Wednesday, September 9, 2009

PAVLOVA

Good Morning.  Today is Dessert Day.  Mainly because I made this last night for Company.  About 17 years ago, my daughter had recently "flown the coop", and was living in Los Angeles.  One day while I was visiting her, we decided to stroll Melrose Avenue.  We wanted to do some shopping and some "gawking."  If you have ever been there you know what I mean.  We stopped at Louisa's for lunch and had one of their amazing salads.  Too full for even the smallest dessert we began our Trek of Melrose.  About an hour later and almost ready to leave, we spotted a new little shop called "Koala Blue."  When we went in we found it was a little sandwich type shop with dessert.  It was a new venture of Olivia Newton-John's.
An absolute treasure of a place.  You could buy her line of T Shirts, Hats etc.  The desserts sounded Yummy so we bellied up to the counter, sat on a stool and ordered Pavlova.  Neither of us had ever had this dessert, but it sounded just perfect.  Not to heavy.  WELL, it turned out to be one of the most luscious, heavenly things we had ever eaten.  When I got home, I IMMEDIATELY began trying to find the recipe.  I found 3 or 4 different ones.  The one I offer to you today seemed to be the very best and it is the one I have made ever since.

Before I give you the recipe, here is a little background on Pavlova. Anna Pavlova (1881-1931) was a prima ballerina from Russia who, even now, is considered one of the most famous dancers the world has ever seen.  The pavlova dessert first appeared on the scene soon after she toured New Zealand in 1926 and Australia in 1929.  New Zealand and Australia both claim that they invented the dessert and named it after her.  New Zealand had a recipe pre-dating her visit of a fruit filled meringue pie. Too, when the ballerina toured Wellington, New Zealand, in 1926, the chef at the hotel where she stayed said he dreamed up the dessert in her honor.  In 1935 Chef Herbert Sachse of the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Wester Australia, claimed to have enhanced an existing meringue and fruit recipe found in the magazine "Women's Mirror Magazine" and to have both created and named the dessert at that time. He served it at the Hotel at High Teas, and is reported as saying, "it is as light as Pavlova."  The creation of who invented the Pavlova dessert rages on to this day between New Zealand and Australia.

Here is the version that I make.

Louise's Pavlova, a delicious, traditional Australian and New Zealand Dessert.
Louise O'Gorman

6 egg whites - beat until stiff peaks form.
Add 3 tablespoons at a time, 1 3/4 cups of sugar, beating well after each addition
until sugar is completely dissolved
2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstartch) sift into mixture
1 tsp vanilla - blend in
1 tsp white wine vinegar blend in
Drop 2 heaping tablespoons full onto parchment lined baking sheet.  With flat of the spoon swirl around to about a 4 or 5" circle making a light indentation.  They will puff up and the filling will fit into the indentation.
Bake in a preheated oven at 235 degrees for about 55 to 60 minutes.  If it begins to brown, open the oven door to allow it to cool for a few minutes and then cook the remaining time.  Cool in the oven with door open slightly.

When completely cool and immediately before serving, put some whipped cream in the center of each one, top with fruit, berries of any kind or peaches that have been sliced and cut in 1/2.  Top with a little more whipped cream.

This Dessert definitely "makes it's own room."  It is light and airy.  Your whole family will love it.  Especially the kids.

It sounds complicated but is really simple and easy to make.    Try it for your next dessert.

Ciao for now.
Grayce

3 comments:

  1. So awesome, Grayce. Remember not to make this on a rainy day....or in too humid a season.....but oh boy, with lemon curd or fruit.....yummmmy. Thank you for such great ideas.

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  2. Good morning Grayce :) this recipe sounds great. I was wondering if you could offer any suggestions for a menu to feed a group of 12 ladies that includes dinner and dessert and wine... it's my month to host Bunco and dinner and I'm at a loss of what to serve, maybe Italian? I'm hoping to find something easy to make afterwork, while taking care of homework and kids and doesn't cost a fortune. Any ideas? thx! Jen

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  3. Thank you Jennifer
    I will e mail you some ideas.

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