Summer has reached its peak, and you’re not beating it right if you aren’t doing it with the juicy, cool, colourful fruits it offers. Some of the best fruit-based summer recipes are quick and easy to do at home, and help make the most of this yummy seasonal gift. This weekend, invite friends to sip on Earl Grey punch and munch on mango cupcakes made by using kitchen cabinet finds and a simple stove oven. Apart from being easy on the pocket, they even help you sneak in those heat-fighting tropical fruit nutrients.
Earl grey punch
Ingredients
5 Earl Grey tea bags
200 gm castor sugar
200 ml water
120 ml spiced rum
120 ml Bombay sapphire gin
4 limes
4 sweet limes
1 malta orange
1 pears
1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves
Spices: star anise, cinnamon
soda as per your liking
(serves 4-5)
Method
For the Earl Grey syrup: Make the tea syrup by adding the 200 gms of sugar in 200 ml of water bring to a boil till the sugar dissolves. Pour in a glass and leave the Earl Grey tea bags in the glass for 3-4 minutes. Sweetness can be adjusted by adding water.
For the punch: Take a large bowl and squeeze in lime juice from 2 limes and 3 sweet limes. Pour in 1 table spoon of castor sugar and stir till it’s dissolved. Add in the spices, and thinly sliced pears and oranges. Pour the spiced rum and gin. Take the tea syrup from the fridge, pour it into the bowl, add in some cubes of ice and stir well before refrigerating. After 1 hour, take the bowl out and fill with ice.
To serve: Fill a glass with cracked ice and layer with a few sliced fruits. Pour over the mixture till 3/4 level and then add a little soda or water as per preference.
Recipe by mixologist Arijit Bose from Getafix
Fresh mango cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
A pinch of salt
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the filling:
4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup fresh mango puree
1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tbs corn starch mixed with 1 tbs cold water
For the frosting:
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
(For 12 cupcakes)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until it blends. Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix each addition only until just a bit blended. Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 of the way. Bake at 175°C for 15-18 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a cooling rack.
To make the filling: Combine the puree, sugar, and lime juice in a pot and heat it over medium heat until it bubbles. Add the corn starch and water mixture a little at a time while stirring. Once the mixture thickens, remove the filling from the heat and transfer to another bowl to cool. Transfer inside the cupcake using a pairing knife and a pastry bags.
For the icing: Whip the butter cubes in an electric mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Add the vanilla and whip again on medium speed for 3 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
Recipe by pastry chef and food blogger Urvashee Patel
Fresh mango cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
A pinch of salt
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbs unsalted butter
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the filling:
4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup fresh mango puree
1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tbs corn starch mixed with 1 tbs cold water
For the frosting:
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsalted butter, cubed
2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
(For 12 cupcakes)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until it blends. Alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix each addition only until just a bit blended. Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 of the way. Bake at 175°C for 15-18 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a cooling rack.
To make the filling: Combine the puree, sugar, and lime juice in a pot and heat it over medium heat until it bubbles. Add the corn starch and water mixture a little at a time while stirring. Once the mixture thickens, remove the filling from the heat and transfer to another bowl to cool. Transfer inside the cupcake using a pairing knife and a pastry bags.
For the icing: Whip the butter cubes in an electric mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Add the vanilla and whip again on medium speed for 3 minutes, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
Recipe by pastry chef and food blogger Urvashee Patel
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