Monday, January 9, 2012

Pavlovas with a Twist of Colour!!....

 
Pavlova is a meringue dessert with a crisp crust and a soft interior. It is a dessert created to honor Anna Pavlova (from Russia)  who was one of the most famous ballet dancers of the late 19th century.

The origin of this dessert is still a controversy between Australia and New Zealand. In both countries, this dessert it is considered an essential of their national cuisines.
 
I like pavlovas. It is a dessert that can be combined with different fruits, creams, and custard; thus, everytime we can have a unique creation.

Usually, I make berries, apricots, or lucuma pavlovas. Nevertheless, I saw one design that was beautiful with colours in its outside that I wanted to try (you can see the original here). It is very easy to make. I did it with my daughter, and we had fun doing it. If you have your own pavlova recipe, then do it using yours. 
 
Recipe adapted from taste.com.au
6 egg whites
1 1/3 cups caster sugar
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Food colour

Preheat oven to 200°C for 6 minutes, then reduce it to 100C.

On a baking paper, draw a 8-10 cm (diameter) circle. Turn around the paper (with the pencil-side down) on a baking tray, and dust it lightly with cornflour.

With a mixer, beat egg whites along with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar in a rainy motion, until thick and glossy. In between the sugar, add the corn flour. When all the sugar has been dissolved, fold the vanilla and vinegar.

Place the meringue onto baking paper, and shape it into a circle. Make a very high sides (usually pavlovas tend to sink).

In each pavlova, add dome drops of food colour, and with a toothpick swirl through the mixture.

Put it in a oven at 100°C. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off the oven, and leave the pavlovas inside with the oven door open. Cool the pavlova in the oven (pavlova may sink during cooling).

Filling

Berries
1 cup of whipping cream
1 cup of mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and vanilla seeds
Icing sugar
Cardsmom seeds (crushed)

Beat the whipping cream until is firm. Add the sugar (as you desire), cardamom, vanilla and vanilla seeds. Fold in the mascarpone.

Distribute on the pavlovas, and decorate them with fresh or frozen berries......ENJOY!!

I'm thinking to use yellow drops for a maracuya or mango and mascarpone filling, and green for matcha and mascarpone filling.....What would you use?

 
I will explain a technique for obtaining a deep hole. I have made this Pavlova with Lucuma and cream. Distribute your pavlova mix in a circle, and from the sides lift up to create a crater.


Pavlovas usually sink, but as you can see below, it is still pretty high

This one was filled with Lucuma and cream....(Yes....I love lucuma....more recipes of lucuma here)
 

1 comment:

  1. I am sure it tastes wonderful with lucuma. i wish i was there to taste it! I am no craving some pavlova :)

    Have a blessed weekend.

    ReplyDelete