Mini Pavlovas - spiked with Yuzu

Mini Pavlovas

This is a family friendly dessert that everyone is bound to love. We make big pavlovas lots and making individual pavs was a bit of an experiment - it worked well!


Its really important to beat the egg white and sugar mixture for a long time - up to 10 minutes to make sure the sugar is totally dissolved. You can test it by rubbing a little bit of mixture between your fingers to see if there is any grit - sugar.



Yuzu is an Asian citrus with a really intense tart flavour. We had a packed of freezed dried Yuzu juice flakes which we had purchased at Sous Chef. You could also use other freeze dried fruits to add of extra bit of flavour. 
We mixed the Yuzu in with the pavlova mixture right at the end and it turned out really well. The tart flavour was balanced well with the sweetness of the sugar.

- Isabella


Ingredients
1 cup Caster sugar
5 Eggs, approx 4 eggs, for 150ml of egg whites
2 Tbsp Cornflour
2 tsp White vinegar
Freeze dried Yuzu or other fruit- optional 

1½ cups Double cream
1 to dust Icing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150C.

2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form. 

3. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well until stiff and glossy.

4. Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk to combine.

5. Spoon 1/2 cup of the mixture at a time onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. (Or...Cut a small hole in a corner of a snap lock bag and spoon in the mixture, use it as a piping bag to pipe it on the baking paper tray)

6. Reduce oven to 120C, place the trays in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlovas to cool completely in the oven.

7. Spoon cream over the pavlovas, top with raspberries and dust with icing sugar to serve.


Tip: You can store leftover pavlovas in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Turkey Koftas with Fig and Brown Rice Pilaf

Turkey Koftas with Fig and Brown Rice Pilaf

The perfect family meal filled with flavour. Its a crowd pleaser.
I made this totally on my own. It is a simple and delicious dish.
I know we will be having this one again!

You could prepare the mince mixture for the koftas the day before and possibly the onion and garlic for the rice to make it a quick weeknight meal. Its pretty quick anyway.

We would increase some of the spices and garlic to add a bit more punch.
We cooked ours in a frying pan and inserted the skewers at the end. I worked well.
- Isabella

Ingredients
Koftas
500g turkey mince
1/2 cup of stale bread crumbs
2 spring onions sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic crushed  (I used 5)
1/4 tsp all spice (I'd use 1/2 tsp next time)
1/4 tsp ground coriander (I'd use 1/2 tsp next time)
1/4 tsp ground chilli (I'd use 1/2 tsp next time...we like it spicey)

2 tsp olive oil
100 grams of baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup greek yoghurt
1 spring onion

Fig and Brown Rice Pilaf
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tbsp finely grated orange rind
1 tsp ground cinamon
1/2 tsp ground cummin
1/2 tsp ground corriander
1 1/2 cups of brown basmati rice (300g)
1 cup of salt reduced chicken stock (250 mls)
1  1/4 cups of water (310 mls)
1/3 cup (70g) chopped dried figs optional

1. To make the koftas, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic and spices in a large bowl. Roll 1/4 cup of mixture into long oval shapes (you should have 8). Place koftas on an oven tray lined with baking paper; refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Make fig and brown rice pilaf.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium high heat; cook onion and garlic for three minutes or until soft. Stir in rind and spices; cook for two minutes or until fragrant. Add rice; stir to coat. Add stock and the water; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered tightly, for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stand, covered, for ten minutes. Stir in figs. Season to taste.

3. Insert a skewer into each kofta; brush well with oil. Cook koftas on a heated gill plate, (or grill or BBQ) on medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Serve koftas with fig and brown rice pilaf, spinach and yoghurt; sprinkle with extra spring onion.