Dessert for the Lazies

3 comments

It could also be called 'Dessert for Dummies'. Its just so so simple, its ridiculous. Makes me wonder why I hadn't thought about it earlier. I'd seen something similar on a Donna Hay show on 'DIY Tiramisu', but she used Savoiardi or Lady Fingers. Now how am I going to get those if I don't make them myself? So, as always, I substituted. With something thats so easily available in India and if you're home is like mine, we almost always have it along with our evening tea/coffee. Its tea rusk! The only difference being, these tea rusks were made at home by moi :-) (silly grin here)


Around holiday season, my folks get a lot of goodies mostly in the form of cakes. When there are fancier cakes around, the poor tea cake is neglected and chucked to the freezer for a better day. I finally convinced my mother to turn them to rusk. The method is so simple, especially if there is a ready cake. Sometimes I wonder who'd do that rather than just cut the cake and eat it. But anyway, this is how you go about it.


Slice the cake one way into thin slices. Then take each individual slice and cut widthwise into smaller slices of cake. Am I making sense? Doesn't matter. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Now layer it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 150C for 15 mins. Check and keep for another 5 mins if required. If its browned but still soft on the inside, turn off the oven and keep the tray in till it has a cookie like crunch/crumble. If you've baked a cake ever, this is child's play. Mine got browned a little too much cos I wasn't paying attention. Tasted good though.
 

But how do we make it into a dessert sooo simple but soooo delicious that its ridiculous. It's served with a coffee liqueur dip and whipped cream with pistachios. There could actually be no recipe for this. But in case required.
For one serving

Coffee Liqueur

1/4cup       hot water
1tsp           instant coffee
3tsp           Kahlua or any sweet liqueur

1/4cup      whipped cream
8               pistachios chopped

6               tea rusk slices

To Serve

Mix water, instant coffee and liqueur and pour into a dipping tumbler, Have the whipped cream with chopped pistachios in another tumbler. Serve with the tea rusk. Ask your guests to dip and enjoy!

Ridiculous isn't it? But sooo incredibly good, I spent half the morning dipping, scooping and relishing each bite.

3 comments :

  1. Hi Maria,
    Love your blog.
    On a slightly off-topic note, I want to bake each time I read one of your posts, but I am a COMPLETE novice, and I am not even sure whether I have the right oven. And where do I get stuff like parchment paper?
    I currently have a gas oven which bakes somewhat unevenly. Should I be using an electric oven? And if yes, what happens when the electricity goes off?
    Can you recommend a brand that I could buy?
    Thanks,
    George

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi George,
    Thank you for visiting the blog and liking it :) I'm glad I'm inspiring you to bake!

    I'm assuming you are asking for details in Bangalore. For basic baking essentials, visit Jamals on MG Road. They have all the bakeware, bowls, cupcake liners, whisks, peelers, nozzles etc that you require. I'm not sure if they have parchment paper. Generally most people use butter paper which is available in most stores. I prefer parchment paper because really, *nothing* sticks to it. I get mine from Hypercity in Brookefields.

    As to the oven, every oven has its kinks. You just have to know your appliance really well to make it work, the hot spots, the cold spots etc. I've never used a gas oven. A couple of years ago, I got a Samsung microwave and started using the convection option to bake. I took a lot of fiddling with the temperature and time to get things right. But I also know a lot of people who use gas ovens and come up with really nice cakes. So I'd suggest you give your oven a little more time before actually going ahead with a new buy.
    Which brand to buy? I really cannot help you much there. I'm still persevering with my microwave :-)
    Hope this helps.

    Cheers,
    Maria

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi George,

    Forgot to add, about the power going off... The best way to avoid it in bangalore I figured was to bake really late at night or really early in the morning :-)

    Maria

    ReplyDelete