There are several topics on Ask Jo that pop up regularaly….triggering lots of questions and concerns. We all strive for a repertoire of several favourites that we can simply bake and enjoy. One recipe that’s on the top of the list is Pavlova. We all just love this delicious dessert. However issues with weeping, cracks and sinking can break hearts, so a simple guide and step by step might just help by giving some little tips that, if followed, will guarantee complete success!
Here they are:
1. Separate the room temperature eggs carefully; the whites must be completely free from yolk. Also make sure the bowl and whisk are clean and dry.
2. Whisk the whites on high speed (10) to very soft peaks. Add the sugar. This can be done in various amounts depending on the recipe
*2 tbsp at a time beating well in between each addition
*in 3 additions during the beating / whisking OR
*in one go!
(If you add the sugar in one go, allow the mixture to beat on high speed for 10 minutes) . See the recipe below!
3. When the meringue is high, glossy, very firm, white and smooth in texture with NO undissolved sugar. Add the cornflour and vinegar. If adding boiling water, pour water down the sides of the bowl. There are variations for various recipes, some have boiling water, some a combination of cornflour and vinegar, some simply vinegar.
4. Mix on speed 1 for 5 seconds or until just combined! Do not over mix! If overmixed the meringue will thin out. The mixture must remain very thick and hold its shape/
5. Stick baking paper to the tray with a little dollop of meringue and draw a circle as a guide for the meringue. A four egg meringue will need a circle of about 20 cm.
6. Pile meringue onto the tray and lightly run a spatula around the sides.
7. Bake for about 1 ½ hours and allow to cool slowly. Turn the over off and allow the Pavlova to cool. Pop a wooden spoon into the door of the oven to hold the door ajar.
As the meringue cooks and dries it will have slight cracks, this is to be expected and is nothing to worry about. However, sinking is caused by the shell being cooled too quickly.
8. When completely cool, carefully run a long spatula under the cooked shell and move to serving plate (if desired) or to a sealed container. The empty shell will keep for up to 3 days.
To serve: lashing of lightly sweetened cream and your favourite fresh seasonal fruit.
To check out the recipe on the KitchenAid Australian website just click the gorgeous picture of the finished product below.
Hi Jo
I made my first Pav following your recipe today. It seemed to work ok but during the cooling process (in the oven with the door shut) it sunk in the middle.
I can probably save it by covering it up with cream and berries but any tips for stopping the sinking will be much appreciated.
I followed the KA Vanilla Snow Pav recipe to the letter (including the slow beat technique).
Thanks
Emma
Hi Emma,
Yes often pavlovas can get right to the end and then sink a little. As you said thank goodness for cream and berries. The trapping and baking of air inside that delicate shell is quite a complex processand many little things can happen….
This end sink could have been due to air temp/ over beating, folding or cooling too fast
Oven temperature: you can purchase inexpensive oven thermometers from hardware / kitchenware shops. maybe your oven temp is a little high? or simply decrease the oven temp
fan forced> if possible cook without the fan
Slight over beating (just a touch too much air), so next pav reduce the beating my 30 seconds minute
When piling the meringue onto the oven tray, play with it as little possible, as with every swirl you are trapping in more air
cooling: turn the oven off and leave the door shut… let the pav cool very very very slowly (for this method I normally bake at 120 oC) and bake a little longer but cool very slowly
and lastely, reduce the whole recipe by half – 4 egg pavlovas a MUCH easier to do perfectly!
Let me know how you go, but meringues are tricky. Today here it is going to rain, so NO I am not making a meringue…. brownies it is for afternoon tea today
I hope I have helped you
JO
Hi Jo,
I tried to make pavlova, but it end up watery at the bottom (bleed).
I follow the recipe to the letter. please help….
Hi Molita,
Can i ask did you use my recipe on http://www.kitchenaid.com.au (offical recipes) for vanilla snow pavlova? This just cant go wrong! It does make a very large pavlova so you can half it, for a smaller size if you wish.
The other areas to look out for
1. make sure there is NO egg yolk in the whites
2. make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are perfectly dry
3. dont use cold egg whites, pop the whole egs into some nice warm water for a few minutes. remove and carefully dry then separate the egg and white.
4. dont over mix – do what my vanilla snow recipe says
5. bake 1 1/2 hours and allow to cool slowly
Let me know how you go….. good luck.
Jo
Hi Jo,
I’m still getting pavlova with clear liquid came out from the bottom, is this normal?
Hi Molita,
No this is not normal!
Are you using the vanilla snow pavlova recipe from the http://www.kitchenaid.com.au website? You can half the quantity if you prefer as it makes a big pavlova.
oven temp: the other reason this happens is the meringue is not setting. increase your oven temp 20 oc for the first 20 minutes……then reduce it.
And finally i presume you are using a KitchenAid standmixer, and not a hand mixer> Have nice clean dry bowl with clean dry whisk and have your eggs at room temp.
Rainy weather – this often can causes weeping, but it must also be humid – these are terrible conditions for a meringue.
Good luck!
Hi Jo, I made your vanilla snow pavlova recipe exactly as per the kitchen aid recipe. It turned out really well but as the other reader said there was some weeping underneath. I am using a fan forced oven and wonder if 100 degrees is too low?? The other thing I did was the tray was one up from the bottom. Could this effect the weeping? I left the pavlova to cool overnight in the oven with door slightly ajar. Thanks for your help!!
Hi Elly,
The problem with meringue is humidity. It is the enemy!!
I always bake a pavlova at 120C… long and slow is my motto, however yes you can increase up to 150 (about 130is fan forced).
The beating of the egg whites initially at speed 2 is a method to break up the proteins in the egg white, this creates more stability producing a better meringue.
Try a batch (you can reduce down the recipe to 4 egg whites and 1 cup sugar) at 150C (fan off – so reduce a little for fan forced) and see if you like the result better (however if its humid…… well there may be some weeping). Any hotter than 140 ish with a fan you will have a golden shell and usually some big cracks. The shell needs to slowly dry out. There is another technique of baking at 150 for 10 mins then reducing right down. I have also worked with Frencg pastry chefs who bake at 90 oC, but always a fan off oven and these a big commercial ovens.
Re the door (ajar or closed)… many like to cool slowly with the door ajajr, however I recently have started simply turning the oven off and alowing the sheel to cool even slower… this reduces cracks and prevents too much sinking.
This issue is always the humidity….. you can reduce the cornflour of omit it…. this can also help the shell form.
Good luck, I hope I have helped you – let me know your result
JO
hi jo ,
I have bought myself the kitchen aid mixer but I have not used it as yet .
I love watching the the kitchen aid segment when you are on you
make everything look so easy and yummy, I will try the Ice cream
when my grandchildren come over
thanks Marianne
Congrats Marianne, good luck with the ice cream, your grandkids will love it. Remember to freeze the ice cream attachment for at least 12 hours before and have the custard mixer nice and chilled too.
The soft serve consistency is ready in about 20 minutes, but if you want it firmer, you will need to freeze for additional time. (around 4 hours).
Check out my recipes on http://www.kitchenaid.com.au
Any other queries, i’m here!
Jo