Meringue with Poached Pears, Cream, Toasted Hazelnuts and Chocolate Sauce

Ok anyone can make a pavlova however its all about the toppings here is one for the adults...

4 large free range eggs
260g caster sugar
a pinch of salt
100g roasted hazelnuts
4 pears
fresh ginger
200g dark chocolate
400ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one orange
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

Preheat the oven to 150oC and line a baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof.

Put your egg whites into a bowl and whisk on a medium heat until soft peaks form. With your beater still running add the 200g of the sugar gradually a tablespoon at a time and add salt, turn your mixer to the highest speed and whisk for approximately 10 minutes or until when you pinch some of the mixture between your fingers it feels completely smooth.

Spoon out the meringue onto the baking paper and shape into a A4 size rectangle. place into preheated oven and bake for 11/2 hours

Peel and 1/4 the pears removing the core, add cinnamon stick, 60g of the sugar, cloves and cover with water and place on a medium heat on stove for 1 hour. Remove pears and pat dry, stain syrup and boil with 2 slices of fresh ginger until mixture has reduced by half. Take off heat add the chocolate and stir until melted.

Whip cream with vanilla extract.

Place dollops of cream on top of the meringue followed by the pears, drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. finish with some grated orange zest.

Serve straight away.

Torta Della Nonna

I am a sucker for anything that involves custard and believe me after you have made this you will be too....

For the pastry:
300g plain flour plus extra for dusting
80g caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
150g butter cut into cubes
1 egg
1 egg yolk
grated zest of 1 lemon
pinch of salt

For the filling:
500ml milk
thinly pared strip of lemon zest
3 egg yolks
120g caster sugar
50g flour
few drops of vanilla extract


To decorate:
1 egg lightly beaten
pine nuts for sprinkling
icing sugar for dusting

To make the dough, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add eggs, butter and lemon zest until you have a a dough, remove and divide into 2 balls and individually cover in cling wrap and place in refrigerator to rest.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Pour the milk into a pan, add the lemon zest and bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gently fold in the flour and the vanilla, add the milk, combine thoroughly and pour back into the pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and is very thick. remove from the heat and let cool stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

Grease and flour 24cm pizza tray 

Roll out a piece of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round slightly larger than the prepared tray, leaving a overhang. Fill with the custard filling and roll out remaining pastry and cover filling seal edges, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly dust with icing sugar and serve.

Cherry and Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

There is nothing more gratifying than making your own biscuits and these are one of my many favorites, perfect with a cup of tea or, for those under the tea drinking age, a glass of milk.
The oats make these treats extremely chewy and they feel convincingly healthy.

I always double the recipe as guests love a goodie bag!

140g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
75g rolled oats
125g soft unsalted butter
75g dark brown sugar
100g castor sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
75g dried cranberrys and cherrys
50g pecans, roughly chopped
140g white chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Measure out the flour, baking powder, salt and rolled oats into a bowl.

Put the butter and sugars into a bowl and beat until lights and creamy

Then beat in the eggs and vanilla

Beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and oats then fold in the berries, chopped pecans and chocolate chips

Set the bowl of biscuit dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.

 Roll tablespoons of dough into the palm of your hand and place on a lined baking tray

Cook for 15 minutes or until cookies appear golden, remove from aven and let sit for 5 minutes as they will be too soft to lift immediately. then place onto a wire rack, and repeat process.