Pavlova - Recipe @ Home

It's been long since I last blogged. I've been away for about 2 weeks and just got back! Now it's time to blog again!! ^^

During the time that I was away, haven't visited any nice places nor search for any nice food... *sobs* What I did was taking up Feng Shui lesson, it's been 2 months now... Oh well, guess I'm back for good!!

Mum bought a new mixer and wanted to try out, thought of baking normal butter cake at first but I thought it's just so BORING!! Since I like Pavlova so much... I'll give it a try =D

Let's see how I did...

Pavlova w/ strawberry & golden kiwi

- INGREDIENTS -

Part A (Meringue)
4 Large egg white
1 cup of fine castor sugar (the finer the better)
1 teaspoon vinegar (may be subtituted with vinegar, lemon
juice, cream of tartar)

Part B (Topping)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 1/2 tbsp of granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh fruit - kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, peaches, pineapple, or other fruit of your choice

- METHOD -
In the mixer bowl, start of with egg whites and vinegar, make sure bowl is CLEAN greaseless. Beat the whip attachment on medium low speed until it foams up till the meringue holds soft peak. Start adding sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue to beat medium-high speed until the meringue holds very stiff peak. Test whether sugar has dissolved by rubbing between your fingers. It should not feels gritty of sugar.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper (baking paper, grease proof paper, or silicon paper) smoothing the edges. It doesn't have to be perfectly neat, but at least a nice flat top or with higher sides (you might want a slight well center to place whipped cream and fruits).

Put the meringue into the oven and drop the temperature to 120 celcius and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until outside is dry and takes on very pale cream color. Turn oven off and leave it to cool completely in the oven (about an hour or so).

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in cool dry place or airtight container for a few days.

Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar and vanilla and 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

Recipe reference from --->> joyofbaking.com