Chocolate Berry Pav

This recipe is to die for!!  The pav is lovely and crisp with a delicately chewy centre which I love and as an added bonus – it’s chocolate, something else I just can’t get enough of. 

You can do this dessert all year round and I have experimented with a variety of toppings.  In the summer I love to use fresh raspberries and/or blackberries and/or strawberries and in the winter I mix a drained tin of boysenberries in with the cream itself which provides a completely different twist.  For a berry overload use the boysenberry cream and then top with fresh berries.  I’ve even made miniature chocolate berry meringues to complete a finger food theme for my brother in laws party and I can tell you that they really went down a treat that night.  Whatever the combination, I just know that you’ll love this delicious dessert.

Meringue

6 egg whites

300g castor sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

75g finely chopped dark chocolate

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Topping

500ml cream

500g of fresh berries

50g grated chocolate

To make the meringue

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Beat egg whites until they form peaks and then gently add the sugar little by little until the egg whites are stiff.  Add the cocoa, chocolate & vinegar to the mixture and then gently fold until everything is nicely combined.  

Place mixture on a lined baking tray.  Put into the oven, then immediately turn the temperature to 150 °C. 

Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the crust is crisp and you can still feel softness in the centre.  Once cooked, turn off the heat and leave the pav to cool inside the oven with the door left slightly open which should take about 1 hour.

To make the topping:

Whip the cream until nice and soft and top the cooled pav with the cream.  Delicately toss the fresh berries all over the top of the cream until you’re happy with what it looks like.  Top with the grated chocolate and then serve.

Serves 8-10 people.

Gorgeous Cabinet Gets Makeover x 2

Nearly two years ago, I acquired this lovely side table which was made out of a jarrah hardwood.  When I first started out with planning what I was going to do with it, I knew I wanted to paint the inside green.  Which is exactly what I did.  I painted the inside in ASCP Antibes Green and finished it with clear wax.

With the inside complete, I then went on to paint the whole exterior ASCP Graphite with dark wax.  When it was all finished, I was happy initially, but then realised that it didn't give this beautiful piece the makeover it truly deserved.  

I pondered on this for quite a while until I found this beautiful piece of vintage wallpaper that inspired me to redo it all over again.  I kept the top of the piece graphite, but change the exterior to ASCP Olive with the vintage wallpaper on the front of the door.

Before the first make over

Second makeover complete

The piece sits right at the front door entrance and I pretty happy with the final results.

Happy living peeps!

I'm Back .... So What Have I Learnt?

I can not believe it has been early four months since I last blogged!  Reflecting on my last post, I can honestly say that my MBA journey consumed my year particularly the last six months. 

On the last weekend of study, we were required to reflect on our leadership development during the MBA.  I focussed on four learnings that resonated with me throughout the year and as a result, I presented on four types of leadership;   one of which was collarborative leadership.

The learning that resonated with me for collaborative leadership was delivered in my high performing teams paper by our lecturer Yvonne O'Brien when she stated 

"There is no such thing as a dysfunctional team, only a dysfunctional leader".

Without getting too heavy into the topic of high performing teams, this resonated with me for a number of reasons.  Firstly, every individual is a leader in terms of their own behaviour and choices in life.  For example, if you make yourself accountable for what you are responsible for, the right outcomes will be achieved, particularly when it involves a group of people such as a project team, sports team or work environment. 

Secondly, absolute trust is the fundamental foundation of creating a culture within team.  With absolute trust, you are able partake in constructive conflict where open conversations can occur without the threat of implications or consequences.  In addition, authenticity compliments absolute trust; when a person is authentic, then "what you see is what you get", therefore people are able to relate to you better.

Lastly, a leader creates and manages the culture in which they want.  For example, if a manager wants a culture where their staff can work collaboratively and feel valued, then creating and managing a culture where "it's their way or the highway" is not the right approach.  Furthermore, exclusion of people is also not the right answer and neither is telling people what to do.

In conclusion, I am very happy of my massive effort of study.  On the morning after submitting my last assignment, the immense workload I had just achieved hit me.  11 papers over 36 weeks which included 40 assignments.  Over and above this, it included 18 weekends of staying away from my whanau.

Year two of my MBA journey starts in April 2017 and my intention is to reground myself by relaxing, reflecting and enjoying my time with my whanau; all while enjoying the view along the way.

Happy learning peeps!