Halloween Pizza Mummies (Pastry)

Halloween is one of the fun festivals of the year for kids and adults (well, originally it was not:)). It is a holiday that is described as spooky, haunting, supernatural, eerie, scary, fun, creepy and ghostly. Children simply look forward to it, as they get candies unlimited, get to wear their favorite character costume and get together with their friends to go trick or treating. Few enthusiasts throw costume parties and many of them decorate their yards and homes with haunting decor, smoke, spooky music, lights etc.

And then there is a whole other event of carving pumpkins! Every one gets very creative and carve some real great art on it.

Wolverine with the carved pumpkin :)

Every festival comes with its own set of food preparations and flavors, without which the celebration is incomplete :) People get really innovative making all sorts of spooky dishes during halloween. Internet buzzes with scary, gross, fun, bloody recipes heheh. This one here is a simple, quick and fun recipe for the kids made from frozen puff pastry, I named it as "Halloween Pizza Mummies Pastry". I wanted to stuff it with some fruits but my kid wanted a pizza stuffing in it, so that is what I had to make. You can stuff it with anything you like, say fruits, paneer burji stuffing, egg stuffing or keema stuffing just about anything.

If you are interested in knowing what halloween story is all about, read this:
Halloween falls on October 31st each year in North America and other parts of the world. The story goes like this, this holiday was originally called All Hallows' Eve, and it marked the beginning of a three-day feast to honor dead Christian saints, also known as hallows. The celts and the pagan cultures thought that, during late autumn and early winter, spirits were more likely to cross back into the human world to seek revenge on those people who had wronged them. Food offerings were made to appease angry spirits. People began dressing up in costumes to imitate ghosts, sprites and evil spirits. They hoped to blend in with or conceal themselves from restless and vengeful ghosts.

Devil and the Transformer with a scenic backdrop of fall colors !

Trick or treating symbolizes the act of appeasing angry ghosts with food in order to avoid their mischievous pranks. Jack o' lanterns were created to ward off ghosts. Although Christians have tried to redirect the focus of the holiday from ancient pagan rituals to honoring the saints, some have still kept some of the traditions, such as placing candles on the graves of the dead.

But as years past by, Halloween is not usually considered a religious holiday anymore. It is primarily a fun day for children. Children dress up in costumes like people did a thousand years ago. But instead of worrying about evil spirits, they go from house to house. They knock on doors and say "trick or treat."

(taken from history.com)

Let us take a look at the Halloween Pizza Mummies recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 packet frozen pastry puff (I made of 1 sheet and got 6 mummies:))
• 1 egg
• 1 small red onion sliced
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce (or marinara sauce)
• 1 chicken sausage cooked and sliced
• 2-3 mini peppers sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or any cheese)
• few store bought eye candies ( or use olives)

Preparation:

• Thaw the frozen puff pastry for 45 minutes on the kitchen counter (or follow the instructions on the package).
• On a wax paper, open the sheet and sprinkle some all purpose flour on it, roll it out smoothly using rolling pin, just couple of inches on all the sides.
• Follow the pictures above to make cuts, first big squares. Then mark a rectangle cut in the centre and horizontal small cuts on each side.
• In the centre rectangle, place pizza sauce, top it with your fav toppings, I have used onions, mini peppers, chicken sausage, cheese. Then braid it by taking a strip from each side and overlapping it tightly and neatly.
• Beat an egg in a bowl, give the mummies an egg wash by using a brush.
• Place it on a baking sheet and bake it on 400F(200C) for 15 minutes. Take it out and place the candy eyes on it to make it look goofy :) My kid was thrilled and it was my pleasure to see him gobble it all :)
• Enjoy it with fries and your favorite drink :)

You may also like Pastry Flag Pizza, Dosa Flag, Pastry fruit Cups.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Idea adapted from www.homeandplate.com

Throwing in one more halloween pic here while I am at it :):)

always fun to wear costumes!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These cupcakes are hands down one of the gorgeous and sexy cupcakes I have made. They definitely don't need any introduction. Make these on special occasions to add more drama and it may be the show stopper of your evening :) It is a time-consuming recipe but the end result makes it all worth it!
This has become our anniversary special treat:). My kitchen smells happiness when I get busy making cupcakes only during birthdays and anniversaries :) I indulge in making these decadent pastries once in a while.
So let's get to the recipe:

RED VELVET CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
For the cupcake:

• 1 1/4 cups of cake flour**
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting:

• 1 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4th cup whipping cream.

**( 1 cup cake flour = 3/4th
cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)

Preparation

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder.
• In another big bowl, add butter and whisk for 1-2 minutes using a hand mixer, add sugar and whisk again for 2-3 minutes, then add an egg and incorporate it nicely by whisking some more. Add vanilla essence and whisk till nice and smooth.
• Make a mixture of buttermilk and red color. Add flour and red buttermilk alternately in parts into the butter mixture whisking on low speed, in about 4 additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and whisk again till you incorporate everything and get a smooth cupcake batter.
• In a small cup mix vinegar and baking soda, it will fizzle a bit, now quickly fold into the cupcake batter.

• Arrange a muffin tray and place muffin paper cups/foil cups. Fill the cups with the cupcake batter. 
• Preheat the oven for 350F/180C, and bake for 18-22 minutes (check with a tooth pick, when you stick it in the centre and take out, it must come out clean) I baked exactly for 20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.
• Now make your frosting, whisk cream cheese first, then add sugar and whisk some more.
• Add whipping cream slowly and whisk until it gets thick enough to pipe.
• Use a zip lock bag and make a tiny cut at one corner, insert a thin star shaped icing tip(nozzle) to decorate the cupcake with the icing. Pour the icing in the zip lock bag and make designs of your choice.
• You can also use back of the spoon to spread frosting on the cupcake. Use your imagination. I took out a little portion from one of the cupcakes and added the crumbs on top of the frosting, I simply love drama when it comes to presenting and eating :)
• Makes 12 big cupcakes or 24 small ones. Your yummilicious red velvet cupcakes are ready!

         Njoy!!                

Note: Baking can be little scary to some people. Don't be, its definitely time consuming and lots of clean up after baking:)(that's my sob story about baking :)) All you have to do is measure the ingredients correctly and follow the instructions properly...(dont roll your eyes :)) Give it a try and let me know! Happy Baking!




Adapted from Stephanie's joy of baking.