The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

My take on the classic New Zealand/Australian Pavlova

sonia101's picture
sonia101

My take on the classic New Zealand/Australian Pavlova

I love this cake, the crisp meringues, chewy chocolate ganache, fresh vanilla cream and strawberries work so well together.

I used the meringue recipe from the ‘Burke Street Bakery” book , I love this book. The cake I made was  28cm so it is quite large.

http://www.bourkestreetbakery.com.au/

Meringue

8 egg whites

500 grams caster sugar

2/3 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

2/3 teaspoon white vinegar

Preheat oven to 140 degC and line 3 baking trays with paper, I used a 28cm cake tin for a template. Place the egg white into a clean bowl( making sure NO yolk is added) and whisk on high speed until firm peaks form. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the sugar and whisk until shiny, firm peaks form. Using a rubber spatula fold through the vanilla extract and vinegar. Spoon the meringue mixture onto the paper and using a palette knife spread the meringue evenly. Bake for 25 minutes (rotating trays) then turn oven down to 100 degC for another 15 minutes. Allow meringues to cool in the oven (this helps to prevent cracking) you can even leave them in the cold oven overnight. Use a palette knife and gently run it under the meringue to release it from the paper.

I always flip the bases so I'm working on the flat (bottom) side, it make is easier to spread the ganache and helps to keep the cake nice a level.

For the chocolate ganache I used equal parts of chocolate and cream, 300 grams dark chocolate and 300 grams heavy cream. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring the cream to a gentle boil. Remove cream from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate, stir mixture until it starts to come away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool and spread evenly over all 3 meringue bases

For the Vanilla cream and decorating the cake I used 1.8 litres of heavy cream (shock!!, but it was a really large cake) and added 8 tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding to stabilize the cream. Whisk together until firm peaks form and spread over 2 of the meringue layers and then add the chopped strawberries. Assemble the layers and decorate with the remaining vanilla cream.

I normally add strawberries on the top, but this cake was a birthday cake for my daughter's boyfriend. I had a football theme made with piped chocolate and chocolate plastic.

Now that I have my sourdough starter up and running again I can't wait to try some of the sourdough recipe in this book.

Cheers Sonia

Comments

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Beautiful looking cake.  Wish I could try a nice big piece with a cold glass of milk!

mijo.sq's picture
mijo.sq

Do you use of dry vanilla pudding to stabilize the cream? Or do you prepare the pudding mix?

I use my food dehydrator to bake/dry pavlova.

 

Very nice cake! (The chocolate footballs are great)

 

sonia101's picture
sonia101

Hi,

I just added the dry packet of instant vanilla pudding mix to the cream and whipped them together.

 https://www.google.com.au/search?q=instant+vanilla+pudding&hl=en&prmd=imvnsfde&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=IKFrT5X9IM6WmQWv8smyBg&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mod...

This is a great link on different ways to stabilize cream

http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/bakingtips.Frostings/Frostings.cfm

Thanks for the tip on the dehydrator, I have one and would never have thought to use it for a pav, I'll try it next time :)

 

mijo.sq's picture
mijo.sq

Thanks for the link!

Before using the dehydrator make sure it's tall enough for the pavlova otherwise it'll stick.

RobynNZ's picture
RobynNZ

Sonia, You are such a diplomat! Actually I like to make Stephanie Alexander's marshmallow version (those of you not downunder might not know that Stephanie is an Australian - it's a bit treasonous of me to use her method!)

Your pavlova looks wonderful - trust Bryce had a very happy 21st.

The Bourke St book is great isn't it. Several people here have baked from it, you'll find their reports if you do a TFL search.

Cheers, Robyn

Yerffej's picture
Yerffej

Sonia,

I have come to expect nothing short of pure beauty in your baking...and you do not disappoint.

Jeff

sonia101's picture
sonia101

Island66, Wish I could send you a piece, we had leftovers...no way 5 people were going to eat that massive cake LOL. I normally never eat cake (usually only have a bite of my husbands piece) but I did have a piece of this one and it was really nice.

Robyn I thought of you when I was typing it LOL!! Thanks I'll try Stephanie's version next time I make a pav! Thanks for the tip on searching the book, I'll do that now! I bought it on a whim because it had such a large range of different types of recipes. I also bought 'the fundamental techniques of classic bread making by the french culinary institute'...Not sure I really like this book, every sourdough recipe has yeast added also??

Thanks Jeff :)

RobynNZ's picture
RobynNZ

Goodmorning Sonia

I'm know of but haven't seen the FCI book, its focus will be on commercial bakers. In order to achieve an efficient work flow (time/oven capacity etc etc) in a bakery a number of things need to be managed,  in particular temperature. By adding a little yeast to a sourdough the baker has another 'tool'.

You'll be able to leave the yeast out of the formula you use from the FCI and use your knowledge to choose the right moments to first shape and then later bake the bread.

Cheers, Robyn

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

your inviting desert of the day scored some big points with me! 

sonia101's picture
sonia101

Thanks Robyn that's handy to know because the book itself is excellent and really well written. I keep building up my starter to bake and just don't seem to get around too baking with it :( I did make chickpea, goat's cheese and eggplant empanadas from the Bourke Street Bakery book last time, YUM! and I have sourdough pizzas in the fridge for tonight. We just got a new puppy and boy his more work than a baby, but his so cute! Hoping to get back into bread making next week if our puppy behaves LOL

Isn't he cute? He is a pug cross king charles

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Good luck with your new "baby"....he looks adorable!