Master class: preparing the Pavlova cake at home. Pavlova Cake: A Classic Dessert Recipe

Protein cake "Pavlova", named after the legendary Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. As for the very origin of this cake, discussions and disputes are still ongoing, whose is it, Australian or New Zealand. One thing is for sure, and there and there they love him very much. According to one legend, the Pavlova cake was created in New Zealand, in one of the Wellington hotels, for the arrival of Anna Pavlova during her world tour. According to another version, the cake was invented in Australia, where the cake was created for someone's birthday and the local chef, having tasted the cake, said: "It is just as airyth, like Pavlova. "In the history of cooking, there are several more versions of the origin of this famous dessert. And the fact that there are so many of them indicates that this cake is worth assigning itauthorship itself.

Despite my dislike for various meringues, cakesm pasta of all colors of the rainbow and other sweets that creak on the teeth, I wanted to cook the Pavlova cake for a long time. All possibilities were gone. And what tempted me about it was the incredibly tender middle, with a crispy outer shell, which almost completely disappears on the second day, which, it seems to me, makes the cake even tastier. And the sweetness is balanced knocked downcream with a minimum amount of powdered sugar and sour fruit. And I'll tell you, this is not the last time I baked a Pavlova cake. There will definitely be a sequel! True, in other interpretationsX. And this time I offer you a classic version of the cake.

As regards the technicalx nuances of the cake, then first of all, it is important not to overdry the cake. It's not meringue! It is not necessary to dry the protein base. dry wellonly the outer shell should. And inside the cake should remain soft. To do this, turn off the oven in time.

To stabilize the proteins, cornstarch is added to them, which better creates the well-known tender, almost viscous, consistency than potato. But potato starch can be substituted for it. In addition, vinegar is also added. For thosewith a phobiaregarding vinegar, I will say that it cannot be replaced with lemon juice. For the simple reason that in baking there is very little room for thoughtless fantasizingI and everything has its meaning and no two lemons are equally sour. Accordingly, the amount of lemon juice neededoe to stabilize proteins, canvary from lemon to lemon. Another thing is with vinegar, which gives the same result every time.

In addition, a distinctive feature of the Pavlova cake is its whiteness, it is like a tutu in ballerinas. And so that the base does not turn yellow, you need to observe the temperature regime and turn off the oven in time. In many recipes, the starting temperature for baking the protein base is 150 ᵒС. It's too risky in my opinion. Therefore, it is better to start at 120 ᵒС. So it is safer for the whiteness of the product.

When you drinkIf the protein base is cooled, cracks may appear. This is not a problem, and in the case of the Pavlova cake, they are not considered a disadvantage, especially since they are easy to disguise with cream.the wear or creaminess of the base, or, for example, the dryness of the middle. ByI repeat, the Pavlova cake is not a meringue! Dryyou don't need squirrels to crunch!

In terms of fruit, the classic variant is the combination of strawberry and kiwi, and occasionally passion fruit appears. I have used all three. All in all, to the cakeany fruit and berries are suitable for Pavlov, and, in my opinion, the more sour they are, the better, because the protein base is quite sweet. I'm getting ahead of the question, the amount of sugar cannot be reduced. Proteins will not hold their shape.

Success to you and successful culinary experiments!

For the protein base:

• 5 (about 150 grams) room temperature proteins
• 300 grams of powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vinegar 9%
• 1/4 lemon

For decoration:

• 300 ml cream 30%
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 2 tbsp. l. powdered sugar
• Strawberries and kiwi for garnish
• Pulp from 2 passion fruits (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 120 ᵒС.

2) Grate a bowl for whipping egg whites with a quarter of a lemon.

3) Beat egg whites until the first bubbles appear.

4) Continuing to beat, adding 1 tbsp. powdered sugar and finally starch and vinegar. to stable peaks.

5) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease the inner sides of a 20 cm diameter detachable cake pan with odorless vegetable oil. Put on parchment.

6) Put the whipped proteins on parchment, smooth and carefully, forming a large depression in the center in the form of a crater (a place for cream and fruit). Next, scrolling, remove the sides of the detachable form. This way you will get a neater circle.

7) Insert a baking sheet with proteins into the oven and bake for about 1.5 hours. The surface must adhere well and be dry to the touch.

8) Turn off the oven and leave to cool completely in the oven.

9) In the meantime, soak the gelatin in a little water. And when it swells, add to 100 ml of cream and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, without bringing to a boil, until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

10) Add warm cream to the rest of the cold cream, mix and refrigerate for 1 hour.

11) Remove the chilled cream from the refrigerator and beat well, gradually adding powdered sugar.

12) Remove the base for the Pavlova cake from the oven.

Pavlova's meringue cake, created by Australian confectioners a hundred years ago in honor of the incredibly talented Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, resembles a snow-white tutu. A light, airy, lacy dessert is associated with a Russian dancer who conquered the world with her unsurpassed talent, elegance and grace. True, New Zealand confectioners claim that they are the authors of the original dessert. Let's not argue, but rather try to bake this confectionery miracle. The cake is made with French meringue, whipped cream and strawberries, with a crispy crust on the outside and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth meringue on the inside. According to eyewitnesses, Anna Pavlova really liked this cake and she enjoyed it with pleasure during her tour in Australia and New Zealand. The recipe is ingenious and so simple that you can easily prepare the Pavlova cake at home, even without special culinary preparation.

Preparing products for dessert

To prepare the Pavlova cake at home, we need the following products: chilled egg whites, sugar or powdered sugar, cream with a fat content of 33%, vanillin, wine vinegar and corn starch, which can be replaced with potato starch (although potato starch will need 2 times less). If you don't like vinegar, substitute lime or lemon juice, although some recipes combine vinegar with citrus juice. Instead of cream, you can use various cream cheeses such as mascarpone or full-fat sour cream. For decoration, you will need powdered sugar, chocolate, nuts or confectionery powder.

By the way, it is quite appropriate to replace whipped cream with a light low-calorie yogurt mixed with honey instead of sugar, or even make an unsweetened cream, because the cream itself is slightly sweet, besides, fruits provide additional sweetness. Instead of cream, you can also use fruit sorbet or thick berry syrup. Of course, this will no longer be a classic cake, but you don’t have to worry about the figure.

How to beat egg whites for french meringue

Beat egg whites only in a dry and clean bowl, because even a drop of moisture or fat can interfere with the process and the foam will not be as strong as it should be. Some housewives pre-degrease the dishes with lemon juice and wipe them dry. The opinions of confectioners on the temperature of meringue proteins differ - some believe that it is better to pre-cool them, while others use room temperature proteins. Only one thing can be said for sure: cold eggs beat better and faster, and slightly warm proteins give a softer foam. A pinch of salt is often added to proteins to obtain a lush foam. In general, all housewives have their own culinary subtleties and secrets.

Proteins for the Pavlova cake need to be whipped in a mixer - first at low speed, and then increasing speed and gradually adding powdered sugar, literally a tablespoon at a time. Sugar is always added only after the peaks have become stable, otherwise the proteins will be hard to beat. Properly whipped meringue holds its shape well, it is quite dense and at the same time very smooth and airy. After sugar, you can carefully introduce other products into the protein mass, mixing them carefully and not very intensively.

Delicate core - the highlight of the cake: how to bake meringue

You can make one large cake, bake several mini cakes, or make dessert in the form of small cakes. Protein products are usually baked on baking paper so that they do not stick. Draw a circle of the desired shape on the paper, lightly sprinkle the paper with cornmeal and spread the protein mass evenly, leveling it with a spoon. For ease of formation of the cake, you can use a detachable form. The edges of the airy meringue should be slightly higher to form a cup, which is subsequently filled with cream. You can also make a very deep vase, similar to a volcano with a crater, decorate the surface of the meringue with a relief pattern, or give the cake an original shape using a pastry syringe.

The meringue is baked in two stages - the first stage lasts 5 minutes, the temperature is 140-150 ° C. This is necessary so that the meringue crust grabs and becomes crispy. At the second stage, the meringue is cooked for about half an hour at a temperature of 120 ° C. You can bake the cake in a different way - heat the oven to 200 ° C, then reduce the heat to 90-100 ° C and bake the meringue for another 1.5-2 hours. The most suitable baking mode is bottom-up with convection, because in this case the meringue will dry well, and the inside will remain soft. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of the meringue, but there are certain signs you can look for. If the meringue seems too wet, then it’s too early to turn off the fire, and if drops of syrup appear on its surface, you have dried out the dessert.

Do not open the oven while the cake is baking, otherwise the meringue will settle, be patient. After turning off the oven, do not immediately take out the baking sheet, let the cake stand for a while, cool down and “come to its senses”.

Cream and juicy fruits: decorating the cake

While the cake is cooling in the oven, beat the chilled heavy cream with a mixer or whisk, but do not overdo it, otherwise the butter will separate from the whey. The right buttercream always turns out to be light, tender and dense.

Put the baked and cooled meringue on a dish, cover it on top and sides with buttercream and garnish with more strawberries, although you can use any berries and fruits. Put mint leaves on the berries, pour the cake with fruit puree or chocolate sauce, sprinkle with powdered sugar or grated chocolate - you can decorate the dessert in different ways, it all depends on your imagination. Some confectioners decorate the dessert with white and dark chocolate painting, use nuts and candied fruits. Serve the finished dessert immediately. Pavlova cake should be eaten immediately, preferably not leaving it for tomorrow.

Cake "Pavlova": cooking secrets

For the cake, you need to beat the whites very well to get a thick and strong foam, and instead of sugar, it is better to take powdered sugar. Sometimes salt is added to the protein mass for better whipping. The classic Pavlova cake recipe has cornstarch and vinegar, and these ingredients are very important because they create the crispy crust of the meringue, inside of which lies a soft and airy cream. This is the main difference between dessert and ordinary meringue. Some recipes mention flour, which is added to proteins in small quantities. Thanks to it, the dough turns out to be more plastic, you can create the most bizarre shapes from it or hide the filling inside.

The cake can be baked as a whole or in portions, and decorated with strawberries, passion fruit, kiwi or raspberries. In general, any fruits and berries, but the combination of strawberries and passion fruit is a classic. The cake can be decorated with mint or lemon balm leaves - for freshness and aroma.

And one more secret - collect the cake right before serving, otherwise the layers of meringue will soak too quickly with berry or fruit juice, soften, and the juice will flow, making the dessert look unattractive. It is advisable to eat the cake immediately, because the next day it becomes tasteless. But meringue is recommended to bake in advance. For example, the day before the planned tea party, so that the cookies dry out and become crispy.

Pavlova cake: a step by step recipe

There are about 700 recipes for this meringue cake around the world, and you can master many of the cooking options. But first, let's get acquainted with the basic, classic recipe, on the basis of which you can experiment in the future.

Ingredients: proteins - 6 pcs., powdered sugar - 300 g, wine vinegar - 1.5 tbsp. l., cornstarch - 4 tsp, lemon juice - 1 tsp, vanillin - on the tip of a knife, cream (fat content 35%) - 350 ml, powdered sugar - 4 tsp, berries and fruits - to your taste.

Cooking method:

1. Separate the whites from the yolks.

2. Beat the whites to make strong peaks.

3. Add powdered sugar and continue beating.

4. Combine the protein mass with corn starch, vinegar, lemon juice and vanilla.

5. Mix the dough well.

6. Preheat the oven to 120°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

7. Spoon the meringue into a raised bowl.

8. Bake the cake for about 1.5 hours until it becomes dense.

9. Turn off the heat and let the meringue cool right in the oven.

10. Whip cream with powdered sugar until thick.

11. Fill the recess in the bowl with the resulting cream.

12. Decorate the cake with any berries and fruits you like.

Cut the cake and enjoy a delicate dessert, feeling how pleasantly the meringue crunches with a juicy and soft filling reminiscent of fresh marshmallows.

Chocolate cake "Pavlova": recipe with photo

An unusually delicious cake for chocolate lovers and just a sweet tooth. Preheat the oven to 150°C, while whisking 3 egg whites, gradually adding 175 g of sugar - about 1 tbsp. l. In the finished whipped proteins, enter 4 tbsp. l. cocoa powder and mix well.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and shape into two meringues. Bake the meringues for an hour until they are firm enough, then turn off the oven and let the meringues cool.

Whip 200 ml of heavy cream with 50 g of powdered sugar and assemble the cake, connecting the meringues with cream. Fill the meringues with cream. Instead of butter cream, you can use fresh cream or sorbet. Decorate with berries to your taste and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Chocolate meringue cake is a real culinary masterpiece!

This delicacy is so beautiful and tasty that it is often prepared for the holidays. Not surprisingly, the world's largest ort "Pavlova" was prepared in 2005 by students of the Eastern Institute of Technology in New Zealand. The length of the cake was 65 meters, and it took about 5,000 egg yolks, 150 kg of sugar and cream to make it. Surprisingly, it was eaten instantly, the next day there was nothing left. May your dessert suffer the same fate. Happy tea drinking!

The famous airy delicacy, which can be prepared in the form of a whole cake or individual portioned desserts, has a rather interesting and controversial history of origin, as well as a name that has been proudly worn for almost 100 years!

Cake "Pavlova" in its taste and appearance resembles a meringue cake, which should have a crispy crust and soft filling, which, in fact, distinguishes it from the generally accepted concept of "". It is always served on the table with fresh fruit and whipped cream, which, in the best possible way, decorate and complement an already excellent dessert.

The history of the Pavlova cake is surrounded by constant and rather protracted disputes, because two countries, New Zealand and Australia, tirelessly claim the title of “creator country” of such an unusual dessert. The only thing that is reliably known and does not require proof is the very name of the cake - Pavlova, which was given to the delicacy in honor of the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.

Back in 1926, the famous ballerina toured all over foreign countries, visiting Western Australia and at almost the same time. The visit of such a respected person was a real event at that time, the hotels where Anna Pavlova stayed were prepared in advance, trying in every possible way to please her and surprise the famous ballerina with something unusual.

According to some sources, for the first time Anna tried such a dessert in New Zealand, where the chef of one of the restaurants specially created this dessert for the famous ballerina. According to another version, which was born in Australia, the cake was invented and prepared on the occasion of the birthday by chef Bert Sachet. During the presentation of the dessert, someone exclaimed: “The same airy, weightless .. as Pavlova!”.

If you believe this version, then the name "Pavlova" was attached to the dessert just then. Which of the stories is correct and reliable, we probably will never know, so you can build on the one that you like best, and is it really so important?

The most important thing is to learn how to cook it correctly, because the process itself is not so simple, but if you carefully study the recipe and practice on real products, then everything should work out.

Secrets and features of making Pavlova cake

No wonder the Pavlova cake is considered an incredibly popular and favorite dessert, especially among the inhabitants of New Zealand and Australia, because according to the official version, there are about 667 recipes for this delicacy, which have 300 different sources!

It is hard to imagine how varied the cake in question can be, but the general concept always remains the same: crispy crust and soft meringue inside, which is somewhat reminiscent of marshmallows. It is believed that in the classic version, the dessert must be decorated with strawberries and passion fruit pulp, in the British version - with raspberries.

In many recipes, decoration options vary and can be presented in the form of kiwi, apricots, peaches, bananas, as well as combinations thereof.

But what is interesting is that if the disputes over who first came up with the famous dessert are gradually subsiding, then discussions about where you can taste the best Pavlova cake will probably never stop. Still, each country has its own opinion on what fruits can be used, as well as how best to cook meringue and what to serve the finished dish with.

For example, you can find "Pavlova" with lemon or summer berry mousse inside, there are options with feijoa or fresh passion fruit. Of course, depending on the ingredients, the cake will acquire its own flavor, but still there is a general scheme for preparing the “classic” Pavlova cake.

What does she represent?

Firstly, it is important to know that only egg whites are used to prepare the dessert, which must first be prepared. In order to get “the same taste”, they need to be beaten to a certain state, dense and shiny foam. The dishes in which the process itself will take place must be perfectly clean and dry, even the slightest drop of fat can ruin the whole dessert.

Instead of sugar, it is better to use powdered sugar, since it dissolves much easier, by the way, if you don’t have one at home, then you can easily prepare it with a food processor or blender.

In order for the crust to turn out crispy, like a real Pavlov, it is necessary to add corn flour and wine vinegar, which are mixed together with the protein mass. Thus, a kind of cake is being prepared, which in this recipe is a meringue.

A properly prepared Pavlova cake is easy to distinguish, you just need to look at its appearance: if small droplets appear on the surface of the meringue, it means that the dessert was overexposed in the oven, and if moisture oozes out of it, then, on the contrary, they got it early.

Pavlova cake recipe

For the meringue you will need:

• egg whites - 4 pcs.;
• vanilla powdered sugar - 10 g;
• powdered sugar - 180 g;
• cornstarch - 3 teaspoons;
• wine vinegar (white) - 1 teaspoon;
• lemon juice - 0.5 tsp.

For cream and decorations:

• cream (35%) - 250 ml;
• powdered sugar - 2 teaspoons;
• berries to taste (strawberries, kiwi).

First, prepare a baking sheet: cover it with parchment paper and draw two small circles on it (the diameter will depend on the desired size of the cake). We turn the parchment over so that the pencil drawing remains at the bottom, and the contours remain visible to you.

Now we turn to the preparation of the meringue: pour the whites into one bowl, mix them with lemon juice and start beating them at medium speed until a shiny and fluffy foam is formed. We do not stop beating, but we begin to pour in small portions of powdered sugar mixed with part of the starch and vanilla powder. Continue beating until the egg whites form into stiff peaks.

On top of the surface of the meringue, carefully add wine vinegar and the remaining starch, mix with a wide spatula until a whole mass is formed. We spread the meringue on a baking sheet around the circumference, send it to a preheated oven to 100 ° and bake for 1-1.5 hours. When the meringue is covered with a crust, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now you need. To do this, beat the chilled cream until a light foam forms, then pour the powdered sugar into it and continue to beat until soft peaks form. It is important not to overdo it, otherwise they will turn into oil, and not into a light cream.

How is pavlova cake served?

Even if you prepared the meringue in advance, in no case should it be immediately covered with whipped cream and berries, otherwise it will quickly absorb moisture and lose its crispy crust. Immediately 30-60 minutes before serving, carefully transfer the meringue to a dish, decorate it with cream and fresh berries.

A legendary dessert that has found a place in the works of many famous confectioners is Pavlova's cake. Its recipe appeared thanks to the chef, inspired by the work of the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. He created an airy dessert consisting of meringue, cream and fresh fruit.

A bit of history

There has always been an unspoken rivalry between New Zealand and Australia. This also affected the history of the creation of the cake.

According to New Zealand, the dessert was created by the chef of one of the capital's hotels in order to show respect to the ballerina. In the thirties of the last millennium, Anna Pavlova gave concerts in Australia and New Zealand as part of a world tour.

Australia claims that the cake appeared a decade later. It came out of the hands of the chef Sasha, who at the presentation said that the dish was as airy as Anna Pavlova.

Most likely, the truth lies with New Zealand, since it was there that Pavlova's cake first became widely known. The recipe for this dessert appeared in local print media in the late thirties.

Basics

This cake is beautiful regardless of the state in which it was born: the lightness and tenderness of the meringue, the creaminess of the cream, the tartness and bright taste of fruits ... At the same time, the base of the cake, made only from meringue, differs from the usual meringue - hollow, dry and fragile. Thanks to the addition of starch and vinegar, the cake is crispy on the outside, but tender and soft, like a soufflé, inside.

It is very important not to overdry the base, since it is it that makes up the airiness that Pavlova's cake is famous for. The recipe may vary in practice, depending on the wishes of the chef, but the output characteristics should be the same.

Classic

In order to make a cake for 6 servings, you will need the following products:

• - 6 pcs.;
• vanillin - a pinch;
• wine white vinegar (in extreme cases, apple) - 1.5 tsp;
• sugar - 270 grams;
• lemon juice - 1 tsp;
• fat cream 33% - 400 ml;
• powdered sugar - 100 grams;
• strawberries - 200 grams;
• mango, diced - 200 grams;
• passion fruit, pulp - 100 grams.

Cake (classic recipe) involves the use of corn starch, it is not recommended to replace it with potato starch.

You can make one large cake or several portions.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw circles with a pencil. Focus on the size of the desired servings at the exit. Turn the paper over so that the pencil mark does not remain on the meringue.
2. Preheat the oven to 100 o C.
3. Set aside 5 tsp. sugar, mix with sifted starch and vanilla.
4. Pour the lemon juice into the egg whites and beat until soft peaks form.
5. Pour the rest of the sugar in portions, without stopping beating. The result should be a tight, strong, shiny mass that perfectly holds its shape.
6. Pour in a mixture of sugar and starch and pour in the vinegar.
7. Stir the protein mixture until smooth. Proceed with caution, since Pavlova's cake should be airy first of all (the recipe assumes the most gentle attitude to the formed mass).
8. Lay out the protein dough in accordance with the circles drawn on the circles. Try to make the edges thicker than the middle - a kind of crater.
9. Bake for 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the piece. Cakes should be crispy on top, while remaining soft inside.
10. Transfer to a wire rack without removing the parchment and cool completely.
11. Whip the cream to firm peaks with the icing sugar.
12. Rinse, dry and coarsely chop the strawberries, mix them with passion fruit and mango pulp.
13. Put the cream in the recess of the protein billet, decorate with the fruit mass on top.
14. Serve immediately as moisture will melt the cake.

Alternatives

The composition and principle of making the cake are simple and unpretentious. Over time, options began to appear that differ from how it was originally presented. The classic recipe has gained worldwide popularity, but still variations have the right to exist. After all, there is a desire to achieve a new taste. In addition, it is not always the season for the necessary fruits. Yes, and passion fruit in Russia is not easy to find. What now, forget about dessert?

Julia Vysotskaya prepared a wonderful cake, which became a symbiosis of two desserts - "Pavlova" and "Peach Melba". In addition, He made his own changes and He added assorted red berries.

Because of the flexibility of the recipe, you too can be as creative as the chefs with amazing results. Below we will tell you how to make an orange-chocolate pavlova.

"Pavlova" from Vysotskaya

Ingredients:

• egg whites - 4 pcs.;
• fine sugar - 150 grams;
• vanilla extract - 1.5 tsp;
• cornstarch - 1 tsp without a slide;
• white wine vinegar - 1.5 tsp;
• peaches - 2 pcs.;
• raspberries - 1 large handful;
• basil - 2 branches;
• powdered sugar - 2 tsp;
• - 250 grams;
• cream 33% fat - 150 ml.

The Pavlova cake is being prepared by Yulia Vysotskaya at the same temperature as the classic one - 100 ° C. This also applies to the preparation of baking paper.

Mix sugar with starch. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks. Whisking constantly, fold in the sugar-starch mixture. Add vinegar and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 more minutes.

Put the mass on paper, put in the oven and bake for an hour. After that, turn off the heat and leave the cake for another hour without removing it.

Cut the peaches into slices, place in a bowl. Add half a raspberry, finely chopped basil and 1 tsp. powdered sugar.

From 1 tsp. powdered sugar; stir in mascarpone until smooth. Put the cream in the base of the meringue, on it - the fruit mixture. Garnish with the remaining raspberries and serve.

"Pavlova" by Seleznev

This recipe differs from the rest in the first place in that starch was removed from the ingredients and the cooking period was increased. In order to prepare the Pavlova cake from Alexander Seleznev, take:

• egg whites - 6 pcs.;
• fine sugar - 330 grams;
• vanillin - 1 pinch;
• vinegar - 1 tsp;
• cream 33% fat - 450 ml;
• a mixture of red berries - 600 grams.

Preheat the oven to 120 o C. Beat the egg whites until fluffy, gradually adding sugar. Add vanilla and vinegar, beat for 10-12 minutes, achieving a stable foam.

Put the protein mass in the desired shape on baking paper and bake for half an hour, then lower the temperature to 100 ° C and bake for another hour.

Turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool completely, but not less than 7 hours. Remove the protein cake from the baking paper, while whisking the cream to a stable mass.

Place the cream on the crust, garnish generously with berries on top and serve. This Pavlova cake (recipe, see photo above) looks very nice on the table due to the contrast of colors.

Chocolate-orange "Pavlova"

Despite the fact that the cream for this cake is almost unsweetened, in general, the dessert is quite sugary due to the large amount of sugar in the cake. However, you cannot reduce its amount in the recipe, as it serves as a stabilizer for proteins. That is why it is supplemented with sour fruits in order to smooth out excessive sweetness. For those who love chocolate, there is another way to add depth to the dessert:

• egg whites - 6 pcs.;
• vanillin - a pinch;
• cocoa - 50 grams;
• wine white vinegar (in extreme cases, apple) - 1.5 tsp;
• fine sugar - 270 grams;
• cornstarch - 5 tsp without a slide;
• lemon juice - 1 tsp;
• cream with a fat content of 33% - 300 ml;
• mascarpone cheese - 150 grams;
• powdered sugar - 70 grams;
• oranges - 3 pcs.;
• orange liqueur - 2 tbsp. l.

Cake "Pavlova", the recipe (see photo below) of which we give, has a slightly tart, "adult" taste.

Peel the orange slices from the membrane and marinate in liquor with 10 grams of powdered sugar. Melt the chocolate in a water bath. Prepare the dough, as in the recipe for the classic Pavlova cake.

Before spreading the mass on baking paper, carefully and quickly stir in the melted chocolate. Do not try to achieve uniformity - let beautiful marble stains remain. Lay out on paper and bake as usual.

Whip the cream with the remaining powdered sugar, stir in the mascarpone. Spread the cream on a completely cooled cake, top with oranges in liqueur (optionally they can be pureed). Garnish with chocolate if desired.

Outcome

Regardless of which recipe you use, you must adhere to the following rules for best results:

1. Watch the temperature! For the entire baking period, the average temperature should range from 100 to 110 ° C, since the protein mass must be dried first. If heated too much, the meringue will release the syrup, thereby nullifying all your efforts.
2. Due to the sugary sweetness of the protein base, try to complement it with contrasting flavors. For example, keep the amount of sugar in the cream to a minimum, and take the fruit more sour.
3. Serve the assembled Pavlova cake immediately after assembly, as the meringue melts very quickly due to the moist cream.

I have to admit that in my entire culinary experience, this is my first Pavlova. Who doesn't know what it is - it's a cake made only from egg whites. In the classic version, it is a protein mass whipped with sugar, baked until the middle is still tender, decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries. I always had some kind of subconscious reluctance to even try this dessert, since I don’t really like meringues. But my opinion was completely changed by the recipe of Christophe Mishalak from his book, which I got in Paris with an autograph. Even then, standing ten steps away from him and listening to an interview, he said that he especially wanted to mention the Pavlova cake from the whole book - one of the most delicious desserts. Since then, the thought of making it has never left my mind.

True, in my performance, the cake has undergone some changes. I couldn't find either lychee or Soho (lychee liqueur) so I made a lemon-lime curd cream. Combined with lemon biscuit and raspberries - excellent.

Original cream recipe: 175 g cream 35%; 25 g Soho; 70 g Philadelphia cheese.

And I will definitely say a few words in favor of this cake for those who, like me, have never cooked it and are wary of the taste of meringue. These are completely different things! Your cake only has time to get covered with a thin, fragile crust on top, while inside it remains tender, melting, slightly moist, but not raw.

Important, about pectin: since the same question about pectin is asked in the comments, I decided to put the answer in the introduction to the recipe. Pectin is a gluing substance of plant origin. In nature, pectin is found in plant materials, fruits, vegetables, root crops, and belongs to soluble dietary fiber. It is added to jam and jams (NH pectin) so that the mass becomes thicker and does not spread, more or less keeps its shape. To taste - not noticeable, does not leave a "rubber" effect, like gelatin. Jaune pectin is used to make marmalade (pate de fruit).

In this recipe, pectin is needed so that your freshly brewed raspberry confit does not spread, the juice thickens and soaks through the lemon meringue. You can use gelatin (about 2-3 g) just to fix the mass a little, or agar-agar. Sugar is also sold in stores, special for jams, jams and marmalades. It already contains pectin, you can use it.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites (110 g)
100 g fine sugar
100 g powdered sugar
zest and juice of one lime or 1/2 lemon
1 pinch of salt

125 g mascarpone
100 g (citrus ratio 1:1)
25 g powdered sugar

200 g raspberries
30 g brown sugar (or white)
2 g pectin NH

Decor:
500 g raspberries
lime peel
powdered sugar

P r i p o r a t i o n e :

Mix sugar with pectin.

Place the raspberries in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. In a thin stream, with constant stirring, add sugar with pectin. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate until use.

Preheat oven to 150C.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Then add fine sugar little by little. Continue beating until bird's beak.

Using a silicone spatula, fold in the sifted icing sugar, lemon/lime zest and juice.

On a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat, place a frame with dimensions of 12x35x2 cm. Lay out and level the meringue.

If you don't have a frame, no big deal. Draw a 12x35 cm rectangle on parchment paper. Gather the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a #12 flat and round nozzle and line the meringue according to your template.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Let the finished cake cool completely, then transfer to a serving dish. Press the cent lightly to make a small indentation, leaving the sides (about 1-1.5 cm) high.

With a whisk, without whisking, combine all the ingredients. They just need to unite.

Place the raspberry confit in the center of the meringue, reserving a few tablespoons.

Cover with cream on top. Lay out the raspberries.

Cover the space between the berries from the piping bag with the remaining confit.

Remove to refrigerator until serving. It is best to serve on the same day, maximum the next. The crust is very soft and gets wet quickly.

Garnish with mint sprigs and lime zest before serving.

Happy tea!