Golden Gaytime Pavlova!
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Pavlova is best made one day ahead
- 300g/10.6ozs. egg whites (around 9-10 large eggs), at room temperature (I place the whole eggs in hot water and then separate)
- 2.5 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2.5 cups caster or superfine Sugar
- 2.5 tablespoons cornflour or fine cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
For filling and topping
- 600ml/21.2fflozs. pure or thickened cream
- 300ml/10.6flozs. full fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup salted caramel sauce
- 6 malt o milk biscuits, crushed (or 1/2 cup Golden Gaytime crumbs)
- 1/2 cup Heath English Toffee bits (you can also use Skor bars, crushed)
- 1/4 cup shaved chocolate
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F and mark three sheets of parchment with 20cm/8inch circles. Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean and free of fat. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add vinegar and then add the sugar in gradually while the whisk is going. You want it to be stiff and be able to hold its shape. Whisk until you can tip the bowl upside down and the meringue won't move. Fold in the cornflour and cocoa.
Step 2 - Spread out the meringue onto the three circles using an angled spatula reserving about half of the meringue to pipe on top. Fit a piping bag with a #867 tip and pipe dollops all over the meringue rounds. Place the three baking trays in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 130C/266F. Bake for 1.5 hours and then turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas to cool in the oven overnight.
Step 3 - The next day prepare the fillings (and pavlovas are best assembled just before serving). Whip the cream until you get billowy peaks and then add the sour cream and whip until you get a dollopy consistency (we aren't adding any sugar to the cream as the pavlova is sweet as it is). Place in the fridge until needed. Then place the biscuits, toffee bits and shaved chocolate in a bowl and have the salted caramel sauce ready (mine was in a tube, place it in a piping bag if yours is in a jar).
Step 4 - Take the largest pavlova round and place it on a serving plate. Top with the whipped cream, biscuit crumbs and toffee bits. Repeat with the two other rounds adding the chocolate sprinkles on the top one.