Happy
Daffodil Day!!! I love Daffodils, they always seem to cheer you up with their bright bursts of colour, they always seem to smile at you.
Today was also my Birthday. I feel very lucky to have family and friends who have travelled and those still travelling from interstate to spent the weekend. Good food, good friends and good family thats what its all about.
I have made myself a birthday cake, well technically its not a cake but a pavlova. As a Child I would always request a pavlova for my birthday cake, so this year I thought I would revive that tradition (That and I had a bowl of egg whites sitting in the fridge waiting to be used). I haven't had a pav for the longest time and honestly forgot how good they where. (Note to self make more pavlovas with old egg whites). I normally make one big Pavlova, this time however, I thought why not try something a little bit different? And make three and layer them with cream and strawberries. Good in theory not in practise, they stuck to the sheets of baking paper, and because they were thin started to break up. Good old cream to the rescue, patched it up nicely. If you endeavour to make a pavlova please put them on grease proof baking paper and not just plain old baking paper because these baby's will stick like chewing gum to hair.
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence
Pre heat the oven to 180, and prepare three oven trays lined with greaseproof paper. (I normally draw a circle with a plate onto the paper so its easier to get a circular Pavlova. In this case to get all the pav's the same size.
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then slowly add the sugar whilst continuously beating, until the egg whites form stiff peaks and the mixture is glossy. (This is the point where you could try tipping it over your head, if it doesn't move its perfect! If you end up with it all over your head, its not done).
Then add the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla essence and fold in with a spatular. Divide the mixture onto your three baking trays and with the spatular form nice round ovals.
Place the pavlovas in the oven, and turn the oven down to 100 degrees, and bake for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off and let the Pavlovas cool in the oven.
Whip some fresh cream and chop up some strawberry's (or any fruit that you like) and decorate.
These are the amazing pots that my dad brought me all the way from canberra in his suit case, for my Birthday, aren't they amazing. They're from a little antique shop, down the road from his house. They are all a little different, some have handles that are completely bent upwards, as though the pots themselves were to heavy for the handle. I will have to see if I can find someone to straighten them. But look out for them in future posts, as I'm sure they will get a work out.
Anyway must dash, have to run to the airport.
xx Soph
