How do you like your eggs is a pretty common question, but how do you like your Pavlova is an equally interesting question. Some people like them crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Other people like them brittle and crisp all the way through. I like mine with a marshmallow soft centre and a delicate crispy crust. I think your answer will strongly depend on the type of Pavlova you ate when growing up. My Mum was a fantastic Pavlova maker. Now, my Dad has now taken over the reins and he too always makes the most perfect Pavlova. He has a little routine when making them and says it takes exactly fiteen minutes to prepare, which is as long as it takes for his oven to preheat. He uses his own fresh eggs (always at room temperature), his special egg separator, and his trusty Kenwood hand mixer, which is probably older than me. He is very fond of whisking egg whites Ainsley Harriott style, which involves holding the bowl up high, moving it about and practically dancing around the kitchen 🙂 A lot of love goes into these pavlovas! I made my Dads recipe last night and it was absolutely delicious. I made this Pavlova a little bit more exotic with some tropical fruit. Really, this is one recipe you have to try, as this pillow soft Pavola is the best around.
Ingredients
- 3 Egg Whites
- 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp cornflour
- 6 oz of castor sugar
- Small carton of cream
- 1 Papaya
- 1 Mango
Method
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Begin by lining a large baking sheet with greaseproof paper. In a large clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are light and fluffy. Next, add the cornflour and the vinegar. Whisk again and then gradually add the castor sugar, whisking all the time. Once the sugar is incorporated and your eggs whites form glossy stiff peaks you are ready to go. Using a spatula, spoon the meringue onto the lined baking sheet. Form into a rough oval shape and leave a slight indentation in the middle to make room for the cream. Place the Pavlova in the oven for 30 minutes. At this point my Dad suggests switching off the oven and letting the Pavlova rest in the oven overnight. I was a little impatient however, and took mine straight out of the oven and waited for it to cool. I think leaving it in the cooling oven is a better idea though, as my Dad’s Pavlova never have any little cracks and mine did!
As soon as the Pavlova is fully cool, use a long sharp knife and slide it under the base of the pavlova, then gently ease it off the paper onto a serving dish. Meanwhile whip the cream and peel and slice the fruit into strips. Spoon on the whipped cream and garnish with the fruit pieces and some fresh mint. Best served straight away.
