Homemade chocolate

Ingredients:

500 gm. sugar (white/brown)
50-100 gm. cocoa powder
100 gm. margarine/butter (cubed)
500 gm. milk powder
150 ml. water
1 tbsp. instant coffee powder(optional)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract(optional)
nuts/dry fruits (optional)

Method:

In a saucepan/pot put the sugar (coffee,vanilla- if you're using),cocoa,margarine and water and place over medium-low flame. Starting from the moment when the sugar has dissolved boil the mixture for 3 minutes.Take the pot off the stove and add the milk powder-mix it while pouring to avoid lumps. Add the nuts according to taste the pour the mixture in a greased tray and leave to cool. When it has reached a room temperature( not soft but not completely solid) cut it all up and leave to solidify completely.

Enjoy!

Homemade mayonnaise

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk(room temp.)
1/2 tsp mustard paste
pinch of salt
oil as required*
vinegar, brown sugar/honey as per taste (optional)
1/2 egg white (optional)
*for health reasons olive oil is preferred but its taste will overpower the mayonnaise, for a neutral taste sunflower oil is preferred but with not as many health benefits;a midway option is canola oil, which is closest in health properties to olive oil,it doesn't have such a strong flavour but it's not tasteless either



Method:

Put the egg yolk, mustard paste and salt in a bowl.Start whisking/mixing with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.Whisk in one direction only.Add the oil 1 tsp at a time at first.Add the next spoonful when the previous one has been completely incorporated.When the oil is getting incorporated easily then you may add it 1 tbsp. at a time.Keep doing this until you get a stiff, fluffy consistency. At this stage you may incorporate the sugar, vinegar and any other condiments for flavour or you may add the egg white** and keep mixing to get a lighter, fluffier consistency and then add any optional ingerdients. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.

**This step works only if you're working with an electric mixer, not by hand whisking.

Homemade butter in 5 minutes

Ingredients: cold thick cream

Place the bowl with the cream on top of another bowl with ice.

 Start mixing with an electric mixer.In the first stage the cream will fluff up and might look like whipped cream but keep mixing.

Slowly you will notice that the colour will change to a fade yellow and liquid starts to separate from the fat.

 At this stage the butter has separated from the whey.

 Gather the butter on one side by hand and discard the whey.

Wash the butter several times with ice-cold water, until the water stays clear.

You may add a little salt to your butter if you want salted butter.

Put in a container  and keep refrigerated.Enjoy!

Note:The least fresh the cream is the sooner the butter will separate from the whey. So, in this case you needn't worry about the freshness so much.

Homemade cream cheese

Ingredients:

200-250 gm. freshly made cottage cheese*
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
50 gm. butter(preferably homemade butter)
100 ml. cream(preferably fresh cream)

Method:

Mix the cottage cheese with the baking soda, in a food processor, if possible, to make sure the soda is evenly distributed through the cheese, cover with plastic wrap and keep aside(in fridge) for at least 6 hours, preferably  overnight. After the setting time is over, put the cheese in a double bottomed pot and place on a medium-low flame, mixing it until it melts and gets a rubbery texture.

 Add salt, butter and cream , whisk well to incorporate all ingredients. Close the fire, add any other optional ingredients(garlic powder, mushrooms, olives, chillies etc.) , leave to cool a bit and pour in desired container.

*To make cottage cheese from fresh milk, just put 1-1.5 litre milk to boil. When it reaches boiling point, reduce the gas to keep milk from overflowing and add 1 tbsp. of vinegar to the milk, mix.If cheese didn't separate yet, add one more tbsp. and when the cheese and clear liquid(whey) have separated, pour in a strainer and leave to drain for 1-2 hours.