The Hex

I do believe that this is the most marvellously mountainous pavlova I have ever seen - look too at its verdant kiwifruit slopes!!

When I was five I had the leading role in our class' production of Sleeping Beauty. I got cursed by the wicked fairy, slept for 100 years with nary a wrinkle to be seen and lived happily ever after in the lap of luxury with Prince Charming.

I hear you wondering what has this in common with me or food for that matter? Well not all that much. I certainly am not escaping the march of time, despite lathering on moisturiser religiously, and Prince Charming is a trout fisherman whose idea of luxury is a sleeping bag AND a pillow in the back of the truck. The sad truth is that I too was cursed as a baby. Some unknown sprite, out of malice or sheer meddlesomeness, cursed me with The Pavlova Hex.

I'm a good cook, I can bake, I can even cook and bake relatively tricksy things, but the elusive Pavlova does not come high and white out of the Smeg Beast. I know the theory behind the Pav. I beat egg whites until they are glossy, satiny, smooth, shiny and a hundred other adjectives. According to each recipe I add the sugar all at once, in thirds, sprinkled in a spoonful at a time. Vinegar, vanilla and cornflour are folded in with all due care and the lightest of hands. The oven is high then turned down, or off, or kept on an even heat for the duration. Still the Pav fools me.

It looks the picture of perfection in the oven, whitely delicate, puffed up with the promise of marshmallowy goodness inside and a crunchy meringue exterior. I think that this might be the one. I let it cool in the oven. And it sinks. Not enough to be an abject disaster, rather just sufficiently to leave a flicker of hope that I am making progress. There is meringue, but it is too thick; there is marshmallow, but it is not inches of pillowy yum.

After a hiatus of almost 9 months, I have decided that it was time to face down my Pavlova demons again. As I type I have a Pavlova in the Smeg Beast. I have used Stephanie David's 'never fail' recipe that my neighbour's 13 year old son whips up regularly. It failed for me last time. This time I have opted for the dunce's heat setting of 2 hours at 120 Celsius. It's looking good. If, in my next post, you see that I write about the virtues of Eton Mess (broken meringue, berries, cream) as a quick and easy dessert, you'll know that I'm still pricking my finger on the Pavlovian spindle...

STOP PRESS: why didn't I find this link earlier?!! It's cream of tartar for the marshmallow and furrows to support the sides....

http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/912/make+perfect+pavlova