If you’ve never heard of or made Pavlova, it is basically a beautiful, glossy French Meringue that is baked in the oven at low heat and dries out on the outside to form a crispy shell, but stays chewy on the inside. It is then filled with whipped cream and fresh fruits of your choice! Acidic or more sour/bitter fruits are usually used, as it balances out the sweetness of the meringue and makes for a delicious, fresh Summer Dessert!
I know you’re ready to get baking, so here is the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
- Egg whites of 4 eggs
- 250g White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Cornflour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Fresh Cream (about 220-250ml)
- Fresh Fruits
That’s it!! You probably have all these ingredients in your pantry or kitchen cupboards at any time, so why not give this recipe a try!
HOW TO MAKE PAVLOVA
So, there is a ‘normal’ pavlova, which is when you use all of the meringue mixture to form a big round bowl-like shape and you place the cream and fruit inside, but I much prefer making individual pavlova’s, also known as Pavlova Nests, so that each person can have their own little dessert to enjoy all by themselves!
Pre heat the oven to 150°C/300°F and prepare your baking tray by lining it with baking paper.
Start by separating your egg whites and place them into a mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer to achieve this recipe.
Start beating the egg whites until they become frothy and add a teaspoon of white vinegar and continue beating until they reach ‘soft peak’ stage. Gradually add the sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time and mix for about 30 seconds before adding more of the sugar. Repeat this until all the sugar has been added. The meringue should be at ‘stiff peaks’ now.
Add the cornflour and vanilla extract and beat again until they are quite a stiff consistency.
To form the nests, use two tablespoons to transfer the meringue to the baking tray and press down with the back of the spoon to form a hollow in the centre.
Bake for 1 hour or until it is dry to touch, then turn the oven off and let the meringues cool down completely in the oven. This lets them dry out and become really crispy on the outside. The centre will stay ‘chewy’. It is also normal for them to crack, it’s all about the rustic look here!
While the meringue bakes, prepare your whipped cream, you can add as much as you like, but try to balance out the fruit and cream ratio. I used 220ml of cream for 4 pavlova’s. Cut up your fruit and once the meringues have completely cooled, you can put everything together.
Place your meringue on the plate it will be served on, spoon some cream on top and place your fresh fruit on top of the cream.
This recipe is so easy, but your guests will be wowed every time! It’s a simple dessert with a big impact, not only on your guests, but on your taste buds too!!
Bake with Gen 