Recipe Wednesday - A Himalayan salted dulce de leche meringue

A good friend, Laura Solis, asked me to create a sweet for her. Laura runs 'Sol is you' where she offers some beautiful pampering services and also sells a range of Himalayan salts.  I made a variation of a dulce de leche meringue, with the added zing of her salt.  I love salted caramel like a boy loves his mother, I tell you.

This is, it must be said, a slightly epic recipe.  Set an afternoon aside, send the kids to a sitter, and prepare to create something amazing. Laura and I had a great time making these!

HIMALAYAN SALT DULCE DE LECHE MERINGUE 

MERUINGES 

8 large egg whites
400 g caster sugar
1 ½ cocoa
1 block dark choc (grate and small chunks for texture)

FILLING 

380g Dulce de leche (Caramel)
½ tsp Himalayan salt
600ml cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
3 beurre bosc pears
2 cups water
2 tbsp brown sugar

TOFFEE FLOSS 

100g caster sugar
water
Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 130°C
Whisk the egg whites in a mixer until they form stiff peaks, then with the mixer still running, very gradually add sugar. Turn to the highest setting and leave to mix for  6 minutes. Add cocoa powder, mix for another 2 minutes or until fully dissolved. Fold in the chocolate.

Line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper, then draw 24cm circle on each sheet of paper. Divide the mixture between 2 sheets and spread it out just inside your circles, then use the back of a spoon to flick up peaks and make troughes in the mixture to give your meringue a rustic look.

Bake  for 1 hour 20 minutes then turn the oven off, leaving the meringues in until the oven is cool.

Peel and cut the pears into halves then core with a teaspoon and cut into sixths, leaving some with the stem intact, set aside.

Combine water, sugar and cook in medium saucepan over low heat. Cook stirring until sugar dissolves, then add the pear and stir to combine. Cover for 10-­15 mins until the pear is tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove, set aside to cool.

Identify the prettiest meringue and set it aside (this will be for the top.) Spread the dulce de leche onto the swirly side of the other meringue and smooth it out right to the edge. Sprinkle the Himalayan salt over the dulce de leche.

In a mixing bowl whip cream with the caster sugar and vanilla essence until soft peaks form (making sure not to over whip). Dollop half of the cream over the dulce de leche place half of the pears (the ones without the stems) over the cream, bring some to the edge, so as they poke out when sandwiched with the top layer.

Place the second meringue on top, swirly side up. Spoon the remaining whipped cream over the top. Place the remaining pears with the stems if you have kept them intact, decoratively over the cream, make it look decadent and elegant.

For an extra wow factor, make the toffee floss. Melt the sugar in a medium pan with a splash of water over a medium heat until lightly golden-­don’t stir! Allow it to cool a minute till thick, using one or two forks flick the toffee over pears, the fine strands should look gorgeous, get as creative as you like.

Even if it's a bit burnt

I bake because...

• I love the gathering of ingredients. 
• Unravelling the folds of my worn flour bag since I used it last.
• The feel and softness of the flour.
• I love the peaks the flour and sugar make as I pour and weigh them on my yellow scales.
• I'll never forget making impressions with the back of a spoon when I was little, being amazed at the perfect smoothness of it in the mound.  
• The delight my little one expressed today when she pressed her hand into the flour, her perfect tiny hand print complete lines made me smile.
• I get to use the measuring spoons and green Pyrex I took from my husband's mother's house when we were sifting through her things.
•  I wonder  how many beads of yeast make a tablespoon, hundreds maybe thousands.
• The wait for it all to begin it's work, for the froth to bubble up from below the shiny surface, the beginnings of the leavening process are taking place, there is science going on in my bowl.
• Kneading, many hate it but I love it. I can see my father's strong bakers hands as he'd plait his loaves, and line them up on worn floured boards.
• I love the scatter of flour on my bench, it makes me happy and content that I am making bread like I have seen being made so many times.
• I don't even mind the waiting.
• Having something that was before heavy and dense, turn into something light airy and aromatic is magic.
• The warmth that fills my kitchen, the aroma that fills the air and street as it cooks is amazing.
• The best part of all is the eating of it hot, the lashings of salted butter,
• The flock that comes to gather at my block for their piece.
• I remember eating warm fruit loaf at nine pm when  my father would come home from work, makes me realise now that he was sharing his love of this process with us.

That is what makes me want and love to bake.

my sunday

My Sunday: Getting ready to do too many things in too little time! I love my life.
 

my advent calendar

This is my advent calender is made from recycled and linen fabric scraps. Usually I make this one, from white small paper bags, but I wanted one we could keep for at least a couple of years.

The backing is from an old Ikea waist apron in a heavy cotton linen mix, which was in the bargain bin for a dollar.  Of course we bought about ten, over time they have been immensely useful.  The pockets were cut out from a muted palette of lilacs, yellow and natural. 13x11 cm including seam allowance of 1 cm, they were pressed and ready for embellishments. I didn't try being precise, I wanted some slightly smaller.

The fun started when it came to numbering them all. I chose to mix it up, some were stamped in black Versa ink, some were appliqued and others had larger numerals drawn on in a fine liner. I even attempted embroidery on one. If I'd had more time I would have bought fabric inks or pens, however I was already on day 3 when this was finally done. I never really intend to need to wash this so permanence of the inks didn't really matter. I do know from experience that the Versa ink sets up when ironed, use a thin muslin over the top though. (This would also look wonderful with some of the children's drawings on the pockets or that they help out writing the numbers. My eldest helped out on some sewing as well.)

I suggest strongly that the pockets are pinned on at the four corners, it's a tricky thing to sew on twenty-fine pockets, but it gets easier when you are halfway.

Right along the top I sewed down a 3cm hem open on the ends to allow for a dowel, I used one of my husbands million salvaged bamboo sticks. Finally some heavy twine or string on the dowel ends to keep it in place.

In previous years I always filled my calender when it was hung this year I am going to fill the next days pocket the night before, just because I have a sweet toothed 2 year old, who'll no doubt not really like the idea of waiting.

secret project: dad (part 2 of 2)

yes, I do live in my own wardrobe, by various brennemans.

I wondered whilst writing this whether this post would be lost on those of you whom don't know my husband Aaron. I thought it might be. Nah the sheer kick I got out of this ought to tell me that all you like-minded folk would appreciate the humour and the thrill of this big secret. If you know him you are probably in fits already.

Firstly I want to share the inspiration for this project in case you want to make one of your own. Black Apple's Paper Dolls. This book came to us one day in the post from a life-long friend of Aaron's. She had meet Beatrix on our last visit to the United States two years ago. I know that she will be thrilled to know that Beatrix has used the book and that she conspired and used the book to surprise her Dad. I hope she gets a good laugh too, seeing as she knows Aaron well.

The dolls are printed on thicker card and the clothing really evokes the character and style of each featured fictional character.

Beatrix took one of the dolls and fashioned it into her Dad, complete with specs, tattoos. Seeing as she'd begun this project on the day he was home sick she had access to his bag, his specs, and his shoes. We each had episodes of tip toeing in whilst he was cocooned in blankets to rummage for his clothing and socks.

I caught her sneaking out with a note pad with the drawing of the pattern for the shirt with boxes on it. I thought Ohhh my, she knows how to do her research, I love it. The following day whilst we had full access to the wardrobe she sought out his red long sleeved t-shirt with the circles. She knew that he'd worn this at her birth and every birth since. He was blown away by that, I tell you.

I know you might be thinking does he actually get around in pink stripy socks with skulls and does he actually own a top hat, and who would wear crocs with socks? Yes and yes and yes. I knew he lacked some kind of conventional style when I very first meet him. He has no idea that you cannot wear a hoodie and a hat at the same time. I never knew just what a caricature he was till we played around with the outfits and were laughing out loud.

Even the way these paper dolls lend themselves to movement and motion whilst being still. The one particular outfit he is kind of jutting forward shirt too small and body leaning sideways, that is him all over. We even asked Eliza (who is four) who it was when we had put an outfit together and she said "Aaron" we laughed even harder.

I cannot tell you the admiration I have for Bea's skill, the technique and attention to the smallest detail, she is only ten. The only help I gave was stitching on the drawers for the wardrobe.

I highly recommend surprising someone you know with something like this, particularly if they are a slightly peculiar individual. Aaron was just taken aback, he told me quietly "Can I say this is the best present I have ever been given?"