />
1/2 cup butter, softened<br />
3 tsp dark chocolate, melted<br />
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<b><u>Peanut Butter:</u></b><br />
2 cups icing sugar<br />
3/4 cup butter<br />
3 tbsp peanut butter<br />
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1. For all the buttercreams, combine the icing sugar with the butter using a mixer until well incorporated.<br />
2. For the chocolate buttercreams, add the melted chocolate and mix to a smooth consistency. For the peanut butter buttercream, add the peanut butter along with the icing sugar and butter.<br />
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<b><u>Dark Chocolate Ganache</u></b><br />
3/4 cup heavy cream<br />
1 & half cup dark chocolate, chopped, or dark chocolate chips<br />
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1. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it starts to come to the boil.<br />
2. Remove off the heat and immediately pour over chocolate in a glass bowl.<br />
3. Leave to sit for two minutes and then stir until completely melted and smooth. If you find you still have lumps, put the bowl in the microwave and heat on medium for ten seconds. Remove and stir.<br />
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<u><b>Assembling the cake</b></u></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. Work out a method for assembling cake layers and buttercreams in preferred way. You might want to write down the order to make it easier.</div>
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The order used here was as follows (starting at the bottom)-</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dark Chocolate Layer</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
White Chocolate Buttercream</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chocolate Layer</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Peanut Butter Buttercream</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
White Chocolate Layer</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chocolate Buttercream</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Peanut Butter Layer</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. Trim off excess cake on layers using a large bread knife, to ensure they are even and flat.<br />
3. Start with your base layer and using a spatula spread an even layer of your first buttercream.<br />
4. Repeat with all the cake layers and buttercreams, until you place your fourth cake layer on top.<br />
5. Using the white chocolate buttercream, make a thin crumb coat around the whole cake. Refrigerate cake for at least 20 minutes.<br />
6. Starting with the bottom of the cake, use your spatula to spread the peanut butter over the third to lower half. Now add the white chocolate buttercream to the top half. Use your spatula to slightly blend the peanut butter with the white chocolate.<br />
7. Chill in the fridge for at least half an hour, while you make the ark chocolate ganache.<br />
8. Remove and pour the dark chocolate slowly over the top of the cake until it starts to drip down the sides.<br />
9. Sprinkle over with chocolate and peanut butter chips or desired sprinkles.<br />
10. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for upto ten days.</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
N.B.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
- When filling the cake tins, you should aim to fill the batter to the same height for each layer, in order to ensure even sized layers for assembling the cake.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
- Be careful to check on the cakes at the 25 minute mark, as a few minutes longer and the cakes are prone to becoming dry.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
- You probably want to make this cake over two days. One day for baking the layers, and a second day for making the buttercreams and assembling.<br />
- The white chocolate buttercream yields the most, then the peanut butter, and lastly the chocolate, as I needed the most white chocolate to cover the outside the cake as well as for layering, and secondly the peanut butter which is also used on the outside.<br />
- If you find the buttercreams are too soft, chill in the fridge for ten minutes before using.<br />
- Any leftover dark chocolate ganache can be refrigerated, and heated when needed to pour onto endless other desserts. Or roll into balls and make chocolate truffles!</div>
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Beela Bakeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330824260967498645noreply@blogger.com5