Tuesday 13 March 2012

How to make a perfect pavlova

This is the story of mine. the story about the day i decided to make my own pavlova. 


pavlova.
pavlova.
pavlova.

I feel like i speak Russian when i pronounced it and it makes me wanna say it again and again. it makes me drool just by hearing its name.


Just lately pavlova has created quite a phenomenon in Malaysia and so suddenly everyone are posting about pavlova in social media and its pics become viral on the net and blogs. So I surveyed this dessert at bakery shop and it cost almost RM60 per kg. I feel terrified looking at the price! despite the thing that i'm a student and my life is still funded by government loan, i'm craving for this things so badly. so i thought, it would be better if i just make a homemade pavlova, its a way cheaper. then, i get myself all the basic ingredients ready to make a pavlova.

After googled the recipe i finally choose a simple recipe, the one i got from the famous blogger ita masam manis

Ingredients:
4 eggs white
1 cup castor sugar-i reduced it to half cup
1 spoon of vanilla essence
1 spoon cornstarch
1 spoon white vinegar- i use cheap one, forgot what brand.

whipping cream
fresh fruit

Method:
1.Beat egg whites with a maximum speed until fluffy. 
2.Add sugar little by little and continue to beat until thick.
3.Mix together the cornstarch, vanilla essence and vinegar.Stir until all ingredients until dissolved.put it into your meringue and mix well with a spatula.
4.Place the meringue on baking paper and form a round shape. Make sure it is not too thick and not too thin.
5.Put in oven and bake at 120-100C for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or the surface of the pavlova become dry and crispy.
6.Then leave the Pavlova in the oven with the door slightly open, until it is cool.
7. Beat whipping cream at maximum speed until thick. put it on top of pavlova and garnish with fresh fruits.

At first when i looked at the ingredients, i actually quite happy. i went like "ey 4 ingredients only! i'm gonna rock this pavlova like a boss".

i was so 
arrogant. 
and feel proud just too soon..


K.To cut the story short, my 1st attempt pavlova didn't turn out like it ought to be. my pavlova is sticky at the outside and uncooked in the inside. Plus, there is brown sticky liquid appears at the bottom of my pavlova.I was so sad.like very sad. i regret being arrogant at the 1st place when i stumble upon the disaster pavlova. I am very disappointed with the end result but i don't want to waste the remaining ingredients that left after that first batch. It cost me like RM30 for fresh fruit and other ingredients u know. so i tried to make the 2nd batch of pavlova soon after that.
but b4 that, i'm doing research on how to make a perfect pavlova. i watched youtube and read blogs to find out what i did wrong and study the proper way to make pavlova. Finally, the 2nd attempt was succeed!!! **yeay **clap **clap

So my point today is not to share the recipe BUT to share tips to make a perfect pavlova. Oh, to make sure u're not gonna fail like me on your 1st attempt. 

Why your pavlova didn't turn out well?

1. sugar ain't dissolve in the egg whites batter (meringue)

ok here a little trick. pls put the sugar only when your marigue reached soft peak (bubbles batter). it takes about 10mins of beating to reach soft peak but it depends on the speed of your mixer and your room temperature. U may have to beat the meringue longer if u put the sugar too early. Don't ask me why. i read it somewhere and it isss trueee! next put the sugar little by little until your meringue is stiff, creamy in texture, glossy and didn't fall out when you turn your bowl upside down. it takes about 20 mins of beating to reach stiff peak **again, it depends. To playsafe, i added 10 mins of beating to make sure the sugar is finely dissolved.

2. Meringue hates fat/oil

Never! never drop egg yolk into your meringue. not even one tiny drop. start all over again with new batter if, in case, the egg yolk dropped. plus, use stainless steel bowl or glass bowl to beat your meringue as plastic may contain oil even if it looks clean.


3. Do not open your oven during baking. 


Most of the recipe posted on9 stated that it requires only 45mins of baking. Maybe they are using built-in oven or gas oven. If you use the ordinary electronic oven, like me, bake it longer. i bake it for 1 hour and 45mins. after the colour of the pavlova turned pinkish and little cracked appeared on the surface, i turn off the oven, open the oven slightly and let the pavlova cool inside for 15mins or 30mins... err i don't remember exactly, sorry :D

3. Never ever think about to skip the vinegar. its not for the taste u knowwww. u can't even taste it. it is used for something like, i think, to stabilize your meringue. Aiyoh i don't know how to explain this. just follow what i said pls... didn't i mentioned previously that i made a research?? i am qualified for this LOL :D

4. last but not least, for decoration, use ONLY non-dairy whipping cream not dairy whipping cream;it is used for cooking western food e.g. pasta

                 

beautiful isn't it? the feeling of looking at it is like looking at a newborn baby.. i feel like i wanna cry! all the suffers worth! k, i overreact

3 comments:

  1. Aslmkm..Saya dah try wat pavlova ni 2,3x.. Mase pukul telur tu ok je..macam dh kental..siap tak jatuh bile terbalikkan mangkuk..tp bile masuk gula,terus jd cair..langsung xnak kental..kenape ek?sy guna gula biasa tp sy dh blend bg halus..adakah sbb gula tu?tensen sesangat..huhu

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sebaiknya guna gula kaster... sbb tekstur dia yg halus tp bkn powder. kalw awk blend gula biasa dia xhalus tp jadik jadik powder kn. gula kaster penting bkn sje untuk cepat larut tp untuk kerangupan pavlova tu..

      lg 1, msukkan gula time putih telur tu da berbuih buih bnyak ... letak sikit2 smpai putih telor kental, berkrim,berkilat dan xjatuh bila terbalikkan mangkuk (stiff peak)... bukan dah stiff peak bru nk taruk ye...

      sya bgtahu setakat yg saya tahu la ye, wallahu'alam. harap bermanfaat. saya juga da update entri ni untuk lebih info.

      Delete
  2. kn guna gula kaster yg halus tu sis....pavlova ni mmg cerewet n sensitif uuuu

    ReplyDelete