Victoria's Secret fashion show 2015

 Okay ladies so let’s be upfront and honest with ourselves here, we’ve all pictured ourselves as a Victoria Secret model, whether we’d like to admit it or not.

Well it’s that time of the year again where forty-seven amazing models, including our very own South African Candice Swanepoel, get decked out in seventy-five different looks and strut their stuff on the lit up catwalk. This year the event (held at New York’s 69^th Regiment Armory on the 10^th of November) featured the fresh faced 20-year-old Kendall Jenner who made her debut as an angel.

 This year’s show proved to be a revolving door of underwear, wings and incredibly long legs. From hippy inspired looks to butterfly adorned bra’s followed by a Swarovski covered body suit and a song by ‘The Weeknd’. Other artists included the talented Ellie Goulding and the pretty Selena Gomez to mention but a few.

When we think of the Victoria’s Secret show other than the beautiful women and exciting performers on stage we all look forward to the years ‘Fantasy Bra’ and let me tell you that this year’s bra fell nothing short of spectacular. Adorned with diamonds, blue topaz and yellow sapphires set in 18 carat gold the piece came in at a whopping $ 2 million, created by the esteemed “Mouawad” jewellers. Lily Aldridge was the lucky lady selected to walk the walkway showcasing the beautiful piece, lucky girl. Ever heard the expression “feeling like a million bucks?”.  

These are just tantalising bits and whispers of the unveilings of the evening, definitely more than enough to entice you all to tune in on your television screens on Tuesday, 8^th December 2015 10/9c CBS to catch the full show in all its glory…

I know I’ll be watching and day dreaming about wearing those wings myself again this year ;)

S

xoxo

Strawberry Pavlova

This dessert is definitely one of my top 5 favourite guilty pleasures! Between my aunt and my boyfriends grandmother I really don’t know which is better, all I know is that I doubt I’d ever turn down a slice of this heavenly dessert! Here’s the recipe for you to try it out for yourself.

Ingredients

Cake Tin/ Baking sheet

4 Large egg whites

225g Castor Sugar

2 Level teaspoons of Cornflour

2 teaspoons, white wine vinegar

Filling:

300ml Whipping/ pouring double cream, whipped

350g Strawberries, halved/ sliced

 Method

1.   

           Preheat the oven to 160C/ Fan, 140C/ Gas, 3. Lay a sheet of the non-stick baking parchment on the baking sheet and mark 23 cm circle on it.

2.      Put egg whites into a large bowl and whisk until stiff and cloud like. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, whisking well after each addition, until all the sugar has been added. Blend the cornflour and vinegar together and whisk into the meringue mixture. Spread the meringue out to cover the circle on the no-stick baking parchment, building up sides so they are higher than the middle.

3.      Place in the oven but, immediately reduce the temperature by 10 degrees. Bake for about an hour until firm to the touch and a pale beige colour. Turn the oven off and allow pavlova to become quite cold while still in the oven. If you keep the oven door closed you will encourage a more marshmallowy meringue.

4.      Remove the cold pavlova from the baking sheet and parchment, sliding it onto a serving plate. Top with the whipped cream and strawberries, then chill for about an hour before serving

I personally love when the outside of the meringue is crisp and the centre is marshmallow like, topped with fruit and some sort of chocolate, either ‘Whispers’ or a crushed ‘Flake’. YUM! I think I’m starting to crave a slice now… Hehe. I really hope this recipe becomes one of your favourites too…

S

xoxo

 As seen in "Mary Berry, 100 cakes and bakes" Page 164