Pavlova

The dessert, named after ballerina Anna Pavlova, is very popular throughout Australia and New Zealand. On her world tour of the 1920s, Anna Pavlova visited both countries. This ballerina is so sweet, a chef has made a soft textured cake topped with cream and chunks of passion fruit, kiwi and strawberries on top.

What do you need :

• The meringue shells are a super simple mixture of eggs, sugar and vanilla essence, with a little vinegar and cornstarch added to make them fluffy AND crunchy. A few quick notes on these ingredients:
• Eggs – For best results, be sure to use room temperature eggs. We used chicken eggs for this recipe, but duck eggs are absolutely amazing if you can get them!
• Sugar – We recommend castor sugar, aka super-fine sugar. It dissolves into the egg whites faster and will give you the smooth texture you are looking for.
• Vinegar – The acid in the vinegar helps the egg whites to expand and retains any air that enters. Plain white vinegar (or white wine vinegar) is best, but you can substitute apple cider vinegar, cream of tartar, or apple cider vinegar. even lemon juice in a pinch. We don't recommend strong dark vinegars like balsamic or malt as they tend to add a strong flavor to the meringue.

How to make Pavlova:

1. It's an EASY method of making pavlova that we call 2-4-6-8, because of the speed settings used to get the glossy meringue mixture we're looking for! You can make it in a Kitchenaid Mixer, a regular stand mixer, or a bowl mixer with a hand mixer and gradually increase the speed setting to get it just right.
2. Place your egg whites in a mixing bowl and attach the beaters to a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Start by whipping them at Speed ​​2 then move on to Speed ​​4 after a few minutes.
3. When the egg whites turn to bubbly soft peaks, increase the speed to 6 and add the caster sugar and cornstarch, then increase to Speed ​​8 for 10 – 12 minutes until you get a smooth, glossy meringue mixture.
4. Now lower the speed to 4 and pour in the vinegar and vanilla essence. You may need to scrape the meringue from the sides of the bowl occasionally with a spatula to make sure it's combined. Let stand for 1 minute then turn off the mixer.Pour the glossy meringue mixture into a baking sheet that has been lined with baking paper and forms a flat circle. Flatten or get creative with decorative patterns, twists, or loops. Place in the oven and bake for an hour to an hour and a half until the meringues are crisp and crunchy on the outside with a soft golden sheen. When the outside is hard and dry, and cracks start to appear at the top, you're ready to go. Turn off the oven and let the pavlova cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar.
5. When the pavlova cools, pour your cream into a cleaned mixing bowl and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. When your pavlova has cooled, place the bowl back on the stand mixer (or take your hand mixer) and beat the cream on Speed ​​6 – 8. Add the sugar and vanilla essence and continue beating until the cream thickens and holds a nice shape.
6. Sprinkle your chilled pavlova with whipped cream and fruit slices, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Pavlova Topping Ideas

When the magic happens when you bake the pavlova in the oven, you'll have plenty of time to plan your toppings. Here are some of our favorite topping combinations to get you started!

• Classic: strawberry + kiwi fruit + passion fruit + cream + icing sugar
• Mandy's favorite (thanks to Sarah's Wanderum): banana + kiwi fruit + passion fruit + cream
• Berry Elegant: strawberry + raspberry + blackberry + blueberry + cream
• Choc Top: nutella + strawberry + cream
• Fruit goodness: blueberry + mango + passion fruit

Also, whatever you do, don't skimp on that whipped cream. Spread a nice thick layer over your pavlova, and make yourself a great base for your fruit and extra decadent for your plate.