Pavlova
I find myself making Pavlova most often when I have leftover egg whites, usually after other recipes where I only use the yolks. It seems like a practical solution, especially since it doesn't involve complicated ingredients. Today, I made Pavlova again, starting with just a few leftover egg whites. I quickly went through the entire process, from meringue to decoration, without changing anything essential from what I know works.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including cooling in the oven)
Effective preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 65 minutes + slow cooling in the oven
Servings: 8-10, depending on slices
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: festive dessert with meringue and fruits
Ingredients
6 egg whites
A pinch of salt
350 g powdered sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
500 ml liquid cream
Vanilla essence or seeds from a vanilla pod
Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 kiwi
2 oranges
Preparation method
1. Separate the egg whites if they are not already set aside. Make sure there is no trace of yolk and that the bowl is completely clean, otherwise, they won't whip well.
2. Start beating the egg whites with a pinch of salt. When a fairly stable foam forms, gradually add the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing. Don't rush the sugar step to ensure the meringue turns out firm.
3. Continue mixing until you achieve a thick, glossy foam that doesn't fall out of the bowl if you carefully turn it upside down. Towards the end, add the vinegar and cornstarch and beat a few more times to incorporate well. The foam should be homogeneous, without traces of unincorporated sugar.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150°C. Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper, lightly greased with a bit of oil.
5. Place the meringue mixture in a piping bag or a bag with a corner cut off if you don't have anything else handy. Form a circle with a diameter of about 22-24 cm on the parchment paper. Leave the edges higher and create a dip in the middle, where the cream and fruits will go after baking.
6. Put the tray in the preheated oven. After 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 100°C and bake the base for about 60 minutes. It should be dry on the outside and white, not brown. The meringue should be crispy on the surface and softer inside.
7. Turn off the oven and slightly open the door. Let the meringue cool slowly, right in the oven, so it doesn't crack or soften suddenly. The base will be quite fragile after baking, so handle it carefully.
8. Whip the liquid cream with a little essence or vanilla seeds until you obtain a firm cream. No additional sugar is needed, as the base is sweet enough.
9. Once the base has completely cooled, place the cream in the created dip. Arrange the fruits on top – sliced kiwi, peeled and cut oranges, blueberries. You can leave the fruits whole or cut them into cubes, according to your preference.
10. If you have blueberry topping, you can pour it over the fruits at the very end. It's not mandatory, but it adds a tart flavor and a beautiful color.
Why I make this recipe often
It's one of the simplest solutions when I have extra egg whites. It fits for festive desserts, but it also works on an ordinary day if you're craving something light and fruity. It uses basic ingredients, doesn't require complicated techniques, and every step makes sense. Once I learned the timings for my oven, I had no more surprises.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don't open the oven door during baking, as you risk cracking the base.
Use powdered sugar, not granulated, for a smooth meringue.
Incorporate the vinegar and cornstarch only at the end, not from the beginning.
If using frozen fruits, let them drain well before placing them on the cake, otherwise, they will moisten the cream.
Substitutions
You can substitute apple cider vinegar with regular white vinegar or lemon juice.
Cornstarch can be corn or potato starch; it doesn't matter much for the final texture.
Fruits can vary – strawberries, raspberries, or mango work just as well instead of the above.
Variations
You can make mini Pavlovas in individual portions, shortening the baking time a bit.
Add a bit of grated lemon zest to the cream for a different flavor.
If you want, you can make a quick sauce from fruits and a little sugar for decoration.
Serving ideas
Serve the Pavlova immediately after adding the cream and fruits, so the meringue remains crispy.
If you want to decorate more festively, arrange the fruits in a circle around the edge, leaving the middle empty for visual effect.
It's a dessert suitable for meals with several guests or for special occasions.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I make Pavlova a day in advance?
The meringue base can be baked a day in advance, but the cream and fruits should only be added before serving, otherwise, the meringue will soften.
2. What should I do if the meringue starts to brown in the oven?
Lower the temperature and check after 5-10 minutes. If you placed the meringue too high, move it lower in the oven.
3. Can I use vegetable cream or powdered cream?
Vegetable cream or powdered cream doesn't have the same taste and texture, but it works if you have no other option. However, the classic recipe works with natural liquid cream.
4. If I have leftover fruits, can I mix them with the cream?
Yes, but if they are watery fruits, they might moisten the cream and ruin the texture, so it's better to use them as a separate topping.
5. Can it be made without cornstarch?
Cornstarch helps make the middle slightly chewy and the outside crispy. It can be done without it, but the meringue will be more fragile.
Nutritional values
Approximately, a medium slice (out of 10 portions) has around 230-270 kcal, depending on how much cream and fruit you use. Most of the calories come from sugar and cream. For one slice: about 35 g carbohydrates, 7 g fats, 3 g proteins. These values are indicative and can vary according to the type and amount of fruit.
Storage and reheating
Pavlova does not store well after adding cream and fruits, as the meringue absorbs moisture and becomes soft. The plain meringue base can stay dry, at room temperature, in a well-sealed box, for up to 2 days. Assemble with cream and fruits only before serving. Reheating is not recommended.
The egg whites are beaten with a pinch of salt, and when a foam begins to form, sugar is gradually added, just like for meringue. In the end, when the foam is ready, meaning you can turn the bowl upside down and it doesn't fall out and has a creamy, shiny consistency, we add vinegar and starch, mix well, and proceed to the next step... baking. We prepare the oven, meaning we let it heat to 150 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. We put the obtained mixture into a piping bag or a cornet (a bag with a hole at one end) depending on what we have on hand. We place a baking paper that we slightly grease with oil and form a circle, letting our imagination work; you can make little peaks like towers on this base, for example, but it is essential to create a dip in the middle of the base. Place the obtained base in the preheated oven, after 5 minutes reduce the temperature to 100 degrees and bake for about 60 minutes. After that, turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the base cool inside the oven. Be careful, this is a very brittle base (Great care during baking!). It also depends on each person's oven, but a base should be obtained that is dry and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, white in color (it should not turn brown while baking!). We whip the cream together with a vanilla essence or the seeds from a vanilla pod and place it over the cooled base, exactly in the middle of it. We arrange the fruits either cut into cubes, slices, however you like. P.S. I also poured a blueberry topping over the cake.
Ingredients: 6 egg whites, a pinch of salt, 350 g of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 500 ml of liquid cream, blueberries, 1 kiwi, 2 oranges, vanilla essence
