During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors.
As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to the necessary lock-downs taking place all over the world. One way we’ll be doing so is simply by sharing our favourite recipes.
Over the next few weeks (or months, who knows) we’ll be publishing the cocktail and food recipes that we find most exciting, so that when you aren’t ordering in to support your favourite venues, you’ll know enough to quickly throw together some top-class concoctions.
Mother’s Day Pavolva
Melbourne based purveyors of artisanal chocolate treats CACAO and co-owner Tim Clark have shared a recipe for special Mother’s Day Pavlova. A decadent twist on the Aussie crowd-pleasure, this easy to follow set of steps recreates the same pavlova which has been specially commissioned to be part of Melbourne and Olympic Parks’ highly anticipated new venue Centrepiece at Melbourne Park when it opens in 2021.
Ingredients
Pavolva:
- 200g / 4 egg whites
- 2 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch
- 1 cup or 220g caster sugar, superfine
- 30ml or 1 shot of espresso coffee (preferably from your favourite local roastery)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Pavlova Chocolate Cafe topping:
- 300ml whipped cream
- 30ml or 1 shot of espresso coffee (preferably from your favourite local roastery)
- 30ml or 1 shot of Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
- Handful of good quality dark chocolate shavings
- Cocoa powder (for dusting)
Method
- Preheat oven to 120°C
- Place your egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add a shot of espresso into the mix and gradually add your sugar, beating well until the mixture is glossy. Then, sift the cornflour over, add the vinegar and fold through.
- Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Spoon meringue mixture onto the baking tray and create a large round mound shape approximately 18cm in diameter. With a spatula decorate the pavlova starting from the outside and working inwards pulling the meringue in a spiral motion to create the appearance of a flower.
- Place in the oven and bake for one and a half hours.
- Once the pavlova is baked, turn the oven off but leave the pavlova inside the oven for a further 20 minutes.
- Remove the pavlova from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
- To serve, top with whipped cream, then drizzle over the Baileys liqueur and espresso coffee. Finish with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings and a dusting of cocoa powder.
