#57 More recipes with Tastespotting

I needn't have included a recipe in my previous SmileBox post, 'cos this thing is about food & recipes too. Tastespotting is a delicious site of links to food blogs with lots of hyper-linked pictures of inspiring, crave-worthy food and kitchen items. Some are from everyday amateurs others from professional cooks. I did the usual - how American is it? not, there's 38 pavlova recipes! I particularly liked this one from New Zealand commemorating Anzac Day, though I'm not as sure about her Anzac biscuits which have icing dizzled on them (not traditional somehow)

Lamington Pavlova Roll

3 whole free range eggs
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
110 grams / 3½ oz of castor / superfine sugar
75 grams / 2½ oz of flour, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons of strawberry or raspberry jam
2 large free range eggs, separated, whites only
pinch of salt
75 grams / 2½ oz of castor / superfine sugar
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
250 grams / 8½ oz of quality dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup / 125ml / 4¼ floz of cream
¾ cup of dessicated coconut, approximately to coat
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. Line a swiss roll tin with parchment cooking paper.
3. Whisk 3 whole eggs, the first measure of vanilla and sugar with an electric mixer or beater on high until the mixture resembles a thick stable foam, and the mark from a spoon dragged through the mixture doesn’t disappear.
4. Sift in the flour, and very gently fold the flour in with a large metal spoon. Gently pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth out to the corners with a pallet knife.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile in a clean bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites to a foam, add the salt and beat until soft peaks form which fold over when the beater is removed.
6. Slowly beat in the second measure of castor sugar a little at a time.
7. Add the vanilla and keep beating until the mixture is stiff and the peaks stand strong when the beater is removed.
8. Back to the sponge; check it is cooked by carefully running your hand over the top, it is cooked if it feels almost firm to the touch.
9. Turn it out immediately onto a cake rack covered with a clean dry tea towel.
10. Peel off the cooking paper and roll up (start from one of the longer edges) while still hot to prevent the sponge cracking.
11. Unroll again and evenly spread the strawberry or raspberry jam over.
12. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C.
13. Place a clean sheet of parchment paper into the swiss roll tin.
14. Carefully lift the sponge back into the tin and evenly spread over the previously whipped meringue, to cover the jam surface.
15. Bake for a further 6 to 8 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly golden and feels firm to the touch.
16. Remove from the oven and sliding a palate knife under the sponge bottom, carefully transfer the whole cake back to the cooling rack covered with a clean dry tea towel.
17. Working quickly while still warm gently roll the cake with the aid of the tea towel into a neat log roll, again starting from the longer side.
18. Remove the tea towel and place the cake joined side down to cool.
1. Make the ganache coating:
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (bain-marie).
3. Warm the cream in a saucepan or microwave, be careful not to scald.
4. Add the warm cream to the chocolate (still in the double boiler) and mix together until evenly combined with no lumps.
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
6. Pour the ganache while still quite runny, but thick over the entire cake. NB: you may wish to place a clean tray under the cake and cooking rack to collect the excess run off.
7. Sprinkle the cake generously with coconut and leave to set before serving.
Serves 8
I love the idea of combining two Aussie staples - Pav and lamingtons, it's soo 'Possum Magic'