Pavlova Cake

Pavlova is an iconic Aussie dessert (even if it did originate in New Zealand) but it is also a different way of producing meringues. These can be used to make small cakes or sandwich layers for spectacular puddings and even as biscuit (cookie) toppings.

The mixture is also more stable than a basic meringue mix, thanks to the starch content, and is therefore less likely to go wrong.

In fact, follow the recipe given and you really can't go wrong (or can you?).

The gram/ounce conversions below are not exact, so use one or the other

Ingredients

3 egg whites*
85g (3oz) caster (superfine) sugar
40g (1.5oz) granulated sugar
half tbs cornflour
half tbs vinegar

Method
Preheat the oven to 110°C/225°F.

Whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until you have a mix that is smooth and glossy. It will be quite thick at this stage and will lift into a soft peak as you remove the whisk.

Fold in the granulated sugar, followed by the sifted cornflour and the vinegar. 'Folding' means using a wooden spoon to lift the mix from the bottom and turn it over. Do this once, give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Keep doing this until the ingredients are fully incorporated, but don't overdo it. You want to maintain as much volume as possible.

Use the base of a 20cm (8 inch) cake tin to draw a circle on a square of baking parchment** and spread the mixture on it. This gives you a guide. If you can do this by eye, and any chef should be able to, so much the better.

If you prefer, drop spoonfuls of the mix on to the parchment to make individual meringues.

Bake for 2 hours without disturbing. Then turn the oven off and leave the meringue inside it to cool.

You can now decorate it with whipped cream, fresh fruit and so on, which will give you a pavlova cake. Individual meringues can be sandwiched together using cream, or used as a topping for desserts.

*Ensure there is no trace of yolk in the whites, or the meringue will not lift.

** It is important to use proper baking parchment, or a non-stick baking tray. The meringue will stick like glue to grease-proof paper and you don't want to allow oil or butter to get anywhere near it.

print this recipe

First published on Qassia