Valentines Pavlova

Valentines Pavlova

I made pavlovas before but never with this finish. It was meant as a serving sized dessert, but to be honest, it came out as a dessert for sharing with your loved one. 

I love the taste of the meringue with the lemon juice. The kind of pavlova I grew up with, "fuglereder" or birds nests in English, were plain white meringues, and they just tasted sweet, and served as a vessel for whipped cream and fresh berries or canned fruit if you were really unlucky.

I know 3 is a crowd on Valentines Day, but I like to make tree desserts just in case I'll fumble and break one of the meringues. I know this will happen if I don't have a spare. 

Makes 3

Ingredients:

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 120 g granulated sugar
• 55 g confectionary sugar 
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed 
• pink food coloring

Filling:

• White chocolate/lime ganache
• raspberries
• strawberries
• blueberries
• confectionary sugar for sprinkling 

Directions:

Meringue:

Preheat oven to 185℉ (85℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 6 3-inch (7.5 cm) circles about 2-inch (5 cm) apart on the parchment paper, and turn the parchment paper upside down, so you don't get any pencil on the pavlovas.

In the bowl for the stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add the sugar gradually, a couple tablespoons at a time, while still beating the egg whites. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks. The egg whites/meringue will become thick and glossy. Gently fold in confectionary sugar and then fold in lemon juice and food coloring. Be careful not to over mix the meringue.

Spoon the meringue into a piping bag with a large round tip, and push the meringue down towards the tip. 

Hold the piping bag at a 90-degree angle about an inch above the parchment paper, pointing at the center of the circle. Pipe with an even pressure until the meringue fills the circle. Ease the pressure on the piping bag and lift the piping bag straight up, making the meringue look like at big teardrop. Repeat for the rest of the circles.

Bake the meringues in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, you should be able to gently remove the teardrops from the parchment paper. If you can't do this after baking for 25 minutes, then bake them for another 10 minutes. (This is when I knew my oven was broken. I had to bake the pavlova for about an hour before I could handle them)

With  the flat bottom of the meringue facing up, spoon the inside out the inside, leaving a thin dome of meringue. Repeat with the rest of the meringues. Return the meringue domes to the baking sheet, and bake for another 30 minutes, flat side down. This will dry the meringues completely. 

Let the meringues cool to room temperature.

Half of the domes (3) needs to be sanded down, using a microplane grater. This will become the base of the pavlovas.

Assemble:

Place the base of the pavlova, hollow side up on a plate. Pipe a big dollop white chocolate/lime ganache in the center filling the base. Place berries and quartered strawberries so they are covering the sides and top of the ganache. Pipe a small dollop ganache on top, to make the top dome stick.

Dust the top with confectionary sugar, and serve immediately.

TIPS:

For at quick dessert: Instead of making the teardrop, you can spread the meringue inside a drawn large circle on the parchment paper. Spread the meringue working from the center towards the edge. You want to make it look like a bowl. Bake it at 300℉ for 90 minutes. Fill the cooled bowl with ganache topped with fresh fruit.

Enjoy!

The Danish version:

Valentines Pavlova/Fuglereder

Ingredienser:

Marengs:

• 4 æggehvider
• 120 g sukker
• 55 g flormelis
• 1 tsk friskpresset citronsaft
• pink madfarve (jeg bruger wilton pastafarve)

Fyld:

• hvid chokolade/lime ganache
• hindbær
• blåbær 
• jordbær
• flormelis

Fremgangsmåde:

Opvarm ovnen til 85℃.

Tegn 6 cirkler med en diameter på 7,5 cm, ca 5 cm fra hinanden på et stykke bagepapir. Læg bageparpiret på en bageplade med tegningen ned mod pladen, så du ikke får blyant på dine kager. Læg på en bageplade. 

Pisk æggehviderne let til de begynder at blive skummende. Tilsæt sukkeret et par spsk ad gangen, mens du pisker. Pisk æggehviderne til du kan vende skålen på hovedet uden at det løber ud. Marengsen er så tyk og blank. Fold forsigtigt den sigttede flormelis i massen. Når flormelisen er blandet i, vend farve og citronsaften i. Pas på med at over-mikse marengsen. 

Kom marengsen i en sprøjtepose med en stor rund tylle i. Pres marengsen ned til spidsen, og pres eventuelle lufthuller ud. 

Hold sprøjteposen i en 90 graderes vinkel ca 2 cm over bageparpiret. Pres marengsen ud, så den fylder cirklen ud, slip presset på sprøjteposen og løft den lige op, så marengsen ligner en stor dråbe. Gentag for resten af cirklerne.

Bag marengsne i 25-35 minutter indtil de er tørret lidt, så det er muligt for dig at løsne dem fra papiret, uden at ødelægge dem. Du skal have ca 1 cm tørret marengsskal. (Det var her min ovn for alvor stod af, da jeg var nød til at bage dem i næsten en time, før de var til at håndtere.)

Hold marengsdråben med den flade side opad, og skrab det inderste ud. Jeg skar en cirkel med en skarp kniv, så jeg fik en jævn kant. "Indmaden" er stadig en blød marengs. Sæt dråben tilbage på bagepladen og gentag med resten. Bag marengsdråberne med åbningen nedad i yderligere 30 minutter, indtil de er helt tørre. 

Lad marengsdråberne køle helt af.

Haklvdelen af dråberne skal have toppen slebet af med et fint rivejern. Disse skal være bunden af fuglereden.

Samling:

Sæt bunden af fuglereden med hullet opad på tallerken. Sprøjt en stor klat hvid chokolade/lime ganache i, så den fylder skålen ud. Placer bær hele vejen rundt så det dækker ganachen. Kom lidt ekstra ganache på toppen, til at lime "låget" på.  Gentag med de resterende fuglereder. 

Lige før serveringen drysses med lidt flormelis.

TIPS:

For en hurtigere dessert, kan du forme marengsen som en stor skål  og bage den i ca. 90 minutter ved 150℃. Fyld den kølede skål med ganache og frisk frugt.

Velbekomme!

Habanero Kransekage - Habanero Almond Cake

Habanero Kransekage - Habanero Almond Cake

Happy New Year.

Thank you for visiting my blog. It’s has been a fun year for me with blog. I learned that I do not control what happens after I post. And I do not know what will be a hit and what will be a miss. One thing I do know is, the quality of the photos is getting better. My husband has learned a lot about light, and how to use it.Thank you Michael for helping me, you are the best.

I hope you will keep visiting my blog, and I promise to keep coming up with new recipes and giving old classics a new twist.

I look forward to 2015 and to face all the new challenges this year will bring.  

From my family to yours, have a fantastic 2015, filled with love, light and laughter.

Cheers.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

Kransekage: 

• 50 g almonds blanched
• 100 g sugar
• 1 egg white
• 250 g marzipan (I used Ren Rå, a 60% almond paste)
• habanero chili (be cautious with this chili, it is very powerful, taste a teeny-tiny bit to determine how much to use)

Icing:

• confectionary sugar
• water, hot
• orange food coloring

Directions:

Put almonds and sugar into food processor with the steel blade in place and process until finely pulverized. Add the egg whites and process until smooth. Be careful not to heat the mass to more than 95 - 104°F, else the egg white will cook. 

Shred the marzipan and add it, minced habanero and the almond/egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat it until it's completely smooth and free of lumps. Form the dough into a ball, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven for 375℉ (190℃).

Roll the dough into logs as thick as your finger, and cut into 3 inch long pieces. Gently press the top, so you get a peak.  

Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden.  Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Make the icing with small amount of hot water. You want the icing to be a thick paste. Pipe the icing across the top, using a piping bag with a small round tip.

Enjoy the kransekage with a glass of sweet bubbles.

Nougat

Nougat

December 22th.

I have always loved the white nougat made from honey, sugar and egg whites. This white nougat originates from Italy and is called Torrone, but there are different versions from different countries.  In Danmark we call this kind of candy for French Nougat, I really don’t know why. But it’s a great sweet candy, great for gifting. 

The temperature of the syrup determines the texture of the nougat. When the syrup is cooked to130℃ you get a very soft and runny nougat. Cooked to 140°C you get a chewy nougat. And if cooked to 150°C you get a hard nougat. 

makes 30-40 pieces, depending on size.

Ingredients:

Syrup:

• 260 g sugar
• 80 g water
• 50 g light corn syrup/glucose
• 160 honey

Egg whites:

• 40 g egg whites
• 40 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanillapaste

Filling:

• 100 g pistachios
• 100 g almonds

Directions:

Roast the almonds in a single layer in the oven at 350℉ (175℃), until they start to turn slightly golden, set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, honey and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until all the sugar is melted, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Brushing down the sides of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in warm water, to prevent the sugar crystalizing on the sides of the pan. Attach the sugar thermometer to the pot and let the syrup simmer until it reaches 290°F (142℃), do not stir.

Remove saucepan from heat and place the base of the pan in the sink of cold water for 5 seconds, or until the bubbles subside, this stops the syrup temperature increasing. 

While heating the syrup, place the egg whites in a large, clean, dry heatproof bowl. Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Add salt and vanilla, whisk to combine.

While whisking on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Turn the speed up and whisk for 10-12 minutes.  

Pour the sticky nougat onto a Silpat® Non-Stick Baking Mats, or another silicone mat, use the mat to knead nuts into the nougat.

Place the nougat in a a parchment paper lined pan sprayed with oil. I used a loaf pan.  Set aside in at room temperature for 6 hours or until set.

Cut the nougat with a sharp knife, heated in hot water, and wiped dry. Toss the nougat pieces in some sifted confectionary sugar. Store nougat in a clean, dry airtight container, separating layers with a piece of parchment paper. Will keep in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks, or so I'm told.  ;0)

Enjoy!

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

Homemade Liquorice Fudge

December 21th.

Making the last few treats for the holiday celebration. 

Makes about 60.

Ingredients:

• 397 g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
• 150 ml milk
• 115 g (1 stick) butter (I used salted butter)
• 450 g sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons fine liquorice powder
• 1-2 teaspoons raw liquorice powder

Directions:

Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large saucepan on a medium heat, heat the condensed milk, milk, butter and sugar, stirring regularly, until the sugar has melted. Let the fudge simmer until it reaches 240℉ (115℃) or until soft ball stage. You have to stir constantly, otherwise the fudge will burn and you end up with bitter fudge.

Transfer the fudge to the stand mixer bowl, add the liquorice powder, and beat for about 10 minutes, until it loses the glossy caramel sheen and you have a thick but soft fudge. 

Scoop the fudge into the prepared baking pan and press it into the corners and even out the top. Let the fudge cool completely. Cut it into squares.

The fudge will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for several weeks. I have never tested this, because the fudge always seems to disappear in the first few days, in my house.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Roasted Duck and Pork Roast.

A duck roasting in the oven.

December 20th.

Every year we look for guides to roasting duck and danish pork roast. Here is my take on how to make christmas dinner. We serve both duck and pork roast, but we only have one oven. A lot of people has this issue, and therefore they roast the duck the day before, but not in the house, that would be way to easy. ;0)

Danish Pork Roast

We make the pork roast in the grill/BBQ, on indirect heat, with a pan under to save the drippings, and this pan has to be refilled with water a couple of time while roasting. Other than that, its the same recipe as here:

Danish Pork Roast

By slow roasting the duck you get the most juicy duck ever. 

Slow-roasted Duck.

For the traditional Danish Christmas dinner serve with caramelizes potatoes and pickled red cabbage.