avlova
(or "Pav" for short), belongs to the meringue family but it is an unusual
meringue in that while the outside is nice and crispy with some cracking, the
inside of the Pavlova has the texture of a soft marshmallow. We achieve this
wonderful contrast of textures by folding in a little cornstarch (corn flour)
and vinegar to the beaten egg whites and sugar. This recipe does deviate from
the traditional Pavlova
by
adding both cocoa powder and chopped
semisweet chocolate to the basic
recipe so we end up with a delicious sweet chocolate
meringue.
You may want to
serve the Pavlova the way many Australians do, and that is
to turn the Pavlova upside down on the serving plate
so that the cream and marshmallowly center blend together. Doing it this way has
the added advantage of keeping the base of the Pavlova nice and crisp. Passion
fruit is the traditional fruit to serve with a Pavlova and this makes sense as
it is grown in both Australia and New Zealand, where the Pavlova was invented.
Unfortunately, here in North America, it is either hard to find or very
expensive so a great alternative is berries like raspberries, blackberries, and
even strawberries. If I can I also like to add slices of kiwi fruit as its
acidity pairs nicely with the sweet meringue and cream.
Preheat
oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 8 inch (20 cm)
circle on the parchment paper.
In the bowl
of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until
foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat on
medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a
tablespoon at a
time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds stiff peaks. (Test
to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between
your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty
the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between
your fingers). Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the vinegar and
vanilla extract. In a small strainer, sift the cocoa powder and cornstarch over the top of the
meringue and, with the rubber spatula, fold in. Lastly, fold in the
chopped chocolate.
Gently spread the
meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges.
Bake for
about 1 1/2 hours or until the outside is dry. (The outside of the meringues will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed. There will be cracks and you will see that the inside is soft and moist.) Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue
cool completely in the oven.
The cooled
meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days.
Just before
serving gently place the meringue on a serving plate. Whip the cream in
your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form.
Sweeten with the sugar and then mound the softly whipped cream into
the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top of the cream.
Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold and once you add the cream and
fruit the meringue will start to break down.
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