Gobhi Paratha

Bread:
4 cups sieved chapati flour or 2 2/3 cups whole wheat flour mixed with 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose white flour or 4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup ghee or unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups warm water, or as needed

Filling:
3 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon scraped, finely-shredded or minced ginger
2 3/4 cups finely chopped or coarsely shredded cauliflower
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon paprika or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Flour for dusting
2/3 cup ghee or vegetable oil for cooking

Make bread:
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Drizzle in the melted ghee or butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture has the consistency of coarse oatmeal.  Add the water, pouring fast at first, to moisten the flour until it adheres into a rough mass, then more slowly, until it forms a medium-stiff dough.  The amount of water needed may vary depending on the flour.  Knead the dough until silky smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.  (The dough can also be made in a stand mixer with a dough hook - shorten kneading time.)  Shape the dough into a ball, rub it with ghee or oil, cover with an inverted bowl, and let it rest for 1/2 hour to 3 hours.  (If you want to leave it longer, you can refrigerate it, well-covered, for up to 24 hours.  Let it come to room temperature before you start to roll out the breads.)

Make filling:
Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat.  Add the ginger and cauliflower and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the cauliflower softens and begins to look fried.  Add the garam masala, paprika or cayenne, and salt, stir well, and take off the heat.  Divide the filling into 10 portions and set aside to cool.  (The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  Let it come to room temperature before assembling the breads.)

Gather the items needed for rolling out and cooking: a rolling pin, dusting flour in a shallow dish, a basket lined with clean tea towels, a small bowl of melted ghee or oil, a small bowl of water, a pastry brush, and a teaspoon. 

Knead the dough briefly, divide in half, roll each piece into a rope and cut into 10 portions.  Roll them into smooth balls, put them on a plate without letting them touch, and cover with a damp cloth.

To roll out the breads, flatten a ball into a 2-inch patty and dip both sides into the dusting flour.  Roll the dough out as evenly as you can into a round about 6 inches in diameter.  Repeat the process with another ball of dough.  Dip a pastry brush in water and paint a border around the edges.

To assemble, spread a portion of filling evenly over one round, leaving a half-inch border around the edges.  Carefully pick up the other round and lay it on top.  Gently smooth the surface, easing out the air bubbles, and press all around the edges to seal.  Trim the edges if the rounds are uneven and there is too much overlap on top or bottom.  Place assembled breads on a cookie sheet lined with waxed-paper without letting them touch each other.

Heat a griddle over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes and brush with a little ghee or oil.  Check the temperature by sprinkling a few drops of water on the surface; if the drops bounce and sputter, the griddle is ready.  

Carefully lay a stuffed paratha on the griddle and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, then drizzle 1 teaspoon of ghee or oil around the edges and on top of the bread.  When it has cooked for a total of 2 to 3 minutes and the bottom has reddish-brown spots, turn the paratha over with a spatula, drizzle another teaspoon of ghee or oil on the surface, and cook for up to 2 minutes more.  When both sides of the bread pull in places, become crisp, and show reddish-brown spots, it is done.  You can encourage the bread to puff by gently rubbing the surface with the bottom of a spoon.  Turn it over once again if it needs to brown a bit more.  Slip it into the basket and fold a tea towel over the top.  Repeat the process for the remaning breads.

Makes 10 stuffed parathas.

From Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi

Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate plus 3 ounces semisweet chocolate), coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sour cream

3 1/3 cups strained confectioners' sugar

4 to 6 teaspoons hot water (dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons instant coffee in the water, if desired)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place chocolate and butter in a medium-sized bowl.  Melt over a pot of simmering water or in a microwave at medium setting.  Remove from the heat and cool for 3 to 4 minutes. Gently stir in the sour cream.

Add the sugar alternately with 4 teaspoons of hot water, blending until smooth.  Stir in the vanilla.  If the frosting is too stiff, add 1 to 2 additional teaspoons of hot water.

Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough to frost a two-layer cake.

From Great Cakes by Carole Walter

Brown Sugar Glaze

A caramel-flavored glaze, good on cakes made with brown sugar, spices or nuts, or coffee- or chocolate-flavored cakes.

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 cup strained confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together over low heat.  Stir in the heavy cream and cook slowly until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.  Simmer 1 to 2 minutes.

Off the heat, gradually add the confectioners' sugar in three additions, whisking until smooth.  Blend in the vanilla.  The icing should be pourable; if it is too thick, thin with additional drops of cream.

Makes about 1/2  cup, enough to glaze a 9-inch fluted ring cake.


From Great Cakes by Carole Walter

Buttermilk Cake Layers

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk

Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment paper.  

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 F.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, mixing well.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until very soft and light.  Beat in the vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk, stopping and scraping down the bowl and beater after each addition.  Beat in another third of the flour, then the remaining buttermilk, stopping and scraping again.  Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture.

Scrape the bowl well with a large rubber spatula.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake the layers from about 30 to 35 minutes, until they are well risen and firm and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.  Cool the layers in the pans on racks for 5 minutes, then unmold onto racks to finish cooling.

(If you are going to use the layers on the day you bake them, wrap in plastic and keep at room temperature.  Double-wrap and freeze for longer storage.)

Makes two 9-inch round layers.


From Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri