Summer Pavlova

Pavlova is a pudding for warm summer days and something I usually make when I have egg whites left over. It's quick and easy and a definite crowd pleaser!

So what's the difference between a pavlova and meringue?

Meringue is made with egg whites and caster sugar and is typically used to make an Eton Mess, crushed with strawberries and cream. It is elevated to a pavlova with the addition of cornflour and vinegar, to give it a lovely marshmallowy texture inside. Here's how ...

4 egg whites

200g caster sugar

2 tsp cornflour (optional, but it gives the meringue a lovely chewy centre)

1 tsp white wine vinegar

And to serve :

300ml double cream

strawberries, raspberries or blueberries

Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they thicken and the peaks hold their shape. Slowly beat in the sugar a few spoonfuls at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over the cornflour and vinegar and fold lightly.

Mound the meringue onto the baking sheet forming a circular shape about 20cm in diameter. Put it into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 150ºC. Cook for about an hour until the outside is crisp. Turn off the heat but leave it in the oven, with the door open, to cool.

If you want to make individual meringue nests, this amount will make 4-6 depending on their size. Using a dessert spoon, make an indent in the middle of each circle. Use the same oven temperatures as above but cook for 30 minutes and then leave in the oven to cool.

To decorate, simply whip the cream until thick and pile it onto the meringue. Top with your choice of berries or fruits and tuck in!

And why not try my chocolate meringue served with fresh raspberries ...

Welsh Cakes

My grandmother had a Belling stove with two rings at the back and a square hot plate at the front.

I have an early memory of making Welsh cakes with her and griddling them on the stove top ready to eat warm, sprinkled lightly with sugar. As my grandfather was born in Monmouthshire, South Wales, these were frequently made in their house.

This recipe has survived the generations as I came across it tucked into my mother’s recipe book. The note at the bottom ‘For economy sake …’ portrays a sign of the times!

I have halved the given recipe and doubled the amount of butter and egg to give a richer dough. This amount makes about 16 cakes.

225g self-raising flour

pinch of salt

100g cold butter

50g currants

50g caster sugar

+ a little for sprinkling when cooked

1 egg, beaten

splash of milk to mix

Sieve the flour into a bowl and add the butter, cut into small pieces. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add the currants, sugar and a pinch of salt and mix well. Add the egg and enough milk to make a fairly stiff dough.

Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 1 cm and using a round 6 cm crinkle cutter, cut out the cakes. Heat a griddle (or cast-iron frying pan) – no oil required - and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or they will burn. When they're done, sprinkle with caster sugar.

Plum Jam

One year, we spent our summer holiday staying in a gite on a farm near Bergerac in France. At the end of our stay, the owner kindly gave me a bag of small yellow Mirabelle plums to bring home. This started my love of plum jam and since then I have made it every year. Plums come in all colours and sizes and this recipe will apply to all varieties.

Have a look at 'all you need to know about making jam' to learn about testing for set and tips on sterilising and filling the jars.

This recipe makes about 5 jars.

1.5kg plums, washed, quartered, and stoned

1.5kg granulated sugar

200ml water

10g butter

Put a small plate into the freezer.

Wash, quarter and stone the plums and put them into a large saucepan or preserving pan with the water.

Heat gently and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the fruit is soft. Stir occasionally. Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Then turn the heat up and boil for 10 minutes.

Take the jam off the heat and remove the plate from the freezer. Test for set. If you think it’s ready, stir in the butter (this will help to dissolve any scum).

Leave to cool for 15 minutes before spooning into sterilised jars.

When cool, label and date the jars.