Pavlova - help

tudybobs

I was wondering if anyone had a foolproof meringue recipe for a pavlova!?!
Every year we have christmas dinner at my sisters house but she is heavily pregnant with her third child and is due on the 18th December. We still plan to have christmas at her house as it is the biggest but we don't want her to do anything at all. My mother is going to cook the roast and my other sister is going to do the veg and I have been put in charge of pudding. As tradition we always have trifle, christmas pud and a pavlova to choose from but the pavlova is normally shop bought. I've decided I want to attempt to make my own but everytime I've attempted to make meringue in the past its gone brown. The thing is there's so many different recipes out there, some say to add cornflour, others say to add vinegar etc etc... I was just wondering if anyone had an 'old faithful??'
Thanks ever so much this would be very much appreciated. xx

mrs_thrifty_2

Hello

My favourite recipe for Pavlova comes from Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book. I will write it out in a minute. First I need to tell you that yes it will come out a little bit off white but I think that's homemade v shop. I have made this recipe into individual pavlovas and large very successfully ; once making over 30 individuals for a Golden Wedding celebration! Here's the recipe and I've added a few tips of my own. Good Luck!

4 egg whites
8oz caster sugar
1 and a half tsp cornflour
1 and a half tsp white wine vinegar

Preheat oven 150C/ 300F/Gas 2

Lay baking parchment on a tray and mark on it rough size for your pavlova
9-10 inches

Whisk egg whites until stiff, add sugar a teaspoon at a time and whisk in on full speed. This is really important as it makes or breaks it! When all the sugar is in, blend cornflour and vinegar in a small cup and whisk into maringeu mixture. Spread the mixture onto the baking parchment, making sure that the sides are higher than the middle.

Place in oven. Bake 1-1and a half hours until firm and pale beige. turn off oven and allow them to become cold . I like to cook them in the evening and then once I've turned off the oven I leave them all night in the oven.

Remove from baking tray onto serving plate. Fill with whipped cream and fruit. Leave in fridge until 1 hour before serving.

scuzie

Hi, this is a really great recipe and very simple and very impressive.

When you make it just remember that it has to cool in the oven so don't plan on making anything else until it is finished (will need a couple of hours). The good thing with this one is that if it cracks it doesn't matter.


http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=211

Good luck!:T

Irisheyes648

I second the nigella one it's the only one I use and never ever lets me down its all soft and marshmallowy in the middle yum.

haylibo

Another vote for nigella. Can be made ahead.x

divadee

this is so spooky as my mums best friend has just sent me her pavlova recipe and it is the best i have ever tasted!! Everyone comments on it and she says its so easy, The secret she says is very fresh eggs and whisk whisk whisk!! here it is

4 or 5 Large Fresh Eggs
10 ozs Castor Sugar
1 Tea Spoon Vinegar
1 Tea Spoon Vanilla Essence

Beat Egg Whites until Very Stiff, You should be able to cut it with a knife.

Add half the Sugar.

Beat again until Very Stiff.

Add rest of Sugar, Vinegar, Vanilla Essence.

Beat again as before.

Grease a baking tray and line it with grease proof paper.

Slightly wet a circle on the paper.

Pile on the Meringue and shape into a Round (about 4-5 ins high).

Bake for 10 Minutes Gas Mark 3 ( 175 )

Then reduce to Gas Mark 2 (150) leave for a further 20/30 Minutes.

I am making one of these today!! if you use this recipe let me know how you get on

tudybobs

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies. I was just wondering how far ahead these can be made? I will put the filling in fresh on the day but was wondering if I could make the actual meringue earlier?

taketwo

I vote for the Mary Berry one, it is very forgiving if you get distracted and forget to turn the oven off!! (Hmm)

I have made it a couple of days in advance, but find storage a problem - I don't have anything airtight big enough so wrap it in clingfilm which has never been a problem, but I worry about making it too far in advance! You can freeze merangues, but you have to have space in the freezer not to squash it!

Make sure you put it on the serving plate before putting the filling in as you'll never transfer it in one piece once full!

I think they are really easy, but for some reason you get loads of brownie points coz people think they are hard! The funniest experience last year was getting DH to make it while I did southern fried chicken with the egg yolks, and then listening to him at the party talking to my aunt about why hers were always too powdery, "Do you add enough cornflour and vinegar?"