Friday 26 December 2008

Christmas 2008: Chocolate Pavlova and Lemon Curd Tartlets


It's been too long since my last post. I've thought of a long list of excuses as to why it has taken me 3 months (!!) to finally blog again: started full time work, facebook, social events (baby showers, weddings), camera battery was never charged, I usually cook/bake at night (bad lighting for food photos), etc.

Enough excuses. I am sure you are all tired of looking at those broad bean photos. ;-)

I love the holiday seasons because I associate it with spending time with family & friends, sharing food and baking. Lots of it! It's become a tradition that I make the dessert for the Christmas day feast with Quikong's family. I usually make the 'best ever baked cheesecake' which is always a crowd pleaser. But this time I wanted to make something to suit the season (it is after all summer downunder). So after some consultation with Quikong's mum and sister, I decided to try something different this year: Chocolate Pavlova with fresh berries. Since I needed to use up the remaining egg yolks, I also made lemon curd tartlets.

This is my last post for 2008 and hopefully I will get my blog mojo back for 2009. :-)


Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year!!!


Chocolate Pavlova
By Nigella Lawson, 'Forever Summer' p. 189
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For the chocolate meringue base:
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
3 tblspns cocoa powder, seived
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

For the topping:
500ml double/thickened cream
Vanilla bean
500g raspberries or any berries that are in season
2-3 tbspn coarsely grated dark chocolate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
3. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate.
4. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
5. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approx. 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and the top.
6. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150C and cook for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. When it's ready, it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers.
7. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
(Note: This can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. )


To Serve
1. When you're ready to serve, invert onto a big, flat-bottomed plate.
2. Scrape vanilla bean and put it in a big bowl together with the cream. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the berries.
10. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the berries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top. I also threw on some edible silver pearls. Serve immediately.



Lemon Curd Tartlets

For curd
(Recipe from Maggie Beer)
4 egg yolks
½ cup castor sugar
60 g unsalted butter
3 teaspoons zest of Meyer Lemon
100 mls Meyer lemon juice

Method
Whisk egg yolks and sugar until sugar is dissolved and the mixture well combined but don’t allow to become frothy. Then put that mixture and other ingredients all together in a heavy non reactive saucepan at low temperature and bring to a simmer. As it becomes thicken and you see bubbles appearing take it away from the heat continuing to stir. Allow to cool. Cover until ready to fill the pastry cases.

Pastry
Use your favourite sweet shortcurst dough recepe. Roll out the dough to the desired shapes (i.e. a big tart or tartlets) and fully bake the pastry according to the recipe. Allow to cool before filling it with curd.

Serving suggestion
Dust with icing sugar and serve with something as luscious as double Jersey cream. I kept it simple by decorating the tartlets with a few strands of shredded mint leaf.

24 comments:

KJ said...

Good to have you back Nora. I've tried to make that pavolva a few times and have failed miserably. Yours looks fantastic!!

Nora B. said...

Hi KJ,
Thanks, dear. I'm sorry the recipe didn't work out for you. I've made this several times before without any problems. I wonder what could have happened to your attempts - make sure the eggs are at room temperature, no moisture (water or egg yolks) on any of the equipment (e.g. bowls), beat the egg whites till it is shiny before adding sugar one spoonful at a time.

Wendy said...

Welcome back, Nora!

Those lemon tarts look divine.

Coffee and Vanilla said...

Good to see you posting again! :)
Your Pavlova looks amazing!!!

Have a nice weekend, Margot

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Lovely to pop by to wish you Happy Holidays and see that you've posted. I'd like big portions of both please! Hope you're well Nora. xx

Big Boys Oven said...

So lovely as always, miss reading you a lot . . .
therefore we wanna wish you a lovely New Year and able to read you more this 2009 .. . . from us both, Sunny & Sidney

Brilynn said...

I should really start making pavlova, I always have extra egg whites from making ice cream. It looks great!

Anonymous said...

Hi.. am happy to be here ..

Cookie baker Lynn said...

I'm glad to hear that your absence has been for good reasons. Having too much fun to blog is a good thing, I think. Hope you have a great New Year!

Eva said...

Aah, I still remember that chocolate pavlova from over a year ago...or was it two?? Need to make lemon curd again, too..;-)

Nora B. said...

Wendy - Thanks!

---

Margot - Let's hope that I will be posting more regularly this year ;-)

---

Amanda - Thanks for the holiday wishes. I am well. I'll have toc ome 'round your blog to check out what you've been up to. :-)

---

Sunny & Sidney - Thanks for your lovely comment. Happy new Year to you both as well.

---

Brilynn - Thanks! Yes, Pavs are such a good way & easy to use egg whites. I find regular pavs too sweet, but when it's choc pav, I'll have seconds :-)

---

Somuffins - Thanks for dropping by.

---

Lynn - Thanks and a Happy New Year to you and your family as well.

---

Eva - It was 2 Australia days ago...so almost 2 years! time flies...

Big Boys Oven said...

hey Nora! I dream that this 2009 will be a fantastic year for everyone! wish you a fantastic 2009!

Fake cake said...

Hello

I hope you hade a good start of 2009
We have very cold here for us and our animal. Ice on the wather for black swan but they like it.
Do you see many black swan?
That swan i have come from australia.

That cake you make looks fantastic:)

Have a nice weekend

tigerfish said...

Happy New Year!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons bring
the best to you and yours!

Nora B. said...

Hi Sunny, thanks again. Anything will be better than last year - it was very stressful & busy!

---

Lotta - I saw many black swans when I was living in Western Australia. They are so beautiful. I wish I can have some animals like you do, but we live in a small apartment. Maybe in the future :-)

---

Tigerfish - Happy New Year to you too! :-)

---

Val - Lovely! Thank you

Anonymous said...

What beautiful desserts!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and a very happy new year! :)

Aimée said...

Welcome back! This looks amazing, by the way.
All the best for '09.

Anonymous said...

That pavlova looks beautiful, the colors and flavors contrast beautifully!

Cynthia said...

Oh my sweet friend posted :)

Happy New Year!

Gloria Baker said...

Dear Nora what beautiful look all I love lemon cud, I love Paulova too, huggss!!! Have a wonderful year dear!!! Gloria

Fake cake said...

Hello Nora!

I hope your are fine:)
I miss you recept so much

//Lotta from a very cold land:)

Pity said...

pavlova and lemon curd tartlets, i love these! You have a lovely blog, i enjoy looking at it, and i will be coming back, BTW your photos of the broad beans...they look like babies, adorables! I'm a spanish living in london, please visit my blog if you have the time,

cheers,

pity

Za said...

Hi Nora...

those lemon curd look awesome. Since I dont have a particular recipe for the crust that I'm fond of, can u share urs? They look awesome!