Simple Pavalova Recipe - Egg White Meringue Made Easy

When my nephew Hamish was diagnosed with a nut and seed allergy my family had to suddenly think about everything we prepared for family occasions which basically meant cooking everything from scratch - biscuits, bread, crackers, birthday cakes, pastry you name it...  as a result we have a suite of easy tasty recipes from simple (Tahini free) Baba Ganoush to marshmallow fondant for birthday cakes and beyond...

Pavlova was a fabulous BBQ dessert treat for Hamie, in the early days, when we were still finding our way around milled flours and other ingredients we could use.... this recipe is super easy to follow and will hopefully have you avoiding gritty, foam filled store bought varieties forever....
 

Tip: use egg white at room temperature, make sure they are not just out of the fridge. Make sure your mixing bowls and the bowls for the egg whites are dry and clean. Add your sugar to your whipped (soft peak) egg whites one teaspoon at a time.

Ingredients for the meringue

8 Egg Whites ( I like to use free range organic)

2.5 Cups Caster Sugar (confectioners)

Pinch Salt

1/2 tsp White Vinegar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

To make your meringue

1. preheat your oven on low 100-110 degrees celcius (fan forced)

2. add the egg whites to your stand mixer or place in a bowl and beat till frothy

3. add a pinch of salt and .5 tsp vinegar and beat

4. Once your white hit soft peaks start adding your sugar one tablespoon at a time while mixing

5. once the sugar is added, and your mixture looks lush and volumeous, add the vanilla extract and beat for another minute

6. your meringue is ready when stiff peaks form and most of the sugar has dissolved in the mixture 

7. carefully spoon out onto a tray lined with grease proof paper and shape (see image above)

8. bake for 1 hour or till set on the bottom shelf of the oven, then leave the pav to cool in the oven with the door slightly open 

Top your pavlova with whipped cream, fruits and anything else that takes your fancy... fruits that have a zingy flavour work best ie. passionfruit,  raspberries, kiwi fruits, strawberries etc.

Separate your egg whites

have your sugar in a bowl ready to go with a spoon

Ready for baking

Once your meringue is baked and cooled remove from oven... I prefer to wait till just before serving time to dress the pavlova with whipped cream, fruits and mint... 

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