Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 27 November 1968, page 95


THE

PERFECT

PAVLOVA

How to make

It was named for a famous ballerina---and as all dancers (and desserts, too!) should be, it is light, delicate, delight-ful! It can also be tempera-mental, but this feature shows how to take the temperament from this favorite dessert so you can make it perfectly.

DIRECTIONS AND RECIPES FROM OUR LEILA HOWARD TEST KITCHEN

WE'VE given recipes for pavlovas using one,

two, three, and four egg-whites; ingredients and method for each are slightly different. It's just a matter of choosing which type you like the best. The ingredients

There are several different types of pavlova: recipes can vary in ingredients and in method. Below are the ingredients used and the reason for their use.

Egg-whites: Eggs a few days old are best for making pavlovas; when very fresh, straight from the nest, the egg white is thin and does not beat up to great volume. Egg whites should be firm, jelly-like in consistency; they should be at room temperature before beating.

Frozen egg-whites, brought back to room temperature,

can be used.

In methods where whites are beaten first and sugar added gradually, beat whites until stiff and firm before adding

sugar.

Once meringue is made, quickly add other ingredients; if left to stand, beaten egg-whites will lose their volume as the tiny air-bubbles collapse; once collapsed, they will not beat up again.

For the same reason, when the complete pavlova mixture is made, it should be handled quickly and baked as soon as possible.

Cream of tartar and salt: Used to strengthen and stabilise egg-whites, helping them hold their aerated volume.

Sugar: In some recipes castor sugar is used for quick dissolving; for others, granulated sugar gives a firmer result.

It is important, when beating sugar into egg-whites, to make sure all sugar is dissolved--otherwise, the undissolved sugar will melt during cooking, and give a "weepy," sticky

pavlova.

Where sugar is added gradually, make sure each addition of sugar is dissolved before any more sugar is added; other-wise, the weight of undissolved sugar will break down egg white aeration and mixture will collapse.

To test if sugar is dissolved, rub a little of the mixture between two fingers; any undissolved sugar crystals can be quickly detected.

If using electric mixer, make sure the bowl is continually rotating and evenly dissolving sugar; it may be necessary to assist the bowl gently round with your fingers--mixing may slow down as egg-whites whip up firmly and mixture

becomes thick.

Like all rules, there are exceptions to it; the exception to the firm beating of sugar to dissolve all crystals com-pletely, is the Classic Pavlova (see recipe overleaf).

In this recipe, the last quantity of sugar is mixed with cornflour and just lightly folded in at the last minute. The cornflour prevents sugar "weeping." This method

gives a very characteristic pavlova--crisp and crunchy on outside, with soft, marshmallowy centre.

Cornflour: Helps to dry out pavlova; the more cornflour used, the drier will be the pavlova.

Vinegar and lemon juice: This combination helps to form the marshmallowy centre; also whitens the pavlova. The equipment

Bowls: A bowl with small rounded base and deep, gently sloping sides is considered best. The small bowl of electric mixer can be used in mixtures with up to 3 egg-whites.

It is most important that all equipment-bowls, beaters, etc.-be clean, dry, free from any dust, moisture, or fat (this includes egg-yolk). These could prevent egg-whites whipping up to good volume.

Preparation of trays

There are several different methods of preparing trays; each is effective, the pavlova does not stick. They are:

Cornfloured: Cover that part of baking tray on which you are going to spoon pavlova mixture with a thick, even layer of sifted cornflour. Suitable for large or small

pavlovas.

Greased and Cornfloured: Brush tray lightly with melted butter, dust with sifted cornflour; shake off excess cornflour. Best suited to small individual pavlovas.

Lined, Greased, and Cornfloured: Place sheet of grease-proof paper, trimmed to size of tray, on greased baking tray; brush paper lightly with melted butter, dust with sifted cornflour. Shake off excess cornflour. Suitable for all types of pavlova.

Aluminium Foil: Cover tray with layer of aluminium foil-there is no need to grease. Place pavlova mixture directly on foil. When pavlova has cooked and cooled, it is easy to peel off foil gently. Suitable for all types of pavlovas-particularly good for large pavlovas. Removing from trays

Allow pavlova to cool completely on its tray, then loosen with spatula or broad, flat-bladed knife. Make sure spatula or knife blade is kept flat on tray-do not try to lever pavlova up, or it will break.

If syrup from undissolved sugar has "weeped" out during cooking, thus making pavlova difficult to remove, place tray over low heat for a second to melt greasing, then loosen again carefully, as above. How to bake

Baking times and temperatures vary, according to the varying recipes, and also type of oven - gas or electric.

Place baking tray with pavlova in low position in oven, leave for stipulated cooking time, then turn off heat and, if possible, allow pavlova to remain in oven until it has completely cooled. This dries it out and makes it crisp.

This method has been used for all recipes in this feature. If you are making pavlova in a hurry, and cannot wait for it to cool in oven, allow a little longer cooking time than given in individual recipe. Remove from oven, cool on tray. Pavlovas should be light, dry, pale in color.

CLASSIC PAVLOVA is crisp outside, delight-

fully soft and marshmallow-like inside.

How io store

Provided pavlovas have been cooked to correct dryness, we recommend the following keeping times for recipes in this feature. Keep pavlovas in air-tight tin.

One-Egg Pavlova: 1 to 2 weeks. Stored Heat Pavlova: 1

week.

Easy 2-Egg Pavlova: 2 to 3 weeks. Marshmallow Pavlova: 2

days. Classic Pavlova: 10 days.

Marshmallow Pavlova is best stored in air-tight tin in refrigerator; the others can be stored in dark cupboard.

Thc Easy 2-Egg Pavlova, because it is a dry mixture, can be wrapped and frozen; keeps 2 months frozen. The recipes

ONE-EGG PAVLOVA 7/8 th cup granulated sugar, pinch salt

1 egg-white, good pinch cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons boiling water

Place all ingredients in small, deep, heat-proof basin. Stand basin over saucepan of boiling water; reduce heat, beat with electric mixer or rotary beater until mixture is stiff and glossy, approximately 7 minutes. (Do not allow water to boil; there should be just enough heat to keep water hot.) Remove immediately from hot water and spread quickly on prepared trays. This mixture makes one 8in. pavlova or 8 small individual pavlova shells.

Baking in Electric Oven: Large pavlova; bake in very slow oven 1 1/2 to 2 hours, cool in oven. Individual pavlovas; bake in very slow oven 30 to 45 minutes, cool in oven.

Baking in Gas Oven: Large pavlova; bake in slow oven 1 hour, reduce heat to very slow, bake further 1 hour, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas; bake in slow oven 45 to 60 minutes, cool in oven. EASY TWO-EGG PAVLOVA 2 egg-whites, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 1/2 cups castor sugar, 1 teaspoon cornflour, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 4 tablespoons boiling water.

Place all ingredients into small bowl of electric mixer, beat on high speed until mixture is very stiff (approxi-mately 15 minutes). Spread on to prepared trays. This mixture makes one 11 in. pavlova or 15 small shells.

Baking in Electric Oven: Large pavlova; bake in moderate oven 10 minutes, reduce heat to slow, bake further 45 minutes, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas; bake in moderate oven 10 minutes, reduce heat to slow, bake further 30 minutes, cool in oven.

Baking in Gas Oven: Large pavlova; bake in moderate oven 10 minutes, reduce heat to slow, bake further 1 to 1 1/2 hours, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas, bake in moderate oven 10 minutes, reduce heat to slow, bake further 40 to 50 minutes, cool in oven.

Continued overleaf

PREPARING TRAYS (left): Use brush to grease tray lightly with melted butter and then sprinkle on sifted corn-flour. Shake off excess flour. This method is best when

making small pavlovas.

THIS TRAY (right) has been lined with greased grease-proof paper, cornfloured. then circle marked on it (use cake tin as guide). Spread a 1/4 in. layer of meringue mixture over

to fill circle.

CLASSIC PAVLOVA 3 egg-whites pinch salt

3/4 cup castor sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beat egg-whites and salt until stiff and dry; add castor sugar gradually, beating well between

each addition. Make sure sugar

is completely dissolved. Mix together granulated sugar and cornflour, lightly fold into mer-ingue with lemon juice. This mix-ture will make one large pavlova. It can also be used for 2 pavlovas, and they can be arranged in tiers, as shown in color picture on pre-vious page. To do this, mark prepared tray with 5 in. circle and another prepared tray with 7 in. circle. Spread approximately 1/4 in. layer of mixture to fit each circle. With remainder of mixture, pipe or spoon swirls round edges to form shell. Baking times are as for large pavlova (see below).

Baking in Electric Oven: Large pavlova; bake in slow oven 30 to 40 minutes, cool in oven. Small individual pavlovas; bake as for large pavlova.

Baking in Gas Oven: Large pavlova; bake in very slow oven 1 hour or until pavlova is dry to touch, cool in oven. Small indi-vidual pavlovas; bake in very slow oven 45 minutes, cool in

oven.

To assemble the 2-tiered pav-lova (as shown in picture on pre-vious page), when completely cooled, place larger shell on serv-ing dish. Spread over generous layer of whipped cream, then any

fresh fruit or well-drained canned fruit. Place smaller shell on top, fill centre with fresh or canned fruit.

STORED-HEAT PAVLOVA

(Cooks in oven overnight) 4 egg-whites

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat egg-whites until foamy, add cream of tartar and salt; beat until stiff. Gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well until all sugar is dissolved. Con-tinue beating until all sugar is added and mixture is thick and

glossy. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Spread or pipe mixture on to prepared trays, making two 8 in. shells, or 15 small individual

shells.

Baking in Electric Oven: Large pavlova; place in very hot oven, close door, turn off heat, leave in oven overnight. Small indi-vidual pavlovas; preheat oven to hot, place pavlovas in oven. Turn off heat, leave pavlovas in oven overnight.

Baking in Gas Oven: Large pavlova; preheat oven to very hot, place pavlova in oven, reduce heat to hot, bake 5 minutes. Turn off heat, leave pavlova in oven overnight. Small individual pavlovas; preheat oven to hot, bake 5 minutes. Turn off heat, leave pavlovas in oven over-night.

Note: It is important not to open door until it is time to take baked pavlova from oven ---otherwise stored heat will be lost and pavlova will not crisp correctly.

MARSHMALLOW

PAVLOVA 4 egg-whites

1 cup castor sugar

1 dessertspoon cornflour 1 teaspoon vinegar

Beat egg-whites until stiff, add 1/2 cup castor sugar, beat thoroughly until sugar is dissolved (approx. 5 minutes). Add remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating

well after each addition. Lightly fold in sifted cornflour, then vinegar. Take 30in. length of aluminium foil, fold in half lengthwise. Make circle of foil and secure. Place on thickly corn-floured tray, fill pavlova mixture into foil; level off top (do not make into a shell). This mixture will make one deep 9 in. pavlova. Do not use this mixture to make small individual pavlovas.

Baking in Electric Oven: Pre-heat oven to moderate, reduce heat to slow, bake 1 1/4 hours, cool

in oven.

Baking in Gas Oven: Preheat oven to moderate, reduce heat to slow, bake 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, cool

in oven.

Be very careful when peeling off collar, so as not to break crisp coating.

Note: This is a favorite type of pavlova - with its deep, soft, marshmallowy centre and crisp, slightly chewy coating. It has, when cooked, a rather "untidy" appearance, compared with other mixtures - but the taste, texture, and flavor are delightful. In the preliminary cooking, this mixture rises very high; toward end of cooking time, the centre falls, leaving a high, crisp shell around. (It will fall a little more as pav-lova cools.) The filling or topping is put inside the high, crisp shell.

Fillings for pavlovas

WHIPPED cream, or ice-

cream, with fresh or canned fruit is a favorite filling for pav-lovas. But they can be made even more special with any of the luscious fillings given here.

CHESTNUT CREAM

9oz. can cream of chestnuts (in

vanilla-flavored syrup) 1/2 pint cream

1 tablespoon brandy

Beat chestnuts until soft, add brandy, stir in whipped cream. Fill into 8 in. pavlova shell and refrigerate.

Note: There are two types of canned chestnuts; one is pure chestnuts pureed, with no sweet-ening added. The second has sugar, glucose, and vanilla added; this is the best for above filling. Check ingredients on can.

LEMON CHIFFON 1/4 cup cold water

1 dessertspoon gelatine

juice and rind 2 lemons 2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup castor sugar 1/4 pint cream

Soak gelatine in cold water. Beat egg-yolks, sugar, and lemon

rind over boiling water until thick, creamy, and pale in color. Dissolve gelatine over boiling water, add lemon juice. Add gela-

tine mixture to cooled egg mix-ture, off heat, and continue beat-ing until mixture begins to thicken. Beat egg-whites until stiff, and whip cream; gently fold into lemon mixture. When starting to set, spoon into pavlova case, refrigerate until firm. Decorate with extra whipped

cream.

FROZEN FRUIT CREAM grated rind 2 oranges

15oz. can crushed pineapple 1 tablespoon marsala

20 oz. block vanilla ice-cream orange segments

Drain pineapple. Mix drained pineapple with grated orange rind and marsala. Fold in vanilla ice-cream, pour into freezer trays, allow to set slightly. Just before serving, arrange layer of orange segments on base of pavlova. Spoon over partially frozen pine-apple cream. Decorate with extra orange segments. Serve at once.

DECORATIVE SWIRLS (left) can be piped as shown after circle base has been filled in. Use forcing-bag or spoon to make the swirls. During bak-ing, pavlova mixtures spread approx, 1/4 in.; allow for this

when spreading mixture.

Continued overleaf

PAVLOVA MIXTURE (right) is spooned on to a thick, even layer of sifted cornflour, to make a deep, nestlike shell. Pile mixture on to tray, then using a tablespoon hollow

out centre of mixture.

Fillings for

THE PERFECT PAVLOVA . . . Continued from previous page

MOCHA CHIFFON

1 tablespoon gelatine, 2oz. grated chocolate,

1/2 cup water, 1 dessertspoon instant coffee, 1/2 cup sugar,

2 tablespoons cornflour, 2 tablespoons sugar, extra, 2 eggs, separated, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 cups milk , vanilla

Soak gelatine in cold water. In saucepan, blend cornflour, egg-yolks, and sugar with a little of the milk, add remaining milk, stir over low heat until

custard boils and thickens. Flavor with vanilla.

Measure out 1 cup of this custard mixture, reserve. To remaining custard add chocolate and instant coffee; stir until melted and well blended. Cool, spread over base of pavlova. Dissolve soaked gela-tine over boiling water, stir into reserved custard; cool. Beat egg-whites and cream of tartar until stiff, gradually beat in extra sugar. Lightly whisk in cooled custard. When starting to set, spoon over mocha layer. Refrigerate until firm. Serve topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

BRANDY BAVARIAN CREAM

2 egg-yolks, 11/2 teaspoons gelatine, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon brandy, 1/2 pint hot milk, 1/2 cup cream, I tablespoon water.

Soften gelatine in cold water. Beat egg-yolks and sugar until thick and light in color, stir in hot milk gradually. Stir over boiling water until mixture coats back of spoon. Add softened gelatine, stirring until dissolved; cool, stirring occasionally to prevent skin forming. Whip cream and brandy together, fold into cooled custard. Pour into pavlova case, refrigerate until set. Delicious topped with brandied strawberries.

RICH CHOCOLATE CUSTARD 2 egg-yolks, 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons cornflour, 1/4 pint cream

Place egg-yolks, cocoa, cornflour, and sugar into saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring until well blended. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens; cool. Whip cream and fold into cooled chocolate custard. Pour into pavlova case, refrigerate. Serve decorated with whipped cream and almond

slivers.