Pavlova

I made this one - it has chocolate shavings

So many people want the recipe for Pavlova once they have tasted it. So...here is an easy recipe for this New Zealand dessert. So long as you acknowledge that Pavlova was invented in New Zealand (NOT Australia!) we will remain friends forever.


Pavlova Recipe

Ingredients:

4 egg whites (use 5 eggs if they are small) 

1 cup of sugar 

2 Tablespoons cornstarch 

1 tspoon white vinegar

1 tspoon vanilla 

3/4 Pint of heavy whipping cream. You may need a little more - see below. You should probably sweeten the cream how you like it with a little vanilla essence, sugar (or powdered sugar). 

Any amount of:

Strawberries

Kiwifruit

Blueberries

(Any other colorful berries that you like)

Shavings of chocolate if you love chocolate (who doesn't?)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 250 F or 110 C

2. Prepare the oven tray (flat surface) by covering with aluminum foil (or a baking mat) and spray with a cooking spray (Pam). 

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff/dry. Make sure that you have no trace of yolk in the whites - Pavlova will not work with even the smallest amount of yolk mixed in. Room temperature eggs are easier to beat.

4. Slowly pour in the sugar while you continue beating. Keep beating until the sugar is dissolved. You can feel or taste the grains of sugar if they are not dissolved.

5. Slowly mix in cornstarch, vanilla, and vinegar (it is the vinegar that makes the Pavlova soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside).

6. Pile the stiff mixture onto the foil and form into the shape you want to see in the end. (See the picture to the right) Once in the oven, the Pavlova will expand and then shrink down a little. The best shape is a round, 4 inch high cake-like shape. Use your spatula to form the mixture into this shape.

7. Place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, then turn off the oven. Under no circumstances should you open the oven and take a peak!!! The Pavlova will collapse!

8.  Leave the Pavlova in the oven until it is cool.

9. Once cool, carefully remove the foil from the bottom of the Pavlova and place it on a flat plate. Cover with cream (any cracks can be covered and no one will know!) You can either put the cream on the top, or if you have cracking, feel free to cover the whole thing with cream (you might need a little extra cream if you are covering the whole thing.)

10. Now you are ready to decorate the Pavlova with your fruit. Sprinkle chocolate if you like, or just keep to the fruit.

This Pavlova was made using a spring-form pan lined with parchment paper. Mine never end up this perfectly and high...but I bet it is fabulous. It looks like this one was made with 6 egg whites. The cream has also been piped onto the top

Now check out this one with raspberry and chocolate swirls. Yum! This chef was unconcerned about the cracks - it tastes so good that it really doesn't matter:

My Pavs usually look something like this:

...someone here has gone all out!

The best thing is to let your creative skills shine. The Pav. is a very light dessert and tastes so good - Don't hold back on your decorating.

Here is a side view of the typical thickness of your finished Pav.


Now you are officially an honorary New Zealander, and can refer to your Pavlova as a "Pav" just like the best of all Kiwis.

Voila! The Pavlova - named after Anna Pavlova - a Russian ballet dancer who visited New Zealand and Australia in the 1920's.

It is VERY important for you to know that Pavlova was invented in New Zealand and NOT Australia. Wars have been known to start over lesser things!!


Here is my High Altitude recipe: Pavlova - High Altitude