New Zealander recipe
How to make Pavlova
New Zealand or Australia, early 20th century
A large round of meringue, crisp outside and soft like marshmallow inside, topped with whipped cream and fruit such as kiwifruit, strawberries and passionfruit. It is the classic dessert of a summer Christmas.
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- 250 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 ml cream for whipping
- 3 kiwifruit, sliced, a handful of strawberries and the pulp of 2 passionfruit
Method
- Heat the oven to 150 °C. Draw a 20 cm circle on baking paper and put it upside down on a baking tray.
- Beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, beating well after each, until the meringue is thick and glossy.
- Gently fold in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla. Spread the meringue inside the circle, a little higher at the sides.
- Put it in the oven, turn the heat down to 120 °C and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside with the door slightly open until completely cool, about 1 hour.
- Just before serving, whip the cream, spread it over the top and arrange the fruit and passionfruit pulp on it.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
It is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured both countries in the 1920s. A recipe called 'pavlova cake' was printed in New Zealand in 1929, but Australia also claims the dessert, and the friendly argument goes on.
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