DAY 30: MUAH PAVLOVA

This is something that i saw Nigella Lawson make on TV and i just had to try it, it looked easy and very very tasty and frankly because i really do not count calories and "THINK THIN" i did what i love doing, i googled the recipe and loved the history , this particular dessert got its name after the beautiful Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova visited New Zealand and Australia in 1926 and 1929 respectively and both the countries claim that this is their tribute to the woman who danced to "Swan Lake" like no one has, they wanted to make something really special and delicate and airy and light that would do justice to all that Anna the ballerina stood for ,and that's how the pavlova came into being ...

I love to have "pavlovas " because they are easy to make but are difficult to bake , but once you get it right, its the yummiest and lightest dessert you can have... i love them most with fresh cream and strawberries but mangoes are nice too.....

PAVLOVA

5 egg whites

1 pinch salt

1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

2 cups Castor sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees, but you will be turning it down to 130 when you put the meringue in to bake

Combine the egg whites and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric beater, until you get nice soft peaks, then start adding the sugar a table-spoon at a time so that enough of air gets trapped with the whisking, then add the vanilla and the vinegar, your mix is ready..

Pour it out on to a grease proof paper on a flat baking surface...

And i pour it into a mound and make a well in the center and just stroke the sides with a fork , so that you get this uneven beautiful "tutu" thats begs to be dressed with fresh cream and fruits when ready....if done right it does look like a ballerinas skirt adorned with exotic fruit.....

Bake it at 130 degrees for 3 hours, or until it is nice and crisp and a pale straw colour...then turn the oven off and keep it over night without opening the oven , the next morning open the oven and you will have ,staring at you one of the lightest and melt in the mouth kind of experiences when you bite into it, all you do is whip some fresh cream , i use the fresh cream you get from Parsi dairy farm, i love that , chop seasonal fruits and dress the pavlova with a generous helping of fresh cream and garnish with fruits .........yummmmmmm

Must also tell you that this is the 4th time I'm making it , the 1st time , i read the recipe and thought i was too cool , because i got it all right , but like i said it all about the baking , and so yup my pavlova rose, looked beautiful and i was so happy , i checked the crispiness and it was all like it should be , so i put the oven off and was all set to leave it all night in the oven, went to check on it before i went off to sleep , And lo! and Behold some body had stolen my pavlova , it was just not there, i was like "what the hell happened", i opened my oven and there on the grease paper lay my pavlova , it was a PAPAD, i was heart broken and could not believe that this could happen to something so beautiful, and so learnt a lesson ...

To maintain that beautiful airy happy fluffiness , it needed the right amount of warmth for the right amount of time, not more not less , and only then will the pavlova rise to the occasion and smile back at you...

Actually cooking food for me is like being in a beautiful relationship, it has to be given enough of warm love and care or the most beautiful thing will shrivel up and perish...

Oh ! God, think its the rains, that's getting me all gooey...

So here's presenting, with a lot of warm love and care, "Muah Pavlova" fresh , mouth melting , topped with fresh cream and gorgeous fruits, only from "Maria's Kitchen".....