Ingredients:
4 large egg whites (use the yolks
for lemon curd!)*
1 cup (200g) superfine sugar*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar*
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Toppings
· Homemade whipped cream, fresh fruit, strawberry topping, lemon curd. Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line
a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Preliminary
note: you will quickly reduce the oven to 200°F (93°C) in step
4.)
2. With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted
with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, about
5 minutes. Add the sugar in 2 additions, beating for 30 seconds between, then
continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 more
minutes. The peaks should be stiff enough that you can hold the whisk upright
and the peaks won’t move. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 more
minute. The peaks should still be very stiff. If not, keep on mixing on high
speed. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cream of tartar and cornstarch.
3. Spread the Pavlova mixture into an 8-9-inch
circle (see note for mini size). You can make decorative peaks with the
back of a large spoon if desired. Make sure the edges are relatively tall and
there is a nice dip in the center.
4. Place Pavlova in the oven. As soon as you
close the oven door, reduce heat to 200°F (93°C). The Pavlova will stay in
the oven as it cools down to 200°F (93°C). Bake until the Pavlova is firm
and dry, about 90 minutes total. Rotate the baking sheet if you notice some
spots browning. Try to limit how many times you open the oven as the cool air
will interrupt the baking.
5. Turn the oven off and let the Pavlova cool
inside the oven. Once the Pavlova is cool, you can store it covered tightly at
room temperature for up to 2 days. Or serve right away.
6. Once cool, top the Pavlova with whipped cream and assorted
toppings. Slice and serve.
Important
Things:
1. Make Ahead Instructions: See step 5 for making the Pavlova in
advance. Pavlova is best enjoyed right after it’s garnished. It doesn’t freeze
well.
2. Special Tools: KitchenAid
Stand Mixer | KitchenAid Hand Mixer | Baking Sheet | Marble Cake Stand
3. Egg Whites: (1) Room temperature egg whites whip faster
than cold egg whites. And (2) room temperature egg whites whip into a greater
volume than cold egg whites. So make sure your egg whites are at room
temperature before beginning.
4. Sugar: Superfine sugar dissolves easier into egg whites. To avoid
tasting sugar granules, pulse 1 cup granulated sugar a few times in a food
processor. You now have superfine sugar to use in the recipe.
5. Acid: You can use 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon
of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice.
6. Mini Pavlovas: Divide Pavlova mixture up into individual
portions instead of spreading into one large 8-9-inch circle. A piping tip
isn’t necessary– you can just spoon it on. Make sure you leave a dip in the
center to hold the toppings. Bake time depends on size, see step 4 for what to
look for. If making 6 mini Pavlovas bake for 35-40 minutes at 200°F
(93°C). Start them in a 350°F (177°C) oven.
What is Pavlova? Pavlova is a dessert popular in New Zealand and
Australia. Pavlova is made from egg whites that are slowly baked in a
relatively cool oven. The egg whites take on a chewy-crisp texture on top, a
soft marshmallow texture inside, and a crunchy crisp texture around the edges. That’s
three completely different textures in one single bite. The crunchy edges are
just like meringue cookies.
Pavlova loves to be dressed up with assorted toppings,
mainly fresh whipped cream and piles of fresh fruit. Naturally gluten free,
Pavlova is light, sweet, and screams warm weather favorite. Happy
spring, my viewers, we’re making PAVLOVA!!
To
obtain the unique Pavlova texture, you must adhere to an exact recipe. While
it’s fun to play around with ingredients, Pavlova is not the time to stray from
what’s listed. It’s picky, but picky doesn’t mean difficult. In fact, you only
need 5 ingredients to make Pavlova.
· egg whites
· sugar
· an acid such as cream of tartar or vinegar
· cornstarch
· vanilla extract
Let we explain why these ingredients are used.
THE
PURPOSE OF EACH Ingredient:
1. Egg whites –
beaten into stiff peaks, egg whites are the base and volume of Pavlova.
2. Sugar – in addition to
sweetening the dessert, sugar stabilizes the egg whites by holding them
together both in the oven and as the whole Pavlova cools. Without sugar, the
protein molecules (scientific) in egg whites will collapse. Additionally, sugar
helps achieve the delightfully crisp texture. (Sugar is so much more than a sweetener
in our baked goods.Speaking of sugar, make sure that you use superfine or
castor sugar. Just pulse sugar a few times in a food processor to reduce the
size of the crystals.
3. Acid – you can use
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon white, apple cider vinegar, or
even lemon juice. The Pavlova will NOT taste like vinegar, The acid helps the
egg whites hold onto air and, like the sugar, helps prevent the egg whites from
collapsing.
4. Vanilla extract – purely for flavor!
(Not
sponsored by any of these companies, but here’s exactly what I use.)
Ingredients
are simple and method is effortless. There’s plenty of downtime when making
Pavlova. All you really have to do is watch it beat in your stand mixer then
check on it in your oven. Kick your feet up!
Just like our chocolate
swirled meringue cookies and the meringue on
our lemon meringue pie, whip the egg whites into super stiff peaks.
Stiff enough that you can hold the whisk over
your head and feel confident that the whipped egg whites won’t drop. 😉 Then you’ll spread the Pavlova mixture
onto your lined baking pan. You can use parchment paper or a silicone baking
mat. Do not grease the baking pan– use a nonstick surface instead. Spread it
into a circle, about 8-9 inches in diameter. You can eyeball it or trace one
with a pencil. I just eyeball it. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative
peaks. Make sure the edges are tall and you have a nice dip in the center.
That’s were we’ll pile our whipped
cream and fruit!
Alternatively, you can make mini Pavlovas.
A
relatively cooler oven is imperative for properly cooking your pavlova, but
let’s start the Pavlova at 350°F (177°C) then reduce it down to 200°F (93°C). I
do this to help “set” the outer crust quickly. This trick helps reduce spread.
A
properly cooked pav is pale in color. Cracks and bumps are par for the course,
but the Pavlova shouldn’t completely deflate. Especially if you follow the
precise measurements and instructions in the recipe. You can help avoid too
many cracks by cooling the Pavlova in the oven. The sudden change of
temperature (inside the oven to outside the oven) shocks the pavlova, so it’s
best to cool inside the cooling oven.
Make
sense?
You
can top your Pavlova or mini Pavlovas any which way, but here are some of my
topping suggestions:
· Whipped cream is essential.
You can get a little creative and flavor your whipped cream. Here are some
fun flavored whipped creams.
· Homemade lemon curd. You’ll
have exactly 4 egg yolks leftover anyway.
· Fresh berries
· Edible florals and herbs
· Strawberry dessert topping
· Chocolate shavings
· Seasonal fruits like mango, kiwi,
passionfruit, blood oranges
No
need to get artistic, just pile it all on top into a massive Pavlova mountain.
Things
are bound to get a little messy when slicing, but if you cooked the Pavlova
long enough so that the bottom is crisp and the edges are set, it will hold a
pie slice shape. This big thing serves about 8-10 people!
If
you’re still on the fence about trying Pavlova.
MAKE IT, EAT IT, ENJOY IT.
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