It is named after the russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who was touring Australia and New Zealand in 1926. Both countries attribute themselfs the invention of this dessert.
Australians tell that Bert Sachse , chef at Esplanade Hotel at Perth , was the one who devised this dessert. Nevertheless, we can find a similar recipe in a cookbook entitled Rangiora Mothers' Union who was published in 1933.
There is even a recipe that appeared in a New Zealand's magazine in 1929.
The important part of this dessert is the meringue, it resembles a ballerina's tutu.
On top of the meringue it is usually added whipped cream and fruits. I will add strawberries and tangerines, but you can use the fruit that you like the most.
The meringue should be brilliat and white to resemble the ballerinas' tutu.
The meringue should be brilliat and white to resemble the ballerinas' tutu.
Ingredients:
For meringue:
- 4 egg whites at room temperature.
- 1 cup of powdered sugar (200 grams). I used normal sugar grinded with a food processor.
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch. (maizena).
- 1 pinch of salt.
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar.
For the filling:
- 400 ml whipping cream with 35.1 % or more fat.
- 50 g powdered sugar.
- strawberries and tangerines.
Preparation of meringue:
1. Take a big bowl , clean and dry. It should not have traces of fat or water to achieve a good meringue.
2. Eggs should be at room temperature and not too fresh. Separate the egg whites from the yolks . Keep egg whites in the cleaned bowl.
3. With the help of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they become white, then add cream of tartar. This would provide a firmer consistency and you will get a softer and creamier meringue.
4. keep on whipping until egg whites doesn't fall from the bowl when you turn it down.
5. Now you can start adding sugar, step by step. Don't stop whipping the whites.
6. Once there's only a tablespoon left to add, we mix it with corn starch and add together to the whites. Keep on whipping.
7. Now meringue turns bright, we stop whipping, add vinager and vanilla , then stirr with a spatula. (Corn starch and vinager make meringue more stable and does not crumble when we cook it in the oven).
8. Draw a circle of 20 cm diameter in a baking paper, this circle will be the size of pavlova, we can take a pan to draw this circle.
9. Turn paper down to prevent pavlova to touch the pencil drawing. (You can still see the circle) Place this paper on top of an oven tray, sprinkle some flour over it.
10. Spread meringue over the paper following the circle to have a rounded pavlova. On top of the pavlova leave a little gap to place the filling after cooking.
11. Preheat oven at 175 ºC, place the tray in the middle of the oven . Cook in oven for 1 hour and a half at 100 ºC until pavlova changes a little its colour, it turns a little toasted. This way it will be crispy on the outer side and creamy on the inner side.
12. Let pavlova cool in the oven. Leave the door slightly open. You can use a spoon as I did. See picture:
I left it cool overnight.
13. The following day take out pavlova, move it very carefully because it brakes easily.
Preparation of filling:
14. This filling should be placed on top of pavlova just ten minutes before comsuption, the reason is that meringue turns little by little softer once it has some cream on top.
15. Prepare whipped cream.
16. Place the whipped cream on top of the pavlova, then add strawberries and tangerines on top of the whipped cream.
This is the result :
My comments to the Recipe:
I found this is a stylish dessert , it is also fresh and delicate.
It has a delicious taste , crispy on the outer side and creamy on the inner side.
Here you have a link to my favourite cooking tools where you can find my spices grinder:
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