Pavalova! Help I cant cook!

MistyGal

New Member
Jan 24, 2011
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Norfolk
I have made numerous attempts at Pavalova.. only about 3 have ever gone right so i end up doing Eton Mess:cry:

Why will my meringue not go into hard peaks? Please tell me what I am doing wrong... I have changed tact to macaroons from this mornings effort :tongue:

So flipping annoying!
 
OK, I have found it a long hard road to making meringues too. Here's what I know.

  • Use older eggs if you can. Using fresh-laid eggs from my chickens I find mousses easy but meringues very hard. Shop bought eggs are generally old enough.
  • Frozen egg whites whisk really well.
  • Start with your egg whites at room temperature.
  • Don't use a plastic bowl. Stainless, ceramic or glass is best. Pyrex is my favourite.
  • Ensure that bowl and whisk are spanking clean and dry. Even a drop of egg yolk will b&gger up the lot (as I have found only today to my cost, or to my chocolate cake's cost :furious:)
  • Use an electric whisk if you don't want to die.
  • Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and don't overwhisk them - stop as soon as they stand up when the whisk is lifted out. Then add your sugar a teaspoonful at a time to start, until half of it is in. This should give you a stiff, shiny, satiny, glossy mixture.

I tend to underwhisk Pavlova mix rather than overwhisk it, because once it's overdone you can never get it back and I don't mind if the shape is soft rather than firm.

Good luck!
 
I don't know but I always end up with Eton Mess too!

I do love Eton Mess!!!

I did make a meringue from a Delia book once and it turned out perfectly. Can't remember what book it was from now though.

Sorry, not much help am I? I do sympathise though!
 
Thanks Jane & Ziggy
I think i must be over whisking, before adding the sugar!
Thanks Laura Gee Gee but what came out of the oven has been sandwiched together with cream and strawbs and I piped cream all ontop and decorated so I have some lovely looking mini pavalova's....
I will try the big one again soon
 
Thanks Jane & Ziggy
I think i must be over whisking, before adding the sugar!
Thanks Laura Gee Gee but what came out of the oven has been sandwiched together with cream and strawbs and I piped cream all ontop and decorated so I have some lovely looking mini pavalova's....
I will try the big one again soon

ooooh....please can I have one - I am actually salivating reading your description!:redface: Actually could I please have more than one?:bounce:
 
ooooh....please can I have one - I am actually salivating reading your description!:redface: Actually could I please have more than one?:bounce:

Of course you can here you go! :mstickle::mstickle:
 

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I have a foolproof Pavlova recipe.

It all depends what you are aiming at. I am not expert on Eton mess but the trad UK merringue like my Mum made tends to be dried off in a low oven and go hard and biscuity. Pavlova made the Australian way is soft inside like marshmallow. That is why you can slice it without it shattering.

My recipe comes from Simon Hopkinson, The Prawn Cocktail Years. And this version is not a sandwich (that too would squish the middle when slicing). I learned much of what I know about cooking from Simon Hopkinson when he wrote for the Independent Newspaper and the recipe is presumably copyright. I will PM it to you.
 
Thanks guys, the plan was a normal pavalova with high sides etc etc but as it didn't form stiff I just cooked them as round blobs and sandwiched them together... normally i chuck the mixture... thanks Skib... much appreciated, they were still squishy in middle (love that),, always leave in oven to dry out... going to try for proper one again tommorow.. feeling confident ;-)
 
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