NOTES:
It's no coincidence the late Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, for whom the Pavlova dessert was named, is said to have been ethereal, delicate and slightly controversial. Her namesake, this simple confection, is a straightforward enough list of ingredients, but the end result is all about touch, finesse. And it has attracted more than its fair share of controversy. Two distinct neighboring countries take credit for invention and creation. For sake of staying neutral, we will say both New Zealand and Australia are to blame for the delicious Pavlova; an edible translation of sugar turned into cumulous clouds, it is one of the best low fat vehicles for seasonal fruit, whipped cream, sorbet, and ice cream.

Whether you hail from Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere, I hope you'll attempt this gorgeous recipe. It's a delightful dessert any time of year.

Working with Egg Whites
Sweet, crunchy, and meltingly soft, Pavlova is a reason for understanding the fickle, hard working, all-purpose egg white.

You create your best egg white-based confections when you know how to treat this important part of the egg. An egg white is pure protein. When room temperature to begin with, egg whites will grow bigger and stronger with whipping. For this reason it's best to start whipping egg whites on a lower speed, increasing incrementally as you get to the aspired consistency. I like to say I’m cajoling my egg whites into submission.

To achieve room temperature egg whites, take eggs out the night before you need them, or place in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes to take their chill off.

Make sure all bowls, hands, and utensils touching egg whites are as clean and free of random oils as possible. When separating eggs, crack in half and gently toss the yolk back and forth between the eggshell halves, dripping egg white out into a clean container. If a bit of yolk drops into your pristine whites, fish it out with a clean eggshell. Hint: if a bit of shell gets in, they will sink to the bottom and be easy to spot and hold back when it comes time to use the egg whites.

Not sure what to do with the leftover egg yolks? Most custards like pastry cream or stovetop pudding are egg yolk based.

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Pavlova
version one

Ingedients

The whites of 3 eggs
6ozs (170ml) Castor sugar
1 tspn cornflour
1 tspn vinegar
Pinch of cream of tarter

Method

Beat egg whites over a saucepan of boiling water, until light and the fluffy.
Gradually add sugar until all is disolved.
Add remaining ingredients.
Place waxed paper on top of an upturned cake tin and heap meringue on top.
Preheat oven to 250 F (112 C) and cook meringue for 5 minutes then turn the oven off until pavlova is cold.
Approximately 1 ½ hours.

Fill with whipped cream and fruit to taste.

Sourced from: the Ladies Social Committee, North Ryde Catholic Church "recipes of the International Luncheon" Melbourne Cup Day 3rd November, 1970, pg. 22

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PAVLOVA
version two
by Stephanie Jaworski: www.joyofbaking.com

For the meringue cake:

4 Large egg whites
1 cup Superfine (castor) sugar
1 tsp White vinegar
½ Tbs Cornstarch (corn flour)

For the topping:

1 cup Heavy whipping cream
1 ½ Tbs Granulated white sugar
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Fresh fruit - kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, peaches, pineapple, or the fruit of your choice
Preheat the oven to 250° F and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch circle on the paper.

Method

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the superfine sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold it in.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)

Bake the meringue for 1¼ hours or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container.

Just before serving, place the meringue gently on a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten the whipped cream with the sugar and vanilla; then, mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold for more than a few hours. Serves 6 to 8.

Sources: The Australian Women’s Weekly, “Sweet Old-fashioned Favourites”; Mary Berry’s Desserts and Confections; Aaron Maree’s 100 Fabulous Cakes and Tortes.