Foodie Blog

Pavlova

November 2010

It’s November 2010 and that means I am launching my next cookbook pavlova, the worlds first recipe book dedicated to New Zealand’s iconic national dish. Some recipe books write themselves but I tell ya… this one was hard work and though at times I was frustrated I learned to work within the bounds of the original recipe.

Here are a few tricks I learned to help you in your pavlova making endeavours.

Use a stainless steel bowl that is very clean
Use an electric mixer of electric beater with a good amount of power. A dated electric mixer may not have the grunt to aerate the foam properly.
Egg whites are fine to use at room temperature or chilled
For the maximum amount of height, separate the sugar into 2 and whisk in the first batch for 5-6 minutes. Fold through the rest of the sugar.
Take the time to shape the pav into a perfect disk shape with a palette knife.
Know you oven! If you know it to be hotter than normal, adjust the temperature accordingly.
Take it out of the oven after cooking time is up. No need to dry it our any further, it will just create more air space and a larger indent when the topping goes on.

Here are some tips to look out for when selecting a pavlova recipe to try:

Never add chopped chocolate to a pavlova and avoid making a recipe that has chopped chocolate in the cake ingredients (unless it’s a topping). Any fat like chopped nuts and chocolate will disrupt the foam and deflate it during baking.
Don’t attempt to make a pavlova if the photo of the recipe shows a white meringue without cracks. Food writers will often use a slow dried meringue for a perfect looking pavlova cake but yours will not turn out looking like that.
A pav doesn’t cook into a brick shape so don’t even try a recipe with an image like that.

I love the pavlova cake just the way it is, lightly browned, slightly cracked and with a small indent on top. In my book I use different flavours, topping and ideas to enhance the recipe as it is and not change it into something else. Check out the official book website at www.pavlovabook.com.

Available now in soft cover from all good bookstores in New Zealand, digitally on itunes and in UK bookstores from June 2011.

< Back to Blogs