I tried another Pavlova recipe that turned out much more to my Aussie husband's liking - and I must admit to mine as well. I used 4 whites, vinegar (not lemon juice - there's a reason for this) a bit less corn starch, about 1.5 tsp. and I put my 1 cup of sugar in my food processor to create a castor sugar - a fine blend, which mixed easier into the meringue by adding it 1 TBS at a time during the whipping process. The recipe called for drawing a 7 inch (not a 9 inch) circle and simply mounding it (no fancy piping) onto the circle with edges as straight as possible, then creating a small well for the cream. It then said to bake it at 250 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes and after it's done baking, turn the heat off and leave the oven door cracked slightly open for at least 30 minutes, or until cooled enough to handle the pan without oven mitts. If it cracks, that's good and if it weeps it's over cooked and that's bad. It was a golden brown and incredibly tender and sublime. The crunchy light outside of the cake melted in your mouth, while the interior filled it with light delight - much like a marshmallow cream center. I topped it with lightly sweetened whipped cream and used strawberries and blueberries. Next time I might use a tart fruit like a black or boysenberry and raspberries to offset the sweetness of the meringue. My husband had thirds and said it was the nicest Pavlova he's had anywhere in Australia. The recipe came from an Aussie chef, Stephanie Alexander
i admit this is a really good pav but to clear things up a pavlova is not australian it is new zealand and it was named after the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova......light graceful....etc but yes its good.
Fabulous and surprisingly easy! One of the few recipes on this site that actually turned out as promised. I made a few small adjustments: I used 4 egg whites instead of 3; added a dash of cream of tartar about 30 seconds into beating the eggs to help them fluff; added 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract at the same time as the lemon juice. It turned our beautiful -- even golden brown with a crisp shell and a chewy inside. Served with ginger whipped cream and strawberries.
A great idea I found was to flatten down the middle of the pavlova so that it creates a 'crater' and then fill this with chocolate mousse. Decorate with strawberries and kiwi slices when the mousse has set. This was an absolute hit at a recent engagenment dinner.
Wonderful! However maybe it is just me but mine doesn't come out snow white it's more of a golden brown. I don't know if I should leave it in for less time or just embrace the tan. Also Pavlova is a New Zealand dessert not an Australian one. Named after the ballerina as said below because she wanted a light satisfying dessert as graceful as she. Because it is from New Zealand use kiwis as well as strawberries for a hint of irony and a perfect flavor combination. I also use blackberries.
I have made this recipe four times and it has come out perfectly each time. I followed the directions exactly. I have made it with strawberries and once with well drained canned freestone peach slices. Wonderful both ways. This recipe is a keeper!
Great dish - which we enjoy with a variety of fruits - made interesting by controversy! For what it's worth Cuisine du Monde (online) gives this background: "In 1934 Herbert Sachse the chef at the Hotel Esplanade in Perth Western Australia presented a new cake he named Pavlova because it was as light as Pavlova. However the Meringue Cake was common in NZ in the early 1930s. In 1973 Sachse stated in a magazine interview that he sought to improve the Meringue Cake recipe that he found in the Womens Mirror Magazine on April 2 1935. That recipe was contributed by a New Zealander." Seems that like every great idea two heads are better than one! Australia and New Zealand- we love you both... and your Pavlova! Cheers!
Wow! I just made this for our Christmas Dinner dessert and it was such a hit that I'm now sending off copies of the recipe to friends and family. It's quick to make, the meringue base is crunchy on the outside and gently chewy on the inside and when topped with berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries), it'll make your dinner party.
This is a great recipe. Very easy. The advice about drawing the pie pan size on the parchment paper was easy. I used a pasty bag to pipe the meringue. I also added a dash of cream of tartar to stiffen egg whites. So pretty and fresh summer taste!
I made this for my daughters class presentation on Australia and it turned out horrible! I followed the directions... I thought. I must have done something wrong becuase it came out flat and crunchy...Yikes
