26 December 2012

Plate Up. Pavlova




Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday shared with those nearest and dearest. I indulged in a seafood lunch with oysters, prawns and crab (my absolute favourite) before a more traditional dinner of turkey and ham. Needless to say, last night I was suffering from quite a food coma! Here's a little something to add to your overload, just in case you're looking for a snack today (unlikely!).

I don’t know about you, but I think it doesn’t get much better than summertime and the delicious desserts that come along with it, not to mention the divine fruit selection – mangoes, stone fruits, cherries…

The thing about being a food blogger, is that everyone turns to you for the best recipes and expects delightful dishes whenever they come around! Another thing is that I’ll be merrily cooking something up for a party and in my passion and tasting delight, I often forget to take pictures along the way. Oops. Please forgive my missing picture of the mini pav’s out of the oven, I promise they look delish.

As you can see, I love to serve mine crushed in a dessert glass with some seasonal fruits and cream. Some of my favourite Christmases and summer parties have ended with pavlova and now yours can too with this simple recipe!

What you’ll need
4 eggs whites
1 cup of sugar
½ teaspoon vinegar
Pinch of salt

What to do
Preheat oven to 120 degrees Celsius and line 2 baking trays with paper. Now I usually say fresh is best, but not when it comes to pavlova. Make sure your eggs are older, it will really make a big difference to you dessert. Place egg whites, vinegar and salt in a bowl and, using a hand beater, beat on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add in a tablespoon of sugar at a time, beating continuously, until all the sugar as been incorporated and the mixture is stiff, white and glossy. (Note: if your arm is aching by this point you'll know you've done it properly!) Gently dollop your meringue onto your lined baking trays – you should make 4 fist-sized rounds on each tray for a total of 8 mini pav’s.

Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes or until your meringues feel firm on the outside but if you press they crumble to reveal a soft centre, this should be just before they start to brown, they should still be perfectly white. Switch the power off and leave to cool in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve whole or crushed with your choice of fruit and cream. I love mine with fresh raspberries, whipped cream and a drizzle of passionfruit pulp. The perfect summer dessert!

Photos by Krissie.