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Perfect Pavlova

Show
Breakfast with Barr,
Presenter
Peter Barr
Published
Wednesday 8th December

This week, the Oxford English Dictionary dropped a bombshell – the first reference to Pavlova appears in a New Zealand publication, making it a creation of the land of the long white cloud, rather than an Australian one.

Is the meringue and cream confection lost forever or is this the beginning of a fight for the fluffy delight?

Luke Bolton joined Peter Barr on Breakfast sorted the matter out with University of Adelaide Food Historian Barbara Santich then cooked up a perfect pavlova.

Transcript

Pavlova with raspberry drizzle

4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon cornflour
300ml whipping cream
Punnet of strawberries
2 kiwi fruit
100gr chocolate bits
Cup of raspberries
1/3 cup caster sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180c.

On a large square of baking paper trace the circle of a spring form cake tin, placing on a large baking tray.

Place egg whites in mixing bowl and whisk on high adding sugar gradually until stiff peaks form.

In a separate small bowl mix vinegar, cornflour and vanilla essence and whisk into meringue beating for a further four minutes so it becomes thick and glossy.

Spoon onto baking paper just shy of the edge of the circle leaving it slightly shallow in the middle. Think ‘nest’ and you’ll have a place for the cream and fruit.

Reduce your oven’s temperature to 100c and bake for an hour then turn off oven, leave door ajar and leave to cool.

Make your raspberry drizzle by placing cup of raspberries, sugar and one cup of water in small saucepan and bringing to the boil.

Simmer for ten minutes then blitz and return to stove simmering to a sauce consistency.

Allow to cool.

Slide meringue onto serving plate then whip cream with a little sugar and vanilla essence and spread into the middle of meringue.

Add chopped fruit, melt chocolate and drizzle over top serving with raspberry sauce.