Like most Kiwi families, we adore Pavlova. And because it’s a staple, you just need to do something a little different with it from time to time.
You can give it a different flavour, perhaps a different topping, even roll it into a roulade. But there always seems to be a special twinkle in the eye when people are served an individual Pavlova – after all, no sharing required!
Thanks to Food Down Under.com (which now appears to be off-line, so I’m unable to include the link) for this great recipe, which I slightly adapted.
MINI PAVLOVAS
A sweet treat that's both crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. Top these light and airy bites with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle on some fresh fruits for a personal touch. They're the perfect little desserts for any occasion, easy to customize, and always a hit!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 pinch cream of tartar
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 300 ml thickened cream, whipped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Draw 6 x 10cm circles on the paper with felt pen (or a dark pencil). Turn the paper upside down on the tray, so you don’t get marks on your Pavlovas! You should be able to see the circles clearly.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
- Add the sugar one spoon at a time, beat well after each addition. Continue beating until all of the sugar has been added and the meringue is thick, stiff pointed and glossy.
- Using a large clean metal spoon, gently fold in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. Don’t overmix though – you don’t want to deflate the mixture.
- Spoon the meringue onto the baking trays, dividing the mixture evenly between the six circles. Pile each meringue nice and high and slightly inside of each circle, as they’ll spread out a little as they bake. Level off the tops of the meringue, so you can pile on your cream and fruit later.
- Turn the temperature down to 110°C (230°F). Bake in the oven on the lowest shelf for 75 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the oven door closed. Leave the Pavlovas in the oven to cool completely, or overnight.
- Serve, piled with cream and seasonal fruits. On this occasion, I chopped up some strawberries, tossed in a little icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) and some grated orange zest and popped in the fridge to work its magic.
Nutrition
Calories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 739IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how if you liked it in the comments below!
Yummy!
I’ve never tried Pavlova but if it’s like Meringue than I’d probably love it. It seems delicious and fairly easy to make! Just one question, what do you mean by “using the circles as a guide” on the baking trays? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi there. Pavlova is a meringue, but a meringue is not necessarily a Pavlova – the addition of cornflour in particular gives the Pavlova its soft marshmallow centre. You draw the circles on the baking paper to show you where to pile the meringue. I’ve clarified that a bit more in the recipe. Hope that makes sense! Making Pavlova can be a tricky experience – there are a lot of things that can go wrong, like not letting the sugar dissolve, or having too hot an oven, or overbeating the egg whites. But once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. Hope you enjoy it!