TIRAMISU SIN

This classic Italian dessert is the stuff food fantasies are made of.

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream; 1 cup mascarpone (softened); ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1tsp vanilla extract; 1½ cups espresso or very strong coffee (cooled); 2tbsp coffee liqueur (Kahlua); 2 dozen ladyfinger biscuits (or any short-crust cookie that you can find)

To garnish

A few strawberries; a few sprigs of mint; chocolate wafer rolls; 1tbsp coffee powder; 1tbsp cocoa powder

Method

• Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Mix the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until combined. Add in the whipped cream and beat again until smooth.
• Stir the coffee and Kahlua together. Lightly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee-Kahlua mixture.
• Line a 9x9-inch square baking dish with a layer of ladyfingers.
• Spread half of the cream mixture over the cookies. Repeat another layer and chill for a minimum of four hours or overnight.
• Dust with the cocoa and coffee powder before serving. Cut into squares and garnish with a chocolate wafer roll, mint sprig and a strawberry to top.

Bite into the luscious goodness of this sinful tiramisu that’s divine but simple to make!

POMEGRANATE, ROASTED PUMPKIN & FETA CROSTINI

Now this is what you call a sensory seduction overload on a piece of toast… literally!

Ingredients

½cup pumpkin (cut into cubes);
1 small pomegranate (shelled); 100gm feta cheese; 50gm cream cheese; salt and pepper to taste; 1tbsp honey;
1 baguette (cut into ¼-inch slices); 2tbsp chopped basil

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Lightly brush two baking pans with oil.
• Place the baguette slices on one of the pans; lightly brush with cooking oil on top. Now place the pumpkin cubes on the other pan and lightly brush with cooking oil. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top.
• Transfer both pans to the preheated oven. Toast the bread for five to eight minutes or until crisp (turning once), and pumpkin for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tender (flipping once). Allow bread and pumpkin to cool before assembling the crostini.
• Meanwhile, place feta, cream cheese and pepper in a bowl and whisk until very smooth.
• To serve, spread each piece of toasted crostini with 2tsp whipped feta mix. Place roasted pumpkin and pomegranate arils over the cheese. Sprinkle with basil leaves and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately!

CHILLI LEMON SHRIMP CANAPES

Take the sizzle one notch up with these sizzling hot and zesty shrimp bites for a hot date!

Ingredients

1 big cucumber; 1tbsp red chilli paste; 1tsp minced garlic; 1tsp lemon juice; 1tbsp lemon zest; 1tsp soy sauce; 1tbsp honey; 2tbsp cornflour; 1tbsp refined flour; 2tbsp crushed cornflakes;
10 shrimps (peeled and deveined); a little beer to make the batter; salt and pepper to season; oil to fry

Method

• Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper to season. Now marinate the shrimp with the chilli paste, lemon juice, minced garlic and soy sauce for 10-15 minutes.
• Heat the oil for deep-frying over medium heat. Make a thick batter by mixing a little beer with the cornflour and refined flour.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper. Dip the marinated shrimps in the flour batter, coat with crushed cornflakes and deep-fry until golden and crisp.
• Remove and drain excess oil on a kitchen towel. Now cut the cucumber into ¾-inch wide slices. Dry off the cucumber slices using paper towels.
• Place one shrimp on top of each cucumber slice and top with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Serve hot!

FLAMING STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Come on baby, light my fire! That’s what these sizzling juicy strawberries seem to be saying as they rest on sinful, lick-worthy chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients

¾cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1½ cups powdered sugar; 1½tsp baking soda; ¾tsp baking powder; ¾tsp salt; 2 eggs; ¾cup hot water; ¾cup heavy cream;
3tbsp vegetable oil; 2tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.  Add eggs, water, heavy cream, oil and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth.  
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each till three-fourth full. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the muffins cool before frosting.

For the frosting

200gm non-dairy whipping cream; 2tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, add the whipping cream along with the cocoa powder. Whisk till it is fluffy and reaches a soft peak consistency. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and frost the cupcakes with the chocolate cream.

For the flaming strawberries

15-16 strawberries (you’ll need as many as the number of cupcakes), vodka, rum, or your choice of liquor

Method

Hollow out the strawberries carefully, taking care that you don’t cut through the flesh from any side. Since you’ll be pouring and setting the liquor aflame inside, it is important that the strawberry is leak-proof.

Set one strawberry atop each frosted cupcake. Fill strawberries with liquor just before lighting, as alcohol evaporates quickly. Now light up the alcohol inside with a blowtorch or a lighter and enjoy the sensuous flaming strawberry shots atop the creamy and sinful chocolate cupcakes.

SUSHI DOUGHNUT

For all those mushy ’bout sushi, do-nut-ya think that this will be a super cute tummy-pleaser?!

Ingredients

100gm tuna (sliced thinly); 100gm salmon (sliced thinly); ½ cucumber; 2 red radishes; 2tbsp toasted black and white sesame seeds; 1 cup sushi rice (short grained); 2tbsp rice vinegar; 1tbsp sugar; ½tsp salt; nori sheets (cut into 4-inch pieces); one-eighth cup soy sauce or ponzu sauce; one-eighth cup pickled ginger; one-eighth cup wasabi paste

Method

Prepare the toppings: Slice the tuna and salmon very thinly on the bias, with pieces about 2-inch long. Using a mandolin slicer on a very thin setting, slice the cucumber lengthwise. Cut them into 2-inch pieces. Slice the red radishes also very thinly on the mandolin.

Prepare the sushi rice: In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Dissolve over medium heat but do not boil. Remove from heat and stir. Set aside to cool. Now mix in the cooked rice in the vinegar mixture until well combined; do not squish the grains. Let rice cool to room temperature before handling.

To make the doughnuts: Take a doughnut baking pan and grease lightly. Now working around the doughnut cavities in a circle, press the fish into the bottom of the mould, then the cucumbers and then the radishes, followed by a sprinkle of the toasted sesame seeds. Repeat with each mould. Finally, pack in the rice tightly on top of the other ingredients, making the top of the rice as flat as possible.

Place the mould in the refrigerator for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and place a flat plate or tray on top of the mould and now flip over the doughnut pan, unmoulding the doughnuts.

Carefully remove the doughnut pan, making sure that none of the ingredients are inside the mould. Serve the sushi doughnuts with soy/ponzu sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi paste.

STRAWBERRY ROSITOS

This is romance in a glass! Muddle up and cuddle up with this strawberry and rose mojito!

Ingredients

1tbsp sugar syrup; 30ml fresh lemon juice; 60ml strawberry puree; ½ cup crushed ice; a splash of club soda; 45ml white rum; a handful of mint leaves; 3-4 strawberries (halved); fresh rose petals (organic)

Method

• In a tall glass, muddle the mint leaves with sugar syrup, strawberry puree and rose petals with a muddler.
• Pour the lemon juice and rum on top of the muddled mixture.
• Top up the glass with crushed ice.
• Add a splash of club soda and stir. Drop in the strawberry halves and some fresh rose petals. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Enjoy chilled.

Chef Priyanka M is a MasterChef India 2015 finalist. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @deliciouslyPriyanka