The Diva That Ate New York //
The Diva That Made Pavlova

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Diva That Made Pavlova

Fresh passion-fruit!!! That was what I was excited about when I booked my trip to Australia. Specifically fresh passion-fruit squeezed all over my favorite dessert — Pavlova. A crispy on the inside, soft on the inside meringue cake, topped with whipped cream and assorted fresh sliced fruit finished with the passion-fruit. I brought my craving all the way from New York and my friend Catherine and I sated it today. We whipped up a divine “Pav” (that’s Aussie for pavlova!)

This is adapted from Annette Kesler’s recipe that my friend Catherine found in the South African magazine, “Fair Lady”, in an article titled: “Cooking With Annette – A Chantilly Pavlova”

Pavlova

Ingredients

• 6 extra large egg whites
• 1.75 cups (400g) sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) vanilla extract
• 2 tsp (10ml) vinegar
• 4 tsp (20 ml) corn starch
• 1.5 cups of cold, heavy cream (300ml) (approx.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2Tbsp (20g) sugar(optional)*
• Fresh Fruit (suggestions)
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Kiwi fruit
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Passion Fruit
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Pretty much any fruit you desire.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Line a a sheet pan with parchment paper or waxed paper. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Beat in 60 ml of sugar for a few seconds until the egg whites are shiny and glossy.

Fold in remaining sugar, vanilla, vinegar, corn starch and beat the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy. Spread meringue mixture in a circle in 20 cm circle.building up the sides higher than the middle. Bake for 1.25 hours. open the door to the oven and let the meringue dry for a half hour.
Cool and carefully place the meringue on a platter.

When meringue is cool, whip cream with optional sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form and then continue slowly until stiff, being careful not to over-beat.

Spoon whipped cream on top of the meringue evenly. Slice and arrange fresh fruit on top of the cream. If you have it, slice fresh passion-fruit and squeeze it all over the other fruit. Go nuts!!! I have never been able to just eat one slice!

*Personally, I don’t use the sugar because the meringue is already so sweet.