It's that time of the year when my kids will run around the house and put the Christmas decoration on every surface they can reach. They would write letters to Santa, Switch on the fairy lights every evening and look at them with dreamy eyes. They would pester me to bake cookies with them, make cards for everyone they know and every night when it would be time to go to bed, they would cross one more day from their wait to Santa. 

Christmas in true sense is magical and we as a family celebrate it with great enthusiasm. The dip in the air makes me cheerful and with their contagious energy, I try to co-operate with them as much as possible. Just yesterday We baked these thumbprint cookies. While the elder one mixed the dough and made lime size balls, the little one with her tiny hands filled each cavity with jams. 

If you are planning to make cookies do try this recipe. Perfect for a weekend affair with kids.

If you want a respite from this time of Negativity and chest thumping patriotism then I can offer you a slice of this delicious cake. Dotted with the unmistakable ruby sweetness of Strawberries, flavoured with the fresh zestiness of winter oranges and an occasional crunch of the toasted almonds, this cake would surely make your tea time satisfying. Especially when you want your time to be peaceful and wants to keep those mouth shut who could make a storm in your teacup. This is a sure shot way, well at least for some time. Try it, am sure you will come back to thank me later.

Here is one more Malaysian recipe to celebrate the month of eating all things sweet. As usual, I have been very busy and could not bake or make things to celebrate Christmas other than my Mother's homestyle fruit cake for the family. Not that I didn't want to but a project with Ananda Bazar kept me so busy that I couldn't make any time for other bakes. Am sharing the picture of the cakes I baked and decorated for them based on Bengali fairy tale stories called Thakumar Jhuli by Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumdar. Do let me know what you think about it.

All of us who grew up in the 70's and 80's grew up eating two types of cakes, one, the small square shaped dense cake wrapped in butter paper, stored in big glass jars called Boyam in street side tea shops or grocery stores. Two, cakes baked at home in the pressure cooker or round aluminium table top oven, that our mothers learnt from someone in the neighborhood or from distant relatives. Which they baked again and again to achieve a recipe that worked like charm everytime. I have not much memory of the first one as I was never fond of that dry and cloyingly sweet cake but the second one is something I am very nostalgic about.

When Strawberries are in season you need to make something with them...well that's an assumption my kids always make. Every week when we go to the grocer, invariably 2 boxes of these ruby red fruit will come home. from their morning cereal to evening fruit bowl they just love to have a few pieces of it.

On the contrary the elders in the family are not very fond of the super tart taste of the Indian variety. Every time I make something they will pick out the fruit and give it to the kids. so this time I decided to make something that will not only complement the tartness rather make it indispensable. And this time also wanted to make a dish that does not need an oven or OTG. For all those readers who wanted something super simple, something that both kids and bigs can enjoy and something that is so so gorgeous that it could easily be the talk of your dinner table...let me introduce you to my no bake strawberry Tart. 

After you finish gawking at it's prettiness do note down the recipe and make it to surprise your family.

My kids are at a very impressionable age. Especially my three and half years old daughter. She loves watching cartoons and picks up things that catches her fancy, which means only two things. First,  every now and then she comes running to us, points to a certain things and asks, 'will you please get me one of these?'. That's not hard as with time we have realised we can just smile and say Yes to make her happy. But the second part is little hard. Her demand to celebrate Western festivals the way her favourite cartoon characters do.

So for Christmas, she asks for cookies, milk for Santa and a big blingy tree. Which again was easy as following her big brother's demand we already had that at home. But I find myself totally clueless when she asks to celebrate Thanksgiving or Halloween. No one around me has ever done that and am just not sure what to do. 

Clafoutis is a French baked dessert, quite rustic and homely in its baking but very satisfying to have as a light dessert. Light because it generally does not involve much fat and are always made with some stone fruit that adds to the sweetness and the flavour. In rural France this is often made with unpitted cherries which a slight bitterness and an almond like flavour to it, but pitted cherries definitely adds to a smooth mouth-feel which is preferred for desserts. 

Some days I feel very ancient as if I or rather my generation belong to some other time. Just the other day when my almost 8 rolled his eyes when I told him that we grew up watching only one channel or the time my niece rolled out laughing when I fleetingly mentioned that we used to study with kerosene lamps every evening as power cuts were very rampant in our childhood or the time when my neighbour's son found me lunatic when I told him we dint have pizza or pasta in our childhood. It is as much difficult for them to visualise that simple time as it is for me to believe how much has changed in such short span of time.

But am glad when every year during Christmas these same little ones of the family write their wishlists to Santa. At least there are some things that even time cannot change. The magic of Santa is one of them...The same stories of an old man who lives in North Pole and on every Christmas Eve he comes down the chimney and leaves them a gift has wooed her grand parents, her parents and now hers...It's a fable with which we have been fed and now we feed our children many unliked morsels and make them do things that they detest.

For me Christmas is very special. May be because I grew up in a town where Poush Mela (falls around 25th December every year) was more important a celebration than Durga puja and attending Khristotsav (an event celebrating the birth of Jesus in Santiniketan with prayers and music) every year provided solace to my young soul in an unknown way. and there's nothing like these ginger bread cookies that spell Christmas to me. 

They are full of warm spices like ginger, nutmeg, allspice, clove and cinnamon thats complemented with a dark earthy colour lent by caramely brown sugar and smoky molasses. Nothing could be more comforting in winter than sharing a cuppa and these cookies with your loved ones overlooking a foggy wintry morning.  For me they are like a giant hug encapsulated in bite size portions. It comforts and warms you up from inside. If handmade gifts are the best then be assured that receieving a bag of these cookies means you are very special to them.

The recipe that I am sharing today is something I made quite a few months back when fresh cherries just started appearing. This was my first food photo shoot in the last seven months. But then could not manage time to post it. Later I thought may be it’s too late to post. But today I saw fresh cherries still being sold in some markets so thought of posting it. Hopefully you still can grab a boxfull of these ruby red delights and can bake it.

The Christmas eve is tomorrow and am sure you all are preparing for it in the last minutes. There are such classic bakes to choose from, apart from the traditional plum cake, mince pies there are whole array of cookies that could be baked to keep up with the festive spirit. While nothing announces the arrival of Christmas like a glass of mulled wine and spiced gingerbread mans but many of us vouch by the simple butter cookies decorated with sugar paste. 

This winter seems to be the most hectic one of my whole life. With two weddings in the family and the small baking ventures of mine I was neck deep in baking and decorating cakes and cookies. After all 'tis the season and I enjoyed every minute of it. Was glad to be featured as one of Kolkata's homebaker on Polka Cafe.

I was considering a few of my ready drafts to be posted for Christmas. But nothing suited the joy and happiness that this beautiful festivities bring on. After many a thought I decided on this orange olive oil cake, afterall the citrusy flavours is the toast of the season.

There are plenty of recipes available online. Some belong to the Italian genre where whole oranges are blended and mixed with extra virgin olive oil and almond meal, Some belong to the sponge cake genre with the eggs beaten with a handheld mixer till fluffy and light and then the oil is poured and mixed at the end. 

Every night I try hard to make my two kids fall asleep peacefully. It has always been a difficult task but now with the husband being away it has become an herculean one. Every night a lot of effort and time is wasted to make them sleep. In my desperate attempts I start by reading them a bed time story, then I sing all the lullaby I know, I cradle the lil one till my back starts to hurt and then I move to the bed with the toddler on my lap and the first grader by my side. while I frantically move my legs up and down, up and down to rock the baby my right hand tugs and pulls the hair of the sonny boy to give them the comfort they need to fall asleep. and the worst part is till date even after 6 years of being a mother I could not establish a sure shot method to do this. 

Every night I make a fresh start...trying all my ways to soothe their over active nerves...some days I fail and some days are just a tad better.

But this journey of motherhood is not about failure or success. 

I love to bake and there are hardly any week goes by without me baking something or the other. But ever since I started taking baking orders under the name Homemade I have been busy baking varieties of cakes. Days are spent in whipping up Ganache or Italian meringue buttercream and smoothening the fondant on layers and layers of cake. and to tell you the truth I love doing that. Nothing gives me more pleasure in the kitchen than a pretty cake all made from scratch.

Yes am talking of animal shaped dinner rolls today. If that's not enough how about stuffing them with yummy cheesy veggies to make it a meal in itself. 

What not yet ....

Then look at the above picture... 

The Hot dogs in all its true senses, Just out of the oevn with a sausage roll in his mouh and cheesey tongue.

or these super cute pumpkins that smell like cinnamon. 

How about this fluffy eared suffed Bunny? Doesn't that melt your heart?

Or these plain cotton soft pillowy dinner rolls to go with your soup or to munch on with your evening cuppa with a big dollop of butter?

Hope that's enough to convert you to try them at least once. Not only these are super cute to look at but super fun to make. Provided you have a some time to knead, shape and proof them, the rest is taken care by the oven.

The best part is they are so very versatile. you can stuff them with anything, make them sweet or savory, shape them whatever way you want and still they will look pretty and taste awesome.

Think of the surprised giggling face of your kid. That awe in their eyes while you present these as an after school treat...Or think of Christmas gift, Kids party menu...the possibilities are endless.

So here they are my super easy, most versatile Dinner rolls recipe.

Shaped dinner rolls and buns

Sometimes the things you do on a whim turns out to be the best. for this very special reason I value my whim a lot. Its not everyday that it nudges my senses and makes me do something but when it does I know am in for a surprise.

If you look closely you will see a close association between whim and being inspired. You see, feel, remember or experience some form of beauty that inspires your inner self to act, to perform to create something that brings in joy. Its a special kind of itch that makes you restless. Something that does not let you be in peace unless and untill you get your lazy bum off the couch and act.

Personally I get inspired a lot by my friends and am lucky to have really talented kind hearted people around me. Its good to be surrounded by them and get a source of inspiration. They create, they donate, they send gifts and makes my little heart content with joy. 

and now that the temperature has dropped quite a few degrees the promise of a cooler weather makes me happy. So happy that I crochetted this little neck warmer for a loving sister of mine. I made the same thing last year for another very pretty girl who is a new mom right now. My sis liked it so much that she wanted the same color. So I made it and with the leftover wools I have plans to make little booties for my daughter. She needs some pretty things for her aunt's wedding this month.

"...someone seriously should think of bottling this aroma..."she said with a sheepish grin while taking out the freshly baked chocolate squares from the oven. Her hands measured, mixed, folded, poured and baked delectable treats one after another without a bit of tension or stress on her happy demeanor. Pooja Dhingra the ace baker of Mumbai was recently in town to launch her first book the 'Big book of treats' over an interactive baking session. The Corner courtyard, the quaint boutique hotel on Sarat Bose Road, provided the perfect venue and hosted the event beautifully.

Come summer and days are spent in a haze...Getting up...getting the kid ready for school...his tiffin...dropping him at the busstop...going for my walk...making breakfast...instructing the maid...packing hubby's lunchbox...my own work...tending to the baby...etc etc etc. Its like my body is pre programmed and I keep on doing the work brainlessly. The infamous Kolkata heat, the humidity, the sweat turns me into a numb robot and I just keep on doing things one after another. 

I had no plans to make or post hot cross buns today but sometimes you just prepare things to make others happy. In my case its my 5 year old sonny boy. Both the kids got their shots yesterday    and while going to bed my cranky sonny boy in pain asked for something sweet for breakfast. No,  the usual pancake will not do, he wanted something new that he has not tasted yet...so on Easter morning I set myself to prepare these delights. Funnily enough I kept on humming 'one a penny, two a penny hot cross buns...' while kneading the dough.