Nothing like a Pav.....

 

     Actually, this is a Pavlova and for me at least, it is heaven on earth. Both New Zealand and Australia claim that it is "their invention" and I tend to side with New Zealand, primarily because that is where I first tasted it and after having lived in NZ for a year, I must admit I am biased. The dessert is named after the Russian Ballerina Anna Pavlova and was created for her visit to  New Zealand and Australia.

     A "Pav" is basically a huge meringue that is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. It is surprisingly light despite the fact that it looks so rich. Any holiday meal or celebration in New Zealand in considered incomplete without a pav, so maybe you would like to try one for your next gathering. The idea of a meringue may be intimidating, but once you get the feel for it, they are easy to prepare and look fabulous with the fresh fruit arranged on top. Below is my recipe which is an adaptation of a recipe from the "Edmonds Cookery Book" I purchased on a visit to NZ. I wanted my Pavlova to be really high, which is reminiscent of an amazing Pavlova I once had at Christmastime during the year my daughter and I lived in the Nelson area on the South Island of NZ. So, while the proportions are the same as in Edmonds, the amounts are different in order to make the larger meringue.

PAVLOVA

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Get out a cookie sheet(preferrably not an Airbake sheet) and cover the sheet with parchment paper.

5 egg whites

1 1/2 cups caster sugar*

1 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

5 TBS. cold water 

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla essence #

4 1/2 TBS. cornflour+

* (superfine sugar), you can get away with regular white granulated sugar

# pure vanilla extract

+ cornstarch

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff, add water and beat again. Add sugar very gradually while still beating. Slow beater and add vinegar, vanilla and cornflour. Spread the pavlova into a 9 inch cylinder on the parchment paper. IT WILL DEFINITELY SPREAD IN THE OVEN! Try to keep the top as even as possible. Bake pavlova for about an hour until the top is slightly G, B and D(golden, brown and delicious) and clearly crispy.(See the photo above.) Turn off the oven and let the pavlova cool in the oven.

Carefully transfer the pavlova to a large plate.

Whip 2 cups whipping cream with 2 TBS. sugar until firm peaks form.

Spread cream evenly over the pavlova and arrange sliced fruit of your choice on top. In NZ and Australia, they often drizzle passionfruit pulp which is delicious but very difficult to come by here in the US. I typically use sliced strawberries and kiwfruit, raspberries and blueberries or blackberries.

Some of my family here for Easter dinner! :)

Enjoy your pav...and I bet you can't stop at just one slice!            

yours in baking-

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