Have you ever heard of Pavlova? This is the national dessert of Australia and New Zealand and just super delicious!
Both countries claim that they invented this wonderful summer dessert. We’ll just leave this discussion in the room and are happy about this wonderful recipe which is the culmination of a spring or summer menu 😉
But what exactly is a pavlova?
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert. Originating in either Australia or New Zealand in the early 20th century, it was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.[1] Taking the form of a cake-like circular block of baked meringue, pavlova has a crisp crust and soft, light inside. The confection is usually topped with fruit and whipped cream.[2] The name is commonly pronounced /pævˈloʊvə/ pav-LOH-və or (in North America) /pɑːvˈloʊvə/ pahv-LOH-və, and occasionally closer to the name of the dancer, as /ˈpɑːvləvə/ PAHV-lə-və.[3][4][5]
The dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s.[2] The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years.[6]The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both Australia and New Zealand. With its simple recipe, it is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals. It is most identified with and consumed most frequently in the summer time, including at Christmas time.[2]
wikipedia
Aha. So that’s what Wikipedia says about it. For me one of the easiest and fastest desserts ever. And ideal for the summer because it is actually relatively light. But the special thing about a pavlova is that only the outer shell is hard and the inside is soft. This is done by adding acid (I use some white wine vinegar, but you can also use lemon juice) and starch. And then add whipped cream and decorate with fresh berries to your heart’s content. Splendid.
Can I prepare a pavlova in advance?
Absolutely! But please only the meringue and not the whipped cream. You can prepare the base the day before and then whip the whipped cream and decorate with fresh berries just before serving. A little more mint for the color – done. So really easy!
And that’s how to do it:
While the food processor is beating the egg whites until stiff, simply draw a large circle on the parchment paper as a template. Place parchment paper on the tray.
As soon as the egg white mass shines through the sugar, simply fold in the white wine vinegar and the starch and spread evenly on the prepared baking paper.
that’s how it looks after baking:
The meringue is now crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! A dream! And then all you have to do is spread the whipped cream and decorate with the berries.
My kids love to do that part 🙂
the end result:
Isn’t she gorgeous?
If you don’t have any berries, you can of course use mango, passion fruit or other fruit.
Although the pavlova is so easy to prepare, there are of course a few things to consider:
- Please always separate the egg white carefully- there should be no egg yolk.
- Of course, the bowl should also be clean and dry when you beat the egg whites into meringues.
- As mentioned above, you can prepare the meringue in advance.
- But please only add the whipped cream before serving and eat the pavlova promptly, because it will naturally become soggy
- Enjoy this wonderful summer dessert!
lots of love,
sabrina x
Oh yes, if you are still looking for an idea for the leftover egg yolk, then why not make a hollandaise sauce 🙂
Pavlova
a fabulous summer dessert
simpleIngredients
| Meringue base | |
|---|---|
| 4 | egg whites |
| 200 | grams of sugar |
| 1 | tsp white wine vinegar |
| 1 | tsp cornstarch |
| whipped cream | |
| 400 ml | cream |
| 10 | grams of vanilla sugar |
| topping | |
| 200 | grams of strawberries |
| 200 | grams of raspberries |
| 200 | grams of blueberries |
| some mint to decorate | |
Utensils
- backing sheet
- baking paper
Steps of preparation
Meringue
- Preheat the oven to 130° for a fan oven
- Line the baking tray with baking paper and draw a round circle on the baking paper with a baking tin
- Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar by the tablespoon.
- When the egg whites are stiff and glossy, add the white wine vinegar and cornstarch and fold in
Spread the egg whites over the circle you have drawn - Bake for about 50 minutes, turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely.
- It is best to let it cool down overnight
Whipped cream
- Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff
- Spread the cream over the meringue
- Decorate with the berries as you like
- Enjoy!
You tried this recipe?
Then link @sabrinastable on Instagram or use the hashtag #sabrinastable.
Some more recipes:
- No bake peanut butter cheesecake
- Best chocolate cake ever!
- German Nusszopf- a fantastic sweet treat!
- Pull-apart brioche Christmas tree- it’s not just children’s eyes that light up
- Healthy granola bars without sugar- a great source of energy!
- Vanilla crescents, the classic Christmas cookie
- Yogurt bread – super crispy and enjoyed by the whole family
- lavender cookies
- Australian Pavlova – a wonderful summer dessert!
