Pavlova Fail

My first attempt was a bit sad. I think I must have overwhipped my eggs or something coz I didn't end up with stiff peaks. It was more of a syrupy slop. The slop rose in the oven, but it also cracked. Good thing I had heaps of whipped cream to hide the cracks. To fix the lack of height I opted for a double decker pavlova.

Chocolate Cake

I was reminded of this cake recipe when thinking of my London cousins. They mentioned this cake when I visited in 2008. Must have been a good cake because I made it for them over 10 years ago! I hadn't baked it in quite a while so I thought it was the ideal recipe to test out my new flour sieve toy (thanks ebay).

Before I forget, congrats to J2 who aced his piano exams and shout outs to J1 for the entertaining photos on FB on college life in Cambridge. This one is for you.

200g dark cooking chocolate
1 tbsp instant coffee mixed in 1 tbsp hot water
200g butter
200g sugar
5 eggs
150g SR flour

Preheat oven to 170° C and grease and line a cake tin. Melt chocolate. The microwave always works well. Let the chocolate cool slightly. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs. Add the coffee then chocolate. Sieve flour and fold into mixture. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50-55 min.

Pie Day

Apple Pie: this is what happens to old apples in my house

I was so inspired by my new pie and tart recipe book that I decided to make today Pie Day. Also, we have a bucketload of slightly old apples I want to get rid off. I made an apple pie with a traditional sweet shortcrust pastry. Followed by a Chicken, Mushroom and Leek pie with puff pastry.

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie

Then I made a vegetarian Spinach and Ricotta pie. The Spinach pie had an olive oil pastry which I've never made before. It was pretty easy but when I baked it the pie kinda shrunk away from the side of the pan and "rose". Not sure if this is normal. Perhaps I confused the self-raising flour for the plain flour! Hehe... whatever the reason it was very cool; much easier to serve the pie!

My pie rose!

Spinach and Ricotta Pie : no butter in the pastry! Health benefits cancelled out by all the cheese :)