Saturday, February 18, 2017

Pavlova quest part IV

Here we are again with another pavlova make.  This time for the Potter annual reuinion in Melbourne when patriarch Laurie joins us from the north.

As I think I'm finally narrowing down the parameters, part IV is not much changed from part III, but as part III still saw significant drying out of the interior, the aim this time was to try to refine my baking time.

So:

  • 127g egg whites
  • 210g caster sugar
  • pinch salt
Beat till soft peaks form (speed 4) and then gradually add sugar (speed 6). Add vanilla, cornflour with last of sugar (4-5 mins total) and then beat another 5 mins on speed 10. Add white wine vinegar and beat in. The mix did not seem as stiff as previous efforts.

Place in preheated oven (130C) on low shelf (No. 4) and immediately turn down to 100C and bottom element only. Bake 70 mins. Just showing first signs of cracking when I turned the oven off but left the pav inside, door closed.

First impressions are that I haven't gotten the say amount of rise - so need more heat at the start of the bake. So next time either preheat a little hotter or wait 10 mins before turning down the oven. It's a bit hard to say given this mix didn't seem as stiff as usual.

Chook update

In 2016 we added 2 black Araucana bantams to our flock. At least they are both supposed to Araucanas, but only one lays green eggs and has the rose comb of the breed. The other lays white eggs and has a pointy comb, so she must be a mutt. The one with the pointy crown is (Queen) Elsa, and her sister is Anna (naturally)).

On Cup Day 2016 (1 November, or the first Tues in November, our first hatched chicken joined the flock. We got some fertile eggs so our broody Wyandotte Caramel and Anna could hatch them. Fortunately the one Red Ancona that made it turned out to be a girl. Her name is Bing Bunny chicken.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Pavlova quest part III

The quest continues! Here's the outcome of the Christmas 2016 bake, using the quantities and method described in part II, but tweaking the cook times.

134g egg whites
X1.65 = 220g caster sugar

Beat egg whites and pinch sugar to soft peaks
Add sugar gradually on speed 6
3-4 mins

Increase speed to 10 and beat 5-6 mins

Preheat oven to 130
Shelf = position 4 (second from bottom)
Turn down to 110 and set to bottom element only
After 45 mins turn down to 90
Bake 90 min



Pretty good, cracking minimal, but still large air gap at top so still baked too long
See photo, but this was taken after I pushed the top in to fill it with cream