Pavlova with Mixed Berries

I’ve decided to re-post my recipe for Pavlova with Mixed Berries which I recently did as a guest post for Ang Sarap. Ang Sarap is a blog run by Raymund Macaalay and features mainly Filipino food. He blogs almost on a daily basis and there are plenty of recipes to choose from- my favorites being his Mozzarella-stuffed Meatballs and his seafood stew, Mutya Ng Cavite. Raymund lives ‘just over the pond’ from me in New Zealand and more than once I’ve felt like zipping over the Tasman Sea on a plane to taste his delicious recipes!

I originally chose to post this Pavlova recipe for two reasons. First of all, I was a dancer at one point in my career and this recipe was named after the Russian ballet dancer, Ana Pavlova. Second, this recipe was invented in Australia after Pavlova toured Australia in 1926- or SO I THOUGHT!

 There is still an ongoing debate of whether the dessert was invented in Wellington, New Zealand or in Perth, Western Australia. Some researchers even say that this meringue-based dessert was first invented in Germany, before being brought to America by immigrants in the 1800s. In any case, the Pavlova is one dessert you’ll want to make to impress your friends and family, with its crisp outer shell and creamy marshmallow interior!

 Making the Pavlova

This was the first time I ever made a Pavlova and it took me three tries to get it right! The first time, the oven temperature was too hot and my Pavlova burned and turned dark brown. The second attempt was a bit better, but the color was still too brown for my liking. For the third attempt, I was so intent on my Pavlova being snowy white in color that I kept on opening the oven door every five minutes to check the color (not recommended)!

For my Pavlova, my optimal oven temperature turned out to be 140 C (285 F) for the pre-heat and 130 C (265 F) for the 1-hour actual baking time (conventional oven). The idea is to first have the oven hot enough to crisp up the exterior when you first place it in the oven, then reduce the temperature to produce a creamy, marshmallow-like interior. Since each oven is different, you may need experiment a bit before finding the right temperature for your Pavlova.

Nigella’s says it’s OK for Pavlova to be brown and slightly cracked!

You may notice that a lot of photos of Pavlovas appear to be very white, which I was trying to achieve. However, Nigella Lawson’s video shows that her Passion Fruit Pavlova turned out light brown in color with some cracks. She says that it’s the taste that matters, not the color! It turns out that I didn’t need to worry after all!

Method

First, trace an 8-inch circle on a piece on parchment paper and then set this aside (increase the size of the circle if using more egg whites). Whip the egg whites and sugar together until stiff peaks form, add the corn flour (or corn starch) and lemon juice, then spread the mixture inside the circle using a spatula.

Continue to spread the meringue, creating a well in the center to hold the whipped cream and berries for later.

You can make a smooth-shaped Pavlova:

Or, create some ‘peaks and troughs for a more rustic look!

Bake the Pavlova for one hour, then turn off the heat and let cool in the oven for a further one hour. Spread the whipped cream on top and add the mixed berries; serve immediately.

What fillings do you prefer for your Pavlova? Enjoy!