Family favourite- the pavlova.  The classic Aussie Pavlova!  I’m not letting those sneaky New Zealanders steal the ownership of Pav…it’s totally Aussie.

This is my mum’s secret recipe, I first shared it in December 2014 and the photos were beyond lacklustre.  So this weekend, when I went to Healthy Little Foodie’s house for lunch…I took a Pavlova.

My kids love it, I love it and well, I haven’t known anyone to try the class Aussie Pavlova and not like it.  Topped with whipped cream and the brightest, most colourful fruit you can find, it is a transportable dessert before you dress it- I carried it 56 minutes on my lap in the car!

I love my meringue crispy and slightly squidgy on the inside. That’s how it is meant to be.  I made the meringue the day before we are going to be eating it and dress immediately before serving.

Now here’s a secret: I dropped this getting it onto the plate!  I carried it 56 minutes in the car over countless speed humps, around bends and through roundabouts and literally managed to drop it getting it onto the plate minutes before this photo.

But that isn’t my worst ever pavlova story.  Once I said I would bring a pav.  I baked it, left the oven ajar, so the meringue wouldn’t crack…picked up the kids, came home, slammed the oven shut and cranked it to 220 to cook a leg of lamb.

Within about 20 minutes, an acrid burning smell filled my kitchen. But, I was in a newborn fog, Master 6 was a newborn bub and I thought it was just the oven…then I looked inside and saw the charred remains of my beautiful pavlova.  I could pretend it was the hormones…but I just cried and cried!

This recipe has been around in my family for yonks. Get it in your family celebration repertoire…now!

Yield: 10

Classic Aussie

Print

Pavlova

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 egg whites
• 70 grams of caster sugar per egg white so 350 grams of caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cornflour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 120 degrees celsius.
2. Prep a piece of baking paper by placing a dinner plate on it and tracing around it. Flip the paper over. Put it on a baking tray.
3. Whip the egg whites in an electric mixer until thick.
4. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, ensuring to whip it in completely before adding the next.
5. Add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and continue to whip for a further 5 minutes.
6. At this stage the mixture should hold stiff peaks and be able to be turned upside in the bowl, if it can’t, whip it for a few minutes more.
7. Fill in the centre of the circle on the baking paper then move to the outer edges, trying to create a crown. Lift up the peaks with a fork to make them high.
8. Bake at 120 degrees for 1 hour then allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar for another hour.
9. Dress just before serving.