Easy Fudge Recipe | How to make Fudge in Microwave | Chocolate Fudge with Condensed Milk ~ Step by Step Recipe

When I decided on the Blogging Marathon this month, it never struck me that we are going out of town during the Pongal holidays and that I might not be exactly at my desk to check it out. Once I was over my apprehension on that fact, I decided I should at least make these chocolate dishes ready ahead so that I can plan well. Athamma left for her home town a week ahead of us. The day being a Sunday, I decided to make my chocolate dishes in the evening.

First was this simple Fudge recipe where I used only the Semi Sweet Chocolate chunks with Condensed Milk. This is such a quick dish to make, though if you really want to eat it as a fudge you got to wait for at least an hour for it to get solid.  Chinnu was restless and eat it much earlier and loved it every bit. I literally had to hide it for clicking some pictures. Then again I am always in a rush that my pictures these days are so hurried.

Today we are starting the 12th Edition of Blogging Marathon, and I decided on making Chocolates. Since I have Chocolate Mela going on, what other way to enjoy mine and my kid's favorite. So for the next seven days I will be sharing my most liked chocolate recipes.

There is no dearth of chocolate recipes that I have filed up to try. However inspiration for this comes from a glance at one of the cooking show that comes in Chutti TV that runs non stop at my place. I must have seen this recipe couple of times but both the times I was just passing by and I noticed chocolate chip and condensed milk was used. Since I wasn't up to using up my stock of chocolate chips, I thought I should make use of the cooking chocolate slabs that I have with me. I was just going on a hunch to make this and knew however it turns out, I will still have takers for chocolate at home.

Just as thought, my kids loved it. The fudge looked best, in the actual Fudge like after two days, when I tried my best to save up the stock and not let the kids complete it right then. Make very small pieces and stock, use very sparingly as it's highly addictive and you can't just stop with one!

Step by Step Picture Recipe

This is a super quick method to make Chocolate Fudge in Microwave.

Ingredients Needed:

Semi Sweet Chocolates - 1 cup
Condensed Milk - 1/4 cup

How make quick and easy Chocolate Fudge:

In a microwave safe bowl, take the semi sweets chocolate chunks and nuke for a min. Remove and whisk for couple of times. Then again put it back for 30 secs.

Depending on your microwave you may need to micro for another 30 secs. But be very cautious to confirm the chocolate is melted is not getting burnt.

Remove and whisk again for a smooth texture.

Add condensed milk and microwave for 1 min 30 secs. Whisk well to get a smooth sauce.

Prep a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Grease with butter/ ghee.  Pour the chocolate sauce over the prepped plate and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cube into smaller pieces and indulge in this sinful temptations.

While I was making it Konda was restless to taste. When she did, she said it tastes so much like cadburys' dairy milk chocolate. And couldn't wait to eat it. I always think the best compliment she gives is when she says she wants to take it for her friends.

Sending this to:
Kavi, who is guest hosting Kid's Delight themed on Something Sweet
Kalyani who is hosting MEC, for the January Edition
and my own Chocolate Mela

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 12

Pathir Pheni ~ Karnataka Special | How to make Pathir Peni / Chiroti Step By Step Recipe | Indian Cooking Challenge for December

For this month's Indian Cooking Challenge, I was still undecided when the thought struck me that I could travel south this month. I was waiting to catch someone online to get them refer some recipe and just then Harini came online. So I immediately pinged her to share some recipe that she learnt from her Mom. She said her granny has been after her to make these Pheni.

Since I had to cite the state of origin, I pinged her again to verify and she this recipe could very well originated from Karnataka, as Harini says that her my grandma has origins from Bellary and could have come from that part of her heritage. However I have read about this recipe in Meenakshi Amma's Cook and See book. So this might have been a common sweet among the south states. As this is also called as chiroti.

Then I searched Pheni as a single word brings up something else. This recipe is called Pathir Pheni.

I want to begin the new year with a sweet tone!

I was discussing this with Amma. Just around the first weekend of every month I would discuss the ICC recipe with both Amma and Athamma. I mostly expect them to come out with some thought processes for me to proceed further. During Deepavali, Amma was mentioning that she got Chiroti Rava by mistake for making Rava Laddos and they simply won't hold their shape. So when I was saying that these Pathir Peni were also referred as Chirotis, she assumed that I would get that Chiroti rava for making. 

I completely forgot that Harini had updated that if we should use the Chiroti rava if using Rava. I tried it out on a Sunday and let it resting for more than 2 hours. The dough was so stiff after the stipulated hour. I had to add more water and knead again to get a soft dough. Covered it again and forgot about it for almost more than an hour, as I was busy baking chocolate cakes for the kids.

It was such an exerting day and I sent across Amma's share. Since it was made at late night, I completely forgot to get Hubby dear taste this. So it was so funny when he got to taste this at Amma's place and asked from which shop she got it. Naturally you can imagine what that feedback means. I was really happy that though what started as tough, ended up so well!.

I would really want to thank Harini for sharing her granny's recipe for us to enjoy!

Pathir Pheni / Chiroti

How to Make Pathir Pheni Step by Step Picture

Measure 1 cup of rava, since I was using the regular rava, I tried running it in a mixer, still it was very grainy.

Add ghee

Crumble well together

Slowly add water and knead to a soft dough.

Cover with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest for at least an hour. I left it for more than 2 hrs because I used regular rava.

After 1 & 1/2 hours

Rice flour and ghee paste.

Knead well before rolling out.

Pinch out into small balls numbering to 5.

Keep them aside

Spread the paste on one side of the rolled out discs.

Place one over the other on a pile.

Pat well

Continue on the top also

Start folding from the end next to you towards opposite side.

Fold completely till you reach the end.

You will get a roll like the above. Roll again so that the layers stick to each other.

Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Gently press over the top of each piece. Keep them all ready for deep frying.

Second method of rolling in the sheets.

In the second method of folding, you can leave some space from the first disc and continue like the above.

In the end, roll very tightly again and pat on the sides. This method gave me a very even ends

Once the oil is hot, deep fry on both sides.

All fried and ready to be sprinkled with icing sugar/ powdered sugar!

Pathir Pheni | Chiroti

Ingredients Needed

For the dough

Pheni Rava / Fine semolina / Chiroti Rava - 1 cup 

Ghee 2 tsp

Water to knead the dough

Salt a pinch

Oil for Deep frying 

For the Rice Paste:

Rice Flour 2 tsp

Ghee 2 tsp

How to make Pathir Pheni

In a wide bowl, add the rava, salt ghee (in solid form) and crumble well. Then slowly add water and knead to a soft dough.

Note that the dough needs to be softer than the regular chapati/puri dough.

Cover with a muslin cloth and set aside for a minimum of 1 hour. The more the resting time the better the quality of the phenis.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the solid ghee and rice flour until they form a smooth paste.

Check in between and knead again to get a soft dough. 

Knead again and pinch out 5 balls of the dough and roll out thin puris out of each of those and cover them until later. 

On each rolled out puri, apply the rice flour-ghee paste and layer them one on top of another. Here the number of puris used for layering are 5. Use less or more depending on your preference keeping the minimum to atleast 3 puris.

Roll the layered puris into a tight log. Keep applying the rice flour-ghee paste as you keep rolling as well. Tuck the ends securely. 

Cut the log into 1 inch pieces and roll out each piece into a thin puri and keep them covered until ready to be fried.

Meanwhile, heat oil on low-medium flame. Fry each of the puris taking care that they don't change color. 

Drain on kitchen towel and sprinkle fine sugar over the top.

Notes

Since the rava I used was the regular one, I tried grinding it but it was of no use. So I kneaded as such. So it took me almost 2 + hrs for the dough to be soft. 

Still if you are not able to find Chiroti rava and could grind the regular rava, you can go ahead. grind the normal rava and sieve to get a finer consistency)

Traditionally Ghee is used for frying. But regular cooking oil is also fine.

I suppose it's important to make sure the color of the puris remain as white as possible.

And Harini also says these can be stored in an air tight containers upon cooling.

Serving suggestion - Sprinkle powdered sugar and serve it along with Badam (Almond) milk.

Optionally they are dunked in sugar syrup and served as is.

I got about 10 puris exactly, making sure all are of equal size. we found the powdered sugar on top tasted great. I can imagine how the sugar dunked ones might taste.

This is yet another traditional recipe that came out well.

To all my ICC members, please link your Pathir Pheni post to Mr. Linky. 

Thekua ~ Khajur Recipe ~ Bihari Special | How to make Thekua Step By Step Recipe | Indian Cooking Challenge for November

For this month's Indian Cooking Challenge, we are off to Bihar to taste its famous dessert!  I decided to select an Indian Cookie called Thekua. Thekua, also known as Khajoor or Khajur, is a popular homemade dessert from Bihar and Jharkhand. Infact this is one of their revered prasad (offering to god).Thekua is a sweet and crispy dessert prepared with whole wheat flour, sugar and coconuts. Thekua I am told, is an ideal dessert to carry with during long journeys as it can be stored for few days.

From various other sources on internet, I inferred that Thekua is a sweet and crispy dessert prepared traditionally with whole wheat flour, sugar/ jaggary, ghee and chopped coconuts. Later it was also prepared using Maida / all purpose flour, refined oil, honey etc.

As always the challenge is selected on a chance happening that occurs each time when it's due. This time it happened while I was still debating which state to select, I happen to talk to my colleague who is a Bihari. Our conversation harped on special dishes and she immediately said Thekuas are famous in Bihar. It immediately struck me that I could take this for this month's challenge and asked her to get the recipe from her mom. It took a while for her to finally get me the recipe. And after announcing the challenge, I was also about the other version made with Jaggary.

Now as with most Indian recipes, this also comes with different measurement, family culture and so many other factors. My other Bihari colleague says that the one made with Jaggary is called as Thekua and the one made with sugar is called Khajur. Anyway googling it I came to conclusion that the same sweet is simply called with two different names and it pretty much tastes like Athirasams and Maida Biscuits or Shakara para. Of course we call Shakara para by another name too. But the taste wise, the ones made with sugar comes very to this taste.

Anyway getting the recipe finally, which was for 1 kg, I understand you can just about go ahead with your eyeballed measurement. After hearing from her, I googled and found some Thekua recipes online, one from Sandy of Bongmom Cooks, is a baked version. Though I won't say you ought to try out this baked method, since this is going to be your first time. I would suggest all to try out the traditional measurement before getting into diet versions.

I waited until the last weekend to try these and also for the kids to have their naps so that I could venture peacefully. But only Peddu napped while Konda and Chinnu were with me. They just didn't let me  work peacefully. And after tasting a bit, they were not prepared to budge from the spot. So much so that Chinnu got a chair to stand and watch us making it. And when it was right off the pan, he took his cup to taste it. He had to wait as it was really hot.

Both of them were so interested and loved the taste. Finally when they saw that I was using cookie cutters etc, they wanted me to use their starts and circles  I washed and gave them to try. So you can see a start, rectangle etc in the cup. When when Peddu woke up, he was also called to join the gang. I don't remember the kids wanting to get themselves involved so much. Maybe it had to do with the pressing thing.

Anyway I made 1 cup with Jaggary and 1 cup with Sugar. Both got over so very quick and Hubby dear has not even tasted it. I will have to make it again. I took these for confirming if I got it right. My colleague said the jaggary version was perfect and the sugar one needs little more change. I told her that I had forgotten to add ghee and added it later. Maybe that was the reason why it wasn't flaky. My other Bihari colleague got me those Khajurs that her mom sent for her. Yes I could relate to the taste, it was very good.

If you want the flaky sweet things to munch, please don't forget the ghee!

Step by Step picture Recipe for making Thekua or Khajur!

Wheat flour taken in a bow;

Grated dry coconut

Jaggary

Crushed Fennel seeds, not very fine or coarse.

Adding ghee

Crumble well.

Jaggary used, boiled and strained to remove impurities.

Add jaggary and knead well.

Crumble again

Till you get a dough that you can roll out. Rest for 10 mins for best results.

Press out and deep fry!

This is made with sugar and maida, rest are all same.

Semolina or Rava used in the sugar version.

Boys star press

Thekua | Fried Indian Biscuit
Source : Friend's Mom

Wheat flour / Maida - 1 Kg
Sugar, powdered - 300 gms
Copra / Dry Coconut - 50 gms
Sooji / Rava - 1 cup
Ghee - 100 gms
Water/ Milk to knead
Cardamon powder 1/4 tsp
Oil for Deep frying

Smaller Measurement

Wheat flour / Maida - 1 cup
Sugar, powdered - 3 -4 tbsp
Copra / Dry Coconut - 2 tsp
Sooji / Rava - 2 -3 tbsp
Ghee /  Refined Oil - 3 - 4 tsp
Water/ Milk to knead
Cardamon powder a pinch
Oil for Deep frying

Mould for making imprint on the thekua cookies (saancha)
I am told that traditionally even Jaggary is used to instead of sugar.

How to make Thekua:

For the copra, I was told it's normally added as small pieces. You can also use grated copra.

First measure out the sugar and then powder it



Once you get an very mixed dough, at this stage it will not be a dough that can retain it's shape, so start sprinkling water and knead to a stiff dough. Pat it down couple of times, then using moulds, roll out the dough into 1" thickness and make shapes as desired.

Heat a kadai with oil. When it is hot, gently drop these rolled out cookies and fry on both sides.

Once cooled, this can be stored in an air tight container for over a month.

Meanwhile Vaishali also shared a recipe she got from her friend who made it with Jaggary.

Whole wheat flour - 100 gms
Coarse wheat flour - 100 gms
Jaggery - 125gms
Fennel, coarsely pounded  - 1tsp .....
Grated coconut 3tsp .....
Ghee 4-5 tbsp

Microwave the jaggery till it melts or melt over slow flame on stove. Strain the impurities if any.
Mix the flours.add cardamon, fennel and coconut. Add ghee.Mix with hands till resembles bread crumbs.
Start binding with jaggery.
Sprinkle water little by little and make a semi hard dough.
Leave for about 10 mins. Make balls and flatten to shape them in cookies. (we can use a cookie cutter too)
Use saancha to make an imprint.
Deep fry till golden. Cool and store.

Notes:

Sugar used has to be powdered as adding it in big granules will make it turn brown or caramelized.

If you want you can replace the sugar with Jaggary or Honey also. From the online sites I see that they use Fennel Seeds also. I am not giving it since my friend's mom doesn't use that.

If you don't have cardamon powder, you can powder it along with the sugar and add it to the dough.

It's very important for the dough to be stiff, so go tight on the water or milk that you are going to use. But make sure you rest the dough too.

To all my ICC members, please link your Thekua post to Mr. Linky.

Note: If the link back in your post is not referring Indian Cooking Challenge, the link tool will throw an error saying "The backlink does not exist on your blog." Please do not link to any other page.