Pavlova is a traditional New Zealand recipe for a classic tall egg meringue topped with cream and fresh fruit that's typically served for Christmas and which figures amongst New Zealand's national dishes. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic New Zealand version of: Pavlova.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Pavlova is a Kiwi Christmas classic! With its crisp meringue shell and soft fluffy centre, it's a light dessert, perfect for summer celebrations. Top with fluffy whipped cream and seasonal fresh fruit for a showstopping dessert!
The recipe for a lofty meringue cake evolved slowly in both Australia and New Zealand, but the name arrived in 1935 when Bert Sachse, chef at the Esplanade Hotel in Perth, named his cake in honour of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Chef Sachse later acknowledged that the recipe he used was from a 1929 cookery book, The New Zealand Dairy Exporter. So this is a New Zealand dessert, but with the name coined in Australia.
Ingredients:
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
400g caster sugar
1½ tsp vinegar
1½ tsp vanilla essence
1½ tsp Cornflour
whipped cream and fresh fruit, to decorate
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 150˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and draw a 20cm circle on the paper with a pencil. Turn over the baking paper so that the pencil line doesn’t transfer to your pavlova.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, then add the sugar very gradually while still beating. Keep beating for 5 minutes until the sugar is completely.
Reduce the beater speed and add the vinegar, vanilla and cornflour.
Pile the meringue in the centre of the circle and use a spatula to spread it out to the edge of the circle keeping it as round and even as possible.
Make a slight dip in the top.
Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for 45 minutes, then turn the oven pff, prop the door closed with the handle of a wooden spoon and leave the pavlova to cool in the oven overnight.
Using two spatulas, carefully lift the meringue onto a serving plate and fill the central depression with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
