Til Laddoo (Sesame seeds laddoo)

Til laddoo as the name suggests is having Til (Sesame seeds) as Main ingredient. Sesame seeds  is a common ingredient in cuisines across the world and has one of the highest oil contents with rich, nutty flavor to it. 
Delicious, crunchy sesame seeds are widely considered healthful foods. They are high in energy and contain many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for wellness. Calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, magnesium, selenium, and copper are especially concentrated in sesame seeds. Many of these minerals have vital role in bone mineralization, red blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, hormone production, as well as regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle activities

By nature these seeds are warm and generally eaten in winter season to keep body warm.There are so many ways to make laddoo from til. Main sweets made from til is Gajak and Revadi and there are so many variations in Gajak too.

Gajak is a sweet made with either sugar syrup or jaggery syrup. Til laddoo Gajak or Revadi, all these have festive importance for festivals like lohari and makar sankranti, Til laddoo, Gajak or Revadi are made and offered to guests and donated in temples too. 

But laddoo what I made is a variation from regular  Laddoo or Gajak or Revadi. Taste was really really awesome and everbody liked it. I made Til laddoo in two different ways. Name of these laddoo given by me is

1.White chocolate Til Laddoo

White chocolate til laddoo pic1

2. Til Mawa Laddoo

Til mawa laddoo pic 2

As from names of these you would have understood the ingredients used in these. 

Til mawa laddoo pic 3

White chocolate sweet taste with Seasme seeds flavour works wonder. As my three years son is Chocolate lover just like other kids he was not picking any piece of laddoo as he doesn't want to try any new things in food or you can say he is not interested in food at all except Chocolates and ice cream. This is a great struggle with him to feed any new thing to him. Really really a great struggle. Any how I fed him one piece of white chocolate til laddoo to him and he was like surprised that how come Chocolate taste in this and believe me he ate all white chocolate til laddoo in one instance only and started insisting for more laddoo. I gave him Til mawa laddoo as I had made both types of laddoo simultaneously. He liked Til mawa laddoo too but his reaction for white chocolate til laddoo was superb. I gave this name of white chocolate til laddoo just for desi twist.

                     White chocolate til laddoo pic 4

Pic 1 and pic 4 are same laddoo pics. Only difference is that I garnish with dark chocolate sauce over and around laddoo.


Now for til mawa laddoo, I used homemade mawa using milk and milk powder. If you wish to make mawa only from milk then it can also be done. Taste is awesome either ways. Even cooking process of making mawa is same either way. Only milk has to be reduced till thick semi soild state. If you have no time or want to use readymade mawa from market then take readymade mawa from market and make it loosen in a pan on gas flame using sugar powder. You can make laddoo either ways but taste comes great when you use homemade fresh mawa.  This til mawa laddoo was also liked by my husband and son.


Here I am writing recipes of both type of laddoo separately stepwise with pics.

Ingredients

For White Chocolate Til Laddoo

Making 10 to 12 pieces of small laddoo

1. White chocolate chips: 100 gram
2. White Seasme seeds: 150 grams
3. Dark chocolate chips: 10 to 12 pieces (optional)
4. Dark chocolate syrup: 1 tsp for garnish ( optional)

For Til Mawa Laddoo

Making 10 pieces

1. Full cream Milk: 1 glass or 200 ml
2. Milk powder: 2 tsp
3. White Seasme seeds: 200 grams
4. Sugar fine powder: 100 to 150gram (as your taste)
5. Some dry fruits: for topping

Method of Preparation:

1. Take white Sesame seeds in a bowl and wash it 2 - 3 times draining water. It is necessary to wash to make free from impurities. After washing it, take a cotton cloth and spread all Sesame seeds over that and keep under the sunlight to make it dry. This step is important because cotton cloth absorb water and make sure Sesame seeds are dry. There should not be any moisture. Cover the Sesame seeds from net to stop from  birds.
2. When Sesame seeds get totally dry, then take a pan and heat it on high flame. When it is heated and smoke starts coming from pan put all dry Sesame seeds into pan and put flame on medium. Continuously stir it to roast it. When Sesame seeds starts turning slight brown and roasting aroma
3. Comes out then switch off gas and let it be cool.
4. After 5 to 7 minutes, take all roasted Sesame seeds in mixture jar and give just one pulse and make a coarse powder. This should not be fine powder.

For White Chocolate Til Laddoo:

1. For making white chocolate til laddoo, take white chocolate chips. Now melt it. Melting is prime concern in this whole recipe. I used double boiler method to melt. Microwave method can also be used.

• For microwave method, take a microwave safe bowl. Bowl should be dry and should not contain any moisture. Put all white chocolate chips in bowl and microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds. Take it out from microwave and check whether it is melted or not. If you feel to need more melt then again microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds. Don't heat it in microwave more.
• In double boiler method, take water in deep pan water should be 1/2 of  pan and heat it on gas flame on high heat.  

• Meanwhile take a bowl, bowl can be heat proof glass or steel one can be used  also and put white chocolate chips in it. Again be cautious, bowl should not contain any moisture. This is very very important.When water become hot then place Chocolate bowl over it carefully so that upper bowl shouldn't touch to water bowl. 

• Again be cautious, water should not come in touch of Chocolate or Chocolate bowl. Stir Chocolate chips with spoon uniformly to melt it properly. I used this method to melt the chocolate chips.

 2. Now take out melted chocolate bowl from water pan and keep on kitchen slab. 

 3. Immediately put coarse powder of Sesame seeds in melted chocolate and mix well.

4. Divide whole mixture into 10 small pieces and start making round shape of ladoo using both palm.

5. Put all laddoo in a bowl or plate. Topping with dark chocolate chips and garnish with some dark chocolate sauce with the help of spoon. 

6. Now serve it to your kids or family or guests. You can store in freeze for upto one week.

For Til Mawa Laddoo:

1. For Til Mawa Laddoo, First we make home made mawa. 
2. For Mawa, take a heavy bottom pan and put it on gas flame. Pour milk in this pan and continuously stir it. 

3.    When milk volume reduces to half. Then add milk powder in this. Again continuously stir it.

4.   When it starts turning into thick then add sugar powder in it and stir. Stir it for 5 to 7 minutes. When it starts thickening continuously stir it, otherwise it can be burned.

5.   Switch off gas and keep it side to cool for 5 minutes.
6.   Now add coarse powder of Sesame seeds and mix well.

7.  Divide whole mixture into 10 small pieces and make round shape of laddoo using both palms.

8.    Keep it in plate and do topping with dry fruits and Serve it with smile to your family and friends as that is the most important ingredient.
10.  You can store it for upto 3 days in freeze

Notes:

Some little precautions are there which you have to keep in mind. I just point out all these here below.

1. Make a coarse powder of Sesame seeds. No need of making fine powder.
2. In double boiler method, be cautious that there is no contact of  Chocolate and water. Otherwise Chocolate would become hard.
3. Don't fill water pan full. Only take half of pan water. Otherwise water can come into contact of Chocolate.
4. When Chocolate Sesame seeds are hot that time only starts making round shape otherwise if mixture will become cold then Chocolate would harden and you can't make laddoo shape. So don't let Chocolate Sesame seeds mixture completely cool.
5. Topping with dark chocolate chips and Chocolate sauce is purely optional.
6. While making mawa on gas continuously stir it. Take a heavy bottom pan for it.
7. You can use market made or ready made mawa too for making til mawa laddoo. But taste is awesome when you use home made mawa.
8. When you use market made mawa then for that take a heavy bottom pan and put on low flame burner . Add mawa and make it loosen. Add sugar powder and stir it. It will become thick in 5 to 10 mintues. Switch off gas and keep it side for cool but make sure mawa sugar mixture is thickened and semi solid state. After that you repeat process as above mentioned.

Chocolate Butter Cookies

Chocolate is the flavor which is liked by almost everyone either kids, youngsters or old people. Some people like me are chocoholic and can eat chocolate or cocoa flavor any number of time. I am fond of chocolate and chocolate preparations in anything. I like bitterness of cocoa. Dark chocolate is my favorite and perhaps my son's eating habits of Chocolate came from my side.

Cocoa and butter is great combination and I used this  combination in my recipe. This Chocolate butter cookies combines the bitterness of cocoa with butter which gives a great flavour.

Studies show that dark chocolate  can improve health and lower the risk of heart disease. If you buy quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content, then it is actually quite nutritious. It contains a decent amount of soluble fiber and is loaded with minerals.

A 100 gram bar of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa contains :

• 11 grams of fiber.
• 67% of the RDA for Iron.
• 58% of the RDA for Magnesium.
• 89% of the RDA for Copper.
• 98% of the RDA for Manganese.
• It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.

Of course, 100 grams is a fairly large amount and not something you should be consuming daily. All these nutrients also come with 600 calories and moderate amounts of sugar.

For this reason, dark chocolate is best consumed in moderation. The above is for those who considers chocolate unhealthy for others they are already in love with chocolate.

I baked this recipe for one of our friends house warming occasion. We were invited there and I thought to gift my home made cookies so I cooked in morning , packed in a plastic box and gifted them. Response was awesome and specially the children liked it. Then I thought to share this recipe with my blog readers.
Recipe is as simple as my other cookies I posted earlier. Cocoa flavour with butter is a great great combination and when you have topping with Chocolate chips which melts in mouth is a experience like a heaven.
You guys can make it on any occasion like birthday party, kitty party, get together, to gift it anyone or festivals like Holi. As Holi is approaching so you can made it in advance and serve for Holi Milan.

I am very fond of cooking and try to explore new foods and dishes to cook and I love to bake cookies too. I have baked many types of Cookies so far and took step wise photos too but not getting time to write recipes and post on my blog. Only few cookies recipes have been posted till now by me on blog. But I would post all cookies recipe soon. Hopefully I would manage it. Actually my office schedule is very hectic. This Chocolate cookies is my favorite due to Chocolate and cocoa flavor so I was eager to share this recipe.

You can also check other recipes for cookies like cumin butter cookies, caramelised tutti fruity cookies, naan khatai and shahi paan butter cookies.

Ingredients: for 10 to 12 pieces of Cookies

1. All purpose refined flour: 1/2 cup or 1000 grams
2. Cocoa powder: 1/4 cup or 50 grams.
3. Butter : 100 gram
4. Powder sugar : 1/4 cup or 50 grams
5. Corn flour: 1/2 tsp
6. Baking powder : 1 tsp

Method of Preparation

1.   Take all purpose refined flour, coca powder and baking powder and sieve these in a dry bowl. Mix it and make sure that there is no any lump of coca powder in mixture.

2.   Take a bowl and put powder sugar. Add corn flour in this and mix well.
3.   Now take a bowl and put butter in this. Make sure that butter should be on room temperature.
4.   Add sugar cornflour mixture and beat either by hand beater or electric beater to make it creamy texture. Beat it upto 2 mintues.

5.    Now add dry ingredients mixture in butter sugar mixture and mix well. Make a dough type texture.

6.    Now add Chocolate chips keeping few pieces of Chocolate chips apart for topping.

7.   Mix well all ingredients together and keep it side.
8.   Take baking sheet. Line it up with parchment paper.
9.    Preheat the oven at 180 degree centigrade for 10 minutes.
10.  Divide the whole dough into small 10 pieces of lemon size
11.  Put these small pieces of dough in baking sheet keep sufficient distance between two pieces.
12.  Do topping with Chocolate chips on each pieces of dough.

13.  Bake it at 180 degree centigrade for 10 to 12 minutes. Now Cookies are baked.

14.   Let these cookies be cooled in baking sheet for 10 minutes. After that transfer all cookies on rack and wait for complete cool.

15.   After that you can now serve it your kids your guests and family. You can store it in airtight container for upto one months.


Notes:

1. Sieving of cocoa powder is important so that no any lump should be there
2. Butter should be at room temperature before beating it. To bring it on room temperature, take it out from freeze at least two hours before making cookies. Otherwise you can microwave it for 30 seconds. But it is better to take it out from freeze some times before.
3.  Don't beat butter and sugar for long times . 2 to 3 minutes beating is sufficient.
4.  Adding Chocolate chips in dough depends upon your taste. If you want to make it more Chocolaty then add more.
5.  Baking time and temperature is vary oven to oven so knowing your oven before baking is most important.
6.  You can also store Cookies dough in freeze upto one month. Prepare this dough, wrap in cling sheet and keep in freeze. Whenever you have to bake or serve take it out from freeze half an hour before at least. Now further process is same as above.  In this way you can serve you guests or organize a party easily.

Strawberries Milkshake and Smoothie

Like many other fruits, strawberries make their claim in history as a luxury item enjoyed only by royalty. On history these  have been enjoyed since the Roman times. Fresh summer strawberries are one of the most popular, refreshing, and healthy treats for season. Strawberries are not actually fruits as their seeds are on the outside. Strawberry plants are runners, and are not produced by seeds. They have an average of 200 seeds per fruit and are actually a member of the rose (rosaceae) family.

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamins C and K as well as providing a good dose of fibre, folic acid, manganese and potassium. They also contain significant amounts of phytonutrients and flavanoids which makes strawberries bright red. They have been used throughout history in a medicinal context to help with digestive ailments, teeth whitening and skin irritations. Their fibre and fructose content may help regulate blood sugar levels by slowing digestion and the fibre is thought to have a satiating effect. Leaves can be eaten raw, cooked or used to make tea.

Strawberries are a popular addition to dairy products such as ice cream and smoothies.

The vibrant red colour of strawberries is due to large amounts of anthocyanidin, which also means they contain powerful antioxidants and are thought to protect against inflammation, cancer and heart disease.

My parents bought some strawberries for us last month when they were coming from Mumbai tour.  I thought to make Milkshake using this as this is good option with morning breakfast and lucky it was Sunday morning. So prepare this in breakfast with sandwich. This one glass of strawberries Milkshake was so heavy, that with sandwich it worked out as brunch..So tummy full and yummy too. This is so easy to prepare in 5 minutes that you can include it in your breakfast daily. By the way this is healthy options for breakfast.

Same way Strawberries Smoothie can also be made. Only extra ingredients for smoothie is Vanilla ice cream. I have already posted recipe of vanilla ice cream in my blog. So for smoothie, you can just prepare vanilla ice cream first following my recipe then make smoothie or you can use readymade vanilla ice cream too for smoothie if you have lack of time to prepare ice cream.

Here I write both recipe below.

Ingredients :

Strawberries Milkshake : for serving 3 glasses

Single tone Milk : half liter (chilled)
Strawberries: 10 to 12 pieces (keep 2 - 3 pieces apart for garnish)
Sugar: 3 tsp

Strawberries Smoothie : Serving 1 glass

Vanilla ice cream: 150 gram
Strawberries Milkshake: 1 glass

Method of Preparation

Take fresh strawberries and wash it properly 2 to 3 times with water.
Take mixer juicer grinder, put strawberries in it with sugar.

Grind it into a fine paste.

Then add chilled milk in this and just give a small pulse  to grinder jar
Now strawberries Milkshake is ready. Pour it into glasses. Garnish with strawberries and serve it with smile.
Consume it immediately. It can't be stored.

Now you want to make smoothie from this then it is so simple and easy too. Make strawberries milkshake. Take long glass . Fill vanilla ice cream or strawberries ice cream upto half glass. Now pour strawberries milkshake upto full length of glass. Put strawberries fruit on rim of glass Put straw and spoon in this glass. If you want then you can do topping with strawberries sauce and serve it.

Notes:

Use chilled milk for this. Chilled milk enhance taste and good for strawberries too.
Make fine paste of strawberries and sugar. You can use sugar powder also instead of granulated sugar.
Quantity of sugar can be added or reduced as per your taste and health too.