Pavlova with passion fruit

I just came back from Italy two days ago.And it was a beautiful trip. I baked a pavlova with whipped cream and passion fruit pulp as topping before I left for Italy.Having made pavlova twice before this, I was a little nervous making it again but I had the craving a nice pavlova with passion pulp so made this pavlova from the Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook I bought from Amazon UK.And it was the best pavlova I've ever eaten.6 months ago, I made Indonesian Layer Cake and it required 25 egg yolks so I had the egg whites as leftovers. I kept the egg whites in the freezer. Over time after baking cakes and pastries, the amount of leftover egg whites had increased.I used to give my dogs the egg whites before,thinking it was pointless to keep the egg whites, stupid I know but I've learnt.=P The combination of tangy flavour of passion fruit has and the sweetness of the pavlova was a perfect match.

Adapted from Monday Morning Cooking Club cookbook

6 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of salt

460g caster sugar, I found this a little too sweet to my liking

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Topping

350g pure cream

pulp of 6 passion fruits

1. Preheat oven to 150 C. Grease an ovenproof platter, I used a cookie pan.
2. Place a mixing bowl & whisk in the fridge.
3. To make the meringue base, whisk egg whites with salt until soft peaks form, then add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, continuously until all the sugar is incorporated.
4. Continue to whisk for another 5-10 minutes until the meringue base is smooth,creamy and glossy, the meringue base doesn't have a grainy feeling when you rub the meringue mixture with your fingers.
5. Using a metal spoon, gently fold vanilla extract & vinegar.
6. Pile the meringue on top of the cookie pan and flatten a little with a spatula.
7. Bake for 45 minutes, don't open the oven door until the last minute to check the meringue and quickly close it back, turn the oven off and leave the pavlova in the oven for 1 hour with the door closed.
8. Pour cold pure cream in the cold mixing bowl and whisk until stiff.
9. When meringue has cooled completely, top with the whipped cream and passion fruit pulp. You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate the meringue with cream until needed, and add the passion fruit just before serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Mum always complains I waste too much money on desserts instead of buying healthy food and suggested I bake since I love baking, so over the weekend I asked for suggestions and one of it was lemon meringue pie. I wasn't too keen on making it because firstly I don't like sour things and second the thought of making another meringue based dessert is daunting and worst of all, I don't know what to expect out of a lemon meringue pie because I never had one until the night before that and I did not like it but because mum likes tangy flavours,she liked what she tasted the night before. So I gave it a try anyway. And I am very pleased with the results. =)

Ps:The lemon curd filling I opted was more of a lemon custard filling than a lemon curd. Shall make a lemon curd filling next.

Sweet Crust Pastry

100g diced cold unsalted butter

75g icing sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

225g self raising flour

Lemon custard

250ml milk

25g double cream

220g caster sugar

3tbsp cornflour

125ml milk,extra

200ml lemon juice

zest of 3lemons

6 egg yolks

Meringue

6 egg whites

250 sugar, I used vanilla sugar I made previous,you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 tsp white vinegar

To make the pastry: process flour, icing sugar mixture & butter until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add egg and process again until pastry begins to resemble bread crumbs .Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Shape into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 220°C or 200°C fan-forced. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets baking paper until 3mm thick. Press pastry into 24cm loose bottomed flan tin.(I used 3 disposable foil trays). Trim edges and prick base using a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with dried beans, lentils or baking beads. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove paper and beans; return to oven. Bake a further 5 minutes or until pastry is lightly golden brown all over base. Allow to cool.

To make lemon curd: Pour cream, milk , lemon juice and zest into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, add half the cream and juice mixture and whisk to combine. Pour back into the saucepan with remaining cream and cook.Place the cornflour and extra milk in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour the cornflour mixture into the curd mixture and whisking until mixture comes to the boil and thickens.
Allow to chill for 30 minutes. Spoon the lemon mixture into the pastry case and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

To make the meringue, place the eggwhites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and white vinegar and beat until thick and glossy.

Spoon the meringue on top of the curd and grill (broil) under a preheated hot grill for 1–2 minutes or until golden and cooked.

I had extra of the meringue mixture, so I made mini pavlovas by placing mini scoops of meringue mixture and baking them for around 10-15mins. Then I served it with double cream and fresh passion fruit pulp.

Nigella's Caramel Croissant Pudding

I always like my desserts rich in flavour and I never like to substitutes. I like croissants with jam,with ham & cheese all sorts and when I came across a recipe for croissant pudding I knew I wanted to try it out.Well obviously it was a recipe from the Domestic Goddess herself, Nigella Lawson I knew I could trust her recipe.This recipe was from her book called Nigella Express but I double-triple the amount,Who could resist?

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

450g croissant

250g caster sugar

60ml tbsp water

250ml double cream

300ml full cream milk

5 extra large eggs (min 900g),beaten

1 tsp brandy essence

Method (Copied from Nigella's website,I was lazy)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Tear the croissants into pieces and put in a small gratin dish.

3. Put the caster sugar and water into a saucepan, and swirl around to help dissolve the sugar before putting the saucepan on the hob over a medium to high heat.

4. Caramelize the sugar and water mixture by letting it bubble away, without stirring, until it all turns a deep amber colour; this will take 3-5 minutes. Keep looking but don't be too timid.

(Yes. I freaked out and threw the first batch of caramel out it was hard, I never experimented with sugar so I freaked out, yes I did read about sugar and caramelizing but when I saw the outcome at the spite of moment I thought I was wrong but I wasn't and I was afraid if I kept the cream and milk long in heat it will curdled etc, I am still learning anyway. It was an experience. They say desserts are an art and a science too. =) If it's hard don't throw away the mixture, just continue to stir the mixture over low heat until the toffee melts.)

5. Turn heat down to low and add the cream - ignoring all spluttering - and, whisking away, the milk and bourbon. Any solid toffee that forms in the pan will dissolve easily if you keep whisking over low heat. Take off the heat and, still whisking, add the beaten eggs.

6. Pour the caramel bourbon custard over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes if the croissants are very stale.

7. Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes and prepare to swoon.

8. I drizzled some melted chocolate over the pudding after baking cause I had some leftover chocolate from Max Brenner's.

Savoury Egg custard

Adapted from Poh's Kitchen

• 160g raw prawn flesh, chopped
• 2 tsp shaoxing rice
• 1 tsp light soy
• ½ tsp sugar
• 4 free range eggs
• 1 ¼ cup plain chicken stock ( I used two tbsp of Maggi Concentrated stock and 1 cup warm water)
• pinch salt and white pepper
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp light soy
• 1 ½ tbs peanut oil with a hint of sesame oil ( you don't want too much sesame oil because sesame oil will over power the nutty flavours of peanut oil.

1. Fill a wok half full of water, with a large bamboo steamer on top.
2. Pound the prawns with the marinates(shao xing wine,pepper,sugar and soy) and let it marinate for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl mix the eggs with the chicken stock. Using a pair of chopsticks do slow figures eights, to do the mixing, rather than madly whisking, you will achieve a much silkier result.
4. Divide the ingredients into the four bowls and steam with the bamboo lid on, for seven to ten minutes.
5. The custards should be an opaque creamy colour when done and still very wobbly.
6. Remove bowls from the steamer, sprinkle each one with chopped spring onions and a half teaspoon of soy.
7. Heat the peanut oil in a small pot or pan, until beginning to smoke. Immediately pour one teaspoon over each egg custard and serve whilst hot.