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 | Pavlova RecipeA very popular dessert in Australia and New Zealand which was named after Anna Pavlova, the famous Russian ballerina who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926 and Australia again in 1929. Some say the dessert was inspired by her tutu, draped in green silk cabbage roses. The basic shape was provided by a meringue case, while the froth of the net was suggested by whipped cream with slices of kiwifruit for the green roses.There is some controversy over which country it originates from - both Australia and New Zealand claim the Pavlova as their national dish. In 1934, Herbert Sachse, the chef at the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia, presented a new cake he named Pavlova, because it was as light as Pavlova. However, the Meringue Cake was common in NZ in the early 1930s. In 1973, Sachse stated in a magazine interview that he sought to improve the Meringue Cake recipe that he found in the Womens Mirror Magazine on April 2, 1935. That recipe was contributed by a New Zealander.
Preheat the oven to 150°C, 300°F or gas mark 2 (the temperature is reduced for baking). Beat the egg whites to a foam, add the salt and beat until soft peaks form which fold over when the beater is removed. Slowly beat in the castor sugar, beatingwell after each addition. Keep beating until the mixture is stiff and the peaks stand up when the beater is removed. Mix together the white sugar and cornflour. Lightly fold into the meringue with the lemon juice. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Spread the meringue into a circle and pipe a decoration around the edge or swirl with a spoon if desired. Bake in a cool oven (80°C or 180°F) for 2 to 2½ hours. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven overnight to cool. Top with whipped cream and decorate with sliced kiwifruit or sliced strawberries just before serving. (Serves 4) All content and images copyright © 1998 - 2008 Cuisine du Monde |