3 Egg Whites
1 teaspoon Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Cold Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 cup Castor Sugar (very finely grounded sugar - almost a powder)
3 teaspoons Cornflour

Beat egg whites until soft (using an electric beater or food processor is best and easier on the old muscles lol. Add cold water and beat again.  Add castor sugar very gradually while still beating. Slow down beater and add vinegar, vanilla and cornflour. Place on greased tray. Bake at 180 deg C or 350 deg F for five minutes then turn oven off and leave inside over for a further hour. Remove from oven and place on a plate. Place whipped cream on top and decorate with fruit of any sort then sprinkle grated chocolate on top. A most enjoyable typically kiwi topping is our own Kiwifruit. Just wash, peel and slice and place on top of the Pavlova. Serve cold with ice cream and an extra serving of cream on the side.

I must admit with this one practice makes perfect. It does take a couple of attempts to get it perfect but when you do you will love this treat as much as I do.

VANILLA & BOYSENBERRY ICE-CREAM CAKE

 2 litres Vanilla Ice-cream
300 ml cream
1/4 cup icing sugar
430 gram can Boysenberries in Syrup well drained
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons cocoa for dusting

Spread half the ice-cream into the base of a 23 cm loose bottom cake tin.  Place in the freezer.  Place the remaining ice-cream back into the freezer. Whip the cream and icing sugar together until very thick.  Fold in the boysenberries and chocolate chips. Spread the remaining ice-cream over the base of the ice-cream in the cake tin.  Return to the freezer for at least six hours or preferably overnight. To serve, warm a cloth and run around the outside of the cake tin.  Remove the sides of the cake tin and place the ice-cream cake onto a serving plate.  Dust with cocoa and cut into wedges to serve.

STICKY DATE PUDDING

1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
150 ml boiling water
125 grams butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 heaped cup self raising flour

Sauce:
3 cups loosely packed brown sugar
75 grams butter
300 ml cream
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

In a bowl sprinkle the dates with the soda, then pour the boiling water over them.  Stir until soda is dissolved and allow to stand for 10-15 min.  In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour, the soaked dates and water mixture.

Pour into a deep, well greased and floured 21 cm cake tin, or deep pie plate.  Bake at 190 deg C for 30-35 min or until a skewer inserted into the centre of pudding comes out clean.  Allow pudding to stand in tin while you prepare the sauce.

To make sauce: combine all ingredients in a saucepan and stir over a med heat until sugar is dissolved.  Bring to the boil.  Turn down and simmer for 5 min.  Pour a little of the sauce (about 4 tablespoons) over the cooked pudding, then place it back in the oven for a few min to allow sauce to soak in and bubble to a golden-brown colour.  Serve with the extra sauce and whipped cream