I’m a big fan of impressive looking desserts that don’t take hours to create, and for me pavlova fits the bill perfectly. It’s indulgent, yet can be made with ingredients you have in the house, and the vast majority of the work is done by the oven.
I made this particular pavlova for the BBQ we went to last weekend (which was lovely by the way). It’s an eight egg pavlova using this recipe by Nigella Lawson. But instead of using vanilla extract I used a teaspoon of rosewater. I’d love to say that this was my idea but actually it’s in Nigella Lawson’s ‘How to be a Domestic Goddess’.
I’ve cooked pavlova using this recipe several times before, but for some reason the meringue cracked this time and the centre dropped. Meringues normally crack when you open the oven door too early, I didn’t open the door until the cooking time was up so I have no idea why this happened (let me know if you have any ideas).
Piling in a load of whipped cream and chopped fruit makes the whole thing look a lot prettier when it’s collapsed.
I’d definitely recommend using a food mixer to make your meringue as you need to whisk the eggs and sugar until they’re in stiff peaks. You know the peaks are stiff enough if you can turn the bowl upside down over your head and not get covered in egg and sugar. Another top tip is to make sure that your mixing bowl is spotless before you add your egg whites (otherwise you won’t get the volume you need).
When I separate eggs for meringues I use three bowls, one to transfer the egg yolks to, one to put the egg whites in once they’ve been successfully separated and one to separate the eggs over. This way if you screw up seperating the eggs (and I do this relatively frequently) you won’t ruin an entire bowl of egg whites, just the egg that you’ve just separated.
There are lots of things you can do with the egg yolks you have left over – carbonara and creme brulee are two of my favourites (we don’t always eat incredibly fatty food!).
Hope you enjoy the royal wedding if you’re watching it!
Oh my, you are blog-tastic at the moment, I can’t keep up. Now I, like many others, am supremely impressed with a pavlova, it’s not something it would ever occur to me to make and looking at it I would have no idea that it had sunk, it looks brilliant.
pavlova is one of my all time favs and i use this recipe also – love it topped with passion fruit yummmmm – and the cracking – i think that they are all part of pavs nature. i also always invert mine and put the cream and fruit on what would have been the base – you get the marshmallowy bit melding with the cream and the nice crispy top becomes the botom and thus stays crispy as the cream isnt directly on it. oooh now im hungry… but im off to make my latest fav – parsnip, maple syrup and pecan cake with a mascapone & maple cream filling – for my mums birthday – delish!!
This makes me feel like hopping on a train and dropping by!! It looks utterly delicious!!
Your pavlova looks delicious wish I was there to sample it!
Discovered your blog through Gingerbreadsnoflakes. Beautiful pavlova! You seem to be a good cook! Welcome to Switzerland!
I’m actually salivating, love a pavlova! I will definitely use the three bowls tip next time I make one I ‘ve a feeling it will prevent much angry swearing!