To end the year on a high note, I decided to share a very special recipe.
Pavlova was one of the first desserts I tried to make on my own. It was love at first sight – its texture is in a league of its own, and its taste is nothing to scoff at either. Besides, it is quite a versatile treat, as it works well with different flavors, from the fruitiest to the chocolatiest.
Even though it seems simple in theory, there are many things that can go wrong when you try to make one. So that you can bake the perfect pavlova, here are a few tips:
- It is vital that all the sugar is dissolved in the meringue before baking. To test it, you can get a small spoonful of the meringue and run it between your fingers – if you feel any grains, you must keep beating. This will ensure the pavlova keeps its structure.
- The eggs should be kept at room temperature since this facilitates the whole process. Egg whites that are kept in the fridge have a harder time reaching stiff peaks.
- The mixer’s bowl, whiskers, and any containers used to place the ingredients must be impeccably clean because any traces of impurities can also delay the process.
- Lastly, above all, be patient with your pavlova. Respect the mixing time, the baking time, and the resting time.
I hope these guidelines will help you make a lot of amazing pavlovas. In 2023, you can count on a lot of surprises in this blog, with a ton of recipes and, for sure, a ton of pavlovas!
“Classic” Pavlova
with wild berries and whipped cream
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 4 egg whites (at room temperature)
- pinch salt
- 140 g white sugar
- 140 g powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp white vinegar
Whipped Cream
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 150 g wild berries
- powdered sugar
Instructions
Pavlova
- Grease a tray and line it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 200 º C.
- In the mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they reach stiff peaks.
- One spoonful at a time, add the sugar to the egg whites. Keep beating until it is fully incorporated, creating a meringue.
- Mix the powdered sugar with the cornstarch. Slowly add this mixture to the meringue, the same way you did in the previous step.
- Lastly, pour in the vinegar and beat a little more. The meringue should be completely smooth, without any bits of undissolved sugar.
- With a pencil, draw a circle of about 20 cm in diameter on the parchment paper.
- Using a spatula, transfer the meringue to the tray, using the circle as a guide. Smoothen the top of the pavlova.
- Place the tray in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 100 º C. Bake for about 2 hours. Then, turn off the oven and let the pavlova cool down inside it for at least another 2 hours.
Decoration
- Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, slowly adding the sugar in the process.
- With a spatula, spread the whipped cream on top of the cooled pavlova. Decorate with a piping bag.
- Finish the decorating by placing the wild berries on the whipped cream and topping them off with a bit of powdered sugar.
Notes
To get a pavlova with nicely shaped “walls”, before you bake it, make sure to use the back of a spoon to mold them with an up and down motion.
