Okay, guys, let’s talk about making a pavlova. I tried making one of these bad boys the other day, and let me tell you, it’s way easier than it looks. It’s just a big ol’ meringue, really. But fancy. The kind that has a crunchy shell and a soft, marshmallow-y inside. I don’t really know how to bake, but I still tried this recipe.
So, first thing I did was grab my ingredients. Needed egg whites, sugar, and some cornstarch, I think? Yeah, cornstarch. And some vinegar. I dumped the egg whites into a bowl and started beating them with my electric mixer. You want to beat them until they’re all foamy and form stiff peaks.
Then, I slowly added in the sugar, like a spoonful at a time, while still beating the mixture. Gotta keep the mixer going, or else it all goes to heck. Once all the sugar was in, I beat it some more until the mix was glossy and thick. Like, really thick.
After that, I sprinkled in the cornstarch and the vinegar and gently folded them in with a spatula. I say gently because you don’t want to knock all the air out of your meringue. Gotta be careful.
Next, I lined a baking sheet with some parchment paper and spooned the meringue onto it, making a big circle. I made sure to leave a little dip in the center. Then, I popped it into the oven.
Now, here’s where it gets a little tricky. You gotta bake it at a low temperature for a long time. I baked mine for like an hour and a half at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, I turned off the oven and left the pavlova in there to cool down slowly. Figured that would help prevent it from cracking.
The Toppings
- Whip the cream
- Get the fruit ready
While the pavlova was cooling, I whipped up some cream. Just heavy cream and a bit of sugar. Then, I chopped up some fresh fruit. Strawberries, kiwi, you name it. Whatever I found at the market, really.
Once the pavlova was completely cool, I spread the whipped cream over the top and piled on the fruit. It looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. And it tasted even better! Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, just like it’s supposed to be.
I heard it was named after some Russian ballerina from like, a hundred years ago. Anna Pavlova. Apparently, it was made during her tour in Australia and New Zealand. Pretty cool, huh? So yeah, if you’re looking for a dessert that’s easy to make but looks super impressive, give the pavlova a try. You might surprise yourself!