an old aussie favourite

Let's get started shall we. I mean, I've procrastinated long enough about starting this blog so why wait any longer? Because if I sit on my hands for another minute, this blog may never get started. Ok here we go...

About a month ago, a few of us were invited by my husband's colleague to his summer 'cottage' in the Czech countryside for some friendly tennis followed by a BBQ. Feeling abit homesick, I thought I'd test out a recipe I saw in the January 2011 edition of Food and Travel which reminded me of home. I can almost guarantee that any Australian over the age of fifteen has made this dessert at least once in their lives. It's none other than the 'Pav' to the folks Down Under or simply Pavlova to everyone else.

The traditional pavlova recipe calls for alot of sugar, alot of egg whites and alot of fruit like passionfruit, pineapple, strawberry, banana and pretty much any fruit you can get your hands on. This version is somewhat more refined than the traditional version with cinnamon cream as a topper and the use of only ONE type of fruit.

The original recipe in the magazine called for pomegranate seeds but I used blueberries instead as they were in season. Plus I didn't like to entertain the idea of having to tap out all those pomegranate seeds from its shell.

I can't profess to be a pav lover. In fact I never really ate pavlova (let alone make one!) until I came across this recipe. But ever since making it, all I can think about is the light chewy texture of the meringue and the subtle cinnamon notes from the cream.

I hope you enjoy making this (and eating this) as much as I did.

brown sugar pavlova with cinnamon cream and blueberries
adapted from Food and Travel magazine (January 2011)
created: 25 June 2011


[ingredients]:

• 4 large egg whites
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 175g caster sugar
• 1tsp cornflour
• 1tsp white wine vinegar
• 300ml double/whipping cream
• 1tbsp icing sugar
• 1 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
• 150g blueberries

[method]:

• Preheat oven to 140C.
• Line baking tray with baking paper (but do not grease as the eggwhites will collapse).
• Place egg whites into a very clean bowl and using an electric whisk or electric mixer, whisk until the whites form stiff peaks.
• All the while, add the sugars (muscovado and caster) 1 teaspoon at a time while whisking.
• Finally add the vinegar and cornflour along with the final portion of sugars before turning off the whisk/mixer.
• Pile the meringue onto the lined baking tray and form the mixture into a loose 20cm circle.
• Create swirls in the meringue by using a skewer (or something similar).
• Bake for approximately 1 hour (should be light brown all over) and leave in the oven until meringue is completely cooled (overnight is ideal).
• To complete, whip the cream, cinnamon and icing sugar to soft peaks.
• Pile the cinnamon cream onto the cooled pavlova and scatter the blueberries over the top.

Best eaten immediately.


Serves: 8