Braided Breadsticks with left over pizza dough

Made these crispy braided breadsticks with leftover pizza dough. I usually freeze the left over pizza. But this time, I wanted to try making bread sticks. My first attempt at baking breadstick and with braids. :) It was little time consuming when I made the very first braid. But once you get the technique of making braids, it is so easy and addictive. I had fun making them and kids totally loved it. Kids helped me rolling the pizza dough into strips and they were watching me make these braids. Totally worth the effort !

I served breadsticks with sweet corn and green peas soup. It was a healthy and quite satisfying/ filling meal combo. I will definitely make them often.

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour / Maida
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Granulated White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup + 2 tablespoons of Warm Water
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions

1. In a microwave safe mug, add 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon of water. Heat on high on microwave mode for 15 seconds. Check if the water is warm. Water should not be too hot. If it is too hot, yeast will not get activated

2. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the warm water and give it a stir

3. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast to the warm water and leave for 10 minutes until the yeast gets activated and the mixture becomes frothy on the top

                                


4. In a large mixing bowl, add AP flour / maida, salt, olive oil and mix gently

                                


5. Now pour the warm water to the flour and mi everything together till it comes together as a dough. If the dough is too watery, add 2 or 3 tablespoons maida and mix
6. Now knead the dough with hands for 8 minutes
7. Shape the dough in a ball and place it in a greased bowl

                               


8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm environment. I preheat up my oven to 180 C. Turn off the oven after 5 minutes. The oven will be hot from inside. Keep the bowl in the oven and let the dough double in volume

                              


9. Once the dough is doubled, punch it down to release the air
10. For making braided breadstick, pinch ping pong sized ball and roll it evenly to thin strip. Make 3 strips for a braided stick

                      


11. Seal the edges of three strips at one end and start braiding the strips

                         


12. Braid them loosely leaving space for the dough to expand. Once done , seal the other end of the braid too

13. Keep the braided sticks on a greased parchment paper. Let them raise and double for about 30 minutes

 
14. Preheat the oven to 200 C , transfer the parchment paper along with braided breadsticks to a baking tray / cookies sheet and bake at 200 C for 15 minutes or until the edges are nice golden and the sticks are crispy

15. Serve warm with soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Yogurt Cake

A Tart Lemon Cake with the goodness of Yogurt and topped with Lemon Glaze. This cake is moist, has an amazing flavour and incredibly light. And you just need to whisk everything together and bake, no special equipment needed.

 

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 Cups of All Purpose Flour / Maida
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Plain Whole Milk Yogurt ( Don't substitute Low-Fat yogurt /Non-Fat Yogurt for the FULL fat yogurt)
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar ( I powdered the regular granulated sugar in mixie / mixer)
• 3 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
• Zest of 2 Large Fresh Lemons
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

• 1/4 Cup Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1/3 Cup of Granulated White Sugar 

For the Glaze ( Optional)

1/2 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C / 350 F
2. Grease a 8 and 1/2 Inch Load pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the sides of the pan and flour the pan. Set aside

                                    

3. In a mixing bowl, combine All purpose Flour, baking powder, salt

                                   


4. In an another large mixing bowl, add thick yogurt, 1 Cup of powdered sugar and using a whisk them together

                                    

                                 

                                

5. Add eggs and whisk it until the eggs are well combined with the yogurt mixture

                               

6. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and whisk it again

                              
                              
                              



7. Now slowly whisk the dry ingredients we prepared at step number 3 into the wet ingredients

                             

8. Using a spatula, fold in the vegetable oil in the cake batter. Make sure the oil is well incorporated in the cake batter. It should be completely absorbed in the batter

                           
                                  
                            



9. Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan

                                


10. Bake at 170 C for 55 minutes or until the tooth pick inserted comes out clean
11. Meanwhile combine 1/3 granulated white sugar and 1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice in a small sauce pan. Cook the mixture on medium flame until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear. Set aside
12. Once the cake is done, allow it to cool down in the loaf pan for 10 minutes
13. Then invert the cake on a wire rack lined with parchment paper
14. While the cake is still warm, pour the Lemon Sugar mixture we prepared at step number 11 all over the cake and allow it to soak well in the cake
15. Prepare the glaze : Combine confectioner's sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl / mug and pour it over the cake

                        


16. Serve once

Papaya Coconut Milk Smoothie

A refreshing drink made with papaya, coconut milk with a hint of Lemon. This drink is very healthy, quite filling and so much tropical. It can be served at breakfast or after school energizing drink for the kids. High on vitamins and tastes too delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Chopped Ripe Papaya Cubes
• 1 Cup Thin Coconut Milk
• 2 Tablespoon Honey
• Juice of Half Lemon

Directions 

1. Remove skin of the papaya , scoop out seeds and discard. Then chop them into cubes

 

2. I used fresh coconut milk. If you are using canned coconut milk, dilute the milk with equal portion of warm water. For 1 cup of thin coconut milk, add 1/2 cup coconut milk from the can + 1/2 Cup warm water

3. Add chopped papaya, coconut milk , honey and lemon juice in the food processor and pulse / grind it until the mixture is smooth

                                   

                                   

                                                                                                      
4. Chill in the refrigerator and serve chilled. I do not prefer Ice cubes in my drink. Hence I blend everything and the refrigerate to drink to get cool. You can add 1/2 Cup Ice cubes while blending ripe papaya if you want to serve it immediately.

                                        

                                       
                                       
                                      


 

Garlic Parmesan Knots

Garlic Parmesan Knots - Soft, buttery light and pillowy. These are flavoured with garlic butter , shredded parmesan cheese and loads of fresh cilantro leaves. Perfect on their own or as an accompaniment to soup.

 

 

 

 

Yield : 12 Garlic Knots

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour / Maida
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Granulated White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup + 2 tablespoons of Warm Water
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

For the Garlic Butter

• 3 Tablespoons salted butter
• 4 Garlic Cloves chopped finely
• 3 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro Leaves chopped finely
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a microwave safe mug, add 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon of water. Heat on high on microwave mode for 15 seconds. Check if the water is warm. Water should not be too hot. If it is too hot, yeast will not get activated

2. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the warm water and give it a stir

3. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast to the warm water and leave for 10 minutes until the yeast gets activated and the mixture becomes frothy on the top

                                


4. In a large mixing bowl, add AP flour / maida, salt, olive oil and mix gently

                                


5. Now pour the warm water to the flour and mi everything together till it comes together as a dough. If the dough is too watery, add 2 or 3 tablespoons maida and mix
6. Now knead the dough with hands for 8 minutes
7. Shape the dough in a ball and place it in a greased bowl

                               


8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm environment. I preheat up my oven to 180 C. Turn off the oven after 5 minutes. The oven will be hot from inside. Keep the bowl in the oven and let the dough double in volume

                              


9. Once the dough is doubled, punch it down to release the air
10. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll one part into a large 1/2 inch thickness rectangle or circle. Sprinkle flour on the work surface if the dough is sticky

                                  


11. Using a pizza cutter, cut strips

                                   

                                

12. Transfer the strips to a parchment paper. Take one strip. Roll it in to a long cylindrical log. Bring the edges of the dough and make a loose knot

                                   


                                  

                                 

                                

13. Place the knot on a greased parchment paper

                               


14. Work on rest of the strips and make knots and arrange them on the parchment paper
15. Make strips and knots with rest of the dough
16. Allow the knots to rest in a warm place for 30 minutes during which they grow big and double in size
17. Preheat the oven to 200 C 
18. Place the parchment paper with dough knots on a baking tray and bake it in the oven at 200 C for 10 minutes

                                


19. While the knots are getting baked in the oven, prepare the garlic butter. In a small sauce pan , add butter. when the butter melts, add finely chopped garlic and give it a stir

                                 


20. When the garlic turns light golden, add chopped cilantro leaves and dried thyme and switch off the flame

                                  


20. Once the knots are baked for 10 minutes, remove them from the oven and brush them with garlic butter. Return them to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more. Keep an eye on them.. garlic burns quickly

                                 


21. Remove from knots from the oven and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese


22. Serve immediately when they are out of the oven