Chocolate Pavlova with Strawberries and Cream - Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking (2024)

FAQs

Why is my pavlova too gooey? ›

Baking the pavlova on a high humid day can make it become soft and sticky to the touch. This happens because the pavlova is weeping too. A soft sticky shell can also be caused by not baking the pavlova long enough. Another reason for a soft shell is that the amount of sugar in the recipe was reduced.

Over beating the egg whites once the sugar has been added can also result in a pavlova that develops cracks during baking. Sugar not dissolved: You need to add sugar to the egg whites gradually. It must be 1 tablespoon at a time. Undissolved sugar attracts moisture, which can make your meringue week once cooked.

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.

The extra air expands in the oven and can overstretch the cells of whisked egg white, causing them to break and the meringue to collapse. Whisk the egg whites until they reach peaks where the tip just flops over, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time.

Bake for 80-90 minutes, until shell is firm. If you need to check the crispness of the shell after this time, very quickly open the oven and tap the sides, closing the door immediately. Once cooked, turn oven off and leave pavlova to completely cool inside the oven.

The pavlova should be white or slightly beige in colour, crisp to the touch and soft on the inside. If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour.

Key pavlova ingredients

Cornflour and white vinegar: for those new to making pavlova, these might seem like odd additions, but both cornflour and white vinegar are used as stabilising ingredients to keep the egg mixture standing.

Reduce oven temperature to 110-120°C when you add the pavlova. Bake for the amount of time in the recipe without opening the door to peek. At the end of the cooking time, turn oven off, prop the door ajar and leave inside to cool. Store cooled pavlova in an airtight container until ready for serving.

Weeping meringue

The clear liquid that can leak from a meringue is sugar syrup. If your meringue is destined to weep, this is usually a result of an issue in the initial mixing.

Make sure your utensils and egg whites are free of any grease. Do not use parchment paper or a greased and floured baking sheet– the meringue will often stick to them. Use aluminum foil.

What does pavlova mean in french? ›

[pævˈləʊvə ] noun. dessert composé d'une meringue garnie de fruits et de crème chantilly. Collins French-English Dictionary © by HarperCollins Publishers.

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert that originated in either Australia or New Zealand. The elegant dish is named after Anna Pavlova, a Russian ballerina. It has a crisp meringue crust, a soft whipped cream interior, and a fruit topping.

If you over-bake it, the meringue will collapse on itself. It will still taste great, but will be more dense. If sugary droplets form on the surface of the meringue, you'll know you have overcooked it; liquid oozing from the pavlova is a sign of undercooking.

Enemy # 3: If you overwhip your eggwhites, you risk making them too firm and they may lose their moisture. This will affect the meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar.

Store your pavlova in a dry, airtight container.

If your pavlova is left in the open, the sugar in the meringue will absorb moisture in your kitchen's air. This added moisture will turn your crispy meringue into a soft and sticky mess. An airtight container will help shield your meringue from moisture in the air.

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.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Step 5: Bake

It will still taste great, but will be more dense. If sugary droplets form on the surface of the meringue, you'll know you have overcooked it; liquid oozing from the pavlova is a sign of undercooking. When things look good, turn the oven off but leave the pavlova in there to cool slowly.