OMG, I don’t even remember the last time I posted a new recipe. It has been a while but I am back. My post today is going to be about my first pavlova. My friends were doing this amazing Australia Day lunch and I put my hands up to bring a dessert. And then all the frenzy began looking up on the Internet for a recipe that would be appropriate to Australia day celebration. I decided to make a Pavlova.
I found the recipe on the Kitchenaid website and did a few modifications. Used 2 tsp of white vinegar and 4 tsp of cornflour. I also didn’t whip the cream with sugar as thought would be too sweet. I add the coulis to cut through the sweetness of the pavlova. I baked my pavlova on the same plate I was going to serve it on as the oven temperature is so low that it is not a risk to break the plate and after bake the pavlova can be quite hard to transfer to another plate. Saw this tip on tv a few days before make my pavlova and it was great.
I had a bit of weeping from he pav. I have read that it is from the sugar or humidity. Hopefully next one will have no weeping at all.
The pavlova was a success. It feeds a crowd! If you wish to make a small one the recipe can be halved. It’s a pity I could not take more and better photos to post, when I looked again the pavlova was gone. Everyone loved it! It is definitely one of the best pavlovas I’ve ever tried and I will sure make it again. Actually, it is already in my easter lunch menu.
PAVLOVA
(recipe adapted from the Vanilla snow pavlova featured on the Kitchenaid website)
Ingredients:
- 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
- Good pinch of salt
- 400g caster sugar
- Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tsp cornflour
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp boiling water (optional)
Topping:
- Combination of fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cherries.
- 500ml thickened (or pouring) cream
- Raspberry coulis
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan forced). Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Place the egg whites and salt in to the mixing bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on speed 2 or 4 until soft peaks are formed. Be patient as take a bit long tho reach soft peaks but beating the egg whites in lower speed at the start of the method produces a very strong meringue.
- Add the sugar in one go and turn to speed 6 until the sugar is combines then increase to speed 10 and mix for 10 minutes or until the meringue is very thick, creamy and glossy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly with a spatula.
- Add the vanilla, cornflour, vinegar and boiling water (if using). The boiling water adds lightness to the shell. Add the water on the side of the bowl. Mix on speed 1 until just combined. Do not over mix. If you don’t want to mix on the electric mixer, use a big metal spoon and fold all the ingredients through the meringue and do not over mix.
- Dollop and spread the mixture onto the lined baking sheet.
- Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes or until shell is firm and dry. Turn oven off and allow the meringue to cool completely with the oven door slightly ajar.
- For the coulis I used 100g of frozen raspberries mixed with 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Heat until the sugar melts and form a nice syrup. Pass through a sieve and leave to cool completely. Keep on the fridge to be used when you are ready to assemble the pavlova.
- For the topping, whip the cream until soft peaks.
- To assemble the pavlova, spread cooled meringue shell with cream and generously pile the berries on top, drizzle with the raspberry coulis.
- The meringue will keep, without the topping (in a sealed container) for 1 to 2 days. Top with cream and berries to serve.
ENJOY!
CLARISSA
clarissaskitchen.wordpress.com 