Wed, 8 August 2018
Summer Pavlova
Ingredients:
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
5g corn flour
½ teaspoon white vinegar
Method:
Separate the eggs.
Use a nice, clean mixing bowl. Make sure it is not greasy and make sure it is dry.
Place the egg whites in the mixing bowl and switch the mixer on to setting two.
Mix for 2-3 minutes and you will see that the eggs becoming frothy.
Add the sugar one dessertspoon at a time and you will see the mix changing from frothy, to a hard, glassy look, to finally a glossy, velvety look.
The test is that if you turn the bowl upside down, the mix is so stiff that it doesn't move.
As a last step, add the vinegar and corn flour and mix gently for 30 seconds on setting one.
To bake, use a flat baking tray and cover it with baking parchment.
If you want a formal shape, then use a greased baking hoop a 10" circular will work here. If you do use a hoop, you can gently remove it half way through the baking.
I prefer to do this free hand and to make a large rectangular shape on my baking parchment with the help of a good spatula.
Pop this into a preheated oven.
It's a low temperature: gas mark 3/140°C for about 70-80 minutes.
The colour will have changed from gleaming white to a pale beige.
Leave the pavlova in the oven to cool and when you're ready to dress it, gently slip it off the baking parchment on to your presentation dish.
To dress this, use lots of whipped cream, fresh fruit of your choice and chocolate curls or crumbled chocolate flakes.
I like to spread the cream all over the top & pile the fruit up in the centre; it looks far more dramatic.
After you have sprinkled the chocolate flakes/curls, give a light dusting of icing sugar just before serving.
