Choc Dates Cupcakes, Vegetable Pasta Salad, Tiramisu Milkshake And Mango Smoothie by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients For Choco Date Cupcakes:

• Pitted dates  1 3/4 cups
• Boiling water  1 1/3 cup
• Baking soda  1 tsp
• Butter  125 gm
• Eggs  3
• Brown sugar  3/4 cup
• Flour  1 1/2 cup
• Baking powder  1 tbsp
• Chocolate Chips  1/2 cup

Ingredients For Icing:

• Icing sugar  1 1/2 cup
  
• Cocoa powder  1 tbsp
  
• Butter melted  50 gm
  
• Hot water  2-3 tbsp

Method:

1. Boil dates and water.
2. Remove from heat and add in baking soda.
3. Let stand 10 minutes and then blend well till smooth.
4. Let cool. beat butter and sugar, add in eggs, stir in flour, baking powder, chocolate and date mixture.
5. Divide batter in the cupcake case and bake at 180 degrees C for 25 minutes.
6. Or till done.
7. For the icing, mix melted butter with cocoa powder, icing sugar and hot water till spreadable.
8. Spread on cakes and serve.
   

Ingredients For Vegetable Pasta Salad:

• Elbow macaroni 1 cup
  
• Corn  1 cup
  
• Tomatoes  3-4
  
• Capsicum  1
  
• Olive oil  2 tbsp
  
• Vinegar  4 tsp
  
• Salt  to taste
  
• Black peppercorns  as required
• Dried basil  a pinch

Method:

1. Place the macaroni, corn, tomatoes and capsicum in a bowl.
2. Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and peppercorns in a separate bowl.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to mix.
4. Sprinkle with the dried basil.
5. Chill and serve.

Ingredients For Tiramisu Milkshake:

• Milk  3 cups
  
• Coffee powder  2 tsp
  
• Sugar  4 tsp
  
• Chocolate sauce 8 tbsp
  
• Cream  1 cup
  
• Chocolate chip cookies  4

Method:

1. Mix the milk with coffee powder and sugar till the sugar dissolves.
2. Pour two tbsp of chocolate sauce in each glass.
3. Pour half a cup of the milk mixture over the sauce.
4. Put the whipped cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe rosette over the mil in each glass.
5. Top with the crushed cookies and serve immediately.

Ingredients For Mango Smoothie:

• Ripe mangoes  4 chopped
  
• Yogurt  2 cups
  
• Lychees  16
  
• Sugar  1/4 cup
  
• Honey  2 tbsp
  
• Ice cubes  as required

Method:

1. Peel the lyches, pit them and freeze.
2. Put the mango pieces in a blender.
3. Add lychees, sugar, honey and blend.
4. Add yogurt, ice cubes and blend again.
5. Serve in a tall glass.