Some tips for those cooks who did not grow up downunder...
Malt vinegar is the traditional vinegar used.
This is the one recipe I do not hand mix. Out with the electric beater as it needs a good 10-15 minutes.
If there is any yolk in the mix you will end up with pavlova pancake. Break all eggs separately and carefully.
No stomping around the kitchen and no opening the oven door to check what is inside...otherwise pavlova pancake!
If you don't have suitable fresh fruit, grated chocolate is also a good decoration.
For the pavlovas that turned out flat, you need to mould the meringue before you cook it into the shape you want. What works best for me is to have the walls of the circular meringue mound at least 1/3 higher than the middle. This way you can add whipped cream, strawberries, blueberries etc. Also, the cake will flatten out during cooking so mould it higher rather than wider before baking. Also, watch oven temperatures. Pavlovas need to be cooled slowly so I've found the best way is to turn the oven down bit by bit and then off. Then start to open the oven door bit by bit until it has cooled sufficiently. There will be less shrinkage this way. Also add more egg whites if you want a larger cake to work with.
My mom is from Australia and made Pavalova while I was growing up. I saw this recipe and thought I would try it out. It's softer than my moms (which I liked). It was hard on the outside and marshmallowy in the middle. I put whipped cream, kiwis and bananas on it. It was an excellent dessert. Especially if you have some sweet teeth!
Yummy! I do have to say that I tried 2 different recipes on the same evening to make a double batch and to compare and I liked the other recipe better. This one is a bit too complicated (the other is SO simple: just 4 egg whites 1/8 tsp cream of tartar and 1 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla baked at 225F for 1 or 1.5 hr.)... Anyway this one didn't fluff up as much (I think its the 2 tbsp water that made it not stiffen as much). Also it cracked quite a bit. The other one that I just mentioned was smooth and held its shape very nicely. Either way you can't go wrong with this pavlova... very deliciou!
Good on ya for representing New Zealand! it was New Zealand who invented Pavalova first and not Austrailia they invented lamingtons
Here are a few more tips for making the perfect pavlova my husband is a kiwi and have made this more times than I want to admit. First beat beat beat the eggs. Use "super fine" sugar not regular granulated. It helps it keep its height. Use white vinegar if you want a pure white pav. Using malt or balsamic will give you a off white color. Take a 8" round cake pan and draw a circle with it on the parchment paper. Pile the filling within the circle. Take a large spatula and smooth sides and flatten top. Make this at night and leave to cool in oven overnight. One last thing I double the recipe for an 8" pav. Hope this helps!
This is recipie was awesome. So glad some one put in a new zealand recipie for the pav its sooo good. But i wish people would also call it kiwifruit rather that Kiwi cos a kiwi is a bird lol. But anyway this recipe was awesome def do it again
Absolutely delicious! This was my first time baking and trying Pavlova! I recommend trying this recipe as it worked out extremely well for me. I followed others suggestions to pile the outside walls of the cake high before baking as it tends to spread out a little while in the oven. If you can't handle the sweetness top it with raspberries as they will help balance it out.
Delicious and beautiful. I did spread it out some before baking and I topped it with lemon curd strawberries and kiwi. Perfect!!!
Way Way WAY too sweet! I was very disapointed. Cut the sugar in half at least!
