Classic Pavlova (New Zealand and Australia)

Today is Miriam's birthday! :) Have a slice of cake on us!


The Pavlova is the national dessert of New Zealand (also very popular in Australia) and it was first created and made in honor of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, after one of her tours (1926) in the two countries. Considering it's so easy to make, it's very popular and frequently home-served in both New Zealand and Australia.
The base of the cake is a crunchy-outside and soft-inside meringue, topped with vanilla whipped cream and fresh fruit. Very airy and poetic :). Like a fluffy fairy fruit cloud.


Last year: Light and colorful field salad and Drink of the Gods (Gottergetrank)






Ingredients (makes a 26 cm diameter Pavlova):

• 6 egg whites

• 250 g sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

For the topping:

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoon corn starch

• 300 ml heavy whipping cream

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• fresh fruit (5 strawberries, 1 kiwi, 1/2 green apple, 100 g honey melon and 100 g blueberries)

Beat the egg-whites with a mixer. Slowly add the sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. Also add the vanilla extract. When the meringue holds stiff peaks, also whisk in the starch and vinegar. 

Preheat oven to 130 degrees C. Take a sheet of baking paper and draw a 26 cm circle on it with a pencil.

Place the baking paper on a tray. Transfer the meringue to the circle with a spoon.

Level it using the back of the spoon, then form a taller border all around it:

Place it in the oven and bake it for 60-75 minutes. Check if it's done before removing it from the oven. If it got browned, it's overdone, if liquid is leaking from it when you tilt the tray sideways it's underdone. But respecting the long time and the low temperature should work fine, we didn't encounter any issues. 
While it's still hot, the meringue base should be left to cool in the oven, with the heat turned off and the oven door half-opened. While it cools, prepare the Chantilly cream.
Just beat the cream in a mixer fitted with the whisk, together with the vanilla and sugar until stiff. 

When the cream is done, transfer it to the well in the center of the meringue shell:

Don't bother using any spritzing instruments to create a pretty model, you'll top it with fruit soon anyway. After you've transferred every bit of cream, start topping with the fresh fruit:

Serve immediately (the meringue will get soaked in the humidity of the cream and fruit if you wait too long, so if you plan to serve it later, better assemble it just before serving). Slice up and dig in! :)