Chocolate Swirl Meringues - Made for Mummy

Happy Mothers Day (in the UK) to all you mummies out there !

Oliver suggested we bake today, so he helped make these amazing Chocolate swirl meringues. They honestly taste divine and are very easy to make. I dropped some in to the neighbours who seemed pleased with the box of four (shown in the back ground). There are still a few shells remaining in a tupperware box - though I doubt they will remain there for long.

This is a really simple recipe which requires amazingly minimal effort with super results. These would look quite the part on any afternoon tea cake stand !

RECIPE - makes 12.

5 egg whites

200g powdered / icing sugar

pinch of salt

100g milk chocolate

Whip the egg whites into firm peaks. Adding a pinch of salt to the whites tends to make them break down and whip up better.. Add the powdered sugar and whip to get a glossy meringue.

Melt the milk chocolate. Gently fold the milk chocolate into the meringue. You only want to about half fold it in if you wish to get a streaked effect like this.

Spoon into 24 heaps on to a silicone liner on top of a baking tray (no need to grease and flour for these), or on to a tray lined with baking paper.

Bake at 120deg  C fan oven for approx 40 > 45mins.

Allow to cool and then fill with a little fresh whipped cream.

Photo - 11/3/2012

I'm Mummy to this adorable little monkey treasure. 

Oliver is now a whole 3.1/4 years old and makes me the happiest Mummy alive. Where did the time go ? I can't believe he's growing up so quick ! Now I know why people told me it feels like you blink and miss them growing up.

My blog is our record of Oliver's childhood. Every year, a copy will be printed as a family recipe book. After all, few of us bother printing digital photos very often. I must admit it's been ages since I last printed any. This blog is basically my digital photo album and recipes I want to keep. I'm only too happy to share it with the world, but there will never be any apologies for all the family stuff / photos !

The last couple must admit that the last couple of weeks have been really tough. Sunday before last (11th March), we had a family afternoon out. We had intended going to Bressingham Steam Museum and Gardens - but on arrival, found it was shut and does not reopen until the end of this month.

That resulted in a quick shopping trip to the supermarket and a impromptu picnic lunch in a nearby parkland / wood. Oliver had had an awful cold and hadn't been very well at all that week. He wanted to go out, so we figured keeping him occupied was the best idea....

We saw this little frog. I was lucky to get a photo as Oliver was keep to chase him off and make him jump !

....and some interesting fungi......

and LOTS of ladybirds....

and jumped across a series of sprung wobbly tables.

The fun however was short lived. We didn't walk far, and I carried Oliver on my shoulders back to the car. He'd developed a fever and was a fairly unhappy. A dose of Calpol and he slept on the way home.

It got worse and every 4 hours the raging fever was back. That evening was not pleasant. I spent a considerable time scraping vomit up from in between the seat cushions of the sofa and the rest of the time trying to console a very poorly small child. It's times like that when you feel so helpless.

Still. It passed after a couple of  days....

Now it's my turn. I've been coughing for a few weeks. I'm tired, been working too much and I need to go to bed. It's 2am and I think it's time for an early night. Yup - 2am is an early night in my world. A lot of things happening and I'll fill you in very soon. This year, most nights bed time is somewhere around 4am. Hmm - no wonder I'm poorly. I guess I should listen to MY mum ... do as I'm told and go to bed... right ?

A note to my Mummy - who, as you know, also reads my blog....

We may be some distance apart, but forever I hold you close in my heart and love you dearly.

Night all x