Pavlova – Perfect Pudding!

This entry is filed under Baking Recipes, Dessert Recipes.

Addiction On A Plate

Addiction on a plate

I have a big weakness for pavlova. It’s heavenly any time of the year, but especially in summer when there’s abundance of soft fruit about.

Yet considering it’s made from just a few ingredients, it’s surprisingly easily to get it wrong. Common complaints range from being too dry or not dry enough. The sugar leaking out the sides or beading on top.

So if your idea of the perfect meringue is a crisp, chewy outer casing with a soft, fluffy marshmallowy middle, just follow these simple rules and get fantastic results that work like a dream every time.

THE RULES

  1. Think SLOW & LOW (cook slowly at a low temperature)
  2. Weigh the egg whites and use an equal quantity of sugar.
  3. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. For best results use a mixer or hand held electric whisk and add the sugar a tablespoon at a time with the motor running.
  4. Now add a sprinkling of cornflour and lemon juice or white wine vinegar (normally a teaspoon of each is all you need.)
  5. Continue whisking until the meringue is glossy and resembles shaving foam.
  6. Cook the meringue in a low oven. It’s ready when the outside forms a crust and it peels away easily from the paper. Leave to cool down in the oven until cold.
  7. Top with softly whipped cream and fruit. Strawberries and raspberries are always popular (and frozen berries work well if fresh aren’t in season.) Thinly sliced kiwi fruit tastes as good as it looks or for something more exotic try mango and passion fruit.

I guarantee once you discover just how foolproof this recipe is, you’ll be churning out pavlova’s like there’s no tomorrow. 
 
 

Pavlova Recipe

Serves 6
Ingredients:
4 egg whites – room temperature

Equal quantity of caster sugar

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp cornflour

1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

300ml double cream

350g soft fruits

Equipment:
Electric mixer
Baking sheet
Greaseproof paper
Spatula

Tablespoon & teaspoonHere’s What You Do: 
Preheat oven to lowest setting. 100C/200F/ Gas ¼ Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Now add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, whilst you continue to whisk.

Now add a teaspoon each of cornflour, lemon juice, vanilla extract (if using) followed by the sieved icing sugar and continue whisking until the mixture is glossy white and resembles shaving foam.

Dab a blob of meringue onto each corner of the baking sheet, lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on top, pressing the corners into the meringue blobs to secure the paper and prevent it from moving about.

Spoon the meringue mixture onto the greaseproof paper and mound it into a circular shape about 20 cm in diameter, piling up the meringue mixture until it’s approximately 5cm high.

Place on the bottom oven shelf and leave to bake slowly for 2½ -3 hours. The meringue is cooked when it forms a crust on the outside and can be easily peeled away from the greaseproof paper. 

At this point, turn out the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool and dry out – preferably over night.
When you’re ready to serve whip the cream to soft peaks and spread with a spatula over the meringue.  Scatter the berries over the top and serve. 

 

 

Nice Slice!

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8 Responses to “Pavlova – Perfect Pudding!”

  1. Uma says:
    December 20, 2011 at 6:29 pm

    Mine are very pale creamy beige with white middle. If you want a white pavlova, it’s best you cook it on the bottom shelf at the lowest oven temp for approx 4 hours, check after 3 hours to see how its going.

  2. Irene says:
    December 14, 2011 at 7:08 am

    I have really tried to get it right but the temp of the oven always makes it go light tan and I want it white…100C looks good as I used 130C in fan forced..
    Are your Pav’s white?

  3. Serena says:
    October 5, 2010 at 6:54 pm

    Made your pavlova at the weekend Uma as I had the family over and everyone commented on the great texture – crisp on the outside and soft gooey in the middle. It’s a keeper! Thanks

  4. AndrewBoldman says:
    June 4, 2009 at 1:38 pm

    Hi, good post. I have been woondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.

  5. Uma says:
    June 2, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    Hi Kit,
    Sorry for the confusion!
    Dab a little meringue in each corner of the greaseproof paper to secure it as this will hold the paper in place on the baking sheet.
    Then all you do is mound the meringue up onto the greaseproof paper in a circle shape. Hope this makes things clear.
    Either low fat creme fraiche or Greek yogurt would work. Depends what you like best. You can always sweeten it with a little vanilla extract if preferred.
    Nice to hear from you! Uma

  6. Maliya says:
    June 2, 2009 at 5:09 pm

    Looks yummy! Must buy more eggs and give it a go this weekend. It sounds so simple!!

  7. KrisBelucci says:
    June 2, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Hi, cool post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for writing.

  8. Kit Berry says:
    June 2, 2009 at 6:00 am

    Uma – lovely to have a definitive version of how to make meringue. Mine are often lovely but not always! Presumably a low-fat option for this (as my husband is on a cholesterol reducing diet) is to use low fat creme fraiche? Or would the low fat natural Greek yoghurt be better? A low fat option for some of your more extravagant dishes would be great for those poor souls who are paying for their sins!

    One thing I’m really confused about is the dobbing bits in corners, putting greaseproof on top and then making a circle on top of that. I just don’t get what you mean! Do you leave a layer of paper in between the dobs and circle or what? Sorry if I sound stupid but I just can’t visualise what you’re getting at. I’d really apprciate clarification on this.

    Many thanks!

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