Heavenly Pavlova

This delectable dessert has a crisp outer shell, which surrounds the light and fluffy interior. My mum lived in New Zealand, until moving to North America. She found that her traditional New Zealand Pavlova recipe worked sometimes, and other times it collapsed. She tweaked the recipe. This is her tried-and-true Pavlova recipe that she is known for. My mum used to make it with malt vinegar because it was readily available in New Zealand, but now she makes it with white vinegar. This dessert was great for my sister, who was allergic to milk. My mum made a smaller one for her, and put cool-whip on it instead. Passion fruit compliments the sweet Pavlova. It can be difficult to find fresh, but sometimes it is available canned.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 Pavlova

Ingredients

• PAVLOVA

• 4  egg whites
• 1  pinch salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups  superfine sugar, divided (berry sugar)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon white vinegar

• TOPPING

• 1  cup heavy whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon icing sugar (confectioner's)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 225'F.
2. Fold foil over a cookie sheet, shiny side up.
3. Add salt to egg whites. Beat egg whites until stiff.
4. Gradually beat in 1 cup of super fine sugar but ONLY 1 tbsp at a time. It should be glossy and stand in stiff peaks.
5. Fold in the remaining super fine sugar, 1/2 cup, as quickly as possible.
6. Fold in vinegar and then the vanilla extract.
7. Use spatula to plop mixture into an 8 - 9 inch circle. Make a depression in the centre of the Pavlova.
8. Bake 1 1/2 - 2 hours, normally closer to 2 hours. The Pavlova changes a little in colour (light tan) when it is finished.
9. Remove from oven. Only cool the Pavlova until you can handle it.
10. Gently flip the Pavlova into one hand. Peel the foil off the bottom of the Pavlova. Gently flip onto a serving plate. Let Pavlova completely cool on the plate.
11. TOPPING:
12. Beat heavy whipping cream in a cold bowl. When the cream starts to get thick add icing sugar and vanilla extract. Peaks should form, soft or stiff peaks is a personal preference.
13. Top COOLED Pavlova with whipped cream, and preferably as close to serving as possible.
14. Decorate with the fruit of your choice. Here are some combinations we use.
15. 1 punnet (pint) strawberries, washed, hulled & sliced and 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced.
16. Or, 2 passionfruit pulps, halved & pulp scooped out, and 3 kiwi fruits, peeled & sliced.
17. Or a 14 oz can peaches sliced, & juice drained.
18. Or 2 passionfruit pulps, halved & pulp scooped out and one 14 oz can peaches sliced, & juice drained.