Pastry Chef Gottfried Schuetzenberger: Pavlova
Esteemed Executive Pastry Chef Gottfried Schuetzenberger shares with us his aesthetic version of the popular Pavlova dessert.
To make the pavlova
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F). Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
2. In the bowl of a mixer, on low speed, start to whisk the whites with a pinch of salt. As they start to break up, increase the speed to medium-low and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Add a third of the sugar and whisk until the peaks become a little firmer but not stiff, then add the remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking continually.
4. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and let whisk for a couple of minutes until stiff peaks form. Remove from the machine and fold in the corn flour, vanilla and vinegar.
5. Spoon small drops onto the prepared baking tray.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (320°F) and bake the pavlova for 25 minutes.
Turn the oven off and leave for 10 minutes before removing from the oven and allowing to cool at room temperature.
To make the curd
1. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk. Combine the butter, sugar and passionfruit pulp in a small heavy-based saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
2. Whisk a third of this mixture into the egg yolks, then add everything back into the remaining mixture in the pan. Cook, stirring continuously until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow it to boil.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Pass through a coarse sieve into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd and refrigerate for one hour or until chilled.
To serve
1. Combine the cream, vanilla extract and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
2. Fold in the passion fruit curd until just combined. Gently peel off the baking paper from the pavlova.
3. Place the pavlova on a serving plate, spoon or pipe the cream mixture on top, then spoon over the passion fruit pulp.
Serve with sherbet of choice and decorate with berries, mint or seasonal fruit.
Gottfried Schuetzenberger is the executive pastry chef of the Grand Hyatt Singapore.
Photo credit: Grand Hyatt Singapore
