Ingredients
You can make this meringue batch as big or small as you like, just stick with a 2:1 ratio of sugar to egg whites.
- 300g golden or regular caster sugar
- 150g egg whites (either from fresh eggs or carton egg whites - I find each egg has approx 30g of egg white)
- Optional: food colouring
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200ºc and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Weigh out 200g caster sugar and spread it evenly on the prepared tray.
- Carefully weigh out your 100g egg whites (about 3 large eggs), making sure no yolks are included. Tip: Use the leftover yolks for a frittata or custard to avoid waste.
- Place the tray of sugar into the oven for 5 minutes to heat through.
- While the sugar is heating, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form.
- Once the sugar is ready, remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 100ºc. Leave the oven door open for a few minutes to help it cool down quicker.
- Gradually add the warm sugar to the egg whites, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
- Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper, securing the paper with a small dab of meringue in each corner to prevent it from moving.
- Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle. If desired, paint stripes of food colouring inside the bag for a decorative effect.
- Pipe small pavlovas onto the trays, leaving a 1cm gap between each one. Alternatively, you can spoon rustic mounds for a more natural look. You can also pipe mini meringue kisses for decoration or cake toppers.
- Bake at 100ºc for 1 hour. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas inside for an additional 1 hour to dry out completely. They should peel easily away from the baking paper.
- Once cool, fill your pavlovas with whipped cream, curd, or any filling of your choice. Top with fresh fruit, nuts, or edible flowers, and arrange on a serving platter or cake stand.
Recipe credit @jemmaloi.
See Jemma's other recipes here.
