Recipe | Timmy’s never fail pavlova

Jimmy was taught to make this recipe by New Zealand chef Peter Gordon, who learned it from his mum, Timmy.

Serves 8

Ingredients

6 large egg whites

380 g caster sugar

2 tablespoons cornflour

1 tablespoon malt vinegar

whipped cream and seasonal fruit, to serve

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or hand-heldelectric beaters and a bowl), whisk the egg whites until almost stiff.

Reduce the beater speed to slow, and add half the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until dissolved between each addition.

Once half the sugar has been mixed in, add the remainder in a slow stream, with the beaters still running. Continue to beat for 6–8 minutes, until all the sugar is incorporated and no longer grainy, and the meringue is glossy.

Sift the cornflour over the meringue and drizzle with the vinegar.

Gently fold together until combined.

Scoop the meringue onto a rectangular tray, roughly 20 cm x 23 cm, and spread so it is 3–4 cm thick.

Place the tray on the centre rack in the oven and immediatelyreduce the temperature to 130°C (110°C fan-forced). Bake for 1 hour, then turn the oven off and leave the pavlova to cool for at least an hour in the oven.

Invert the pavlova and carefully peel the baking paper from the base. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with whipped cream and fruit.

COOK’S NOTES:

We’re used to seeing pavlovas smothered in kiwi fruit, strawberries or bananas, but Peter’s mum used a different ingredient: feijoa, a greenish, plum-like fruit that grows on a low shrub, originally in South America. A bit like a guava, it has a slightly sour taste that complements the sweetness of the meringue. As luck would have it, we have those very shrubs growing in our garden. For years, we didn’t know what to do with them, but feijoa has since become a family favourite. Not only does it take pride of place on our pavlovas.

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More recipes from Seasons Where The River Bends — 

Teddy’s favourite garden greens pasta

Off the vine tomato pasta