
Way back sometime in November, Spar Freshline sent me an email titled: Know what makes a good mom? With some shopping vouchers to test some of the Freshline produce. Of course, this good mom knows that being a good mom also means taking care of me and scheduling some down time just for me which I did on Friday night. I arranged for a handful of girlfriends to come over for dinner with each of us preparing something to add to the feast and I did all my shopping exclusively at my local Spar with the focus on purchasing Freshline produce.
My contribution to the evening was my cheaters Pavlova! Now don’t be horrified but I’m really not much of a Martha Stewart time, I enjoy entertaining but do not enjoy preparing any dishes that require me to spend hours in the kitchen. But this Pavlova is delicious and can be prepared a few hours in advance, thanks to the cheaters recipe of cheesecake filling! I stumbled across it a couple of years ago on Ina Paarman’s website and it’s been my go to dessert of choice when I want something delicious but quick to prepare!
Serves 12
The big advantage of using the cheesecake mixture to stabalise the cream is the fact that the pavlova can be filled for up to 6 hours before serving.
12 SERVINGS
6 egg whites
1 T (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1½ cups (330 g) castor sugar
1½ T (22.5 ml) boiling water
1½ T (22.5 ml) cornflour
baking paperAdjust oven rack to middle position.
Preheat the oven to 140°C and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Draw a 26 cm diameter circle on the baking paper.
Wipe a bowl out with the cut side of a lemon and then dry it with clean kitchen paper. Rinse the beaters in boiling water to make sure there is not a speck of grease on them.
Beat the egg whites just until bubbles form. Add the lemon juice.
Beat vigorously on high speed while turning the bowl.
When the whites form peaks and the points of the peaks just flap over when you lift the beaters. Start adding the castor sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Continue beating and adding the sugar slowly until the mixture becomes very thick, heavy and shiny.
Sift over the cornflour and add the boiling water. Fold it in lightly.
Glue the corners of the baking paper to the pan with a little of the meringue mixture. Spoon the meringue into the centre of the circle on the baking paper.
Spread the meringue mixture to fill the circle and then shape it with the back of a spoon to form a ‘nest’. Lift the sides up higher with a pallet knife, from the base to form the ‘wavy’ lines on the outside.
Bake for 20 minutes at 140°C, then turn the oven down to 100°C, bake for another 1½ hours. Switch off the oven and leave the Pavlova in the oven with the door closed to cool down completely.
CHEESECAKE FILLING
12 SERVINGS
1 cup (250 ml) cold water
1 x 250 g Ina Paarman’s Lemon Cheesecake Mix
2 cups (500 ml) fresh creamMix according to box instructions, but use 2 cups (500ml) of cream as per ingredient list above. Keep the mixture covered in the fridge.
FRUIT
12 Servings
1½ punnets (750g) strawberries
¾ cup (187,5 ml) granadilla pulpRinse the strawberries and remove the green stalks – cut berries in half. Refrigerate in a closed container in the vegetable drawer where they won’t get too cold.
TO ASSEMBLE
Fill the pavlova with cheesecake mixture, top with fruit and serve.
Of course, I took this a step even further and purchased a ready made Pavlova base from my local Spar!
But the Pavlova along with all the other foods and wines and champagnes we consumed on Friday night, were absolutely divine!

SUMMER PUDDINGS
Serves: 4
An English summer favourite using seasonal berries and bread. This version uses chelsea buns as the base for added richness and flavour.
2 large Chelsea Buns
300g mixed frozen berries, thawed
100ml SPAR sparkling Mixed Berries flavoured water
50ml SPAR white sugar
30ml rosewater
4 sprigs fresh mint
1.Cut the buns in thin 0.5cm slices, and use them to line the base and sides of giant muffin pans, pressing to ensure there are no gaps between them. Keep aside a “lid” slice for each.
2.In a saucepan, combine the berries with their thawed juices, sugar, rosewater, flavoured water and mint. Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil, to simmer for 3 minutes. Discard the mint.
3.Spoon the fruit and sauce generously into each lined muffin pan and cover with the “lid” of bun.
4.Cover the tin with cling film and set a weight on top of each. Chill overnight.
5.Slide a knife around the edge to unmould the puddings. Turn out onto dessert plates.
Hints and Tips: It is important to allow overnight soaking so the berry juices can soak through and turn the bun evenly dark pink. Serve cold.
When berries are seasonal use fresh rather than the frozen and cook them in the sugar syrup for long enough to extract their colour.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: Overnight
Recommended accompaniment: Add chopped pistachio nuts or toasted flaked almonds into SPAR vanilla ice cream or SPAR Crème Fraiche, and serve a scoop with each pudding.
Sugared rose petals for decoration are easy to make by brushing them on both sides with lightly beaten egg white, and sifting SPAR castor sugar over to coat evenly. Allow at least 1 hour drying time on wax paper. The same procedure can be followed for violas.
This recipe I found on the My Spar Facebook page & I’m planning to try it out soon:)
One of my mum’s favourite things to make for us was pumpkin fritters! I love them!
Here’s the recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-fritters-south-african-recipe-122266
=)
I have a whole lot of recipes Pinned on Pinterest, that I’d like to try. But this one would be next in line:
http://www.ehow.com/clips/1702820/
Most pretty Strawberry shortcake
Hi! Here is the link to the recipe I would love to try – it seems like a lovely combination of fresh blueberries and crispy dough : http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.za/en/recipes/buttery-blueberry-pie/
Seems like a antioxidant bomb also. 🙂
I would absolutely love to make these Portugese Custard Tartlets. We had them on the weekend at a christmas market, and they were to die for.
http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/24128/recipeportuguese-custard-tarts—pasteis-de-nata
My 2 favourite summer puddings:
Buy ready made chocolate mouse at Spar and serve with vanilla ice-cream
But 2 bar-ones and a small tub of cream
Melt bar-ones in microwave and add cream, mix until a sauce consistency
Pour over vanilla ice-cream
Both quick, cheap, easy and delicious
With the boys birthday coming up I would make my world famous peanut butter fudge chocolate cake. I will blog the recipe soon.
I would LOVE to try this sweet potato chocolate cake! http://www.bettybake.co.za/2012/09/baked-sweet-potato-chocolate-cake.html
This is next on my list to try. I am date crazy … and with a lil coffee in the mix, this could be my piece of heaven! http://www.tastemag.co.za/Recipe-2833/Coffee-and-date-cake.aspx
Baking is my only creative outlet,always like to try something new,so Cheesecake Trifle with Summer Fruits is what I want to try next.
I’m looking forward to trying out this summer fruit drizzle cake recipe 🙂 http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1511720/summer-fruit-drizzle-cake
Sharon, I would LOVE to try your cheater’s Pavlova s Pavlova is my all time favourite!
Been wanting to try and make red velvet cupcakes / cake for ages… Love the idea of the cream cheese icing, and so nice for summer… http://drizzleanddip.com/2012/08/06/the-very-best-red-velvet-cupcakes
Sorry Sharon, but Pavlova can be even easier … and it is the party trick that has come up trumps in my neck of mommy’hood …Preheat your oven to 150 degrees C. Take 3 egg white and beat with a hand mixer until the stiff peak stage. Gradually add 175g castor sugar and continue beating until the crunch has gone and the mix looks lustrously (de)licious. Line a baking tray with wax paper (making sure that you oil both the tray and the top of the wax paper) and spread your merigue mix over, in whatever shape, form or size you want, whop into the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 140 degrees C. Bake for an hour and then turn oven off and leave overnight (preferably) or for at least 6 hours. You have no idea how wonderfully crunchy yet gooey this is… When you are ready, spoon whipped cream, fruit, chocolate and edible gold leaf over and I promise you, you will become the queen of the (qua)ort!!! No mess, and most of all, no fuss … Have fun, Mandy
I want to make this berry cream cake http://www.littleandbunny.blogspot.com/2012/11/when-mommy-rabbits-plan-birthday.html using Freshline products. I love their Rye bread and their individually wrapped muffins. I am a hardcore Freshline fan x
Would like to try out this coffee cake http://www.tastemag.co.za/Recipe-2833/Coffee-and-date-cake.aspx Have tweeted and shared to facebook @online61524
This Christmas the kids are I are making cookies and packaging in cute Consol jars as gifts for our loved ones. I’ve been looking for quick easy cookie recipes and I like this one because it’s simple and quick enough to keep my kids entertained and busy! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/butter-cookies-ii/
Would love to try this again:
http://cleverbirdbanter.com/2012/09/04/chicken-stuffed-with-goats-cheese-and-thyme-dauphinoise-potatoes/
I’d make an awesome banana loaf – http://blogchef.net/banana-bread-recipe/
http://www.food.com/recipe/best-apple-cake-136589