Gluten Free Pavlova

Last weekend was the Australia Day long weekend here in Australia.  Here in Sydney, it is typically the day that everyone heads out whether it be to the beach, into the City for the Australia Day festivities or to a friend's place for a BBQ - we celebrated in the latter form with our friends visiting us for a BBQ.

And what better way to finish of a BBQ than with the very traditional pavlova.  When I was a child there was usually a pavlova for big family celebrations, homemade of course by an aunt who had the knack of making a brilliant pav that was topped with mountains of whipped cream, kiwi fruit, banana, strawberries and fresh passionfruit.  Absolute heaven.  

So with these food memories I set out to make my first pavlova - I think it went rather well.  

The recipe I used was a Margaret Fulton recipe, however I don't think that my oven is the most accurate when baking a dish a delicate as this.

I spooned the silky, sweetened egg whites into little individual servings on the baking tray rather than having one big pavlova.  To be honest, the egg whites had lost a little of their volume so I was not confident that a larger volume of the mixture would keep its shape whilst cooking.  I had visions of it either overflowing the tray and going everywhere in the oven or finding a hardened thick layer of crusty, crumbly pavlova that was worthy of being made into an Eton Mess instead of the one I had pictured in my mind.

Fortunately it did not come to this and my little shapes held better than originally anticipated and were quickly devoured by all.

There are many notes by various chefs and cooks about what they put into their pavlova to ensure that it works beautifully.  I think that it is like any recipe:  everyone has their own preferred version.  This recipe I do like and I think I will need further practise to ensure that I have better outcomes in the future.  After all, practice makes perfect!

Pavlova

recipe by Margaret Fulton from the "Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery" 

6 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of salt
2 cups of caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
whipped cream for filling
fruit or other topping of your choice - I have used banana, cherries, blueberries and fresh passionfruit

Preheat your oven before starting to mix the pavlova to a slow 150 degrees celsius. 

Beat egg whites and salt at a high speed in a stand mixer or similar until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  

Stop beating when all sugar has been incorporated and fold in the vinegar and vanilla.  

Pile the mixture onto a greased baking tray in one heap with a smoothed top or into smaller piles - it is up to you.

Bake for 45 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave with the door shut for one hour.

When pavlova is cooked remove from oven and cool completely.  

Fill the pavlova generously with whipped cream and fruit.

Enjoy!

monica@loveglutenfreeaustralia