A Very Australian Shaped Pavlova
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott/Not Quite Nigella
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
- 8 egg whites
- 1.5 cups caster or superfine sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons cornflour (or fine cornstarch)
- 1.5 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1/2 teapoon cream of tartar
- 600ml/21.2 fl ozs. pure or thickened cream
- 2 tablespoons caster of superfine sugar
- 3 passionfruit
- 200g/7ozs. fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup grapes (seedless)
- 50g/1.7ozs. raspberries
- 1 small banana
- 1/2 mango, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 pineapple, sliced thinly into rings and then cut in half to make half moons
- 3 cherries
You will also need a bake snake and some ramekins or an Australia shaped mold.
Step 1 - First construct the shape of Australia with your bake snake. I placed it on the largest baking tray lined with parchment and put the bake snake together (all but one piece which we left for Tasmania). We fashioned the shape of Australia using the ramekins to hold it into place at the top and bottom (no need to grease the bake snake but if you're using a metal mold, line it with parchment. Tasmania isn't a circle but the bake snake doesn't really lend itself to a triangle shape so you can trim it once it is done.
Step 2 - Make sure that your mixing bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean and that there is no egg yolk in the whites. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Start whipping the egg whites until they get foamy and then add the sugar in a steady stream. Add the cornflour, white vinegar and cream of tartar and whip until you get stiff peaks. If you can tip the bowl upside down without the meringue moving it is perfect.
Step 3 - Spoon the meringue mixture into the bake snake and smooth the top over with an angled spatula and place in the oven in the middle rack. Reduce heat down to 150C/300F and bake for 1 hour. Then reduce the heat and bake for another 30 minutes at 130C/266F. Set oven door ajar and allow the pavlova to gradually cool down.
Step 4 - Whip the cream with the 2 tablespoons sugar and place in the fridge until ready. Scoop out the filling from the passionfruit and place in a bowl. Slice the banana, mango and pineapple and have the rest of the fruit ready in a tray.
Step 5 - Just before you want to serve it, decorate it. Spread the pavlova with the cream and then drizzle the passionfruit over the top. Don't worry if the pavlova starts to collapse, just push it together gently. Then make each state a different fruit. We tried to do each according to what each state grew but really all states grow a lot of fruit so you can use whatever fruit you prefer. I'd recommend soft fruit over hard ones like say apple slices. Tart fruit is also good because of the sweetness of the pavlova.
Note: this dessert does not travel well once decorated. If you need to travel with it, take the undressed pavlova and dress it just before you serve it.