Posts made in April, 2011
Best Pavlova Recipe – simple, delicious and NEVER fails
I know we usually do a Sunday Recipe, but I thought today would be better for this one, as you can beetle out to get the few things you’ll need and make it as the perfect Easter Sunday Dessert. It really is the most amazing thing – and it’s funny, I didn’t make pavlova for years because I thought it was really hard and complicated. Not so! It’s dead easy. And universally popular – everyone always comes back for seconds, there really won’t be any leftovers.
Serves a family of 8 two moderate helpings each.
How long it will take:
20 minutes prep,
1hr baking,
10 minutes construction
What You Need:
For the Meringue:
4 medium egg whites
225g (8oz) caster sugar (I’ve used granulated before with no bad effects)
5ml (1tsp) Cornflour
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) White Wine Vinegar (I use any wine vinegar in the cupboard, red or white)
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla essence
Simple Topping:
Your choice of soft fruit – we LOVE raspberries and blueberries. But straight strawberries are good, as is a tropical topping with kiwi, banana and mango. The choice is yours: Three punnets of soft fruit is needed.
600ml Double Cream
What you Do:
- Preheat the oven to 150ºC / 140ºC fan / 300ºF / GM 2.
- Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment, and draw round a dinner plate (20cm-ish circle) in the centre of the paper. Turn the paper over so the marking is underneath and won’t transfer to the meringue! (NB – I have used foil in a baking-paper-less crisis, and it worked just fine)
- Place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk them until stiff and dry.
- Add the sugar, a spoon at a time, whisking until the mixture is smooth, glossy and holds stiff peaks.
- Gently fold in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla with a large metal spoon.
- Spoon the mixture onto the parchment. With the back of the metal spoon, spread it to just within the circle, making decorative swirls, leaving a shallow dip in the centre.
- Bake for 1hr until the meringue base and sides are crisp. Leave to cool on a cake rack – cracking is totally normal as it cools.
- Whilst it is cooking prep your topping; for the simple version, just whip your cream until it is nice and stiff, and chop any large fruit into bite size pieces.
- Place the pavlova on a large serving plate and scatter with a couple of handfuls of your fruit.
- Spoon the cream into the dip in the centre, spreading thickly and evenly almost to the edge
- Arrange the rest of your fruits on top (I find topping it a fab job for small helpers)
- Nom nom nom.
Alternative Special Topping:
Choice of soft fruit as before
25g (1oz) caster sugar
6 sprigs fresh mint
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
juice from 1 orange
450ml (16fl oz) Double Cream
150ml (5fl oz) Greek Yogurt
- For the Special Topping – Remove all stalks from fruit, halve/quarter any strawberries and place all in a large bowl together.
- Mix in the sugar, 3 minute sprigs, cinnamon sticks and orange juice
- Leave to stand for 2 hrs to infuse.
- Just before eating, whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Fold in the yogurt, and the mixture will thicken into stiff peaks.
- Add cream to the pavlova base as usual
- Drain the fruits (reserve the juice in a serving jug), discarding the mint leaves and cinnamon sticks.
- Spoon the fruit mixture over the cream mix
- As you serve, spoon a little juice over the fruit, and sprinkle with the remaining mint leaves.
- Serve with the reserved fruit juice.
This week’s (rather late) Blog Love
Crikey, sunshine AND the school holidays? It’s a wonder anything at all has been achieved this week. But a little bit has – and we’re actually quite glad we’re late with the Blog Love round up, as there’s been some last minute fab entries to include (we’re not the only ones with better things to do than sit at a computer screen, we know).
So: here’s your pick of the best posts around the blogosphere this week. Do have a browse with a coffee, and be sure to leave a comment and say hello.
First up was an anonymous nomination (please leave us your name so we can link to you! Even if it’s your own blog, we really don’t mind, we’re here to share the Lurve y’know) for Transatlantic Blonde’s post about an image which has whipped up a mini furore in the US. Shockingly, it’s a boy in pink nail varnish, no less. *shakes head*
Next, Windmill Tales told us about Bod for Tears letter to her daughter, which brought tears to her eyes. It’s simply called ‘Don’t’ and it’s wonderful. PLEASE go and read it.
PantsWithNames really enjoyed Hot Cross Mums ‘Life Cycle of a Blog’ - and she’s so right, it’s clever, VERY true and an excellent read.
Kelly pointed us to a really great post by fellow Goddess Christine, where she and her daughter create a village for the Little People. Craft blogs often simply leave me feeling inadequate, but this looks like SO much fun, and the results are SO charming I can’t resist trying it myself…
For my own recommendation, I wanted to swoosh some Blog love to Mammy Woo, who has been struggling with Depression. This Time Next Year is a positive, thought-provoking post from one of my favourite Bloggers at the moment.
Lastly, Imperfect Pages threw in a last minute offering via Twitter – she wanted to make sure more people read this post by Wanderlust – a new blog to me, one I’m so glad I found, and one I will be following from now on. ‘Blood Red Life’ is an incredibly powerful, moving account of one woman’s struggle.
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Black Label Ultra Pro Lo Scooter Review
I know. I know. £120 for a scooter? Yuh. Ri-i-ight. I thought that too.
Back in the day.
Befiore I had three boys.
One of whom does scootering like some boys do skateboarding.
When Razor asked if we’d like to try out the new Black Label Ultra Pro I didn’t even bother asking Boy-Who-Scoots. I just said yes please. And handed it over.
He did actually squeak rather a lot when he saw the box. And was actually without words as he grappled with the enormous box to get his hands on it.
Oh the joy.
I’ll let the 9 yr old tell you about it first:
“it can take whatever you throw at it” is what the label said and I have to agree this is the most amazing scooter I have ever ridden. I will start off by talking about its weight. With my old razor scooter I was struggling to do some tricks because it was too heavy. This scooter however is perfect for the job, it is lightweight and rugged and can “take whatever you throw at it” my older brother demonstrated that by putting it through a rigourous crash course. He had some nice bruises but not a scratch or dent on the scooter thank goodness. And on top of that the ride is just simply amazin you feel hardly like you are scootering more gliding. Also, this scooter is not only great to ride but it looks just “cool”. I mean just look at it you cant get much cooler than that. Every single detail is just perfect from the looks to how smooth the ride is from the grips to how easily it folds honestly it’s juts totally wicked. This is without a doubt an amazing scooter and is probably one of the only toys I will never grow out of.”
He quite likes it…
I have to admit, I had a go. In the aid of research of course. Whilst he hovered nervously and told me to be careful. Of the scooter, naturally.
And I had to agree with him – it’s light, manoeuverable, easy to handle and the ride is silky smooth gliding. When your small person grows out of those first kickalong scooters, when they want to master a Bunny Hop with a Bar Spin (get me!), and the smaller younger versions just aren’t cutting it at the skate park, you just need something a little more serious. Razor is the brand to buy, and the Black Label Ultra Pro Lo is the one to wish for if you’re 9. Or 12, according to his envious big brother.
And that £120 price tag? No more than a Nintendo DS. But this toy gets them outside, in the fresh air, doing ‘stuff’ from before breakfast till you have to drag them inside to throw them in the bath. Like Boy said. It’s wicked.
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Competition Now Closed – kub ECO Cot Bed
Our competition to give away a kub ECO cot bed to one lucky winner closes tomorrow.
Makers of very fine nursery furniture, kub, are proud to present their Eco-friendly nursery furniture, the first nursery furniture range by kub to be accredited by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).
The new ECO range by kub literally doesn’t cost the earth as you can be assured that the wood has been responsibly sourced and accredited according to the rules of the FSC, which is an international non-governmental body that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests.
Science Museum – “Awesome” IMAX 3D Cinema
A friend visited the Science Museum in London this week for her youngest son’s 5th birthday and this is what she said about their day out;
“The children loved it, we went for Isaac’s 5th birthday treat, and he loved every minute, from watching Hubble in the 3d iMax theatre, flying with the red arrows to making a hydrogen rocket, it was awesome.
The children ( and us! ) had a fabulous day, give your self plenty of time though, there is stacks to do!”
You can’t get a better endorsement then that!
Entry to the Science Museum in London is free and many of the fantastic exhibits are also free. The IMAX cinema does cost (prices can been found here) but they have a special deal which allows you to watch a second movie for half price. You may struggle to choose which ones to watch, here’s a run down of what’s currently on;
Hubble 3D at the IMAX 3D Cinema (U) – Journey through distant galaxies and explore the mysteries of the universe on this mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Using incredible 3D technology you can accompany space-walking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history, and experience never-before-seen 3D flights through awe-inspiring Hubble imagery. Narrated by Leonardo Di Caprio.
Wild Ocean 3D at the IMAX 3D Cinema (U) – An inspirational IMAX film exploring the relationship between man and the endangered ocean ecosystem. Filmed off the Wild Coast of South Africa and the KwaZulu-Natal Coast, this spectacular underwater adventure takes viewers on a journey of discovery, seeing how fish have provided a source of food for local people for countless generations. Watch one of nature’s greatest migration spectacles – an underwater feeding frenzy and epic struggle for survival where whales, sharks, dolphins, seals, gannets and billions of fish collide with the most voracious sea predator, mankind. The film has been nominated for several awards and won the 2009 Earthwatch film of the year.
Deep Sea 3D at the IMAX 3D Cinema (PG) – An underwater adventure where audiences will be transported below the ocean surface to swim with some of the planet’s most unique and colourful creatures, from the unusual Wolf Eel to the incredible Giant Pacific Octopus, and witness their remarkable behaviour as they rely on one another for survival. Viewers will be able to float with jellyfish, reach out to touch sea turtles and dodge the tentacles of an octopus without ever leaving their seats! Directed by world-renowned underwater cinematographer, Howard Hall, and produced by Toni Myers and Michele Hall, Deep Sea 3D is narrated by Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet, and is accompanied by an original score by Danny Elfman.
Fly Me to the Moon 3D at the IMAX 3D Cinema (U) – An animated space spectacular featuring the voices of Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry and Nicollette Sheridan; an exciting tale of brave young housefly Nat and his two best friends, Scooter and IQ, who sneak on board the Apollo 11 spaceship mission to embark on a cosmic adventure. The film also features an appearance by Buzz Aldrin himself. Young viewers will be introduced to space exploration and the historic moment when the world was united to observe man land on the moon.
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