Rainbow "Gems" cookies

Little ones loves "Gems" - the bright, multi-colored sugar enrobed chocolate discs (what's there not to love!). Came across these cookies with M&Ms in them and decided to give them a desi shot with more readily available Cadbury's Gems.

I halved the recipe to begin with and increased the baking time to not have soft centres (Don't get me wrong - I love the soft, chewy types, in fact more than the crispy one). These cookies came out very well, rich, solid flavor and a nice texture and would definitely form a good base to any kind of additives - raisins, chocolate chips, dried fruits etc.

To start with, put your child to sleep or away from the kitchen else you wouldn't have any Gems left to make cookies with. Weigh and get your ingredients ready. Take your time to admire these bright happy faced Gems.

Now, go close the door of the room where your child is as the mixer may disturb her (remember, she is sleeping!). Pre-heat the oven at 160 degrees C. Whisk together the eggs, brown and white sugars with an electric mixer till light colored and creamy (picture on the left). Whisk together the flour and baking soda and keep aside. Gradually, add the flour mix and stir to form a dough. Fold in the Gems.

Plop tablespoonfuls on a greased baking sheet covered tray or use the method to shape the cookies mentioned here (stacking two ripped-apart halves of cookie dough balls one on top of the other).

Bake for 10-12 mins till the sides turn golden and the centres puffy. Let cool completely on the wire rack and Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of salted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup Gems (around 20 small - 23grams packets)

Chocolate Banana Cake

Came home one day, last week from work to a very generous slice of a decadent looking cake slice sitting on my table. On inquiring about its whereabouts, got to know it had been sent over by my neighbor who when saw her own daughter enjoying the cake so much, sent some for my baby girl and her Mommy. It was heavenly, one of the best chocolate cakes I have had... quite flavorful and moist without being overly rich or soggy - a fine line to tread that. I had to have the recipe. The next morning saw me at her doorstep.

I would call this the secretly healthy cake because the healthy stuff remains a secret behind all the good tasting stuff. I cheated a bit too on the recipe to up its health quotient a notch. I switched half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour. It did not alter the taste much but did make it a little more fudgier but the cake still retained its spring. It gets its moisture from the bananas, the milk and water, uses vegetable oil instead of butter so stays much longer.

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C. In a big bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt and sugar till well combined.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg. Add the mashed bananas (I gave them a whirl in the blender), milk, warm water and oil. Next, add the vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry one and fold till well combined. Here is my little one lending Mommy a hand.

Pour it into a greased 8 inch round cake tin and bake for 40 mins till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 15 mins and then take it out. Enjoy!

Psst... By the next couple of days, the bananas work their magic and it appears the cake has rum added to it ;)

Ingredients (for an 8 inch round cake tin)

200 grams Sugar

65 grams All purpose flour

60 grams Whole wheat flour

40 grams Cocoa powder

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Egg

2 mashed Bananas

120 ml warm Water

60 ml Milk

60 ml Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla Extract