Pavlova

Strawberry Passion Fruit Pavlova

I was afraid of meringue for the longest time.  Mainly because I’ve heard so many dire warnings not to make meringue when it’s humid.  It’s almost always humid in the islands.  But I wanted to make Pavlova.  And Natasha,  our Australian friend and resident Pavlova expert, makes them all the time, no matter the weather.  Her meringue shell is crispy on the outside, soft and gooey inside.  Covered with a layer of whipped cream and topped with fresh fruit, Natasha’s Pavs are legend.

Natasha bring a Pavlova whenever she comes for Sunday lunch, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas.  Nat even brings Pavlova to the beach.  The Pav Queen has gotten us all hooked but she’s not always around, so I had to learn to make meringue.  And I had to do it without Natasha’s help since she flat out refuses to part with her recipe.

After some very tasty research, I’ve learned a few things.  Eggs are easier to separate when cold but egg whites whip up better at room temperature.  So I separate the eggs and then leave the whites at room temperature for half an hour before starting the meringue.  You’ll have all those yolks left over, so you might want to tackle custard at the same time.  Or you can do what I do and cook them up for the dogs.  Dogs love egg yolks.

It’s best to use superfine caster sugar (a.k.a. berry sugar); the smaller crystals dissolve more easily in the egg whites. If you can’t find caster sugar, just whiz some regular granulated sugar in the food processor for a minute or so.  You may find your meringue cracks a little as it cools.  Don’t worry, that’s normal.  The cracks will be covered with whipped cream.  Anyway, perfection is highly overrated and I like homemade desserts to look homemade (and the tropical fruit Pav below certainly looks homemade).

As for the humidity, I made a Pavlova for Devica’s birthday this weekend in the midst of a massive a rainstorm.  My Pavlova came out fine, no apparent ill effects.  But don’t pick up a large meringue with one hand.  It will shatter into pieces that are difficult, if not impossible, to patch.  I learned that one the hard way.

Tropical Fruit Pavlova

Pavlova

Be careful when separating the eggs; you don’t want a speck of yolk in there or the whites won’t whip up properly.  You can make the meringue base a few days before you need it and keep it stored in an airtight container.  But don’t put the Pavlova together until just before you serve it so the meringue stays nice and crisp.  As for the fruit, that’s up to you.  Strawberries, kiwi, passion fruit, bananas, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mango, and papaya all work well.

Natasha was willing to part with one tip…beat the egg whites for a long time, about 10 minutes.  When it comes to beating egg whites, 10 minutes is longer than it seems.   For that reason, I recommend an electric mixer unless your arms are in seriously good shape

4 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Fresh fruit for topping the Pavlova 

Preheat the oven to 250°. 

Put the egg whites in a copper, stainless steel or glass bowl and beat on low speed until frothy.  Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until the whites form soft peaks.  Start adding the sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Turn the mixer to high speed and continue beating the whites until they’re very stiff and glossy, about 10 minutes total.

Turn the beaten egg whites onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.  Spread them out to a circle about 7 or 8 inches in diameter.  Most recipes recommend drawing a circle on the parchment paper as a guide, but I find I can form a circle without too much direction.  You probably can too.

Make a bit of a well in the middle of the meringue to hold the cream.  Put the baking pan into the oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the meringue is crispy on the outside and has turned a light cream color.  Turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven to cool.

Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, then whisk in the vanilla and the powdered sugar.  Put the meringue base on a serving platter and pile the whipped cream on top.  Decorate the top with the fresh fruit and serve immediately.  Serves 8-10.

Tagged as: Dessert, passion fruit, pavlova, recipe, strawberry