The easiest pavlova

For breakfast today I made pancakes. A little different from usual, though: I used two egg yolks (no whites) and added a few crushed mini Snickers and Twix bars. Ninka was over the moon.

I used only yolks for my pancakes because, for some reason, I woke up ever so early today. I was on my feet (as in fit to function) around 7 in the morning. Yes, seven in the morning. Probably why the thought wandered into my head that I could make the pancake batter before Ninka woke up.

Another idea wandered in: why not make something else too? I should mention that my dad (I’m spending a few days of my holiday at my parents’) showed me a brilliant greengrocer’s in Siewierz yesterday. Brilliant. Not only do they have redcurrants at 4.90 PLN a kilo (in Warsaw I paid 9–10 PLN for a little punnet), but they have mountains of cultivated blueberries sold by the kilo, gorgeous raspberries and wild bilberries. And of course lovely fresh, fragrant vegetables.

Between finding that shop and waking up early today, I got the idea (I think that’s how it happened) to have a second go at pavlova. The first, as you’ll know if you follow the Facebook page, was a failure because I tried to whip the egg whites with the standard blender attachment. The result was… a disaster. Or, more precisely, 5 eggs went… in the bin.

But my parents have Kasia. A good girl, a little on the stout side, admittedly, but incredibly helpful. My very own father even wanted me to adopt Kasia because she takes up too much room in his kitchen. I decided I’d sooner look for a whisk attachment for my blender than take her home with me.

Kasia is a food processor (a lady processor?), and with her help making pavlova seems ridiculously easy. In fact it is ridiculously easy. Have a look at the recipe below and you’ll see what a breeze it was. I was surprised myself, because I remember from my first flush of youth how much trouble I had beating egg whites to a foam. And here I was, making a meringue for pavlova with Kasia (not to be confused with Kaja), practically without lifting a finger.

The dessert itself supposedly comes from Australia, or even New Zealand (I have no idea who thought it up), and I doubt anyone needs me to sell them on it. The meringue is crisp and creamy all at once, and cream with summer fruit is sweetness on everyone’s lips. Do give it a go.

At a glance: 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 90 minutes

Oven temperature: 150 degrees Celsius (read on, because first we heat it to 180 degrees)

Serves: several (up to 6? 8?)

Calories: a mountain of them. Best taken either after strenuous exercise or for breakfast 🙂

Ingredients for a very summery fruit dessert:

• 5 hen’s egg whites
• a glass of caster sugar (about 250 grams)
• a tablespoon of potato starch
• a tablespoon of lemon juice (mine was bottled)
• a large carton of cream, 30% fat
• 100 grams of wild bilberries
• 150 grams of cultivated blueberries
• a handful of redcurrants

Method (you’ll need the help of Kasia, a food processor or a mixer):

Staying with my parents means I get to spend time with Kasia. As I said, Kasia is a food processor, and she made it much easier for me to prepare this splendid Australian (or New Zealand, if you prefer) dessert. Instead of a processor you can use a mixer with a whisk attachment for beating egg whites (the attachments should look like this). Interestingly, you can apparently get attachments like these for a hand blender too. I’ll be looking.

I separated the yolks and whites of five hen’s eggs. I poured the whites into the bowl of the food processor fitted with the whisk attachment and started whisking (fairly slowly rather than fast: 3 on Kasia’s scale of 1 to 8). While the whites were whipping I got the sugar (a glassful), a tablespoon of potato starch and a tablespoon of lemon juice ready. I also preheated the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (taking out the baking tray so it wouldn’t get hot).

After about 3–4 minutes the whites had whipped up into a beautiful foam (you can see it in the photo below).

Then I started adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time through the opening at the top of the bowl. I added a spoonful about every 20–25 seconds. After about 3–5 minutes of that I had the whites whipped with the sugar. Then I added the tablespoon of potato starch and poured in the tablespoon of lemon juice.

I turned my Kasia up from 3 to 6 on her scale of 1 to 8 and mixed everything for about another 30 seconds. Then I switched off the food processor (the lady processor, I should say ;).

I lined the oven tray with baking paper and spread the egg white mixture evenly into a fairly tall round (you can see it in the photo below, already in the oven). I put it into the oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius and turned the temperature down to 150 degrees Celsius. I baked it for about an hour and a half.

Then I left the oven door slightly ajar and let the meringue cool.

Once the meringue was cold, I got the cream ready. I whipped it to stiff peaks in the mixer (it wasn’t easy: the first lot split, or rather turned into something resembling butter. It worked on the second go). I spread it over the meringue and arranged the fruit on top (bilberries, cultivated blueberries and a few redcurrants). Pavlova’s ready. Enjoy!