Pavlova!

Yep, I finally did it. Made my very own fluffy egg-white masterpiece. I didn't chicken out and run out to Woollies to grab the ready made stuff - although being as the shops were closed by the time I'd decided on what to make, I didn't really have the option.

I'd always wanted to make one, but hearing all the stories of woe (collapse/runniness/burning/not resembling merinque in any shape or form) kinda put me off a bit but in the end necessity won out. I basically didn't have ingredients for anything else, and since I was put on dessert duty for a dinner with friends, I was desperate! As usual I scoured the net for recipes and came across a really really simple recipe....and changed it a bit. In the end I used:

3 eggwhites, at room temperature
2/3 cup caster sugar (kinda cheated this, didn't have caster so I smashed some white sugar in my pestle and viola! took some muscle but same same la)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups passionfruit yoghurt
8 large strawberries, hulled, sliced
2 bananas sliced into thin circles
1 tablespoon honey

Don't really understand the science behind this but basically if you don't get the egg at room temperature, you're doomed. Learnt that one from an unfortunate meringue experience.

Where were we? Oh right:

1. Preheat oven to 150' (thats supposed to be degrees, don't know how to get the symbol) celcius. Have a large tray ready with some baking paper.
2. Beat the egg whites until you get soft peaks. Your call to use hand-mixer or just hand. Personally I'd go with the mixer unless you've got hulk-like muscles and have a lot of time on your...hands. Sorry....Gradually add the sugar a teaspoon at a time while beating until you have a lovely glossy texture. You'll know when this happens as you'll feel a ridiculous sense of pride and awe at self. Fold in the vanilla.
3. Spoon the eggies into 2 equal rectangles on the tray (here's the tricky part. My web instructions had me measuring and drawing on the paper, but who has the patience? I went right in and ended up flubbing around pushing and spreading, standing back to eye the 2 pieces, flubbing some more until I was satisfied they were kinda close to being the same size. But that's just me.) Bake for 40 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the door open to cool and stand back to again feel that ridiculous sense of pride and awe at your creation. Let cool for about an hour till its all nice and crunchy.
4. Spread one of the rectangles with half the yoghurt. Top with strawberries and bananas. Place the remaining meringue on top and repeat the yoghurt and banana business. Drizzle with honey. Admire.

Serves 6. Well we had 5 and consenquently had to fight it out for the remaining piece.

Yummmmm!