What happens when you have a new Kitchenaid Standmixer? Well, you make foods you would otherwise think twice of making. Like pavlovas.
A light and fluffy dessert made from the simplest ingredients is a treat to eat but a bitch to make. It's not a complex process to make pavlovas, it's just tedious as hell. Repetitive whisking of the egg whites and sugar until stiff, glossy peaks are achieved can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. And that is an almost true story. But the efforts are worth it as soon as you take your first bite.
I love my meringues with fruits, especially berries. Although, I don't mind if it's drizzled with passion fruit compote as well. Here's a relatively simple pavlova recipe for the hot and wet days of summer.
The catch-22 of this recipe is that it does not keep well. It must be finished the very day you make this. And it can look quite a mess; a beautiful mess.
Here's what you would need:
4 egg whites
1 cup of superfine granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon of corn starch
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 250F, or 120C. Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper, do not grease.
1. In a Kitchenaid Professional Standmixer with a whisk attachment *grins*, add your 4 egg whites into the mixing bowl and turn the power on to 7, or medium speed if you're using an electric hand beater. Add salt into the egg whites.
2. Gradually add sugar, as the machine whisk the egg whites into a frothy mountain. After adding all the sugar, turn the power up to 10 and leave it to whip for 5 minutes or until the egg whites are glossy, triple in size and has stiff peaks. Turn off the machine.
You now have a meringue. The consistency of the egg whites should remind you of a very soft marshmallow cloud. Very light and fluffy, almost like cream.
3. Toss the corn starch in and gently fold it into the meringue. Corn starch helps absorb extra liquid and prevents the meringue from sweating. it also gives the meringue more body.
4. Pour the meringue over the baking tray in a large dollop and with a spatula, shape the meringue into a 7-inch diameter disc.
5. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a light eggshell color tints the outer layer of your meringue. Once it's done baking, keep the oven door ajar and let the meringue cool in the oven. This will prevent it from collapsing.
Once it's cooled, you can top it with some whipped cream and berries. If you want to make this in advance, keep the cooled meringue in an air tight container or wrap it tightly, but gently, with saran wrap and keep it in a cool, dark place for up to 3 days.
And before I forget, this is my new Kitchenaid Standmixer. It's in sexy black. It will be my favorite kitchen gadget after my Shun knife.
comments
6 Responses to "Pavlova, a beautiful mess"Nice! I would never attempt to make this with arm power, so it will have to wait till I get myself a Kitchenaid. me jealous :) Your pavlova looks delectable.
Oh well never mind. We all have kitchen disasters. I just had one today. Made a Delia Smith carrot cake which was so disgusting it is lying at the bottom of my stomach like a lead brick. I would throw it away but the ingredients were so expensive I would feel guilty.
Have you tried adding vinegar or lemon juice to the egg whites.
judyfoodie: It was quite good to eat actually despite the mess. I could have been more gentle while scooping it, of course.
Anonymous: It wasn't a disaster that it was inedible, just beautifully messy. I am sorry about your carrot cake though - how expensive can carrots be? Just start anew! ;)
Elaine, the recipe called for 4 tsps of expensive spices, a whole tub of mascarpone and a whole tub of fromage frais, 10oz of raw sugar, just to mention a few ingredients! I think too many ingredients in some of these celebrity cook's recipes can actually ruin a dish.
There is an English dessert called Eton Mess which is broken meringue and strawberries mixed into whipped cream. I think you would love it.
Post a Comment