Free Recipe: The Perfect Pavlova from Donna Hay’s Basics to Brilliance

The Perfect Pavlova from Donna Hay’s new book Basics to Brilliance

1 x quantity no-fail meringue mixture (see basic recipe below)
1½ cups (375ml) single (pouring) cream, whipped
raspberries, passionfruit pulp and sliced peaches, to serve

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Using a pencil, draw a 20cm circle on a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Place the baking paper, pencil-side down, on a lightly greased baking tray+. Spoon the meringue mixture into the circle to make a neat round. Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C (250°F) and
bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely in the closed oven++.
Place the pavlova on a cake stand or plate and top with the whipped cream, raspberries, passionfruit and peach to serve. SERVES 8–10

NOTES
+ Turn the baking paper so it’s pencil-side down on the tray – no marks will transfer onto the meringue.
++ Allow the meringue to cool gradually in the oven with the door closed – preferably overnight.

No-fail meringue mixture

225ml eggwhite (about 6 eggs)+
1½cups (330g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1½ teaspoons white vinegar

STEP 1 Place the eggwhite in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form.

STEP 2 Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until each addition is dissolved before adding more++.

STEP 3 Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and whisk for a further 10–15 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy+++.

STEP 4 Place the cornflour and vinegar in a small bowl and mix until smooth.

STEP 5 Add the cornflour mixture to the eggwhite mixture and whisk for 30 seconds or until well combined++++.

MAKES 1 QUANTITY

NOTES
+ Making meringue is a science. Be sure to measure your ingredients carefully, including the eggwhites as egg sizes do vary. Fresh, room temperature eggs work best – when whisked they’ll become fluffy and voluminous, plus they’re more stable during baking.
++ Be patient when gradually adding the sugar to the eggwhite. Each tablespoon of sugar should be dissolved before the next is added.
+++ Take care not to overwhisk the meringue mixture – it’s ready when it’s thick, glossy, smooth and there are no more sugar granules. You can check this by rubbing a little mixture between your thumb and forefinger.
++++ See the recipes that follow for how to bake this meringue mixture.
TIP It’s best to avoid making meringue on humid days. Excess humidity can cause meringue to sink during or after baking.

For more on Donna Hay’s Basic to Brilliance click here