# Pavlova....has anyone made this?? I've tried it twice



## pcheftina (Dec 26, 2007)

now and can't seem to get the merengue right....I am bound and determined to get it perfect...any suggestions??


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## Fincher (Dec 26, 2007)

Its important to have no fat in the egg whites, or clinging to your whip or bowl.  So when your breaking your eggs use a quarantine bowl.  So you break your whites into it, and if they stay seperate, pour the whites into another bowl.  that way if the yolk breaks you won't contaminate the entire batch.  even just a little yolk or fat in the whites will make a very unstable meringue.   here's a recipe below if it helps,  


Italian Meringue
sugar 1 lb
water  4 oz
egg whites 8 oz
salt  pinch
vanilla extract  1 tsp

combine 12 oz of the sugar with the water in heavy bottom sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to disolve sugar.  continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches soft ball stage  (240F)

meanwhile place the egg whites, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with a wire whip

when the sugar syrup has reached approximately 230 F  whip the whites on medium speed until frothy,  gradually add the remaining 4 oz sugar and beat the meringue to medium peaks

when the sugar syrup reaches 240F  add it to the meringue in a slow steady stream while whipping on medium speed.  whip on high speed to stiff peaks.  continue to beat on medium speed until cool.


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## Bilby (Dec 27, 2007)

pcheftina said:


> now and can't seem to get the merengue right....I am bound and determined to get it perfect...any suggestions??


What's wrong with your pav? It should be crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside.

Australia and New Zealand both claim ownership of the Pavlova.  It is considered a national dish here, and probably the same in NZ.  I haven't made one for years and can't remember which recipe I used.  Try this one
Classic pavlova - Recipe - Taste.com.au


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## pcheftina (Dec 27, 2007)

When looking at your recipe, I find that mine does not include the cream of tartar and cornflour (which I presume is known as cornstarch here in the US).  Also, my recipe calls for you to heat the oven to 400 and put the pav in and turn it off and don't open/remove for at least 4 hours.  I think I may have erred by leaving the light on, which apparently conducts some heat in the oven.  I was also told to put it on foil, not parchment/baking paper which also may have an effect.  Finally, I wasn't aware that the outside is supposed to be crunchy and the inside soft and marshmallow-y -- I thought it was supposed to be crunchy all the way through.  

I bake this on a baking stone -- could that also have an effect??  I was thinking of actually trying it directly on the stone without benefit of foil or parchment to see if that works.

You are much more experienced than I am at this, so I'll defer to your tutelage!!


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## Lynan (Dec 27, 2007)

I always use a baking sheet/baking paper. I believe that the baking stone would retain to much heat so do try the sheet/paper next time.
The recipe below says to ' add the sugar'. By that, he means add it ALL at once and beat until sugar dissolved and do use superfine/caster sugar. It does dissolve much quicker. Most recipes tell you to add sugar gradually but this does work and is so much quicker!
As a previous poster has mentioned, you must not compromise the whites with yolk or any fat/grease.
Shape the pavlova into a circle on the tray, about 3 to 4 inches high.

I like mine covered with unsweetened whipped cream, sliced strawberries and kiwifruit and fresh passionfruit drizzled over. Sometimes I prepare a jug of berry coulis also. It is also nice drizzled over a pavlova topped with just fresh berries.

Have a recipe for a Pavlova Roulade which I will post soon. I can have it made and on the table within an hour! 



Martin Boseleys Pavlova

230g egg whites (roughly 6 eggs) • 2 cups caster sugar • 1 tsp vanilla essence • 1 tbsp cornflour • 1 tsp cider vinegar • 2 tbsp water
_Heat the oven to 100°C. Prepare a flat baking sheet with a piece of non-stick parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites until firm and add the sugar. Beat the whites to a stiff-peak stage and add the vanilla. The meringue will drop slightly, but continue to whisk the whites until they are stiff again. Add the cornflour, vinegar and water and whisk for 5 more minutes. Shape the pavlova on the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova there for another hour to dry out._


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## Bilby (Dec 28, 2007)

Yeah, I'm with Lynan on the stone. No good for a pav.  With pavs, everyone here has their preferred way of meringue-ness. You do get crisp all the way through, all the way down to the consistency of a moist sponge with everything in between!  I'm sure it is the same in NZ as here.  It is such a common dessert that unless it is really "wrong", it just gets accepted however it comes out.  Generally most will tell a bought one from home made just on the lack of moisture in a bought one.  That's just meringue, not a pavlova.

Our cornflour is that squeaky flour when you rub it between your fingers - the stuff you would add to a soup as a thickener.

Lynan dresses her pav in the same way most here do - kiwi fruit, strawberries, passionfruit and lightly whipped cream (sugar optional). If you look further into the site that I posted, you will see there are a lot of recipes for pavlova.  This link below has some pretty pavlova photos.
Pavlova - Dessert

And this one has a brief blurb about its history - Pavlova Recipe & Photo - Joyofbaking.com


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