Choc Vino Cotto Pavlova

Family birthdays when I was young always featured Pavlova. Mums meringue dessert with a crisp crust and soft, light inside but always oddly decorated; half with an array of various fruits and half with grated peppermint crisp. Why?? A fussy brother who still to this day doesn't do 'fruits or citrus'.
This is without a doubt my favorite Pavlova recipe! So I thought I would bake it for two recent special occasions - New Year with my Indian Family and Valentines Day with 'all the single ones'.

Thank you Maggie Beer for perfecting this dessert  (not surprising she has been making pavs for dinner parties since she was 18 years old). The words of wisdom - "don't worry if your pav isn't a perfect circle or looks a little rough around the edges... I love things that look rustic and home-made – like your own hands have touched it, and the cream can be a great cement"

Choc Vino Cotto Pavlova - Maggie's Kitchen by Maggie Beer

6 egg whites
1 1/2 caster sugar
3 tbls of best quality cocoa powder
1 tbls vino cotto
40g of finely grated bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa)
pinch of cream of tarter
1 tablespoon of vino cotto or balsamic

To serve -
300ml of cream fresh or whipped cream
1 punnet of strawberries or raspberries
2-3 tablespoons of grated bittersweet chocolate (70%) to decorate

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Draw a 23cm circle onto the paper, and then set aside.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, adding a pinch of tartar once the machine is going, and then, a spoonful at a time, beat in the sugar until the meringue is stiff and shiny. When it’s stiff, sprinkle in the cocoa and beat again. Then fold in the chopped chocolate and the vino cotto gently by hand.

Mound onto your baking sheet within the marked circle, smoothing the sides and top just little. Place in the centre of the 180C conventional oven, then immediately turn the temperatures down to 150C and cook for 55 minutes.
When it’s ready, the pavlova should look crisp around the edges and be dry on top – but when you prod the centre, you should feel the promise of squidginess. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

To serve, invert meringue onto a big, flat bottomed plate. Whisk cream until its thick but still soft, then pile on top of the meringue and scatter over the strawberries. If you want to add the chocolate, coarsely grate it so you get curls rather than rubble, and sprinkle it haphazardly over the top, letting some fall on the plate’s rim.

I like my pavlovas gooey in the centre but if you prefer a drier meringue, leave it in the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar until there is no heat left at all in either the oven or meringue. If you make this recipe in late autumn try using beautiful fresh figs instead of strawberries (see note below).

Note - Brush a hot char-grill pan with olive oil, then quickly grill fig halves, cut-sides down, until lightly caramelised and grill marks appear. Remove from heat and leave to cool.  Pile cream over centre of meringue, then place figs over the top and drizzle with vino cotto.

Chocolate Caramel Crackers - Passover Treats

Chocolate Caramel Crackers
For seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread!

Eating of matzo happens prominently in the Passover Seder. 'The Torah says that it is because the Hebrews left Egypt with such haste that there was no time to allow baked bread to rise; thus flat, unleavened bread, matzo, is a reminder of the rapid departure of the Exodus'.

The baking of matzo is labor-intensive! 18–22 minutes is allowed between the mixing of flour and water to the conclusion of baking and removal from the oven.

This recipe however is incredibly easy  and equally addictive (thank you mass produced packet matza).

Matza 'The Bread of Poverty' - if this is poverty, thank you BIG RED for introducing me to poverty at its best. The first special guest apperance on my blog (my brother), the most Jewish non Jew I know. THANK YOU for baking this 'cracker' treat.

 Chocolate Caramel Crackers by Smitten Kitchen
Adapted from David Lebovitz, who adapted it from Marcy Goldman who is the genius that first applied this to matzo

4 to 6 sheets matzo
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into a few large pieces
1 cup packed light brown sugar
A big pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi or bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
1 cup toasted chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice (optional)
Extra sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines.

In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You’ll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.
Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you’re using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt.

Once completely cool, break it into pieces and store in an airtight container. If you wish to speed the cooling process up hen place in the fridge. It should keep for up to a week.

Flourless Chocolate & Orange Cake

This is a lovely moist, dark, decedent cake. The combination of chocolate and orange (JAFA), is one of my favorite. It's a simple recipe but you will need some patience, as the cooking time is longer than most cakes. Fantastic served warm as a dessert and equally as good when cooled. You will find this cake stays moist and will keep for days...if you can resist. The recipe suggested that it be served with a dollop of double cream but I would actually recommend a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream (the sweetness of the ice cream compliments the cake much better). As far as flourless cakes go, this one is an all round  pleaser (especially with the gluten and dairy free peeps).

Chocolate & Orange Flourless Cake - www.taste.com.au

2 Valencia oranges
200g dark chocolate, chopped (i used Lindt 70% cocoa dark cooking chocolate)
100g butter, chopped
8 eggs
1 1/3 cups caster sugar
3 cups almond meal
Icing sugar to server

Place the oranges in a saucepan. Cover with water and a lid. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the oranges and set aside to cool. Remove the pith and seeds (otherwise the cake will be bitter). Roughly chop and place in a food processor. Process until a coarse paste forms.


Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring often until smooth. Set aside to cool. (Alternatively melt in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave on Medium/50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, for 2 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 22cm cake pan with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.

Fold in the almond meal, orange paste and chocolate mixture until well combined. Pour into the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan. Dust with icing sugar and serve with double cream.

Amy Johnson Cake

Amy Johnson was the first woman aviator to fly solo from England to Australia, but why is there a cake named after her? Maybe this extraordinary aviator was also a extraordinary baker? Maybe this was her favorite cake? Or maybe the solo flight which bought her to Australia, was marked with an afternoon tea to celebrate her achievement? Whatever the reason, this beautiful old fashioned recipe is best enjoyed with a  with  a good cup of tea or coffee.

Even though it is described as a 'cake', it is almost like a thick slice. A biscuit base covered with raspberry jam and currants, topped with sponge cake  and iced with a thin layer of either vanilla or lemon icing.

Base
1 cup SR flour
1 tsp salt
60g butter
Filling
Raspberry Jam
250 g currants
Topping
60g butter
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup SR flour
1/3 cup milk

Base - sift flour and salt, rub in butter. Mix into a dough with a little milk. Line a 23cm (9 inch) square sandwich tin with dough. Spread with raspberry jam and sprinkle with currants.

Topping - Cream butter and vanilla, gradually add the sugar creaming well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add sifted flour, alternating with milk. Pour over base and filling. Bake in a moderate oven 175c fan forced for 35 - 40 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool. When cool ice with either vanilla or lemon icing.

Cake will keep in an air tight container for 4 days.

Chocolate-Filled Oat Crunch (Kingston Biscuits)

Who ate the last Kingston from the 'Arnott's Assorted Cream Biscuits'? Fine I'll make my own! Oat, coconut and demera sugar biscuits, sandwiched together with milk chocolate.

William Arnott these biscuits will give your recipe a run for its money. You've still got the upper hand in the 'Tim Tam' department, but I'm working on it.

Chocolate-Filled Oat Crunch (Kingston Biscuits) - Gourmet Traveller, October 2006
180gm butter
120gm demerara sugar
90gm (1/4 cup) golden syrup
150gm (1 cup) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
60gm desiccated coconut
60gm (2/3 cup) rolled oats
150gm milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 160C (fan forced). Using an electric mixer, cream butter , sugar and golden syrup until pale and fluffy, then add flour, bicarbonate of soda, coconut and rolled oats and beat on slow until just combined.

Spoon teaspoons of mixture onto baking paper-lined trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool biscuits on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Cool to a thick consistency, then spread over the base of half the biscuits and sandwich with remaining biscuits. Biscuits will keep in an airtight container for 5 days.

Makes 20

Tarragon Green Bean Salad

EAT YOUR GREENS, THEY"RE GOOD FOR YOU!

This is a delicious fresh green bean salad, great for summer, goes well with barbecued meats and can be served either warm or at room temperature. It's easy to prepare and the flavours of chervil, french tarragon and the crunchy fresh beans are a good combination.

Tarragon green bean salad - The Age, Sunday Life Magazine

550g green beans, topped

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp capers, chopped

1/2 bunch chervil, coarsely chopped

1/2 bunch French tarragon laves (left whole if small, otherwise chopped)

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

sea salt and cracked black pepper

4 tbsp white-wine vinegar

Cook beans in lightly salted water for 4 minutes. Drain. Mix remaining ingredients, except vinegar, in a large bowl. Add beans and toss to combine. Stir in vinegar and serve.

Serves 4

Coconut Cardamon Burfi

New Years Eve 2010 spent with a pack of Indians. A special pack of Indians (my cousins). So I set about making dessert for our celebration dinner and drinks. Firstly I decided to make a Pavlova (typically Australian), then decided that I should also make something more typically Indian (Burfi), to keep the masses happy.

My first attempt at an Indian dessert! Were the masses happy? You'd have to ask them.

Burfi or Barfi is an Indian sweet found in every 'sweet shop' throughout India. It is commonly made and served for festivals, celebrations and special occasions. Burfi comes in a wide variety of colours, flavours and shapes and is traditionally made from reduced - milk, which is flavoured with combinations of nuts, fruit and spices. Visually Burfi is usually cut into squares, diamonds or shaped into rounds and may also be decorated with edible silver leaf.

This is a simple cheats version of the traditional Indian sweet using condensed milk.

Big thanks to my Ho Master and Pale Ale for a fantastic New Years Eve!

 Coconut Cardamon Burfi - 'Food Safari' Raint Singh
250g desiccated coconut
395g tin sweetened condensed milk
10 cardamom pods, husk discarded, seeds ground to a powder
handful of pistachio, roughly crushed

Mix 200g of the coconut and the remaining ingredients in a bowl.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over low heat and add the mixture to the pan.Stir until the mixture starts to dry and rolls easily into a ball. Remove from the heat and leave for 5-10 minutes until cool enough to handle.

Place the remaining coconut on a plate. Using damp hands, roll the Burfi mixture into balls and then roll in coconut. The balls can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes 15 - 20 Burfi