Pavlovalova!

Hiya you alls! It's Monday and I was in a meeting from 9 till 1.40 just now! Phew...I didn't even have any time to stop and think about anything.....and no, no lunch for me today. The brunch that I had should be good to last till dinner tonight!

I made this Pavlova on Friday, and served on Saturday after lunch...you know whenever I bake something to fulfill my orders, my kids would always ask if any of the bakes were for them...kesian...and I know they have been wanting this Pavlova for a while!

...and of course, as with every egg whites that I handle, there must be a story behind them! Put it this way...I have this love hate relationship with egg whites, and I knew this from the first day I attempted making macarons. And the story continues when I make Pavlovas, urghhhh!

I remember there was an occasion when I called Sherina at about midnight (knew from twitter that she was still baking!!) to ask her why my meringue nest collapsed...and I had an order to deliver at 9 the next day....and I called her again on Thursday to ask about this "mereng" meringue, haha!

But, I think I got the answers....and some tips which I'd like to share from http://www.whatsforlunchhoney.net/2012/03/black-forest-pavlova-quark-cherries.html#more.....

Here's the recipe that I used on Friday:

Ingredients
4 large egg whites...please use the freshest eggs you can find! Discard when you notice any trace of yolk in your white! Just trust me here, ya!
220g caster sugar
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp vinegar
400ml whip cream, abt 30% fat content, hubs didn't like the one with custard
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp icing sugar
abt 400 g berries fruits...the more the merrier for my family!

Method
Preheat oven at 150C. Make sure your bowl is squecky clean without any trases of oil or grease.

At medium speed, slowly whisk egg whites till stiff peak, about 3 minutes. Slowly add sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon, I'd like to work hastily all the time, but nah, not for this....go slow...and whisk for about 30 seconds before you add the next tablespoon of sugar. After you add all the sugar, whisk at medium high for about 4 to 6 minutes till you get a glossy and silky  meringue texture. Scrape down the bowl and add corn flour and vinegar, whisk at medium high for 2 minutes.

Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper, I used an 8 inch cake tin to draw an outline for my template for the meringue nest. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 120C, once done, leave the Pavlova in the oven to cool.

To top, I whip the whipping cream with icing sugar and vanilla to soft peak and scatter with fruits.

Nope, there were no cracks when the meringue nest was done and the cracks you notice in the picture were due to the pressure when I pushed down the fruits, haha!

...and the interior of the Pavlova...just like how I wanted, moist masrhmellow-y....the whole Pavlova was gone in one sitting, what do you expect from 6 kids digging in into such a lovely light beryylicous Pavlova, hehe!

Tra...and have a productive and healthy week!