This is the end

Neither subtle nor vague
Fanning out like a plague
An unflinching outbreak
Wrecking all in its wake

There is nowhere to hide
There is no alternate
All I can do is wait
Till you come seal my fate

Time just loses its worth
Limb to toe, I but ache
Life seems fleeting at best
War is lost, I forsake

As I breathe in your scent
Let you contaminate
Feel you course through my veins
Break my core, make me shake

Inhibitions all shed
In the throes of a quake
Basic instincts ruling
Let chaos overtake

I forget who I am
In your cold harsh embrace
And I finally give in
To the thrill of the chase

– Yousuf Bawany

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Living A Nightmare – Free Verse

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Living A Nightmare
I cry myself to sleep
Only to wake up
A few hours later
The sky’s still dark
I turn to your side
Extend my hand
To feel your warmth
But all I feel is
The cold mattress
Hasn’t been slept in
It all comes back
The dam breaks
Feelings gush
Suffocating me
The undercurrents
Drown me deeper
Into the abyss
I try to escape
Come up for air
But unable to
Lungs filled with
Memories past
It really hurts
Knowing that
The hands who
Should’ve saved me
Are the same ones
Choking me now
There’s plenty left
Of the cruel night
No end in sight
My nightmares
Embrace me fondly
And yet again
I cry myself to sleep

– Yousuf Bawany, August 2015

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

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Homemade dark chocolate truffles with mint, strawberry and choco-nut ganache.

Words of Wisdom: Black or White

It’s funny how white people get tans and dark skinned folks use whitening creams; people are NEVER satisfied with what they already have.

– Yousuf Bawany (while watching a whitening cream bleach billboard on his way to work)

Mocha Java Cake

Hello Friends!

Chocolate and coffee are two flavors that blend together very nicely. Both are bitter, dark and have a mysterious aura surrounding them. People say not to have too much of both but hey, who are they to talk? At least we aren’t smoking.

Here’s a great Mocha Java recipe that you can make easily. The real beauty of this recipe is that if you are a fan of either Mocha or Java, you can double the quantities in the respective layer and skip the other (although it’s a bit hard picturing someone who hates chocolate).

Ingredients for Sponge Cake

  • 3 Eggs
  • ¼ tsp Vanilla Essence
  • 6 tbsp Castor Sugar
  • 6 tbsp or 3 oz Flour (slightly heaped)
  • 1 tbsp or 3 oz Cocoa Powder (heaped)
  • Coffee Sauce (mix ½ tsp coffee and 1½ tbsp castor sugar in ¼ cup warm water)

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180º C.
  2. Mix eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat until peaks form (light and fluffy).
  3. Add in vanilla essence, flour and cocoa powder, and fold using a rubber spatula.
  4. Pour the mixture in a 9″ inch greased Springform pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
  5. Once baked, cut horizontally about ½ to 1 inch from the base; this will form the base of your cake.
  6. Place the base back in the Springform pan.
  7. Pour the coffee sauce evenly on the sponge base.

Ingredients for Java (coffee) Mousse

  • 1 tbsp Instant Coffee (use ½ tbsp more for a stronger taste)
  • 6-7 tbsp Icing Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gelatin Powder
  • ¼ cup Water
  • 12 oz Whipped Cream (chilled)
  • ⅓ cup Milk

Method

  1. Heat water and dissolve the gelatin till it melts.
  2. Add milk, sugar and coffee to it; keep stirring on a very low flame to form a smooth mixture.
  3. Let this mixture cool at room temperature.
  4. Fold the mixture into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
  5. Pour this on top of the sponge base in the Springfoam pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
  6. Keep in the freezer for 1 hour

Ingredients for Mocha (Chocolate) Mousse

  • 1 tbsp Instant Coffee (OPTIONAL – add only if you enjoy its flavor)
  • 4 oz Dark chocolate (use less for a milder taste)
  • 8 tbsp Icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp Gelatin Powder
  • ¼ cup Water
  • 12 oz Whipped Cream (chilled)
  • ½ cup Milk

Method

  1. Heat water and dissolve the gelatin till it melts.
  2. Add milk, sugar, coffee and chocolate to it; keep stirring on a very low flame till the chocolate melts, resulting in a smooth mixture.
  3. Let this mixture cool at room temperature.
  4. Fold the mixture into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
  5. Pour this over the Java mousse layer in the pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
  6. Keep in the freezer for 1 hour

Ingredients for Hot Fudge

  • 2 oz Dark or Semi-sweet Chocolate (coarsely chopped)
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • ½ can Condensed Milk
  • ½ a pinch of Salt
  • 2 to 3 drops Vanilla essence

Method

  1. Put the chocolate and the butter in a glass bowl and heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds
  2. Mix thoroughly and heat in the microwave at 10-second intervals (repeat if required) till it’s nice and smooth – NOTE: chocolate burns very easily so keep it in the microwave for very short intervals, and as soon as you remove from the microwave, mix vigorously with a spoon to stop the heating process
  3. Now add the condensed milk and salt to the mixture and put it in the microwave for 15-second intervals till it’s smooth
  4. Add the vanilla essence and let it cool
  5. Pour on top of the cake and put it in the freezer for another ½ hour before serving

NOTE: The fudge recipe presented at the end is really tempting and can be used as a topping for ice creams and other desserts.