Pavlova is a meringue dessert with a soft melt in the mouth texture on the inside and a light crispy layer on the outside. Go different and bake a pavlova for birthdays or special occasion dessert. It is such a fancy dessert that tastes so delicious that people are bound to be impressed😉
It is made with only a couple of ingredients; you can top it with some berries, mangoes, or some whipped cream and enjoy. I personally enjoy it with some fresh strawberries and blueberries. I made this for Canada day this time; a perfect dessert for a perfect occasion. Read my quick tips and get baking!
Quick Tips:
Make sure eggs are at room temperature for better results. Pavlova breaks after it bakes so be careful while cutting or handling it once it’s baked
The recipe calls for cornstarch but you can replace that with rice flour. I will write measurements for both. Some people say that you can replace it with all-purpose flour but personally, I would not recommend the same because it would not taste as good and will have that raw flour texture to it
The recipe calls for castor sugar. You can either get the store-bought version or simply blend some regular sugar at home and pass it through a sieve. Homemade castor sugar is ready!
Use a parchment sheet or foil to line the baking sheet. Make a tiny well in the middle that helps prevent cracking and I generally leave some peaks so that it looks like a pretty crown while it bakes. See my pictures below for ideas
The oven needs to be at a hotter temperature but we need to lower the temperature just when we are about to bake the dessert because it is very delicate and requires temperature falling while it cooks
You can top the dessert with fresh fruits, lemon curd, or some whipped cream. I personally enjoy it with some fresh fruits and no whipped cream otherwise I find it too sweet for me.
Ingredients:
4 Egg whites
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour (Alternatively; 1½ tsp rice flour)
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Optional Topping(s):
Fresh berries
Whipped Cream
lemon curd
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350℉ while you do the prep for pavlova
In a bowl add 4 egg whites. In a separate small bowl; measure and keep castor sugar aside (refer to quick tips above to see how to make it at home with regular sugar)
Using a hand blender or a hand whisk start whisking the egg whites. Once it starts frothing a bit, gradually add sugar and keep whisking till soft peaks form. Refer to the picture below
You will notice that the mixture is very shiny and white. It is supposed to look like this. I love the soft and shiny texture that eggs whites and sugar have when whisked together😍 Moving on; add cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla extract and gently fold everything together so that it is mixed well
Next, line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper. Tip: To hold the paper in place you can add a small amount of the mixture on all 4 corners of the tray and then your paper or foil will stay in place.
Using a spatula add the egg white mixture to the baking tray. Make a small well in the middle with soft peaks on all sides if you want it to make it look like a crown. You can smooth the edges if you prefer
Lower the oven temperature to 250℉. Place the baking tray in the oven and let it bake for about an hour. Turn the oven off and let it cool for 45-60 minutes. Do not open the oven else the heat will escape and it won’t bake properly. Pavlova will crack while baking but don’t worry it is supposed to be that way
Next top with your own choice of toppings and Enjoy!
Make this simple yet fancy dessert for your next party and let us know how it turned out. If you do try them, please share photos and tag Herbs_n_Garlic on Instagram.
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♥ Gurleen
