PAVLOVA

Prep Time: 20mins. Cook Time: 1 3/4 hours Serves: 12

Ingredients
8 egg whites
2 cups caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
2 x 300ml tubs thickened cream
Extra 1 tblsp caster sugar
Sliced strawberries, banana, kiwifruit
and passionfruit pulp, to serve



1. Grease a 26cm x 36cm baking dish. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above two long edges of pan.
2. Wash large bowl and beaters of an electric mixer in hot, soapy water. Rinse, then dry well. Place egg whites in warm bowl. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. With motor operating, sprinkle 1 tblsp sugar at a time over egg whites, beating between additions. After adding sugar, scrape down side of bowl.
3. Continue beating for 8 minutes, or until meringue is smooth and glossy. Add cornflour and vinegar. Beat until just combined. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Smooth surface.
4. Cook in a very slow oven (120C) for about 1 hour, or until pavlova is lightly browned and crisp on top. Turn off oven. Cool in oven, with door ajar, for 2 hours. Transfer dish to a wire rack and leave until cold. Invert pavlova onto a wire rack covered with a sheet of baking paper. Remove paper from base. Invert pavlova onto a chopping board.
5. Beat cream and extra sugar in the small bowl of an electric mixer until firm peaks form.
6. Spread cream over pavlova. Arrange strawberries, banana and kiwifruit over top. Drizzle with passionfruit pulp.

Note: Undecorated pavlova can be made up to a day in advance. Store in an airtight container.

Lemon Coconut Meringue Slice

This recipe is from: The Australian Women's Weekly Cakes & Slices Cookbook.
It's easy to prepare.

This shortbread base requires kneading to make it crisp!

90g butter
2 tablespoon castor sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cornflour
400g can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup castor sugar, extra
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1. Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl with mixer.
2. Gradually add sifted flour and cornflour, turn on to lightly floured surface.
3. Knead for 5 minutes.
4. Spread evenly over base of prepared pan.
5. Bake in moderate oven 15 minutes or unitl lightly browned.

• Combine condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon rind and juice in a bowl, pour over base.
• Bake further 10 minutes.
• Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form, gradually add extra sugar, beat until dissolved.
• Add desiccated coconut, spread over filling.
• Sprinkle with flaked coconut, bake further 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in pan before cutting.

FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE

125g butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
2 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons cocoa
3/4 cup milk

Chocolate frosting
90g butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoon milk, approximately

1. Grease 20 cm ring pan, line with grease paper
2. Combine butter, sugar and eggs in processor, process for a few seconds until combined.
3. Add dry ingredients and milk, process until mixture is smooth and changed in colour.
4. Spread into prepared pan.
5. Bake in moderate oven for about 35 minutes.
6. Stand 2 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.
7. Spread cold cake with frosting; decorate with walnut halves.

Chocolate frosting

• Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add sifted icing sugar and cocoa and milk, beat until frosting is spreadable.

Mango Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients
BASE
1 1/3 cup sweet biscuit crumbs
80g butter melted

FILLING
2 x 250g KRAFT PHILADELPHIA cream cheese,
softened at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon gelatine dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water, cooled
2 large mangoes, chopped
1 cup cream, lightly whipped

METHOD
Combine biscuit crumbs and butter and press into the base of a
buttered and lined 22 cm springform pan.

Beat PHILLY until smooth.
Add sugar, juice, rind and gelatine mixture.
Beat until well combined.
Fold in three quarters of the mango, and the cream.
Pour over prepared base.

Puree remaining chopped mango.
Drizzle it over the cheesecake.
Using the tip of a knife, gently swirl it into the cheesecake.
Refrigerate until set.

Note: I found that using a 'light' PHILLY with a regular PHILLY tasted better than using 2 regular ones. Did that make sense???