Making meringue is simple – the basic ingredients are 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar for every egg white – but it’s essential to get a few things right. Follow these tips.
Step 1:
To get the right shape for your meringue, use a plate as a guide to draw a 20cm circle onto non-stick baking paper. Turn it ink-side down on the tray.
Step 2:
To ensure no yolk gets into the egg white, separate the eggs 1 at a time before transferring to the bowl. If there’s any yolk in the egg white, discard it.
Beat the egg white in a dry bowl until firm peaks form. To test this, lift the beater – the egg white should come to a slight point.
Step 4:
To keep the egg white light, beat in the caster sugar gradually. If you add it all at once the mixture may deflate and you risk overbeating to dissolve it.
Step 5:
To test if the sugar is dissolved, rub some mixture between your fingers. If it feels grainy, keep beating until the mixture feels smooth and looks glossy.
To give structure to your meringue so it’s less likely to collapse during baking, run a flat-bladed knife up the side all the way around to make furrows.
Pavlova secrets
Use these techniques for a perfect meringue every time.
Ensure your equipment is dry before you start. Moisture stops egg white aerating, so it may not increase in volume at all or your meringue may be smaller. Don’t use a plastic bowl as it retains moisture.
Egg essentials
Don’t allow any egg yolk to spill into the egg white – the tiniest bit of egg yolk in the white can stop the white from aerating.
Bring eggs to room temperature before separating – set aside for at least 20 minutes after removing from the fridge. Cold egg white takes longer to beat, so it doesn’t incorporate as much air, which is what makes meringue light and fluffy.
Keep out any traces of water or fat, such as oil or butter – these prevent the egg white from incorporating air and producing a good volume.
Adding ingredients
Use caster sugar rather than white sugar – it’s finer in texture and dissolves more easily. Any undissolved sugar can ruin the texture of your meringue.
Beating vinegar and cornflour into the mixture creates a soft centre and a crisp shell.
Kitchen conditions
Make pavlovas on dry days with low humidity and no rain – any moisture in the air can stop your mixture from aerating (see Tool Tricks, above).
Don’t cook other dishes or boil the kettle when making pavlova – these activities create steam, which adds moisture to the air.
Baking basics
Leave meringue in oven after baking, with the door closed, to cool and dry out completely.
What could go wrong:
Overbeaten egg white
Overbeating egg white breaks down the structure and the meringue is likely to collapse during baking. Beat until firm peaks form, then start adding sugar. If the egg white starts to separate or looks curdled, it’s overbeaten and you’ll need to start again with fresh egg whites.
Cracked meringue
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.
Weeping meringue
To avoid liquid or beads on the surface of your meringue, make sure all the sugar has dissolved, being careful not to overbeat.
Pavlovas are best eaten within 24 hours of baking and soon after they are decorated. 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.
If you store your pavlova in an airtight container or wrap it well in cling film, it should keep its taste and texture for up to 2 days. The pavlova will taste best if eaten the day after you make it. After you add fruit and whipped cream to your pavlova, you'll need to eat it within a few hours.
Are cold or room temperature eggs better for pavlova? Room temperature egg whites will create a more stable and airier meringue. Remove eggs from fridge 30-60 minutes before using. Eggs are easier to separate when cold, so you can separate the eggs first then let them come to room temperature.
Overbeating egg white breaks down the structure and the meringue is likely to collapse during baking. Beat until firm peaks form, then start adding sugar. If the egg white starts to separate or looks curdled, it's overbeaten and you'll need to start again with fresh egg whites.
Once baked, you have to let it completely cool down in the oven, to prevent the pavlova from collapsing. Usually this takes about 3 – 4 hours. You can leave the pavlova in the oven overnight too. A baked and cooled pavlova can be kept in an airtight container, or even in the oven for up to 24 hours.
Now, some pavlova recipes have you greasing the baking paper with vegetable oil or oil spray. I find that if you cook the pav for the prescribed time in the oven, then turn the oven off and leave it there for a further hour to dry out, the baking paper should easily peel away from the meringue.
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.
The acid will actually help stabilise your whipped whites too. That's why we add cream of tartar to our pavlova recipes. If you use a little more vinegar in the meringue, you'll encourage a soft centre and a crisp shell.
How Do I Know My Pavlova Is Done? A perfectly baked pavlova should be pale and look dry, but a skewer inserted in the meringue should come out with a thick sticky, marshmallow-like consistency. If you aren't sure about the pavlova's doneness, turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringue for up to an hour.
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.
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.
Swiss meringue can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Similarly, Italian meringue can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Summer Pavlovas are best eaten the same day that they're made! Keep the assembled in the fridge until you're ready to serve. If you have any leftover, be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. I seriously can't wait for you to try this delicious Pavlova with Berries and Cream!
You're best off using uncooked meringue immediately, but if you need to store it, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to twenty-four hours.
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