Melt in your mouth perfection! This pavlova recipe has it all: sweet, crunchy, chewy, creamy and fruity. Given to me by a friend from New Zealand, it’s an authentic dish that’s a delicious change from your typical dessert.
This is the recipe that finally changed me from a chocolate-only dessert lover. Before I was introduced to this pavlova recipe if I made a dessert with -gasp! – sugar, it’s a pretty good bet that it would be made with chocolate. Why risk disappointment when we so rarely have something sweet? That all changed when a friend from New Zealand introduced me to this authentic New Zealand recipe. In fact, I love it so much that I made it for Christmas this year and my husband’s birthday. And my chocolate loving kids even chose this over a chocolate cake at our holiday party, asking for the “cake with the cucumbers on top.” Fortunately, there are no cucumbers, but there are kiwi and strawberries – a little healthy fruit to go with all the sugar. 🙂
Although the recipe isn’t hard, you do need to use superfine sugar (find it at gourmet food markets, kitchen stores, and online at amazon.com), and be sure to bake it low and slow (around 225 degrees for 90 minutes). Somehow it magically bakes into a “cake” with a crisp outer layer and a soft, gooey inside.
If you’re looking for a change from the traditional chocolate this year this beautiful pavlova recipe is sure to impress your Valentine! Enjoy!
