pavlova recipe : Perfect Pavlova Every Time

I have a big weakness for pavlova, for me it is the perfect dessert. A pavlova is heavenly any time of the year, but especially welcome in summer when there's abundance of soft fruit about.

Yet considering pavlova is made from just a few ingredients, it's surprisingly easily to get wrong. Common complaints range from being too dry or not dry enough, or the sugar leaks out or beads on top.

So if your idea of the perfect meringue is a crisp, chewy outer casing with a soft, fluffy marshmallowy middle, just follow these simple rules and get fantastic results that work like a dream every time.

THE RULES

1. Think SLOW & LOW (cook slowly at a low temperature)

2. Weigh the egg whites and use an equal quantity of sugar.

3. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. For best results use a mixer or hand held electric whisk and add the sugar a tablespoon at a time with the motor running.

4. Now add a sprinkling of cornflour and lemon juice or white wine vinegar (normally a teaspoon of each is all you need.)

5. Continue whisking until the meringue is glossy and resembles shaving foam.

6. Cook the meringue in a low oven. It's ready when the outside forms a crust and it peels away easily from the paper. Leave to cool down in the oven until cold.

7. Top with softly whipped cream and fruit. Strawberries and raspberries are always popular (and frozen berries work well if fresh aren't in season.) Thinly sliced kiwi fruit tastes as good as it looks or for something more exotic try mango and passion fruit.

I guarantee once you discover just how foolproof this recipe is, you'll be churning out pavlova's like there's no tomorrow.

Pavlova Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 egg whites (weigh them first)

Now add same weight of caster sugar

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp cornflour

1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

300ml double cream

350g soft fruits

Equipment:

Electric mixer

Greaseproof paper

Spatula

Tablespoon & teaspoon

Here's What You Do:

Preheat oven to lowest setting. 100C/200F/ Gas ¼

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Now add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, whilst you continue to whisk.

Now add a teaspoon each of cornflour, lemon juice, vanilla extract (if using) followed by the sieved icing sugar and continue whisking until the mixture is glossy white and resembles shaving foam.

Dab a blob of meringue onto each corner of the baking sheet, lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on top, pressing the corners into the meringue blobs to secure the paper and prevent it from moving about.

Spoon the meringue mixture onto the greaseproof paper and mound it into a circular shape about 20 cm in diameter, piling up the meringue mixture until it's approximately 5cm high.

Place on the bottom oven shelf and leave to bake slowly for 2½ -3 hours. The meringue is cooked when it forms a crust on the outside and can be easily peeled away from the greaseproof paper.

At this point, turn out the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool and dry out - preferably over night.

When you're ready to serve whip the cream to soft peaks and spread with a spatula over the meringue. Scatter the berries over the top and serve.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Uma_Wylde