Christmas has come and gone, and we've been enjoying some lovely time with family. From the better-late-than-never file, here's our Christmas pavlova. I've been working on tweaking the cooking times and temperatures to get a more consistent bake. Pavs can be notoriously tricky to get right, so if yours isn't as pretty as you'd like, rest assured it's nothing that a good slathering of whipped cream and some fruit wont cover.
Summer Pavlova
6 egg whites
1.5 cups caster sugar
1.5 tablespoons maize cornflour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1.5 cups cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
an assortment of seasonal fruit for decoration
Preheat the oven to 125deg. C and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
In a scrupulously clean beater bowl, beat the egg whites using a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
In a bowl, combine the caster sugar and cornflour.
Add the sugar mix to the whites 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well in between each addition. The mixture will turn silky and shiny as the sugar is added. It should be very thick and stand up in peaks when the beater whisk is raised. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, add the vinegar and vanilla and beat until it is incorporated.
Using a large spatula, spoon the pavlova mixture onto the lined baking sheet.
Form it into a nice high round disk shape.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 125deg. C., then turn the oven down to 100deg. and bake a further 1 hour.
After the hour is up, turn the oven off and leave the pavlova in there to cool.
Once it's totally cold transfer it to a serving plate. If you don't think it will come off the paper in one piece, leave it on and trim the paper neatly around the edges.
Whip the cream until thick, then fold in the second measure of icing sugar and vanilla. Spread it on the pavlova and add as much fruit as you would like.
Here's our Christmas dessert spread: Pavlova, Pineapple Cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse, Raspberry Tiramisu and Sherry Log.
Have a lovely holiday season with your family and friends xx
This is a variation on that great New Zealand dessert standby, the pavlova. I love pavlova: so simple, so delicious, and excellent for feeding to gluten free guests, just make sure you use actual corn-flour, not wheaten cornflour. Anyway, inspired by some layered versions I have seen lately, I decided to add some freeze dried raspberry powder into the mix and layer it up with some seasonal strawberries. Baked in a little over 1 and a half hours, it made for a great dinner party dessert. If your a Christchurch resident, you will find the raspberry powder at Rayward Fresh in Harewood.
Raspberry Summer Fruit Pavlova
It all starts with a standard pavlova mix.
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
2 - 3 tablespoons freeze dried raspberry powder
250ml cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 punnets of strawberries
Preheat the oven to 125deg. C and line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.
Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Ensure the bowl and whisk attachment are spotlessly clean. Any grease will stop the egg whites from foaming up.
Combine the caster sugar and cornflour.
Add tablespoon lots of the sugar mix into the egg whites and beat well after each addition. The mixture should be smooth, glossy and thick enough to keep its shape when stirred.
Take the bowl from the mixer and fold the raspberry powder through the meringue.
Place equal amounts of meringue into two round shapes of equal size. I left the top one looking rustic and lumpy looking.
Bake at 125deg. C for 20 minutes. Then turn the temperature down to 100deg. C for the remainder of the cooking time.
Leave to cool on the tray for about half an hour before transferring the bottom layer onto a serving platter. Do this by cutting the paper in half so you can lift the first pavlova up supported by one land underneath. Place your other hand, fingers spread, on top of the pavlova. Quickly invert the pavlova, then peel the paper from the bottom. Place the first hand onto the base and invert again. Gently place on the serving tray. If this all sounds too freaky, then you can just put the pavlova, paper and all - trimmed around - onto the serving plate.
Whip the cream and icing sugar until stiff. Remove the leaves and stalks from the strawberries and chop into quarters depending on their size.
Fold 2/3rds of the strawberries through 2/3rds of the cream and spread onto the pavlova base. Place the top half of the pavlova on top and spread with the remaining cream .
Pile the remaining strawberries on top and your done! A simple, cheap and easy dessert that everyone will love.
Pavlova is such a great kiwi favourite. It reminds me of hot summers, happy family times and Christmas' at the farm. As you all will be aware they are quite a tricky thing to get right, but there is usually no fault that can't be disguised with a generous slather of cream and a sprinkling of fruit. I made this one for a dinner party with friends. I have to confess that the previous one I made was rather last minute, and when the man-of-the-house needed the oven at a higher temperature it succumb to the heat and ended up rather flat! The great thing about pavlova is that, though the look may not be perfect, the taste is very forgiving.
Pavlova
6 eggs - separated and at room temperature
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 150 deg. C. normal bake setting. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Carefully separate the eggs. A single speck of egg yolk in the white will stop them from fluffing up. Make sure the mixer bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean.
Beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until soft peaks form. If they are over beaten at this stage they will appear dry looking and wont whip to full volume with the sugar.
Combine the caster sugar and cornflour. Add this to the egg whites in 3 tablespoon lots, beating well in between each addition to incorporate the sugar.
Once all the sugar has been added beat for another 5 minutes. The sugar should be all but dissolved. Add the vinegar and vanilla and beat for a few seconds to mix.
Pile the pavlova mixture onto the lined tray and smooth into a round disk. It important to build in plenty of height, as the pavlova will settle out in the oven.
Place the pavlova on the centre rack in the oven and leave for 45 minutes before turning the oven temperature down to 100deg. C for a further 1 hour. Then turn the oven off and leave the pavlova in to cool.
It's a good idea to leave it overnight, just don't forget it's in there and turn the oven on again!
If you can remove the Pavlova from the paper onto the serving plate then that's great, but if it looks like it will break up, then just put the whole thing on the plate and trim the paper accordingly. If you have pinking shears, they make a pretty zig-zag edge.
Don't worry if the sides crack, just stick them back on and pile it with whipped sweetened cream and your choice of fruit. Raspberries are lovely in season, and kiwi fruit are a NZ classic.
The best part of the baking is of course, licking the mixer whisk afterwards.
I served the pavlova with a delicious raspberry puree. Little Miss 4 and her buddy loved the crunchy bits from around the outside the best!
Add the sugar mix to the whites 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well in between each addition. The mixture will turn silky and shiny as the sugar is added. It should be very thick and stand up in peaks when the beater whisk is raised. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, add the vinegar and vanilla and beat until it is incorporated. 
Using a large spatula, spoon the pavlova mixture onto the lined baking sheet. 
Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 125deg. C., then turn the oven down to 100deg. and bake a further 1 hour. 
After the hour is up, turn the oven off and leave the pavlova in there to cool. 
