Category Archives: recipes

Baking Resources Guide, Our Monsoon Gift To You!

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That fresh, earthy smell of rain that makes your senses sing; cloudy, misty mornings; the occasional sudden cloudburst that catches you off guard…yes, it’s that time of the year again! The monsoons have arrived and if we haven’t told you yet that baking is one of the best and most perfect indoor activities for when the rains arrive, we’re telling you now!

A complete baking resources guide that gives home bakers the full lowdown on baking ingredients, baking supplies and baking equipment. Plus some easy baking recipes and tips on baking as a family!

When the skies burst forth…our ovens go PING!

A lot of home bakers find that the rainy season, when you’re stuck indoors, often for unreasonably long periods, is one of the best times to discover your baking skills if you’re a beginner or hone them further if you’re a pro in the making. Which is why this monsoon we’ve decided to gift you a comprehensive baking resources guide that will have all of your baking queries sorted (you’re welcome!). Read on for all the baking fabulousness on the blog you ever needed to get your hands on!

A complete baking resources guide that gives home bakers the full lowdown on baking ingredients, baking supplies and baking equipment. Plus some easy baking recipes and tips on baking as a family!

Get, set, bake!

To bake or not to bake? If you’ve been on the fence for a while…

We're celebrating Bake For Family Month, an annual celebration created by the Home Baking Association all of February at Con Affetto

To bake or not to bake?

Been thinking about doing your own baking for a while but not sure if it’s worth the effort or the initial investment? Check out our baking resources guide below which tells you all about the benefits of baking! And hey, when you get the hang of it and experience the unparalleled joy it brings, it seems pretty effortless!

Click here to access your guide to the benefits of baking!

Okay, okay, you’re convinced! But where do you start? It’s way too confusing!

Fret not! The Con Affetto peeps are here with our super simple baking resources guide 😉 For starters, check out our awesome baking supplies guide on all the baking equipment you’ll need to get started as a home baker!

The must have baking essentials every home baker needs includes a stand mixer and many other must have baking toolsNow that the equipment bit is sorted, you need to stock up that pantry. Here’s our snazzy baking resource on all of the baking ingredients that the new home baker needs to get those moist sponge cakes & choc chip cookies (among other things) whizzing outta the oven.

Check out this super resource for home bakers; the ultimate baking ingredients checklist for beginners

All the baking ingredients you need to make magic in the oven!

And now for the cherry on the cake! Our handy baking supplies resource on exactly where you need to go to pick up each of those must-stock baking supplies. A comprehensive baking supplies guide like never before.

You’ve finally begun with baby baking steps…

Resource guide for baking supplies in Delhi

Lets get bakin’!

So the baking equipment and supplies are under control and you’ve discovered the most gorgeous baking stores in your neighbourhood. You’re all set to bake! But, ummm, recipes? We’ve got that bit covered too! Here are some easy peasy recipes for the whole family to get down and baking! Added bonus: some snazzy tips on how to get started when you’re baking together as a family.

You really shouldn’t have any excuses not to bake, not after this fabulous baking resources guide we’re sending your way! So, without further ado, let’s get those aprons on and those ovens pinging! And you know we love hearing from you’ll so do share your baking experiences and recipes with us in the comments below!

Mother’s Day Special: The Different Types of “Dessert” Mums We Love!

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Oh Mom, you’re such a cookie! Or…a doughnut, maybe?

It’s that time of the year again peeps! Mother’s Day is round the corner and if you’ve been waiting all year to say those sweet ‘everythings’ to your Mom, to let her know just how much she means to you, we’ve got just the thing! Take a quick look below to figure out which dessert type your Mum fits into and then treat her to some gorgeous looking & scrumptious tasting edible bouquet-ish love with our very special Mother’s Day bouquet, crafted especially for all the extraordinary Mums out there!

Gift your Mom an edible bouquet, a unique gift idea this Mothers Day 2016

Let Mom dig into these gorgeous & delish blooms crafted especially for her! #mothersspecial

1. The Glazed Cinnamon Doughnut Mommy

When Mother’s Day rolls around you want to jump up and down, let out loud whoops of joy and give your Mom a big, warm hug. Coz your Mom is just freakin’ awesome! Down to earth, no nonsense, she is terrific with all types of people and all sorts of situations. Got a problem to deal with? Your Mom can handle it and how! Super independent and confident, your Glazed Cinnamon Doughnut Mommy sure knows how to walk the talk! Take the afternoon off and treat her to a movie that she loves this Mother’s Day, and let the rest of the world handle its own problems for a change 😉

2. The Vanilla Almond Sponge Cake Mother

So, you know how it is with cake, right? Everyone wants a slice and there’s never enough to go around! That’s how it is with your Vanilla Almond Sponge Cake Mother. Easy to talk to, a great listener, the friend everyone can turn to…she’s the one you want to go home to. She’s got her stuff sorted and she makes even the most complicated mess seem like…what else? A piece of cake! 😉 It doesn’t take much to make your sweet, simple Mum happy, so why not melt her heart this Mother’s Day with some DIY? A hand made gift into which you’ve invested time and effort will truly show her how much she means to you.

3. The Red Velvet Cheesecake Mummy

Perfectly coiffed hair; pearls in place, she is sophistication personified. Elegant and polished, she can work any social situation with ease, and has saved your skin on many an occasion, because she knows exactly what to say and do! She has high standards, is hard to please and won’t settle for anything but the best. If that sounds like Mommy dearest, you’ve got The Red Velvet Cheesecake Mama! Treat her to an afternoon at her favourite spa this Mother’s Day, so she can put her (perfectly pedicured) feet up and unwind.

Gift your Mom an edible bouquet, a unique gift idea this Mothers Day 2016

Red Velvet Mom? Or Glazed Cinnamon Doughnut maybe? Whatever her dessert type, she’ll love our divine edible bouquets!

4. The French Macaron Mama

Will you stop day dreaming already? Except in this case, it’s you who says this to her and not the other way round! Coz your Mama is a day dreamer and a hopeless romantic to boot! She dreams that someday you’ll end up marrying the guy (or gal) of your dreams, have the beach wedding that she always fantasized about and maybe end up living in a gorgeous atelier in Paris with a dreamy view of the Seine, gorgeous art and an endless supply of luxuriant Macarons…the dessert that describes her best! Your French Macaron Mama loves all things haute couture and is a sucker for the fine things in life…and you wouldn’t want her to be one bit different! Treat her with tickets to the most happening event in town this Mother’s Day…we’re thinking art, couture… or maybe a musical or play she might enjoy.

5. The Apple Crumble & Pecan Pie Momma

She may seem unapproachable to some because of her seemingly strict, crusty exterior, but you know the soft-hearted goodness that lies within! She’s wise beyond her years and an ace at handling even seemingly insurmountable difficulties. And she has a goofy side to her as well…one that you know only too well, even though she keeps it well hidden from the rest of the world! Take your Apple Crumble & Pecan Pie Mumster to an evening out this Mother’s Day…an evening of fun, frolic and wild abandon, where she can let her hair down! We’re thinking a night on the town…bowling, clubbing, a go at the casino…or maybe a stand up comic act!

6. The Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Mumma

She’s the super enthu social butterfly and her friends (and yours!) know they can rely on her. She’s fabulous company and loves having people over, is a real softie at heart (though she can go rock hard if someone’s messing with you) and is incredibly versatile. She’s everyone’s favourite, huggable Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Mumma and you love her to (chocolate chip) bits! Give her a break from all that frantic socializing this Mother’s Day and treat her to a picnic! Just whisk her away unexpectedly…some food, soothing music and a nice shady tree is all you need!

7. The Classic Chocolate Brownie Mom

She has a heart made of…pure chocolate! Warm, soft hearted, kind and loving, everyone loves your Classic Chocolate Brownie Mom! And why wouldn’t they? She’s approachable, practical, easy going and always makes time for you and the things that matter to you. No wonder all your friends love her (almost!)as much as you do! Oh and did we mention she’s fabulous company too? Take her out with all your pals (they’ll only be too happy to join in) and maybe their Mums too, to her favourite restaurant this Mother’s Day to celebrate her unique spirit.

Gift your Mom an edible bouquet, a unique gift idea this Mothers Day 2016

Con Affetto salutes #momspirit! Treat her to one of our edible bouquets this Mother’s Day and have her swooning all year round!

So there you have it! Which dessert matches your Mum best? Whether she’s a Doughnut, a French Macaron or a crusty, flaky Pie, there’s only one of her, so go all out and make her feel fabulous this Mother’s Day!

Easy Baking Recipes For The Whole Family

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It’s the last week of ‘Bake For Family Month’ and we hope you’ve been following our series on why baking is SUCH a fabulous activity for the entire fam and ways you can get your whole family to bake together. Bake For Family Month celebrates baking as a family and while the event officially runs every year in the month of February, we at Con Affetto like to rock the baking scene all year round! Coz when you’re looking for fun, creative ways to bond with your peeps, there are few things that can beat baking on the fab-o-meter; AND you get to dig into some delish treats at the end of it!

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

Family baking fun is what ‘Bake For Family Month’ celebrates!

Here are a few of our favourite go-to super easy baking recipes, that the whole family will have a blast putting together. Check ’em out!

Con Affetto Faves: Easy Baking Recipes For The Whole Family

1. One of our go-to easy baking recipes for when teatime comes round! Banana Oatmeal Walnut Bread

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

Banana Oatmeal Walnut Bread: the perfect tea time treat! (Image Courtesy: www.archanaskitchen.com)

It’s that time of the day again, when a spot of tea is just what you need to get through the rest of the evening. And a snacky bite to go with it! Something light and scrummy, wholesome and maybe…healthy. Does that sound like too tall an order? Not if we’re talking about this absolutely delish Banana Oatmeal Walnut Bread recipe from Archana’s Kitchen, that combines the goodness of walnuts and oats and turns it into an absolutely divine tea time snack. What’s more, if you have a few of those overripe bananas hanging around your kitchen, you can bung ’em in as well!

We recommend: Serve up some thick slices of this melt-in-your- mouth treat drizzled over with maple syprup and a cup of apple spice tea. You won’t want chai time to end!

2. Putting together a family meal will be a snap with this easy baking recipe…and the whole family can help!

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

An easy pasta bake; perfect for busy weeknights

An easy peasy recipe with the goodness of veggies and cheese. Now your kids can have their zucchini and eat it too with this fabulous Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables recipe from the Food Network! It’s such a snap to make, the whole family will have a blast prepping for this one. Most of the hard work (read cooking) is done by the oven anyway; one of the joys of baking up a family meal 😉 This one is perfect for weeknights when you’re short on time and too tired to whip up an elaborate meal, but still want to put something together with and for the whole family.

We recommend: Pair this one-dish-meal with a buttery Chardonnay for the perfect accompaniment. Er, before you sue us, OJ for the kids!

3. Chocolate. Cookies. A recipe match made in heaven!

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

A recipe the kids will love helping you with! Batter licking included ;)

Want to get your kids addicted to baking? You can’t go too wrong with cookies and chocolate. And you’re teaching the young uns a skill that will last them a lifetime! This easy baking recipe of Extra Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies was created by mums who love other mums, and their kids. And um, choc chip cookies 😉

We recommend: Bake up an extra large batch of this one, these babies are known to disappear real quick! Goes well with a tall glass of chilled milk.

4. One of our easy baking recipes that’ll have breakfast sorted…

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

For that zippy, power packed brekker…

The goodness of carrots for breakfast. And its NOT gajar halwa (too much prep for us early morning woozies!). Stumped? We’re talking about Carrot Bran Breakfast Muffins from Food Dee Dum. A healthy, wholesome, nutritious breakfast and it’s a complete meal at that…way too much goodness power packed into one recipe! What a super way to start the day!

We recommend: Some muesli with milk will pair up real nice with this power packed brekker.

5. Our list of easy baking recipes would be incomplete without this one…

Check out Con Affetto's favourite easy baking recipes for the whole family to bake together this Bake For Family Month

A must-bake delectable classic!

A must try baking recipe for beginners and probably something all home bakers attempt in their early days. A simple, delectable basic sponge cake recipe from Tarla Dalal. Master this one and you and your fam have conquered the first step towards crafting dessert awesomeness!

We recommend: Cut up that sponge cake into fingers, let soak in some chocolate sauce, drizzle over with nuts and….bliss out!

So get those baking hats and mitts on, get your folks into the kitchen and get baking! Pick one of our faves or bring in your own recipe. Do YOU have any easy baking recipes your whole family enjoys baking together? Share it with us and we may just feature it- and YOU- on the blog!

Easy Nutella Brownies: Con Affetto’s Dessert of the Month!

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Imagine a sea of decadent chocolate. Creamy. Sinful. Not overpoweringly sweet or chocolate-y, just right. With the perfect crunch of hazelnut. Now blend it all together into one divine combination, pop some into a jar and you have an instant happy making combination that people all over the world swear by (and even obsess over!). Yeah, we’re talking about everybody’s favourite chocolate hazelnut spread: Nutella!

Hey, did you know that February 5th is celebrated world over as World Nutella Day? Yup, there really is a World Nutella Day and it’s official!

 Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!Italy celebrates a Nutella Fest! We approve!

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!We’d like one of those too, please 😉

We think February is the purr-fect month for celebrating all things Nutella anyway, what with it being the season of love and Bake for Family Month. SO, for our Dessert of The Month series this month we are bringing to you an absolutely brill, must have, must know, must try, you’ll go crazy when you eat this dessert: easy Nutella brownies!

Presenting Con Affetto’s Easy Nutella Brownies Recipe!

It’s so surprisingly easy peasy it’s almost unbelievable! Here goes:

What you’ll need:

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

1 1/4 cup of our star ingredient: Nutella!

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

TWO eggs!

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

Half a cup of all purpose flour

AND

That’s it! Yup. THREE. INGREDIENTS. And you’re sorted! See what we mean by easy Nutella brownies recipe? With the operating word(s) being easy peasy 😉

Get Baking!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prep an 8X8 inch baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, bung in all the ingredients and combine until smooth. Smooth the top with a spatula.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake! We want those brownies soft and chewy, not dry and crusty.

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

Cool, cut, serve and YENJOY!

We’ve been baking up a batch in the Con Affetto kitchen as we were typing out this post (super multi tasking, no? 😉 ) and we’ve just heard our oven timer PING…so…. :) Later, peeps! Um, in case you’re still around reading that is. We’re pretty sure we lost you’ll at “bake for 25-30 minutes…” and you’re probably thinking about baking your very own easy Nutella brownies already!

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

Can perfection get any better? Yessir! Drizzle some melted Nutella over Nutella brownies and you do just that 😉

Got a crazy chocolate craving RIGHT NOW? How about digging into one of our ‘Sinful Love’- vanilla butter sugar cookies dipped in chocolate (swoon!) bouquets? Call us!

BONUS!!! Easy Nutella Brownies: Con Affetto’s Tippy Tips!

Easy Nutella brownies recipe to celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5th. Con Affetto's Dessert of The Month, easy Nutella brownies, three ingredients ONLY!

OR you could even sprinkle over some frosting sugar!

Easy Nutella Brownies Tip #1:

These babies are kinda fudgy, just the way we like ’em. If you want yours more cake-y, bung in 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda to the ingredients.

Easy Nutella Brownies Tip #2:

For a healthier version you can replace the all purpose flour with almond flour.

Easy Nutella Brownies Tip #3:

Okay, this more like a SUPER bonus and less like a tip. You can even make these babies with TWO ingredients. Yup, you heard that right. TWO. Just swap two eggs with four eggs (make sure you whisk them super, like super, nice) and use 11/4 cup of Nutella. You’re welcome. You can go die of happiness now 😉

Con Affetto’s Dessert of the Month: Gooey Chocolate Cake

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Gooey. Sinful. Decadent. Delicious. Happiness is now just a chocolate laden slice away! Do you know what makes us ecstatically, deliriously happy? A freshly baked slice of chocolate cake, just the right amount of moist and gooey, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream nestling by its side and some sizzling warm chocolate sauce caressing them both tenderly. Sighhhh…just the thought is enough to send us into raptures of joy!

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

A decadent slice of bliss!

We’re back this fabulous Friday with an all new series: Con Affetto’s Dessert of the Month and starring this January is- what else- but Gooey Chocolate Cake! And hey, guess what? 27Th Jan is celebrated as Chocolate Cake Day, so if you didn’t treat yourself to some chocolate cake making happy this Wednesday, go ahead and indulge today- we can’t think of a better way to end the week!

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

Chocolate coated happiness is this :)

Chocolate cake is pretty ubiquitous across the dessert scene everywhere, but did you know that chocolate cake first started off as a beverage? Yup, that’s right! Until the 1830’s, chocolate was consumed mainly as a beverage and the popular notion of ‘chocolate cake’ was actually a white or yellow cake that was eaten along with a chocolate drink! Whoa, you sure have come a loooong way, baby!

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

And this is how it all began! The origin of chocolate cake…was as a beverage!

This National Chocolate Cake Day we’d like to, ahem, honour this all time classic dessert (and one of our personal faves, droool!) by treating you to our favourite gooey chocolate cake recipes. Try one out this weekend (or right away!) and it may even chase those Monday morning blues away!

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

Whip up some chocolate making happy this Chocolate Cake Day!

Presenting…our all time favourite ooey gooey….droool…okay, sorry! We got a little carried away there! Getting back…presenting our all time favourite ooey gooey chocolate cake recipes! Try one, or try ’em all. Instant bliss, guaranteed 😉

1. Gooey Chocolate Cake by Joy The Baker

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

Mini shots of chocolate love :) (Image Credit: Joy The Baker- link below)

Good things come in small packages sometimes and Joy The Baker proves just that with these little gooey chocolate cakes. These miniature gooey chocolate cakes make for a great post dinner treat, or a pre-workout snack, or a tea time accompaniment….heck, you can just scarf ’em down anytime of the day…or night!

Get the Gooey Chocolate Cake Recipe by Joy the Baker here!

Related: 10 Must Have Baking Essentials Every Home Baker Needs

2. Gordon Ramsay’s Gooey Chocolate Cake

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

For when you need to quell that chocolate craving with something light and still OD on chocolate 😉 (Image Credit: Good Food-link below)

This one is just right for when you want something sumptuous and chocolatey, but not over the top heavy. Hit all the right (chocolate) notes, with this easy to follow recipe over at Good Food.

3. Gooey Chocolate Cake in Seconds: A Hug in a Mug!

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

A hug in a mug! And it’s chocolate!

Okay, this one is our personal favourite among all the personal favourites and you’ll soon see why. It’s ready in 60 seconds flat! You heard that right. Chocolate cake. 60. SECONDS. FLAT. Perfect for those days when you need instant chocolate comfort and you need it NOW. Oh and did we mention that you need only three ingredients for this one? This is a hug in a mug, alright- and a chocolate smothered one at that!

Are you still hanging around, reading? Get the recipe at Babble already!

Related: How to Bake the Perfect Brownie!

4. Nigella’s Gooey Chocolate Cake

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

You can’t go wrong when it’s a Nigella chocolate cake recipe!

Um, you can’t be talking gooey chocolate cake and not talk Nigella right? Right! This one is super fudgy, moist, gooey and chocolatey and SO easy to make! No wonder it’s one of Nigella’s favorites as well! Get the recipe here.

5. Thoda Chocolate, Thoda Caramel

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

Awesome threesome: cake, chocolate, caramel. Ooey gooey love! (Image Credit: A Pinch of Yum- link below)

Okay now this one has a slight caramel twist as you must have guessed, but that’s exactly why it makes it to our list of must try gooey chocolate cakes! Think moist cake. Melted chocolate. Soft, melt in your mouth caramel. A match made in heaven? This is one threesome you simply gotto try! It is ooey gooey, oooh-ey gooey, it is delish and like the lady says, it WILL change your life. Get the recipe at over at A Pinch of Yum.

Check out our gooey chocolate cake recipes and celebrate Chocolate Cake Day in style!

And we’re off for some chai and chocolate cake :)

We’d love to hang around and chat but after all those recipes, all WE can think about is chocolate cake so we just gotta rush to the Con Affetto kitchen and whip up some RIGHT NOW. Later, peeps! And wish you’ll a Very Happy Chocolate Cake Day! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate happiness :) Can you?

You may also like: The Difference Between Macarons & Macaroons!

How to Make Marzipan: A Con Affetto Tutorial

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Sweet, creamy mountains of honey smooth marzipan with just the right crunch of almonds…mmmm! The festive season may be over (for now!) but as you can see, we are still feeling kinda marzipan-ny! Besides, it was Marzipan Day  yesterday! Marzipan, also called almond candy dough, is a paste made of almonds, sugar, corn syrup and water (it may sometimes contain egg whites as well, though this version has to be used carefully for food safety reasons).

“Niederegger Marzipan is probably the most famous marzipan in the world! It is made in the historic town of Lübeck, Germany, which is world famous for its marzipan.”

Lubeck, Germany also known as Marzipan City!

Lubeck, Germany also known as Marzipan City!

Marzipan is most commonly used to decorate cakes or confections- though we like to munch our way through it candy-like too! 😉 It can also be dyed with different colours and used to decorate cakes and desserts. Remember those adorable little animals and figurines perched atop fancy cakes? Marzipan!

Learn how to make marzipan with our step by step tutorial! Our easy to follow guide will tell you all you need to know about this handy dessert must have.

Move over Play Doh, you can’t beat marzipan when it comes to fancy cake models!

“At the Niederegger Marzipan factory in Lübeck, there is a life sized display of statues made from marzipan!”

Given its versatility and very attractive good looks ( anyone who’s fallen in love at first sight with a perfectly marzipan-ned cake knows what we’re talking about!), marzipan is a handy ingredient to have around the home baker’s kitchen. And it’s even better if it’s home made marzipan! And guess what? It’s pretty easy to make marzipan, on your own!

Learn how to make marzipan with our step by step tutorial! Our easy to follow guide will tell you all you need to know about this handy dessert must have.

Love at first sight with this gorgeously marzipan-ned cake!

“Did you know? Though Marzipan is often associated with Germany and Italy, its roots are in the Orient!”

Love your marzipan but clueless about how to whip up a batch? Worry not; just read our easy to follow tutorial on how to make marzipan below. You are guaranteed to marzipan your way into several cake loving hearts with our scrumptious marzipan recipe!

Learn how to make marzipan with our step by step tutorial! Our easy to follow guide will tell you all you need to know about this handy dessert must have.

Your home made marzipan is ready! Dig in and enjoy!

Learn how to make marzipan with our step by step tutorial! Our easy to follow guide will tell you all you need to know about this handy dessert must have.

Mmmm…..marzipan!

Loved this recipe? Have any marizpan or cake decorating recipes of your own that you’d like to share? Write to us!

 You may also like: Cake Decorating Hacks That Will BLOW Your Mind!

‘Alpana Loves!’…Strawberry Shortcake! A new blog series and a slice of heaven…

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Hiya! We’re super excited today; any guesses why? It’s coz today’s blog post is not just any other blog post, its special! Today is the day we introduce to you, for the very first time, our co-founder and creative whiz…Alpana! ‘Creative’ is the word that instantly springs to mind when you think of Alpana. Whether it’s doing a simple craft project with her kids, planning a party or creating and crafting in the Con Affetto workshop, Alpana infuses creativity into everything she does. A bakerista par excellence, Alpana is happiest tinkering away in the Con Affeto kitchen, bringing many an innovative baking concept to life. We thought it would be fun to get Alpana to hang with us on the blog once in a way, and tell us about what’s the latest rocking the baking world. So here she is in the very first post of the ‘Alpana Loves’ series!

Over to YOU, Alpana!

Hey guys, I’m SO excited to be sharing my favourite baking stories with you all :) This time of the year has to be one of my favourites; it’s a mellow, reflective time, right after the flurry of the festive season, a time of new beginnings as we get into a new year. It’s also a time when you’re craving for just the right note of sweetness, after the overload of rich and heavy rum soaked Christmas fruitcakes and puddings. For just such occasions when you want something light and spongy and still satisfy that sweet craving without overindulging, I bring to you one of my own personal favourites- Classic Strawberry Shortbread.

Alpana Agarwal co founder, Con Affetto shares her favourite Classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe in our new blog series 'Alpana Loves'

We’re well into strawberry season now and I have fond memories of gorging on freshly picked strawberries with lashings of whipped cream. And when you’re in strawberry season, what better way to put those lovelies to use than bake up some Strawberry Shortcake? :) Straight from the kitchens of yore, this traditional dessert brings alive the freshness of strawberries and the tenderness of fresh cream, spooned over a flaky crust in an absolutely lip smacking combination. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with this one! Here’s my all time favourite recipe for Strawberry Shortcake. This is what you can find me digging into on a nippy January afternoon with a freshly brewed pot of tea. Do try it and let me know how it turns out!

Alpana Agarwal co founder, Con Affetto shares her favourite Classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe in our new blog series 'Alpana Loves'

Enjoyed this post? Watch out for our forthcoming series featuring the Bakerista Sisters; Alpana and Upasana, co founders and the force behind Con Affetto!

Con Affetto’s Traditional Christmas Bakes: Part Deux!

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If you read the first part of our series on traditional Christmas bakes, you’re probably drowning in visions of that perfect Christmas cake, baked just right, spongy and moist with the perfect bite of spice and sweet. Or maybe the alluring scent of crusty shortbread is what you’d rather have wafting from your kitchen. But before you get up close and personal- with your oven of course!- you’ll need the perfect recipe. SO! We’re back with part two of our series, just like we’d promised! A carefully curated and especially Christmassy collection of recipes for some traditional Christmas bakes you cannot afford to miss these season. Bring on that Xmas cheer already! 😀

Traditional Christmas bakes to relish this season with Con Affetto's curated Christmas recipes

Bring on the Xmas festivities with a baking bonanza!

Must try traditional Christmas bakes: the all time favourite Classic Christmas Fruitcake

There are traditional cakes and then there are festive cakes, but there will always be only one Classic Christmas Fruitcake. You’ll either love it or hate it, such is the reaction it evokes, but come Christmas you simply cannot ignore it! Why not try baking the original classic this season? Our go-to recipe when it comes to traditional Christmas cake is a Jamie Oliver classic- you can’t go wrong when it’s a Jamie!

Traditional Christmas bakes to relish this season with Con Affetto's curated Christmas recipes

Traditional Christmas Cake (Image Courtesy: www.jamieoliver.com)

Christmas Cookies! Our fave of all the traditional Christmas bakes

It’s no secret! We love all things cookie, here at Con Affetto! From gingerbread men, to sugar cookies; double chocolate sandwich cookies to biscotti, our Christmas fantasies pretty much revolve around baking bonanzas involving large batches of scummylicious cookies! We’ve treated to you our very own Easy Christmas Cookies not so long ago, now here’s another look at one of our personal favourites: the crumbly, rich, melt-in-your-mouth Shortbread Cookies. Try out this simple and superbly demonstrated recipe from Joy of Baking of the classic Shortbread Cookie recipe; you’ll be licking your fingers when you’re done, we promise!

Traditional Christmas bakes to relish this season with Con Affetto's curated Christmas recipes

Shortbread Cookies (Recipe Courtesy: www.joyofbaking.com)

A list of traditional Christmas bakes is incomplete without the Classic Mince Pie!

These bite sized, flavourful delights are a staple on the festivity menu, and we bring to you an unbelievably easy mince pie recipe to boot from GoodFood. Get this- this recipe requires no rolling! It’s so simple even a child can make it, which is actually a brilliant idea- get your kids involved while making these mince pies and turn it into a festive family affair! You’ll all be scarfing down these oh-so-easy-to-make, delicious pies packed with flavour in no time!

Traditional Christmas bakes to relish this season with Con Affetto's curated Christmas recipes

Unbelievably Easy Mince Pies (Recipe Courtesy: www.bbcgoodfood.com)

It isn’t Christmas without some traditional Christmas bread

The last on our list of traditional Christmas bakes, Christmas breads are a sure shot way to become even more popular than Santa this season– just gift some made-with-love traditional Christmas breads!- while also getting to show off your baking skills. We can’t think of a better win-win, can you? This superb festive recipe of Chocolate Cranberry Stollen will make for a fabulous gift– as long as you make sure you don’t wolf it down the second it pops out of the oven 😉

Traditional Christmas bakes to relish this season with Con Affetto's curated Christmas recipes

Chocolate Cranberry Stollen (Recipe Courtesy: breadbaking.about.com)

Do give a try to some of these festive recipes this season- and don’t forget to give us a shout out to tell us how it went! Merry Christmas and Happy Festive Baking!

Bake Cookies Day! And A Bloggy Tea Party!

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Guess what we’ve been upto? It revolves around an oven, smells divine and can create instant, edible happiness! Yes, you guessed right, we’ve been baking up a storm and crafting gorgeous edible bouquets here at Con Affetto, but we decided to hop in here for a bit to wish all of you a Very Happy Bake Cookies Day! Yup, December 18 is Bake Cookies Day all over the world and what better time to celebrate baking and cookies than a week before Christmas?

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

Celebrate all things Cookie on Bake Cookies Day!

If you needed just that extra nudge to get your Christmas baking done, today is a great day to put on those oven mitts 😉 It’s also a special day for us here at Con Affetto because it’s been nearly three months since we started this blog! Yes, it’s almost time for our three month bloggy birthday 😉 and what better day to commemorate the occasion than Bake Cookies day? So we’ve decided to celebrate by having our very own Con Affetto Virtual Tea Party…

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

It’s Bake Cookies Day and we’re having a Bloggy Tea Party!

..aaannd everyone’s invited! So come on over, pull up a chair and pour yourself a cup of tea! Or hot chocolate, whatever rocks your cup 😉

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

Cookies and hot chocolate; the perfect way to celebrate Bake Cookies Day :)

Comfortable? Let’s begin by telling you what we have in store for YOU on the blog. It’s been a fabulously fun journey so far, and you, our blog readers are what truly makes it rock. So while we were busy baking and crafting up some awesome edible blooms in the Con Affetto kitchen, we were also thinking up some fun stuff for the blog! Stuff that you can share! Are you ready to hear this? Help yourself to a cake pop first!

Our edible bouquets come in a wide assortment of products and flavours

Dig into a cake pop!

The thing is, we’re truly passionate about all things baking & blooming – we’re not known as the Blissed Out Bakeristas for nothing 😉– and if there’s one thing we love almost as much as baking & edible bouquets, its blogging about them! We’ve also noticed that when we’re looking for something baking related, we often have to launch into a massive web trawl to find what we’re looking for, especially in the Indian context. Which is when it struck us! We could use our little space in the sunny web to blog about what we’re passionate about while also reaching out to others like us! What we want to do is make this space a haven for those who, like us, love baking.

So whether it’s recipes; baking hacks; tips and tricks; a look at baking reviews or equipment; discussions about the latest baking trends; or even features with bakers (of the celebrity as well as the home baker kind), we plan to cover it all.


A ready reckoner of all things baking, if you will. Like it? Have a slice of cake :)

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

Sit back, relax and enjoy our bloggy tea party :)

And of course, because we’re all about gifting and relationships too; we do plan to keep some great blogging in that space coming your way as well, along with some really funky features about life on the Con Affetto side. Plus there’s going to be loads of fun stuff as well, so watch this space!! :) You like? Help yourself to some more chai!

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

Drowning in tea and buttery cookies is the best way to spend a winter afternoon :)

And then tell us, what would YOU like to hear more about from us? Recipes? More about our products? Serious baking dilemmas you want answered? Questions on where to get the best snickerdoodle cookies in Delhi? Reviews of the best bakery in Mumbai? Whatever it is, bring it on! Here’s to much more happy baking…and fabulous blogging! :)

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto

A chai-cookie toast to baking, edible bouquets and blogging this Bake Cookies Day!

We’re going to leave you with one of our favourite cookie recipes; we really can’t think of a better gift for Bake Cookies day :) Enjoy!

It's bake cookies day and we're celebrating cookies, baking and edible bouquets at Con Affetto. Try Con Affetto's Easy Christmas Cookies recipe.

Related: How To Bake The Perfect Brownie; 8 Must Know Hacks

5 Diwali Dessert Recipes With A Twist!

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Who doesn’t love a good twist in the tale? From Bollywod fusion hip hop to a little Mexican fusion in our Indian khaana, we want something hatke (a little like us 😉 after all we are all about unique and quirky gift ideas)! So can Diwali dessert recipes be far behind? “We’re bored of the same old laddoos and barfis every year!” is a common complaint come Diwali; leading to a spate of traditional Diwali recipes getting all sorts of funky makeovers. The result is melt in your mouth Diwali delights; your traditional Diwali dessert recipes in a never seen before avatar! We decided to make your Diwali preps a little easier this year by putting some of these awesome Diwali dessert recipes for you in one easy to find place! Think of it as our Diwali gift to you 😉

Drool-worthy Diwali Dessert Recipes: Rangoli Macarons!

Step aside French macarons; our desi version of Rangoli Macarons are so much more drool worthy! These buttery little bites of perfection will transport you straight to a lazy Parisian afternoon. Whip up these delicate velvety pastries with this easy basic French macaron recipe and go for gold with some creative gold decoration on the macarons for that added festive touch!

Traditional Diwali dessert recipe with a twist Rangoli Macarons with gold decoration

Go for gold with these Rangoli Macarons! Image Credit: bubbleandsweet.blogspot.in

Get some golden piping inspiration here to pipe it right! These delights will not just go splendidly with your afternoon chai, they also make for a fabulous (and very unique) Diwali gift!

Biscuit Barfi: Diwali Dessert Recipes for the bachhas!

Diwali calls for something traditional like barfi but the kids prefer Oreo pops! Never the twain shall meet? Well, never say never is our motto! Presenting a finger licking biscuit barfi recipe that will have not just the kids, but the grown ups licking their fingers too!

Traditional Diwali dessert recipes with a twist Diwali Biscuit Barfi

Charm kids and adults alike with this delightful Diwali Biscuit Barfi

We love using this recipe with Oreos (satisfy that totally legit Oreo craving while you’re at it 😉 and oh! watch this space for the scrummilicious Oreo Pops we’re going to be dishing out soon at Con Affetto) and having some fun with the toppings as well- think coconut sprinkles or candy melts! This is one recipe the kids can help you with too.

Decorated Diwali Dessert Recipes: Colourful Cookies!

It’s the festive season and if you’re like us and lurrrve mehndi, here’s a fun way to have your mehndi and eat it too! Yes, you heard that right! Mehndi is not just for the hands as you’ll see with these fantabulous henna inspired sugar cookies.

Diwali dessert recipes mehndi or henna inspired cookies

Get some mehndi…on your cookies! Image Credit: HennaLounge.com

All you’ll need is a batch of freshly baked sugar cookies (mmmm bliss!), some royal icing and then let your henna themed dreams take over the decoration! And when you can’t get enough of the diyas and the phooljhadis– ice them! Let your imagination run riot as you conjure up some delicious Diwali themed cookies!

Traditional Diwali dessert recipes with a twist Diwali themed sugar cookies

The Con Affetto version of pretty diyas and sparkly phooljhadis

Little girls will adore this Diwali dessert recipe…the making and the eating!

Diwali Dessert Recipe for a festive Diwali breakfast…

Diwali morning…the colourful hues of rangoli, the fragrance of ubtan, the preparation for Diwali pooja….but what’s for breakfast? The last thing you want to rack your brains over is wondering what to cook! But at the same time…its Diwali! How about a sumptous Diwali breakfast fit for kings and with the perfect festive touch too! Presenting a boondi and rabdi stuffed pancakes Diwali breakfast (brought to you by the Masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor, no less!).

Traditional Diwali dessert recipes with a twist boondi and rabdi stuffed pancakes

A Diwali breakfast fit for royalty!

Just don’t blame us if you’re too stuffed to do much else for the rest of Diwali day after gorging on this treat 😉

Decadent Diwali Dessert Recipes: Cupcakes with a twist!

So the kids are going all Marie Antoinette on you and clamouring for cake? But cakes are for Christmas, who eats cake for Diwali?! You will, with these perfect for Diwali Gulkand Cupcakes with a delicate hint of cardamom! Let the kids eat cake and give a rose-alicious nod to tradition while you’re at it! Don’t forget to watch this space for some rosy treats coming your way- our paan gulkand cake truffles are launching soon!

Traditional Diwali dessert recipes with a twist Gulkand cupcakes

Rose-alicious! Gulkand Cupcakes at Diwali

Drooling already? Here’s to loads of blissful baking ahead! And if you have any funky Diwali dessert recipes you’d like to share with us, write in! A really hatke recipe may even get featured on our blog!