A Pavlova Christmas Tree!!!
Easier than you think, and a great holiday dessert to get everyone involved building it together!
This Pavlova Christmas Tree is a lot more straightforward to make than it looks!
Photo of the cover of a well thumbed copy of Sunday Life magazine 6 December 2020 featuring my $20 a head Christmas menu!
But I was very adamant that I absolutelyhadto feature the Pavlova Christmas Tree on my website too!
Easier than you think!
If youve made pavlova in the past, there is nothing daunting about this recipe whatsoever.
Photo of the cover of a well thumbed copy of Sunday Life magazine 6 December 2020 featuring my $20 a head Christmas menu!
Its just a pavlova constructed in a different way.
But if it does collapse??
?It can be salvaged!
Delicate meringue crust on the outside, marshmallow insides, smothered in cream and berries…. a combination to die for!
Scroll down to see my salvaged version a true story of a disaster averted from a gathering last weekend!
It actually worked fine without but feels more stable with!
Decorations Coulis, raspberries, rosemary sprigs and icing sugar for dusting!
see to it you’re free to see the lines through the paper looking through the other side.
Separate eggs
Use any technique that works for you to separate the eggs.
I pass the yolk back and forth between shells so the white slides out.
Loose egg whites will not fluff as well when beaten, so the volume of meringue will be less.
Its too unreliable to just use 5 eggs!
We need 170ml / 2/3 cup of whites.
This might be 4, 5 or 6 eggs.
Measure out your whites!
So after measuring out the whites, leave the whites to come to room temperature (17 20C).
This is important because even the slightest drop of egg yolk can prevent the egg whites from becoming fluffy.
Make meringue mixture
Making the meringue mixture for the pavlova is nice and easy.
Just beat, beat, beat!!!
(Oh, and double-check your bowl and whisk are clean and dry.
Meringue hates grease and water!)
Also, these thinner Pavlova Rounds forms are naturally stronger than largetraditional pavlovas!
(PS If yours drips down, keep beating!)
The Pavlova Rounds are 2cm / 4/5 thick.
I like to add a decorative edge to make it look pretty but this is entirely optional!
Wide tip Use a wide-tipped piping nozzle; the one I use is about 1.2cm / 1/2 diameter nozzle.
Just use a spoon to dollop then spread.
Or snip the corner of a ziplock bag to create a makeshift piping bag!
(As mentioned, the decorative edge is optional.
Note that the two smallest rounds are too small to decorate, so forget trying.)
Then do a second layer.
I just do tight up-and-down motions all around the edge.
Bake & cool
Dozerplayed a pivotal role in this step….
But dont worry, you dont actually need a Pav-sitter!!
This Pavlova is sturdy enough to stand on its side!
Sometimes I even leave it in overnight!
They should be dry and crispy from edge to edge, not sticky.
If they are not fully crisp, leave in the oven for a further 5 minutes.
Humidity and the accuracy of your oven come into play here, so it might take a bit longer.
Leave the pavlova to fully cool in the closed oven.
you might even leave them in overnight this is actually the routine I usually adopt.
Ovens make an excellent storage space for pavlovas, since theyre dry environments and should be airtight!
The Pavlova Rounds should be sturdy enough to do THIS:
6.
EASIER than you think
Dont stress, HAVE FUN!
This is MUCH easier to construct than you think, and its more stable than youd expect.
And yes, I have even had one collapse on me but saved it!
(PS Coulis is just a fancy word for blitzed raspberries.
Its dead easy);
Fresh raspberries For decorating and propping up adjustments at the end!
Rosemarysprigs A nice green garnish to evoke Christmas Trees;
Icing sugar / powdered sugar Our snow!
Bamboo Skewer A hidden trunk inside for extra support.
The pile of raspberries on the bottom right is disguising the mess I made after the Pavlova collapsed! The collapse occurred because I RAN past the Pavlova and I have vibrating floor boards. Silly me!
How to build the Pavlova Christmas Tree
And heres how to do it!
Creamfirst Spread the largest Pavlova Round with cream;
Strawberry pillars Press in 4 strawberry pillars.
Youll see me switch it up as I construct in the recipe video.
Just stuff the raspberries in gently, just on the edges.
But dont get cocky and attempt to lift an entire Pavlova Round!
Just do the edges!
Kudos to you if you make anedible star!
Dust with snow!Well, icing sugar.
Dont underestimate the power of a little icing sugar!
It makes it so pretty.
Biggest advice: Stop fiddling to make it perfect.
This is a pav.
It is SUPPOSED to be fabulously rustic!
Structural woes: Salvaging!
You are unlikely to have issues with the tree leaning or collapsing while constructing it.
Prevent screen from sleeping
Hide the mess with a pile of raspberries/strawberries, sprigs of rosemary and lots of icing sugar.
You see the pile of raspberries on the bottom right in the photo below?
Thats exactly what I did!
If you get TOTAL COLLAPSE Dont cry!
Chin up: You just made anEton Messinstead, thats all!
or at least nearby.
Its also best to construct it inside where it is cooler.
Also, hot temperatures melt cream which might make the layers start to slide!
How to serve the Pavlova Christmas Tree
Serve is a loose term!!!
And then really, the only question is to share or not to share?
Youcouldbe civil and spoon out individual portions, everyone to get their own bowls.
And so there you have it.
The Pavlova Christmas Tree.
Easier than you think …
Prepare the Pav ahead … Work together to build it.
