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Pavlova - Best Dessert Ever

Guest Damo

By Guest Damo
in Gluten-Free Recipes & Cooking Tips

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Guest Damo
Guest Damo
Posted

I can't believe that nothing on Pavlova has been posted here before (at least it looks that way by doing a search). For those of you who are yet to see the light, Pavlova is a traditional Australian dessert which is a cake-sized meringue with a crispy shell but with a moist, fluffy, and sweet inside. It's really easy to make with minimal preperation time (10 mins), no weird/ left-field ingredients like gums and stuff, and no substitute ingredients - this is it in its original form.

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar (preferably caster, but who cares if it's the regular kind - it's all sweet)
  • 2 teaspoons cornflour (ok, I'm new at this coeliac thing so forgive me if this isn't allowed. I don't think it would make much difference if you left it out or used a different flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar

Beat egg whites with a mechanical beater of some sort (don't go old-school manual beating or your arms will fall off) until very stiff. Very gradually add the sugar while still beating. Don't rush this stage - it should take about 5 mins to put it all in. At this stage the mixture should be like shaving cream (only yummier...)

Then put in the cornflour, vanilla and vinegar and give it just enough of a beating to mix that stuff through. Put some baking paper on an oven tray and spoon the mixture onto it in the shape of a circle 20-30cms in diameter (8-12 inches for the yanks and others living in the past... just kidding).

Put it in an oven preheated at 200C (390F) and then turn the temperature down to 125C (255F) and bake undisturbed (really, no opening the over door and peeking or it might screw up) for 1 hour and 20 minutes. These temperatures are for a fan-forced oven so if yours is conventional, I think you increase both temperatures by about 10-20C (18-36F). When it's finished cooking, take it out of the oven and let it cool on the bench for a bit before putting it in the fridge. It might break up a bit on top as it cools but don't worry, you're not a failure - this is normal.

Come serving time, cover the top of it with whipped cream (optional, but encouraged) and fruits of the season eg. cut up strawberries, kiwi fruit, berries, banana etc. Pop some birthday candles on top if the occassion calls for it.

One Pavlova will serve 4 male teenagers or 12 weight-conscious people.

Don't just read this and think, "Oo, sounds yummy but I'll stick to my salty brick cake". PRINT THIS PAGE, INVITE THE NON-COELIACS OVER, AND SHOW THEM THAT YOU CAN INDEED HAVE FUN!!!!

Please note that Pavlova is not an inferior cake substitute; cake is an inferior Pavlova substitute. Oh my gosh... so yummy...

Bake it now, thank me later :)

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missy'smom Collaborator
missy'smom
Posted

(8-12 inches for the yanks and others living in the past... just kidding). :lol:

I'll give it a try. I'm always looking for things to take to functions. Have you tried or had success with making the meringue a day ahead and then filling it the next day? I had actually come across a recipie for a similar dessert on my quest for regular dessert recipies that are gluten free.

Guest Damo
Guest Damo
Posted

Yeah I've found it's still great the next day. A pavlova in my house has never lasted any longer than a day before being eaten so I'm not sure how long it keeps for. I have found that the shell loses its crisp slightly if left uncovered in a fridge so just seal 'er up in a container and it should all be good.

If for a function, put the cream on just before if made the day before (so the top's still crispy), but if it's for home, put the cream on the day before cos I've found the cream takes on some flavour and it's even yummier.

Even before I found out I had coeliacs Pavlova was my favourite thing.

Slackermommy Rookie
Slackermommy
Posted

My mother in law makes that too..it is sooo good.

Also, Nigella has a recipe for a chocolate one, click on this to get there:Open Original Shared Link

I hoped that worked! :)

Byte Me Apprentice
Byte Me
Posted

This stuff is heavenly!! I had never even heard of pavlova before this post, thank you! :)

I am definitely going to try the chocolate one next, the picture of it has me drooling.

Canadian Karen Community Regular
Canadian Karen
Posted

Okay, that's it! I am moving to Australia! :angry:

First, the Thunder from Down Under at Outback Steakhouse, and now this Pavlova! You Aussies sure know how to do dessert!!!! :lol:;)

Boy, are we ever ripped off here in Canada!

Thanks for sharing!

Karen

kolka Explorer
kolka
Posted
Okay, that's it! I am moving to Australia! :angry:

First, the Thunder from Down Under at Outback Steakhouse, and now this Pavlova! You Aussies sure know how to do dessert!!!! :lol:;)

Boy, are we ever ripped off here in Canada!

Thanks for sharing!

Karen

How about a gluten-free nanaimo bar? Do you have a recipe?

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RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

I believe cream of tartar can be used instead of corn starch when making meringue. At least that's what I recall using whenever I've made it.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Pavlova is delicious! I last had it years ago when my sister in law made it. She served it on a bed of crushed strawberries--yum :P

Keenwa Newbie
Keenwa
Posted

What makes this different than a meringue? How does the inside stay fluffy when a meringue gets crispy all the way through? I've always wanted to make a pavlova but then I think about how I don't like meringue cookies and wonder if it's worth it. The pictures of Pavlovas that I"ve seen sure are pretty though

Guest Damo
Guest Damo
Posted

Oh don't worry, it's definately worth it. Even if you find that pavlova isn't for you, you will not have wasted much time or ingredients on it. But even then it won't go to waste as it will bring satisfied smiles to most-likely everyone else at the dinner table.

I'm glad you're all having success with this recipe. I'd like to try the chocolate one too however chocolate doesn't last in my house long enough for it to become an ingredient.

*Sigh* My endoscopy's tomorrow so I just had what was probably my last beer. At $26 a six-pack for gluten-free beer, I think I'll stick to scotch... (and pavlova!)

Ksmith Contributor
Ksmith
Posted

This is my very favorite childhood desert...and so glad it's also gluten-free!!!

maddycat Contributor
maddycat
Posted
*Sigh* My endoscopy's tomorrow so I just had what was probably my last beer. At $26 a six-pack for gluten-free beer, I think I'll stick to scotch... (and pavlova!)

Check this out- I live in Wisconsin so I can get this beer locally, but it looks like it may be distributed elsewhere or shipped- it is very good and costs about the same a a good high end microbrew- certainly not $26/six pack.

Open Original Shared Link

Susanna Newbie
Susanna
Posted

I had pavlova years ago when I traveled to New Zealand--fabulous!! Thanks for the reminder--I will make one post haste.

Give Anheiser-Busch's new gluten-free beer called Redbridge a try--it is now starting to be stocked in regular grocery stores (although admittedly, I've only found it at Sprouts so far--but ask your grocer about stocking it). It's not bad, and it's only $7.99/six pack. Another gluten-free beer I've tried is Bardstale's Dragon's Gold--VERY good. I've found it at Whole Foods Market, but unfortunately it's pricey: $12.99/six pack.

Susanna

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

This sound like the ones my grandmother used to make and she called them schamtortes. My all time favorite as well. Like Patti mentioned, strawberry season is around the corner.

She also used cream or tarter.

sparkles Contributor
sparkles
Posted

This is probably a really stupid question, BUT is cornflour just cornstarch??? This sounds like the stuff my grandma used to make. It was fabulous except I could never get my grandmother's recipe to turn out correctly. She was notorious for leaving out one ingredient so no one could copy her recipes and have them turn out as good as hers. The recipe that I have of hers does not include the cornflour... could this be the secret ingredient we have been searching for all these years???? I can't wait to try it... Just need to know if cornflour is cornstarch!!! Thanks!!!!

Byte Me Apprentice
Byte Me
Posted

I just assumed that cornflour == cornstarch, that's what I used when I made it and it turned out great! :)

sparkles Contributor
sparkles
Posted
I just assumed that cornflour == cornstarch, that's what I used when I made it and it turned out great! :)

thanks... I cannot wait to try it!!! We may begin a new "OLD" family tradition at holidays!!!!

Lisa Mentor
Lisa
Posted

? What is cream of tarter? I know it in the stores, I know to cook with it, but what is it...a form of corn starch?

DebbieInCanada Rookie
DebbieInCanada
Posted
? What is cream of tarter? I know it in the stores, I know to cook with it, but what is it...a form of corn starch?

Found a really good (lengthy) description of cream of tartar at

Open Original Shared Link

The short technical answer is "Cream of tartar is is the common name for potassium hydrogen tartrate, an acid salt that has a number of uses in cooking."

Debbie

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