The Pavlova Cake Recipe

This recipe originated in New Zealand. The chef of the Wellington Hotel invented it to commemorate the visit of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova who came over to New Zealand during her world tour. Australia refutes it stating that the recipe was made up in their country. Despite the dispute the cake is much loved in both countries, its popularity growing all over the world. The Pavlova Cake is made from beaten-up egg whites, confectioner’s sugar, vinegar, starch and slow baking of the meringue kind. Thus you get a cake with a crispy crust that – unlike meringue – has a soft and wet inside resembling marshmallow. It’s the addition of corn starch that does the trick. It is an essential ingredient of the recipe.

Ingredients for Crust

• 4 eggs
• 0.4 lb fine sugar or confectioner’s sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 2 teaspoonfuls corn starch

Ingredients for Cream

• 0.42 pt 35% cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 kiwi
• 1 oz bilberry
• 1.7 oz strawberry

Cooking Instructions

1. Separate whites from yolks. Beat the whites up into a thick foam; add sugar gradually and continue beating until you get hard spikes. Well-beaten whites should maintain shape and stay in when you turn the dish over.
2. Add starch and vinegar, beat for one more minute.
3. Cover the baking sheet with parchment, sprinkle flour. Mark a circle. Put out the whites with a turner into a circle.

1. Bake the crust for 2 hours at the temperature of 212 degrees. It should be dry to touch and of light cream color.
2. Turn of the heat, leave the crust inside to cool down. When it has cooled put it on a platter or leave in a dry container until it is needed.

1. To make custard beat up cream with 3 spoons of sugar. Spread the custard over the crust and top with fruit pieces. This dessert is eaten immediately while the crust retains its crispness.