What is a Pavlova? It’s a sweet cloud of deliciousness! Actually it’s a meringue based dessert that’s named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It’s lightly crispy on the outside and light and marshmallowy on the inside. It’s usually served topped with fruit and cream.
Pavlovas can be a cake like dessert or they can be individual shells filled with cream that’s topped with fresh or preserved fruits. I love meringues and Pavlovas are one of my favorites. It’s one of the desserts I always choose when we’re on a cruise.
Most folks think Pavlovas are for company desserts, yes, they’re that impressive. But really Pavlovas a pretty easy to make. I usually make them after I’ve made my grandmother’s flan which uses up a lot of egg yolks. Pavlovas handily use the remaining egg whites. Other than egg whites all you need is sugar, preferably caster or baker’s sugar (it’s super fine sugar that is between regular sugar and powdered sugar), cream or tartar, cornstarch, and vanilla. You probably have all those things already. (If you don’t have caster sugar you can either pick some up at the grocery store’s baking aisle or place regular granulated sugar in your blender and pulse until the crystals turn into a fine grains, sort of like sand, but not powdery.)
You’ll also want to use your standing mixer with a whisk attachment. You can also use a hand held mixer. You’ll need parchment paper to line your baking sheets, and a piping tip and bag if you have one. Otherwise you can spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper for baking.
In a large bowl beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form.
Gradually add caster sugar and cream of tartar. Continue beating at high speed.
Add cornstarch and vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Pipe or spoon meringue on to the parchment paper. If piping start with a small circle for the base then pipe coils of meringue on top of it. If spooning meringue drop them on the sheet and use the back of the spoon to make a shallow indentation in the middle. (I usually drop meringue Kisses with any leftover meringue. I use them to top the strawberries)
Place on sheet in the oven and IMMEDIATELY lower temperature to 245 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Lower temperature to 200 degrees and back until the meringue is dry to the touch. Touch carefully as they are fragile.
Turn off the oven and open door halfway. Leave meringues inside to cool down to prevent them from cracking.
Meanwhile whip mascarpone, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
When meringues are cooled fill the wells of each meringue with cold cream mixture. Top with Riesling Marinated Strawberries. If you have a meringue kiss place one on top to decorate the pavlova, you can also add a fresh mint leaf if you like.
Keto Diets, they seem to be really popular right now. And with the new year many of us have vowed to start eating healthier and loose some weight. So in my house we’re pretty much re-starting our “keto diets”. One of the things I miss most when on a keto diet (which in really simple terms means less, much less, carbs and more fat and protein) is bread. I crave bread (along with rice and other carbs, I am after all a carb eater)! So when I discovered this Keto Friendly Cloud Bread I was pretty happy.
What you may ask is Keto Friendly Cloud Bread and what makes it keto friendly. Keto Friendly Cloud Bread is simply carbless bread rounds. Yup, I said carbless! It’s not made with any kind of flour at all! And it’s pretty yummy!
You can whip up s batch of Keto Friendly Cloud Bread to use as bread for your sandwich anytime of day. Top it with a fried egg and the meat of your choice for a delicious breakfast sandwich or you can snack on it. It’s that yummy!
Best of all Cloud Bread requires just 3 ingredients and can be made in about an hour! So not only is it yummy it’s super easy to make! My family loves them, even those that aren’t on a keto diet!
Here’s my recipe for Keto Friendly Cloud Bread, whip up at least a batch or two and watch them disappear! Or if you can manage freeze some for future use.
Ingredients:
6 Eggs at room temperature
1/4 cups + 2 Tbs Softened Cream Cheese
1/2 Tsp Cream of Tartar
Proceedure:
Pre-heat oven to 300° F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Separate eggs – place yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whites in a different medium bowl
Add softened cream cheese to the egg yolks and mix together until smooth and completely blended.
Set aside.
Beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy and covered in bubbles. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture, be careful not to over mix and deflating the egg whites.
Pre-heat oven to 300° F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Separate eggs - place yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whites in a different medium bowl
Add softened cream cheese to the egg yolks and mix together until smooth and completely blended.
Set aside.
Beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy and covered in bubbles. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold egg whites into the yolk mixture, be careful not to over mix and deflating the egg whites.
Drop a spoonful onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Cool on wire racks and use immediately or freeze.
Sans Rival is also known as Butter Cashew Layered Meringue Cake. It’s a popular dessert in the Philippines. It’s a Filipino dessert made of sandwiched French Buttercream in multiple layers of meringue infused with chopped cashews. It has a flaky, nutty and buttery goodness and enriched with vanilla extract. A creamy and crunchy mouth-watering goodness in every bite.
you might be wondering why it has a French name? (Sans rival) or without rival in English has its French roots, it was brought over by Filipinos who studied in France during the 1920’s to 1930’s. During those times these Filipinos learned many French cooking techniques which they brought home.
This is my version of Sans Rival Cake Recipe, Enjoy!!!
Ingredients:
For the Meringue Wafer:
10 pcs. egg whites
1 c. sugar
1½ cups cashew nuts, finely chopped
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
For the Butter Cream Filling:
6 pcs. eggs yolks
½ cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped for toppings
1½ tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
Directions:
Place parchment paper, grease and flour heavily 3 or 5 (8×1 inches) round pans depends on how many layers you want to make then set aside.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks formed.
Add cream of tartar and beat, gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
Continue beating until egg whites are very stiff.
Fold in vanilla extract and cashew nuts.
Divide in 3 or 5 portions and spread in prepared pans.
Bake at 300F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool just enough to handle.
Immediately loosen the parchment paper while it’s warm in a flat surface because they are hard to loosen as they are crisp when cool.
For the Fillings:
In a bowl beat egg yolks until thick.
In another bowl cream the butter and add the vanilla, then set aside.
Boil sugar and water until it spins a thread.
Place the bowl of an egg mixture over a bowl of cold water.
Pour hot syrup into the egg yolks in thin streams while beating, this method will prevent the egg yolk from curdling.
Whisk vigorously to incorporate and to cool down the egg mixture.
Blend egg mixture into the butter and whisk well.
Add and sieve only fine cashew nuts and reserve the remaining.
Assemble Cake:
Place meringue on cake board and spread a cashew butter cream on top, sprinkle with reserved nuts and follow the same procedure on the 2nd and last meringue.
Use the remaining cashew butter cream to frost all over the meringue, sprinkle remaining nuts on top and coat all sides evenly.
Refrigerate overnight before serving, to have a firm layered cake and not a crumbled one.
Place parchment paper, grease and flour heavily 3 or 5 (8×1 inches) round pans depends on how many layers you want to make then set aside.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks formed.
Add cream of tartar and beat, gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
Continue beating until egg whites are very stiff.
Fold in vanilla extract and cashew nuts.
Divide in 3 or 5 portions and spread in prepared pans.
Bake at 300F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool just enough to handle.
Immediately loosen the parchment paper while it’s warm in a flat surface because they are hard to loosen as they are crisp when cool.
For the Fillings:
In a bowl beat egg yolks until thick.
In another bowl cream the butter and add the vanilla, then set aside.
Boil sugar and water until it spins a thread.
Place the bowl of an egg mixture over a bowl of cold water.
Pour hot syrup into the egg yolks in thin streams while beating, this method will prevent the egg yolk from curdling.
Whisk vigorously to incorporate and to cool down the egg mixture.
Blend egg mixture into the butter and whisk well.
Add and sieve only fine cashew nuts and reserve the remaining.
Assemble Cake:
Place meringue on cake board and spread a cashew butter cream on top, sprinkle with reserved nuts and follow the same procedure on the 2nd and last meringue.
Use the remaining cashew butter cream to frost all over the meringue, sprinkle remaining nuts on top and coat all sides evenly.
Refrigerate overnight before serving, to have a firm layered cake and not a crumbled one.
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. Are you still looking for something to make for your sweetheart? Well if your sweetie has a sweet tooth than these Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars are just the thing!
Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars are delicious! They’re chewy, gooey, and oh so chocolatey! They can be served cold or hot. We like them hot! And can be eaten alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My favorite way to have them is with ice cream that’s drizzled with chocolate sauce. It’s a meal in itself and is to die for!
Best of all they are so easy to make and doesn’t have lots of fussy ingredients. Make some for a Valentine’s Day treat. Your sweetie will love it!
By the way it makes a great dessert on any day. I should know, my family loves them![spacer height=”-20px”]
Keto Diets, they seem to be really popular right now. And with the new year many of us have vowed to start eating healthier and loose some weight. So in my house we’re pretty much re-starting our “keto diets”. One of the things I miss most when on a keto diet (which in really simple terms means less, much less, carbs and more fat and protein) is bread. I crave bread (along with rice and other carbs, I am after all a carb eater)! So when I discovered this Keto Friendly Cloud Bread I was pretty happy.
Here’s my recipe for Keto Friendly Cloud Bread, whip up at least a batch or two and watch them disappear! Or if you can manage freeze some for future use.
Best of all they are so easy to make and doesn’t have lots of fussy ingredients. Make some for a Valentine’s Day treat. Your sweetie will love it!
Remove from oven – you can serve it cold or hot
