Aussie Day Pav
Want to hear a secret? Forget Johnny Depp or The Bachelor, Pavlova’s are my guilty pleasure. They taste and look spectacular, plus they are the perfect accompaniment to any Australian summer, especially on Australia day! I find it difficult to understand why most people are scared of this beautiful dessert, with this recipe it’s almost too simple! With a couple of tips to ensure success, this Pavlova is sure to impress (and fill up) all of your guests.
I have
made this dessert many times and each time I seem to get better at it,
remembering things I did right (and things I did wrong) the last time. It’s
definitely the type of dessert to get tastier with practise. However, with this
recipe, each time I’m guaranteed to get a fluffy and delicious middle, with a
lovely meringue crust. It’s wonderful
how little preparation time it takes compared to other cakes and biscuits, and
it certainly looks more impressive.
My love
affair with these mighty desserts started when a certain family friend made a
Pavlova for us, we were all thoroughly impressed at how tasty it was. It wasn’t
until she taught me how to make it that I realised the flavour and texture of
the pavlova had been cheating us into believe that the making of this dessert
was from (crazy chef)-esque experience when really it is relatively easy. I make
it heaps now, often experimenting on ways to make it. I have made two and three
tiered ones, tried to add chocolate (which DID NOT work) and used whatever
juicy fruits were in season. The other day, the pav was themed red and white,
and I adorned the pav with loads of cream, strawberries and the sweetest
raspberries that me and my guests had ever had. Now would you like to know how
to make one?
Suz’s
Pavlova
6
egg whites
1
½ teaspoons of vinegar
1
½ cups of sugar
Salt
1
¼ tablespoons cornflour
Method
1. Preheat Oven to 150 degrees Celsius
2. Beat eggwhites and vinegar until
frothy, add a pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form.
3. Add sugar gradually (about one tablespoon at a time), for about ten minutes or until sugar has dissolved completely, this means that if you rub the mixture between your fingers you shouldn’t be able to feel any sugar crystals. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
4. Quickly add the cornflour to the eggwhite mixture and whisk it in.
3. Add sugar gradually (about one tablespoon at a time), for about ten minutes or until sugar has dissolved completely, this means that if you rub the mixture between your fingers you shouldn’t be able to feel any sugar crystals. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
4. Quickly add the cornflour to the eggwhite mixture and whisk it in.
5. Drop oven temp to 110/120 degrees
Celsius.
6. Mould pavlova into whatever size
and shape fits best on a lined tray or oven platter. Cook for about 60/70 mins.
Cool in oven with the oven door open.
7. Add whipped cream and fruit to the top, ta dahhh!
7. Add whipped cream and fruit to the top, ta dahhh!
Some not-so-secret tricks…
-
Ensure
the bowl you’re using is clean and dry. It is best to use metal or glass bowls
as plastic bowls retain moisture.
-
Bring
eggs to room temperature before separating.
-
Ensure
absolutely no yolk is in the eggwhites; this will stop the eggwhite from
aerating.
-
Add
sugar very gradually and mix until completely dissolved. Caster sugar dissolves
better than regular white sugar because the crystals are smaller.
-
Avoid
steam (boiling water and cooking other meals) in the kitchen while whipping the
pav; the moisture could hinder the aeration of the mixture.
About the Author
0 comments