Home / Desserts / This blog is a year old! A small Raspberry ganache pie (no bake, gluten-free) and a big confession…
17 October, 2014

This blog is a year old! A small Raspberry ganache pie (no bake, gluten-free) and a big confession…

Comments : 56 Posted in : Desserts on by : apsara Tags: , , , ,

 

Yes, I cannot believe that this blog has officially completed one year, and what a journey it has been! I wanted to combine it with the Fiesta Friday #38  party this week to celebrate! Thank you Angie, Hilda and Julianna for hosting!

I will finish the confession part first, I know you want to hear it…

I am not a born foodie. In fact, I did not know that word existed till I started blogging!

In my childhood I had very little interest in what I ate, I had no aversion to any kind of food, I just never thought about it much. I would happily eat what my mom made and help her out with prepping in the kitchen, but never bothered to try anything on my own.

In my twenties, I was too busy trying to get a good career as a research chemist. When I lived by myself getting through graduate school, with very little time to think about food, I literally ate to live. Then I met my husband, who is a health nut and a foodie. I started to notice conversations about food between him and his friends- about drinking organic milk, not using Styrofoam and plastic for storing and heating food in the microwave, etc. It was only after we got married that I actually paid attention to what I cooked, in making new dishes and found that it was even well appreciated by him and (our) friends. After some setbacks in my health, I took a break from work and spent all my time in other hobbies. But I still missed working in the laboratory and the closest I could get to that type of work was in the kitchen. They say that a good experimental chemist will also naturally be a good cook. And here I will modestly say that I’m an O.K. chemist. 😉

I learned to bake, found new challenges to solve in baking healthy and egg-free goodies. And then, after reading some good books and watching movies on nutrition, there was this desire to consume only (or mostly) whole grains. I started this blog to record my trials of cooking brown rice for everyday meals, which is a staple in the south Indian diet. It still is my most viewed post to date! Actually, till yesterday I should say. My most recent post baked butter murukku surpassed that.

It took me about 4 months (after starting to blog) to find out that there is a HUGE community of food bloggers within WordPress that one could connect to, and it makes blogging so much more interesting and rewarding. I have also started following some other food blogs on social media. These days I look forward to reading posts of all fellow-bloggers, in learning new techniques… now it seems like I’m mostly thinking about food.

Am I a foodie? I guess I BECAME one, thanks to this blogging journey!  (At least, by the definition on Wikipediea which states: A foodie is a gourmet, or a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food)

My mother is totally surprised by this change in me. “I never imagined that you’d start a cooking blog of all things in life!”, she still says.

My heart-felt thanks to all my blogger friends and readers out there who have encouraged me in the past year. I would like to thank each blogger who has commented on or liked my posts, but as Elaine said last week, I’m paranoid about leaving someone out when I attempt to mention all your names.

Whenever someone tries out a recipe from this blog and gives feedback, it really makes my day and makes all the effort worthwhile. I welcome suggestions to improve any recipe, too!

Here’s my little pie, as I promised…

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It was inspired by the recipe on the cover of Baker’s chocolate. I avoided heavy cream and used coconut milk instead. And used my own nutty, gluten-free version of a crust.

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mini Raspberry ganache pie

  • Time: 40 minutes + refrigeration time
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

One 5″ aluminum pie dish.

For crust:

cashews- 25

almond meal/ flour- 5 tbsp.

butter- 3 tbsp.

For filling:

Baker’s chocolate- 4 oz.

full-fat coconut milk- 1/2 cup (the thick part only)

Berry preserves- 2 tbsp. (I used Trader Joe’s strawberry preserves)

For raspberry sauce:

Fresh raspberries- 6 oz. (reserve 6-8 raspberries for garnish)

sugar- 1 tsp.

water- 1 tsp.

Method:

1.  Make a powder of cashews in a good blender. Add almond flour, butter and blend well. Pat the mixture into the pie dish to make a crust. Make the edges rounded.

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2. Heat chocolate and coconut milk gently till the chocolate mixes and combines with the milk. Stir in the jam. Pour into prepared crust. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

3. Prepare raspberry sauce by gently heating raspberries with 1 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. water.

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4.  Once the sauce forms, refrigerate it along with the pie.

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5. Using a knife, carefully push between the crust and pie dish to remove the pie. Decorate with reserved raspberries and serve with sauce.

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56s COMMENTS

56 thoughts on : This blog is a year old! A small Raspberry ganache pie (no bake, gluten-free) and a big confession…

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:33 pm

      yes it is. Thank you!

  • October 17, 2014 at 8:36 am

    What a gorgeously delicious dish Apsara. Love it. Congratulations on completing an year…wishing you many more. A tight hug and keep inspiring all of us with your healthy cooking and ideas.

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:35 pm

      Thank you so much, Sonal! A big hug back to you. 🙂

  • October 17, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Happy 1 year blogging anniversary ☺️ it’s almost been a year for me too. Great way to learn more about food, get inspired and ‘meet’ like minded people. All the best.

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:36 pm

      thank you April. Yes, I’m meeting many like-minded people too, isn’t blogging a great pastime?

  • October 17, 2014 at 9:16 am

    Congratulations on your first blog anniversary. Thanks for sharing this luscious recipe with us, and the tale of your food journey. My journey is sort of the opposite direction of yours. I have always loved cooking, but developed more of an interest in chemistry (and botany) through cooking because of the inevitable connection. Keep it up, and l look forward to following your future culinary adventures.

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:38 pm

      thank you, Hilda. Interesting, isn’t it, how our interests develop and diversify?

  • October 17, 2014 at 9:59 am

    Congratulations on your blog anniversary! It is indeed enjoyable to meet other foodies. Your raspberry pie is just beautiful and the perfect dish to celebrate your anniversary and FF!

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:47 pm

      thank you so much!

  • October 17, 2014 at 10:45 am

    Congratulations on your first bloggiversary Apsara! I would never have thought that you weren’t a foodie from an early age! Your tart looks so delicious -I love the way you have made it with the coconut cream and the nut base! Happy Fiesta Friday too!

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:55 pm

      thank you, Selma. It is indeed nice to receive a compliment from you!

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:55 pm

      thanks, Aiswarya. Yes, that’s my hope too!

  • October 17, 2014 at 11:45 am

    Happy One Year! This looks amazing!

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:55 pm

      thank you, Alex!

  • October 17, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Congrats Apsara on your blog anniversary 🙂 This pie looks so nice…You have been so encouraging for many of us. Many more to come 🙂

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:57 pm

      thanks, Malar. 🙂 Yes, that’s my wish too!

  • October 17, 2014 at 1:37 pm

    Congrats on your blogoversary!!! I love raspberries, so I do like your dessert, looks yummy! 🙂
    Have a great weekend!
    Mila

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:57 pm

      thanks, Mila. Hope you had a great weekend!

  • October 17, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    congratulations Apsara on your blogiversary… that pie looks super luscious -no bake and GF wow you are Amazing
    love all your recipes and look forward more an more innovative and healthy recipes from your kitchen… 🙂

    • October 19, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      thank you, Chitra. That will surely keep me motivated!

  • October 17, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Happy blogiversary Apsara! What a gorgeous tart to celebrate! Wish you many more wonderful years of blogging to come! You are a foodie now 😀

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      Thanks, Naina. You know, you were the first person to call me a foodie in one of your posts and got me thinking about it. Did some soul-searching and had to admit it. 🙂

      • October 22, 2014 at 12:28 pm

        Really!! I am very wise, haha!! But you really are! And I love your super-healthy twists to traditional recipes. Amazing!!

  • October 17, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    Congrats on your first anniversary, Aspara! Isn’t it nice to find a community where we all have the same interests? Your pie looks so delicious; it is so lovely that you would share this with us today at FF! Here’s to many more years of blogging! 😀

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      thank you, Julianna. Yes, it is nice to be part of a ‘chef’ community, at least online!

  • Stephanie @ The Cozy Cook
    October 17, 2014 at 3:42 pm

    Haaappppyyyy Blog Anniversary, mine is coming up too!! I love this recipe, it looks so goood.. caught my eye right away at Fiesta Friday, thanks for sharing!!

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      thank you, Stephanie. My wishes for yours in advance. Look forward to seeing how you celebrate yours!

  • October 17, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    Happy Anniversary!! What a wonderful journey it sounds like it’s been for you!! /)

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:06 pm

      thanks, Tracy. Yes it has been wonderful!

  • October 17, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    I love your confession! I’m so glad to hear about you became a foodie. I actually have a food blog, and I hate (maybe just dislike at this point) cooking. I have to cook to live because of celiac disease and multiple food allergies. BUT, I love blogging. So I use my blog as an incentive to cook myself good meals!

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      Yes, blogging is a good source of inspiration. I have noticed some gluten-intolerance in myself, hence the trials. Necessity is truly the mother of invention, right?

      • October 19, 2014 at 10:14 pm

        Exactly! Great inventions! Also, make sure to get tested for celiac disease before going completely gluten free. It’s really important because it’s an autoimmune disease and you can’t be diagnosed after going GF! (It’s my little PSA plug.)

  • Pingback: The Impossible Chocoflan | Fiesta Friday #38 | The Novice Gardener

  • October 17, 2014 at 7:31 pm

    What a lovely dessert Apsara! It looks so delicious! And congratulations on completing 1 year of blogging! I love how you really try to innovate and give your recipes a healthful twist ! You are doing an awesome job! 🙂

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      thanks you so much, Indu!

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      thank you Radhika!

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:10 pm

      thank you, MB!

  • October 18, 2014 at 7:36 am

    Huge congratulations on your blogiversary, Apsara, but also on your whole food(ie) journey 🙂 lovely to learn more about you, and here’s to many more years of sharing our blogworld together xxx

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:12 pm

      Thanks, Elaine. Yes, somehow these personal touches do make us get closer in the blogworld. xx

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      So glad you like it, Tracy! Thank you.

  • October 18, 2014 at 4:33 pm

    Congratulations on the anniversary. And your tart – I was thinking this morning I need something like this for a friend. Thank you so much.

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:19 pm

      thank you! Do let me know if you do try it out!

  • October 19, 2014 at 3:14 pm

    Congrats on your one year and it’s so nice to meet you! Thanks for bringing these scrumptious tarts to the Fiesta!

    • October 19, 2014 at 10:21 pm

      thank you, Cynthia! Nice to meet you too. Happy FF!

  • October 20, 2014 at 2:45 am

    Wohooo!! Happy birthday to your blog. <3 And congrats… more years to come.

  • October 20, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    What a beautiful story! Congratulations on your blogiversary 😀
    Let’s toast to that and to the future with more recipes on the blog!
    Beautiful pie too 😀

  • skd
    October 21, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Congrats on your blogversary. May you have many more to come 🙂

  • October 21, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Congratulations for your 1st blog birthday,…yeahhhh to your cool blog & very delicious recipes! I am happy to have met you in the blogging World,….you mean a lot to me, my friend! Xxx

    • October 26, 2014 at 10:33 am

      thank you, Deepa. 🙂

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