Chocolate Pavlova Torte with Raspberry Dream Cream: Perfect Imperfection

Monday, February 13, 2012

pavlova-torte-3

As a teen, I remember having lots of conversations with my mother about dating and relationships. Of her many “isms”, the one I heard most was “Looks aren’t everything. It’s what’s on the inside that matters.” Of course, she was right, but my superficial 16 year old brain didn’t always agree. Before I settled down with Mr. SGCC, I dated a wide variety of boys. Some were blindingly beautiful, and some had other, less obvious attributes. More often than not, the pretty boys turned out to be a disappointment. They were usually too busy flexing their muscles and gazing at their own reflections in the mirror to worry about such mundane things as developing a personality or perfecting the art of conversation. Though I hate to admit it, it was almost always the slightly rumpled, kind of quirky guys that I had the best times with. They were the ones that made me laugh and feel special. They had substance.

Oddly enough, I’ve found the same thing to be true when it comes to desserts. I can’t count the times I’ve drooled over a display of stunningly perfect pastries or cakes, only to be disappointed when I took that first bite. Sadly, they don’t often taste as good as they look. I guess looks aren’t everything in the world of sweets either. This Chocolate Pavlova Torte with Raspberry Dream Cream is a good example. On the outside, it looks kind of craggy, drippy and messy. It wears its flaws for the world to see. But on the inside, it is crunchy, creamy and chewy all at the same time. It has personality up the wazoo. And, it is truly sublime! read more >>

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I remember when I was in high school, my mother once tried to convince me to go out with the dorky son of one of her bridge buddies. “What does he look like?” I asked. She replied, “Looks aren’t everything. He’s got such a great personality!” I knew I …

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Hello and welcome to SGCC! I’m Susan, a professional writer, food columnist, recipe developer, wife, mother, daughter and sister, who used to be a lawyer in a previous life. My love of food comes from a long line of wonderful and creative Italian home cooks who didn’t always have a lot, but knew how to make a lot out of what they had. I hope that you enjoy yourself while you’re here, and visit often! read more >>

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