Winter Warmth Delights: Indulge In Sweet And Savory Comfort With Two Cozy Family Weekend Recipes

Experience the ultimate winter comfort with two delightful recipes perfect for a cozy family weekend. Indulge in the warmth of the season with a sweet dish that tantalizes your taste buds and a main course that satisfies your soul. Gather your loved ones, embrace the chilly weather, and savor the joy of good food and great company this weekend. Winter warmth awaits!

Strawberry Baileys Fraisier

Recipes by Somoshree Khandekar, Founder, SOMO Patisserie.

Ingredients:

Génoise (Sponge)

100 g eggs

20 g egg yolk

75 g caster sugar

75 g plain flour (T55)

12 g melted butter

Crème Pâtissière

250 ml milk

1 vanilla bean paste

40 g egg yolks

60 g sugar

120 g plain flour (T55)

20 g corn flour

125 g butter

Whipping Cream

300 ml whipping cream

30 g icing sugar

For Soaking

Strawberry and cream Baileys

For Decoration

About 12-14 strawberries

Method

Génoise

Whisk eggs and sugar over a bain-marie (not exceeding 40°C) until volume is achieved. Remove and whisk until the batter triples in volume or reaches the ribbon stage.

Fold in flour in 3 inclusions with a spatula. Lastly, fold in the melted butter.

Bake in a 9 by 9 inches square pan or ring on a tray lined with parchment paper at 175 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed. 

Crème Diplomat

- Warm milk and half the sugar with vanilla bean paste. Blanche egg yolks with the rest of the sugar, add sifted flour and cornflour mix.

- Pour ⅓ of the milk onto the egg yolks. Return to the pan and cook until smooth and the mixture thickens to a custard consistency.

- Cling wrap touching the surface of the custard and allow it to cool. Whip the cream and icing sugar to a medium-stiff peak. Soften the cooled pastry cream on a stand mixer.

- Use a whisk attachment to aerate it and add one-third of the whipped cream. Mix well, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Assembly

- Cut out circular cake discs using a 3-inch ring from the baked and cooled génoise.

- Place crème diplomat into a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle.

- Place a disc of génoise in the base of the ring, lining the side with strawberry halves.

- Soak the sponge well with Strawberry Baileys Irish Cream. Pipe the cream between the strawberries and at the base.

- Once the cream is piped halfway, add chopped strawberries. Fill the ring with more cream until it reaches the rim. Level with an offset spatula.

-Chill overnight or until set in the fridge.

- Place a whole strawberry on top before serving.

The Fraisier is a quintessential French dessert that transcends the ordinary, showcasing a harmonious blend of textures and flavors. In every bite, one experiences the sweetness of ripe strawberries, the subtle kick of Baileys, and the lightness of the sponge. The artful assembly and meticulous attention to detail make it a culinary delight, while the infusion of Strawberry Baileys adds a contemporary twist.

Pan Tandoori Chicken

This tasty recipe by Chef Varun Inamdar comes from deep within my heart. When we were younger, meat, seafood or chicken were generally only on a Sunday. Other days, it was primarily vegetarian with an exception of eggs here and there. However, this recipe was like sunshine on a day when most needed. This was, is and will always be the ultimate family mood lifter.

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken cut into bite sized pieces 
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste 
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste 
• 4 tbsp Godrej Jersey curd 
• 3 tbsp mustard oil 
• 1 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbspgaram masala powder 
• 2 tbsp foxtail millets flour, toasted 
• Salt as required 
• ½ lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a deep bowl, place the cleaned-washed chicken pieces. 

2. Add all the other ingredients. Mix and keep aside. 

3. This can be marinated and kept overnight, too, if you please. 

4. In a pan, take Mustard oil and place the chicken pieces. 

5. On medium-high flame, pan fry the chicken stirring occasionally. 

6. On low flame, till would start releasing water. 

7. Keep lowering the flame only when you wish to mix and stir. 

8. Burn spots in this recipe are intentional. Serve warm!