The tartness of raspberries goes well with the sweet and fat of pavlova. Also pictured are my well-used pavlova recipe - note my spelling pavalova, and the fundraising cook books. Photo / Judith Lacy
The tartness of raspberries goes well with the sweet and fat of pavlova. Also pictured are my well-used pavlova recipe - note my spelling pavalova, and the fundraising cook books. Photo / Judith Lacy
Opinion:
Unlike Anna Pavlova, I've never executed a ballet step in my life.
But unlike the Russian ballerina, I've made plenty of pavlovas. I have no recollection of making my first one but it's a skill that has come in handy over the decades to wow, bribe, celebrate andthank people.
It's also a skill I owe to my mother. I use her recipe and I've never had any problems. The narrative built up over the years that pavs are just too hard to make needs to be cracked just like the eggs you need to make what, let's be honest, looks like a white cow pat.
Recipe books often contain instructions for never-fail pavlova. Why even mention the f word?
Don't open the oven door until the pavlova is cooked but there's no need to go tip-toeing around your kitchen. Cracks and collapses are easily covered up with cream - if need be, use it like cement and put two cracked pav pieces together. Plus cream is like the old-fashioned version of airbrushing - it covers a multitude of sins, not to mention the fruit, chocolate and lolly toppings you can add.
Put the whipped cream on the pav at least an hour before serving and keep it in the fridge to enhance the texture contrasts.
Unfortunately, pavlovas don't travel well - my car carpet can attest to that. Best to take the cream with you and whip it at your venue or at least take the whipped cream in a separate container and add there.
No Need to Mention The F Word Pavlova
4 egg whites Pinch of cream of tartar 1 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp vinegar 2 tsp cornflour 300 ml cream Toppings of your choice
Heat the oven to 125C bake. Line a tray with baking paper, grease it with a knob of butter and sprinkle water over the top.
Beat egg whites and tartar until stiff. Add half the sugar and beat again until dissolved. Fold in the rest of the sugar, the vanilla, vinegar and cornflour using a low beater setting. Place mixture on the baking paper in a circle. Smooth the top.
Cook for 60 minutes, turn off the oven and leave the pav in there for another 30 minutes.
Take out of the oven and let cool. Turn over and place on serving dish. Add whipped cream and toppings of your choice.
A bit tatty around the edges but the taste and crunch are so much better than commercially produced pavlovas. Photo / Judith Lacy
So there you go, pavlova-maker wavers. Give it a go this Father's Day.
Or take inspiration from the fundraising cookbooks from years gone by. I found a 2009 one from Russell Street School and a 2008 Inner Wheel Club of Palmerston North collection on my recipe bookcase. I have no idea how I acquired these books but they make great reading and the school book has the added delight of drawings of each dish by the children.
I recognised a few names - they'd be in their early 20s now. Wouldn't it be memorable if they made their dad the recipe they contributed way back in 2009?
A recipe for a dessert I've never heard of - whiskey roll - caught my eye in the Inner Wheel book. It involves creaming butter and sugar, which I find hard work, but hey, it has one third of a cup of whiskey in it!
• This week's Judith's Jottings is dedicated to former colleague Glenn Watson who died last year. This will be his son's first Father's Day without him. Glenn was a huge fan of my pavlovas and used to encourage me to open Pavlova Paradise.
