Pavlova is a light and fluffy meringue dessert named after the ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova. The originator is not actually known but Keith Money, a Pavlova biographer, wrote that a chef at a hotel in Wellington, New Zealand created the dish when Pavlova visited there in 1926 on her world tour. There are also claims it originated in Perth, Australia.
Pavlova is made by beating egg-whites and salt to a very stiff consistency before folding in castor sugar, vanilla and vinegar, and then slow-baking the mixture to dry all the moisture and create the meringue. This leaves the outside of the pavlova a crisp crunchy shell, while the interior remains soft and moist. A popular tried and true recipe contains the following:
Ingredients:
- 3 egg whites
- 9 oz castor sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
See also: Cooking