Pavlova

Who can resist a great pavlova and didn't we Australians invent it??

Well before all you New Zealanders howl me down - I know it wasn't our idea but we Aussies are known to steal other countries ideas and other famous New Zealanders (Russel Crowe, Crowded House just to name a few) and claim them as our own.

Lets just agree that we Antipodeans do have a few secrets and tricks up our sleeve when it comes to pavlovas and we like to keep it that way but today I am going to share one with you. Well again, truth be told it isn't my secret but when that came to my by a great friend and New Zealander who sent me a book called - pavlova by Genevieve Knights.

Any cook who can come up with a Tiramilova (yes a pavlova and tiramisu combined) becomes a good friend of mine and there are so many different types of pavlova in one book it is amazing.

But for me and what got me hooked into this book is the method she uses for some of her pavlovas.

I have to admit I get impatient (I use that a lot when I blog I just realised) all that one teaspoon or tablespoon of sugar at a time wait for it to incorporate etc and then bake the pav and then allow to cool slowly. I want a pav people and I want it now not for tomorrow!

For this recipe I used her classic recipe but used her alternate method and it worked, from there really your world is your oyster or should that be pavlova!!

Ingredients

4 egg whites
240g caster sugar
a dash of vanilla
2 teaspoons of white vinegar
2 teaspoons cornflour

Method

Turn the oven to 150c fan forced (and really only fan forced for me when making a pavlova).

On some baking paper draw a 20cm circle using a marker and then turn the paper over and place onto a baking sheet (you need to be able to see the circle but you don't want to put it on top of it)

In a bowl of your mix master add the egg whites and beat until soft peaks form.

Then "rain" in (yes from a height slowly but not spoon by spoon literally like it is raining half of the sugar and then whip it for 8-10 minutes. By this time it should feel very smooth.

Take of the mix master and then add the cornflour, vinegar and the remaining half of the sugar (I know it sounds wrong but it works) and gently fold all of this in until combined.

Then place into the centre of the drawn circle on your baking paper and using a spatula or your preferred implement of choice press out until it meets the edges of your drawn circle and then flatten the top.






Pop into the oven and bake for 15 minutes and then turn the oven down to 120C and bake for a further 35-40 minutes.

Then and this is another unique thing take it straight out of the oven and allow to cool. None of this slowly cooling it down business.

So once cooled just top with whipped cream and your choice of fruit. We had just passionfruit for the first half (yes my husband and I ate half a pavlova between us in one sitting) and then the next night we ate the other half with passionfruit, blueberries and strawberries (well we aren't pigs really).

The taste was great, very moorish and so easy to make.

And so what about the logic about throwing in half the sugar at the end - well Genevieve says in her book that most unsuccessful pavlovas are because of the whisking. By using this method you will get a pavlova 4-5cms high and minimal sinking.

I can atest to that.

This will be my new and only way of making a pavlova and it will be a much more regular thing on our menu.