Mary Berry's Christmas Pavlova- Australia #127
Pavlova, a meringue dessert, is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It was created to honor the dancer after one of her tours to Australia in the 1920's. The meringue has a crisp crust and soft, light inside, usually topped with fruit and whipped cream. In this recipe a pastry cream fills the grooves made into the meringue, then topped with fruit.
Pavlova:
- 6 large white eggs
- 1-1/2 c. superfine sugar, aka caster sugar
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. corn flour
Filling:
- 2-1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or 1 T. vanilla extract
- 3-1/2 T. confectioners' sugar, sifted
Topping:
- 1/2 pt. strawberries, hulled & quartered
- 1-1/3 c. raspberries
- 1/2 pt. blueberries
- 3-1/2 T. pomegranate seeds
- mint leaves
- confectioners's sugar for dusting
- Pavlova:Preheat oven 300F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 12" circle in the middle. Draw a 6" circle in center.
- Put the egg whites in mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add sugar, a little at a time, whisking on maximum speed until stiff and glossy.
- Mix the vinegar and cornflour in a cup until smooth, then stir into egg whites.
- Spoon the meringue onto the 12" ring.
- Make a shallow trench for the cream and fruit.
- Transfer to oven and reduce to 200F. Bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours, until outside is hard but still white. Be careful, it can easily turn brown. Turn oven off and leave in oven for an hour or overnight to cool and dry.
- Filling: Whip the cream, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon the cream into the trench.
- Arrange fruit on top and decorate with mint. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
Results: Making the Pavlova is not difficult; the baking is the challenge. Patience is required. Being very watchful also helps. I learned the hard way, or should I say wasteful way. The first Pavlova came out brown, as did the second. As the saying goes, the 3rd time is the charm. I sat on the kitchen floor for 1 hour and watched that sucker bake. It worked. White! I kept it in the oven over night. The filling is easy. I didn't have pomegranate seeds, not really necessary.
Bottom Line: Delicious, Mate! Everyone loved it. It certainly is a show stopper.
Please share this blog with everyone you know. Thanks.
- Pavlova:Preheat oven 300F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 12" circle in the middle. Draw a 6" circle in center.
- Put the egg whites in mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed. Gradually add sugar, a little at a time, whisking on maximum speed until stiff and glossy.
- Mix the vinegar and cornflour in a cup until smooth, then stir into egg whites.
- Spoon the meringue onto the 12" ring.
- Make a shallow trench for the cream and fruit.
- Transfer to oven and reduce to 200F. Bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours, until outside is hard but still white. Be careful, it can easily turn brown. Turn oven off and leave in oven for an hour or overnight to cool and dry.
- Filling: Whip the cream, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon the cream into the trench.
- Arrange fruit on top and decorate with mint. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
Results: Making the Pavlova is not difficult; the baking is the challenge. Patience is required. Being very watchful also helps. I learned the hard way, or should I say wasteful way. The first Pavlova came out brown, as did the second. As the saying goes, the 3rd time is the charm. I sat on the kitchen floor for 1 hour and watched that sucker bake. It worked. White! I kept it in the oven over night. The filling is easy. I didn't have pomegranate seeds, not really necessary.
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