I married an Australian. So over the last four and a half years, I've been submerged in history, lingo & down-under culture. While he is living here with me in Canada, I do try to maintain a certain level of Australiana in our house. Lingo like 'bench' instead of 'counter', the consumption of much more lamb (which I, in all honesty, hadn't tried until we were married), and Aussie tv-shows on not-oft-watched cable channels...
So, when we had company staying with us back in January, I took it as the perfect opportunity to try a recipe from a cookbook by Margaret Fulton that I had recently gotten for Christmas (which we, incidentally, spent in Australia). I had never tried making Pavlova before, but just looking at pictures of it intimidated me. How could something so extravagant looking, so decadent, be easy to make? Then I really read the recipe... I had most of the ingredients... so why not? Besides, my grandmother always said my mother & I could whip a perfect meringue out of thin air.
It was honestly one of the most delicious and simple, decadent and easy desserts I have ever made. Crispy and light and sweet on the outside, and moist, dense and marshmallowy on the inside. Topped with strawberries & passionfruit (a bit pricey in these parts, but TOTALLY worth it) and whipped cream... I think heaven is made of meringue.
Pavlova
(from the cookbook "Margaret Fulton's Kitchen")
6 egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of salt
2 cups caster sugar*
1-1/2 tsp vinegar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups whipping cream
pulp of 3 passionfruit
1/2 punnet strawberries, hulled & halved
Preheat oven to 400°-410°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray and mark a 23cm circle on it to use as a guide (the pavlova will spread a little).
In an electric mixer, beat the egg white sand salt at full speed until they stand in stiff peaks. Sift the sugar and gradually sprinkle into the egg white mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until all sugar has been added. Lastly, fold in the vinegar and vanilla. Spoon large dollops inside the circle on the baking sheet and smooth over the top lightly. Place in the oven (reducing heat to 300°F) for 1 hour. Turn off the heat, and leave pavlova in the oven until cold. If using a gas oven, bake at 300°F for 1 hour, reduce heat to 250°F for a further 30 minutes and then turn heat off and leave the pavlova in the oven until completely cooled.
When the pavlova is cooled, slide onto a large, flat cake plate, removing the baking paper. Don't worry if it collapses slightly, you should also expect cracks on the surface. Whip the cream until stiff but still shiny and spoon over the top of the pavlova. Spoon passionfruit and strawberries over the cream and serve.
*Caster sugar is a fine grain sugar. In these parts, you can find it at the Bulk Barn but if you can't find any, regular sugar works fine. (I used regular sugar for the pavlova in the picture above and it turned out fabulous.)
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So, when we had company staying with us back in January, I took it as the perfect opportunity to try a recipe from a cookbook by Margaret Fulton that I had recently gotten for Christmas (which we, incidentally, spent in Australia). I had never tried making Pavlova before, but just looking at pictures of it intimidated me. How could something so extravagant looking, so decadent, be easy to make? Then I really read the recipe... I had most of the ingredients... so why not? Besides, my grandmother always said my mother & I could whip a perfect meringue out of thin air.
It was honestly one of the most delicious and simple, decadent and easy desserts I have ever made. Crispy and light and sweet on the outside, and moist, dense and marshmallowy on the inside. Topped with strawberries & passionfruit (a bit pricey in these parts, but TOTALLY worth it) and whipped cream... I think heaven is made of meringue.
Pavlova
(from the cookbook "Margaret Fulton's Kitchen")
6 egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of salt
2 cups caster sugar*
1-1/2 tsp vinegar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups whipping cream
pulp of 3 passionfruit
1/2 punnet strawberries, hulled & halved
Preheat oven to 400°-410°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray and mark a 23cm circle on it to use as a guide (the pavlova will spread a little).
In an electric mixer, beat the egg white sand salt at full speed until they stand in stiff peaks. Sift the sugar and gradually sprinkle into the egg white mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until all sugar has been added. Lastly, fold in the vinegar and vanilla. Spoon large dollops inside the circle on the baking sheet and smooth over the top lightly. Place in the oven (reducing heat to 300°F) for 1 hour. Turn off the heat, and leave pavlova in the oven until cold. If using a gas oven, bake at 300°F for 1 hour, reduce heat to 250°F for a further 30 minutes and then turn heat off and leave the pavlova in the oven until completely cooled.
When the pavlova is cooled, slide onto a large, flat cake plate, removing the baking paper. Don't worry if it collapses slightly, you should also expect cracks on the surface. Whip the cream until stiff but still shiny and spoon over the top of the pavlova. Spoon passionfruit and strawberries over the cream and serve.
*Caster sugar is a fine grain sugar. In these parts, you can find it at the Bulk Barn but if you can't find any, regular sugar works fine. (I used regular sugar for the pavlova in the picture above and it turned out fabulous.)
