8 Feb 2007

VALENTINE'S DAY PAVLOVA
Retro Recipe Challenge RR6


St.Valentine's Day is nearly here, but I made this for what is sometimes called St.Valentine's weekend and also for the
Retro Recipe Challenge #6 Food of Love.

Recipe taken from:

BRITAIN'S FAVOURED RECIPES
BY AMBROSE HEATH (WOLFE PUBLISHING 1964)


Serves: 4 people

Skill Level: Moderate

Taste Test: The meringue was sweet and a little chewy.

The ingredients list was unusual in that icing sugar instead of the usual caster sugar was used, also baking powder was in the list of ingredients to make the meringue. I made this in a heart shaped tin which I lined with a large piece of parchment baking paper. The method was unusual in that you didn't whisk the egg whites until they were stiff as you would usually do. The sugar etc was added to the egg whites gradually from the beginning. The addition of baking powder worried me slightly. When the meringue was cooking it rose quite alarmingly (obviously the baking powder was doing its job) - far too much for my liking. I cooked the pavlova at 140°C for 90 minutes then left it in the oven to dry out.
I took the pavlova out of the oven, turned it out - oh dear! it had a top, middle but no base! Also, the top looked like a crater. I think maybe my tin would have been more suitable for a 2 egg white mixture and not the three specified in the recipe, perhaps that is why the mixture rose too much and it didn't have a base.
The cream I used to cover the top was my usual favourite - ¼ pt of softly whipped double cream, ¼ pt of thick Greek yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of icing sugar mixed together.
What is your favourite cream?
I made a raspberry coulis to go with the pavlova - 170g raspberries, 60g icing sugar, 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Just whiz everything together, push the sauce through a plastic sieve. Store covered in the fridge - Beautiful.
Would I use this recipe again - definitely no. Would I make this again using a different recipe - yes!!
We ate it all up, even the meringue crumbs and so it couldn't have been all bad could it?

EQUIPMENT USED: A heart shaped tin.