Classic Pavlova Recipe
We had some friends over for a summer barbecue the other weekend and my wife Julie asked if I could show her how to make Pavlova. I said no problem. In fact instead of showing her I just talked her through it step by step and she did a great job.
Pavlova is one of the easiest desserts to make yet many people believe it may be too hard. I find the best way to learn is to is to get straight into it. And by letting Julie do the whole thing I got to take it easy!
Enjoy this classic pavlova recipe!
Pavlova
Pavlova is one of the most popular desserts in Australia and New Zealand, and a favorite Aussie Christmas treat.
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites
- 220 grams caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn flour
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 400 millilitres pure cream (whipping cream) about 1.4 cups
- 2 teaspoons icing sugar
- soft fruit of your choice berries, melon, kiwi, stone fruit, passion fruit, etc.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 120C (250F). If using a fan forced oven you may need to turn it down a little.
- In a mixer whisk the egg whites until very foamy.
- Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing to combine well.
- Continue doing so until all sugar has been added.
- Keep whisking until mixture is stiff, shiny and white.
- Turn off mixer and add the corn flour to the mixture one side of the bowl and the vinegar on the other.
- Turn machine on, just enough to combine the ingredients (a few seconds).
- Line a cookie sheet or pizza tray with baking paper. Sprinkle a few drops of water between the paper and tray to help it stick.
- With a rubber scraper or spatula scrape all of the contents of the bowl onto the lined tray.
- Shape into a round-ish ball and using the spatula press it flat.
- Once flat you can shape an edge by pressing the entire middle down slightly and then working around the outside with the spatula and pressing in towards the middle slightly to give it a little lip around the perimeter.
- Place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Turn the tray and bake for another 45 minutes.
- If the thinnest part of the edges start to feel crunchy, turn the oven off. If not cook a further 10 minutes, checking again until they are a little crunchy and then turn the oven off.
- Once the oven is off prop the door slightly ajar and leave Pavlova base in oven for 15 minutes as the oven cools.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile whip the cream and icing sugar until relatively stiff. (I whip until stiff as it will need support the fruit).
- Carefully removing Pavlova base from tray and place on presentation platter.
- Top with the whipped cream and shape nice and flat to accommodate the fruit.
- Garnish with the fruit of you choice in the manner you wish. Sometimes I dice the fruit quite small, add berries and then finish it with passionfruit pulp. Other times I may just top it with mango, sprinkle it with some sugar and caramelize it with a torch. The possibilities are endless. In this case my wife wanted to garnish it with her favourite fruits and as you can see, her first Pavlova turned out perfect!
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This is one of my favourite recipes when entertaining in summer! Thanks Paul.