Week 17 Bill Granger - Sydney Food

This time last year we were in Australia. Drinking cold tinnies, camping in the bush and flinging another shrimp on the barbie. Since the government guidance to Stay Home, the furthest-flung we have managed to get is the patio. 

There are worst places to be, to be honest, especially since the weather has been almost uniformly glorious since lock down started. But in an attempt to bring some of the Antipodean vibe back to Buckinghamshire, I decided to make that Aussie classic (although a Kiwi may have something to say about that), the pavlova.

The recipe (sort of) comes from adored Australian restauranteur and food writer, Bill Granger; and is taken from his Sydney Food book - a hefty tome that was a kind gift from my sister. Just as kind was my Mum, who carted it back for me from Oz in her suitcase. 

One of my favourite memories from the trip we took to Australia for my 30th birthday, was going to Bill's in Surry Hills with my Sister and the Ewing and having his famed ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter. A recipe that I have also recreated at home, and is also in the book.

I never really thought I liked pavlova, as I never really liked meringue. Turns out that a real pav shouldn't be the classic crisp, feather-light meringue, which shatters on impact, but more a gooey marshmallow centre, held together by a thin, crisp crust.

This texture is achieved by a tsp of cornflour (or potato starch or arrowroot - Bill uses both) and a tsp of acid, either white vinegar or lemon juice. You then need to bake in a low oven to dry out the outside, without colouring it too much, and too keep the inside nice and squidgy.

This is something I learnt the hard way, after the first effort got over-baked (despite following the recipe cooking times) and then cracked after I needed to take it out the oven before it had cooled down, as I wanted to cook some chicken schnitzels and hadn't planned things as well as I thought I had....

The meringue for the second effort was slightly grainy, as I was too impatient when incorporating the sugar, which caused it to weep slightly when cooling (this time left in the oven overnight). But was also taller, and paler, and full of glorious vanilla-scented gooeyness. As it should be.

I topped mine with mango and blueberries, as that is what they had at the petrol station shop near our house (it is a Little Waitrose, so not quite as surprising as it may seem), but you could use any fruit. Strawberries and raspberries are great and passion fruit is my favourite. I also used some toasted coconut flakes that needed using up. It is recommended you serve as soon as you have put the topping on, but I think I prefer it best a day or two later, when it has become even more squidgy.

Pavlova

Adapted from a recipe by Bill Granger

For the meringue

4 egg whites

250g white caster sugar

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp cornflour (or potato starch or arrowroot)

1 tsp vanilla extract

for the topping

200ml double cream

200ml greek yogurt

fruit of your choice - I used mango, blueberries and toasted coconut

Heat oven to 110C

Using a pencil, mark out an 20 cm circumference on baking parchment. Turn the parchment upside down (you should still be able to see the outline of the circle) and place on a baking sheet.

Whisk 4 egg whites (use an electric whisk, unless you want a good work out) until they form stiff peaks.

Whisk in 250g caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy. 

Whisk in 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a small crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle. 

Bake for 1 hr, or until pale and set on the outside and still soft in the middle. Then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.

When the meringue is cool, whip the double cream to soft peaks and gently stir through the yogurt.

Spread gently over the top and decorate with the fruit of your choice.