Pavlova
As you all know, I am obsessed with Pavlova. As my ‘quasi-bucket list’ states – if Pavlova is on the menu at a restaurant, I must order it.
I am a Pavlova snob. I am a traditionalist – no chocolate allowed and no Coles pre-made bases! I also have very high standards for myself when it comes to baking a Pavlova. The pressure and stress I feel when a Pavlova is in the oven is ridiculous!
I like to say that my Pavlova wooed Serge. The night I met Serge at my sister’s house I had decided to make a Pavlova. It failed epically. The Pavlova looked like a pancake due to over beating (note: don’t let your nephew help you make pavlova as they have the tendency to want to keep on beating). I was not going to let this man think that I could not bake, so I made another one and it was perfect.
As promised on the Dear Melanoma Facebook Page last night, here is my grandma’s recipe that I always use. Most Pavlova recipes online are the same, I think the key to a good Pavlova is practice…. and a good oven (I steal my mum and dad’s oven for all Pavlova making).
Ingredients:
- 4 egg whites (absolutely no egg yolk or it won’t fluff up)
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 rounded tablespoon cornflour
- Whipping cream
- Fruit to decorate
Method:
- Heat oven to 250 degrees celsius
- Beat egg whites until light and fluffy.
- Once light and fluffy, add one tablespoon of caster sugar at a time until all sugar is added. Beat until all sugar is dissolved and the mixture is stiff (if you turn the bowl over, the mixture should not fall out).
- Beat in vinegar, vanilla and cornflour until just combined.
- Wet an ovenproof dish and place baking paper over water.
- Heap mixture onto dish – the mixture will spread as it cooks.
- Place Pavlova in oven and immediately turn the oven down to 125 degrees celsius.
- Bake undisturbed for 90 minutes (if you have spread the Pavlova out, you may need to reduce cooking time).
- Turn off oven and open door slightly and leave Pavlova in the oven to cool (never remove the Pavlova immediately).
- Top with cream and fruit - or whatever you like!
Now it is your turn to make a Pavlova! Make sure to send me pictures of your successes (and failures).
I hope Pavlova brings you as much happiness as it does to my family!