February 8, 2010

Pavlova

pavlova

This year for Australia Day we did something very traditional, we ate Pavlova and threw thongs. It was such a lovely day that we decided to have a few friends over for a bbq and of course, beers. The day was fantastic, the sun shone and the beers were cool, just the way I like them.

cut Pavlova

We feasted on our bbq and then held the first annual thong throwing competition. Now, my backyard is not massive by any stretch of the imagination, so the good old throng throwing competition where the furthest thong wins was probably not a good idea. Just for the shear fact that the neighbors probably would have gotten annoyed if we kept coming over to retrieve our wayward thongs. So instead I came up with a cleaver plan, it would involve concentration and accuracy. I set a bucket up a fair distance from the thrower, and whomever got the most amount of thongs into the bucket would win. You would think the person who invented the game would be fairly hard to beat.....sadly I was an easy walkover, and was only beaten to last place by Daz. But I suspect he threw the game because he knew last place was in for a cherry ripe!

thong throwing

The winner was announced, after a sudden death face off. Some how no one else had managed to get any thongs into the bucket, except for Miss Coco Chanel and Mad Scientist who both managed to get three in each. After a nail biting last round, Miss Coco Chanel came out the victor.

winning prize

We then all went inside to the comfort that only air conditioning can give on a hot summers day and devoured an entire Pavlova. You can tell a pavlova is good when the only thing you can hear is the crunch of the crispy shell and muffled moans coming from the eaters. I was pretty pleased with myself, the actual Pavlova looked magazine worthy and the inside was just perfect, marshmellowy and heavenly. Daz thought that the crispy shell needed to be thicker, but I guess you cant pleased everyone. The only thing that would have made the Pavlova better was if it was covered in ice cream, I don't know if it would still be technically a Pavlova if it was covered in ice cream.

pavlova piece

Pavlova (I used a Donna Hay recipe with a few very minor modifications)
Serves 8–10.
INGREDIENTS

150ml eggwhite (approximately 4 eggs)
Pinch of cream of tartar and
Pinch of Salt
1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), sifted
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
½ cup passionfruit pulp (approximately 4 passionfruit)
250g strawberries, hulled and halved
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F).

METHOD

1. Place the eggwhite in the bowl of an electric mixer with cream of tartar and salt, whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well, until the mixture is stiff and glossy. This may take a while, at least 5 minutes
2. Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk until just combined. Shape the mixture into an 18cm round on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Reduce oven to 120°C (250°F) and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

3. Turn the oven off, open the oven door and leave ajar and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.

pavlova shell

4. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Spread over the pavlova, top with passionfruit and strawberries and serve immediately.

* You’ll know when the meringue is stiff and glossy because the mixture will have tripled in volume and stands up when the beaters are lifted.
* The low heat puffs up the meringue while the long cooking time dries it out to give you a lovely crisp shell.
* Store your pavlova, undressed, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

pavlova2

19 comments:

Fiona said...

the pav! so fruity!

Agnes said...

That is a STUNNING looking pav, Maria! Absolutely gorgeous.

Arwen from Hoglet K said...

That is a beautifully decorated pav! I love the way you've put on so many kinds of fruit. I'm with Daz on the thick crust actually - I like a very chewy inside on my pavlova too.

CC11 said...

I'm such a sucker for pavlova - yours looks gorgeous - mine never turn out that thick :(. Hubby would have thrown the game for a cherry ripe too.

penny aka jeroxie said...

So much fruity goodness! yum

Conor @ HoldtheBeef said...

Well, this is weird. I was thinking this afternoon about pavlovas and how I would like to see a blog post about one soon as I hadn't seen a pav for a while, and here you come with one. Can you bring me the winning lotto numbers too?

Shame about your crap thong throwing skills but you more than make up for it with pav prowess!!

OohLookBel said...

Oh my gosh, that pavlova looks amazing. Love the height and the decoration. Pavlova is the one thing I go for when eating at a leagues club bistro - they know how to make good ones, too!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Lovely pavlova you have there I must say! :) And lol at throwing thongs, that's a new one for me :P

Megan Gordon said...

Well when I first read that you threw thongs, I was thinking thong underwear...and I was trying to figure out how the pavlova fit in :) Oh boy...that's what you get for reading food blogs late at night. Lovely recipe--thanks (I love Donna Hay!)

Anita said...

I think your pavlova is totally magazine worthy!! I haven't made one still.. I'm a bit scared I'll cook it too much or not enough...

Unknown said...

That's a beautiful looking pavlova right there!!!!

Iron Chef Shellie said...

Awesome looking pav!!
Feel like some now actually.

I have never thrown thongs... but perhaps I shall have to remember this for next Australia day!

Anonymous said...

That is one gorgeous looking pav! I remember the first time I had it, a teacher in class made it coz I told her I've never had one before. I fell in love ever since!

Online Degrees said...

That is a beautifully decorated pav! I love the way you've put on so many kinds of fruit. I want to taste it!!!

Adrian @ Food Rehab said...

hehe throwing thongs? I might do that next Aus day. This year I spent it at the tennis.

Oooh...that pav's lookin good!

Sook said...

Oh wow! All the fresh fruit on the cake looks so good!!

Julia @Mélanger said...

Oh my gosh. That's one of the most impressive pavlovas I've ever seen. That slightly crispy outside and marshmallow centre would have tasted divine - especially with all that fresh fruit.

Amy @ cookbookmaniac.com said...

Pavlova is one of my fave things to eat. I nearly had a hearty heart attack when I saw this! I have been afraid of making it, fearing that I will ruin it and waste all those good egg whites. Perhaps one day I will pick my confidence up off the floor and give this a good aussie go.

Jetsetting Joyce (MEL: HOT OR NOT) said...

OMG this is an insane cake! I loooove pavlova and yours is incredible.

Jetsetting Joyce