Pavlova with cherries and kiwi

My version of Donna Hay's Pavlova

Ingredients:

12 egg whites
14 tablespoons of caster sugar
6 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), sifted
6 teaspoons white vinegar
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
Mixed berried, cherries and kiwi fruit or other fruit as desired

Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Place the egg white in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well, until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk until just combined. Shape the mixture into an 18cm round on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Reduce oven to 120°C (250°F) and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Spread over the pavlova, top with berries, cherries and kiwi fruit and serve immediately. Serves 15-20.

Happy Baking :)





Orascici - Walnut cakes filled with cream

Short bread pastry on the outside that crumbles away filled with a delicate cream.

Ingredients:

1 cup warm milk 

1/2kg flour

250g butter

8 table spoons sugar

1 sachet baking powder

Pinch of salt

Cream filling:

1 cup warm milk

3 table spoons of flour (bring to to the boil with the milk until you get a cream like texture)

1 Vanilla Pudding

125g butter

3-4 table spoons of caster sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft and fluffy. Add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and mix well until you get a smooth like texture.

Oil every walnut mould and start pressing the dough into each mould it should be about 0.5cm in thickness.

Place all the moulds into a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool.

Cream filling:

In a large saucepan add milk and gradually stir in flour spoon by spoon until the texture thickens. Add butter, sugar and the vanilla pudding (mixed with 350g milk - prepare as per instructions on pack). Mix well until smooth. Cool.

Take out all the wall nut cakes from the mould and start filling with the cream on one side. Top off with the other half so you get a walnut shape as shown above. The moulds are as per the below:



Kosnice

Easy to make - perfect for big occasions when catering for many.

Ingredients:

1 wafer block pack (you can buy this in your local delicatessen)

250g butter

1 cup milk

3-4 table spoons flour

4 table spoons sugar

200g finely chopped almonds 

chocolate

Jam as desired (I used Quince Jam for this recipe)

Method:

In a large saucepan add milk and gradually stir in flour until the texture thickens. Add butter, sugar and almonds. Stir until its all well combined and cooking through. Leave to cool.

Cut out rounds from the wafer block withe the moulds shown below. With a knife spread a layer of jam.

Sip in some sugar into your mould then remove to achieve a layer on the sides so that your mixture does not stick to the mould. Spoon the mixture into the mould and then carefully shake out onto the wafer round. Repeat process until all of the mixture is used.

Refrigerate and then serve. Moulds shown below.

Enjoy :)