A Pavlova for Christmas
4 egg whites
1 ½ Cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 rounded dessertspoon cornflour
1) Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2) Place egg whites (dont let ANY egg yolk get in your whites!) in a warm DRY basin and beat until they stand in peaks.
3) Gradually add half the sugar adding it to the mixture a dessertspoonful at a time.
4) Sift the remainder of the sugar into the mixture and fold in lightly , then quickly add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla.
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5) Spread in an even circle on the tray and bake in a slow oven for about 1 ½ hours. If you want a crispier crust on the pavlova you can increase the oven temperature and cook it for less time. When you do this the outside is crisp and the middle of the pavlova takes on a "marshmellow" consistancy.
6) Decorate with whipped cream and strawberries/cherries/blueberries OR Grated Peppermint Crisp Chocolate bar/ peppermint sprinkle topping (see below)
Peppermint Sprinkle Topping
Wizz up a few peppermint candy canes in the food processor with a sharp cutting blade for a colorful sprinkle topping.
Use as a topping:
- on ice-cream,
- fold through some softened ice-cream and freeze,
- use on top of cakes, meringues and pavlovas,
- mix with grated dark chocolate
( wizz this in the blender too)
Christmas Strawberries
Ingredients:
125g Dark Chocolate
2X Punnet Strawberries
1) Melt broken up chocolate in microwave or in a bowl over hot water.
2) Holding onto the strawberry stems, dip half of the strawberry into chocolate allowing excess to run off
3) Place onto foil covered tray and refrigerate until the chocolate is hard.
Christmas Chocolate (Toblerone) Mousse
200g Toblerone Chocolate
4 Eggs, separated
½ cup thickened cream
1) Melt broken up chocolate in microwave or in a bowl over hot water.
2) Mix in egg yolks one at a time with a wooden spoon. Beat until smooth.
3) Fold in whipped cream.
4) Fold in softly beaten egg whites.
5) Spoon into small individual serving dishes ( about ½ Cup)
6) Decorate with whipped cream, strawberries and shaved chocolate.
Christmas Fruit Platter
Pineapple (Cut the pineapple in half from the green top to the bottom)
Seasonal Fruit – Cherries, Strawberries, Grapes, Apple, Orange, Kiwi Fruit, Blueberries
Optional - Flavoured Yoghurt / or Cream
1) Cut the pineapple in half from the green top to the bottom. (Ask the grocer to cut it in half when you buy it to save time) With a small sharp knife run around the edge of the pineapple and remove the fruit to make a hollow. Cut what you take out into thin slices.
2) Place pineapple on the platter and fill hollow with Cherries, or Strawberries, or Yoghurt/ or Cream.
3) Arrange the rest of the sliced fruit around the pineapple.
Easy Christmas Fruit Cake
250g butter
1 1/2 kg chopped mixed fruit, (or any combination of sultanas, raisins, currents, dates, glace cherries etc.)
1 apple, grated coarsely
1/2 cup rum
1 tablespoon golden syrup (or honey)
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1) Melt butter (in a bowl in the microwave for speed!)
2) Place mixed fruit and grated apple in a large bowl.
3) Add rum, honey, sugar and eggs and mix well.
4) Stir in butter, sifted flours and mixed spice.
5) Spread mixture into a deep 20cm square, or 23cm round cake pan that has been lined with baking paper.
6) Bake in a slow oven for 3 - 3 1/ 2 hours
Quick Christmas Cake
1 cup sultanas
1cup currants
100g glace cherries
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons of orange juice
grated rind of orange
250g butter, chopped
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
To Decorate : blanched almonds
1) Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line base and sides with 3 layers of baking paper, leaving 5cm of the paper above the edge of the pan.
2) Heat butter and milk in a saucepan on low until butter is melted . (do not boil)
3) Combine sultanas, currants, cherries, almonds, sugar, rind and juice in a large bowl.
4) Add eggs and butter and milk mixture to fruit. Fold in Sifted flour and baking powder.
5) Pour into cake pan and smooth the top out with a knife.
6) Decorate top of christmas cake with blanched almonds.
7) Bake in a preheated oven 150C for 1-1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool in pan.
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Chocolate Truffles
300 g Dark cooking chocolate, chopped
90g unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons of brandy, ( or orange, or peppermint flavored liquer )
cocoa to coat
1) Place chocolate in a bowl.
2) Heat butter and cream in a bowl in the microwave ( or in a saucepan on the stove top ) until it is boiling.
3) Pour hot mixture over chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.
4) Cool mixture in the fridge , stirring occasionally.
5) When firm enough to handle roll into balls and then coat with sifted cocoa.( Depending on the size you make them this recipe makes up to 40 chocolate truffles.)
6) Store chocolate truffles in the fridge in a container for up to 2 weeks.
These chocolate truffles make a great gift for christmas. Package them up in a box or on a pretty christmas plate, and wrap with clear cellophane and ribbon curls.
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