I have not made Pavlovas for the longest time so when Sasha told me that she was thinking of Pavlova with Maple Cream for our maple themed blog I was excited. For those of you who are not familiar, Pavlova is a meringue named after Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. It was created in her honour in New Zealand (some say Australia) during one of her tours there.
Meringue can be tricky to make but the reward is worth the effort. Start with room temperature eggs, a clean dry bowl and whisk and follow the instructions below.
Mini Pavlova with Maple Whipped Cream
Makes 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours (with baking and cooling time)
4 egg whites, large
1 cup (250 mL) castor sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) white vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) Compliments Pure Maple Syrup [1]
1/2 cup (125 mL) each Raspberries and Blueberries for garnish
- Preheat oven to 225°F/110°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Begin adding sugar, a tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Make sure that the sugar doesn't feel gritty; the meringue should feel smooth between your fingers. If you can still feel the sugar, keep beating.
- Sprinkle in the cornstarch and vinegar; fold into the meringue with a spatula. Gently with a spoon place meringues on the prepared baking sheet. Shape the meringues any way you want.
- Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until the outside of the meringues is dry. Turn off the oven, leave the meringues inside, and slightly leave the oven open - let meringues cool completely. This will take about an hour.
- Meanwhile, whip the whipping cream with a spatula or use the electric mixer until soft peaks. Fold in the maple syrup with a spatula.
- When meringues have cooled, and just before serving, place a meringue on a plate and top with maple whipped cream and fresh berries. Enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Energy: 200 kcal
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 12 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
It was a natural pair, the light slightly chewy meringue with the simple sweetness of the maple cream. Well done Sasha!
I hope that you enjoy Sasha’s Mini Pavlova with Maple Whipped Cream.
Regards,
Chef Ian