So Pavlova it is… One of those really impressive desserts that are so easy to make!!! If you can make a meringue you can make pavlova because really it is a meringue base with a heap of yumminess popped on top. The secret here is to teach a child to make meringue and then you are away… This is what you are aiming for:
Let’s Meet the Players:
For the meringue:
Basically for any amount of meringue you will need 50 g of castor sugar for every egg white you use and pinch of salt.
- 6 egg whites
- 300 g castor sugar. Someone is going to ask (!!!): What is Castor Sugar? – follow the link!
- a pinch of salt
For the topping:
- Summer fruits
- Mixed berries
- Whipped cream
- My kids love it with ice cream and custard and melted chocolate drizzled over it!!! (like how did that happen!!!)
Let’s Play the Game:
- Separate your eggs, and keep the yolks for creme brulee (your family will thank-you!!!).
- And beat those egg whites until they are stiff. Really, really stiff.
- Measure out your castor sugar.
- Keep the egg whites beating and add a teaspoon or two of sugar. Once that is mixed in continue to add the rest of the sugar slowly.
- Keep beating your meringue for quite a while – minutes rather than seconds. Beat it until your mixture tastes totally smooth. If it is still grainy then it isn’t ready!!!
- Grease or use baking paper on your baking tray, because you will have a delicate and fragile end product!!! Once your meringue mixture is ready, smooth it out onto a baking tray into the shape pavlova you are after… If you want to pack it then make it slightly lower in the center.
- I pop our meringue in the oven at about 140 degrees Celsius (280 degrees Fahrenheit) for about an hour – if it starts to go brown on the top (read: very temperamental, inconsistent oven) then I turn the oven off and and leave the meringue in their until it’s crisp and ready. That’s your meringue done.
- Finally take your toppings, we used mixed berries, and drizzle them over the meringue base. And add dollops of whipped cream on top of the berries.
And if you turn away from the table… this will happen:
Only because they were too nervous to take the whole thing!!!
This dessert is a winner!!! And fabulous for serving to many guests because – it looks impressive, you can make the meringue the day before and toss the toppings on at the last minute… and if your meringue collapses or breaks then just smoosh it into individual servings and call it Eton Mess!!!
Enjoy it!!!
The Great Australian Round-Up/Link-Up is coming… but we have to do some school first!!!
Great stuff! Eastern Hemisphere I remember… We did that last year and I got to eat if for my birthday. 🙂
Hi K, We love Eastern Hemisphere!!! I could do it again and again!!! Have a fun weekend!!!
Being Australian, this is a dessert that pops up at parties, BBQ’s etc. My Nana used to make the BEST pavlova (or ‘pav’ as we call it). It was always yummy. Kiwi fruit, passion fruit and strawberries are other popular toppings here.
Have fun on your Aussie trek 🙂
Linda
Hay L, I love all your Australia comments – can’t beat strawberries!!!… Please come and say high on our Round-Up!!! Have a fun weekend!!!