Pavlova
As I mentioned in my previous post, I baked and created a few things for Billy’s food styling workshop. He requested a pavlova for us to style. I couldn’t let the guy down, but I was freaking out as the only pav I made had a big hole in the middle and I filled it with copious amounts of cream so no one would be any the wiser. This time, I was bringing a naked pavlova, so I couldn’t hide my failures at all.
I told my friend Alana my dilemma, and she was very kind enough to share her recipe which she uses. She got it from her Mum, and her Mum got it from a chef “a gazillion years ago” … Or was it a “bazillion” ? I can’t remember 😛
Thanks to Billy for styling this shot for me 😉 I did rearrange baubles though, as I have this bad habit of restyling things people have styled. Toddy always mocks me for it :p
Between my outings on Saturday, I popped it in the oven, and then realised I had to be out the door in an hour. Fail. When I came home after dinner, I could see it was hollow, but the top was still in tact. I felt a bit gutted, so decided I would make another one. Surely Billy wouldn’t mind if I brought along TWO pavlovas!? … Luckily I did, funny story I’ll get to later!
SO, just after MIDNIGHT, the second pavlova went into the oven, and I had to entertain myself whilst it baked. At 2am, I turned off the oven and trotted off to bed, hoping it would be better. It also was a bit hollow but the top was okay. I think I need to play with my oven temperatures, or cook it for longer. The recipe below will probably vary for your oven too.
If all else fails; crumble it and make an eton mess!
Billy went to take a pav out of the container to style, but it basically crumbled in his hands due to the hollowness. LUCKILY I had made two, so I gently placed the “back up pav” on the plate instead 😛 I used the crumbled one to create this messy eton mess …. delicious! 🙂
Pavlova
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
pinch of cream of tartar
225g caster sugar
5ml vinegar
10g cornflour
a dash of vanilla extract
Softly whipped cream
Seasonal fruit of your choice
1. Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C fan-forced
2. Whip egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
3. Beat in half the caster sugar, 1 tbs at a time, and whip until stiff.
4. Carefully fold in vinegar, cornflour, vanilla and remaining sugar.
5. Trace around a side plate onto baking paper and place on an oven tray. Shape pavlova mixture within the circle shape and bake in oven for 1-1.5 hours.
6. Turn oven off, jam a wooden spoon in the door so the heat can slowly escape.
7. Cover with softly whipped cream, and fruit of your choice.
Cara @ Gourmet Chick
Agree with you that a broken pavlova is the best excuse for Eton mess ever – even if you class this as a failure it looks delicious (great bauble placement as well!)
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Wow, I’ve been doing it wrong forever. I made my first pav years ago after my husband told me it was “impossible to make a successful pavlova the first time.” The recipe I found called for egg whites and caster sugar and it was perfect. I’ve never added anything else to it. If it’s really humid it will weep but otherwise it’s pillowy soft inside and has a crunchy edge.
I might have to try this recipe just to see what I’ve been doing wrong. 🙂
Joanne T Ferguson
G’day and WOW Shellie! Looks terrific, true!
Can you believe I have never made a pav, but your photos and recipe now inspire me to do! Thank you!
Cheers! Joanne
leaf (the indolent cook)
I like the look of your Eton mess! Very artfully arranged. 😀
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
It’s not that easy to make it so it looks so beautiful. Great work.