In 1935 ert Sacse, a chef at Perth's Esplanade Hotel, created the Pavlova. He named it after the Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova, who was a guest at the hotel.
Ingredients
4 egg whites (at room temperature)
pinch of salt
250g castor sugar
1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice
few drops of good vanilla
300ml of firmly whipped cream
strawberries
Method
Preheat oven 180cel. Line a baking tray with baking paper, draw a 20cm (8 inches) circle on paper. Beat egg whites and salt until satiny peaks form. Beat in sugar, a third at the time, until meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and fold lightly in. Mound onto paper-lined baking tray within circle, flatten top and smooth sides. Place in oven, immediately reduce heat to 150cel and cook for 1 1/4 hours. Turn of oven and leave the pavlova to cool completely. Invert pavlova onto platter, pile on the cream, decorate with strawberries.
Ideas: other toppings suggestions include, passionfruit pulp, raspberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi fruit, fruit salad, grated white or dark chocolate. Try adding a couple of drops of food colour (when you add the vanilla) to create blue, pink or green pavlovas for kids parties.Vanilla Slice
Ingredients
2 sheets of ready made puff pastry
5 tablespoons of custard powder
1/2 cup of castor sugar
600ml of milk
1 tablespoon of gelatine
1/3 cup of hot water
300ml of pure or thickened cream
1 teaspoon good vanilla
1 & 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
1 & 1/2 tablespoons of water
Method
Place pastry sheets on ungreased baking sheets prick very well with a fork
Bake in a preheated very hot oven (230cel)5-10 minutes or until golden. Whilst still warm trim pastry to fit a foil lined 23cm (9 inch) cake tin.
In a saucepan blend custard powder and sugar with sufficient milk to form a smooth paste, add remaining milk. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.
Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle gelatine onto hot water; stir briskly until thoroughly dissolved. Stir into custard. Place a sheet of wetted paper greaseproof paper, then a lid on saucepan to prevent skin from forming. Allow to cool.
Gradually add cream and vanilla to custard beating at high speed until well blended.
Place one sheet of pastry in lined tin, pour over custard, top with other sheet of pastry, pressing down firmly with hand.
Place icing sugar and water in a saucepan and warm, stirring constantly until of good spreading consistency. Pour over pastry and spread evenly.
Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight before cutting into squares.
Ideas: Add a few drops of vanilla to icing, or use passionfruit juice/pulp to replace liquid in icing. Custard can be flavoured with cocoa (1/3 cup cocoa blended with custard powder) and iced with chocolate icing.
