Toasted Coconut + Lemon Curd Pavlova

For the last several months, Jason and I have had the privilege of participating in Dinner for Eight through our church. The idea behind Dinner for Eight is for eight[ish] church members (we have nine) to get to know each other over a meal, meeting four times in a six-moth period. Though Jason and I had toyed with the idea of signing up, it was actually an informal invitation from Lola that lured us in. Lola and her husband, Mike, were hosting the first Dinner for Eight in their group and asked us if we'd like to give it a try. We joined them for an excellent homemade dinner and were thrilled when we were invited to formally join their group. Meeting new people over food is exactly my forte so it has worked out wonderfully!

As our turn to host approached, I began looking for a way to "winterize" pavlova. Pavlova, as you may know from my previous post here, is dish I know and love because of my Australian family. Very few people here in the States would recognize pavlova if they saw it, which is unfortunate as it is quite tasty. So what is pavlova, exactly, you ask?

Pavlova is usually comprised of three parts: A meringue-like base, a mound of whipped cream in the middle, and a topping of fresh fruit (mostly of the summer variety). Unlike a traditional meringue, the base of a pavlova is crispy on the outside while its center is almost marshmallow-like. The end-product is a dish that literally melts in your mouth.

So for the last several weeks I've been trying to figure out how I can make it without using fruit that is out of season. I found a recipe that added a layer of lemon curd between the meringue-like base and the whipped cream, though still using a topping of fresh blueberries. I didn't want to use the berries, but thought the addition of the lemon curd was ingenious! Instead of the berries, I toasted a generous portion of coconut and sprinkled it on top.

Another idea I may try in the future (courtesy of my brilliant mother) is to make an orange curd and top the whipped cream with candied cranberries. Pomegranates as a topping may also be in my future pavlova-making repertoire.

Toasted Coconut + Lemon Curd Pavlova
Kelley Gondring

Serves 12

Meringue
Preheat oven 300º

In a large electric mixing bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
5 large egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix on low for thirty seconds so that all ingredients are combined.

Add:
1/4 cup boiling water
Mix on high for several minutes until stiff peaks form.

Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour meringue on cookie sheet and use spatula to make an 8" circle. (The meringue will be pretty tall at this point; it will fall while baking). Once the circle is formed, use spatula to make the edge of the meringue a bit higher than the middle.

Bake for 50 minutes (meringue should be golden brown). Turn off the oven and use a wooden spoon to prop open the oven door. Let sit in warm oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap and place in a dry place.

Lemon Curd
In a medium bowl, place:
5 egg yolks
Use a fork to break up the yolks. Set aside for a moment.

In a medium saucepan, combine over medium heat:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
scant 1/2 cup lemon juice
Whisk together and bring to a simmer. Whisk constantly for a minute or two so that all of the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat to medium low. Remove 1/2 cup of the lemon mixture and whisk into the bowl of egg yolks.* Once combined, pour the egg yolks into the saucepan and whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about two minutes.

Remove from heat and mix in:
1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
Pour curd into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, placing plastic directly on the surface of the lemon curd (this prevents a rind from forming). Let cool completely before assembling.

*This is called tempering, which means that you are introducing the yolks to heat gradually. If you were to just plop them into the lemon juice, you'll end up with hard-boiled yolks.

Whipped Cream
In an electric mixing bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Mix on low for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Increase speed to high and whip several minutes until stiff peaks form.

Assembly
1. Transfer the meringue to a serving platter.
2. Use a spatula to spread the lemon curd over the center of the meringue (if the curd has been in the refrigerator, microwave it for about 30 seconds so it is more malleable).
3. Spread whipped cream over the lemon curd.
4. Top with 1 cup toasted coconut.

Eat up!

Spinach Ravioli

Ravioli-making is no simple task, but if you choose to partake then you will not be disappointed. It was only after I made my own ravioli for the first time that I appreciated the price on the menu at restaurants that took the time to make their own. I tend to think that many pasta dishes are over-priced, as many, not all, of the ingredients are quite inexpensive. However, with ravioli what you're paying for is the sheer amount of human labor it takes to make enough ravioli to serve everyone who orders it.

I've learned that if I am going to make ravioli, I need to allot at least 3 1/2 hours to get the job done. And this is after several rounds of practice. So if this is your first go at making this delicious dish, I would give yourself a whole afternoon. Worst case scenario you end up with extra time on your hands.

The other lesson I've learned is that if I am going to make ravioli for a crowd, I make it the day before so that there is no chance I am crunched for time. It is no fun to be frazzled because your guests are arriving in 20 minutes, you still have two batches of ravioli to make, your kitchen is a mess, and you are not showered. Believe me - I speak from experience!

If you aren't going to use all of this ravioli in one sitting, you can freeze it for weeks/months at a time. I actually made this yesterday and froze all but two servings of this batch so that when little snow pea arrives, we have several easy meals on hand.

Spinach Ravioli
Kelley Gondring

Makes ~80 large ravioli (enough to serve as an entree for ten people)

Pasta
Determining the correct consistency for pasta dough is really tricky. It is truly a "practice makes perfect" kind of thing. While I follow this basic recipe, I always add either more oil or more flour (sometimes even an extra egg!) depending upon the consistency. I say this ahead of time so that you don't stress if you have to tweak the basic recipe.

Add to a food processor:
3 1/2 cups flour [do not pack flour]
6 whole eggs
1-3 tablespoons olive oil
Pulse together until the ingredients just come together.** The dough should be a bit crumbly rather than one cohesive ball. Remove from the food processor. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add flour or olive oil as necessary.

**If the dough looks completely dry - not like dough at all - test it by taking a scant handful and pressing it together. If it doesn't stay together at all, add an extra egg to the food processor and pulse together again. If it does stay together but feels really dry, add another tablespoon or two of olive oil. Pulse together.

If the dough is one cohesive ball, there isn't enough flour. Remove from the food processor and place on floured countertop. Add one tablespoon of flour at a time as you kneed the dough together.

Cut the dough into eight pieces using a serrated knife. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Filling

In a medium bowl, combine:
3.5 ounces spinach, cooked, chopped, and drained*
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup minced white onion
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
salt + pepper to taste
Mix together until evenly combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

*Weight is after spinach has been cooked and drained; I used one 10 ounce package of frozen spinach.

Steps 4 + 6

Assembly
1. Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator.
2. Roll out using the lasagna attachment and carefully follow the directions that come with your Pasta Machine. Remember to lightly sprinkle flour on the dough whenever it begins to go from tacky to sticky, as it will get stuck in your machine if you don't.
3. Lay flat on cloth towel.
4. Place 1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) filling 3/4"-1" away from the left and top of the pasta. Place next dollop of filling 3/4"-1" from previous dollop of filling. Repeat until you run out of room. [Start by placing the filling further apart so that you can practice. As you get better, you can place it a little closer together.]
5. If necessary, use a pizza cutter to cut between every third dollop of filling.
6. Use a pastry brush to brush water over the edges of the pasta and between the filling.

Steps 7 through 10

7. Take the bottom edge of the pasta and pull over top of the filling.
8. Use your fingers to press the top edge and bottom edge together.
9. Starting in the middle and working your way out, press the dough between the filling together, pushing the air bubbles out.
10. Use the pizza cutter to cut out ravioli and trim the edges. [I cut about half of the ravioli out in half moons. The other half I cut into rectangles, making about half of those even fancier by trimming the edges with a pastry wheel. If you choose to do this, let the ravioli dry for about 10 minutes before using the pastry wheel so that there is a clean cut.)
11. Place on lightly floured piece of waxed paper or on dry hand towel.
12. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Step 11

If you choose to freeze your ravioli, place them closely together on a cookie sheet, not letting them overlap. Place in freezer for 45-60 minutes before transferring to a freezer-safe bag.

If you choose to eat your ravioli right away, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Place ravioli in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. You'll know they're done when they float to the top. Serve with Tomato Sauce or Alfredo Sauce.

Eat up!

Alfredo Sauce

Spinach Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce
Kelley Gondring

Serves 4

In a medium saucepan, melt over medium heat:
8 tablespoons butter

Whisk in:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Whisk in:
1 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons of your favorite herb (basil, rosemary, sage, and thyme are my favorites)
1 teaspoon pepper

Serve with fresh pasta.

Eat up!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

On Friday morning, we had a mandatory meeting at work. I am lucky in that meetings at work are not particularly common; however, because I had Friday off, I wasn't super interested in seeing the inside of my building! I probably could have just skipped it and waited to be filled in until Tuesday, but I figured attending was the good employee thing to do.

I also figured that a mandatory Friday morning meeting could only be made better if it included a delicious snack! So I decided to make a coffee cake and bring it into the office. The irony is that I ended up waking up earlier than usual to get to work at the same time I normally do on my day off! Oh well...I think cake for breakfast is its own reward.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping

adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Preheat oven 350°

Coffee Cake
In an electric mixing bowl, beat together on medium for 2-3 minutes:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Beat in:
2 eggs

In a small bowl, combine:
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the electric mixing bowl and beat on medium until just combined. Add 1/2 of the sour cream mixture and beat on medium for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture.

Pour into a greased 12x8" glass pan. Set aside and prepare the streusel topping.

Streusel Topping
In a food processor, add:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pulse together to form crumbly mixture.

Sprinkle evenly over the coffee cake batter.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares and plating. Serve warm.

Eat up!

Ginger Snaps

One of the best things about Jason selling real estate is that when he puts on open houses, he needs snacks and he let's me make them! Okay, okay, so I am looking over some other fairly major reasons like the happiness that comes to him from doing a job that he loves. But really - I get to make cookies on a weekly basis. And he even volunteers to clean up!

This Sunday, our cookie of choice was the classic ginger snap. I added a little cardamon to the traditional recipe, which gives the cookie a slightly sweeter taste while still keeping all the spiciness that should come with a ginger snap. I baked half of the recipe and froze the other half for an open house in the near future.

Ginger Snaps

adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Makes ~6 dozen cookies

Preheat oven 350°

In an electric mixing bowl, beat on medium speed until fluffy:
12 tablespoons butter
1 2/3 cup sugar

Beat in:
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Add:
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
Mix for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix another 20 seconds.

One cup at at time, add in:
3 1/2 cups flour
Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Because I bagged these cookies, I needed them to consistent in size. I used a 1/2 tablespoon of dough for each cookie; however, if I were to make them for normal, everyday consumption, I would probably just use a spoon and eyeball the amount, taking up far less time and ending up with cookies of various sizes.

Whatever amount of dough you decide to use, use palms to roll into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet and use your finger to flatten.

Sprinkle tops of cookies generously with turbinado sugar.

Bake 10-12 minutes. For an extra crispy cookie, bake an additional minute or two.

Remove from oven. Let sit several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing in airtight container.

Eat up!