Roasted Strawberry Meringues

http://chubbyhubby.net/blog/?p=155 

In my third-to-last post, the one on Margaret River, I mentioned a dinner party that S, myself, and 2 other friends hosted in the super-cool Ron Roozen House. It was a fantastic dinner for several reasons. The company was great and the wines (as you would expect in wine country) were abundant, affordable and yummy. But what I liked most was that four of us were able to work well together in a not-so-huge but thankfully not-too-small kitchen. It was also great fun planning what dishes to make and serve. We had picked up some simple ingredients, spices and kitchen staples in Perth. But for the most part, we waited for something we saw in one of the gourmet produce shops or the Coles supermarket to inspire us.
S is a huge fan of Donna Hay. Hers is one of the few food magazines that S tries to buy as regularly as possible. When she saw the latest issue on the newsstands in Perth, she immediately grabbed a copy, saying that it would come in handy on our trip to Margaret River. Sure enough, the dessert that she made for our dinner party at the Ron Roozen house, roasted strawberries over meringues, came straight from the magazine’s pages.
This is a really easy and delicious dish to make and serve friends. In Margaret River, we cheated by buying already-made meringues (which you would never find on the shelves in Singapore’s supermarkets). But you can easily make them yourself. I’ve provided a recipe below that works perfectly (well, at least it does for me). While we were blessed to find super-fresh and sweet strawberries in Australia, because the strawberries in this dish are roasted with sugar, you can make this with fruit that is less than stellar.
The nice thing about this dessert is that, if you intend to serve it at a dinner party, you can make everything ahead of time. Plating each one takes just a few seconds. And while it’s actually really simple (just a few components), it looks and tastes great. Your friends will definitely be impressed.
Roasted Strawberry Meringues
Meringues
makes 12
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Adjust your oven racks to sit at the lower and middle positions. Preheat your oven to 93 degrees C or 200 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In the bowl of a Kitchenaid mixer, beat the egg whites at medium-low speed until opaque and frothy, around 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium-high. Beat the eggs until they are white, thick and voluminous. This should take another minute and a half. Sprinkle in half of the sugar and add in the vanilla extract. Continue beating until incorporated smoothly, another minute or so. Remove the bowl from the mixer and sprinkle in the rest of the sugar, folding it in.
Spoon heaping dollops of the mixture onto the baking paper. Press each one gently with the back of a spoon to create a small well. Bake for 1.5 hours or until the surfaces of the meringues are smooth and dry to the touch. Turn the oven off and leave to cool in there for a few hours. When completely cool, store your meringues in airtight containers in a cool space. They can keep up to 4 or 5 days.
Roasted Strawberries
16 strawberries, hulled, halved or quatered
1/4 cup caster sugar
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C or 390 degrees F. Place the strawberries in a baking dish and sprinkle with the sugar. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and syrupy. Remove and set aside.
To serve, top a meringue with some of the roasted strawberries. Then top with some whipped cream (which you can either make yourself or that you have bought from the market).

Che xoai sua chan trau (Mango sago milk ice)

Mango Sago Dessert, serves around 4-5

• 3/4 bowl of sago (bear in mind that some of it will dissolve in the cooking process so I tend to use more. The stuff’s cheap anyway)
• 2 ripe mangoes, cubed
• 100ml coconut milk
• 150ml evaporated milk
• Syrup (3-4 tbsp sugar, mixed with just enough hot water to dissolve)
• 250ml Mango juice (I used Marigold Peel Fresh)

Wash and soak the sago for around 30 minutes (or longer if you can)until they turn slightly soft and translucent. Drain and boil them until they turn totally translucent. It may be a good idea to keep stirring the pot when you’re doing this to prevent the starch from sticking. Pour the cooked sago into a sieve and run them under cold tap water (to wash away the starch). Chill until ready for use.

Leave about 1/4 of the cubed mangoes (or more if desired) for later and blend the rest with the coconut and evaporated milk until it forms a smooth puree. Add mixture to mango juice, sago and the rest of the cubed mangoes. Sweeten to taste with the syrup.

Chill and serve.

You can thicken the mixture with a little corn starch mixed in water, and conversely thin it with water (this will dilute the solution so add more sugar) or mango juice.

Remember that once chilled, the dessert tastes less sweet than when you are making it, so I tend to make it a little sweeter during the preparation process.

***

For a true 杨枝甘露, pomelo is added to the mixture. I read from someone’s blog that you can substitute that with grapefruit. Some HK recipes I researched even use cubed papaya with cubed mango.

Hôm nay em nộp bài chay. Cái mạng dở hơi ở CQ up mãi ko đc cái ảnh. Chán ghê
Em có món Chè Xoài trân trâu
Lấy bột năng làm trân trâu (như cách chị ngâu đã share)
Xoài chín gọt vỏ (Mùa này đang có xoài Nha Trang thơm ngon nấu chè rất hợp)
Nước cốt dừa đun sôi với đường hoa mai (có thể thay bằng sữa tươi thùy khẩu vị)
1/2 quả xoài cho vào máy xay nhuyễn cùng nước cốt dừa đã đun.
1/2 quả còn lại thái hạt lựu.

Cho nước xoài xay + xoài hạt lựu + trân trâu và ít đá bào cho mát.
Bát chè thơm mùi xoài, ngọt dịu và bùi và đặc biệt giải nhiệt cho mùa hè nóng bức

Chúc cả nhà ngon miệng

Apple Yogurt Compote

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 2 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 1 Time


Can be made ahead of time.

Served hot, warm, or cold, this is the simplest of desserts.

Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 35–40 mins
Ingredients

* 2½ lb (1.2kg) Cortland or Jonathan apples
* 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
* 1/3 cup apple juice
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Prepare ahead

The compote can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

1. Reserve half an apple for garnish. Peel, core, and thinly slice the remaining apples. Place the slices in a saucepan and sprinkle with the lemon juice as they are cut.

2. Add the apple juice and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 35 minutes, or until the apples are reduced to a sauce.

3. Let cool slightly. Rub through a sieve to make a smooth purèe.

4. Divide the purèe among four glasses. Top with the cream. Thinly slice the remaining apple and garnish the compotes with the apple slices. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes

Nutritional Benefits:low fatGood with ice cream, cream, or evaporated milk instead of the whipped cream.

Leftovers can be served alongside pork chops, or eaten as a snack.

Grape and Elderflower Gelatins

Info

* Course: Dessert
* Total Time: Under 4 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 0 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

Look out for delicate and fragrant elderflower liqueur or syrup.
Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 mins, plus setting
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Ingredients

* 3 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
* ½ cup elderflower liqueur
* whipped cream, for serving
* seedless green grapes, for serving

Directions

Prepare ahead

The gelatins can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup water in a small bowl. Let stand about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is spongy. Place the bowl in a small frying pan of simmering water. Stir the gelatin mixture constantly until melted. Remove from the frying pan.

2. Stir 2 cups tepid water, the liqueur, and the dissolved gelatin together in a large measuring cup until combined. Divide among four 8oz (240ml) dessert glasses. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, until set. Top each with a dollop of whipped cream and some grapes, and serve chilled.

Pear and Grape Salad

Info

* Course: Cold Appetizer, Dessert, Side Dish
* Total Time: Under 4 Hours
* Skill Level: Easy
* Cost: Inexpensive
* Favorited: 3 Times


Can be made ahead of time.

You don't often think of adding cucumber to sweet dishes, but it works perfectly in this exotic fruit salad.

Yield: makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5–6 mins
Ingredients

* 1 cucumber
* 2 lemongrass stalks
* 1/3 cup granulated or raw sugar
* 2 ripe red-skinned pears
* 1 cup green seedless grapes
* 1 cup red seedless grapes
* ¼ cup packed small mint leaves

Directions

Prepare ahead

The salad can be refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

1. Trim the ends from the cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the seeds, and thinly slice. Cut the bottom 4in (10cm) from each lemongrass stalk, and discard the tops. Discard the tough outer leaves from the lemongrass. Halve the lemongrass lengthwise and smash with a rolling pin.

2. Bring the lemongrass, sugar, and a scant 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cucumber. Let cool.

3. Discard the lemongrass. Quarter and core the pears, and slice into thin wedges. Transfer to a serving bowl and add the green and red grapes, cucumber, and syrup. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill. Sprinkle with the mint leaves and serve chilled.

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Pannacotta:
- 1 C (250ml) whipping cream
- 1 C (250ml) milk
- 1/4 C (50g) sugar
- 1 tsp (2g) agar-agar (or 2 1/2 sheets of gelatin, about 5 grams; see instructions)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste

Strawberry coulis:
- 9oz (250g) fresh strawberries
- 1/4 C (50g) sugar

Optional, for decoration:
- 12 small fresh strawberries
- four butter cookies (Petit Beurre for instance)

(Serves 4.)

Panna cotta. Combine all the pannacotta ingredients (if using gelatin, see instructions below) in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring from time to time (do not let it boil). Let cool for five minutes. Rinse four half-cup ramequins or bowls quickly under cold water, do not dry (this will help unmold them if you choose to), and distribute the panna cotta mixture evenly among them. Keep in the refrigerator until firm, about three hours or overnight.

Important note: if you are using gelatin instead of agar-agar, do not combine the gelatin with the rest of the ingredients. Instead, soak the sheets in a bowl of cold water while you bring the other ingredients to a simmer, then squeeze with your hands to drain (they will be soft), and whisk into the (hot but not boiling) panna cotta mixture to dissolve before pouring into the ramekins.

Strawberry coulis. Rinse the strawberries quickly under cool water and drain. Cut the stems off, and cut strawberries in quarters. Combine in a small saucepan with the sugar and two tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat immediately. Pour into the bowl of a blender or food processor and mix with short pulses. Cover, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the panna cotta in their ramequins topped with a layer of coulis, or unmold them carefully onto plates and drizzle with the coulis. In both cases, you can decorate each plate with three whole strawberries and a butter cookie.

thach sua dau ca phe ngon ngon

Thạch sữa dâu, cà phê



Nguyên liệu

Rau câu bột: 50g, đường: 700g, dâu tươi: 100g, cà phê đen: 100ml, sữa dâu: 250ml.

Thực hiện

Cho 2,5 lít nước vào rau câu bột, hòa tan, đặt lên bếp nấu cho sôi. Tiếp tục cho đường vào nấu tan. Lấy nửa phần nước rau câu đã sôi hòa chung với cà phê, múc vào khuôn, chờ nguội và rau câu hơi đặc lại. Sau đó lấy nửa phần rau câu còn lại hòa chung với sữa dâu, trút lên trên lớp rau câu cà phê. Chờ lớp này tiếp tục đặc lại, để nguội cho vào tủ lạnh.

Thưởng thức: Cắt rau câu thành miếng vừa ăn, xếp ra đĩa chung với dâu tươi, dùng lạnh.