Classic Pavlova

The classic pavlova is easier than it looks. You need a good electric mixer like a KitchenAid for perfect whipping.

2 (60 g) egg whites (from 2 x 50 g eggs)
1/4 t cream of tartar
125 g (1/2 c) sugar, milled
1 t cornflour
1 t lemon juice

1. Line a baking trace with a piece of greaseproof paper. Grease and flour the paper. Mark a 18 cm diameter circle in the flour with the aid of a saucer.
2. Place egg white in a bowl over a basin of warm water if the weather is cold.
3. Whisk to soft peak. Add cream of tartar
4. Slowly add sugar, 1 t at a time while beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Allow about 10 minutes
5. Beat in cornflour and lemon juice.
6. Spread mixture carefully into the 18 cm circle on the baking tray. Hollow out the centre to form a nest if prefer.
7. Bake at 100 degree Celsius for 90 minutes. Cool in the oven with the door open.

Serve with whipped cream and seasonal fruit like banana, kiwi fruit and passionfruit pulp. This combination is typical for an ANZAC Day dish which celebrates the Australian virtue of "mateship" as experienced at Gallipoli where soldiers from Australia and New Zealand relied on one another for survival. Such mateship was seen in recent floods and Cyclone Yasi in Queensland. So it's appropriate to throw in some bananas or pineapple from Queensland, and drizzle with lemon and ginger jam to complete the dish.



Check out this easy recipe for all-in-one method.

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Classic Lamb Roast

Roast lamb is Australia's national dish according to diehards like controversial Aussie football legend Sam Kekovich. This is the dish for which family members stay home after sacrificing a chance to meet famous actors like Tom Cruise.

The roast can be cooked as is, or perhaps with a sprinkle of salt and a splash of olive oil, and a choice of herbs like rosemary and marjoram. Place the roast in a roasting pan, and brown at 220 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, before turning down the heat to 180 degrees Celsius to finish cooking to your liking. Allow 20 minutes for every 500 g. All up, it takes around 2 hours to complete the roast to well done. In the last 40 minutes, add roasting vegetables like turnips, pumpkin, potatoes and onions.

For rare roast, roast at 250 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes or sear in a hot pan. Finish off at 150 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes in a warm oven.

Slow roasting at 120-150 degrees Celsius gives a nice pink interior. Allow 2.5-3 hours cooking time. Finish off by turning up the oven to 220 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes to brown the surface.

Gravy
Decant the oil from the pan juices. Place pan on the stove. Add 2-3 tablespoon of flour to the pan. Allow to brown and then slowly add 2 cups (or more) of hot stock or water while stirring. Simmer for 10-20 minutes minutes until thickened. Season to taste.

Alternatively, start the sauce in the microwave. In a microwave-safe jug, mix 2-3 tablespoon of flour to a smooth paste with equal amount of warm water. Add 1/2 t of herbs like thyme, rosemary or marjoram, pinch of paprika, and season with salt and pepper. While stirring, pour enough boiling water to make 2 cup. Cook in a microwave in 30 seconds intervals until the sauce thickens. When the lamb is ready, decant the oil from the pan juices. Place pan on the stove. Add some water to deglaze. Pour in the sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

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Classic Victoria Sandwich Sponge

The internet abounds with variations of this recipe for a butter cake containing equal weight of sugar, butter, egg and flour. It is made using the creaming method to whip air into the butter. It is often baked in shallow sponge tins, filled with jam and dusted with icing.

When baked in a loaf tin, as shown here, the name commonly becomes "pound cake" since traditionally, the cake uses 1 pound each of sugar, butter, egg and flour.



For one 18 cm sponge sandwich or small loaf:

100 g sugar
100 g butter
2 x 50 g eggs
100 g SR flour
1 t vanilla, optional
3 T jam for filling, optional
icing sugar for dusting, optional

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Use electric beaters or allow 20 minutes by hand if using a wooden spoon.
2. Beat in egg, one at a time, with a spoonful of flour to prevent cuddling in hot weather.
3. Fold in sifted flour.
4. Pour into a greased and floured tin.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

For a sponge sandwich, bake in 2 tins, by scaling half the weight of the batter into each tin. Otherwise, bake in one tin and split. Spread jam on one sandwich half and top with the other half. Dust with icing.

Since Queen Victoria enjoyed cake with cream and jam, and a cup of tea, the cake was named in her honour.

Tip:
In cup measurements, the quantities are 1 c flour and 1/2 c each of the other ingredients.

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Raspberry Ice Cream

Delicious, creamy raspberry ice cream with a hint of lemon. Smooth and luscious.

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
3 egg yolks (from 3 x 50 g eggs)
85 mL (1/3 c) milk
20 mL (1 T) raspberry cordial, or 1/2 t vanilla + 10 g sugar
20 mL (1 T) lemon curd, optional
50 g sugar
pinch salt

1. Make a custard with yolks, milk and sugar by stirring over a pot of simmering water until thickened. Do not over cook as it will curdle. Cool.
2. Add raspberry cordial, lemon curd, and a pinch of salt. Chill for 2 hours
3. Whip the cream to soft peak.
4. Stir cream into the chilled custard.
5. Churn in an ice cream machine or pour into shallow tray and stir every half hour while freezing. Allow 2.5 hours.

An alternative recipe using jam instead of cordial:

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
2 egg yolks (from 2 x 50 g eggs)
85 mL (1/3 c) milk
60 mL (3 T) raspberry jam
20 mL (1 T) lemon curd, optional
30 g sugar
pinch salt

An egg-free peach melba variation

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
250 mL (1 c) thick yoghurt
60 mL (3 T) apricot or peach jam
20 mL (1 T) raspberry cordial
50 g sugar
pinch salt

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Lunch Special - Fried Basmati Rice

A fragrant fried rice with the exotic taste of Chinese pork sausage combined with coriander.

For 2 adults

Rice
1/2 c basmati rice
1 c boiling water
1 t olive oil
1/2 garlic finely diced

Dressing
1 T soy sauce
1 t fish sauce
1 t caramel soy sauce
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t Tabasco pepper sauce
1/2 T olive oil

Meat and Vegetables
1 Chinese pork sausage (lap cheong), sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 garlic, smashed
2 c chopped vegetables (carrot, capsicum, peas, cabbage)
1/2 t salt
1 T olive oil, as needed

For serving
2 T chopped coriander
1 sliced chilli
1/2 t seasame oil

1. To cook the rice, fry the garlic in oil until golden and then add the rice. Fry until the rice turns chalky. Add boiling water. Reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Toss the rice in the dressing and cool. Chill while preparing the meat and vegetables.
3. Gently render the sausage slices. Use some olive oil as needed. Remove the sausage when crisp on the outside.
4. Add the garlic and onion to the rendered fat. Add some olive oil if needed. Saute until garlic starts to brown.
5. Add vegetables, starting with the one that takes longest to cook. Stir fry until cooked, but still crunchy. Remove.
6. Add some olive oil. Toss chilled rice in the pan and fry until heated through.
7. Add cooked sausage and vegetables to rice.
8. Add coriander, chilli and sesame oil. Remove from heat and serve.

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Raspberry Chiffon

A superb raspberry flavoured chiffon baked in a 8 cm x 20 cm bread tin. Moist, featherlight and spongy with great flavour. It is often difficult to scale such a small cake, but this recipe produces a great result, with minimal collapse.

Batter
30 g potato starch
30 g plain flour
3/4 t baking powder
25 mL raspberry cordial
2 egg yolks (24 g from 2 x 50 g eggs)
25 mL oil (sunflower)

Foam
3 egg whites (96 g from 3 x 50 g eggs)
1/8 t cream of tartar
50 g sugar, milled
5 mL (1 t) lemon juice

1. Combine the wet ingredients for the batter. Fold in sifted potato starch, plain flour and baking powder.
2. Whisk egg white until soft peaks. Beat in cream of tartar. Gradually add icing sugar while beating. Beat until glossy and stiff. Beat in lemon juice.
3. Fold whisked egg white into the egg yolk batter.
4. Pour into an ungreased tube pan (small) or 8 cm x 20 cm loaf tin.
5. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Invert the mould and cool completely.

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Eggs

Australian eggs come in the following sizes:

		Jumbo 67 g	XLarge 61 g	Large 50 g	Medium 43 g
Shell	10.5%	7.0	6.4	5.3	4.5
Yolk	31.0%	20.8	18.9	15.5	13.3
White	58.5%	39.2	35.7	29.3	25.2
Edible	89.5%	60.0	54.6	44.8	38.5

Most recipes work well with "Large" eggs. However, for recipes calling for egg white foam, such as meringues, French macarons and chiffon sponges, assume Jumbo size unless otherwise stated.

The following table is the number of eggs required for 1 cup (250 mL):

	Jumbo 67 g	XLarge 61 g	Large 50 g	Medium 43 g	Small <43 g
Yolk	11	12	14	16	18
White	5	6	7	8	9
Whole	4	4	5	5	6

Swiss Meringue
150 g egg white
300 g castor sugar

1. Warm to 38 degrees Celsius in a water bath and remove.
2. Whisk until thick and continue until cool.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

French Meringue
150 g egg white
150 g castor sugar
150 g icing sugar

1. Whisk egg white to soft peak. Add castor sugar gradually while beating. Whisk for 10 minutes until thick and glossy.
2. Fold in icing sugar.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

Italian Meringue
150 g egg white
65 mL water
25 g glucose
300 g castor sugar

1. Boil water, glucose and castor sugar for 10-15 minutes until the temperature is 110 degrees Celsius. Sugar temperature at "thread" stage.
2. Start whisking egg white as syrup boils to 115 degrees Celsius. Add the syrup while whisking. Continue to whisk for 15 minutes until cool.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

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Lemon Sorbet

Recipe adapted from Panasonic Ice Cream Maker

320 mL water
160 mL fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
150 g sugar
1 egg white, whisked (optional)

1. Combine water, lemon juice, zest and sugar. Bring to boil to dissolve sugar. Let cool.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3. Fold in egg white if using.
4. Churn in an ice cream maker or freeze and then pulverise with a stick blender.

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Lemon Chiffon Cake

Beautifully moist, lemony and tangy. Just in need of a bit of fine tuning for a more flexible crumb texture.

Adapted from Orange Chiffon by Joy of Baking

Batter
40 g (2) egg yolks
40 mL (2 T) oil
40 mL lemon juice (or choice of fruit juice)

40 g sugar, optional
20 mL (1 T) milk

2 t grated lemon zest
75 g flour (half plain, half SR)

Foam
80 g (2) egg whites
60 g icing sugar
1 t lemon juice

1/4 t cream of tartar, omitted

1. Combine the wet ingredients for the batter. Fold in sifted flour.

2. Whisk egg white until soft peaks. Gradually add icing sugar while beating. Beat until glossy and stiff. Beat in lemon juice.

3. Fold whisked egg white into the egg yolk batter.

4. Pour into an ungreased tube pan (small) or 8cmx20cm loaf tin.

5. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

6. Invert the mould and cool completely.

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Pumpkin

It's autumn in Perth. Pumpkins are in season. Mellow, sweet butternut, beautiful, simply roasted with a splash of olive oil. Unbelievably scrumptious, as an accompaniment to a roast or made into a warm hearty soup.

Other pumpkin ideas:
chiffon pies
sweet or savoury tarts
ravioli
chiffon cake



Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Adapted from Christine's Recipes

Batter

20 mL (1 T) milk

60 g (3) egg yolks

50 g cooked mash pumpkin

20 mL (1 T) walnut oil (or vegetable oil)

50 g flour (use a mixture of cornflour and plain flour)

Foam

80 g (2) egg whites
50 g sugar

pinch cream of tartar

1. Make a chiffon batter as per instructions given by Christine, following the videos on how to beat and fold egg whites.

2. Bake in a narrow loaf tin (8cmx20cm) at 160 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Do not grease the tin or the cake will not grip the sides to rise well, to almost double in volume.
3. Invert the tin over a wire rack to cool completely before un-moulding.

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