For A Winning Summer Dessert, Give These 4 Pavlova Recipes a Try | HelloFresh Food Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is a pavlova made of? ›

Pavlova is a show-stopping meringue dessert and it's easier than you think. It is made of egg whites, sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Once baked, a crisp exterior forms around the soft centers.

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

Named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, a pavlova is essentially a meringue cake made of whipped egg whites and sugar. It's perfectly light and crisp on the outside, ever so slightly chewy, and the middle tastes like a light, airy marshmallow.

When you're ready to eat, turn the pavlova onto a large flat plate or board with the underside uppermost — I do this before I sit down to the meal in question and let it stand till pudding time. This is so the tender marshmallow belly of the pav melds with the soft topping.

Meringues are primarily two ingredients: egg whites and sugar. In this the good cop/bad cop pairing, sugar is definitely the bad cop, while egg whites are considered downright health food. One egg white has 5 grams of protein, at only 25 calories and no fat. The sugar is what gives the pavlovas their luscious interior.

White Wings Pavlova Magic Dessert Mix gives you that perfect Pavlova texture that's crusty on the outside but soft and light inside. It's very easy to make as well and won't take up too much of your time, great for serving in gatherings.

How did the Pavlova begin? The pavlova is named after the famed Russian ballerina Anna Matveyevna Pavlova (1881-1931), who was famous for her enchanting loveliness. It was said of her that when she danced she soared through the air as though she had wings.

Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.

The outside of a pavlova meringue may not be quite as brilliantly white as a crisp meringue because of the higher oven temperature but it should not be buff coloured or dark brown. If the meringue is taking on too much colour then the oven temperature is too high.

Pavlova meringues should have a crisp crust on the outside but a soft, marshmallowy centre. It is quite unusual for a meringue to have an "eggy" flavour and unfortunately this is usually an indication that the eggs are slightly stale.

Why is my pavlova wet inside? ›

Egg whites are cooked at 80 C so we know that the baking temperature has to be above 80 C. If the middle of your pav doesn't reach 80 C the marshmallow is not completely cooked & it will not be stable. Too much unstable marshmallow, the pav will collapse & it will weep.

If you overbeat the mixture after adding the sugar, your meringue may crack and collapse during baking. To avoid this, only beat the mixture until the sugar dissolves – test this by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingertips.

You can make it and leave it to cool in the oven overnight, or you can store a cooled, undecorated Pavlova in an airtight container. Once decorated with cream and toppings, they can be stored in the fridge until you're ready to serve, but they are best eaten that day.

An oven that's too hot will turn your meringue brown and give it a “caramelised” flavour. Recipes calling for pavlova to be left in the oven overnight may actually overcook it.

Salt causes the whites to collapse a little and therefore to whip up better — but just a pinch of fine salt at the beginning. Too much and you can end up with a dead pavlova once baked.

To kill dangerous bacteria, including salmonella, the pavlova's spongy centre must reach temperatures above 72℃. An alternative is to use pasteurised egg whites, which are briefly heated to a very high temperature to kill any pathogens.

How did the Pavlova begin? The pavlova is named after the famed Russian ballerina Anna Matveyevna Pavlova (1881-1931), who was famous for her enchanting loveliness. It was said of her that when she danced she soared through the air as though she had wings.

pavlova, meringue-based dessert of Australian and New Zealand origin that is commonly topped with whipped cream and fruit and served at holidays. New Zealanders and Australians compete for ownership of pavlova, which in both countries is an iconic national delicacy.