These mini pavlovas are such a delicious and fun dessert! One of my favorites.

My first experience with pavlova was 10 years ago. Someone made a giant rectangular pavlova for a ladies’ Bible study I participated in. It was love at first bite!

Since then I’ve made the traditional round pavlovas, half sheet pan size rectangular pavlovas, and of course these adorable mini pavlovas.

If you’ve never had pavlova before, it’s a meringue like crust, crispy on the outside and marshmallow like in the middle, topped with freshly whipped cream and fruit.

So good.

This is also dessert that comes across as fancy, but it is inexpensive to make if you use fruit that is in season.

MINI PAVLOVA INGREDIENTS

Once you see the simplicity of these ingredients, you’ll understand why it’s budget friendly!

• Egg whites
• Granulated sugar
• Cornstarch
• Vanilla extract
• Vinegar or lemon juice
• Salt
• Heavy whipping cream
• Powdered sugar
• Fresh fruit

Use whatever fresh fruit is in season. Things like strawberries, blueberries, any other berry. Peaches and other pit fruits are also great options. You can do one fruit or a combination.

A mint leaf or two on the top would be a fun presentation options as well.

Room temperature egg whites and the bowl of sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

MINI PAVLOVA INSTRUCTIONS

1. Beat room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form.
2. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add a tablespoon at a time to the egg whites. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after last tablespoon is added.
3. Beat until stiff peaks form. The egg whites should feel smooth – not gritty from the sugar.
4. Tap the egg whites off of the whisk. Combine the vanilla and vinegar and sprinkle over the top. Fold in gently.
5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
6. Line a large baking sheet (or two small ones) with parchment paper. Scoop the meringue onto the the sheets in 8 even piles and spread into circles making a slight indentation in the middle.
7. Place in oven and turn oven down to 250 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes. They should be firm and dry (but not brown). Turn oven off and let them cool in the closed oven. (It’s easy to forget to turn the oven off… Guess how I know! Thus why these meringues are a little brown.)
8. Whip the heavy cream and prepare the fruit. In the winter time, if you don’t have access to fresh fruit, you can make a simple fruit compote by boiling frozen fruit in a couple tablespoons of water (and a little sugar if needed) to make a fruity sauce. Brighten with a splash of lemon juice after cooking. Use this over the top instead of the fresh fruit.
9. Assemble the mini pavlovas and enjoy!

The meringue with stiff peaks and the vanilla/vinegar mixture ready to be folded in.

STORING MINI PAVLOVAS

One thing to know about a pavlova is that ones it’s topped with the whipped cream and fruit, you need to eat it. The meringue won’t stay crisp.

When I brought the large rectangular pavlova to a small group and a 4th of July celebration, I brought the meringue base and then serving dishes of whipped cream and fruit. Everyone topped their own. For a fancier party, you’d probably want to present the pavlova already assembled and then serve for the wow factor.

With the mini pavlovas, you could leave everything separate and serve the meringue on a platter followed by dishes of whipped cream and fruit options. Or for events that aren’t buffet style and you do have a head count, assemble and plate each mini pavlova before serving.

There’s no wrong option! Just know for storing leftovers it’s best to have all the components separate. For serving for a dinner party, you are fine to assemble everything ahead of time and serve. Leftovers that are already combined, you will want to eat within a day – the crispiness of the meringue won’t last.

Mini Pavlovas Recipe

Is it possible to top the chocolate and peanut butter? There’s just something about that combination that’s amazing so you know that this chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe is going to be wonderful!

You can find my favorite chocolate fudge recipe right here and it’s rich and creamy and delightful but sometimes I like to switch things up and this is the perfect way to do it.

This recipe uses the exact same fudge base and adds a little peanut butter to the mix. I prefer this method over recipes that use peanut butter chips because you get that real peanut butter taste.

There are two methods when it comes to adding in the peanut butter.

1. You can add the peanut butter in with the chocolate chips and beat everything together.
2. You can make the fudge without peanut butter and right after the fudge is poured into the pan, drop the peanut butter over the top of the fudge and use a knife to swirl.

Both methods work well, but my preferred way is the swirling for 2 reasons. First, it looks fun. Second, it’s obvious there is peanut butter in the fudge for those who have allergies. (Or simply don’t like peanut butter. My sister is one of those crazy people!)

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE OPTIONS:

• Another option if you choose to beat the peanut butter into the fudge (or even do the swirling) is to chop up a small amount of peanuts and sprinkle them over the top of fudge pressing them in slightly to make sure they stick.

• Making 2 varieties: If you don’t mind your fudge being slightly thinner, you can use 2 8 inch square pans, instead of 1 9 by 13 inch pan, and pour half into each pan leaving one plain chocolate and swirl half of the peanut butter into the second pan.

You start by boiling the sugar and milk. Bring to a rolling boil before starting the time.

Next you add the other ingredients except the peanut butter.

Transfer to a your mixer bowl and beat using the paddle attachment for around 7 minutes.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE INGREDIENTS:

• Sugar
• Evaporated milk
• Chocolate chips
• Salt
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Peanut Butter

This is the hot fudge, just poured into the pan. I dropped scoops of peanut butter all over the top and then swirled it with a knife. So pretty!

To make the fudge you will:

• Bring the sugar and milk to a boil for 6 minutes.
• Next remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate chips, salt, butter, and vanilla. Add the peanut butter at this point as well if you are mixing it int, otherwise omit it at this step.
• Beat, beat, beat. It takes quite a while for the mixture to come together. You don’t want to stop this too early. I prefer using my Kitchen Aid stand mixture. Hand beaters also work or else you lots and lots of arm power.
• Pour into a 9×13 pan and spread evenly. If you haven’t yet added the peanut butter, at this point drop spoonfuls of peanut butter evenly over the top of the fudge. Take a knife and swirl the peanut butter through the fudge.
• Let cool completely before cutting. After at room temperature I like to place the pan in the fridge.
• Store in the fridge.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

Have you made this Fanny Farmer Fudge recipe before? If not, you have to give it a try because it’s hard to beat!

I know it really is impossible to go wrong with chocolate and butter. After all, all fudge is deliciously rich and decadent. Walking past the fudge shops in a mall, the aroma always gets to me!

Fudge is sold so many places: flower shops, local diners, amusement parks, tourist shops, and I have even seen it at an outdoor sporting goods store.

I can’t bring myself to spend $7.99 for a 1/2 pound when it is so easy and much cheaper to use a homemade fudge recipe. Besides, too many times I’ve found myself let down by the very noticeable corn syrup taste and texture in purchased fudge.

This recipe for Fanny Farmer fudge is what my mom always used and it’s a winner!

So, if you are looking for a rich, soft, and creamy fudge recipe, this one is it!

Because this recipe doesn’t use sweetened condensed milk but instead evaporated milk, you have to boil the milk and the sugar on the stove. It’s worth the few extra minutes, though. Don’t skimp on the boiling!

Let’s talk cost for just a minute. Homemade fudge seems like a pretty expensive dessert to make, but when you look at what a serving size is the price really isn’t bad at all. Don’t forget that compared to what you’d pay for a small square of fudge at a shop, it really is a stellar price to make your own.

Also, I’m well aware fudge is in no way healthy for me. 😉 But it’s a fun, very occasional, indulgence and I can feel a tiny bit better about enjoying enjoy a homemade fudge recipe, right?!

You have to really let the fudge boil. Keep stirring and adjust the heat if needed so it doesn’t boil over.

Fanny Farmer Fudge Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Sugar
• Evaporated milk
• Chocolate chips
• Salt
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Nuts, optional

After the butter and sugar has boiled on the stuff, add most of the remaining ingredients and carefully transfer to your mixer.

PROCESS AND TIPS:

• The first step will be the most time consuming. You have to boil the sugar and milk for 6 minutes, while stirring. Make sure you bring it to a FULL boil before starting the timer. You don’t want to shorten the boiling period at all.
• After boiling, you’ll remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients except for the nuts (if you are using them).
• Beat well until completely combined. This requires a lot of beating if mixing by hand so my favorite way to do this is pull out my trusty old KitchenAid with the beater attachment. I pour the mixture into there and let the stand mixer do all the work. I let this beat for around 5-10 minutes! So, don’t worry if when you add the butter it looks as though it won’t combine. Just keep on beating – it will come together!If you don’t have a stand mixer, pull out your hand mixer. If you don’t have either of those, you just get to get an arm workout in as you vigorously stir for a while!
• After beating, you will fold in the nuts and spread into a 9×13 pan.
• Wait until the fudge is completely cooled before cutting. (Stick it in the fridge if it’s summer time and your house is warm.)
• I will store leftover fudge in the freezer, well wrapped and put into a zipped freezer bag or storage container.

I beat the fudge mixture for 5-10 minutes and see how beautifully it comes together?!

I hope you enjoy this Fanny Farmer Fudge recipe is much as my family does. Homemade fudge is great for a Christmas treat, gift, or just for fun!

This week continues all things Christmas at From this Kitchen Table. (Find all the posts here.) Be sure to come back next week week for a fabulous recipe for a gingerbread latte and more! You can follow us on Facebook or subscribe by e-mail to be sure you don’t miss out!

There’s nothing like old fashioned molasses cookies. An amazing chewy cookie with the deep flavor of molasses and all those traditional holiday spices. So good!

Of course they are a must for the Christmas and Thanksgiving season (along with these cookies), but I think they are perfect for any time of year! Finishing off a summer dinner, of course, is a good idea. Making them during a spring rain storm = perfection. Basically, you should make old fashioned molasses cookies anytime you get a hankering to. Please don’t save them for only the holiday season. 🙂

This easy cookie recipe came from my grandma and my mom made them all through my childhood. I’ll have done is swapped butter for the shortening it originally called for and because butter causes cookies to spread a little more than shortening, I increased the flour by 1/4 cup.

If you want an extra molasses cookie, be sure to check out my other molasses cookie recipe that uses double the molasses and increases the spice level. But this recipe is the traditional one that everyone knows and loves.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES INGREDIENTS:

The ingredients are really quite simple for this cookie.

• Molasses
• Butter
• Egg
• Granulated sugar
• Flour
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Salt
• Baking soda

One of my friend has a favorite molasses brand – Brer Rabbit molasses. I don’t find that one in the store often at all, so I just get what is available. Grandma’s Molasses and store brands are what’s available where I live.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES COOKIES INSTRUCTIONS:

• Cream the room temperature butter and sugar together.
• Add the egg and molasses.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and the 3 spices.
• Add to butter mixture. Mix until combined.
• Roll 1 tablespoon amounts of dough into balls. (You can do this based on how large you want them. This size makes 28-29 cookies)
• Roll in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
• Cool on pan for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Freezing Cookies and Dough:

You make make a double or triple batch of these yummy, chewy molasses cookies and store the baked cookies in an airtight container in the freezer. Let the cookies thaw before eating them.

Another option I like to do is to freeze the dough balls after they are rolled in sugar. Pull what you want out of the freezer and bake as normal. You may need to add an additional couple minutes to the baking time.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies Recipe