It’s a recipe with just four ingredients, but the humble pav is a source of much kitchen consternation.
Here are my six tips for a perfect pavlova.
1. Grandma was right, cleanliness IS next to God-liness, especially when it comes to egg whites. The tiniest bit of grease will make your pavlova a flop. Wash your bowl with soapy water before you begin. Rinse well.
2. Play it cool. Separate your eggs straight out of the fridge. Be careful while you’re working and crack your eggs individually into a bowl. Any hint of yolk will stop your whites from whipping to their full potential.
3. Patience Grasshopper. After you’ve separated your eggs, leave the whites on the bench to come to room temperature before whipping. Room temperature whites whip much better than their cold counterparts.
4. Easy Tiger. Don’t be tempted to rush the sugar stage. After you’ve whipped your whites, keep the beaters running and add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat constantly until the mix is thick and glossy.
5. Cool your jets. You’ve whipped your whites, you’ve baked your pav – now is not the time for rushing. Turn the oven off, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and allow your beautiful creation to cool slowly in the oven. Say no to crack and loss of height – things best avoided in life and pavlova.
6. Humidity is the sworn enemy of the pav. Avoid rainy days. Shun boiling pots. Eschew dishwashers and steamy displays of affection (the kitchen is not the place for that anyway people, get a room!)
So there we have it, my six tips for perfect pavlova. I wish you happy baking, may your egg whites be well behaved and your pavlovas lofty.
Should all else fail, make Eton Mess.
what’s your tip for a perfect pav?
grab your free Australia Day Pavlova template – click here!
Love this pav Amanda! Do you have people making dibs on particular fruit?
I’m going to follow your six point plan to the letter when I finally have a crack at a pav! You so clever!
Yes to all of the above and also, it works better if the eggs aren’t super fresh. I’m really lucky that I get eggs straight from the farm on the day they are laid but meringue actually works better with white that are a few days old.
Aha… it was very damp Australia Day and ours wasn’t very crispy. Can you do a post about top toppings. That Australian-shaped pav is superb!
A small dash of vinegar in mix. About a teaspoonful Others add cornflour too but I don’t like the texture that produces.