How to Make Pavlova

Pavlova is a traditional Australian and New Zealand dessert dish. The dish's invention is claimed by both Austraila and New Zealand, leading to quabbles between the two nations. Legend says that it was created in honour of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova on her visit to Australia and New Zealand for a ballet tour early in the 20th century. Regardless of who invented it, it's a fabulously fluffy and soft meringue dessert that can be graced by many different yummy toppings, such aswhipped cream, strawberries and kiwifruit.

Ingredients

4 egg whites (room temperature eggs) Pinch salt (optional) 155 gms/2/3 cup caster sugar (this is super fine white sugar) 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 3-4 drops pure vanilla essence (extract) 1 tablespoon hot water 300 ml/ 1 1/4 cups double cream (heavy or clotted cream) for topping Strawberries, kiwis for topping; possibly passionfruit (optional selections of fruit)

Steps 1. 1
Assemble the ingredients.

2. 2
Preheat the oven at 150C (300F).

3. 3
Prepare a baking tray (round or rectangular is fine, as long as it's large enough for a dinner plate sized circle). Place baking paper or foil on the tray to prevent the mixture from sticking. Since this dessert is quite prone to sticking, if you are using foil, lightly spray some oil on it. The baking paper alone should usually suffice without spray.

4. 4
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Keep the yolks for a different recipe, or make an omelette later.

5. 5

Beat the egg whites with a food mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes, or beat with an egg whisk, until stiff peaks form. If using the salt (optional), add it at this step.

6. 6
Add the sugar, vinegar, vanilla and hot water to the egg whites. Use light mixing strokes to mix in these ingredients, so as not to overbeat the mixture (this could make it chewy).

7. 7

Smoothed out & rounded

Spoon the mixture onto the tray when soft white peaks form. Pavlovas should be round with a little hollow that takes the cream and topping, so it helps to imagine that you're making a nest shape. It should be approximately dinner plate roundness in size.

8. 8
Smooth out the circle and then create a small indented hollow in the centre, with slightly raised edges. If your shape is on the wonky side of circular, don't worry too much about how accurate the circular shape is - creative misshapes are permissible as long as the topping stays put.

9. 9
Pop into the centre of the oven. Cook for 60-70 minutes, or until crisp. Don't let it overbrown; it should be an off-white colour on the outside.

10.

10

Prepare the toppings while you wait; whip the cream so that it forms soft peaks; slice your strawberries and kiwis or other toppings. If there's time left, research the origins of the pavlova and make up your own mind about who invented it.

11.

11

Remove the pavlova from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

12.

12

Place the cooled pavlova on a serving dish and prepare to add the toppings.

There's a tradition to turn the pavlova over and decorate the base because it is said that this side is less crisp. Sometimes this reason is actually a nifty cover-up trick for little cooking mistakes like over-browning the top and the easy answer is - to turn it upside down... It's a personal choice. The pavlova centre will quickly lose its initial crispness anyway because of the whipped cream and topping.

13.

13

Add the whipped cream. If you're patient, spread it out to the edges evenly; if you're impatient, just dollop it on.

14.

14

Add the fruit toppings or other topping ideas (see Tips below). Another popular tradition is to drizzle freshly opened passionfruit over the top of the pavlova, just by itself on the cream or over both the cream and fruit topping.

15.

15

Serve. The beauty of a pavlova is in the eye of the creator; everyone else just wants toeat it. Don't be surprised at how quickly your creation disappears.