What you see here is NOT the way a Pavlova is supposed to look. There’s not supposed to be but a hint of brown on the meringue – it should be a swirled cloud of white foam, baked to perfection in the oven and left to sit for hours or overnight, then just when you’re serving it, you add the bed of whipped sweetened cream and fresh fruit.
It was many long years ago that our friends Jean and Jack made a Pavlova for one of our annual book group meetings. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven it was so good. Feathery light, with the whipped cream swirled around the inner-indented center, and it was piled high with cut strawberries, kiwis and blueberries. So colorful. And SO good. I’ve made it several times since then. I should have gone to my file and found their recipe for it. I was just lazy.
In this instance, I was reading someone else’s blog (I won’t embarrass her by saying which one) and reading her recipe for a Pavlova just got me hankering to make one. It would be a great use of some of the peaches I have on hand. I glanced at this particular recipe, didn’t think much about it, followed it and after 20 minutes in the oven I knew there was a problem. The meringue was already brown. I turned the oven off at that point and left the shell to sit overnight. I emailed the other blogger and asked – oh, she apologized – she’d made a mistake – as written, her recipe said heat oven at 400° instead of 200°. Big difference, and I should have known better. It’s just that it’s been years since I made a Pavlova and my mind went blank, I suppose.
When I removed the shell from the parchment paper it immediately cracked (it was over-baked, of course). But I pieced it back together and made do. You can see one of the cracks in the front center of this photo. I made the shell with Splenda instead of sugar, that way my DH could have a couple of nice wedges of it. He thoroughly enjoyed it. So, this recipe below is the adjusted one – corrected for temperature. The calorie count assumes you use sugar. If you use Splenda the calories go down by half. I can’t say that I could taste the difference using Splenda – the fruit and whipped cream are really the stars of the show; it’s just that it’s done in a different format.
What I liked: well, I like Pavlova anyway – just the sheer simplicity of it, even though you have to plan ahead one day. Love the whipped cream and fruit too. I think it’s the texture contrast that I like the best – the crispy meringue shell with the luscious whipped cream and then fresh fruit. It’s the same flavors and ingredients as my super-simple Meringue Mixed Berry Parfaits (also called Eton Mess) where I use Trader Joe’s ready-made meringue cookies, whipped cream and the berries (or other fruit) and vanilla ice cream. The Pavlova makes a very spectacular presentation – be sure to show guests how pretty it looks!
What I didn’t like: I guess the plan-ahead aspect – you do have to make the meringue many hours ahead, or the day before. The meringue shell is super-fragile too, but that can’t be helped.
printer-friendly PDF . . . . . or MasterCook 5+ import file – click to run MC or right click to save file
Pavlova with Fresh Fruit
Serving Size: 8
NOTES: Use whatever fruits you have available – summer fruits are the best, but really you could use canned peaches, fresh bananas, kiwi slices, and blueberries. Strawberries are also a favorite.
MERINGUE:
4 large egg whites — at room temperature (they should not be cold – important!)
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup Splenda Granular — or superfine sugar (if you don’t have superfine sugar process regular granulated sugar in a food processor until fine, but not powdery)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
CREAM:
1 1/4 cup heavy cream — chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
TOP:
fresh blueberries and peaches
A few fresh mint leaves — optional
Powdered sugar — optional
1. Preheat the oven to 200°. Set rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl (the bowl should be clean and absolutely dry!). Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy.
3. Add the vinegar and cornstarch. Continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the sugar (or Splenda) gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time, continue beating until the mixture is glossy and stiff, about 5 minutes. To check if the mixture is ready: lift the beaters – if the mixture holds its shape as a pointy peak that stays on the beaters, it is ready. Add the vanilla extract and beat just until blended.
5. Line the bottom of a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. Invert a 9 inch plate onto the parchment paper. Draw a circle around it with a pencil. Turn the paper over. You will use the circle as a guide for your meringue border.
6. Using a rubber spatula, gently spoon the meringue mixture onto the parchment paper and spread it to cover the circle. Thin out the center. This is where you will spoon the cream.
7. Bake, without opening the oven, for 1 hour and 40 minutes, until it is glossy and hard to touch. Remember – the shell should remain white! Turn off the oven and leave the shell to cool in the oven, without opening the doors, until it has cooled completely, at least 2 hours. (The cooked meringue will be crispy on the outside, yet marshmallow-tender on the inside).
8. Carefully peel the parchment paper from the meringue and transfer it onto your cake stand.
9. Meanwhile, prepare the cream: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream with sugar until thick. Spoon the mixture evenly into the center of the baked shell. Top with mixed berries or stone fruit, kiwis, etc. Decorate with fresh mint leaves. Sift some powdered sugar on top. Serve immediately. Assemble Pavlova right before serving!. If you do this earlier, the meringue shell soaks up the moisture from the cream and will collapse when you cut the cake.
Per Serving (using Splenda, and doesn’t include the fruit): 145 Calories; 14g Fat (84.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 51mg Cholesterol; 41mg Sodium.
Leave a Comment!