Classic Aussie Pavlova, my mum's secret recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between meringue and pavlova? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

Pavlova shell isn't crisp: is it humid? Pavlovas love to soak up moisture, so avoid making them on humid days. Egg whites won't whip: make sure your metal or glass mixing bowl is completely clean and dry, with no oily residue.

Once baked, you have to let it completely cool down in the oven, to prevent the pavlova from collapsing. Usually this takes about 3 – 4 hours. You can leave the pavlova in the oven overnight too. A baked and cooled pavlova can be kept in an airtight container, or even in the oven for up to 24 hours.

If you overbeat the mixture after adding the sugar, your meringue may crack and collapse during baking. To avoid this, only beat the mixture until the sugar dissolves – test this by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingertips.

The acid will actually help stabilise your whipped whites too. That's why we add cream of tartar to our pavlova recipes. If you use a little more vinegar in the meringue, you'll encourage a soft centre and a crisp shell.

"No one has embraced the pavlova like Australia or New Zealand. Both countries have different approaches, I think the Australian meringue is crunchier and the classic topping is cream and passionfruit. The New Zealand one is more marshmallowy inside with cream and slices of kiwifruit.

If you do happen to overbeat your meringue (which may end up looking clumpy and watery) you can try to save it by adding another egg white.

The pavlova should be white or slightly beige in colour, crisp to the touch and soft on the inside. If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour.

The extra air expands in the oven and can overstretch the cells of whisked egg white, causing them to break and the meringue to collapse. Whisk the egg whites until they reach peaks where the tip just flops over, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time.

Bake the meringue: Bake for 60 to 70 minutes for 1 large pavlova, or 50 to 60 minutes for mini-pavlovas. The pavlovas are done when the outsides are dry to the touch. The interior of a properly cooked pavlova should be marshmallowy. It's fine if cracks form in the crust.

Do eggs have to be room temp for pavlova? ›

Are cold or room temperature eggs better for pavlova? Room temperature egg whites will create a more stable and airier meringue. Remove eggs from fridge 30-60 minutes before using. Eggs are easier to separate when cold, so you can separate the eggs first then let them come to room temperature.

The cornflour helps the meringue to stay soft in the centre, to give the contrast of crisp crust and marshmallowy interior. If you are allergic to corn then we understand that you can use potato starch as an alternative.

The meringue collapsing is a result of dramatic changes in temperature either during baking or after. During baking, we slowly lower the temperature (see Bake Temperature and How Long to Bake) to encourage an ideal ratio between crust and soft centre.

Add in a teaspoon of maize starch to help stabilize the foam. Cracks & any bits of the pav that are weeping can be covered up with cream, fruit or fruit puree. If you think it really is a disaster break the pav into large chunks & turn it into Eton Mess.

Overbeaten egg whites: If you over-beat the egg whites, this can cause them to curdle and result in a pavlova that collapses after baking. The vinegar added to the egg whites helps the eggs to hold the air and stabilises the pavlova.

Named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, a pavlova is essentially a meringue cake made of whipped egg whites and sugar. It's perfectly light and crisp on the outside, ever so slightly chewy, and the middle tastes like a light, airy marshmallow.

There are three basic types of meringue: French, Swiss, and Italian. While they all use egg whites as the primary ingredient, each style has its unique preparation method that affects its texture and taste.

The outside of a pavlova meringue may not be quite as brilliantly white as a crisp meringue because of the higher oven temperature but it should not be buff coloured or dark brown. If the meringue is taking on too much colour then the oven temperature is too high.

Egg whites

Two of these proteins, ovalbumin and ovomucin, are the key to forming a perfect foamy meringue mixture. Whipping the egg whites agitates the proteins and disrupts their structure, causing them to unfold so the protein's interior surface is exposed, in a process known as denaturing.