9 years passed

It was one fine summer day. The sky was all blue, the sun was bright and proud, but it wasn't very hot as the wind was generous with his cooler breeze. Yes, I remember it well. We were walking along the beach as we held each other's hands. The alluring water was blue and clear, enticed us to touch it with our feet. I gracefully dance in rhythm with the music of the water as the waves kissed the sand. There was an old nipa hut, (it is a little wooden shed with a roof made of coconut leaves). We sat there for a quick rest before heading home. He, (my man), knelt on one knee and asked me to be his eternal wife. A few months after that, we married. We've been blissfully married for 9 years and we are blessed with 3 boys.

We celebrated our special day with a simple dinner in the backyard. And we had a little candle-lit dessert to make our night memorable- not just for us, but also for the kids. The night ends beautifully with our belly filled, and our  hearts full of gratitude.

Witlof and anchovies with chili salad

Cacao mini-meringue with mascarpone.

You'll need;
5 egg whites
1 1/2 caster sugar
2 tbs cacao powder
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

for the sauce
6 tbs butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbs of mascarpone

For toppings
mascarpone
raspberries
2 tbs icing sugar for dusting

Turn the oven to 150C for fan-forced. Line the baking tray with baking paper. Add egg whites and a pinch of salt into the bowl, and mix them using electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, continuously whisk it until thick and glossy. Add cacao powder, vinegar, cornflour and vanilla until well combined. Into the lined tray, drop 3 spoonfuls of the mixture and use the back of the spoon to create texture. Change the oven's temperature to 120C . Bake for 45 minutes. Check twice just to make sure you don't burn it. Take out to cool, or you can leave it in the oven to cool completely.

For the sauce:
Place your pan on a low heat. Place butter, sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the mascarpone and simmer for 2 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool completely.

To serve:
Top each meringue with mascarpone and berries. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with icing.