Oh how mean...
P u f f s!
With the pasta... I am totally clueless to fresh made pasta. How do you cook it and store it? And how long does it store for, if it does?
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I couldnt live without my beaterblade and my pasta attachments (the 3 pack with sheets, spag and fett)
When i make pasta we usually use the whole lot but you can roll and cut it and leave it to dry before freezing too. As for cooking, i just boil a bit pan of water chuck in a handful of salt and cook for about 3 minutes, takes no time. I will admit that it probably costs more than dried pasta to make but the taste and texture is so worth it. Its not much effort to make a batch up either.
I make a wicked spinach and ricotta ravioli!
So I tried to make a pav today. Actually, I tried twice. It just won't happen :(
helle what did you do?
I do 2 egg whites with 1/4 cup castor sugar.... then at the end add a few drops of vinegar.... you can use brown sugar as well.
I find mini pavs heaps easier to organise than the bigger ones. I also find that a lot has to do with my over more than what I'm doing with my machine...
First time I did 4 eggs and 1/4 tsp of salt and they whipped up great. Added the sugar (gradually) and it just went all runny like syrup.
Second lot, I read the recipe on the DVD they come with and she puts the sugar and egg in at once. Tried that, the egg whites never peaked!
The recipe then says to fold in 2tsps of corn flour, a tsp of vinegar and then 1/4 tsp of vanilla but I haven't got that far yet.
I was using castor sugar. The only reason I havent gone for a third shot is because I ran out! But now you say I can use brown sugar... XP
Just made a pav this morning, the vanilla snow one from the KA calender. No problem at all and I added the sugar at the start.
Is your bowl and whisk squeaky clean? A touch of greasiness is a killer for egg whites. Also how old are your eggs? Fresher is better.
I am the proud owner of a bright red KitchenAid mixer and I just LOVE it! I have some additional news to share, though: After DS hid/lost/destroyed (who knows anymore!) a vital part of my exiting cheapo food processor, DH went off and ordered a lovely matching red KitchenAid Food Processor for me (it always has to be red because they definitely go faster!). I just had to share because I am so excited. Now I am off to look at all the fancy-shmancy things I can make with it when it arrives!
As for the pavlova discussion, whilst I think I am fairly talented in the baking department, they scare the living daylights out of me. I have never made one, but now I feel inspired to knuckle down and do it, if for no other reason, just to prove that I am a true Aussie citizen now!
Oh quick question. I normally put the beater through the dishwasher and handwash the whisk, but this morning DH put the whisk through the dishwasher. Is it now stuffed? I notice the neck has discoloured.
It will discolour in the dishwasher, but its not ruined... you can still use it. :D
The other thought I had helle, is that the temperature of the bowl and whisk... are they clean? room temp? or heated? I've never had a problem getting my egg whites to peak.
Generally I start with the egg whites, if you get them from the fridge its easier to separate the whites from the yolk. Than let them sit around 30 and then into the bowl and start up to a medium speed, once they start to foam you can add the castor sugar then. Everything has to be clean and no grease... keep your hands grease free and out of the food. The fresher the eggs, the more stable they are to work with, which is what may be the issue as well? My eggs and Astrid's eggs are from our back yard... so they are very fresh.
Again, the larger the volume of eggs, the more difficult it is to get it to work together... practice with one egg at a time and see how you go! Good luck!!
I found cleaning out the bowl and whisk with vinegar works as well. Gets rid of any washing up grease that is left over
Shop bought eggs can be quite old, check the dates. I tend to use day or so old eggs, which from what I just read is probably a bit too fresh, but I have no problem.
The Vanilla Snow pav, is 8 eggs to 400 grams of castor sugar. I probably should weigh my eggs, as mine come in various sizes (29 to 110 grams), I tend to gauge the size by eye. Not sure if I can link the recipe is on the KA official site and I have just noticed it has 440 grams of sugar, different to the calender version.
With the age of the eggs, I found that fresh eggs are stable (so come together better?) but that the older eggs give you more volume?
Helle- the only time that has happened to me was when I had water, left over detergent, or grease on my utensils. I've used cold eggs, warm eggs, fresh eggs, and a little older eggs without a problem. I think you just got unlucky! Give it another shot!
I'm getting an ice-cream attachment and slicer pack. Yay for me!!
I always wipe out my bowl with salt before I amke pav no matter how clean it seems, it'll get rid of any fat on there.
i was watching an old ep of Nigella last night, and she recommends wiping out the bowl with lemon juice (same rationale as the vinegar i guess)
i haven't tried to make a pav - quite simply because i don't like them. YES, i know it may be deemed un-australian, but i just can't do force myself to like them - so i make ripple cakes instead lol
I DID IT!!
dumped the egg white and brown sugar in my vinegar clean bowl and whisk and presto! Perfect meringue! Now hopefully it goods alright...