The Perfect Pavlova Recipe.   (2024)

FAQs

What does vinegar do in pavlova? ›

Acid – you can use 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon white, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice. The pavlova will NOT taste like vinegar, I promise. The acid helps the egg whites hold onto air and, like the sugar, helps prevent the egg whites from collapsing.

Use the freshest eggs possible. Fresh eggs create a better foam than older eggs. They're more acidic, which allows proteins to knit together tightly making a more stable foam. Frozen (and defrosted) egg whites are a good option too, as long as they were frozen while fresh.

Bake in the middle of the oven for an hour then turn the oven off and let it cool completely before removing. Removing too soon will crack the pavlova. It's best to make the pavlova the night before and allow to cool in the oven over night.

The secret to a good, crisp pavlova is in the drying of the meringue after cooking. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, whether from humidity or even other cooking you are doing in the kitchen, you will have problems. That's why the “Pavlova Nazi” in me insists on no boiling saucepans during pav time.

The pavlova should be white or slightly beige in colour, crisp to the touch and soft on the inside. If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour.

Make sure your utensils and egg whites are free of any grease. Do not use parchment paper or a greased and floured baking sheet– the meringue will often stick to them. Use aluminum foil.

How Do I Know My Pavlova Is Done? A perfectly baked pavlova should be pale and look dry, but a skewer inserted in the meringue should come out with a thick sticky, marshmallow-like consistency. If you aren't sure about the pavlova's doneness, turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringue for up to an hour.

Pavlovas are best eaten within 24 hours of baking and soon after they are decorated. You can make it and leave it to cool in the oven overnight, or you can store a cooled, undecorated Pavlova in an airtight container.

Add in a teaspoon of maize starch to help stabilize the foam. Cracks & any bits of the pav that are weeping can be covered up with cream, fruit or fruit puree. If you think it really is a disaster break the pav into large chunks & turn it into Eton Mess.

White Wings Pavlova Magic Dessert Mix gives you that perfect Pavlova texture that's crusty on the outside but soft and light inside. It's very easy to make as well and won't take up too much of your time, great for serving in gatherings.

How do you keep pavlova crispy? ›

Store your pavlova in a dry, airtight container.

If your pavlova is left in the open, the sugar in the meringue will absorb moisture in your kitchen's air. This added moisture will turn your crispy meringue into a soft and sticky mess. An airtight container will help shield your meringue from moisture in the air.

According to Anneka Manning, the role of the cornflour is to “Cornflour stabilises egg whites during baking and prevents weeping by stopping the egg white bonds from tightening too much”.

Use fresh eggs, and whisk the egg whites at a low speed as per the recipe. Adding vinegar or cream of tartar also helps with the stability of the egg whites. Make sure the sugar can easily dissolve in the egg whites. Bake the pavlova in a low heat oven, and do not open the oven during the baking process.

It is also possible to use lemon juice or cream of tartar as alternatives. Both of these should be used in the same quantity as the vinegar, for this particular recipe 1 teaspoon. Cream of tartar is sometimes known as tartaric acid.

A small amount of cream of tartar or vinegar can be added to the mixture at the beginning of whipping to help stabilize the foam and make it less likely to collapse. Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue.

Yes, a new substance has been formed. The vinegar and milk react to form curds (a solid) and whey (a liquid). These curds cannot be returned to vinegar and milk. Once the curds are completely dried, they form a plastic that can be used.

What causes a pavlova to be chewy? A pavlova is similar to a meringue, except that it also contains cornflour (cornstarch) and vinegar to produce a chewy centre. Allowing the pavlova to cool and dry in the oven for as long as possible also helps to make the pavlova extra crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.