Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Meringue/Pavlova


This recipe comes by way of my sister's blog rebeatworld.blogspot.com, and a bridal shower food that she made some time ago. I think she got the recipe originally from a pavlova search on Epicurious.The Robber and I made lemon meringue pie for pi day and the Robber was worried the meringue would go bad if we didn't eat it all fast, so I tried substituting the meringue from this pavlova recipe instead-- with the result that the meringue did NOT go bad, and was the most beautiful meringue I've ever made, but I think the vinegar gave the meringue a very funny flavor. I only had distilled white, not apple cider like R. used when she made it. The Robber loved the pavlova flavor, but I hated it so I don't think I'll make this again until I can figure out how to use something different. Can I use lemon juice instead of vinegar for the acid? Does anyone know?

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 T cornstarch
3 large egg whites, ideally held at room temperature for 30 minutes
3 T cold water
1 tsp vinegar (recipe said distilled white; R. used apple cider and liked the flavor)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle.

2. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch. Beat whites with a little salt at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen); beat until they hold soft peaks again.
Increase speed to medium high and add sugar/starch 1 T at a time. After it's all added, beat 1 minute more.

3. Add vinegar; beat at high speed until glossy and holding stiff peaks, about 5 minutes or more.

4. Spread meringue on parchment on a baking sheet; make a nice circle with its edge slightly higher than the center.

5. Bake until pale golden and with a crust, about 45 minutes.

6. Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool in oven 1 hour.

Note: Because we used it on a pie we baked it for one hour at 300 degrees.

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