[TinyTeddys]

I was just hoping some of you could share your pavlova tips...I made one last weekend and while the shell keep it's height while cooking it cracked while in the oven and the gooey center sank. Can you give me any suggestions to stop this? Oven temp was 150 and I used good (expensive!) eggs. Thanks

[greenthumbs]

I'll be honest - I've only used pavlova magic eggs, but with those you heat oven to 150, then drop to 100 when you put the pav in.

Maybe that would make a difference?

[ECsMum]

these are my tips heat the oven to 150 C then put the pavlova into the oven and lower the temperature to 125 C
for an hour, turn the oven off then leave the pav in the oven until completely cooled - even overnight ....

[ally0812]

yep turn oven off with pav in it and leave till completely cool. also a recipe with 1 tablespoon brown vinegar in it should help with sinking issues

[sammy80]

I always use room temperatur eggs too.

[Bigfatbum]

As others have said leave in the oven to cool. And make sure your sugar is completely dissolved in the eggs, you should not able to feel any grittiness between your fingers if you rub a little between them

[Chelara]

Fill it with cream, as much cream as possible! I like it crunchy on the outside and soft in the centre and that usually involves a little sinking.

[LifesGood]

Some pavlova recipes are meant to collapse in the middle, then you fill the cavity with cream and fruit.

The Women's Weekly cookbook (at least the version we have from the 1970's) has about 4 different recipes for pavlova, each giving a different meringue result, depending on what you are aiming for.

If I were you I would get hold of a good, encyclopedic type of cookbook that has all the recipes and try them one by one and decide which is your favourite, then stick with that.

[Sophie11]

I have a family receipe...we are kiwis...

4 egg whites
8oz sugar
1t vinegar
1T water
pinch of creme of tartar
1tsp vanilla essence
1 T cornflour

Beat Eggs white add cream of tar tar and 1/2 sugar beat til still...fold remains ofr sugar and ingredients...put in preheat 150 oven for ten min
then i think...my receipes a bit scratchy might have to check with a family member it says that 1 1/4hr on 140 and open door for last 1/4hr.

This post has been edited by Sophie11: 23/06/2012, 06:58 AM

[Mummaduke]

I also always use those Pavalova Eggs and they are brilliant! so easy, failsafe Pav every time. I've also gotten my 65 year old baking veteran neighbour converted to them too. She swears that she'll never go back to doing them the old way.
But I do still leave it to cool in the oven completely before removing it as they do collapse otherwise.