[joni]

Watched Nigella Bites over the weekend and she made a "marshmallowy" pavlova...added cornstarch to it and a little bit of vinegar. I did not "catch" the part on baking it..whether she uses a high oven or a low oven and how long, etc. to make it "marshmallowy"....I am looking for that effect. Does anyone have a tried and true? Have seen varying degrees of oven temperatures -- I am looking for the soft marshmallowy pavlova, not the hard meringue.

 

[pinarello]

I have madethe soft Pavlova before but I forget the details. Yes i used vinegar and baking powder. I thought this was the only way to make Pavlove, have never heard of hard pavlova.
I would look in a new zealand or Australian cookbook for Pavlova, they eat it down there like its goin out of style.

 

[risa]

I just happen to have Nigella Lawson's How to Eat here with me at the office. The pavlova in this book has a marshmallow middle and crisp sides and base.

Nigella Lawson Pavlova

4 egg whites
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp white wine vinegar
few drops vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Make the meringue. Mound on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 300F. Cook 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave pavlova in it to cool completely.

 

[joni]

Thank you sooooo much! How do you like her recipes?

 

[risa]

I just got the book last week and haven't had time to cook from it yet. However, it's a very good book to read and that's why I had it at work with me today. Most of her recipes look basic but tasty -- stuff you can cook, eat and enjoy on a daily basis.

 

[compassrose]

Hey, THAT looks good! I really like meringue-based desserts, but not the way they spray crispy egg-white bits all over me.

When making the meringue, what's the order? I'm guessing beat whites to soft peaks, add cornstarch, salt and sugar sifted together, beat stiff, and beat in vinegar and vanilla as a finale... or am I wrong, and would one put the vinegar into the whites first?

Forgive the stupid questions of the unlearned amateur.