A meringue recipe used for Pavlova desserts
About this recipe
Here's a recipe that you can use if you are going to bake a pavlova cake
Simply put, this meringue is a French meringue with extra ingredients to dry it out really well and withstand the cream and fruit confit/jam. I am also showing you how to prepare the meringue before adding the rest of the Pavlova ingredients (coating with chocolate)
1. The Pavlova Meringue is a French Meringue to which we add Lemon and Cornstarch : this helps to dry out the meringue
2. Pour the Egg Whites (4 Tablespoons or 60 g) into a mixing bowl and wait 30 minutes (they will whip nuch better if they are at room temperature)
3. Start whipping: You may use either a stand mixer (like a Kitchen Aid appliance) or an electric beater
4. Start on moderate speed (egg whites will hold better): With the stand mixer, I use the Speed #4 (1-10)
5. After 4 minutes, pour the first Sugar (1 Tablespoon or 20 g)
6. Increase the speed: With the stand mixer, I use the Speed #6 (1-10)
7. After 3 minutes, pour the 2nd Sugar (1 Tablespoon or 20 g)
8. Increase the speed: With the stand mixer, I use the Speed #8 (1-10)
9. After 2 minutes, add in the Lemon Juice (1 teaspoon or 4 g)
10. Increase the speed and keep whipping for 1 minute. With the stand mixer, I use the Maximum Speed #10 (1-10)
11. Over the bowl, sift the Icing Sugar (¼ Cup or 50 g)
12. Manually fold, with a rubber spatula
13. Transfer to a Pastry Bag with a Plain Pastry Tip, 0.78" (or 25/32" or 2 cm) in diameter
Baking
14. You may shape the meringue the way you want. I am going to shape my meringue in a circular shape, with "little balls"
15. One trick to make a nice regular shape is to "dip" a pastry ring into icing sugar and transfer onto the silicone mat or the parchment paper
16. That way, you have a pattern that will help you pipe a perfect shape
17. Pipe the pavlova meringue
18. Bake in preheated oven at 220 °F / 100 °C for 3 hours or more
19. Then turn off the oven and let the meringue dry out a few hours
20. The meringue must be completely dried and at room temperature
Chocolate Coating
21. Additionally, I recommend to melt white chocolate and coat the meringue : the fat from the chocolate will prevent the meringue to turn soggy when we add the jam confit and the cream
