Image is for illustrative purposes only.
This is a quick, very reliable pavlova base built on a pavlova mix, which is simply dried egg white with stabilisers and a little starch already blended together. You whip it with water and caster sugar, then beat in the rest of the sugar until the meringue is thick, white and glossy, and it holds its shape beautifully on the tray.
Baked low and slow, it gives the pavlova everyone hopes for: a dry, crisp shell that shatters under the spoon and a soft, marshmallow centre. Use it as a base for whipped cream and fresh fruit, as a layer inside a cream cake, or pipe it into small nests for individual desserts.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 960
Number of Units: 2
Unit Size: 20 cm round pavlova base
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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120 |
4.2 ounces
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Pavlova Mix
Pavlova mix is a commercial dry powder blend of dried egg white, stabilisers and a little starch or acid, made to be whipped with water and sugar into a stable meringue. It saves separating eggs and gives a very consistent, high-volume foam.
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B
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720 |
3 cups
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Water
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cold |
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C
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600 |
21.1 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
caster
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D
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480 |
16.9 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
caster
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1920
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Pre-heat |
Pre-heat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Line two flat baking trays with baking paper and mark a 20 cm circle on each sheet as a guide. |
Oven fully at temperature before the meringue goes in |
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2 |
Whip |
Place A, B and C (pavlova mix, water and caster sugar) in a clean, grease-free mixing bowl and whip on medium speed until the mixture whitens and thickens, then raise to high speed. |
Thick, white and holding a firm peak |
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3 |
Add |
With the machine still running, add D (caster sugar) a spoonful at a time, allowing each addition to dissolve before adding the next. |
Meringue is stiff and glossy and feels smooth, not gritty, when rubbed between the fingers |
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4 |
Shape |
Divide the meringue between the two trays. Spread each into a 20 cm round about 5 cm high, building the sides up a little and leaving a shallow hollow in the centre for the cream and fruit. You can also pipe the mixture into nests. |
Even thickness, sides slightly higher than the middle |
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5 |
Bake |
Bake at 120°C (250°F) for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes without opening the door. |
The shell is dry, firm to a light touch and lifts cleanly from the paper |
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6 |
Cool |
Switch the oven off, open the door slightly and leave the pavlovas inside until completely cold. |
Cooled slowly to avoid cracking and collapse |
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7 |
Finish |
Fill the cooled shells with whipped cream and fresh fruit just before serving. |
Fill at the last moment so the meringue stays crisp |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1.92 kg of meringue, enough for two 20 cm pavlova bases or roughly 20 to 24 small individual nests. Meringue hates moisture, so work on a dry day, use a spotlessly clean and dry bowl and whisk, and add the second lot of sugar slowly so it dissolves properly. Unfilled bases keep for up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature; never refrigerate them undressed. Once filled with cream they should be eaten the same day.
Tools & Arrangements
Stand mixer with whisk attachment, large clean mixing bowl, two flat baking trays, baking paper, palette knife or spatula, piping bag with a large star tube (optional), cooling rack.
