Staying true to traditions
Though the market is flooded with pastries and French delicacies, Elizabeth Job still practises the art of baking cakes that were once an integral part of our childhood. Undeterred by the growing trends, the 63-year-old bakes tea cakes and rich, aromatic plum cakes, without losing their age-old goodness even a tad bit. Before she started her signature cakes, Elizabeth was known for her soft spongy jam rolls. Inspired by her mother’s meticulous process of making each roll, Elizabeth ventured into cooking right from the age of seven. Since the oven was a luxury back then, she began her sugary explorations with her mother’s kariaduppu. “I inherited my mother’s speciality, the jam rolls. Just like that, today I am still known for these sweet rolls. Usually, the fruit is ground in a mixer before making a jam. What you get here is fruit pulp. Since I’m not too fond of the pulpy mixture, I grate them like how my mother used to. While heating it, I add cloves to it to get rid of the pricking taste of pineapple. The cloves will be removed once the consistency is achieved,” says Elizabeth. The thin sponge made out of egg, maida, sugar, and vanilla essence is then used to roll the hot jam. After keeping it for five hours the juicy content of the jam will get soaked up well by the sponge. Her classic tea cakes and rich plum cakes are also famous sweet tooths in the city. “Rich plum cake is authentic and it is one of my signature items. I shred dried fruits with my hands and keep them in rum for at least six months. The taste is mild, unlike the pungy rum cakes,” says Elizabeth, who studied baking at Food Craft Institute in Kalamassery.
Sweet crumbs
If the way to a person’s heart is through his stomach then Jeemol Koruth Verghese has already won the hearts of many with her homemade slices of bread. At Eva’s Healthy Bakes, she serves wheat and multigrain-based bread sourced locally to promote a healthier lifestyle. “I want to make people try homemade bread. A majority of breadmakers use packaged bread flour. But why do we have to depend on such unhealthy options when our country has a plethora of grains. The grains available here are one of a kind,” says Jeemol who travels to various states in the country during harvest times to source unadulterated, fresh from the field grains. Though it is challenging to bake with different types of grain all the time, Jeemol has mastered the art now. Whole wheat with seven types of grains, multi-grain with real chocolate babka, heavenly garlic cheese bread, baguettes, organic semolina, ciabatta, rosemary and braided bread etc are some hit makers at her bakery. Of the lot, one that truly stands out is the tea time companion - cinnamon rolls made from multigrain dough. “The cookies and biscuits in the market have a lot of preservatives. I use only organic ingredients. Everything is eggless. As a result, our shelf-life is less,” says Jeemol. Though she is known for her many kinds of bread, Jeemol also bakes multigrain cookies. Ragi and jaggery, wholewheat coconut, oats and blackcurrant, and the flavoursome Suji mixed with green chilly and curry leaves are some varieties at Eva’s Healthy Bakes. The Italian focaccia made according to the Indian taste palate is yet another signature item.
When art meets baking
Be it birthdays or any events Dickle Johny Sagariga’s venture ‘Baken’art’ is emerging as the top pick among Kochiites. The venture is slowly becoming a household name now. Dickle started the venture while pursuing post-graduation. She believes she has found her calling in baking. Dickle who was always interested in painting wanted a career where she can experiment with her artistic skills. But fate had different plans for her. “I started baking as a hobby, an activity to divert my mind when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Though she didn’t bake, she had so much of ideas. Her words of motivation inspired me to continue the activity as a venture,” says Dickle. Her creative side elevates every treats she bakes. Her cakes aren’t just mouth-watering, it is a sight for the sore eyes. “My drawing skill plays a big role in how I design my cakes. When it comes to taste, I promise a 100 percent, without adulteration of any kind. Quality is what makes Baken’art special,” says Dickle. Though praline butterscotch, toffee cake, caramel chocolate, rainbow, and mocha chocolate are enticing enough, from her 25 plus varieties, the white chocolate almond and cheesecakes are her signature items. Also, her strawberry, pineapple, mango and blueberry sweets too have a loyal fan base.
Gooey goodness
Kochi-based brothers Nakul A Kumar and Sahadev S Kumar have an interesting lockdown story to share. When many turned into home bakers, these youngsters too did jump on the bandwagon but with a twist. They introduced New York-style thick and gooey cookies, inspired by the famous cookies at the Levain Bakery in Manhattan. Nakul, an engineering graduate, decided to cook as an experiment. “My whole family are foodies. I used to bake along with my younger brother, who is studying architecture in Manipal. After coming across a few videos of the chunky gooey cookies of Levain bakery, we too decided to bake some. Our first attempt was decent, with several trials we created the recipe that still keeps running our business, The Cravory,” says Nakul, who is also running their family business. The Cravory’s menu is limited to about seven variants. All of them are thick and gooey cookies. “One cookie weighs about 90 gm. It’s not a snack, but proper desserts,” adds Nakul. The classic chunky chocolate and the white chocolate variation rule the menu. Double chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, cookies and cream, and the experimental ‘smores’ which come with a stuffing of melted marshmallows are the other few options. The recently added cookie cake with a vanilla chocolate base, dark chocolate chunks and a generous amount of Nutella layer is another lip-smacking dessert.
All about cupcakes
Anna Raju’s childhood was mostly surrounded by fresh, home-baked goodies from her mother. A sweet smell always filled her home. Anna started a venture on her own, The Cupcake Factory, around 10 years ago. “Baking was ingrained in me since childhood, but my inclination towards cupcakes is a different story. Once I came across a few pictures of cupcakes, those fluffy treats piqued my interest and I decided to get them baked just click some pictures. It was the beginning of The Cupcake Factory,” says Anna. She started her venture when artisan cupcakes weren’t available in the city. “Now the market is saturated with a wide variety of cupcakes with different designs and flavours. I’ve focused more on the flavour, so I don’t bake anything that is fondant-based. I’ll sell only that is safe enough for my entire family,” says Anna. Cupcakes are still evolving. And Anna continues to make the best out of the varieties on her menu. Classic chocolate is undoubtedly the best seller. Butterscotch, red velvet, vanilla, and the lemon variety are suitable for those who don’t prefer too much sweetness. The fillings differ according to customers. “The classic chocolate is served with fudgy icing or ganache. I haven’t experimented much with cupcakes. I believe alterations can affect the flavour as desserts aren’t just about the sweet, the essence lies in its flavour.