MARSHMALLOW PAVLOVA & BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Impress your guests with this fabulous and famous dessert.

This is a Pavlova with IMPACT to the eyes and JOY to the taste buds!

Crusty outside and marshmallow on the inside with blueberry sauce flavored whipped cream and kiwi fruit slices, blueberries and strawberries as decoration.

N.B. Read through the recipe first before starting as I am sharing some secrets that will help make your efforts successful. Get all tools, equipment and ingredients ready then enjoy taking one step at a time.

Step 1: THE BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Before starting the Pavlova make the blueberry sauce used in the whipped cream as this will then have time to cool before you need it. It can also be made the day before.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

a pinch of nutmeg

2 teaspoons cornflour

2/3 cup water

pinch of salt

450 grams or 16 oz fresh or frozen blueberries

Zest of 1 lemon

Step 2: THE BLUEBERRY SAUCE Continued

METHOD:

1. Place sugar, spices and salt in a heavy medium sized saucepan
2. Stir in cornflour dissolved in 1 tablespoon of the water
3. Add the remaining water and bring to the boil
4. Reduce heat and add the blueberries
5. Cook about 20 minutes over moderate heat or until thickened
6. Add the lemon zest
7. Serve warm or cold with sweet or savory dishes
8. This is so delicious!

Step 3: PAVLOVA TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

• large glass bowl (glass is best for beating egg white. Make sure it is dry and clean of all fats)
• electric cake mixer - hand held or stand
• measuring spoons and cups
• silicone spatula - for scraping the bowl out
• round ended knife
• pointed medium knife
• fruit knife
• fruit peeler
• cutting board
• piping bag with wide fluted nozzle (I used my fave icing tool)
• baking paper
• fine marker pen
• saucer
• cornflour for dusting
• baking tray
• 1 wide spatulas to lift baked pavlova
• cake plate - flat or pedestal

Step 4: PREPARATION

1. Spray an oven tray with a little cooking spray to prevent the baking paper moving and using a fine marker pen, draw a 15 cm or 6 inch diameter circle in the center. I use a saucer to do this
2. Dust lightly with cornflour

Step 5: PAVLOVA INGREDIENTS

Makes 9 - 10 servings

4 egg whites - room temperature

1 1/2 cup caster sugar (fine granulated sugar - NOT powered sugar)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

2 cups whipping cream

fresh blueberries, strawberries and kiwi fruit

Step 6: BEATING METHOD

1. Sit the glass bowl with the egg whites into a tub of warm water (not hot) so the water is just 1/2 way up the side of the bowl. This helps to dissolve the sugar. During the beating process replace the warm water if it has cooled.
2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and don't fold over when you lift up the beater blades.

Step 7: ADD THE CASTER SUGAR

1. Add 1/3 of the caster sugar and continue beating until you can no longer feel the sugar between your fingers.
2. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating with each addition until completely dissolved.

This process requires perseverance and may take 20 to 30 minutes. If you are using a hand held beater, hang in there.The mixture should be stiff and glossy. If the sugar has not dissolved the Pavlova will 'bleed'.

Step 8: ADDITIONS

1. Add the vanilla and vinegar.
2. Beat just to combine.

Step 9: STACK

1. Using a spatula, pile the mixture inside the circle
2. Shape it 12 cm or 5 inch high with a smooth side and flat top.

Step 10: SHAPE

1. Use the round end of a spreading knife to make vertical grooves evenly around the side. I managed to do 9 on this one.
2. Smooth the top as best you can.

Step 11: CREATE WELL for BLUEBERRIES

1. Using a pointed knife cut vertically around the top just inside the top edge making a 2.5 centimeter or 1 inch groove mark.

It doesn't look like you have made any difference but during the baking the top will drop down creating the well for the filling.

N.B. The room was very warm and the mixture spread out more than usual so keep the heat down if possible

Step 12: BAKE

1. Bake in a very slow oven 1 1/2 hours
2. Turn off the heat
3. Cool in the oven with door ajar

Step 13: PLATE UP

When completely cold, carefully remove from the baking paper using a wide spatula and lift it onto a flat or pedestal cake plate.

Step 14: BLUEBERRY WHIPPED CREAM

1. Add a teaspoon of caster sugar for a sweeter taste
2. Whip 1 1/2 - 2 cups of whipping cream until firm enough to hold it's shape. Be careful not over whip
3. Use a small sieve and press the sauce through to create a smooth liquid
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the blueberry liquid to the whipped cream and gently mix together
5. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use

Step 15: PREPARING FRUIT

1. Select even sized blueberries and strawberries for the outer decoration. Uneven blueberries can be used for the center.
2. Peel and slice the kiwi fruit and then cut each slice in half
3. Hull the strawberries

Step 16: FILL THE WELL

1. Using the silicone spatula, place some cream onto the center of the pavlova and smooth out to the ridge
2. Place the blueberries, small hole side up, in the 'well' filling the space

Step 17: PIPING THE BLUEBERRY CREAM

1. Use a piping bag with a wide decorators nozzle to create the shape and pipe a rosette onto each ridge
2. Pipe a rosette inside each ridge around the base

Step 18: PLACING THE FRUIT

1. Place a wedge of kiwi fruit between each rosette
2. Trim the base of one large strawberry and place onto the blueberries in the center
3. Cut the strawberries in half lengthwise to create a flat base and place around the base as shown
4. Put a blueberry onto the center of each rosette with large hole out

Step 19: READY TO SERVE

Spoon Blueberry Spicy Sauce onto the serving plates alongside the Pavlova slice and add some extra fruit

Enjoy!