Individual Pavlovas

Individual Pavlovas  

from www.taste.com.au

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch salt
• 3/4 cup (175g) caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour (Gluten free)
• 1 tsp Queens natural vanilla essence
• 200g carton Fruche Light Vanilla
• 1/2 cup (130g) Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 small banana, peeled, thinly diagonally sliced
• 100g strawberries, washed, hulled, quartered
• 100g small Thompson seedless grapes
• 2 large passionfruit, pulp removed

Method

1. Preheat oven to 110°C. Use a 10cm cutter to draw 4 circles on a sheet of baking paper. Place the paper, ink-side down, on a baking tray.
2. Use an electric beater to beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well between each addition, until thick and glossy and all the sugar has dissolved. Carefully fold in the cornflour and vanilla essence.
3. Spoon the meringue evenly among the 4 circles. Spread the meringue out over each circle. Cook for 1 hour or until the meringues are crisp. Turn the oven off and use a wooden spoon to keep the door ajar. Set aside in the oven for 2-3 hours or until cooled completely.
4. To serve, combine the fruche and yoghurt. Spread over the tops of the meringues. Top with the banana, strawberries, grapes and passionfruit. Serve immediately.

Eton Mess

One of my faveourites – from www.taste.com.au

Makes 4

Ingredients

• 225g fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 450g strawberries, hulled, quartered
• 150ml thick cream
• 150ml thick Greek yoghurt
• 4 (10g each) meringue nests, crumbled

Method

1. Place raspberries and sugar in a saucepan over very low heat for 5 minutes until the juices start to flow, then leave to cool.
2. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Pass through a sieve, discarding the solids. Place strawberries in a bowl with the puree, cream, yoghurt and the meringue.
3. Fold everything together until just combined, then spoon into four glasses and serve immediately.

Recipie by Valli Little

Gluten Free Pastry

Gluten Free Pastry

From The Cook and the Chef – Maggie Beer

Ingredients

90g unsalted butter
1 cup water
2 teaspoon salt
150g gluten free flour (Maggie used a mix which blended potato flour, rice flour, and maize flour) (ready made mix from health food shops or supermarket)
2g xanthan gum
2 to 3 medium eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 210C

In a heavy based saucepan combine the water, salt and butter.

Bring to a simmer and add the flour and Xanthan gum. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Lower temperature and continue to cook until pastry comes away from the sides and is well combined. Remove from heat and let cook to room temperature

Whisk the eggs to combine and add slowly, incorporating fully before adding the next bit. You may not need all the egg mixture.

Turn out onto a surface on which you have placed a ½ cup gluten free flour and knead until shiny. Try to incorporate as little flour as possible so the pastry does not go crumbly.

Chill pastry then using a rolling pin roll the pastry between two pieces of baking paper greased on both sides. Roll to 1/2cm thick and place in pie tins.

Add filling and cook in oven for 20 minutes.

Properties: browns beautifully, has a nice crispness and holds in moisture. Has a nice potato undertone which is very pleasant. Has a great shelf life, up to 5 days in fridge without going mouldy.

You could add 2 teaspoons of powder sugar and make a sweet pastry for fruit pies.

Rich Chocolate Mousse

220g cooking Chocolate

4 eggs separated

250ml cream, lightly whipped lus extra to serve.

2 Tablespoons strong coffee

fresh rasberries to serve

Melt chocolate, stir well until smooth. Lightly beat egg yolks and stir into chocolate mix. Add coffee. Fold in the cream.Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold this through the mix. Serve with extra cream and rasberries.

Frangipani Pie

Frangipani Pie 

A childhood favourite! Mum used to make this at christmas time when we went to our Aunt’s.

1 450ml Can crushed Pineapple

2 x 1/4 cup cornflour

2x 1/4 cup Cold water

2 egg Yolks (But keep egg whites for meringure)

1.5 Cups Milk

3/4 cup Sugar

pinch salt

1 cup coconut

1 tblsp Margarine

1 tsp Vanilla essence

Pour pineapple into saucepan and gently bring to the boil. Blend cornflour and water till smooth and add yolks and stir through.  Add this to simmering pineapple and stir until smooth. Set aside off stove.

Using another pan, add milk sugar and salt and gently mix over low heat until sugar dissolves. Blend another 1/4 cup cornflour and water until smooth. Add this to the mix on the stove and stir  until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and add coconut, magerine and vanilla and stir well.

Using an 8″ pie dish, smooth 1/2 coconut mix into base, then all of the pineapple mix, then the rest of the coconut.

Whisk egg whites until sitff with 4 tablespoons of sugar, spread this over the top of the pie. Bake in a 180 degree centigrade oven for 15 mins. Cool on benchtop then refrigerate overnight.

Lemon Meringue Pie

One of my favourite recipies ever!

BASE

Using a bought sweet pie base OR Combine 180g plain crushed biscuits with 90g melted butter. Press into a 23cm pie plate and chill. (Use Arnott’s rice cookies in Aust)

Filling

Combine 1 x 400g tin of Condensed milk. 1/2 Cp Lemon Juice. The rind from 1 lemon, thinly sliced (or zested) adn 3 lightly beaten egg yolks.

Topping

Beat three egg whites till stiff and gradually add 1/2 cup of castor sugar. (Use a glass/metal bowl for this and ensure that beaters and bowl are clean and dry). Add 1/2 a teaspoon of cornflour to meringue before whisking (10mins on high)

Bake in a preheated 180 degree centigrade oven until golden.

Best Ever Rocky Road

Best Ever Rocky Road 

200g Slivered Almonds

1 Cup dessicated coconut

5 fry’s turkish delight bars, chopped roughly

250g Marshmallow’s, chopped in half. (Check packet for gf)

Line a deep baking Dish with baking paper.

Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Melt 500g Milk chocolate and when melted mix this through the dry ingredients. Pour into baking dish. Set in fridge overnight and chop into rough pieces.

Fudge (gf)

FUDGE

1/2 Cup Milk

2.5 cups Sugar

1/2 Cup Butter

2 Teaspoons cocoa

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Boil milk and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add butter and cocoa and boil for about 20 mins. Add vanilla. Remove from heat and beat until quite thick. Pour into a buttered shallow pan and, when set, cut into squares.

Date Balls

Date Balls

125g Butter

1 cup Brown sugar

500g Dates

1 Cup Coconut

4 cups rice bubbles

extra coconut for coating

Boil butter, sugar and chopped dates for three minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and rice bubbles. When cool, roll into balls and coat in extra coconut. Store in refrigerator.

Coconut Lemon Fingers (gf)

Coconut Lemon Fingers

125g Copha or Butter

400ml Condensed Milk

250g Plain Sweet Biscuits Crushed (for GF use Arnott’s rice cokies [aust] or othe GF sweet plain cookie)

3/4 cup coconut

grated rind of 1 lemon

Gently melt the copha or butter and add condensed milk. Combine all ingredients and stir well. Press firmly and evenly into a greased swiss roll tin and allow to set. Cover with Lemon icing and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut. When set, cut into fingers.

Lemon Icing

1 Cup Icing Sugar (Use pure to ensure GF)

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice or Lemon essence

2 Tablespoons boiling water

Sift Icing Sugar into saucepan. Add juice and boiling water. Stir over low heat until just warm. Use as required.